The Conquest II

"From the start, we haven't wanted to get involved in a war against the Dragon Kingdom! We were forced by the Werelions!"

The peaceful tribes said, pointing their fingers at the strongest tribes who had taken control of the country. Leone bore the burden even though it was her mate who had enforced his will on the country, she still had to face the scolding with silence. 

At any other time, they would have rampaged the weaker tribes for this insolence, but not in front of that Angel. 

"To submit to the Sun God is a certainty, but we refuse to submit to the Dragons" She voiced out, a declaration that was met by Azrael's dead glare, promising her the same fate as her mate. Still, Leone looked down and tried to avoid that gaze... even if she couldn't avoid the murderous aura. 

As it stood, the Beastmen Country was ruled by the stronger beasts. They had more will over the working class and decided to engage in a war against the weakened Dragon Kingdom for territory. A war they didn't want to partake in, but they had no choice.

No one dared to stand against Argland until he became a hegemon. In the meeting, there was a second group, of captured generals from the troll and minotaur nations who aided the Beastmen Country in their war against the Dragon Kingdom. 

Tsunade grasped a Minotaur by the neck and lifted him up, shocking the audience. She looked like a dwarf compared to that Minotaur and still could lift him up.

"Heron, the general of the Minotaur tribe tasked to aid the Beastman Kingdom in this war".

"Bitch!" Heron knew no manners.

Tsunade merely smirked, "Undisciplined..."

A hook to the ribs calmed down the minotaur. She looked at him up and down the same way she had done to all the people of different tribes she had seen ever since she arrived in the region.

'Tsunade-sama, now is not the time to study different lifeforms' Katsuyu expressed. 

*cough!*

"Return to your place and tell your king or patriarch that your assistance in this war is not needed. The war is over in the name of the Sun God who now controls the northern edge of the continent. You're asked to present yourself at the northern border of the Baharut Empire in a month maximum. Either with a hefty tribute to curry the Sun God's favour," She trailed and smirked, "Or with your army. If you haven't shown up by the stipulated time, you guys better brace, now scram!"

The Minotaurs and trolls fled and just like that the Beastman Country was conquered and turned into a vassal state of the Dragon Kingdom as agreed by all (visibly frightened) sides. 

For Tsunade their political situation was not relevant, it was only relevant that the Sun Church was established and took over the region. The next day, the leaders of the Beastmen Country knelt once again.

One thing was to be conquered by the raw power of the angel, another was to be turned into a vassal state of the Dragon Kingdom. The way they saw it, Draudillon Oriculus had somehow gotten a hold of the most diehard mercenaries she could find. 

Nevertheless, Tsunade was quick to defuse the situation. 

"I don't think I have to tell you, but from now on you are a vassal state of the Dragon Kingdom. However, you will be allowed your cultural independence, you will be allowed into the army, you will be given protection and you shall retain your territory so long as it is used for farming and cultivation purposes and not to raise insurgent armies..."

Tsunade kept speaking as the more she said, the more they gasped.

That was because the concessions were good for them in some parts and bad for the Dragon Kingdom in some others. Which meant that the Sun God Church was not a parallel power with the Dragon Kingdom.

"Do you mean to say... we get to keep our territory?" Leone asked.

"Naturaly, however the citizen of the Dragon Kingdom don't need to go through any border control to commercialize with you. Look at it this way, Leone. The continent is going to be divided in two. Us from the Sun Church at the north, as for the south... you don't want to know for now" Tsunade smirked, thinking of a certain skeleton. 

"It is better that you both get rid of that petty hatred, because the wars to come will be difficult. Ominousity, racism and xenofobia between nations will be punished harshly... both of you don't have an edge on one another, Draudillon Oriculus is as much as a servant of the Sun God as you are, Leone".

"..."

Both Dragoness and Lioness stared at each other, in Draudillon's gaze, she perceived the same fear and reverence towards Azrael. 

"It is as you think. We too have been Conquered and have decided to accede to this agreement" Draudillon confessed and Leone sighed. 

"If such is the case, then as the new chief of the Beastmen Country, we accept to become a vassal state of the Dragon Kingdom. However, let it be certain... that our fear and admiration lies with the Sun God and his angel".

Leone stood up, following behind her were two individuals, her daughter and her son, two generals of the army. 

The three knelt down. Not in front of Draudillon, or Tsunade... but in front of Azrael. 

"Although we haven't met the Sun God, for him to have such excellent subordinate, there is no doubt your strength comes warranted. May I know your name?"

The angel smiled, an odd sight. As a proxy, she attained glory to her lord... for her it was a magnificent day and an achievement that would warrant her a few kisses at least and a night of reckless passion with her lord at best.

"I'm the scythe of my lord, Osiris. My name is Azrael".

...

After that, negotiations went smoothly. Questions were raised.

"How can we establish a religion in which we don't believe in?"

It was an insightful question, but any doubt was appeased by a gigantic chunk of armatista, way denser and powerful than normal as Ray had created it wilfully as per Ray's request. 

"Long life to the Sun God!" said the blacksmiths of the nation, holding their chunk of armatista. 

Standing to her right, Draudillon stared at Tsunade, "I respect your capability to manipulate te hearts of the folks, Lady Tsunade. You instil fear and then hope".

The sannin's hand lowered glaring far into the skies, recalling a certain time in the forest were she sat with her two companions, listening to wise teachings of a veteran shinobi.

"Love is a fickle emotion. Those who love you will one day betray your expectations. To properly govern you can only rely on fear and respect. Those two fear you will think twice before betraying you... those who respect you will learn from your ways and lay the path forward for your beliefs. Right, sensei?".

"Sensei...?" Draudillon asked while Azrael analised the depthness of her words and certainly, her respect for Tsunade increased. 

"It is nothing. Let's go... for cohabitation to be peaceful, there is still much to do, we probably won't return to the Baharut Empire in about two months".

Azrael's countenance dropped, "T-Two months... everything here is taken care of, so–"

A hand patted her shoulder, stopping her from flying off straight into her master's arms. Tsunade smiled diabolically, "Who said you can go?~"

"..."

**

**

Back in the Baharut Empire and the rest of the continent, the news was spreading like fire: The Sun God was unparalleled.

There was nothing more reliable in the world than the stories and tales of a veteran adventurer. And it had been a group of veteran adventurers who had faced a God head on and survived to tell the tale. 

The strongest adventurers in the Empire. Together with some of the strongest in the Sloane Theocracy, TOGETHER with the ancient Hero, Platinum Dragon Lord… met a catastrophic defeat the likes of what had never been seen in history. 

The Sun God had taken over the Empire. The Sun Church was established and as a surprise to none, it had plenty of believers, starting from the aristocracy of the Baharut Empire. A set of nobles who wanted nothing more than to be in the Sun God's good eye. They gave their richess, they gave their time, they gave their daughters... they'd give anything so long as the Sun God remained in the Empire, not swayed by the Theocracy or another nation.

Emperor Jicniv Farlord publicly decreed the empire dicarded the faith of the four original gods, he went as far as to publicly address them as 'dead gods'. Even placing a punishment for those who dared to preech any other faith other than the Sun God's.

Something like that was unimaginable and would certainly warrant the Theocracy's Black Scripture invading the empire to claim his head; but his claims were met with silence by the Sloane Theocracy. 

Who dared anger that god?

Questions arose in the Re-Estize Kingdom and the nearby monarchies. The reports of the gigantic fox were so voluminous that they needed to know and as such, Emperor Jicniv asked Ray directly.

"My lord, regarding the Gigantic Golden Fox..."

"Oh, she? That's my pet".

!!!

Once again the news spread, the gigantic fox who devastated the Arsiza mountains was the Sun God's PET.

Yasaka was getting faith she didn't even know about. Things were getting out of control outside the Empire. But within the Empire? Clamour and happiness were everlasting.

Sorcerers and Alchemists used their seemingly never-ending influx of Armatista to research and investigate new methods of use and applications for it. It was a revolution of science and magic that they welcomed with open arms. Those intellectuals among the folk stood in front of the newly formed Sun Church to pray for their Sun God to conquer the rest of the continent soon and erase all magical barriers, turning the world into one once again.

Another faction prayed for the Sun God to conquer the rest of the world and label it into one banner as the Baharut Empire. Be it as it may. One thing was for certain: the Sun God was loved.

...

A month after the incident Ray sat in the throne of the Baharut Empire, occupying the spot that should be the Emperor's while the Emperor stood in the right side... and in the left side... there stood Aqua with a brilliant countenance, a smile... and some desire for revenge. 

Kneeling in front of the floor were five women. As for Ray, he read a piece of paper that had just been handed over to him. Once he finished, he burned the letter to a crisp in front of them, sending their hearts into the abyss in a misunderstanding. 

"You wouldn't want anyone aside from me to read this, do you?".

Alana Clay gasped and nodded, "Lord Sun God is wise".

"Stand up the five of you. Anna Blair, walk forward".

Among the five dark-skinned elves, the youngest walked forward as her disguise receded. Her white hair turned golden, her dark-skin into a healthy caucasian one, her eyes green like emeralds.

She was an utter beauty, a noble high elf from the Elf Kingdom. 

"Dearest Sun God, I appreciate that you would find it upon yourself to give me some of your time. Once again I thank you for your mercy even as we recklessly sought to end your life".

"You can drop the formalities, Anna... call me Ray, that is my real name".

Ray stared at the girl up and down, absolutely gorgeous and also... several tones of cuteness. 

'How queer. Her name is Anna, and she reminds me of Anna... I miss her'

His eyes inadvertently placed themselves on her gigantic chest, it was ridiculous how despite being the youngest, she almost had the biggest ones, losing only to Merluna.

"Thanks, Lord Ray. As you may understand, I am not a person of my own," Anna bowed with a slight flush, as if she had detected is gaze. 

Ray nodded and stared at Alana, she's the leader and also the one he respected the most in the group. She had risked it all. 

"You are responsible for her. Very well, Alana Blair. Tell me without sugarcoating, without undertone manipulation, with only the truth. What exactly do you expect of me?".

Alana bit her lips in a silent hall, she stared at the Emperor of Baharut who had become nothing but a vassal, he held no power in this room. Her words would define the fate of her Kingdom. 

"Then, Lord Ray. I wish for you to become the Sun God of us Elves, and assist us in cleansing our land from the filth that is Decem Hougan so that we can finally have peace, that is what I wish!".