Chapter 349: The distribution of factions in the Eldoria continent
Robert offered the map with both hands. Alex nodded and took it.
"Thank you for your assistance, and please extend my gratitude to the royal family."
"You\'re too kind, Miss Alyssa. It\'s our duty to assist the Mage Guild."
Robert smiled. For him, it was a simple gesture.
They chatted for a while longer, mostly Alex asking questions and gathering information from Robert.
Soon, Robert finished showing Alex around the palace. He had noticed her distraction during the tour and didn\'t overstay his welcome. As they parted ways, he reminded her not to forget the evening banquet.
After leaving Robert, Alex returned to the inn.
Robert had, of course, taken care of the voucher, discreetly handing it to her earlier. This made navigating the city on her own much easier.
However, Alex had no intention of lingering in Glory City. She planned to leave immediately after the banquet.
Back in her room, Alex unfurled the map of the Eldoria continent, carefully studying the distribution of power.
This way, she would know the locations of all the major factions, saving her undead troops from aimless exploration.
"The Eldoria continent is so much larger than the Arsen continent?"
Alex was surprised. She had assumed the continents were roughly the same size.
Although there was no scale, she could estimate the size difference based on the Orc Empire\'s territory and the area of the far north.
The far north was undoubtedly larger than the Orc Empire, yet their markings on the map were almost identical.
This highlighted the significant size disparity between the two continents.
Based on her observations, the Eldoria continent was at least one and a half times larger than the Arsen continent.
Furthermore, the Starfallen Empire wasn\'t even located at the center. The central power was a city called Holy City.
"That must be the Angel race\'s city!"
Alex quickly scanned the map, noting three Holy Cities on the Eldoria continent. Interestingly, there were also three Mage Guild branches, each situated near Holy City.
It was clear that humans were constantly wary of the Angel race. The absence of Angel race presence on the Arsen continent explained why Yellowrock City only had one Mage Guild branch.
The Eldoria continent resembled an irregular, flattened shape, vast and teeming with a complex web of factions.
The Angelic Holy City at the center divided the continent into northern and southern regions. The north was larger, dominated by plains, while the south was smaller but geographically diverse.
Most factions were clustered around the center, their strength seemingly correlated to their proximity to it.
The undead empire was situated in the north. Crossing the Starfallen Empire would lead to the central region, but their location in the northeastern corner placed them in one of the most desolate areas of the continent.
To the west of the Barren Plains and the Frostwind Snowy Mountains lay the true heartland of the Beastman Empire.
"No wonder they\'ve been pressuring the Arctic Tigerfolk. It seems the Beastman Empire aims to unify the north."
With the map, the motivations behind the factions\' actions became crystal clear.
The Beastman Empire hadn\'t launched a full-scale invasion, resorting to diplomacy and intimidation instead. They didn\'t want to alert other races to their ambitions.
Little did they know, the undead empire was right on their doorstep, and Alex shared their goal of northern unification.
The only remaining obstacle to the expansion of the Undead Empire was the Beastman Empire, and defeating them was essential for growth.
Alex pondered her next move.
It seemed discretion was still the better part of valor. She needed to reach Sovereign level before revealing the Undead Empire to the world.
"There\'s not much left to gain on the Arsen continent. My only hope is the Drake territory."
Alex sighed. The world\'s power structure was already established, making it difficult for the undead empire to rise among the major factions.
The Nytheria continent was the heartland of the Angels and the Holy Court, making it an unwise target. The Tyrranagar continent was embroiled in a conflict between Titans and Demons, on the verge of all-out war, making it equally unsuitable.
Apart from these, there was the mysterious Arcadia continent. Information about it was scarce. Alex had never encountered any records or individuals from there.
This was strange. Billions of Lords had descended from Earth. It was improbable that none originated from Arcadia. Yet, she had never encountered a single one.
This was another reason why she needed to gain control of the Liberty Church. With their presence on all seven continents, they surely knew something about this mysterious land.
Alex then turned her attention to the southern factions of the Eldoria continent. It was home to several powerful races, no less formidable than those in the north.
First and foremost were the werewolves and vampires she had encountered before. Their territories, the Skyreach Mountains and Eternal Night City, were both located in the south.
However, these were merely large branches, not their main headquarters.
Alex didn\'t know the locations of their true bases, only that both factions possessed Sovereign level powerhouses and were significantly stronger than the Beastman Empire.
Vampires and werewolves were eternal enemies, yet their territories were practically adjacent. Conflicts between them were inevitable, consuming their resources and hindering their expansion.
The remaining factions were mostly Emperor level and King level powers. Compared to the north, the south was more racially diverse and chaotic.
However, the presence of the remaining Angel and human branches kept these smaller races in check.
It seemed the two dominant factions, humans and Angels, effectively controlled the entire Eldoria continent. The other races could only vie for survival within the balance of power between them.
Alex rolled up the map. It only showed the races that had established kingdoms, some powerful factions, and a few forbidden areas, like the volcanic region in the south.
Weaker races inhabiting those areas, like the man-eating ants, weren\'t even deemed worthy of mention.
As Alex examined the map, she felt a surge of experience points, reaching the threshold for a level up.
"Huh?"
"Must be the Featherfolk."
With two high-level King level troops assisting, their victory was a foregone conclusion. This meant another powerful troop for the undead empire.
Their territory would expand once more. The fate of the giants and elves remained uncertain. Would the humans wipe them out?
It all depended on the outcome of the conflict between the Holy Court and the Mage Guild.
Alex had a hunch that the Angel race was up to something. Despite the current peace, she sensed an impending storm brewing on the Eldoria continent.
"It seems I should return to the undead empire after dealing with the Liberty Church. I can\'t afford to waste any more time. I need to grow stronger."
Alex glanced at the sky outside. There was still some time before the banquet. It was enough for a level up.
As long as she didn\'t refresh her badge, it would still display four stars, avoiding unwanted attention.