Kaden continued his way into the city. While he did fly in, Kaden landed and walked in the city. The entrance was just a show. He needed to be known for security reasons. Once that was sorted, he did not want extra attention. Still, he was pretty sure he was getting it one way or another. Despite that, he had things to do. Such as checking Northwinds and the status of their family.

"I will be able to use them for political influence", Kaden thought to himself. "Unless another True Magus comes along, my presence will provide the noble family a very high backing. I can just tell them to arrange things for me."

Question was what he was going to do. There were many options. Kaden decided to get a look on the detoriating situation in the Saint Empire. The war was still obviously going. It seemed people weren't being so openly executed on the streets anymore, but there were closed shops and houses. Many had likely gone to fight the war or fled. That is, if they had not been killed by some excuse before that.

Kaden stopped for a moment as he approached the more wealthy areas. He sensed somethings odd the closer he got to the center of Corand. He quickly found out the reason. While the city itself had its own defenses, it seemed greatest defenses were actually in the space between dimensions. There were bubbles of heavily defended spaces in there, tethered to the nearby real space so they would not float away.

"I believe those are residences that belong to True Magi or parts of them", Kaden realized.

Kaden slipped into the void and looked even further. There were far greater structures a bit further away with extremely complex defenses. Those likely belonged to the Archmagi.

It actually made sense. Putting your stuff between dimensions prevented those below True Magi even seeing them let alone access. Nor did you have to concern yourself with such meager things like reserving plot of land for yourself. In the space between dimenions there was essentially limitless space available. You could also do stuff in there. Even the most violent experiments and their shockwaves wouldn't propagate out.

Kaden wasn't yet certain how to separate piece space for himself in there, but nor was it a priority. He might do it just for show, but he viewed Zeruek's place in No Man's Land his place to live. Despite it being in the normal space, it was far more secure than these bubbles of space in between dimensions.

Kaden continued his way towards the Northwinds.

---------

"Commander, I checked that name the True Magus gave us to add to the report", one of the guards said. "Turns out there aren't many people with the name 'Kaden' that match."

"And?" The guard commander said.

"Only one that fits says he was part of some decommissioned elite unit in the military, but he was assumed dead", the guard continued. "A few years ago he did not come back after some 'special expedition'. I was not able to access any further information myself. Still, this guy has been gone for years without notice. A deserter and who knows what else. The most shocking thing to me is that he was still at the end of Formation stage at that time. Somehow he became a True Magus in just a few years."

The guard commander sighed. "Just add it to the report and forget about it", he said.

"This guy is a traitor and clearly was able to gain a source of power somewhere that the empire could use and ...", the guard said with exasperated tone until he was interrupted.

"Forget about it", the commander said. "No one reaches that level of power without doing something questionable. More so, if it happens in such a short time. Whether he is a traitor or not, no longer matters. We are mere mortals. That guy is a True Magus now. Mortal matters don't concern him anymore. You could go out and announce all this information openly and none would lift a finger as he comes and disintegrates you into ash." The guard commander paused. "We won't do anyting. Its up to the church, if they care about anything he has done. If not, then no one will do anything."

The guard held the report quietly for a moment. "I'll do as you say, but it doesn't feel right."

"A lot of stuff don't and we still do it", the guard commander said.

---------

Northwinds had increased the number of guards they employed. Kaden simply moved past them without them even noticing. It seemed the family was still functioning properly even if the top were all Kaden's slaves. No one had yet to notice anything odd.

He could follow his slaves easily, but they could not be everywhere at all times. There were many things to look for. He would have to question them a bit. Kaden could have directly contacted them, but since he was coming around he would get a look himself.

Kaden had taken a lot of the family's wealth, but they seemed to be fine. He had taken most of what was immediately available, but he had left their businesses functioning.

"Perhaps they took advantage of the situation", Kaden surmised. "The events left the nobles in chaotic state and all of them suffered great losses. Some lost money might not have been the smallest loss, but likely not the largest one either."

They still held influence. Kaden only needed to align himself with them. He would let everyone know he was there, if they looked into matters even slightly. Northwinds would become nearly untouchable.

Fanin was in his office alone and Kaden simply appeared there.

"Who ...", Fanin started. Kaden's appearance was not familiar, but that didn't matter. "Master."

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Kaden gave a good look on Fanin and the state of the slave formation. He then stuffed more mana inside, making it stronger and correcting some erosion that had happened. It would now last much longer.

"I will have to fix all of the useful slaves", Kaden though to himself before he continued talking to Fanin. "Describe me the current state of things in the empire, Corand and also how your efforts are going. Anything relevant."

Fanin started explaining immediately.

Indeed, the war was still going and was brutal. Yet, as usual, the most who fought in it were not the true power of either of the empires. True Magi or above only rarely took part. There was also no signs of it stopping. It made sense since one side would have to come on top eventually unless the two empires somehow made peace to fight the Cari in the future. This was unlikely due to the differences of churches on both sides.

It seemed Saint Empire might be slightly weaker in the long run. At the moment, military basically functioned on its own. The so called child emperor had finally grown up to the age where he should be assuming his throne completely. Yet, all the nobles and those next to the emperor had already got used to their power and were moving against him. The young man had some protection for the time being, but the next in line, his cousin, was very much intending to be on the throne instead.

"Hmmm, should I get involved?" Kaden pondered. There was potential in creating chaos. "Should I ensure the young emperor stays in power and be undermined by his greedy advisors and nobles? Or have this power hungry cousin there instead?"

These were some of the options. Also, Kaden had to note. The incompetence of the child emperor at the time was likely one of the reasons the war started during which his own journey started. Perhaps he should die? Sudden removal of the emperor by unexpected party could throw the rest in chaos at least momentarily.

All of the noble families, including Northwinds were involved with the matter. It would be easy to influence things.

Weakening Saint Empire further would likely spur Sacronan into further action and over reach. Perhaps? Would Cari take the chance at that time? Kaden had very little true influence how Cari would act, but a tasty bait could work.

"If the Saint Empire military falls, the church will have to act", Kaden determined. "True Magi and Archmagi likely will take action from both sides. Many of them will fall. That should be enough for the Cari to move and thus force gods of humanity to act or lose their followers."

Kaden himself would only have to hide in the No Man's Land and wait for the fires to die down and see who came out as winner and how the gods reacted. They would be significantly weakened. This would benefit Kaden with his future advancements. Perhaps even human gods and beast gods would clash. Now that would be an interesting result.

Kaden chuckled to himself. "Someone in a right spot with right knowledge can strike even at gods."

The gods were frauds afterall. They had yet to discover Kaden. Churches would have exterminated him by now if they had. He was at a position where he had a good chance to hurt them.

While pondering these matters, Kaden fixed rest of the Northwind family member slave formations. Nervin would be harder to get to, but he was still useful as he had been marked as someone important. The Shadow Pact said opposite, but were also looking for him. Nervin was not in position to act nor did he have any power, but he attracted attention and Northwinds were using him as a scapegoat while they went forward with their own plans. They had started to disapear people and were holding them secretly. Interrogating them and once done, got rid of them.

Politics was just another form of war in the Saint Empire. Perhaps even in general.

Kaden decided to relax for a moment and had Northwinds bring the mentioned prisoner into the basement. The teleportation formation was still useful. Now that Kaden was known, he could easily go back and forth. He could also easily power the thing himself.

"Fanin, allow your opponents become aware that I, a True Magus, am backing you", Kaden told Fanin as prisoners were stuffed into the formation tied up. "Use it to gain more power. Get closer to the emperor."

"Yes, master", Fanin replied.

Kaden teleported, along with the prisoners, out of Corand. He then transformed to his phoenix form, killed the screaming prisoners and scorched them properly before eating.

Even if someone could tell people were going in and only Kaden coming out, it was far less questionable, if they could tell him become a phoenix and eat some people.

It wasn't all just casual dinner to Kaden. He observed as his meal was disintegrated into mana inside him before becoming part of him. It didn't progress him at by itself or anything and was far less efficient way to gather some mana, but it was a curious process to observe physical matter be converted into mana as he consumed it. Not so different as when he started his process of producing a mana body, but still different since the meat was nowhere high enough in mana content to do so. Still, it was knowledge.

It was a good experiment for his understanding of mana and how it truly functioned. While that he could enjoy a meal. There was a reason why even he, who no longer required sustenance, enjoyed food. Why at phoenix clan they spent such effort to produce human cattle. It was enjoyable.

-----------------

Around at this time at church offices.

"This is the complete report on this new True Magus that just arrived at the city", a church official said to his superior, an inquisitor. "It is based on our own records and notes made by the city guards as he entered."

"Hmmmm... how did this Kaden survive the greater remant in Murika?" The inquisitor wondered openly. "Its only just a few years and he grew to such power. Did he gain something unusual from there?"

"Unknown", the church official replied. "Most gains from the greater remant has been materials and knowledge. Nothing has ever been recovered from there that allowed someone to grow in power directly with this kind of magnitude. Also, as you are well aware, it is likely the godless mana system that is spreading originated from there. There could be a connection."

"We have researchers looking into that heretical thing", the inquisitor said. "If it could give such power, we would know of it. Keep that as an open question in the records, but my assumptions right now point towards that other True Magus that also appeared recently. That strange Lady Fundun. She also appeared out of nowhere with no records and grew at extreme speed."

"You believe these two have a connection?" The church official questioned.

"Fundun and Kaden both started growing essentially at the same time", the inquisitor pointed out. "While it would have been difficult, its not impossible. Fundun and Kaden discovered something. Fundun appeared very close to the opening of the greater remnant. Kaden just happened to appear among the military to be sent to Murika at that time. It is plausible. The two worked together to allow Kaden survive the greater remnant as he recovered whatever they hoped to find. Perhaps life saving artifact and other expensive items could have allowed him to survive. If they discovered something that would allow them to grow into True Magi, any cost they could have mustered would have been worth it."

"Should we attempt to look into what it was?" The church official asked.

"I doubt either of them will tell us anything", the inquisitor said. "We will eventually get them join in with the church and offer them something for the information. As it is, they are both unaffiliated and they worked for it and will not be quick to give up that freedom. It will just take time and a few offers until they decide the church is the best path to grow in power. They will both come along. For now, keep the usual observation we do with all True Magi."

The church official nodded as a reply and left.