However, this also allowed the seeds of technology to sprout, and natural science theories, previously overlooked, were rediscovered.
When magic ceased to be effective, amidst the tattered landscape of the time, natural science research exploded to fill the gaps in various fields.
Biotechnology, physical mechanics, mathematics, gunpowder, geography, astronomy...
The continuous breakthroughs and development of various scientific theories, over five hundred years, restarted a world that was like a wasteland, and the population continuously grew, now reaching nearly three billion.
Furthermore, after the Great Destruction, the surviving human society displayed unprecedented unity; survivors gathered and re-coalesced, and the former major powers no longer fought each other but united.
In 94 CE, the Surna Kingdom, Fien Kingdom, Savieland Kingdom, and all Orc tribes jointly established the 【Elai Continent Civilized United Kingdom】.
Thus, civilization ushered in four hundred years of peace.
But long-lasting peace is impossible.
In 546 CE, the Surna Kingdom, a northern kingdom of the Elai Federation, experienced an internal coup, declared independence from the Federation. Three years later, in 527 CE, the Savieland Demon Kingdom declared independence from the Federation. In the same year, one of the Orc tribes, Uthrur, declared independence from Federation control, and subsequently many Orc tribes joined, establishing the first Orc Kingdom of Uthrur.
After the split came war.
In the spring of 578 CE, due to border land disputes, Fien and Surna erupted into war, known historically as the "Horode Campaign."
The war lasted six years, during which Fien and Surna successively showcased their industrial achievements: rifles, new-style missiles, tanks, attack ships, and airplanes made their first appearance in history.
At the same time, this war also set a new record for historical war casualties, with tens of millions of people thrown into battle, and a recorded death toll of sixteen million.
In 581 CE, the Savieland Kingdom split, and the subsequent warlords began protracted struggles, turning Savieland into the most chaotic, darkest, and crime-ridden region in the world.
In 585 CE, Fien and the Orc Kingdom of Uthrur went to war. In December of the same year, Surna and Fien formed an alliance and marched on Uthrur. This war caused over 5.6 million military and civilian casualties and ended with Uthrur's surrender and the cession of three hundred square kilometers of land west of the Cypress River as a military buffer zone for the two countries.
In 589 CE, Surna's military industrial reforms led to intensified internal conflicts, sparking the "March Campaign" independence war, after which more than a dozen regions of Surna became independent.
In the same year, Uthrur's civil war...
In 596 CE, Fien and Surna again went to war over territorial issues.
In 602 CE, the Savieland Isha royal family regime launched a unification war, unifying the northern regions after four years...
...
Even now, although there has been no war for thirteen years, world relations remain tense, local conflicts are constant, and contradictions are intensifying daily. Everyone fears the arrival of an even more terrifying war, one that could once again change the world.
...
It was half a month later when he finished reading this history book.
He was now quieter than usual, always lying there, silently staring at the ceiling, but his mind was filled with incessant thoughts.
"Great Destruction..."
This was the matter he cared about most.
According to what he had seen, this catastrophe was definitely not just a problem of chaotic magical elements.
It must have involved a higher-dimensional existence.
The year he turned forty-two, when he opened the ruins of an ancient deity's royal court, he knew that the composition of this world was not that simple.
Before this current civilization, tens of thousands of years ago in ancient times, there existed an even grander, more glorious, and more powerful civilization, during which several beings who reached the mythical level were born.
However, this incredibly great civilization suddenly vanished into the river of history, leaving only a few ruined vestiges.
Now Caesar had a terrifying thought.
Is it possible that this civilization also suffered such a Great Destruction, leading to its demise?
The pre-civilization had given birth to several god-like beings, but the current civilization has no one who can break through to the mythical level. After the Great Destruction, the magical elements further diminished, to the point where even an ordinary Magician is incredibly rare...
In other words, magic, this extraordinary element, has been continuously diminishing through successive Great Destructions.
Then is there a possibility that in even more distant antiquity, in an era where magical elements were incredibly abundant, a civilization of gods existed?
Hiss....
Thinking about such things with a child's brain was really a bit beyond his scope; Caesar felt his head was a little muddled.
In short, his previous idea was correct; the magical level of the entire world has declined now.
But what concerned him most was that the end of this history book completely turned into a war history, filled with the smell of gunpowder.
War was still the main theme of the world.
Also, the history book wouldn't tell him how the Returning Source Cocoon was taken out of the imperial palace, but it was very likely related to the imperial palace fire mentioned.
Was it just a fire, or something else entirely?
That's not right either. According to the original plan, the resurrection time was only ten years, but that fire happened thirty years after he entered. What happened during this period that caused the resurrection time to be extended?
"There's still too little information I can understand right now. If only I could still use magic, at least I could use a divination spell to confirm where the problem comes from."
Unfortunately, his magic power had also been reset to zero.
His head was a mess.
Imperial palace fire, Great Destruction...
Speaking of which.... could it be related to him taking an ancient deity's relic for his ascension?
Oh right, the relic, that ancient deity's relic. At the time, he had ordered it to be sealed away, but where is it now?
He couldn't figure these things out for now. If he really wanted to unravel the mysteries of history, he would have to grow up, investigate personally, and uncover all the truths.
In short, his previous idea of living a peaceful life would most likely not be realized.
...
One day, as he was lying idly in his cradle, his young elven mother, Yumilia, excitedly ran home, and as soon as she entered the door, she eagerly said:
"Little Caesar! Mommy brought you something good!"
She cupped her hands over her chest, seemingly holding something.
"Just now, a passing messenger said he lost his wallet, and if I could help him with his travel expenses, he would give this to me!"
When she came to the cradle, she took out the object she was holding. Caesar saw that it was a small wooden tag, hanging on a red string, only about the size of a thumb, old and worn, with a pattern similar to a magic circle drawn on it.
He actually knew what this thing was. It was a type of amulet that existed since his era. Some would have protective magic placed on them, which could grant the wearer some positive buffs.
Simpler ones could regulate the wearer's mood, such as always maintaining a calm state of mind and not falling into panic, while amulets with more powerful spells could truly change a person's fate to a certain extent.
"It's an amulet, Caesar. Wearing it will bless you with a lifetime of peace and safety," Yumilia said happily, placing the small wooden tag on Caesar's chest and ruffling his head.
"Isn't this just a piece of junk?"
Caesar looked at the tattered small wooden tag speechless. He couldn't even feel any magical aura from this amulet. In his time, this thing was pure junk, the kind no one would bother picking up if it fell by the roadside.
His small hand grasped the wooden tag, wanting to take it away, but the moment he touched it, a strange sensation surged through his body.
It was like his whole body trembled, stunning him there.
"This is... the aura of magic?" he exclaimed.
It seemed his previous judgment was wrong; this amulet actually did have magical elements attached, though very faint, but it was indeed a real supernatural power.
This old and worn small wooden tag was actually an amulet after all.