"I sense it: war, death, corpses, and blood." In a frost giant tribe situated between glacier canyons, an elderly frost giant dressed in animal skins and holding a bone staff, resembling a shaman, spoke frantically. His words caused the surrounding kneeling frost giants to exchange terrified glances, their fear spreading quickly.
"Giants' corpses hang from golden dragon wings. It is a golden scourge, bringing endless calamity and death to this land," said a rough-hewn deity statue whose eyes suddenly lit up within a glacier-carved temple. Its divine presence was as oppressive as a prison as it spoke ominous words to the frost giants offering sacrifices.
"Rebellious giants have allied with a weak dragon, led by a powerful being who commands fire and can melt the glacier lands to attack their kin."
Under the immense pressure of Muria assembling the frost giant legion, dozens of ice and snow deities issued terrifying oracles. Some ruling frost giants collaborated with shamans to spread apocalyptic prophecies. Consequently, these frost giant tribes began to prepare for war, driven by the threat of death.
For giants, the greatest allure of titans is their bloodline. Living alongside a titan can break the shackles of their bloodline, elevating them to a higher life level. But it's not only titans who have this ability. With devout prayer and offerings, deities can bestow divine grace to break these bloodline shackles as well.
However, only a few giants can enjoy this grace. The level of faith needed to receive divine blessings is beyond most ordinary frost giants. Those who achieve this become the rulers of their tribes.
Power is the greatest corruptor, and giants are no exception. Most rulers are not noble; they don't want to lose their power and wish to keep it forever, avoiding any higher authority that could command them.
For these tribal rulers, Muria is unnecessary, while for the deities, Muria is a complete adversary. His efforts to unite the frost giants threaten their foundational faith.
Everyone knows what happens to deities who lose their power of faith. Some deities have already prepared to descend their avatars, even if it means risking destruction by stellar orbital cannons. If Muria goes too far, they will resist to their last breath, preferring to perish alongside him rather than do nothing.
"Have they begun to act? Snow and ice gods, do you dare to descend your avatars?" Muria's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he sensed the divine power fluctuations in the distant sky. He was not fighting alone.
Even if deities descend with avatars equivalent to legendary peaks, he had allies to counter them. His greatest trump cards were the three beast gods allied with him, so he had little to worry about.
"Muria, do you really intend to fight all the deities at once?" A massive cold raven landed before Muria, and an ice wolf made of snow and ice formed from the frozen ground at his feet. It was the avatar of the Frost Wolf God.
"Of course not. Fighting all the snow and ice deities would be foolish," Muria sneered. "The right approach is to ally with some and suppress others. I will ally with benevolent deities and suppress the evil ones."
"But there seems to be no deity among the frost giants that meets your requirements," the Raven God said helplessly. The frost giants, categorized as evil, did not worship any truly benevolent deities; at best, they worshipped neutral ones.
"Deities can change their alignment. To continue receiving the faith of the frost giants, they must change their teachings and bad habits, just like you."
Muria looked at the two beast gods before him. They were modifying their teachings to meet his requirements. If allowed, their faith could spread not only among frost giants but also into human territories.
"Remember, your teachings must be based on: prosperity, civilization, harmony, patriotism, dedication, integrity, and friendliness. Anything contrary to these is heresy, and I will order its suppression and eradication."
"In that case, we would become thoroughly lawful good deities, at worst neutral ones."
"Indeed. I won't cooperate with evil deities. This is a basic requirement. You have the chance to change now; I won't wait forever."
"Understood, I will continue to revise my teachings." For weaker deities seeking survival, there weren't many choices. Changing their teachings and even their alignment was risky, but for the Raven God and the Frost Wolf God, it was worth trying. Success meant an unprecedented opportunity for advancement, an irresistible temptation.
...
"It's a strange feeling. We wield the power of fire," Mikaela said, holding a scarlet seraphim flame. She turned to look at the numerous white dragon legions and the three neatly aligned frost giant formations below her. "Yet we command an army of ice and snow attributes."
"Weaker dragons follow stronger dragons, and frost giants follow titans. It's normal," Muria said nonchalantly.
"But you intend to conquer the frost giants who are preparing to resist you," Mikaela said flatly.
"That's also normal. Rulers don't want to lose their power, and deities don't want to lose their faith. Conquering the frost giants requires military force. Last time, I moved so quickly that the three Frost Wolf tribes couldn't react and were subdued. If given time to prepare, they would incite their kin to resist me.
Now we face a unified resistance from the frost giant tribes. Even if I stand before them now, they may hesitate but won't easily submit." With the Raven God's vast intelligence network, Muria knew what the deities were plotting.
"That's fine too. It's a good opportunity to gain combat experience."
"Mika, do you think I'm cruel? Waging such a vast war for my own desires?" Muria suddenly asked, looking at Mikaela. He had already explained his true motivation for the war—to form a powerful legion capable of sweeping across the continent, with elite frost giants as part of this legion.
"What's cruel about it? Although you're unifying the frost giants for your desires, it's beneficial for their fragmented race. Many giants may die now, but they will have a better future."
"Thank you for understanding." Muria reached out to hold the seraphim girl's hand.
"It's nothing. Frost giants are evil beings to me. Their deaths don't concern me."
"Indeed!" Muria smiled. Even heavenly beings weren't saintly enough to pity their enemies; that would be foolish.
"Let's go!" Muria commanded with a wave of his demon-slaying sword as the main frost giant legion and white dragons assembled. His authoritative voice echoed across the land.
White dragons roared in the sky, accompanied by frost giants with frost wolves and cold ravens on their shoulders, marching in unison towards the targeted frost giant tribes.
The vibrations from the marching legion caused small glaciers along their path to collapse. Countless small ice and snow animals scattered in panic, hunted by snow leopards clearing the way. These snow leopards were the progeny of the Snow Leopard God.
"Your Highness, why not use the void warships?" Frost giant leader Frostfang approached Muria.
"I seek to conquer, not massacre. The main cannons of the void warships are too powerful. A single volley could annihilate the lower-tier frost giants of a tribe."
"In that case, my kin will suffer greater casualties."
"Frostfang, look beyond. In time, the concept of tribes will fade. You should think in terms of a nation, without distinguishing between kin and outsiders. As a legendary frost giant, you should treat all frost giants equally."
"I understand."
"After witnessing void warfare, is your vision still so narrow? Legendary will is firm, but it also means stubbornness in thought," Muria sighed.
In a sense, if Muria didn't publicize his private motives, he would indeed be a saint-like figure to the frost giants, as he could genuinely bring them a bright and beautiful future.
...
"Frost giants, surrender. You cannot withstand the Frost Wolf Legion's advance," a frost giant in heavy metal armor, spotless and neatly groomed, shouted from the army formation, his voice filled with undisguised pride.
He looked confidently at the thousands of frost giants in animal skins before him. His side had an absolute advantage in elite strength, equipment, military power, and other aspects. Victory was certain.
"A being who commands fire leads rebellious giants to wage a war of slaughter on the glacier land!" A shaggy, unkempt frost giant leader squinted at Muria and Mikaela, surrounded by dragons above the frost giant legion. "The prophecy of the gods has come true. My kin, the beings who wish to destroy our tribe are here. Raise your weapons and resist!"
"I never intended to exterminate you!"
"That's a lie. Don't believe him, my compatriots."
"You court death!" Muria's gaze turned icy, his killing intent undisguised. The Sun Spear appeared in his hand, transforming into a bolt of lightning...
His fingers still hurt. If No. 1 doesn't recover, I'll go to a major hospital in Wuhan for a checkup...
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter]