Time snapped like a kite string, fleeting in an instant.
Two years had passed since Darren Fischer was captured, and he had not returned to the Fischer family for two whole years, yet based on Theo's "household management" abilities, it could be confirmed that he had not died.
However, no one actually knew his exact situation at the moment.
At first, Byrne was constantly worried about his son, but he had now forcibly adapted, although he still prayed for Darren once a week in the sacrificial chamber on the second sublevel.
As time went on, the number of Extraordinary Exponents under the Fischer family's command had grown increasingly larger, but those from the third generation of Daybreakers all kept their abilities hidden.
Even the three brothers from the Dagger Brotherhood continued to present themselves as ordinary people, never revealing their true status.
Not even Yeager, Inna, and Mormir from the second generation of Daybreakers had exposed their real strength. In fact, only Savoie, who joined the army, appeared as an Extraordinary Exponent.
Therefore, the outside world had no clue that the true Fischer family had expanded to a terrifying extent, and they still thought that they were just an average viscount family on the East Coast, one that relied on recruiting a small number of Extraordinary vassals.
The Dawn Church remained hidden and cautious.
However, the so-called Lost Cult's growth had become more and more substantial, at least in the exaggerated legends of the people.
At some point, many began to link the black cross of light in the Spirit Realm with the Lord of the Lost, each trying to figure out how to communicate with Karl.
However, Karl only listened to those people's prayers, unable to do anything for them or engage in meaningful communication.
He was now focused on constructing his Divine Envoys, wishing to create a mysterious being composed purely of Spiritual Power, every moment immersed in the joy akin to assembling a towering mecha.
The infrastructure in Nasir Town gradually unfolded, and some of Byrne's grand plans would take decades to complete. He wasn't even sure if he would live to see the day they came to fruition.
But Byrne could imagine and was willing to believe that day would definitely come!
By strengthening the education of the Nasir townsfolk, his grasp of the 3rd Rank power had increased daily, and he had completely mastered the "Mysterious Scholar," which was originally expected to take a decade to assimilate, now fully apprehended.
"Finally reached this step, it has not been easy..."
Next, all he had to do was find and complete the ascension ritual for the 4th Rank of the Path of Knowledge! His extraordinary power would then skyrocket, and he would become an influential power in the East Coast Province!
The Fischer family eventually made a deal with another great overlord on the Aphotic Sea, the "Heart of Gold." Over two years, they had earned a good deal of money by selling canned sunlight, but soon there were more than one power selling the same.
Byrne was not surprised at all, considering the "Solar Gold" technology had been sold to more than one person at the Alchemy Council, so it was natural for it to spread.
The Fischer family was already very powerful, but still far from touching the Lion clan, the overlord of the East Coast, and even fell short of the once powerful Eagle clan.
Byrne knew that everything was still not enough.
"If I could reach the 4th Rank, the situation would change again, hmm."
"However, by then, the rise of the Fischer family in the eyes of the outside world will seem even more exaggerated, definitely attracting more attention from other forces."
Fein City, the Lion clan's manor.
This luxurious manor had been remodeled repeatedly in recent years, becoming even more sumptuous. As industrialization gradually set in, the Lion clan reaped more and more profits from it.
With factory after factory being established and a massive influx of population, the natural environment of Fein City had deteriorated significantly, but all that seemed irrelevant to the Lion clan.
Viscount Bast, inheriting from Viscount Zavier, had steamboats churned out from shipyards, one after another, to gradually replace traditional sailboats.
Then, Byrne discussed with Viscount Bast the design of the steam locomotive, the construction of the railway, and finally decided to lay the first railway in Cyart in the near future.
It would run straight from Fein City to Nasir Town, but did not yet have an official name.
Many began to realize that a truly different era had arrived.
Today, several important members of the Lion clan held a secret meeting in a dedicated conference hall.
The Lion clan's special conference hall was well-lit, yet very sealed off. The servants were never allowed into this room.
The white-haired Chief Renzo looked exhausted, staring at a map and said, "The battlefront continues to push forward, yet Abel says the war over there is intense and hopes we can provide support on all fronts."
Viscount Bast was quite aged, leaning on a walking stick, squinting his eyes, and nodded.
"Hmm, the battlefront doesn't lie, since it's still advancing, it means our joint forces with the Rhea king are gaining the upper hand."
He shifted his tone, adding:
"But Abel is indeed struggling, as Rhea, once fragmented, is now uniting. More and more Monarch powerful experts join the battlefield, capable of potentially wiping out a whole troop with a surprise attack."