Meanwhile....
In the heart of the capital city, within the grand barracks that served as the beating heart of the empire's military, Emperor Arkanos stood before thousands of his knights.
The atmosphere was intense, charged with the energy coming from each knight. They, donned in their gleaming armor, stood in strict formation, awaiting the words of their lord.
The courtyard was massive, stretching far beyond what could be seen in one glance. In the center of it all stood Arkanos, atop a raised platform, holding a magic crystal in his hand with Seraphine by his right side.
The crystal he held was a relic of arcane craftsmanship that allowed his voice to echo to every knight, no matter their distance from the platform.
Before he could speak, a faint ping echoed in his mind, followed by the notification:
〘 ⋄ Increase in Arvel's loyalty to 55% ⋄ 〙
Arkanos smirked faintly but quickly pushed the system message aside. This was neither the time nor place to dwell on small victories.
Then another notification came.
〘Notice!〙
〘Sylvana has successfully initiated training for the assigned citizens.〙
〘Multiple citizens and laborers have obtained the class: Farmer〙
〘Farmer Rank (F) → (E)〙
〘Additional Effects〙:
〘Basic agricultural techniques unlocked.〙
〘Increased efficiency in food production.〙
〘Morale among the citizens: +10%〙
〘Loyalty to the Empire: +5%〙
Seeing the notification, Arkanos' thoughts raced.
'Good, it's all going well. With her guiding them, they'll become S-ranked farmers in no time. Perhaps before they even get that far, I can introduce some new crops.'
'I'm particularly curious about how some in-game crops would taste if grown properly.'
'Well, I believe I can worry about that later. At the moment, my focus should be increasing my level and rank of my knights so I can level them up.'
What Arkanos was referring to were the two determining factors of strength in the game Genesis of Empires: rank (or grade) and level.
Grade or rank determined how good something was for its level, while levels represented additional strength gained through experience—at least for players, NPCs, and certain special items.
Even if two identical items were at the same level, the one with a higher rank, even by a single tier, would be stronger.
This system was designed to give the game a more dynamic feel and provide players with a compelling reason to spend upgrade points.
So, what was Arkanos referring to when he mentioned increasing the grade of his soldiers and leveling himself up?
In Genesis of Empires, when a player spent upgrade points on their character, they could only upgrade their stats, not their level. An increase in stats without an increase in level would raise their rank.
The system was designed this way to impose limits. For example, a level 30 player had a maximum number of stats they could achieve, even with a maxed-out grade. To gain more stats, they would have to level up, which required engaging in activities that granted experience—usually involving conflicts or class-related quests.
Unlike players, however, upgrade points spent on NPCs could directly increase their levels.
This mechanism was created not only to provide a more realistic feel but also to prevent players with an abundance of points from speedrunning the game's progression.
For example, if a player wanted higher-grade knights to spend their points on, they would have to wait for those knights to complete their training.
Which, too, took a lot of time.
However, there was a way to accelerate the process.
If a player of a higher grade participated in training alongside their troops, they could speed up the training process while also leveling up.
But that wasn't the only benefit. A player training with their troops could also teach them new skills and increase their loyalty.
But, of course, all training could only be possible as long as troops were not fatigued.
But putting that aside, that was what Arkanos was here for—to train with his troops!
Arkanos' focus returned to the knights before him, and his attention briefly shifted to Seraphine, who stood at his side.
"As you ordered, all the knights have been gathered, Your Majesty," Seraphine reported.
"Well done, Seraphine," Arkanos replied, nodding.
"Your diligence is commendable."
She bowed, "I am unworthy of your praise, Your Majesty. I was simply carrying out my duties."
Arkanos smiled at her shortly but said nothing. He redirected his gaze to his knights.
He raised the crystal high, and the light from it flared, amplifying his voice across the courtyard.
"Knights of the Empire!"
"In the wake of the recent losses we have sustained, I have come to a conclusion. We cannot allow ourselves to remain stagnant in our training, nor can we continue to fight with outdated weapons. Although recent attacks have been thwarted, war is coming."
"And we cannot claim victory the way we are."
The crowd of knights stood in complete silence, all eyes fixed on their emperor as he spoke.
"I have ordered an immediate increase in both your training regimens and your equipment."
"For only when you are at your best can you give your best."
Arkanos took a step forward, the light of the magic crystal casting a sharp gleam over his face as his voice rang out.
"But do you all know what is better than a powerful army?" he asked, his gaze sweeping across the sea of knights before him.
He allowed the question to hang in the air for a moment, befir he spoke again.
"A powerful army led by a powerful ruler."
"That is why I have decided that I will be training with you. I will lead by example. Together, we will grow stronger, and together, we will lead this empire to greater heights."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the ranks, the knights exchanging glances of awe. Arkanos' declaration carried weight, the kind that could only come from a leader willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with his men.
He paused for a moment, his expression becoming intense as he continued.
"But let me make one thing abundantly clear."
The courtyard grew silent as the knights braced themselves for his next words.
For some reason it seemed as though the air became harder for them to breath.
"I will not tolerate weakness."
"The future I seek to create cannot be built on the shoulders of those with half-baked willpower. It would crumble under its own weight."
Arkanos took another step forward on the elevated platform, his piercing gaze locking onto the knights.
"We will be training together for a week. In this time, those who fail to impress me will be removed from this army. A smaller force with grater conviction will always outclass a larger force without it."
The words settled heavily on the soldiers, their faces a were a touch of resolve and fear. The intensity of the Emperor's words left no room for doubt or complacency.
"Have I made myself clear?"
"YES, YOUR MAJESTY!" the knights roared all together, their voices shaking the very ground beneath their feet.
Arkanos nodded, a look of satisfaction crossing his face. "Good."
"Then let us begin your training!"
With that, the courtyard erupted into motion as the knights prepared themselves for the grueling days ahead.
Arkanos descended from the platform, ready to join them.
At that moment he was the symbol of the empire's strength and the relentless resolve that would drive it forward.