The wheel of time spun ceaselessly.
Nine months had passed in Anfang since the Great Shattering, the term used by the inhabitants to describe the events related to the Lazarus Project.
Some even referred to it as the Grim Shattering, subtly implying the culprit behind the event. Of course, the people of Anfang did not openly point fingers at Grimdawn. It was as if his name had become a taboo subject among the general populace.
Much had changed in Anfang since the Great Shattering.
Firstly, there was no unified continent in Anfang anymore. Instead, there were seven major continents and twelve mini-continents, along with numerous islands formed after massive tectonic shifts across the Land of Anfang.
This was a significant change for the survivors who found themselves suddenly separated from one another, divided by vast seas.
Billions of people perished in the Great Shattering. Most were mortals who died on the first day the Divine Formation cracked. A considerable number of low-ranking entities also succumbed to the event, losing their lives without resistance.
Only about 8 billion people survived the cataclysm, less than half of the pre-Shattering population. Considering the remaining landmass of Anfang, this number was alarmingly low.
S-Ranked entities, affiliated with the Anfang Alliance or not, played a crucial role in calming the aftershocks. They used their Elemental Attainments and Array Formations to expedite the continental separations, stabilizing the situation faster than the natural process that would have caused more tragedies.
Even the S-Ranked monsters of Anfang contributed, using their powers to protect their tribes and lands. Some monsters were better prepared, benefiting from the event.
The S-Ranked entities rallied the Grandmasters and Master Rankers to work under their banners. The collective efforts of these high-ranking entities finally allowed the mortals of Anfang to breathe a sigh of relief after months of continuous suffering.
The seven major continents were now divided among the various groups in Anfang. The land where the majority of humans lived was named Arsalan, further divided into countries and kingdoms resembling, to some extent, the pre-shattering division of Anfang.
For example, the kingdom of Edinburgh still existed on Arslan, though significantly different from its past. It had been reduced in size due to the fact that a large portion of its land was chipped away from it during the Great Shattering.
The continent where the elves established themselves was named Katiyal. The elves formed their own empire by uniting various elven clans and houses under a common cause.
The kingdom of Layos played a crucial role in Katiyal. Just like the kingdom of Edinburgh from Arsalan, the kingdom of Layos also had a large part of its landmass missing. This was because the Great Shattering had started on the barren battlefield between the two kingdoms of the past, which had caused the two kingdoms to separate from each other.
The long-standing conflicts between the kingdom of Edinburgh and Layos seemed to have come to an end, with a vast sea spanning hundreds of miles separating them and preventing easy contact. It was possible the later generations from both kingdoms would have a hard time believing their common history.
The monsters claimed a specific continent after the Great Shattering, later named Shiragna. Territories in Shiragna were divided among various monster races based on the strength of their tribes, with orcs and ogres emerging as major powers.
Velen became the continent where the half-bloods established their dominion. After the Great Shattering, they emerged from hiding and divided the continent among their clans. House Fenris established its own nation in Velen, known as Fenria.
The cultists also seized an opportunity to benefit from the Great Shattering, claiming a continent for themselves named Kojurao. On Kojurao, the cultists united under a single organization, previously known as the Ancients.
After claiming a continent, the Ancients renamed themselves the Keerthi Union. The Union divided the continent of Kojurao into several governable parts, allowing each region to develop independently under the leadership of a particular cultist school.
The Amazonians had also made use of the Great Shattering for themselves, enabling them to finally have an isolated continent for themselves. They named it Mater.
The continent of Mater turned out to be the most peaceful continent among the remaining major continents after the Great Shattering was finally over. This was because the Amazonian tribes didn't have to fight with each other to establish their foothold on Mater. Instead, they consulted with their deity to come up with the division process.
On Mater, everyone was welcomed as long as they followed the specific customs of the Amazonians. It did not directly get itself involved with the new Anfang Alliance. However, it allowed a few Amazonians to join its ranks.
The last seventh continent was named Goltier.
It was mostly ruled over by the mana beasts and demon beasts. The high-ranking mana beasts and demon beasts who could shapeshift and think for themselves became the heads of their respective regions. There was no unity among the major forces found in the seventh continent. However, there was also no overwhelming hostility.
The seventh continent did not join the Anfang Alliance in any form or way. It wished to remain isolated from the other major forces.
The twelve mini-continents that existed all around the major continents also had the rules of their own. However, their population was more diversified. Due to the lack of manpower and resources, a majority of these twelve mini continents had decided to ally themselves with the major powers close to them in terms of the new geography of Anfang.
There were two mini continents that were claimed by the merfolk. These merfolks had decided to show themselves above the sea surface for the first time after the Calamity Era. One of them had also started to approach Arsalan while the other got close to Katiyal in order to establish trade.
Most of the newly formed islands of Anfang were unclaimed by the major powers. They were the wild lands on which the powers from various places would soon place their claim. One could say that they were the new Badlands for the Rankers.
The seven main continents and twelve mini-continents came up with their own ways to rule over their denizens.
The respective leaders of these continents managed to put their differences aside, coming together to deal with the aftermath of the Great Shattering.
