Although they encountered numerous setbacks along the way, Aiven and his adventure team were ultimately the first of this era to accomplish the achievement of "reaching the sky."

This was a small step for them, but a giant leap for humankind!

Inadvertently, they also witnessed a small part of the world's reality.

However.

When they were terrified by the horrifying sights in outer space and fled back to the atmosphere aboard the Gem River, cursing under their breath.

For most people, the starry sky and dreams are indeed too distant, and the most important things remain the mundane matters at hand.

Hilus Empire, St. Cruz, Dome Palace.

Dong! Dong! Dong!...

The golden "Peacock Self-Sounding Clock," repaired by clock artisans, once again chimed on the hour as it had for over a hundred years, yet inexplicably carried a touch of melancholy.

Not only because the Empire had already lost the "Peacock Islands" it represented, but also because the person who appreciated it the most...was no longer present.

With the downfall of the Sea Monarchy.

Emperor Philip II, who personally witnessed the rise and fall of the Empire, finally breathed his last after half a year of lingering illness.

Fully bearing the backlash of the nation's fortunes collapsing, even the power of the Tier 3 Great Knight couldn't save his life.

Additionally, among the adult male Imperial family members with succession rights in the same generation as Philip II: Prince Manolo and Prince Rodrigo were already deceased.

Despite the slightly turbulent situation of the Empire now, the infant Crown Prince Audric, not even a year old, was still unquestionably crowned as the Emperor of the Empire, with the regency by the twenty-something Empress Dowager Teresa.

This princess, once used as a tool for marriage alliances, thus leaped to become the true ruler of this country.

Whether the individual felt more sorrow or joy was unknown.

Rustle rustle...

Sitting in what originally belonged to Philip II's study, the young Empress Dowager, wearing a black court long dress, signed a decree with a flourish.

The title boldly stated: "Trade Restriction Bill."

Although the current Hilus no longer has the strength to start a new war, the "new emperor" has just ascended the throne, and only by presenting an antagonistic stance towards the Lowland Republic can they truly win over the people.

Moreover, Teresa, having once been a princess of the Frisians, clearly understood what those big bankers and capitalists cared about most.

Thus.

Externally, she employed methods such as refusing to repay national debts, raising the export tax on Hilus wool, restricting Lowland Republic merchants' access to Hilus ports, and prohibiting them from trading with Hilus territories to fully curb the further development of the Republic's capitalist economy.

However, the cost is there too, as Hilus's national credit is nearly bankrupt due to defaulting on the debts owed to the Netherlands Bank Group, making it difficult to borrow money from bankers in other countries.

It can be said that the face of the former overlord is already worthless, coupled with military defeat and the successive loss of overseas colonies, the national treasury is gradually becoming stretched, and the Hilus Empire is practically on the brink of bankruptcy.

Teresa appears to "hold power behind the curtain" with great honor, but what she has inherited is a complete mess.

However, the grim situation also began to force the Empire's aristocrats to reform.

Internally, Teresa began to encourage commercial development, alleviate the conflicts among various classes domestically, introduce modern equipment such as steam engines, and vigorously support self-owned national industries.

Learning from the victorious opponents, initiating a vigorous steam industrial reform.

Furthermore, leveraging Hilus's former status as the continental center of culture and art, they vigorously developed tourism, continued to export influence to the Old Continent, and maintained the Empire's enterprising image to further attract investors.

Domestically, the Empire's aristocrats who benefited most from the Great Navigation have fully realized that the good old days are not sustainable, thus the resistance to Teresa's reforms is not too great.

Even with consecutive defeats, the Empire's conventional fleet is still the world's first, with three Legendary Battleships and two Titled Knights remaining. If adjusted slowly, the nation still has the chance to recover.

There must be another war sooner or later with the "Lowland Republic" right next door.

What the Hilus People are most grateful for is that the Legendary Battleship: Golden Cuckoo, leading its subordinates of the Invincible Fleet, barely preserved the Southern New Continent's New Granada and Secret Dragon.

Yet, they are also semi-blocked by the "Golden Palm Federation" on the West Coast, making communication with the Old Continent by bypassing the vast area controlled by the Federation truly unrealistic.

Staring at the nautical chart of the New Continent, Teresa raised a little finger and smoothed a lock of hair beside her ear. Despite being busy with myriad affairs, her eyes sparkled with fierce determination:

"The interests in the New Continent must not be lost! Can we only go through the 'World Bridge' controlled by the Galliot Duchy?"

She might not necessarily know the connection between Philip II's "illness" and the downfall of the Sea Monarchy, but perhaps even if she did, it wouldn't prevent her from deciding to engage with the Duchy.

For nations, there are no eternal friends, only eternal interests.

Originally from Frisia, Teresa gradually recognized the true nature of the big bankers and capitalists, realizing that collaboration between Hilus and Tulip was not impossible.

Beyond these three countries.

Natural deities decided that they would not overly concern themselves with mortal conflicts, despite major churches having interests tied to mortal affairs; they could not sway the will of the True Gods.

The "Wealth Church" would not reveal its fangs to endanger everyone's interests until it became absolutely necessary.

This is dictated by human nature; people's sufferings aren't interconnected. Hoping everyone has foresight is less realistic than wishing for world peace.

The three countries have simultaneously, albeit quietly, commenced development in their respective fields.

It can be predicted that the mortal world is likely to enjoy a considerable period of peace, but the turmoil beneath the surface will undoubtedly be far more thrilling.

...

White Swan Castle.

After returning from space, the adventure team disbanded, and only when Aiven and Olivia got home did they let out a deep sigh of relief.

Temporarily ignoring Sedric, the chief of the "Mechanical Immortality School," who had been waiting who knows how long, they drank the tea offered by the Night Spirit Maid in big gulps, "glug... glug...".

It was only then that Aiven turned to look at the bowing Wizard, and with lingering fear, instructed:

"These ghostly things are terrifying! Lord Sedric, have Vulcan Metals Company send me two thousand rounds of 'Black Gold's Justice Iron Fist' to ease my nerves."

But Sedric did not immediately agree, instead responding respectfully:

"Honorable Your Majesty, this is precisely why I've come. After Lady Olivia provided us with the hydrogen element's atomic structure, we've successfully created what you termed [Metallic Hydrogen]!"

Aiven and Olivia's eyes lit up simultaneously.

Now a scholar at the Duchy Academy of Sciences and a professor at the soon-to-be-finished Galliot National University, Sedric held considerable influence.

A major portion of the duchy's weapon development and technology dissemination rested in their hands, and the high-energy explosives research project, ongoing for several years, seemed to be bearing fruit at last.

Aiven originally provided two research directions: one for nitrogen-containing explosives called [All-Nitrogen Explosives], and the other for [Metallic Hydrogen].

Compared to the frustration of having no leads on all-nitrogen substances, the method for producing [Metallic Hydrogen] was much more straightforward: compression, compression, and more compression.

Each hydrogen atom has only a single electron; when it can move from one atom to a nearby one despite the nuclear force, it signifies the formation of conductive "metallic hydrogen."

There are primarily two methods for compression:

One is dynamic compression, using rapid impact from a strong magnetic field to achieve high pressure and create metallic hydrogen;

The other is static compression, employing a press exceeding 1000 tons or a water press nearly ten stories high to generate high pressure of 1-2 million atmospheres, compressing liquid hydrogen at low temperatures to manufacture metallic hydrogen.

With the Wizards' dedication, theoretically feasible experiments can always be completed.

Like the impact of the steam engine's invention, the advent of [Metallic Hydrogen] is bound to trigger a revolutionary upheaval in the entire technology domain.

Because [Metallic Hydrogen] is a metastable substance, stable at room temperature under high pressure, maintaining metastability even under normal pressure, with astonishing room temperature superconductivity.

Thus, it can serve not only as a potent high-energy explosive, with power reaching fifty times that of TNT and thirty-three times that of Black Gold.

It can also be used to create a "magnetic cage" to contain plasma, holding ionized gas (usually heavy hydrogen heated to a million degrees) in place.

This could lead to building a personal artificial sun, commonly known as controlled nuclear fusion!

Even though possessing [Magnetic Ore], this new era-defining energy source is a massive temptation for Aiven.

In weapons, the potential of [Metallic Hydrogen] extends far beyond just an explosive.

Launching the "little sun" encasing ionized gas directly transforms it into a [Plasma Cannon], as it's commonly called.

On the way back, Aiven lamented the lack of combat techniques the [Gem River] had in space.

Because absolute vacuum is non-conductive, while close-range combat was manageable, for long-range attacks, aside from conventional kinetic weapons like the [Electromagnetic Cannon], there were limited alternatives.

Perhaps influenced by the [World's Favor], upon returning to the ground, their aspirations swiftly became reality.

The notion of a [Plasma Cannon], this era-defining energy weapon, could finally be fantasized about!

Aiven grabbed Sedric and rushed outside, with the excited Olivia following closely.

"Let's go, go, go, this world is too dangerous! Without one or two big weapons for protection, with my mere Tier 4 Extraordinary level, I absolutely lack a sense of security."