At last, the potential of flame was complete.
Now it was time to decide its direction.
Volcanium, the burning heart of the Ignis Empire.
Inside the fusion facility located in the deep south, crimson flames and blue streams of water were surging together as one.
Vulcanus watched the scene in silence.
“So this moment has finally come.”
As he spoke, his retainers raised their heads, holding their breath.
The flame core of the Ignis Empire and the wave core of the Aqua Empire.
The two energies, once mutually opposed, had at last fused into one.
The water boiled up and turned into hot steam, and with explosive heat added to it, a new core was born.
Its surface was neither red nor blue, but a softly glowing ash-gray.
At the center of the laboratory, steam rose as if erupting, and around it, something unseen spread as though unable to contain its own energy.
Because of it, even the surrounding flames trembled strangely.
Flame and wave had not collided.
The two had embraced one another and formed a single shape.
Researcher Lexa was moved to admiration before she knew it.
“It feels somehow mystical… drifting like fire, yet surging up like water…”
Vulcanus slowly approached the core.
Then, carefully, he lifted it.
The core, which contained both the energy of fire and the energy of water, was not cold at all.
A new core that possessed the flame core’s tendency to spread, while also flowing fluidly like the wave core.
“This is a geyser. The name of this core shall be the Geyser Core.”
Following Vulcanus’s declaration, Lexa spoke proudly.
“I dare say it is the product of harmony, born as flame and wave soaked one another and evaporated. It is a new energy that has crossed yet another wall of elemental opposition.”
Vulcanus slowly nodded.
“Fire and water are originally opposed, but there is always a midpoint where balance can be achieved. They evaporate one another, cool one another, and… transform one another.”
His manner of speaking had changed somewhat compared to before.
Vulcanus, who had once insisted only on endless expansion and clung stubbornly to his own way, had gradually begun to accept the methods of other empires with tolerance.
Vulcanus continued in a low voice.
“A current of high heat, a force that does not disappear. With this, it is complete. The final fusion of Ignis’s flame.”
He looked down at the Geyser Core in his hand, then turned back and gave orders to his retainers and researchers.
“Continue producing Geyser Cores as they are. Then build a barracks. We will create a new troop type.”
“Yes, understood!”
On the outskirts of the Ignis fortress, atop a dark-red rocky gorge.
Until then, no structure had existed there.
And now, a new barracks was to be constructed upon it.
A barracks of a rather unusual color began to appear atop the geothermal land.
Instead of burning red and spreading black smoke, it was a barracks that spewed white steam.
Shhh, shhhh…
From inside the barracks came the sound of steam erupting.
“Then, I will begin.”
Barkas inserted the Geyser Core into the barracks.
The pale steam spreading from the core slowly took shape, gradually condensing like fluid.
Soon, it formed human figures.
A couple of soldiers of the new troop type appeared outside the barracks.
Their bodies were covered in translucent steam, and boiling vapor circulated within them, applying pressure throughout their entire forms.
The new soldiers were water, and at the same time, fire.
The heat they exuded was as hot as the surrounding flames, and stronger and sharper than flowing water.
Barkas reported to Vulcanus.
“They are called Steam Infantry. They excel in speed, heat output, and even striking radius. The streams of water they fire are quite powerful.”
Vulcanus silently watched the Steam Infantry.
In practice, the Steam Infantry could rapidly close the distance in a short time, and at close range, they could push enemies back with high-pressure steam or explode the heat within their bodies to burn their surroundings.
Though they appeared light on the outside, there was weight in their steps.
The embers burning on the surface of their bodies once again recalled the vigor of fire energy.
Vulcanus nodded.
“They are like beings that move between our boiling heat and their cold currents. The elemental opposition between us and them no longer has meaning before these soldiers.”
Then, as if an idea had occurred to him, he ordered his retainers.
“You men, take this core and go to Terra.”
“Pardon?”
The retainers hesitated.
Ragdor asked Vulcanus.
“Are you perhaps giving this to Terra? May I dare ask for what purpose?”
Vulcanus answered calmly.
“Was it not thanks to Terra that we were able to create the core? It is merely a simple token of gratitude. Last time, they took only one Lava Core, so giving them just one this time should be enough as well.”
After thinking for a moment, Ragdor said,
“In that case… understood. We will return shortly.”
Barkas, Ragdor, and Pellos took the Geyser Core together and headed for the Terra Empire.
Before long, they arrived at Montera, the heart of Terra.
The citizens of Terra spotted them and began murmuring.
“What is it this time?”
“Lately, whenever anyone comes up from the south, I feel uneasy for no reason.”
“Thankfully, they didn’t bring an army.”
On Terra’s side as well, only the retainers came forward before Vulcanus’s retainers.
Gaia asked,
“What brings you here?”
Barkas showed the Geyser Core and answered,
“This is the Geyser Core, fused from our core and Aqua’s core. Since your side was of great help in fusing this core, we offer one to you in return.”
Terra’s retainers looked at one another, and then Latos stepped forward and accepted the Geyser Core.
“Very well. We have no reason to refuse.”
“However…”
Ragdor asked them,
“There is something I am curious about. You still have not produced even a single type of two-attribute core troop, and that is, of course, your choice. But why do you possess only one of each? There is almost nothing you can do with just one core.”
Latos replied,
“It is His Majesty’s order. Of course, we do not possess only what you have given us. We have already secured every core from all directions, and we are gradually collecting two-attribute cores as well.”
After a brief silence, Barkas opened his mouth.
“Core collection, is it. Understood.”
Pellos had something more he wanted to say, but he thought there was no need to bring it up here and held his tongue.
The retainers turned back toward Ignis.
As soon as they returned to the fortress, the retainers went straight to the strategy room with Vulcanus.
On the table lay four types of cores.
The Golden Core, the Ember Core, the Lava Core, and even the Geyser Core.
Vulcanus spoke as if satisfied.
“The final piece of the two-attribute cores has been completed. We are the ones who achieved it. By our own hands, not the center’s.”
Then he asked his retainers,
“Did you happen to ask Terramont? Why they want only one of each core?”
Barkas answered first.
“Yes. They say they are collecting cores. They are focusing on variety rather than quantity. They also said they have already secured all single-attribute cores.”
“Hmm. We, too, have obtained every core in the world. And on top of that, we have contributed to their collection twice.”
Pellos tilted his head and spoke.
“But we still have not discovered their purpose. I do not quite understand whether Terramont simply wants them for himself, or whether there is some separate reason for gathering them.”
Vulcanus’s eyes flashed once, and he spoke as though it were of no importance.
“There is no need to think too seriously about it. He still believes himself to be the center. As the center, he wants to grasp how the world is turning and manage it himself. It is laughable, but it is nothing more than part of a trivial movement, so there is no need to concern ourselves.”
He turned his gaze to the cores and continued.
“We also have the Golden Core and the Ember Core, and Terra does not have those yet, do they? Since Terra contributed nothing to fusing them, I have no intention of sharing them. If they want them, they can come and try to take them themselves.”
For a moment, silence settled inside the strategy room, and then Vulcanus looked around at his retainers.
“We have taken every possibility into our hands. We succeeded in fusing the energies outside Ignis with our own to create different cores. In what situations do you think each would be useful?”
Pellos looked over the cores one by one and answered.
“Each can be used against the empire that is at a disadvantage in its opposing relationship. Gold against Silva, Ember against Terra, Lava against Aqua, and Geyser…”
He thought for a moment before continuing.
“Geyser, too, seems usable against Aqua, but compared to Lava, it may not exert great power. In any case, what these cores have in common is that they are extremely effective against Metallum.”
Vulcanus said,
“Since Aqua’s counter is us, Geyser’s limits are clear. But there is meaning in the fact that we succeeded in fusing it first. If Aqua had taken our core and created Geyser, that would have been a far more serious matter.”
Barkas asked him,
“Are we heading to Metallum again this time?”
The embers around Vulcanus flickered briefly.
“Hmm. I am tired of Metallum now. There is also talk that Terra recently moved its army back to its main base. Aqua is far, and there is no reason to go to Silva right now.”
Vulcanus’s gaze moved back and forth between the Ember Core and the Lava Core.
“This time, I should go to the center. But we lack a justification. We will head toward the center, but not as an attack. We will slowly encroach upon this land.”
The retainers nodded.
Vulcanus rose from his seat.
“We should make use of the Lava Infantry.”
The retainers looked up at Vulcanus and waited for his next words.
He continued.
“…We are flame. We spread. Keep the fire burning. Dye this land red with lava, and display our power even more.”
The retainers answered.
“Yes, we will keep it in mind.”
Ignis would soon begin its expansion once again, centered around the Lava Infantry.
And its advance toward the center would unfold hotter and more mercilessly than before.
Meanwhile, the Aqua Empire, which had suffered no small amount of damage from Montanus’s attack, had managed to escape its crisis with the help of the Silva Empire.
Its relationship with Silva, which had become somewhat distant for a time, also showed signs of gradually recovering.
“It is not over yet…”
The voice of Empress Nereia, whose eyes had been closed, echoed like a whisper.
Soon, as she opened her eyes again, her gaze turned toward Ignis and Silva.