Within the Croceaus territory, the vast expanse ofnd, covering approximately 32 square miles, is meticulously organized into distinct systems designed to manage its extensive area.


    This territory has seen significant architectural development aimed at enhancing transportation services throughout the region.


    It epasses everything necessary for daily life, including a city replete with shops, traders, and residential areas, creating an environment that feels like a small world unto itself.


    Many inhabitants of this ce have spent their entire lives within these boundaries, never venturing outside.


    Despite the avability of airports and various amenities, the territory operates as a self-contained entity.


    It offers residents a wide array ofprehensive services, includingpetitive sries for employees working within its borders, effectively functioning as a self-sufficient entity akin to a fully-fledged country.


    Of course, these residents were neither obliged nor restricted from moving beyond the territory.


    As long as they had a valid reason, they could easily travel outside.


    Inte connections were avable to them with no restrictions, allowing them to connect socially with the outside world.


    However, it''s worth noting that these connections were under constant monitoring to ensure that sensitive information was not disclosed.


    In this context, residents were not barred from acquiring knowledge from external sources; rather, they were prohibited from revealing certain confidential details about the territory.


    This included photographs of its architectural features, insights into its management systems, and any sensitive information rted to high-ranking officials or their families.


    Indeed, the residents of this prosperous territory enjoyed the benefits of a benevolent Lord and abundant wealth that positioned their city among the elite.


    The high living standards andfortable conditions here kept the inhabitants content, deterring them from seeking life beyond their borders.


    However, with such a vast expanse ofnd, the enforcement ofws became a necessity.


    To address this, eight Mayors were appointed, each responsible for a specific direction within the Croceaus territory.


    These Mayors oversaw the enforcement ofws with the help of a lower patrol division they hired, which worked diligently to maintain order and keep crime at bay.


    Naturally, the financial burden of this system was considerable.


    Even in a world brimming with resources and conveniences, human nature often leaned toward violence and chaos.


    Without a proper authority to enforcews, issues inevitably arose.


    Minor problems, such as car idents and other disturbances, would asionally disrupt the otherwise peaceful existence of the citizens.


    Thews were particrly upheld by the Mayors within their respective divisions, while the broader security of the territory was entrusted to a specialized forceprised of 40 skilled individuals.


    Remarkably, these protectors favored the use of swords over modern weapons like guns, reflecting a unique approach tow enforcement that underscored the territory''smitment to tradition and honor.


    In the Kingdom of Thaloris, noble families were permitted to possess modern weaponry, yet they all understood a fundamental truth: these firearms were utterly pointless against the supernatural powers wielded by the Royal Family.


    The very presence of the royals ensured that no one from the free cities or neighboring countries would dare to threaten the kingdom.


    Ironically, those sworn to protect Thaloris were simultaneously the ones who could annihte it, instilling deep fear of the royal family throughout the realm, including among central governments and noble households alike.


    The dread of the Royal Family was palpable, extending even to the most established noble lineages.


    Some of these families kept guns and modern weaponry on theirnds, not for defense against outer invasions, as they knew too well that any royal decree could lead to a one-sided massacre.


    Instead, they maintained these arms merely to manage local unrest and maintain order within their territories.


    They were acutely aware that, should the Royal Family choose to eliminate them, the resulting confrontation would be overwhelmingly lopsided, given the presence of awakened individuals among the royals.


    Not only those in power, but even the weakest among them—those who might be considered evolvers and possess some degree of Synergy—render modern weaponry ineffective. This is primarily due to a unique property of an enigmatic force known as synergy.


    In the presence of synergy, metals such as lead and copper, which have loosely bound electrons and high conductivity, be highly unstable.


    The synergy disrupts their atomic structures, breaking the bonds between atoms and causing these metals to dissolve into vapor or dust.


    Consequently, this phenomenon renders bullets utterly useless.


    On the other hand, metals with stronger atomic bonds, such as iron or titanium, exhibit considerably greater resistance to synergy, enabling them to maintain their solid state even in environments saturated with this mysterious energy.


    Thus, with the exception of a select few metals, most conventional weapons be ineffective against these formidable individuals.


    The moment such a bulletes into contact with their skin, it simply turns to dust; in the case of strong Empyreals or Evolvers, any metal within a ten-meter radius can disintegrate into nothingness.


    As a result, noble families find themselves in a precarious position, always needing to be prepared for potential conflicts without having any reliable means of defense.


    They remain acutely aware of the dangers that could arise should they ever offend the royal family.


    Modern weapons proved ineffective against awakened individuals, who possessed special abilities, resulting in a potential massacre ifbat ensued.


    However, within the Croceaus territory, the current Lord had devised a method to use Synergy, empowering their special forces to confront any lower-ranked Empyreal.


    Notably, the Croceaus family did not have any Empyreals of their own. Instead, they developed a secret technique to enhance the strength of professionally trained individuals for brief periods, utilizing Charged Stones.


    These stones are not found in nature; rather, they were artificially created by the Croceaus family.


    Through their resources, they produced a unique metal capable of isting and holding Synergy for a limited duration.


    By breaking these stones against swords made of iron or titanium, they could temporarily imbue the weapons with aura for about 60 seconds.


    At first nce, a 60-second boost may not seem significant, but in reality, it held immense value, especially since the Royal family remainedpletely unaware of it.


    Although they had an inkling about how the Croceaus special forces and guards wielded aura-infused swords, they merely dismissed it as a secret technique passed down through the Croceaus lineage, not recognizing that it involved the use of Synergy.


    However, this method was not without its drawbacks, and two major issues gued its practicality.


    First, all the Charged Stones were empowered by a single individual with Synergy in the entire Croceaus territory—Dominic Rivia Aurelia.


    This singr dependency made the entire technique unsustainable over time.


    It effectively siphoned energy from one powerful individual and distributed it among others with far less capacity, diminishing overall effectiveness.


    Second, the Charged Stones struggled to maintain the Synergy they contained for long periods.


    Regardless of how well the energy was isted, it inevitably transformed—escaping the stones in the forms of heat, light, or radiation.


    Consequently, over a span of two to three weeks, the stones would gradually deplete, losing their effectiveness.


    In summary, while the method of utilizing Charged Stones was aplete practical loss but it was a loss that was important in order to not lose hope.