Tower of Heaven

The appearance of an Ingi Neuric certainly stood out. Yonnis was of a race that the surface people did not know existed, so he of course faced troubles when he first tried to enter society.

Luckily, between him and Gwin, he was the smart one. He stayed hidden and took note of how society worked on the surface, learning the many influences and races that people adored before making any moves openly.

It seemed the easiest thing was to disguise himself as a dwarf. By saying that he was from a unique species that was born inside an active volcano in a faraway land, he was able to quell most suspicions about his origins.

The surface world was different from the subterranean world in many ways. The most striking difference was the level of intelligence that the average person had.

It took one thousand years for the Igni Neurics to become a completely intelligent race. It had taken the same amount of time to teach the races they'd subjugated to achieve even close to the same level.

However, on the surface, everyone was far smarter than the base intelligence level of the Neuric Empire. It was shocking, and most of all, it was concerning.

Yonnis had doubts. He wasn't sure if he alone was enough to challenge this society. Humans, elves, beasts, and even legends of great dragons…

Could a mere Igni Neuric who came from a budding society make any impact in this kind of world?

He lost confidence in himself, but he was able to keep pushing forward. No matter how little he trusted his own abilities, he had absolute faith in the Shinnim's Will. This was the path the Shinnim chose for him, and if he gave up on it, he was no different from a traitor.

Atlas never enforced such strict beliefs on his people, but he couldn't control what his religion meant to them. It was burdensome to have people put that much faith into him, but he didn't stop them.

After all, if it weren't for that faith, Yonnis wouldn't have been able to get up every time he stumbled on his path.

With his faith in Atlas guiding the way, he challenged the entire world. He became powerful, spread his name, and claimed a territory of his own, right above where the original Igni Neuric settlement was.

The name "Yonnis" became famous across the continent. He was renowned for his forging skills that showed extreme promise of reaching an unattainable level, but his reputation didn't end at just crafting.

As cultivators did, those greedy people eventually chose to use force to take Yonnis' skills for themselves. When Yonnis displayed his power for the first time in the new world, the respect the people had for him increased immensely.

That was when he learned that there was nothing in this world that could hold the same weight in people's eyes as power. It was the most crucial thing, especially for Neurics who had naturally weak bodies.

'I see, so the Shinnim was thinking like this.'

If they stayed as they were, the Neurics would not be able to stand against any force from the surface world. They would have been decimated the moment their cavern society was found.

With the resources, knowledge, qi, and land in the surface world, they could change that fate and truly overcome their weaknesses.

Yonnis remained in the surface world alone for one hundred years. He returned to the caverns occasionally, but he tried to remain separated from them so his enemies wouldn't find them and use them against him.

But, along with enemies, he also found reliable friends and allies. He found people who he could tell his true origins to, and with their help, he was able to establish the foundation of what would, in the near future, become known as the forging capital of the world.

Slowly but surely, the Igni Neurics moved from the underground world to the surface world. They all enjoyed the same splendid scenery that Yonnis wished to show them, and once they'd adapted to their new lives, they immediately went to work.

The land above the subterranean world was a large forest that was bordered by several mountains. It was a secure area that was also in the middle of various important cities, making it a vital location that would frequently be used as an in-between during trade and travel.

The Neurics moved out of the subterranean world before the other races under their reign. In fact, it would be several thousand years before they became conscious enough to make the great change.

For the moment, the Igni Neuric Clans, roughly 100,000 members, made their way to the surface and started building and crafting as they did.

Ten years passed, then twenty, then fifty, and then one hundred.

By the time another five hundred years passed, the undeveloped land became a paradise.

It became the trading capital of the continent and the forging capital of the continent at the same time. The Igni Neurics who built it were given a special status, and regardless of their strength or age, they were always desired allies and helpers.

Using this method, presenting themselves as allies, the Neurics made their mark in the world and ensured that it couldn't be erased. With the amount of people who relied on their equipment, none of their enemies dared to touch them.

Touching that city, named Shinnhaven after the Shinnim they worshiped, was virtually impossible.

Time seemed to go faster and faster with every passing day. Atlas' active role in the Neurics' development continued to decrease and decrease.

When they were first evolving, Atlas was able to provide blessings to everyone and show them the knowledge they needed to survive, but what did they need now?

Now, even five hundred years was not enough time to define the lifespan of the average Neuric. They were a long-lived species whose reproductivity was not abysmal like others with similar traits. Gwin and Yonnis continued to stand at their head, and eventually…

"Today, we, the people of Shinnhaven, declare our complete independence! Henceforth, this city is no longer a part of any empire but our own! From today onward, Shinnhaven is the capital of the Ignis Empire, and you all are its first citizens!"

Gwin gave the speech with Yonnis standing next to her. They faced the entire population of the city, whether those people were crowded below the stage or in their homes.

The advanced city had a grid of artifacts that allowed projections to be made anywhere as long as one purchased the proper technology.

As such, despite being a city with a population of over one million people, the announcement was heard everywhere.

And everyone rejoiced.

The Ignis Empire was the first of its kind, an empire made by craftsmen rather than warlords.

It was not scorned by the common people of the world, but welcomed.

Those in the world who followed secondary professions all gathered in their land.

And, with time, the reign of the Igni Neurics gained more and more prominence.

It wouldn't be long before they revealed their fangs at those who stood in the way of their conquest.