NOVEL NEXT Chapter 366: 362
The final hours of sunlight had long since retreated behind the western hills, and soft moonlight bathed the Eternal City in a pale silver hue.
The day had been long—weighted with orders, doctrines, and the orchestration of wars yet to be fought—but for a few brief hours, Julius allowed himself something dangerously rare.
Peace.
Not of the empire.
But of the heart.
He and Serena had walked the secluded upper gardens of the imperial palace—silent save for the rhythmic rustling of wind through cypress leaves and the soft crunch of gravel beneath their steps.
No guards followed.
No servants watched.
Just two sovereigns walking not as ruler and chancellor, but as man and woman.
Serena laughed quietly as Julius pointed out a half-finished sculpture nestled in the hedgework—an attempt made by a sculptor to create a visage of the emperor before Julius stopped the man as the artist was blatantly exagerating his features to appear almost godly.
He chuckled too, though there was something wistful in it.
"Im not meant to be a god, i am just a man afterall."
Serena leaned her head lightly against his shoulder.
"And now you command the world... yet still try to win my heart like a boy with stories of heroism and valor."
"I already have it,"
he said softly,
"I just want to keep proving why that heart should not waver and leave to possibly find another."
They paused at the overlook—a balcony cut into the marble face of the palace cliffs.
Below, the Eternal City glowed: torchlight and lamps illuminating the sprawl of Romanus's seat of power.
Roads flowed like veins.
Barracks throbbed with life.
Even at night, the city pulsed.
"You've given them peace,"
Serena whispered, arms crossed as the wind tousled her dark braid.
"Now go give them victory."
Julius turned toward her, kissed her forehead gently, and held her gaze a long moment.
Then he let her go.
"Sleep well,"
he said.
"You hold the crown tomorrow once more."
She nodded, then left without another word.
The sound of her footsteps faded into silence.
And Julius was alone.
~
Midnight.
The emperor returned to his private study.
It was spartan—only a desk, a reclining chair, a polished suit of armor along the wall, and a shimmering oil lamp embedded in the ceiling, acting as the single solitary source of light.
He stood within the room, calling up his system interface first to check the map to confirm his surroundings, once assured he was alone.
Julius pulled up his personal profile.
[Julius Aquitania Ceasar]
[Age: 18]
[Lv.89] +12
[Status]
[Skills]
- Heavenly Demon Rain (30mins) 1 hour cooldown - Crush -> True Crush (Slay or Incapacitate anyone up to 5 power level higher than own, True crush cannot be blocked)
- Earth Resonance 100pt per use
- Perfect Defense (30sec invulnerable) 12 Hour Cooldown
- Holy Nova (12ft radius light attack healing up to 5 allys, can strengthen by limiting to cone or beam. (Condsing power) Point use is determined by the power needed.
- Aquila's Flight - Can be used five times a day - The firing of Aquila's Flight from any bow will cause any arrow loosed to be blessed with Piercing flight capable of piercing through shileds, armour, and even walls with Devastating Effect.
[Item]
- Imperial Ring
Briefly looking over his profile Julius smirked a little seeing his level having climb higher than before, still quite far from the true level cap of the game at Level 300 but for the Early-to-Mid game state he presently was in, level 89 was not to shabby at all.
Next his tapped on the interface and expanded his status getting a better personal overview of himself.
[Julius Aquitania Ceasar]
[Level 89]
[Power Level: 75]
[Intelligence: ????]
[Command: ???]
[Affiliation: Emperor Of Romanus]
[People's Spirit: 86]
As it stood now his Power Level would be 105 for 30 minutes once per day when he brandished his sacred blade, but he needed insurance a way to be that powerful even when not using his trump card.
Thanks to his numerous wars, Julius had been stockpiling points as he continued to level up with the gained experience points for his strategies, command, and overall ending of the wars.
In the end he had a grand total of 13,450 points to his name right now.
Enough to fund his use of skills for many battles to come, but what Julius required right now was power.
Indomitable power, not something temporary.
With the present Power level being 75 Julius would be required to expend 500 points to raise it by a single level, at least until he got to Level 80 at which point he'd reach the border to the next tier, increasing the cost to further increase his power.
However even at a power level of 80, Julius would still only be a B-Class warrior by the standards of the continent, however an S-Class when using his blades power.
However even after spending 2500 of his points Julius did not stop, he kept pressing and confirming the expansion of his power.
Power Level 80 -> Power Level 85 -> Power Level 90
In a matter of minutes Julius's muscles bulged beneath his clothes, he had risen from a C-Class warrior to an A-Class all at once.
His personal power still paling compared to the elder Elheat, but was now comparable to Yurasia when last he saw her in person.
Left with 950 points remaining Julius closed down his interface after giving his status one final glance.
[Julius Aquitania Ceasar]
[Level 89]
[Power Level: 90] +15
[Intelligence: ????]
[Command: ???]
[Affiliation: Emperor Of Romanus]
A power level of 90 and the ability to rise up 30 levels further when using his trump card.
Julius would have a power level of 120, surpassing his greatest rival thus far the young Valdesca maiden, and approaching the game scripted level of the Visigoth Emperor at the start of the game.
However Julius held no qualms that their power levels had risen since the game had started.
Failing to become arrogant in the wake of his newfound power, his focus turning northward once more, at the invisible threat that lay beyond the great wall he created, a sleeping tiger content with it's conquest of the east to turn its gaze once more to the growing south.
Before his mind wandered East, back to the battlefields of Francia, the points to be reaped from its battlefields.
The potential for growth, spurred his beating heart to seek out more conflict even as his youthful mind was reeling from the amount of death and destruction he had caused over the few short years he had existed in this world.
Once Francia was dealt with he would take a rest, a proper rest for once... to recover, and to set things right.