[Chapter Size: 3600 Words.]

—————————————

Third Person POV

Essos, 297 AC.

—————————————

The situation was not easy for the soldiers of Meereen as 10,000 Artican men—including men, dwarves, and giants—advanced through the broken wall, charging toward the city, with Jon leading the way and Ghost by his side.

Obviously, those who tried to stop their advance couldn’t form a defensible position. After all, Ghost intimidated them, being a giant beast charging straight at them. Many fled immediately upon seeing the massive wolf clad in armor.

They didn’t even have bows and arrows, as the attack was sudden. Reaching the first group was easy, and Jon showed no mercy.

The first group got into position as he fearlessly advanced toward their spears, moving his sword before any of them could reach him. The blade sliced through spears and leather armor, and men groaned in pain before falling dead effortlessly before him. Ghost, at his side, attacked with his fangs, biting into and killing enemies brutally before tossing their lifeless bodies aside. He moved on to his next opponent, using his claws to bring a man down, breaking his bones under his current weight, while Jon continued cutting down his adversaries faster than Ghost, keeping his enemies under control and clearing a path through them without hesitation, despite the entire squadron standing against him.

Jon’s men followed closely behind, advancing to engage those who tried to attack their king. It didn’t take long for the first line of defense to collapse, and the streets quickly filled with Articans as Meereen’s soldiers fled to regroup with another unit.

Jon cleaned his sword after the bloodbath with a cloth as he returned to his men. The streets were too narrow for 10,000 men to march together, and that would clearly pose problems.

There were 30 royal guards with him—Articans whose swordsmanship and skill with weapons surpassed anyone’s, except the king himself. They also had leadership capabilities, so Jon addressed them directly.

“I want nine of you to each take a group of 1,000 men and go down each street. Control the entire city, and don’t let anyone escape the walls!” Jon ordered his men.

The royal guards took command of their groups, while Jon kept 21 royal guards and over 1,000 men under his command to advance directly toward the pyramid at the center of the city.

“Let’s go!” he said, moving forward to confront anyone who dared to oppose them.

The streets were in complete chaos. As the Articans advanced, slaves and even the few free citizens of Meereen watched the scene in terror, running away as fast as they could in search of shelter. Smoke continued to rise both from the pyramid’s center and from the walls Jon had destroyed.

The Articans ignored the civilians and kept advancing, though a few groups of Meereen soldiers appeared, armed with bows and arrows, aiming at them.

“Shields!” Jon commanded, and the giants in the group stepped forward, positioning their shields to protect the others. Jon followed them behind the shields and looked toward his distant wolf.

“Go, Ghost,” he ordered, seeing the wolf 100 meters away. Ghost quickly ran off, taking a street to the right, disappearing into the distance amid the screams of people who caught sight of the massive wolf.

Arrows flew toward the group, striking the Eldenmetal shields but failing to penetrate them. Soon, screams erupted from the other side as Ghost appeared, leaping from rooftop to rooftop before crashing directly into the line of archers, who cried out in terror at the sight of the enormous wolf among them.

“Forward!” Jon commanded, and everyone advanced while Ghost kept the archers occupied. Even though they shot arrows and struck at the beast with their weapons, his armor prevented any harm to his flesh.

The Articans quickly closed the gap, and the ensuing battle was a bloodbath. The only ones who managed to escape were those who fled the scene entirely.

“My lord, we’re not far from the pyramid,” one of his men said as the pyramid loomed ahead of them. A larger group than any they had faced so far was gathering to try and stop them.

“Good… let’s destabilize them first,” Jon said, ignoring the people nearby who could no longer escape, having found themselves trapped in dead-end streets. They looked at him with palpable fear.

“We’re 500 meters from them. Break their formation with giant arrows,” Jon ordered as the giants set aside their shields and spears, reaching for the massive bows they had brought with them.

There was no longer any chance for the defenders to stop the advancing Articans. After all, they were just 800 men trying to stand against a group of a thousand with giants among them. They had hoped to negotiate, expecting the Articans to approach closely. What they didn’t know was that the giants were already prepared to attack from a distance.

“Hold your ground! Prepare the white flag as soon as they get close!” the commander of the defenders exclaimed, swallowing hard and praying he wouldn’t die like the majority of those who had tried to stop the Articans, none of whom had managed to fell a single one of their foes.

“My lord… what are they doing?” a soldier murmured, noticing the giants starting to prepare something.

“I can’t quite see from here…” the commander replied, squinting as the giants, 500 meters away, aimed their enormous bows. Over twenty giants released their massive arrows, which soared through the air, passing over civilians running through the streets to avoid the advancing Articans. Onlookers stared upward in terror.

The arrows ascended, then came crashing down with tremendous force. The soldiers barely had time to react as their commander was pinned to the ground like an animal, the massive arrow causing a small explosion as it embedded itself into the stone pavement in front of the pyramid.

One by one, giant arrows rained down on the crowd, spreading panic among the soldiers. Each impact struck one, two, or even three men, breaking their formation entirely and leaving them scrambling to flee.

“Where are you going? Stand and fight!” a voice shouted, but the initial strike had already terrified them. Two more volleys of those colossal arrows were enough to send them fleeing, leaving their comrades to die helplessly. All that remained was the desperate search for shelter.

The man shouting was a servant of the Great Masters, who watched from the pyramid. They had hoped to negotiate, confident they could control all of Meereen from the safety of their vantage point. For the first time in history, their city was falling.

The man rushed back toward the pyramid in despair, passing by the Unsullied, who still stood in formation without fear. Despite the chaos around them, they seemed like soldiers who feared nothing.

“My lord! The defense in front of the pyramid has fallen!” the man exclaimed as he approached the Great Masters standing on the balcony of the pyramid, observing the carnage below.

“How could this happen? How did we make an enemy capable of destroying the entire city? We’re trapped here!” one of the Masters raged, his voice filled with anger and fear.

“They’re monsters! It’s impossible for them to wield so much power! And they’re coming here!” another cried, completely terrified.

“We should have foreseen this! Why did we meddle with a group in Volantis?” a third Master argued as the others began to quarrel, blaming each other. But regret had come too late.

Even those who had been confident that Meereen would never fall now stood silent, their eyes trembling with fear. They were separated from their families, making the situation even worse. Trapped in the pyramid, the Masters tried to find a way out amidst their frantic discussion.

“They’re coming!” one of them pointed out, indicating the entrance to the pyramid. The Artican group had ceased their barrage of arrows and was now advancing through the streets, drawing closer to the city’s center.

“We must present ourselves and attempt to negotiate,” one of the Masters suggested.

“You mean to simply appear before these savages? They’re killing everyone without mercy!” another protested, outraged.

“And do you think the pyramid will hold out much longer once they arrive?” another retorted, realizing their options were limited.

“We don’t have much choice,” admitted a fat Master, swallowing hard as he watched the Articans approach. He was one of those who had believed the Articans wouldn’t attack—much less breach the city’s defenses.

“Quickly, then! Close the gates! We won’t negotiate with them while the doors are open!” ordered one of the Masters, who accompanied the guards. A group of Unsullied was stationed inside and outside the pyramid to protect them while the area was prepared for negotiations without the immediate risk of attack.

The entire city was nearly under Artican control, with their forces reaching the side walls. Only the area behind the pyramid remained unconquered, but it was only a matter of time.

Finally, the Artican group arrived in front of the pyramid, as Jon and other commanders organized the troops.

“My lord, they are closing the gates!” a royal guard reported, approaching Jon.

“Yes, I’ve noticed. But don’t worry. I want a group to come with me. They have secret passages they’ll use to escape if the negotiation doesn’t go in their favor,” Jon replied calmly.

“I want you all to prepare to attack at my signal,” Jon ordered his men. They positioned themselves in front of the pyramid while Jon, accompanied by his royal guards and other Artican soldiers, moved to the side of the structure. The streets were now cleared of guards, civilians, and slaves—only littered with bodies pinned to the ground by the giants’ enormous arrows.

Jon walked to a corner of the pyramid and into one of the streets, where a stream flowed in a trench about two meters below street level. The water ran through the middle, and there was a disguised entrance there, similar to those found in King’s Landing.

Jon found the opening and, without hesitation, led his men inside. A magical orb of flame hovered in the air, lighting their way as his men followed close behind, carrying torches to illuminate the passages farther back.

Thus, they began infiltrating the pyramid. It didn’t take long to reach the lower floors after passing through several bifurcations in the passages—though Jon already knew the path well.

There, they encountered a group of Unsullied guarding the entrance. These guards were caught off guard as the Articans advanced one by one, starting a fight. Jon had already slain three or four Unsullied before his men emerged from the passage.

The commotion quickly attracted the attention of other servants in the area, and it wouldn’t be long before the chaos reached the upper levels of the pyramid. Jon glanced at a bird that had accompanied them since their entry, nodding and giving a signal to the royal guards outside. A warg stationed outside withdrew from his trance-like state and relayed the command to the waiting men.

“The king has just given the signal. Let’s attack!” the warg announced, as the others prepared for battle.

“Hey, what are they doing?” one of the Masters asked as he saw the giants lifting their massive bows again, aiming directly at the pyramid’s entrance.

“They’re preparing to attack! They aren’t going to negotiate!” the fat Master said, trembling.

The Great Slave Masters were far from pleased at the sight. It was clear that the Articans had no intention of negotiating.

To make matters worse, chaos was spreading among their own ranks inside the pyramid, as other guards and servants arrived with urgent expressions.

“My lord, the Articans are inside the pyramid!” exclaimed one man.

“What? They entered through the secret passages? It’s impossible for them to know about those!” shouted one of the Masters in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Jon and his men continued ascending, floor by floor. Every enemy they encountered along the way was swiftly dealt with, leaving only corpses behind. Outside the pyramid, the giants’ massive arrows wreaked havoc, throwing Unsullied backward with devastating force. Even their shields were useless against the giants’ strength.

The Masters stood paralyzed by the situation. There was nowhere left to run. Their worst fear was coming true: the Articans had finally reached the top floor of the pyramid.

Jon emerged onto the balcony where the Masters had gathered. He was bathed in blood, his swords still in hand.

Everyone present stared at him in fear. Only a few Unsullied remained in the room, their cautious eyes fixed on him. They held their positions, ready to die for their Masters.

“Kill these Unsullied and place all the slave masters under our custody!” Jon ordered without wasting time.

His men immediately advanced. It didn’t take long for the masters to be subdued, pleading for mercy as they were carried off to be held under guard in another location.

“Open the gates and signal that the city has fallen at this very moment!” Jon commanded his men. They quickly began to carry out his orders.

Screams continued to echo throughout the city as other groups of Articans advanced into areas not yet under their control. They fought against any resistance, captured the families of the Great Slave Masters, and seized control of each of their residences.

Jon ignored all attempts by the slave masters to speak to him. Now, the city was completely under Artican rule.

“Hahaha, that was quite something! These eunuchs are persistent,” Tormund said as he appeared, covered in blood. He had been fighting elsewhere but had returned, expecting to find more battles.

“It’s over, Tormund… there’s nothing left to do,” Jon told the red-haired man.

“Fine, then. Where do they keep their drinks? I’d love to try what they’ve got here…” Tormund said as he began to leave.

Jon turned his attention to his sister, who was also bloodied. “Are you all right?” he asked, noticing a small cut on her arm.

“I’m fine… it’s just a scratch,” she replied.

“One that will leave a scar if not treated. Come to me later; first, I need to deal with the city,” Jon said.

“Shall we take their gold, Your Majesty?” one of his men asked as he approached, just as Tormund was leaving the throne room of the pyramid.

“Yes. I want all the gold from these families taken, but we won’t send it to Artica. It will be kept in the city to keep it running,” Jon instructed the man.

His attention shifted to another figure entering the room, a woman dressed in red and wearing a mask.

“Will you keep your word and take care of the city?” he asked the woman in red.

“You’re quite peculiar. You’ve just led a massacre, yet now you want to care for hundreds of thousands of slaves,” she remarked. Arya, standing beside him, didn’t seem to like her much.

This woman was someone Jon had spoken with a few times in Yi-Ti after the war. He was surprised to learn that she shared his blood, despite theoretically being dead. However, Jon was familiar with someone else in a similar situation, so he wasn’t completely shocked. He’d have to speak with Brynden about this Quaithe.

The woman continued, ignoring Jon’s initial question. “Well, since you won’t allow me into Artica, I’ll do just that. I know other red priests have arrived in the city and will fulfill your request, Azor Ahai,” she said.

Jon nodded, though he remained cautious. He had left Volantis precisely because of the region’s excessive religiosity, where he was venerated as a heroic figure of their god—a role Jon didn’t fully understand how to accept. It could be beneficial or detrimental, but for now, he didn’t care. He turned his attention back to the woman.

“All right, then. I’ll leave the city in your care and that of the red priests. Use the gold to sustain it. I’ll send men in the future to change the system,” Jon declared.

He understood this would be an arduous task. Ending slavery wasn’t enough; a new system needed to be implemented to keep the city functional and to help its people adapt. Dealing with a population that had been enslaved their entire lives would be extremely challenging. That’s why he decided to use the slave masters’ gold to fund this initial change and assign capable Articans to lead these efforts.

Jon believed every man had the right to choose the life he wanted. Slavery was incompatible with his worldview, something he deeply despised—just as Daenerys had. She had supported him on this matter. She even wanted to be there, but Jon hadn’t allowed it due to the intensity of the battle.

For now, the red priests would take care of the city. Jon looked at the woman and nodded before returning to his men.

“Well, then let’s begin. After all, these slave masters owe us a debt, and we intend to make them pay. Let the trials commence!”

Everyone nodded in agreement. It didn’t take long for a platform to be erected in front of the pyramid. Jon waited as the city began to calm. From a distance, the inhabitants watched the Articans warily, still afraid to approach. However, many came seeking answers about the city’s future and their own lives.

Jon remained silent until the first execution began. The first Great Master was brought to the platform, carried by soldiers. He was practically begging for his life in front of the crowd.

“Please, I had nothing to do with that attack!” the man shouted desperately.

Jon looked at him with a firm expression and responded, “I’ve heard that you began to fear my influence in the world and sought to disrupt my trade. That sounds rather petty on your part. Is it true that you believe I’ll put an end to slavery as well…?”

By this point, everything was clear—it was evident that the slave masters had planned to eliminate or delay Jon’s movement in the world. They seemed to have received some kind of vision of the future from the sorcerers of a place called the House of the Undying, where Jon was seen as a threat to their empire.

The attack on Volantis had been an attempt to kidnap someone important to Jon, such as Arya, who stood beside him now. She looked at the slave master with indifference, though her gaze carried a simmering hatred. His plans had resulted in the death of Hilla, Arya’s friend, a loss for which she still blamed herself.

“Please, I had nothing to do with it! It was the other masters! I was against it!” the man cried desperately.

Jon, however, could see the lie clearly in his words. Without hesitation, he ordered, “Kneel, now.”

The Artican soldiers forced the man to his knees, positioning his head on the block in front of everyone. The man began to sob, trying to appeal to any shred of compassion. Jon observed him coldly and declared:

“I, Jon Artica, King of Artica, sentence you to death for organizing murders and kidnappings against my people.”

The man felt his neck pressed against the wood. He sobbed and pleaded for his life, but there was nothing left to be done. The entire city watched as Jon raised his sword, disbelief evident in the eyes of the slaves as they realized one of the masters would truly be executed.

With a smooth, effortless motion, Jon decapitated the man using his Valyrian steel katana. The severed head rolled to the ground below the platform.

“Bring the next one,” Jon ordered in an indifferent tone.

The slaves, stunned, watched in silence. It was surreal for them to see one of the Great Masters executed in such a manner, something they had never imagined possible in their lifetimes.

One by one, more men were brought to the execution block. Jon declared their crimes and sentenced them to death. He carried out the executions himself, his sword cutting through necks as the crowd watched, torn between horror and admiration.

After some time, the entire city could see the dead masters, their bodies lined up in the city’s center. For many, it was surreal. The slaves, who had been dominated and oppressed for so long, struggled to believe what they were witnessing.

“Well, we’re done here,” Jon said, cleaning his sword. “Now, we’ll deal with the city’s administration before returning to the fleet and heading north.”

He began organizing preparations to leave Meereen in a functional state. Jon knew that if he abandoned the city without an operational system, chaos would ensue. The slaves themselves might turn on each other in a struggle for food or gold until new masters emerged to seize control.

“These people—many of them—can’t imagine life without being slaves,” Jon murmured to himself. “If left alone, they’ll seek out chains once again.”

With that in mind, Jon began to establish a plan to maintain order in the city as he prepared to continue his journey north.

—-

Raccoon Here:

I was going to take the slaves, as in my original draft, but I think that wouldn’t work out for many reasons. Mixing the Articans with the slaves from Meereen involves a significant cultural and religious clash, which would create many problems for Jon. Therefore, I believe that formulating a new system within Slaver’s Bay is the best option.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

🦝 Raccoon here: 🦝

I deeply appreciate your support since the beginning of this exciting journey!

I hope each chapter has provided incredible moments. If you like my work and would like to support the continuation of this fanfic, consider becoming a patron with plans starting at $2!. As a token of gratitude, I offer access to more than 210 extra chapters with 7 active fanfics at the same time, along with other exclusive benefits on my profile, such as images and significant decisions for the stories.

Even if you are not a patron, I am making chapters available a few hours earlier here, so become a free member on the platform!

🌟 RaccoonLeague | Patreon🌟

Visit our Patreon for more: /RaccoonLeague

Extra Content Already Available:

One Piece – I Am a Different Luffy!: 30 extra chapters!

🔮 Danmachi – Infinite Mana System!: 30 extra chapters!

👑 Game of Thrones: The Legend of Jon Arctic!: 30 extra chapters!

🌀 Naruto – Minato Namikaze SI!: 30 extra chapters!

🗡️ The Witcher – As Uchiha Madara! 30 extra chapters!

⚡ Harry Potter – Shadow Monarch! 30 extra chapters!

👑 Game of Thrones: DragonBorn! 30 extra chapters!

Except for One Piece with daily chapters and DragonBorn once a week, all fanfics are updated 3 times a week, there’s just a pause in updating in the week, only to create drafts for the week’s chapters.

In addition to the extra chapters, daily chapters are posted and 25 chapters per week!

Your support is very important and makes all the difference in keeping these stories alive.

Thank you very much for being part of this journey! I hope you continue to enjoy the story and that it brings even more joy to your life!

Visit our Patreon for more!!

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep