Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

However, this smooth path requires risking one's life and possessing a skill. Generally speaking, only affluent common families can afford to raise warriors from a young age. Or they must be hunters from the mountains with shooting skills to become archers. The Kingdom has abundant military resources, with plenty of daring tribal children and war-experienced defectors. Without such a foundation, one can at most become militia, making it hard to be selected into the legion and go to battle as a Samurai.

"I've heard there's a recruitment going on in Apa County and Zicao County to form a long snake legion. The tribal warriors among the Tlaxcala immigrants, who have experienced warfare, have all emerged. The militia of Tekos Company are also clamoring to join. The County Magistrates of the two counties are in fierce disagreement over the allocation of troops. No one knows where this legion will ultimately be stationed; it can't be split between the two counties, can it?"

Koskachi stroked his chin, watching the busy kiln workers and thinking about the situation in the two southern counties. He intended to send his family's young descendants into the army. However, since he followed His Highness and rose from a commoner, it has only been seven years. The family lacks a solid foundation, and the youths they are nurturing have only average martial arts skills.

The Kingdom Legion goes to battle annually, blood is shed with every axe and spear. On the battlefield, only strength and luck matter; it's quite fair. The army is filled with desperate barbarian children, and there's no favoritism. For his family's young ones to stand out on the battlefield, it's admittedly quite difficult.

"Never mind! The Kingdom has never lost a war, nor has it ever seen warriors die by the thousands. The family wants to establish itself, and craftsmanship falls short. Becoming a Priest is beyond them. In the end, they must be sent to join the military!... Yes, I'll spend some money to get the youngsters half-armor in copper. As long as they don't die, they can always rise!"

Koskachi thought for a moment and made up his mind. With the Kingdom's rapid increase in bronze production and new copper mines opening in the two counties, the control over copper armor has somewhat relaxed. As one who has followed His Highness from the beginning and being a Director of the Divine Revelation Place, he has a way to acquire some copper armor for the family's young ones from the Military Works Department for self-defense.

In the Kingdom of the Lake, the second path of advancement is to participate in the Temple selection at the age of fifteen to become a priest apprentice at the Divine Power University. Afterwards, they would study for several years before graduating as priests within the Kingdom. This path is also open to commoner children, but to be honest, most of the slots are occupied by children of the Nnobility and priest families.

To begin with, the literacy test in January sees children of Nnobility and priest houses educated by their elders for several years, having thoroughly studied introductory scriptures. Conversely, children from commoner families recognize only a few characters and have to start learning from scratch. Unless one is exceptionally gifted, there's no way to compete. As for the subsequent mathematics test, one having been taught compared to the other knowing nothing, there's little that needs to be said.

"Alas! Priests serve the Chief Divine, receive divine grace, and preside over a region. Even if unable to become a preaching priest, just becoming a Divine Revelation Priest who is a craftsman means starting halfway up the mountain, climbing from the pinnacle of craftsmen! This path is indeed smooth!... Hmm, children under ten in the family who show intelligence should be sent early to the community sacrificial altars, sending some gifts to ask the community priests to teach! Without family inheritance, this is the only way to learn culture."

Koskachi gripped a copper rod, watching his busy kiln workers with an almost imperceptible shake of the head. For most commoners, lacking culture, mathematics, and knowledge of Divine Revelation, becoming a Craftsman Master is already seen as divine intervention from the Chief Divine and ancestral protection. But the Divine Revelation Priests who graduate from Divine Power University are directly affiliated with His Highness, can learn various divine revelations, and may even receive His Highness's personal instruction!

Indeed, in the Kingdom of the Lake, the third path of advancement is to become a craftsman. This road splits into two: one is the challenging Divine Kingdom path, the other is the difficult Abyss path.

The Divine Kingdom path involves ordinary students graduating as young Divine Revelation Priests or top students as First Level Divine Revelation Priests, joining the workshops of various Divine Revelation Places. They start in charge of dozens, then rise through First Level, Second Level, Third Level, and Fourth Level priest ranks. Ultimately, they might lead an entire department as a High Priest! As for shortcuts like Koskachi's, who followed His Highness from obscurity and rose swiftly, those opportunities won't repeat.

The alternative Abyss path entails joining various workshops or crafts camps as a craftsman household. After four years of hard work, if skills and experience suffice and the Craftsman Masters recognize them, they become official craftsmen. This step usually eliminates half the candidates, meaning at least half the craftsmen must engage in basic tasks like brickmaking or charcoal burning. Naturally, eliminated apprentices can retake assessments every four years, so there's always hope.

Following this, craftsmen work another four years to advance from Lower Rank to Upper Rank. Another four years and an assessment grants promotion to Skilled Craftsman. This selection cuts half as well. Upon becoming a Skilled Craftsman, annual rewards are given, comparable to treatment of Second Level Samurai.

After another four years, Skilled Craftsmen face an eight-year assessment to advance to Senior Artisan. This stage culls sixty to seventy percent, with senior craftsman making up usually no more than a tenth of craftsman households. After advancement, they can lead an apprentice team, overseeing construction projects everywhere. Their income, both official and unofficial, rivals that of Veteran Warriors, though their social status is significantly lower, and they cannot pass down land to heirs.

In summary, if everything goes smoothly, an apprentice works twenty years to have a one-in-ten chance of becoming a Senior Artisan. Beyond this, ascendancy to the rare Craftsman Master requires groundbreaking accomplishments and tangible technological innovations!

The promotion to Craftsman Master gets personally reviewed by His Highness, often rewarded with land. Upon becoming a Craftsman Master, they automatically advance to Divine Revelation Priest, achieving a trans-class honor, joining the ruling class!

"Oh, to be a Craftsman Master! If just one of these two hundred kiln workers could independently innovate to become a Craftsman Master, I too, as their leader, would accrue merit and earn rewards!"

Koskachi mused for a while, smiling and shaking his head. Technological breakthroughs are easy to talk about but incredibly difficult to achieve in reality.

Like the grand kiln His Highness mentioned, designing airflow and fire channels to continuously produce bricks without halting the kiln. Beside his senior craftsmen, it took five or six years to show any promising signs. Such technology, when completed, would earn at least two Craftsman Masters!

"...However, there is indeed an opportunity at hand! His Highness entrusted another divine revelation, which in a little over a year shows some progress. If accomplished, it promises great rewards! With His Highness's level of interest, it could promote two or three Craftsman Masters! Yet, which two talented apprentices should seize this chance?"

Koskachi stroked his chin, pondering silently. Moments later, he sheathed the bronze rod at his waist, left behind the kiln workers, and strode towards the rear camp. There, in the sunlight, a newly-built white wall was shimmering with the semblance of bricks.