Fear always moved faster than armies.
Three weeks after Smoke Valley, the system chimed with a sound Blendi had never heard before.
Not a warning.
Not an achievement.
A transaction.
[Global Reaction Event Triggered]
Shock Warfare Confirmed
Era Desynchronization Detected
Rewards Being Calculated Across Eras
Blendi was seated in the treasury chamber when the interface exploded into layered panels. Gold counters spun. New icons appeared. Unit silhouettes flickered from different centuries.
Lady Mira froze mid step.
"What did you just do," she asked quietly.
Blendi did not answer.
He was reading.
Post Battle Strategic Rewards
[Victory Loot Summary]
Gold Acquired from Battlefield
Enemy Payroll Captured: 1,800
Ransom Value of Captured Officers: 2,600
Recovered Supply Wagons: 1,200
Total Immediate Gold Gain: 5,600
The treasury counter surged.
Gold Reserves
7,800 → 13,400
The room felt warmer.
Gold always did that.
But the system was not finished.
Era Cross Rewards Unlocked
[Historical Disruption Bonus]
You introduced technology ahead of its time.
Eligible for Era Compensation Rewards.
Choose One:
Ancient Doctrine Reinforcement
Unlocks Phalanx Inspired Defensive Formations
Infantry Defense +20 percent
Best for holding passes
Medieval Heavy Shock Units
Unlocks Proto Heavy Infantry
High armor
Slow but unbreakable
Early Modern Influence
Unlocks Black Powder Specialist Corps
Limited use
Extreme psychological impact
Golden annotation appeared.
(Multiple selections possible at increased cost)
Blendi did not hesitate.
"All of them," he said.
[Era Blending Approved]
Gold Cost: 3,000
Authority Cost: Moderate
New Units Unlocked
Stonewall Cohorts
Inspired by ancient defensive doctrines
Unit Size: 400
Bonus: Cannot be flanked in mountains
Iron Mantle Infantry
Heavy medieval shock troops
Unit Size: 300
Bonus: Extremely resistant to arrows and cavalry
Black Flame Teams
Gunpowder specialists
Unit Size: 120
Bonus: Shock detonation and smoke warfare
[Units Added to Army]
Total New Units: 820
Standing Army
12,400 → 13,220
Elite Units
900 → 980
Captain Arben entered moments later, eyes sharp.
"My Sovereign," he said, "men are asking questions."
"What kind," Blendi asked.
"They want to know if we are still human."
Blendi smiled faintly.
"Tell them we are still hungry."
Coalition Forms
The system dimmed.
Then turned red.
[Major Political Event]
Multi Power Coalition Detected
Participants
Ottoman Empire
Papal Authority
Hungarian Crown
Objective
Contain Albanian Expansion
Suppress Technological Heresy
Lady Mira exhaled slowly.
"They are calling you unnatural," she said. "Blasphemous."
Blendi nodded.
"Good," he replied. "Faith moves money."
Religious Pressure Mechanics Unlocked
[Faith and Authority Subsystem Activated]
Current Status
Local Faith Control: High
External Religious Pressure: Rising
Available Actions
Appease
Ignore
Exploit
Golden hint appeared.
(Exploitation converts fear into tribute)
Blendi selected Exploit.
Faith Turned Into Gold
Orders were sent.
Pilgrims taxed lightly but visibly.
Relics safeguarded under state authority.
Sermons reframed survival as divine testing.
Father Niketa wrote what he was told.
The system chimed.
[Faith Exploitation Successful]
Monthly Gold Gain: +480
Religious Unrest: Controlled
Foreign Clerical Influence Reduced
Gold Reserves
13,400 → 13,880
And rising.
Special Coalition Response
Another panel opened.
[Enemy Special Unit Deployed]
Ottoman Janissary Vanguard
Era: Early Modern
Unit Size: 1,200
Bonus: Discipline and Firearms Familiarity
Blendi leaned back slightly.
"So they adapt," he murmured.
The system responded immediately.
[Counter Era Response Available]
Spend Gold to Accelerate Unit Adaptation
Options
Enhanced Drill Doctrine
Counter Fire Tactics
Elite Unit Third Evolution Preparation
Cost: 2,200 Gold
"Do it," Blendi said.
New Doctrine Unlocked
Counter Fire Discipline
Effects
Reduces gunpowder shock damage
Maintains formation under noise
Elite units gain immunity to panic
Gold Reserves
13,880 → 11,680
But stability increased.
Major Achievement Chain
[Achievement Chain Completed]
Fear Has a Price
You converted terror into economy, manpower, and doctrine.
Rewards
Permanent gold gain from victories
Captured enemies generate income
Enemy coalitions take longer to mobilize
[Hidden Title Acquired]
Treasurer of War
Effects
Gold efficiency in wartime increased
Unit upkeep reduced
Emergency reserves unlocked
Army Overview After Era Blending
Standing Army: 13,220
Elite Units: 980
Unit Breakdown
Regular Infantry: 7,400
Stonewall Cohorts: 400
Iron Mantle Infantry: 300
Eagle Reapers: 900
Black Flame Teams: 120
Cavalry and Auxiliaries: 4,100
Morale: Unshakeable
Training Level: Rising
Era Compatibility: Adaptive
Lady Mira studied the numbers silently.
"You are no longer reacting," she said.
"You are pulling the future backward."
Blendi stood and walked toward the window.
Outside, men trained with shields beside powder teams. Ancient formations drilled next to smoke throwers.
"This is how small nations survive," he said quietly.
"They refuse to stay in their century."
Dynasty Pressure Appears
The system pulsed again.
[Dynasty Stress Test Incoming]
Coalition Victory Required
Heir Visibility Required
Bloodline Continuity Event Pending
Blendi exhaled slowly.
"So now you test legacy."
He welcomed it.
Because Albania was no longer built for one man.
It was built for time.
Eternal State Route Progress
41 percent
Beyond the mountains, bells rang in foreign cities.
Not in celebration.
In warning.
Because fear had stopped being free.
And Albania had learned how to charge for it.