Mulindo paused at the question. "Well, yes, and no. Yes, we are on equal standing because of the war. Usually, we are the weakest and poorest of the five prefectures of Estia. Estia is in chaos right now. The war is still raging, and an outcome has yet to be determined. When it's over, the face of the leadership will change. In another few years, the Kou Collective may not be our leader."

Xasha nodded and took another sip, but his cup was empty. He poured himself another drink, then continued. "You mentioned Estia being in chaos. What did you mean?"

Mulindo flashed a worried glance. "We are all at the same level, and no one is certain who from whose territory will die. We started a war of our own. In a war for power and resources, we annex each other's territories, then take all the resources we can for ourselves. Even if it is temporary and until the war is over and the actual leaders come back. We would have an advantage, and if the leaders do not come back, we have an additional territory."

Lindo took another sip. "However, us being the weakest territory, we are less desirable. So the more powerful territories are annexing each other while we wait to be slaughtered. I'm sure they will come for us eventually. That is why we allied with the elves and the Lows, to put up a united front." As he spoke more, he became more depressed.

Xasha smiled at him. "What is wrong with you? This is the perfect opportunity. You are no longer the weakest. We are all on an even playing field. I say we go on the offensive and take a few territories for our own. I say we take them all for our own."

Mulindo spat out his drink in shock. "That's impossible, even if we did it. The Kou collective would never agree to it."

"The Kou are at war. They don't have time to worry about us and what we are doing. Plus, we have an Earth Sage with us. If they want to defeat us, they will have to send someone of that caliber to take us on. Do you believe the Kous can spare and Earth Sage in such an intense war?" Xasha spoke confidently.

Even the people around the room all smiled brightly as Xasha's words got the wheels in their heads turning.

"What do you have in mind?" Mulindo burst out.

"Give me some time, I need a lot more information about this, and I need my army to get here and settled before I make any moves."

"Your Army, you mean you have more people?" Mulindo was surprised, but he didn't understand why.

"Of course, we are just the advanced scouts, after all. The real army has yet to come."

"So, are you waiting for the main army to take on the lows and the elves?" Lindo asked, with eyes filled with curiosity.

"No, we march in the three days to take those guys out."

"Really? So soon? Don't you need to prepare?" Mulindo's expression changed.

"I am preparing my men are getting all the information about our opponents from your men. I will receive a full report in a few hours," Xasha said with a chuckle.

Mulindo shook his head, then burst out laughing. He felt used, but he didn't mind at all. He understood Estia was about to be shaken up, and he wanted to be there to see it. He glanced at Xasha with discerning eyes before taking another sip.

The clang of metal locks opening up sounded one after the other. Moments after the final one sounded, the creaking sound of an old door echoes off the tall ceilings.

Two men entered through the massive doors. "I don't understand why you want to see our archives. There is nothing of value in here, not anymore."

"You don't know what's valuable and what's not," Xasha joked.

"Do you have anything in mind?" Lindo asked.

Xasha looked around the darkroom before tossing out a few lights, which were frozen light spells. The entire place lit up and Xasha saw all kinds of unique items. he extended his perception and activated his Open Eye and Open Mind. With that, he ambled around the room, taking the time to inspect everything.

He found an energy core with a giant pink lotus inside and snatched it up immediately. He didn't know what it was, but he was determined to find out. There were a few other items of interest and tools. Few he didn't know what they did but wanted to find out.

He reached the back of the archive, where the documents and memory stones were stored. This was his reason for coming here. He saw in the memories he read the Mu people collected tons of these things from defeated enemies and ruins over the years. He came to take a look.

He casually read all the memory stones as he did with the ones before. He would sort through them all when he had time. The same went for the tablets and scrolls on the shelves.

However, plans changed when he happened upon a few scrolls related to etching. However, the etches were not as simple as he learned, they were complex and profound. He saw those and immediately knew these etchings differed from the ones he had learned before. He sat in and studied those etchings to his heart's content.

It was not until three days later when the army was about to move out, that he emerged with a bright smile on his face. He said nothing to anyone. He simply hopped onto his airship and instructed them to move out. The airships rose above the city and left in a flash.

Xasha looked out with his golden eyes shining. "Time to begin our conquest."