The Dunmarrow city was enclosed by massive gray stone walls, forming an almost circular perimeter around its districts. Watchtowers stood at regular intervals along the fortifications.

Banners were placed at the top of the watchtowers, bearing the imperial crest visible even from a great distance. Beyond the walls, a network of roads spread outward, leading to the surrounding settlements, converging on the capital like spokes around a central hub.

At the city’s center rose the Citadel District, built upon the highest natural elevation within the basin. The Governor’s Citadel dominated the skyline, its broad towers and layered battlements overlooking every quarter of the city. Around it, administrative buildings and military headquarters create a dense cluster of stone structures that formed the heart of regional authority.

To the northeast, the Arcane District was immediately recognizable. Several slender towers rose above the surrounding rooftops, including the Rift Observation Tower and the academies of magical study.

Max was familiar with it. He often visited the tower when he attained the second class, Elementalist and attempted to solidify his foundation.

At night, faint points of mana light at the towers could be often be seen atop, distinguishing them from the rest of the city.

The eastern side of Dunmarrow stretched toward the Silverflow River. Docks, warehouses, and river ports line the waterfront, where barges and cargo vessels moved continuously between provincial settlements. From above, the river appeared as a broad silver ribbon curving past the city before disappearing into the distant plains.

South of the city, the landscape unfolded into the vast Silverflow Basin, the final stretch of the journey Max and his horses had traveled before reaching Dunmarrow.

Neatly cultivated farmlands, irrigation canals, orchards, and scattered villages covered the countryside, all connected by broad imperial highways and stone bridges. Watch posts, courier stations, and patrol roads stretched across the basin, linking Dunmarrow to Rivermarch, Willowmere, Fenwatch Crossing, and the southern frontier.

Although the marshlands themselves were no longer visible from this distance, every road leading south ultimately disappeared beyond the distant Weeping Willow Forest, where the fertile basin gradually gave way to the wetlands and reclamation territories of southern Mirefall.

The northern and western sectors inside the city were dominated by residential quarters, military training grounds, artisan workshops, and bustling marketplaces. Dense clusters of slate-roofed buildings filled these districts, separated by broad avenues designed to accommodate military formations, merchant caravans, and civilian traffic alike. Unlike many older cities that had expanded irregularly over centuries, Dunmarrow displayed a deliberate and organized design, with each district arranged according to its administrative, military, commercial, or civic function.

Encircling the capital were extensive farmlands nourished by the tributaries of the Silverflow River. Irrigation networks, farming villages, watch stations, and roadside garrisons formed an outer ring of supporting settlements that sustained the regional capital while securing the roads leading deeper into Mirefall.

Viewed from the cliff overlooking the basin, Dunmarrow projected the image of a prosperous regional capital rather than a beleaguered frontier fortress.

According to Max’s memory, although it lacked the immense scale and grandeur of Aurelion Prime, its formidable stone walls, soaring arcane towers, disciplined military compounds, thriving river districts, and orderly urban design clearly established it as the administrative, economic, and strategic heart of Mirefall Province—a city that governed the region while serving as the gateway between the Empire’s civilized interior and its southern frontier.

Staring at it, as his hair billowed by the breeze, Max was struck with nostalgia.

He couldn’t help but recall the Skyrend Harbor, the capital city of the Frostmere Village’s region he visited in his past life.

There were conspicuous difference between the two capital city, but the soaring arcane towers remained the same.

The Dunmarrow City focused on developing into the plains while the Skyrend Harbor focused on the coast of the northern part of the Empire. Both have their own way of developing their town.

Max thought as he finally decided to order his horses to proceed at the southern gate of the Dunmarrow capital.

...

There were fortunately no line leading to the southern gate.

Max’s horses paced in a majestic manner, while projecting an arrogant expression.

Inside, they could barely contain their excitements to be greeted with respect that they had been wanting for.

Max, on the other hand, swept his gaze at the Watchtower and was astonished.

He sensed a B-rank in each tower, bearing different class.

For instance, in the southern watchtower, Max sensed a B-rank human but from the mana and aura he radiated, he was definitely a Phantom Stalker—from the Scout-Class.

Max could barely catch his presence. The Phantom Stalker deliberately exposed himself anyway, to warn Max that he was being watched.

Max greeted him with a smile and observed the other guards stationed above the wall and into the gate.

Every single one of them was at C-rank.

He couldn’t catch a single D-rank at all.

A smile spread across his face.

The settlements at the border like Greyfen Village had a B-rank Imperial Officer with one star like Lieutenant Garrick to be stationed along with other B-rank.

It served for two main purpose—reclamation of the lost territory and protection from demon’s assault.

As for D-rank, they were deployed to the surrounding settlements to gain experience and strengthen themselves first until they became C-rank and attain higher rank in their first deployment.

The neighboring settlements inward to the Empire was then ruled by C-rank humans.

However, the capital city would remain to contain almost a hundred B-rank humans.

There were also more than 10 A-rank humans, and...

The governor of the capital city was an S-rank human.

The capital city after all possessed enormous resources for those with potential to strengthen themselves and attain higher rank.

It was also the gathering of the hidden main forces of the Empire.

It was exactly the last stop for almost all the players, while those in higher rank managed to enter the Aurelion Prime, the imperial capital of the whole Empire, not just in the region.

It was where the Emperor and his family resided.

Max had never stepped foot in the Aurelion Prime, but perhaps, in just a month Apocalypse Online was launched, he was about to meet the Emperor...

That only S-rank players in his past life managed to do so...

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