Tommy continued reading the scroll in his hand. Tiny words like countless ants filled the paper, but it doesn’t hinder a cultivator’s sight.

“If you are deserters now, then we can start the next step of the plan. Before we begin, perhaps it is better if I explain why I thought that our army will be declared as run-aways instead of traitors.

Years before we graduated, the Snowdrifts had already been targeted by forces we cannot offend. We have exclusive forging arts, poisons that could turn the tides of a small battle, strange stratagems, and most importantly, we hog a major share on the international markets. Consuming us will make any decent faction into a superpower. It is unsurprising that not only those in Saint Empire have their sights set on us, even other nations wanted to dig their claws into our guild.

Our biggest foe will not be a single enemy, but a coalition of foes that failed to devour us in the past and decided to group up. And I believe the ones that wanted us most – the Devilheart family – will lead them.

Because of this, we need to move our headquarters out of Saint Empire as soon as possible.

For this reason, I wanted to make us into deserters. That way, we will still belong to Saint Empire, but as criminals, we no longer need to answer to them and have a good reason to go into hiding.

For this as well, we will need powerful backers so we will not be deemed as traitors instead.

Two of the three Great Nobles, the Steel Rose family and the Dark Gods family are our biggest supporters. Many of the top Hundred Noble families are aligned to us. The Trade Federate and the Thieves Guild are all out outside help.

If Saint Empire treated us as enemies, it will tear the kingdom apart.

If we have succeeded in avoiding being labelled as traitors, then we are already half way to victory.

Tommy, I know that you will be the one reading this, and I entrust you with what needs to be done. I will now tell you our goals and you can share this to whoever you trust.

As deserters, we will now have a chance to amass power and wealth without anyone limiting us. After all in their eyes we will be a criminal organisation.

But if you gather enough strength, Saint Empire will have to acknowledge us or be part of us...”

When Tommy read this line, he paused and rubbed his temple.

For Kairos to say this means that he intends to make the ‘deserter’ title hanged on to the guild into an accusation.

If you are weak, then you will be a criminal, if you are strong, then everything is wrong except you.

Some things aren’t necessary to fight head on. Instead, he must make Snowdrifts large enough that Saint Empire have to acknowledge them.

Kairos isn’t asking for them to become renowned, because even now the name of their guild had already traversed throughout Gaia.

What their guild leader wants is to force Saint Empire to bow down to the power of their guild.

Didn’t the next part of the sentence declared that clearly? To acknowledge… Or be returned.

Tommy breathed out a long breath. He can feel the burden casted upon his shoulder.

He secretly wonders if this weight is what his brother had been carrying all along when leading the Snowdrifts.

Kairos wants to make Saint Empire become part of their guild. If anyone else have the intention to devour one of the strongest empire on Gaia, Tommy will look at the person like a looney, but knowing his brother…

Without any evidence, he is secretly certain that Saint Empire wouldn’t last long, in fact, it will not be too absurd at the end not just an empire but the Snowdrifts owns the whole world.

This is how much Tommy trusts his brother. Although they do not have the same blood flowing through their veins, they are connected by their like-mindedness.

Sometimes even real brothers kill each other. If one needs help, seeking someone from the same family tree might be even more useless than asking a passer-by.

Tommy continued reading the scroll, “To become strong, the Snowdrifts needs a new home. Your birthplace, Avalon is the perfect place to start.

Dismissing other less favourable and unlikely options, with any luck, you should be there already when you are reading this.

We do not need to fight with the northerners. After all, we will be borrowing their land.

Occupy the new region using the Snowdrifts’ name and declare us as the True Saint Empire with our flag under Princess Relestia.

For the Snowdrifts to walk this path, the most important thing is to have justifications and rights.

Even if we become stronger than Saint Empire, if we do not have the proper validation, we will be called invaders and at that time just civil unrest will be enough to topple the empire.

If we operate the Snowdrifts within certain limits, the Frosthral Feudal State will leave us alone. They will even thank us for taking away a hundred thousand elite soldiers from Saint Empire and helping them in their war.

Not only the northerners, but the Snowdrifts must become the benefactor of as many powerful factions or countries as possible. That way, even if one day the Devilheart family completely overtake Saint Empire, the other powerhouses can restrain them.

Our blades this time is not made of steel but of voices.

Fame can kill.

Do not think to fight against the world, instead, you must let the world thank you. If they are grateful, they will think you are in the right. At that time, whatever you say, even if you tell others that Saint Empire is the betrayer and Snowdrifts is the actual leader, others will naturally believe in your cause. At that time, the Devilhearts, the Phrixus royal family, and anyone that is against the Snowdrifts will be the enemy of this world.

Burn away this scroll after reading it and pick the next one. Inside are some of the inventions or cultivation methods that can be traded. Do not release them all at once, but maximise what the Snowdrifts can receive. Do not worry, those that paid handsomely will also thank us profusely.

Of course, don’t forget to let everyone know what they bought was sourced from our guild.

Set up a point system.

Everyone in the Snowdrifts are capable. This will be a new land, let them earn points through setting up the place, building cities, hunting dangerous beasts, and researching new advancements in any field.

Let them trade things that they cannot get with money using points. Stratagems, rare runes, new cultivation methods, unique combat arts, pills, weapons.

This way, even foes that are sent into our midst must work for us before they can receive anything. It will be funny if an enemy Paramount Cultivator killed another Paramount Cultivator for us to earn points.

Don’t look down on the things we have made these few years. We simply did not expose their existence, but once the world hears about them it will easily amass talented individuals to join us.

Accept them all, or else it will become an excuse to start wars with us trapped in the middle. Instead, let our enemies work for us and at the end, everyone who joined will be a part of the princess’ faction whether they like it or not.

Set up an assassination branch to hunt those who tries to defame us from the outside.

Make a discipline branch to kill traitors amongst our midst.

An intelligence branch to gather information and sell them. Sell them to our enemies and sell what we told them to anyone else interested.

These three branches are crucial and they will create the chaos we need and buy time for Snowdrifts to grow.

Lastly, beware of those from the Blue Blood, they are formed to recruit more into the ranks of our enemies. If you have to deal with them, pass the black scroll to the intelligence branch. Inside is a list of all their spies in our midst – at least those that ever surfaced before.”

Tommy carefully burned the scroll and looked towards Avalon.

Perhaps, it’s time to enter the valley.

It had been years since he returned. Is his family still around? Are they still searching for him?

…..

Back in the Blacken Soot Mountain, ten days passed quickly.

Kairos spent the last day recovering before stepping out of the cave he created.

He spent the majority of that day heaving for air on the cool damp soil, then dragged himself into a medical solution to soak through the night.

When he re-entered the city in fresh clothes, he quickly discovered that the atmosphere had changed.

Although the colourful streets and noisy vendors remained the same, there is a strange uneasiness in the air.

As he walked towards the inn where Relestia is staying, he quickly noticed what is causing him to be edgy.

There are dwarven guards standing alert at every corner and the patrolling teams have also doubled.

Kairos instantly turned and head towards the warehouse. He had changed his mind quickly.

Half the reason for this decision is made from guesses and the other half is the instinct he honed from the battlefield.

Just then, a few people walked out into the streets and watched him leave.

They were sent here to strike another deal with Kairos, and if possible, they will use the girlie they captured to delay him.

If Kairos returned the scrolls and books he borrowed late, he will have to repay accordingly. A day for a year that is the deal on the contract.

The other option is to destroy everything after he finished reading, but in return he will need to compensate a lot of money.

If there’s no need to waste money, who would go out of their way to burn cash?

Kairos carefully searched for those who appear suspicious in his path and avoided them. The warehouse guards looked at him with incredulity as he appeared just moments later. All of them were informed when Kairos was first spotted back in the city, and they all saw many companions sent out to delay him.

Yet, this guy walked over as though nothing had happened and is awaiting to drop off the texts.

They did not know that Kairos changed his destination at the first signs of danger and proceeded to avoid all the obstacles in his way using pure instincts.

The senses honed on a battlefield are the sharpest. Those sent to target Kairos were far beneath the assassins and master thieves he had met in the past. Their hostile intents were like torches in the night and easily avoided.

Kairos walked into the warehouse and threw out all the books and scrolls he had borrowed before leaving.

He immediately felt a weight lift off his chest.

“Looks like they were really planning something.”

Suddenly, Kairos looked towards a nearby building. The place where the warehouses are also houses the different production facilities that are kept away from the city’s residential areas.

Along the main street is a large brewery with dozens of gnomes blocking off the entrance from a small group of dwarves carrying all kinds of renovation tools.

This must be the brewery given from King Hogard.