Chapter 939 Extra: Holiday Special: Daily Life of the Ascendants: The Third Millennium of Shurima

The first festival special · The daily life of the ascenders · The third millennium of Shurima

If the first millennium celebration of the Shurima Empire was the beginning of glory, and the second millennium celebration was the peak of glory, then in the third millennium of the Shurima Empire, this ancient empire finally ushered in the twilight of the empire.

Shurima City is still the same Shurima City.

The Millennium Celebration is still a prosperous celebration.

But for Nasus, who only heard about the first millennium celebration and personally experienced the second millennium celebration, he clearly felt the loneliness of this celebration.

There are still countless people gathered in Shurima City to celebrate the 3000th birthday of this great empire.

The burden on Nasus's shoulders is very heavy, and he is a little breathless.

Even though the Shurima Empire has shrunk by at least two-thirds compared to its heyday, it is still a vast empire with a vast territory. However, the number of Ascendants who supported the empire in the past has shrunk by more than 90%. As one of the few remaining Ascendants, Nasus had to withdraw from the noble record-keeping work and devote himself to the work of general affairs.

Fortunately, his past experience working in the Imperial Library not only allowed him to accumulate rich knowledge, but also cultivated his patience. Even though the current situation in Shurima is complicated and anyone would feel overwhelmed, Nasus is still working hard to deal with all problems and properly maintain the interests of all parties.

There is no doubt that Nasus is loyal to the Shurima Empire. He grew up in the most prosperous era of this empire. Even though those prosperity have become a shadow of the past that cannot be recalled and pondered with the collapse of Icathia and the continuous division of the empire, at this moment, the flame of hope is still beating in Nasus's chest.

At least... at least this emperor is reliable.

Many people say that His Majesty Azir is a replica of Kalya. They are both elegant, handsome, graceful, wise and decisive.

But in Nasus's opinion, Azir and Kalya are completely different people - not only because Kalya only lives with Setaka, while Azir has at least three illegitimate children, but also because of their different backgrounds, so they look at problems from completely different perspectives.

Although His Majesty Kalya was the regent prince in the past, he always stood at the bottom and observed everything in Shurima in a strange way. This certainly gave him the ability to see the big picture from the small details, but many times he lost the direction of taking advantage of the situation and always walked on the most difficult path.

In contrast, Azir's overall vision is amazing. He can always point out the key to the problem and put forward his opinions from a high-level perspective. Although sometimes he is a little extreme, considering his age and experience, he can be called a genius.

It was also the wisdom of His Majesty Azir that made Nasus sincerely believe that Shurima would eventually usher in a revival after experiencing many hardships.

In order to achieve revival, His Majesty Azir prepared to participate in the Ascension Ceremony against all odds, and Nasus's mission was to take advantage of this Millennium Celebration to ease the relationship between the Empire and several Darkin vassal states.

These Darkin vassal states located on the border of the Empire, although nominally still obeyed the orders of the Empire, in fact, all matters were decided by the local Darkin.

Several emperors in the past believed that "as long as the burden was thrown off, the Sun Disc would make the Empire great again", but the facts proved that this was nonsense - as a large number of vassal states were out of control, the border areas and the Empire were alienated, and although the Empire still firmly grasped the Sun Disc, the various technologies required to use this power gradually declined.

The shrinking territory has caused a severe blow to business, a significant reduction in tax revenue, and a sharp decline in basic education...

Although the Shurima Empire now has a large number of slaves, it is okay for these uneducated slaves to do some heavy work, but isn't it nonsense to ask them to maintain the magic network?

In this situation, an emperor as enterprising as His Majesty Azir is really a blessing for the empire. Even if Nasus does not agree with his series of radical reform strategies, he has to admit that the current Shurima Empire does need some drastic measures.

After confirming that there is no problem with the plan in front of him, Nasus solemnly signed his name at the end and then stood up.

It was already dark, but Nasus was usually still working at this time.

Today he planned to "get off work early". After cleaning up the desk, he put on a loose cloak and walked towards the West City District.

Here, he planned to meet an old friend.

……………………

Xu Yuyan sat in the corner of a tavern, drinking by himself.

When Xu Yuyan was still an ascender, this tavern was a place he often visited - but times have changed. When he came to this familiar tavern again after a hundred years, everything was different.

Although the sign was still there, the drinks were not as good as before. It was said that it was because "a servant of a noble lord with royal blood took over the store", and the business model changed from word of mouth to chain operation.

This news made Xu Yuyan curl his lips.

What a bunch of insects. If His Majesty Kalya was still alive, I'm afraid he would not hesitate to deprive that noble lord of his blood. Everyone knew that His Majesty Kalya hated being a slave the most.

Look at what the Shurima Empire has become now!

As his emotions could not help but fluctuate, the whispers in Xu Yuyan's mind gradually became louder. In this situation, he had to guzzle a glass of wine and force himself not to recall the past.

Then, when he put down the wine glass, he saw Nasus, who was wearing a hood and a cloak, walking into the tavern.

Xu Yuyan waved to him.

Nasus nodded slightly, and his tall figure quickly walked to the table, pulled out a chair and sat down, and poured himself a glass of wine very familiarly.

"Tsk." After drinking the wine in the glass, Nasus couldn't help shaking his head, "It doesn't taste very good."

"It doesn't taste very good now, it's as light as camel urine." Xu Yuyan snorted, "Before, when his family didn't mix water, you didn't drink it when I asked you to drink it. Now it's so bland, are you finally willing to try it?"

Hearing Xu Yuyan say this, Nasus couldn't help but smile bitterly.

He understood what his friend meant - when the empire was prosperous, he and His Majesty Kalya disagreed and always had his own ideas, but now that the empire is declining, he has become a paperhanger...

This is indeed quite ironic.

"There are always some things that you can only understand after experiencing them yourself." Nasus could only shake his head helplessly in the end, and poured himself another cup, "Don't say it's bland, even if it's bitter and poisonous, you have to drink it!"

"Why, meeting an ominous person like me is like drinking poisoned wine?"

"Of course not." Nasus waved his hand, "You should understand what I mean. The current His Majesty Azir is a truly wise and capable person. He himself has told me more than once that he hopes the former ascenders can return to Shurima..."

"Let's stop with this meaningless cliché." Xu Yuyan interrupted Nasus, "You should know that the establishment of the Sun God Cult was because the empire was no longer the empire we expected - this is not due to personal conflicts."

"But Azir is different. "Nasus said seriously, "Although many people say that he resembles His Majesty Kalya, in my opinion, he is three points more courageous than His Majesty Kalya."

"What is missing?" Xu Yuyan grinned again, "Loyalty? Mind? Or wisdom."

"Maybe all of them." Nasus said frankly, "Not everyone can compare with His Majesty Kalya. His Majesty Azir has just come of age. If you are willing to come back, the empire will truly usher in a turnaround..."

"We will not come back." Xu Yuyan did not give Nasus too much room for imagination, "Such an empire of Shurima, where slaves are everywhere and everything is determined, is not the empire we desire."

Nasus did not speak, but just looked at each other quietly-Azir had already proposed the idea of ​​liberating slaves, which was not a problem.

"Besides, we can't come back." Xu Yuyan continued, "The Darkborn are not ascenders, and I don't know when I will lose myself in the whispers and become a monster like Icathia. Compared to walking in the sun again, I would rather stay in the dark tomb and sleep forever."

Nasus was silent.

"This time I woke up, mainly to come back and take a look, to see the current empire. Although this celebration is a little meaningless, just like the bland wine in the glass, it can at least decorate the little memory space I have left." Xu Yuyan poured himself another glass of wine, "By the way, there is another gift for you, pass it to His Majesty Azir."

While speaking, Xu Yuyan took out a small package behind him.

"Our pendants are all given to you."

As he said, he placed the package on the table, as if waiting for Nasus to put it away.

"Is there really no chance?" Nasus did not reach out his hand, but stared at Xu Yuyan with his eyes, "These pendants were cast together with the Wall of Thousand Gods a thousand years ago. With them, you will always find the way home."

"The way home is never here." Xu Yuyan waved his hand, "We have found a brand new way. The end of this way is not Shurima City, but Shurima."

As he said, Xu Yuyan simply picked up the wine pot, opened the lid and drank the remaining wine in one gulp, then stood up suddenly and left the tavern without looking back.

Only Nasus was left staring at the package on the table in a daze.

After a long time, he picked up his wine glass and gently sipped the remaining wine in the glass.

Light, cold, and slightly bitter.

Bitter wine went down his throat.

……………………

During this millennium celebration, Xu Yuyan was not the only one who returned to Shurima City.

On another street in the West City, Calican was weaving among the crowds of people.

His status as a pure civilian allowed him to survive the Battle of Icathia, but as one of the few remaining Ascendants in the Shurima Empire, he did not return to the Empire after the war, but returned to his laboratory in the basement of Vazuan.

Although Kalikan is a man of few words, he has always had his own ideas. In his opinion, what he should do is to inherit the will of His Majesty Kalja and continue the cultivation and research of the Rune Tree, rather than wasting his life in boring intrigues in a country that cannot be considered the Shurima Empire.

Even when he came to Shurima this time, he never thought of meeting his former colleagues - he just wanted to quietly participate in this millennium ceremony, bid farewell to his homeland, and purchase some items for his laboratory.

On those rune trees, Calican saw the future.

Unfortunately, with the division of the empire, the once developed magic item manufacturing industry has now completely declined, and Calican has not been able to find objects to supplement and replace the lack of many laboratories.

What's worse is that the waterway between Vazuan and Shurima was cut off some time ago, and the laboratory also lost the key energy supply. This time he came to Shurima, he just wanted to find a way to continue his experiments.

For this reason, he tried to bribe the manager of the underground waterway to rebuild the waterway.

With money as the way, Calican did succeed in smoothing the relationship, but what he didn't expect was that although the relationship was smoothed, no one cleared the waterway.

Azhi and many engineering mages left the empire. The current Shurima Empire no longer has the ability to maintain the past infrastructure. Even if Calican can come up with enough funds, there is no manpower and technology to rebuild the waterway connecting Shurima City and Vazuan.

Without the supply of waterways and ascension power, Calican's experiment that is about to succeed will probably end in vain.

Calican was unwilling to accept this anyway.

He wanted to find an alternative power, but unfortunately, the entire laboratory relied on the ascension power as a supply. What other alternative energy sources can compare to the surging ascension power?

Disappointed Calican wandered aimlessly in the West Market of Shurima City, but his mind flew to the sky.

In a trance, he walked into the human market. When he came to his senses, a strong man in front of him was trying to sell himself.

"I am very capable and can forge iron!"

"Not only forging iron, I can also make gold tools. As long as I pay three hundred golden eagles, I can sign a slave contract!"

Selling myself as a slave?

Calican was stunned. Just when the man thought he would buy him, Calican took out a bag of money.

"Take it." He nodded and turned away. "No need for a contract."

Regardless of the guy's shouting, Calican quickly walked out of the human city.

At this moment, he had a firm idea in his mind.

"If there is no waterway to transport the power of ascension, why not supply it yourself?"

"Draw a little of your own ascension power to supply the rune tree, and then replenish it in Shurima City!"

"When I am weak, I will return to Shurima City to absorb the power of the sun disk. Anyway, the empire doesn't need so much ascension power now!"

Extra Chapter Postscript · Collapse:

In the 3005th year of the Shuri Empire, Azir failed to ascend, the sun disk was destroyed, and Shurima City was submerged under the wind and sand.

When Calican, who had used most of his ascension power to cultivate the rune tree, received the news, he smiled bitterly and chose to dismiss all the experimental assistants, closed the door of the laboratory, and devoted the last part of his life to the final breeding work of the rune tree.

The great Shurima Empire ultimately failed to usher in its fourth millennium celebration.