When the information that Yasenia was being attacked reached the leaders of the allied powers, they quickly rushed over to the Astral Sky Sect even though they were occupied with their own conflicts.
Almost all powers participated in the World War. While not everyone was as active as Yasenia, many focused on slowly expanding their own territories or connecting territories.
For example, the Storm Feathered Harpies had a city-state that was separated from their main territory because the land in the middle was owned by the Nine Devil Puppet Sect. So, during the last few months, they've been slowly expanding their territory while connecting that separated piece of land and placing that zone under their control.
The powers under the Continental Shadows were not as numerous. However, their strength was not low at all. On the contrary, one could argue that they had more individual strength than those from other groups.
Still, even for one of such powers, defending the Harpy race's concentrated attacks in a corner of their territory while their main territory was being attacked by another Nine Sect was not really possible, which is why the Harpy race was gaining terrain at a rather quick pace.
Situations like this happened all around the continent and sea. However, in the sea, the situation was slightly worse for Yasenia's side. The Ocean Chasm Empire was a true powerhouse of the World, and the Mermaids and other allied aquatic races were not able to properly push back against them.
While the Ocean Swallowing Mermaids were powerful, they were not invincible. Therefore, Yasenia, who knew that the land situation was under control, set her sights on the ocean's problem.
Yasenia muttered. 'We set up the Astral Sky Abyss Sect at first for this exact moment. While their influence is high, and they are causing damage by using their assassin skills, it's not enough. The Ocean Chasm Empire has been dominating the seas for thousands of years, so they have people everywhere. They are basically the lords of the sea.'
The dragoness looked at all the information she had and muttered. "To be fair, taking control of the sea area is much more complicated. From what I heard, the Ocean Chasm Empire has around 60 peak-level seniors in hiding, which is the sum of the other two Empires combined."
Evelyn, who was sitting by her side, asked. "Then, why is the Holy Beast Empire called the strongest power in the World?"
Yasenia laughed. "Because if we ignore the peak levels, which usually never go out, they are indeed the strongest. The reason the Ocean Chasm Empire is such an untouchable powerhouse and has the longest history is that the lifespan of water creatures is usually a bit higher, so they have more peak-level cultivators. Each time the Ocean Chasm Empire has been in danger of being replaced and exterminated, those hidden peak-level Epoch Cores would come out and flatten everything opposing them."
Evelyn commented. "They sound quite nice if they weren't our enemies."
Yasenia didn't deny it. "A strong drive to defend their country. It is indeed admirable. Sadly for them, they need to disappear."
Evelyn asked. "What if they surrender?"
Yasenia shook her head. "Too many connections. Unlike land powers who are very… mixed. Without a single power dominating, underwater powers all have a smaller or larger connection to the Ocean Chasm Empire."
Evelyn hummed. "So, will you go to slaughter them like you did with the Silent Fang Sect?"
Yasenia denied that option. "I can't really do that. As I said, for underwater people, the Ocean Chasm Empire is like their sky. Remember that while they are not good people, they are the main defenders against land powers. Almost 80% of the invasions from land creatures into the sea had been defended by them."
Evelyn nodded and got thoughtful. "So, since brute force is not possible. How can you overthrow such a power without doing a large-scale slaughter?"
The dragoness used her tail to caress Evelyn's face and said softly. "Think, dear. You are clever. I know you can guess what I am thinking."
Evelyn's eyebrows locked together, and she started thinking seriously about different tactics. Since her lovely dragoness told her she could do it, she would do it even if she couldn't.
Yasenia continued to review a few things and start doing the arrangements when Evelyn lifted her head and asked. "Are you going to substitute the upper management groups with your people and then steal away the power from the current Royal family, making yourself the legitimate leader of the Ocean Chasm Empire, or, at least, the one manipulating it from the shadows?"
Yasenia's faint smile widened as she used her powerful tail to snatch her intelligent dear into her arms and bathe her face with kisses. "Good job, dear. You are so clever~."
Evelyn answered as she could during the kissing assault she was gleefully receiving. "I-I just guessed, based on- mphm! Based on the information! Mmmph~ hahaha. I love you~."
Yasenia laughed and hugged her dizzy dear from behind while gently massaging her navel with her palm. "How are you feeling, Evelyn?"
Evelyn placed her hand on top of Yasenia's with a soft smile and said. "I am feeling very nice. Although, I wonder how long this will take."
The dragoness nodded. "It has been a while, and it has started showing. I guess it should take less than five years."
Evelyn muttered. "I think it might be even less than you think."
Yasenia blinked. "Oh? What makes you so sure?"
Evelyn looked at Yasenia and kissed her lips with a wide smile. "Instinct!"
The dragoness laughed and nuzzled their noses. "Then, I will need to believe in the mom's instincts~."
Evelyn laughed and teased. "Although you are also the mom~."
Yasenia lifted her eyebrow. "And the dad as well~. I am proud to be both of them; no need to limit myself to one."
Evelyn burst into laughter. "So selfish!"
The dragoness smiled gently. "Well, your fault for falling in love with a Dragon. The entire Universe knows Dragons are selfish, greedy, and arrogant~."
Evelyn smiled mischievously. "You are superior to them! Other than those three attributes, lustful is one that is always attached to you!"
Yasenia humphed and bit her nose playfully. "You love that so much; how could it be a bad trait? Last night, who was the one moaning more, more, more? Hm~?"
Evelyn blushed and coughed, asking. "You are sure that it is not dangerous, right?"
The dragoness nodded and laughed. "Isn't your cervix closed? I can't enter there even if I want to~. Don't worry; the little one is perfectly protected. Kali, Valeria, and even Tatyana also said so, right?"
Evelyn nodded, and suddenly, her stomach rumbled from hunger. The dragoness blinked. "We ate like… two hours ago?"
Evelyn smiled awkwardly. "This pregnancy has taught me that the feeling of hunger that I missed since entering the Unification Realm is not that good."
Yasenia kissed her cheek. "It is a good thing. It tells us that the little one is growing nicely! Thankfully, you have a lot of food in your ring that I've prepared, so you can eat however much the little one asks for."
Evelyn couldn't deny that. Their spatial rings had enough food to eat for a few years. Moreover, Yasenia prepared the food with the fact in mind that it would be in the spatial ring for a long time, so there was no danger of the food going bad.
Yasenia had continued increasing her cooking proficiency. She was already at the peak of the Heaven Rank realm, similar to Angel and the others in their own professions.
Evelyn looked at the documents again and continued her inquiry. "So, what's the plan now?"
Yasenia took out a map and said. "Look, this is the Ocean Chasm Empire's territory. We've already taken control of this, this, and this place by substituting the people in charge with spies. They are relatively low-rank, so what we need to do is go up the ranks. Then, Doriel's assassin group can try to assassinate the top people. Of course, our biggest challenge is not the assassinations. You see, we've yet to discover where the peak-level Epoch Cores are."
Evelyn blinked. "Really?"
Yasenia nodded. "Only the Emperor knows, so we are helpless. It is information passed down to the heir the day after the coronation."
Evelyn was puzzled. "What if the Emperor dies without being able to pass it down?"
The dragoness laughed. "Silly, the peak-level Epoch Cores are not items. They won't magically get lost. They would just be unable to be called in time, but they probably have a way to know if there is trouble."
Evelyn scratched her cheek. "Right."
Yasenia placed her chin on Evelyn's shoulder and sighed. "What I am unsure about is whether to start the plan now or wait until the war is finished. Both have their advantages and disadvantages."
Evelyn tried to analyze it. "If I understand it correctly, if we attack now, we will be able to take them by surprise and create quite a commotion. This will facilitate our ability to disrupt their Empire inside out. However, if we attack now, we will need a lot of manpower. If the Continental Shadows attack, we can be in trouble and lose Astral Sky Abyss Sect and Astral Dragon City… Right?"
Yasenia nodded. "Yes. That's why I think that the Ocean Chasm Empire will be our last opponent, even after the Demons and others…"
Evelyn blinked. "Which others?"
Yasenia laughed. "Remember that a group of pure beasts also came with the rest of the otherworlder groups? There was a group of Divines, Demons, Humans, Undead, Beasts, and Spirits."
Evelyn patted her forehead. "I completely forgot! What have those been up to?"
Yasenia pointed at a shelf at the side and used her energy to pick up a folder. "Here."
Evelyn opened it and read everything quickly while Yasenia hugged her closely and pampered her head. Evelyn thought that she could probably read like this forever. 'Ah~, her hug is so comforting. No wonder Angel is lately stuck between Yasenia's arms even more than usual.'
'Hm… Let's see. They arrived and went to the Forest Sky Empire. They were rejected, so they moved around the continent, gathering powerful beasts. During these last years, they've created a new power in the mountain ranges to the southwest… Hm, what's this? Sect Master Note?'
Sect Master Note: While their military power is high, their political power is negative. Their intelligence is dubious, and their new "power" is nothing but a territory marked by wild beasts. Besides their ridiculous strength, they are not more problematic than the beasts that already lived in the Distancia Continent. It is not worth paying attention to them, but at least send someone to keep an eye on them.
Evelyn almost laughed aloud. 'Poor beasts, they've been completely disregarded by Yasenia. "It is not worth paying attention to them." Wow. That's harsh to come from someone as cautious as my lovely dragoness.'
Evelyn asked with a faint laughter in her voice. "No plans for them?"
Yasenia blinked. "What plans are there to make? Instead of trying to connect politically, they've closed themselves off in who knows what mountain range. They will be treated like other dangerous beasts on the continent. Just keep an eye in case of something like, I don't know, a beast tide? Who knows."
Evelyn burst into laughter, finding her lover adorable.
Fighting in a war made time go by quickly, and soon, one year passed. The clock for the all-out attack was running out.