562 Rejuvenated
Michael put some time aside to introduce Tatjana to his territory. He didn't go into detail, but spent just enough time with her to make her feel comfortable.
After a short tour through the territory, Michael led Tatjana to the taming department where she was greeted heartily. The tamers of his territory never met a Grandmaster Tamer, especially not one who was in their 20s. Michael's tamers were excited to get to know Tatjana and overwhelmed her with compliments and a bombardment of questions.
It didn't take long for Tatjana to feel more comfortable and accepted into Michael's territory.
Satisfied with what he saw, Michael left to send his soldiers to the Savannah Region. They hadn't left yet and finished their last preparations before gathering in the territory center to move out together.
Michael saw Tiara and the Forest Elven Adventurers waiting for the others to arrive. Michael approached them unnoticed, only to see that they were trying to communicate with the Elemental Partners.
Tiara had it the easiest because the Elemental Empress had been with Michael for a long time. Zeroa understood the universal language and she learned how to write using it not too long ago as well. It was quite easy for her to use her mystical flame to write into the air. After all, she couldn't talk.
Zeroa could only communicate with Michael properly, which was also owed to the taming bond that created a connection between them. The bond made it much easier for them to communicate via telepathy.
"Maybe, I should teach my subjects Whispering Energy. That would solve many issues," Michael mumbled when he saw how much the Forest Elves struggled to talk to their Elemental Partners. It was a shame, but the nobility and Lesser Elementals couldn't write in the universal language. It was already a wonder that they understood the common universal tongue.
Unfortunately, it would take too long to teach the Elementals the written language, or Whispering Energy. Michael's subordinates would have to deal with the language barrier by using gestures and by hoping that the Elementals could understand fractions of what they said.
That worked out decently fine in the first battles in the Savannah Region, so Michael was not too worried.
"I wish to join the expedition into the Savannah Region as well!" A loud, energetic voice rang through the territory center and everyone present turned to the source.
Tiara's eyes widened, but her reaction was still tame compared to some reactions from the Forest Elves, or the few members of the Sacred Knight Temple that had already arrived at the meeting point. They exclaimed loudly and pointed wildly at the person who'd just arrived.
It was the Immortal Knight.
However, he didn't look the same anymore. Siegfried Dracoon succeeded in upgrading his bloodline!
The wrinkles in the Immortal Knight's face had disappeared and his gray hair looked plump while his body was full of vigor. The vigor in his eyes was overflowing whereas the heavy two-
handed broadsword was calmly swung over his back. Siegfried Dracoon wore the Heavy Armor Set with which he had first emerged from the Summoning Gate. He wielded the monstrosity of a heavy broadsword as if it was a feather for a moment before he put it back. It nocked onto a small spot on the back of his chestplate, the broadsword's weight spreading evenly across his body.
Siegfried Dracoon's veins bulged and it looked like something was moving within him, however, the Immortal Knight acted like nothing was wrong.
"I presume that the Bloodline Upgrade Token worked," Michael teased, but the Immortal Knight nodded seriously.
"It worked much better than I could have hoped for. My injury is being tended to and I will be back in my prime health within the next couple of hours. In fact, my condition might actually be better than I had been in my prime. I had a condition called astharian canclur, a disease that affected my lung capacity and made breathing painful. Thankfully, it is no more. Upgrading my bloodline removed all injuries and diseases in the blood-rush step," Siegfried explained while grinning from one ear to ear.
"The Bloodline Upgrade is still not done, but I'm certain that I can be a useful asset in the battle against the Council of Xylon. I hope you can permit me to join the battle!"
Michael had no reason to reject Immortal Knight's request. Siegfried Dracoon looked 30 years younger than before and his presence was stronger than ever. Even Thaor, and Mekhaz, whose presence was quite powerful, couldn't hold a candle against the Immortal Knight's natural presence.
It was easy to tell that the Immortal Knight's presence had been tempered through constant fighting over a long period of several decades, maybe even centuries. It was only obvious for someone like him to have a terrifying natural presence. But interestingly enough, the Immortal Knight didn't know how to control his natural presence precisely anymore. He had been injured a long time ago, shattering his presence and control of it in the process.
Now that his body's conditions had been tended to, his natural presence had been repaired as well.
"You can join the battle. I'm pretty sure your students would love to be led into battle by someone they know. They've been trained by you and trust you the most. Don't you think it would be nice to lead your students onto the battlefield?" Michael asked, grinning.
The Immortal Knight looked 30 years younger than before and it was only a matter of time before he would look like an ordinary middle-aged guy. He was currently only a Tier-2 Summon, but Michael was not worried. With an experienced strategist like the Immortal Knight, Michael wouldn't have to be concerned about his people.
Even Tiara and the other Awakened should be more secure with the Immortal Knight by their side. His understanding of war and his expansive knowledge were incredibly valuable, after all.
"As you command," Siegfried responded formally.
He didn't answer Michael's question directly, but the excitement in his eyes was enough to understand the situation.
Michael used Whispering Energy to send Zeroa a message and it didn't take long before three Lesser Elementals appeared in front of the Immortal Knight. They wished to become Siegfried's partner for the duration of the expedition and hoped that he would accept them.
Since the Noble Elementals and Zeroa had already found a temporary partner, it seemed better to have others partner with the Immortal Knight. However, Michael didn't expect the Immortal Knight to be able to handle partnering with three Lesser Elementals. They weren't even of the same elemental nature.
One of the Lesser Elementals was an Earth Elemental, the other was a Wind Elemental, and the last was a Fire Elemental. Their combined prowess was great, but utilizing their power in an efficient manner would be quite difficult, simultaneously at that. The language barrier didn't make the situation easier, either.
Discussing the next steps of the Savannah expedition, Michael and the Immortal Knight decided to separate their movements into necessary steps and miscellaneous steps. The necessary steps involved everything they had to do to ensure the Trilance's survival. The Trilance's survival was their highest priority, if one excluded that Michael considered his peoples' lives more valuable.
He offered to help the Trilance but that didn't mean he would sacrifice his people suicidally if he and his people deemed the Regional War lost. They would retreat and solve the future troubles on their own.
Putting aside the necessary steps, the miscellaneous steps were just about everything the Savannah Expedition could do to push the Council of Xylon back to reclaim the Trilance's land. The most important, however, was to eliminate as many Awakened as possible. He wished to advance Extraction as soon as possible.
The discussion with the Immortal Knight didn't last long. It ended once the last participants of the Savannah Expedition arrived at the province center. A few minutes later, the Savannah Expedition left with Tiara, Immortal Knight, Lilica and Mekhaz walking ahead.
The territory center looked empty without the 1,800 people, who decided to join the Savannah Expedition. But that feeling lasted merely for a minute because the citizens who'd been making space for the Holy Knights and Awakened returned to the plaza to do their job.
Michael looked around and smiled lightly. His subjects were not the only ones with things to do. He should be busy dealing with the to-do list as well.
It was about time that he installed the Legendary Artifact, Domain of Natura. He obtained it not too long ago from Kraft Viton, who gave him a guide along with it. Michael skimmed through the guide and retrieved the Domain of Natura.
The Domain of Natura looked like a thick wooden staff used by a Botanica Magician. The staff was dark-brown with moss covering one side of the Artifact. Intricate verdant runic patterns spread across the entire Legendary Artifact. They glimmered faintly when Michael channeled a trace of energy into the Artifact.
He felt a rush of lifeforce flushing through his body and grinned. There was no need to think about the perfect spot to install the Domain of Natura. He was already sure where he should install the Legendary Artifact. It was obvious.
He reached the Nature Spirit's main body in no time. The Forest Pixies greeted him heartily, swirling around him with joy. He smiled and held out the Domain of Natura.
"I figured that you could make use of this. Maybe, you want to merge this Artifact with your body, or you might install it elsewhere, but I think you know how to utilize the Domain of Natura most efficiently."
Roots of the Nature Spirit's main body shot out of the ground the moment Michael's words resounded through the vicinity. The roots coiled around the wooden staff before they retracted.
The Domain of Natura's presence disappeared in the next instance. All He could tell was that the Domain of Natura vanished and that the Nature Spirit's Loyalty Connection stirred violently.
The 4-Star Nature Spirit began to digest the Domain of Natura. It was about to receive promotion of evolving into a 5-Star Greater Spirit in the following days..
