The History of the Empire and Magic

As civilization took shape, so did the rise of kingdoms. Wars broke out as humans fought for more fertile lands to inhabit and rule. Amidst the chaos, one kingdom, stronger than all the rest, gradually emerged as the dominant power. This kingdom consolidated all the prosperous lands, eventually becoming an empire.

Thus, the Eastern Great South Empire was born. The first order of business upon its founding was to rewrite history. The year of its establishment was designated as Year One, giving rise to what later became known as the Eastern Era calendar.

In the first year of the Eastern Era, Thanhthien Argentnine and his comrades founded the first nation on the continent, Great South, proclaiming himself emperor. In the year 251, when the kingdom expanded into an empire, its name was changed to the Eastern Great South Empire. The ruler at the time, Dailong Argentnine, had transformed a mere kingdom into a formidable empire in just a few years.

All matters of governance, from military power to taxation, were entirely under the control of the most authoritarian ruler in history.

Though born into the royal family, Dailong Argentnine had experienced all walks of life—herding cattle, plowing fields, carrying manure, even engaging in theft. Sounds like an ordinary person, doesn't he?

Not quite. What seemed like impulsive actions were actually his way of experiencing the life of a commoner. He sought to immerse himself in the daily struggles of the people, to understand their thoughts. Later, he became one of the greatest strategists in Great South, a man possessing immense power—both in intellect and military prowess. A ruler with both wisdom and might.

Before ascending the throne, Dailong was nothing more than a carefree prince wandering across Great South. His father, Thanhthien Argentnine, constantly scolded him for neglecting state affairs, spending his days chasing women instead.

Yet, after the righteous emperor passed away, he never lived to see his carefree son transform into the most capable and ruthless emperor in history.

The time Dailong spent outside the palace opened his eyes to the need for change in the world. Thus, he initiated a revolution across the southeastern region of the vast supercontinent, surrounded by oceans.

Many believed that he would lead the nation to prosperity, but his path instead turned him into a villain in the eyes of many. The further he went, the more he lost his way. Whether it was due to the countless killings he committed or his insatiable thirst for power, by the time he achieved his ambitions, he became terrified of losing them. He changed so much that even those closest to him could no longer recognize him.

Throughout history, many kings were once different men before they took the throne, only to transform into someone else entirely after they became rulers.

In the year 235, Thanhthien Argentnine passed away, and Dailong Argentnine was crowned king. Within five years, he seized control of all state affairs, including the military, which swore absolute loyalty to him. He would resort to any means necessary to achieve his goals—if it benefited him at the cost of others, he did not hesitate to act.

During these five years, Dailong reduced taxation on the people but forced them to cultivate crops as tribute to the court instead of paying in currency. He redirected national funds into defense, developing weapons and training the army. Dailong realized that many people in the nation were unemployed, so he aggressively recruited soldiers, providing food and shelter in exchange for military service.

He ordered the cultivation of land across the nation, even requiring his soldiers to farm, producing their own food rather than relying solely on tax-funded provisions. During this period, Dailong also imposed taxes on landlords and wealthy merchants, instructing officials to investigate their wealth.

Those who evaded taxes were punished but not executed. However, those who resisted were killed, their assets confiscated, or their heirs coerced into becoming loyal servants of the empire, tirelessly generating wealth for the court. All the amassed wealth was funneled into the military.

No one needed to ask what Dailong was planning—his actions made it obvious. The neighboring nations remained oblivious to his secret military buildup, as anyone attempting to leak information was swiftly executed. After five years of secretly training soldiers, stockpiling food, and manufacturing weapons, the day of war finally came.

With fabricated justifications that barely held any credibility, Dailong Argentnine personally led his army into battle in the spring of the year 240, bathing an entire nation in blood. Soon after, neighboring countries voiced their condemnation, but within a few short years, they too were forced to submit to the might of Great South. Eventually, Dailong Argentnine declared himself Trị Quốc Thiên Vương, meaning the "Celestial King of Governance."

After 11 years of relentless warfare, the Eastern Great South Empire ruled over more than 20 nations. Along with this conquest came the forced assimilation of conquered populations, stripping them of their cultural identities and basic freedoms. Those who defied the empire faced grim fates.

In the year 251, Emperor Dailong Argentnine adopted the era name Grand Founder Emperor, a title by which he was later known in historical records. 

At that time, the subjugated nations refused to accept their defeat. Nationalist sentiments surged, leading to numerous rebellions against the empire. However, everything was now part of the Eastern Great South Empire—its land, its army, and its resources. These uprisings were nothing more than ripples in the history of an empire on its path to prosperity.

For 11 years, the empire continued its relentless expansion, enforcing cultural assimilation and ideological control. This made rebellions futile, as even the greatest heroes of the conquered nations failed to leave their mark on history—erased without a trace by the empire.

As a dictator, Dailong tolerated no threats to his rule. He seized the wealth of nobles from conquered lands, distributing it among the commoners to pacify them. With public approval secured, he was free to develop the empire as he pleased.

By the year 335, 84 years after its founding, the Eastern Great South Empire had nearly conquered the entire supercontinent, subjugating almost 100 kingdoms. The total area under its rule spanned 98,000,000 km², while the entire supercontinent covered over 150,000,000 km².

Despite its vast reach, more than half of the empire's territory was covered in forests, with the U Minh Forest being the largest of them all. Within this vast woodland existed numerous non-human races, including Elves, Goblins, Hobbits, Minotaurs, Karliks, Orcs, Trolls, and many others.

In the past, these non-human races had their own kingdoms, but they were ultimately subjugated by the empire. As a result, their kingdoms crumbled, and their people were scattered into small villages and tribal settlements spread across the immense forest.

As the empire stabilized and the wars ceased, a large portion of the military was disbanded. Soldiers returned to their homelands, received land grants, and became farmers. Over time, the empire transformed into a truly prosperous nation. The resentment of those who had lost their homelands gradually faded as they found themselves living far better lives than before.

That was how the empire was formed. However, before the empire rose to power, a supernatural phenomenon had emerged—something far beyond human understanding. At that time, humans could only rely on internal energy (Qi), lightness techniques (Qinggong), and a few specialized martial skills in combat. Yet, during this early period of history, something entirely unnatural made its appearance—something people would later call "Magic."

What Is Magic? Where Did It Come From?

150 years before the Eastern Era, an archaeologist accidentally discovered a mysterious underground land. This place would later be known as the "Land of Magic." Within it existed a strange force called Elemental Energy. Humans who entered this land found that they could absorb pure elemental energy into their bodies, which then transformed into mana. The source where this mana was stored within the body became known as the Origin Core, whereas martial artists referred to a similar concept as the Dantian.

Humans could utilize magic by drawing mana from their Origin Core and releasing it externally to cast spells. Around the same time, billions of magical tomes mysteriously emerged from the Land of Magic and spread across the entire continent.

During that era, even a child walking down the street could stumble upon a Magic Book. However, whether they could actually learn from it depended on their Origin Core's elemental affinity—only those compatible with a specific book could successfully harness its magic.

With the arrival of magic, the entire world descended into madness, desperately experimenting with this newfound power. Those who pioneered its study became known as Magic Researchers. While they were not necessarily the most powerful individuals, their knowledge and experiences laid the foundation for the Age of Magic.

Despite magic's immense power, something unexpected happened several decades later—an anomaly that originated from the Land of Magic itself. This phenomenon began spreading beyond its borders, altering the very essence of humanity. Those affected by this change transformed into beings neither fully human nor entirely monstrous. Society labeled them as "Aberrants," but among themselves, they called each other "Mutants."

The History of the Mutants

Fifty years after the first appearance of magic, an unprecedented supernatural disaster erupted from the Land of Magic. This disaster became known as the "Five-Colored Lightning." Initially, these lightning bolts only struck within the Land of Magic, but soon they spread across the entire continent, bringing with them the greatest natural catastrophe in history.

Thousands of multicolored lightning bolts rained from the skies, striking the earth and killing countless people. The death toll soared into the tens of millions, marking a tragedy so severe that few dared to even speak of it afterward.

However, some individuals survived after being struck by the lightning. These survivors found themselves imbued with supernatural abilities, which people initially mistook for magic. Yet, there was one distinct difference—their entire bodies transformed in accordance with the power they had acquired, turning them into beings unlike any other.

More importantly, these transformed individuals possessed power far beyond that of the earliest Mages. The more different they became, the more society feared them, branding them with all manner of derogatory names. Many claimed they were cursed by magic—outcasts abandoned by the gods.

Those who wielded magic were called Mages. Though they studied magic extensively, they still could not match the innate abilities of the Mutants. This inequality bred jealousy among the Mages. Since they vastly outnumbered the Mutants and had the support of the general populace, the Mages gradually orchestrated a movement to eradicate the Mutants.

Over time, Mutants were no longer considered human. As the years passed, Mages refined their magical techniques, eventually reaching a level where their power could rival that of the Mutants.

When the Empire was established, Mutants had already lost their place in society. Mages were vast in number, and whenever they had the opportunity, they hunted down and executed Mutants. Realizing that they could no longer survive on the continent, the Mutants gathered together, set sail, and ventured into the unknown in search of a new land.

The Martial Adepts

History only recorded the war between Mutants and Mages, but people often forgot that before humans wielded supernatural powers, they relied solely on martial arts. Those who pursued martial arts were called Martial Artists, but after the emergence of Mutants, these warriors renamed themselves Martial Adepts.

During the empire's formation, Martial Adepts played a significant role. Their strength was nearly on par with that of Mutants and Mages. However, martial arts was an arduous path, requiring years of relentless training, discipline, and endurance.

Yet, difficult paths are often abandoned. As time passed, Martial Adepts gradually faded into obscurity. Few pursued the way of martial arts anymore. Only those who failed to become Mages, yet still sought power, turned to the old warriors for guidance. However, the sheer difficulty of mastering martial arts caused many to give up before making any real progress.