Caelum had not planned this from the beginning.
At first, he had truly intended to kill Javier directly and complete the game system’s mission.
Then the thought came to him.
He noticed the limitless potential of the proficiency panel.
As long as the proficiency of a skill, or perhaps an ability, could keep rising without end, his strength would keep rising as well.
It could rise until it broke past the limits of the world of Legend of the Empire.
Perhaps it could even reach the level of Infinite Concept Transcendence.
If that happened, then reverse invading the hostile system should not be a problem.
After all, the highest Realm Caelum currently knew was Infinite Concept Transcendence.
He did not think there should be any Realm higher or stronger than that.
Of course, that was only what he thought.
Because he could not confirm it, he did not dare make a move against the game system. Instead, he would test things first with the hostile system.
Even as an Infinite Concept Transcendent, if Caelum wanted to go to other story worlds, he still had to search for them one by one.
And he could not freely choose where to go.
If he controlled a system, that problem would be solved.
Rather than exhausting himself to build a new central network across infinite story worlds, why not take over something ready made?
And not just one.
Two.
Compared with the value of the systems, whether it was a universal Revival Gem or the Interference Value accumulated in Legend of the Empire, none of it was worth mentioning.
With Caelum’s current power alone, tracing the hostile system back to its source was obviously not enough.
His current growth speed was too slow.
The further the Realm advanced, the more proficiency it required.
At this pace, the time Caelum would need to reach Infinite Concept Transcendence was unimaginable.
The only solution was to accelerate the increase of proficiency.
And that acceleration had to explode exponentially.
As far as Caelum knew, such a method really existed in the world of Legend of the Empire.
Alchemy.
A mysterious art capable of turning fantasy and concepts into reality.
It first appeared in the age of the ancient kingdom, then was lost several hundred years after the Empire was founded.
Through this mystery, the ancient kingdom created the seven Divine Relics with their unbelievable abilities.
The Empire’s founding emperor used it to create the thirty six Imperial Relics.
As long as Caelum could master alchemy, he was confident he could combine it with the proficiency template.
Before long, he could soar straight upward.
Proficiency would increase the degree to which alchemy could manifest fantasy and concepts.
The stronger the alchemy, the stronger its ability to manifest.
Then he could use alchemy on the conceptual level to infinitely multiply the proficiency of alchemy itself.
Repeat the cycle again and again.
Left foot stepping on right foot.
Right foot stepping on left foot.
A spiral climb into the sky.
For now, this was only one of Caelum’s ideas. Whether it could actually be achieved was still uncertain.
But it was undoubtedly worth trying.
Right now, Caelum first needed to learn alchemy.
There were many legends of alchemy in the Empire.
Turning stone into gold was the most widely known one.
Many people claimed to be alchemists, but their credibility was not high.
For intelligence, Caelum chose to ask Sito for help.
After sixteen years of growth, the News Gazette’s information network had to be very powerful by now.
If even Sito could not find clues about alchemy, Caelum would have even less hope.
"Caw!"
Caelum handed the letter asking Sito to search for alchemy related clues to the news bird.
He also tucked in 10 Sobi as postage.
The news bird flapped its wings and flew away.
Although Sito no longer owed him a favor, he should still help.
After all, Sito certainly would not want to offend Caelum.
Just as Caelum expected, Sito did not refuse the request.
At the News Gazette headquarters, Sito held the latest intelligence about the Imperial capital in his hand.
The shock in his chest could hardly be described.
His hand trembled slightly.
A drop of cold sweat slid down from his temple.
The cigar in his mouth fell to the floor without him noticing.
"Something has happened."
"The Empire is finished."
He knew very well what this meant.
The Emperor was dead.
Nearly eighty percent of the Empire’s top combat strength had been wiped out in the royal capital.
After such a heavy blow, the Empire’s rule was about to collapse.
Very soon, nobles from every side would occupy their own territories.
Local forces would fight each other.
The entire land would sink into chaos.
And the beginning of all this was Caelum.
With his strength alone, he had ended the Empire’s rule.
He was destined to become a figure who left a heavy mark in history and legend.
A historical figure almost like a god.
"Major news."
"This is enormous news!"
After the shock passed, Sito grew almost wild with joy.
As a newspaper owner, what he loved most was publishing major news.
An event that could shake the whole world gave him an immense sense of achievement.
Then he picked up Caelum’s request letter.
Without hesitation, he immediately began collecting intelligence and clues related to alchemy.
Caelum had overturned the Empire by himself.
In Sito’s mind, he had been stamped with a label that said he absolutely could not be provoked or offended.
Naturally, Sito would not refuse his request.
Before long, the newest issue of the News Gazette was released to every corner of the world, dropping an earth shaking piece of news upon it.
This latest issue landed like a heavy hammer against everyone’s heart.
Those who read it were so shocked that their hearts almost stopped and their minds went blank.
Many thought they had read it wrong.
They rubbed their eyes and looked again.
On the front page, the words Emperor dead and Empire collapse stood there clearly.
Faces turned pale at once.
"Am I dreaming?"
"The Empire is finished?"
After the fear came not wild joy, but deep worry.
Without the order set by the Empire, commoners would find it even harder to survive in the chaos to come.
"Owl!"
On the front page, Owl’s name appeared in the most conspicuous place.
Once again, everyone was shaken beyond words by what he had done.
He had killed nearly eighty percent of the Empire’s top combat strength, including the Army Marshal, by himself.
He had personally killed the Emperor as well.
That strength, those deeds, were terrifying to the extreme.
He was so powerful that it seemed unbelievable.
So unbelievable that people could not help doubting whether the news was real.
After all, it was simply too absurd.
If Owl’s previous deeds could only be called astonishing, then this time, what he had done could be called heaven shaking.
In short, the World’s Strongest Sword Master had ended the Empire’s rule.
That was an undeniable fact.
Overseas.
Resistance army headquarters.
The moment Tekular saw the news, he began gathering all their combat strength.
Their vast force boarded sailing ships and returned to the mainland.
He looked across his comrades, his voice ringing with force.
"Everyone, the turning point of the era has arrived. It is time to end the nobles’ rule."
Cedran held the newspaper in his hand and smiled.
"That kid really did something incredible."