A month passed quickly.
In the month following the relocation of the Flügel, there were those who rejoiced and those who worried.
Those who rejoiced, naturally, were the natives of the continent of Arriella.
Particularly those races whose individual strength was considerable, though not strong enough to suppress the Flügel with a single hand. Upon hearing that these insane god-slaying weapons had moved out, they called their friends and celebrated through the night.
Those who worried, of course, were the natives of the Lucia continent.
Especially the Forest Elves and Dwarfs. Although the Flügel did not regard their strength highly, both races had suffered considerable losses due to the Flügel in the past, so they remained extremely vigilant about their relocation.
After all, everyone knew that the Flügel were only interested in hunting the strong.
But on the Lucia continent, where the average power level was low, one could only find a handful of beings who could be called powerful — mostly reclusive Dragonkin and Phantasma, along with the Forest Elves and Dwarfs, who were the local overlords.
They had no choice but to be cautious.
After receiving the news, the two races tacitly eased their ever-escalating, millennia-long war.
The Forest Elves dismantled various magical formations and rituals they had set up outside and withdrew into several major forest cities.
The Dwarfs recalled their warships and patrol fleets from the field and retreated into their underground cities.
What was once an elongated frontline collapsed with lightning speed, as the bulk of each army returned to their respective capitals, lying in wait for future moves.
Although it wasn't a complete ceasefire — minor skirmishes were still inevitable — compared to the previous state of full-scale warfare, what happened now could truly be called mere "friction."
Until the true purpose of the Flügel's presence on the Lucia continent became clear, neither side would easily restart a full-blown war.
And this was exactly what Origami Tobiichi wanted to see.
With the two biggest regional powers on the Lucia continent halting their campaigns and sticking to their strongholds, the ambitious Dwarfs also had no chance to test their newest weapons under the watchful eyes of the Flügel.
This was the perfect opportunity for humanity to develop and grow stronger.
Standing at the top of a small hill, watching the human warriors below who had fused with Crystal Remnants and were practicing combat techniques, Origami Tobiichi was very pleased.
Much had changed in Riku tribe over the past month.
After Riku became the first to fuse with a Bone Crystal and set an example, the 122 warriors loyal to him eagerly applied to receive Crystal Remnants as well.
Thanks to Schwi's tireless efforts, she completed enough Crystal Remnants within a week.
Thus, the first human special forces were formed — marking humanity's first step into the Great War.
These human warriors, who fused with Crystal Remnants, were called Corpse Hunters.
With the body of the living bone, they would hunt the criminals who had driven this world to the brink of extinction.
Once the Corpse Hunters were formed, Riku immediately began training them — helping them to become familiar with and utilize this newfound power.
Gradually, as humans grew more knowledgeable about the power of Crystal Remnants, their desire for strength began to overcome their fear of its price.
Not only did it give them the means to contend with other races, they also discovered that those who fused with Crystal Remnants became immune to external Spirit Bone erosion. They no longer needed to worry about their skin being corroded, which made Crystal Remnants even more acceptable.
More and more humans stopped resisting the idea and eagerly applied to become Corpse Hunters.
In a tribe with a population of just over 2,000, nearly a quarter of them applied to receive Crystal Remnants — an astonishing ratio.
However, no matter what, fusing with a Bone Crystal still meant a slow death. Considering the need for future population growth, Riku ultimately did not accept all applicants. After carefully selecting, he expanded the original force of 122 to a total of 200 soldiers.
"Not bad. They're beginning to show the bearing of true warriors."
After observing the 200 Corpse Hunterss in training for a while, Origami Tobiichi said to Riku and Schwi beside her, "They still can't handle truly powerful opponents, but they should be able to put up a fight against the lower-tier races."
"Before fusing with Crystal Remnants, most of them were already part of our hunting, scouting, or guard squads. They have some basic training."
Riku expression was calm, as if he were simply stating facts, but his tone revealed a pride that couldn't be hidden. "Though they haven't fought against other races yet, as you said, even the weakest among them has stepped into the realm of low-tier races."
What could be more joyous than watching one's tribe grow stronger?
The stronger the Corpse Hunters became, the more grateful Riku felt for the deal he made with Origami Tobiichi.
Had he not taken the gamble and rejected her proposal back then, they would still be hiding in their caves, trembling at the threats outside.
Now, they dared to walk out of the caves and train in broad daylight.
Even if Beastkin or other races were attracted by the noise, it didn't matter.
In fact, it might be better if they were.
Many of the young and passionate Corpse Hunters were already eager to test their strength against other races.
"So, are you thinking of taking the initiative?"
After a moment of consideration, Origami Tobiichi proposed, "Most of the Corpse Hunters have already grasped the basic power of the Crystal Remnants. They also want to vent their years of oppression and pain through combat. What do you think?"
"Hmm..."
Riku hesitated upon hearing Origami suggestion.
Indeed, many Corpse Hunters were already confident in their power and eager to challenge the races that once oppressed them. But Riku, who was always cautious, found himself wavering.
It wasn't that he didn't want revenge.
He just didn't want to make meaningless sacrifices.
Though the Corpse Hunters had initially mastered their power and were barely qualified as warriors thanks to their previous training, if they had more time to train, the casualties from battle would certainly be fewer.
"Schwi, what do you think?" Unable to make up his mind, Riku turned the question to Schwi. "With our current strength, should we go to war with the surrounding races?"
"Schwi recommends slow development, recuperation, and population growth."
After a series of analyses, Schwi gave her answer: "Now that the Dwarfs are no longer testing their E-bombs, we have plenty of time to grow. There is no need to rush."
"I thought the same."
"The best plan is to stimulate population growth. Within thirty years, we should grow our tribe's population to over fifty thousand. Once the number of Corpse Hunters reaches around five thousand, then it will be time to declare war on the lower-tier races."
"Uh..."
Riku expression froze awkwardly.
Thirty years might be a fleeting moment for the high-tier races and for a Great War that had lasted hundreds of thousands of years.
But for humans, whose average lifespan didn't even reach forty, thirty years meant Riku would already be dead by then.
"It doesn't have to be that long."
Riku coughed lightly, and in the middle ground between Origami proposal for immediate war and Schwi's cautious strategy, he made a compromise.
"How about we train for another one or two years, and then start fighting the surrounding races?"