Ashen Dragon

The top of the Isdalia Grand Altar.

"...will discuss with Lord Audis and give you a definite number as soon as possible."

In the center of the image was Naven Bassarius.

Cassius sat on the highest throne, smiling as he watched the image sent by the Klaubow Armament Group, nodding repeatedly.

"Very well done."

Ramp said excitedly, "Master, the Empire's weapons will be sold across the entire Fianso Continent. As long as this war continues, it will bring us an endless stream of gold coins."

However, a clear female voice chimed in, "But... if we sell all our weapons to them, those kingdoms will also become stronger."

"Why don't we just take it directly?"

The speaker was a girl who looked about sixteen or seventeen, with a slender and graceful figure. Her hair and eyelashes were as snow-white as frost—this was White Dragon Tiniya.

Nowadays, she had learned the Shape-shifting Spell and could temporarily take on human form, although she wasn't very proficient yet.

Cassius sighed and gave a meaningful look.

Ramp immediately broke into a cold sweat and hastily explained, "Miss Tiniya, you may not know this, but according to those Starfallen in the Department of Technology, the weapons we sell are fifty to a hundred years behind the Empire's current armaments."

"Furthermore, we are the only ones on the entire continent with complete production lines and a full industrial system."

"If they go to war with us, their supply of weapons and ammunition would be immediately cut off. By then... their outdated armaments will be nothing but scrap metal."

"And what we get are real gold coins that can be used for the rapid development of the Empire."

After explaining everything, Ramp took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Um... oh, I understand now."

Tiniya nodded, somewhat comprehending, and then stared blankly at Cassius.

"..."

Hearing Ramp's words, Cassius became somewhat curious about these players' plans, so he casually asked, "How many products does the Klaubow Armament Group plan to launch?"

"Your Majesty, please wait a moment."

Ramp thought for a moment, then extended his Magic Wand and conjured a new magic image in the air, displaying various 3D models of guns and cannons.

As an Archmage with an intelligence of 22, Ramp's mental capacity far surpassed that of ordinary people. It was said that his large head was like a library.

"The 'Breaker of Enemies' series of rifles has already launched three generations, primarily targeting the low-end retail market."

"The 'Wyvern Flame' series of rifles has one generation on sale. The remaining four generations have all been developed and sample products have been made, mainly for mass dumping to the Three Great Kingdoms."

"The 'Arbitrator' series of cannons hasn't been released yet. They're planning to launch five generations within two years..."

"The 'Venom Dame' series of rifles hasn't been released yet. They're planning to launch three generations within a year..."

"They've really figured it out."

As Cassius browsed through the array of firearms in the magic image, he couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.

After Ramp's explanation, he understood the players' strategy.

They planned to release various "new products," each generation slightly stronger than the last, with prices increasing accordingly.

Even the ammunition wasn't interchangeable. With each update, new ammunition and facilities would have to be imported from the Ashen Empire.

Another swipe of the sickle.

But that wasn't the end.

The Kingdom of Thrace, the Kingdom of Cassandra, and the Kingdom of Seleucis were already using any means necessary to outdo each other. They would inevitably purchase more advanced equipment, forming a "military arms race" controlled solely by the group.

The fiercer the war, the better the Empire's armaments would sell.

These seemingly cheap weapons.

Were actually gold-eating beasts.

When the Ashen Empire invaded the south and formally declared war on the Three Great Kingdoms, they could simply cut off their ammunition supply and blockade them, greatly weakening their military strength.

Such large-scale production would also put the Empire's heavy industry on the fast track, enhancing its military production capabilities and aligning perfectly with Ramp's meticulously planned "Three-Year Plan."

On the other hand, due to the unique settlement method of the Klaubow Armament Group, the Three Great Kingdoms would purchase large quantities of the "Ginnar" issued by the Imperial Bank.

These coins would circulate widely across the Fianso Continent, gradually giving the Ashen Empire economic control in this chaotic situation, and even slowly establishing an international monetary trade system centered on the Empire's "Ginnar."

Perhaps some "perceptive individuals" in Holy Fadlan would see through the Empire's intentions, but they wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

The reason was simple: the Kingdom of Thrace had already purchased armaments. So, would the Kingdom of Cassandra and the Kingdom of Seleucis do the same?

If not, they might find themselves at a disadvantage in this war, or even face defeat. If they did buy, it would only affect their domestic economy and send money to the northern Empire.

This was an overt strategy.

There was still a year and a half until the next version update.

At that time, players' spawn points would appear all over the Fianso Continent, and Version 2.0 "Kings' Strife" would officially begin.

What the Empire needed to do was develop its industries and technology as much as possible, using this precious opportunity to widen the gap and prepare for the all-out war spreading across the Fianso Continent.

Thinking of this, Cassius furrowed his brow.

"Wait, it seems like something's still missing..."

"Winter's Wrath."

Cassius once again thought of the main storyline quest where he was supposed to be the final boss.

With the Abyssal forces led by the demonified Red Dragon invading the North, this was the main storyline quest in the previous life version of "Northern Wind and Cloud," marking the beginning of the demonic cataclysm that swept through Airez.

He closed his eyes, summoning memories of his past life.

"Jezarslack's Abyssal Nest has already been destroyed by me, and all of Anzeta is within my Imperial Region. He will only retreat deeper into the mountains to gather more strength."

"The lich who would originally trade with the demons and take the opportunity to unleash the Undead Scourge has also been subdued by me, becoming a diligent worker for the Empire."

Cassius suddenly felt a bit sentimental.

"With the Ashen Empire gradually developing and me growing ever stronger, the trajectory of this world's fate has shifted significantly."

"This version's main storyline is no longer the Demon Tide but rather... the Dragon Disaster."

As he pondered, Cassius suddenly felt something moving on his leg.

He slowly opened his eyes.

He saw Tiniya hugging his leg tightly, her eyes full of infatuation, and her drool stained his luxurious robes—despite shapeshifting into a white-haired girl, Tiniya's behavior hadn't changed much.

Standing nearby, Ramp was drenched in sweat, not daring to speak and even contemplating leaving immediately.

Tiniya looked up at him with her big icy-blue eyes, seemingly lost in her own world.

Their eyes met.

The air seemed to grow heavy.

"Master, you're awake?"

"Yes."

Cassius looked down at Tiniya, a hint of irritation on his face.

Tiniya stammered, "Um... I was thinking, Master, do you want to eat first, bathe first, or..."

"Bang!"

"Ouch—"

With a loud cry, the white-haired girl was sent flying dozens of meters, falling from the hundred-meter-high platform of the Isdalia Grand Altar.

She immediately transformed, her petite body expanding into a white dragon over ten meters long, flapping chaotically in midair until she clung to the cliff, barely stabilizing herself.

The white dragon muttered in midair, "Damn it..."

"I was following the script, so why doesn't the master want to have eggs with me?"

"And I was here first, why does he prefer that wretched silver skin and that ugly blue skin...?"

Meanwhile, on the Isdalia Grand Altar, Cassius's face darkened slightly.

"Ramp, is this your education?"

"Is this how you taught her?"

"Misunderstanding, Master, this is absolutely not what we taught her! Miss Tiniya read those novels written by the Starfallen!"

"What Miss Tiniya said is from the book 'The Red Dragonfolk Won't Fall in Love with a Half-elf' published by the Propaganda Department's Starfallen!"

Ramp immediately broke out in cold sweat, feeling a thousand grievances in his heart but unable to speak them.

He had browsed through that book, although he had little interest in it and even found it somewhat annoying, his extraordinary intelligence had almost memorized it word for word.

The book was very popular in Anzeta as a piece of "imperial race integration" propaganda literature. Not only the Starfallen but also many natives bought it, bringing considerable revenue to the Empire's Propaganda Department.

Ramp secretly vowed that one day, he would capture all those Starfallen who wrote such melodramatic romance stories.

He couldn't let these things pollute the soil of the Empire!

He certainly couldn't let it affect Miss Tiniya!