At Reinhardt's, he was surrounded by Soliver, his lieutenant Carter, and Silver's commander as they reviewed the pre-arranged plan.
"My lord, Duke Reinhardt de Molière, it is an honor to meet you, but my soldiers are dying needlessly. We lost 5% of our defensive strength in just a few minutes."
"Furthermore, they refuse to fight, claiming it's unfair. Yet, I agree with them. The strongest fighter among them was a Half-Ruler, and Beast Rulers are capable of killing someone of the Lord Ruler rank. The difference in strength is vast." Silver's voice was filled with fear and dread, especially because of Reinhardt's sharp gaze.
The silence that lingered for several seconds was enough to put immense pressure and strain on Silver's mind. Reinhardt spoke calmly enough to make him collapse to the ground.
His face was covered in sweat, fear, and dread, but Reinhardt completely ignored him as he spoke to Soliver and Carter Pluggers. "Well..." "Since the soldiers of Euspecers won't participate in the fighting, even though they fought against the Beast Gods at the beginning of the war,"
"As you planned, the students will fight the Goblin God, even if the heads of other Grand Duchesses arrive. My words are clear."
Sulliver and his lieutenant, Carter, stared at him for several seconds, but he paid no attention to their looks or what they said. "I will fight the Black God as planned. You and your lieutenant, Carter, will fight the Snake God, and the professors, the Orc God, a mercenary, and the private hunters of Euspecers and visitors will fight the Wolf God in case the three remaining Grand Duchesses and the Sword Saint, Azarus Nawazaki, are delayed."
Sulliver and his lieutenant, Carter, were both annoyed by Reinhardt's words. Their fighting the Snake God implied that they were cunning and wicked like him.
However, neither of them said a word. After all, Reinhardt was almost four ranks stronger than them, so fighting him would lead to Their deaths were all that mattered.
Reinhart strode confidently towards the battlefield, his steps measured and powerful.
"Inform the students and professors that a battle is about to begin," Soliver said calmly, watching Reinhart's back as he emerged from the operating room.
"Soliver, is something on your mind? I know Reinhart can be domineering, but this isn't the right time," Carter said quietly, placing a hand on Soliver's shoulder.
He then left the operating room, a cigarette in his mouth, waving the back of his hand at Soliver. "See you in a bit. Get some rest. The battle is about to begin, and we need a fighter who is mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared."
A deep sigh escaped Soliver's lips as he looked at Carter with a somewhat unreadable, calm expression. He decided to continue his task: fighting the monster rulers.
He headed towards the nearest person.
Meanwhile, a sigh of relief escaped Sylvie's lips, ignoring Soliver's presence as an ally in his eyes. But his relief was short-lived.
He felt Soliver's finger touch his head, but he couldn't utter a word because his head had exploded from his body before he could say anything.
Bones, skull, fat, brain tissue, and eyes, mixed with blood, flew around the operating room, and blood gushed from his neck like a fountain.
Soliver spoke coldly, looking at the lifeless body of Silver, who lay on the floor. "Military law forbids desertion or failure to perform assigned duties, and as the commander of the Contit soldiers, your punishment will be death."
"Desertion or attempted desertion is punishable by execution at the scene of the violation. I hope you learn a lesson in the hell of Mr. Silver, the Procterface."
Soliver wiped his bloodied hand as he left the room, ignoring the soldier who had witnessed everything. His main objective was to let him see what would happen to them if they didn't fight against the henchmen of the Beast Ruler.
The soldier decided to leave the operating room without saying anything; the sight of Silver's death was enough to deter him. Any attempt at objection or refusal was simmering in his mind and the minds of his comrades from other battalions.
At the top of the fortress, Tom and Armin watched the fighting with calm expressions.
It was a one-sided battle; the rulers of the monsters were terrifyingly powerful compared to the soldiers.
Soldiers were dying every moment, and the acrid metallic smell of blood reached them, accompanied by the sounds of fighting and the soldiers' desperate cries for help.
The inhabitants of Euspecies were paralyzed and in a state of chaos, unable to fight back. They didn't try to stop them; the battle had already begun, and their credibility was practically nonexistent.
War and battles are incredibly difficult; just hearing about them and seeing them is enough to understand their cruelty.
The expressions on Tom and Armin's faces were a mixture of incomprehensible coldness and a sense of hopelessness. The same scene, but from different yet similar perspectives, embodied the absurdity of life in the eyes of two young men who hadn't even reached 18. At 15, they had fought for their lives, only to be dragged into another life-or-death battle, and for at least half a day... A day that was not to come
Armin watched the deaths of his fighters with bewilderment, unable to comprehend why they were fighting their enemies when they were so weak. Their lives were being taken without any effort on the part of the monster rulers.
The higher authorities, or those who knew about it, considered sacrificing fighters incapable of combat to be utterly absurd.
The students of the Verselkin Academy were as strong as their soldiers, but superior in quality thanks to rare resources and a rigorous, brutal training.
For Tom, the deaths of his soldiers were a mixture of regret and pride. He watched his offspring die before his eyes like cannon fodder, a scene that reminded him of the deaths of his own children in his early human life.
The moment he and his other half, Alessandra, went to the Origin Tree to merge, they were like fire and natural gas, ready to explode without proper insulation. And that was the spirit of the first essence that was him.
To see those he had struggled to bring into existence die like mere insects was a difficult thing to witness.
His life was miserable. He watched his children die one by one in the first, and he killed members of his own lineage with his own two hands in all his previous lives when his two halves, Zhao Li and Alessandra, roamed the infinite ordinary worlds.
Yet he said nothing. He couldn't bring himself to say aloud, "My children are dying! I, Zhao Li, was the first to refine and implement the Dao Laws in this wretched world, and I, Alessandra, am the first saint, the one who wrote the laws of mental and physical strength.
Moreover, I am the one who brought this fantasy world into existence and who built the Versleken Academy before..."Millions of years
How could he say such unbelievable things? He had lived many lives, seen people born and die, yet he only remembered 10% of them. Even that was a small percentage, still blurred and unclear.
In the past two hours, after witnessing the deaths of his descendants at the hands of monster rulers far more powerful than themselves, he could only recall his son, the Rising Sun Emperor Zhao Yong.
He was a reckless, kind boy who loved challenging himself to achieve glory and fame among monsters, and this made pride seep into his heart.
Tom closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind, but a memory from his first life surged like a cold river within his mind, refusing to disappear.
"Father, I want to ask you about something that intrigues me," the seven-year-old Rising Sun Emperor spoke hesitantly, looking at him, which made him smile.
Zhao Li spoke calmly, gently stroking his hair. "What is it that's on your mind, my dear?"
The Rising Sun Emperor Zhao Yong gently removed Zhao Li's hand from his hair. The flames, scattered with obvious annoyance, resembled a blazing fire, prompting Zhao Li to chuckle softly.
"I found a group of barbarians fighting 14 kilometers from here," Zhao Yong said irritably, smoothing his hair back down. "Before they started fighting, I heard them declare war."
Zhao Li stared at him for a few seconds before replying. "War is a fight between groups. If it starts within the same group, it's called an internal or civil war. It must involve a clan or higher. This also applies to political and global wars."
"Despite the different methods, the goals remain clear, no matter how they try to justify them: to prove superiority, to acquire the resources of a land, or to seize the leadership of a tribe."
A hint of twilight crossed Zhao Li's face as he watched the battle unfold. Though 14 kilometers away, he could see it clearly from atop the mountain.
Wars have many names and causes. Wars fought for power are called internal wars because the people involved are from the same country. They fight each other for power.
The reasons are many: a corrupt and unworthy government, citizens suffering oppression, injustice, famine, and epidemics everywhere, and they must resolve this farce with difficult means.
It can also be a coup by the government itself, with the same apparent reason: how the country is run is not to their liking. The only difference is that the previous government did not serve their interests, not out of love or compassion for the people and the general public.
And then there is the colonial war, where a strong state devours a weak one, coveting its natural resources—renewable and non-renewable, energy, minerals, plant, and animal.
From these come wars of independence to escape this humiliation and farce.
A life of humiliation is something impossible to accept. Dignity, pride, and honor reject humiliation and being subjected to degradation on one's own land and at the hands of a foreigner.
Political wars, where filth is exchanged without physical contact, with words and pens instead of guns, and perfumes instead of the smell of gunpowder, sweat, and adrenaline. Its land is enclosed, filled with captivating artifacts and art, instead of blood and corpses scattered here and there, even though it appears beautiful and better than ordinary wars.
But it is far more vile and despicable than ordinary wars, where human life becomes so insignificant that it is not even counted. It involves defamation, the destruction of people's lives psychologically, and the imposition of harsh punishments on those who oppose or threaten their interests.
Ultimately, wars take many forms, with their apparent and hidden causes, and their timing and location vary. But there remain common elements: they all claim lives directly and indirectly, and they unveil masks to reveal the true faces of depravity.
Millions of people die in war everywhere. Thousands and millions of people die, and their rights are violated.
War is physical, psychological, and societal. At the end of wars, it evolves into a war with people who die before they even experience life, or what is called abortion. That is a psychological war declared in the hearts of women. Suicide is the same thing, a mixture of the personal and social psyche.
I know that what I am saying sounds foolish, but it is the reality we all share deep down. Our inner selves are locked in a psychological war that seems endless. Nevertheless, let's get back to the important stuff.
Zhao Li smiled as he carried the seven-year-old Emperor Sun Zhao Yong, trying to cradle him between his shoulders.
"How about you help your father gather fruit? Your sister, Empress Moon of the Desolate Zhao Minghua, is currently training."
A beautiful smile spread across his face. "Let's go."
A faint smile appeared as he headed towards the orchard to pick fruit, trying to clear his mind of the endless wars and battles that would define his life.
Outside his unconscious world, Tom opened his eyes to find that a battle was still in its early stages.
"It's been two hours and fifteen minutes since the start of the war against the Beast Rulers and their followers. And who would have thought they'd summon their followers? They have a pride and arrogance that wouldn't allow them to betray anyone except the Snake Ruler—that's a despicable bastard," Tom said with cold sarcasm as he headed towards the gathering place of his companions.
The duration of the The opportunity they had granted them was nearing its end, and the battle against the Goblin King was about to begin. Yet, there wasn't a trace of fear on either his or Armin's face.
The battle was imminent. They had to open it and plunge into its thick without showing any sign of retreat, as it would be enough to end their lives at the hands of the Goblin King and his followers.
"Isn't that Yuta? What's he doing here? Didn't Gowther say he left the city the moment we arrived?" Armin asked, puzzled, as he looked towards Tom Tarta and the other Yuta Tarta.
He noticed Inuyasha with him and a look of indifference on his face, so they approached them.
"Didn't you leave Euspicarsk City last night? How are you still here?" Armin asked suspiciously, looking at Yuta, who seemed calm and unconcerned.
"The reason I came back is that I left the meeting papers at the academy. On top of that, the meeting was canceled when it was 15 kilometers from Euspicarsk City, so I decided to camp and..." "I'm back in the city of Euspeakers, but I didn't expect it to be attacked by monster rulers."
Tom and Armin both looked at him with disappointment. Armin broke the silence, saying, "You lazybones, Mr. Yuta! How could you forget such important documents in your room? Oh, it's the Friskine Academy!"
On the other side, Tom's gaze held a hint of suspicion, but Yuta's tired, lazy expression and heavy, indifferent tone made the situation seem plausible.
Somewhat incredulous, they headed straight to the meeting place from which they would proceed to their battle against the Goblin Ruler.
At the meeting place, Gray looked at his companions and the rest of the students, who were fully prepared and ready for combat.
He spoke inwardly with pity for himself and all the lives lost in the battle for survival, like a thin thread of sewing that would snap at the slightest pressure.
"On the day of the gathering, May 29, 675, at 11:40 I think, a group of students, the strongest of whom is a Holy Ruler, will fight entities that easily kill fighters of the Lord Ruler rank."
"Even so, there is still hope. I don't know for sure, and at the same time, I'm not even sure that a single grain of hope exists in this desert of shattering..."
Gray closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them in surprise at the sound of a voice that shouldn't even be there. "Yuta Cassiral, isn't he supposed to be outside of Euspecies?"
It was Gray's voice was filled with confusion as he looked at the students who were distancing themselves from him and avoiding his gaze. This was somewhat surprising, given what he knew about Yuta over the past five years.
He knew Yuta wouldn't harm anyone without a compelling reason, so he decided to ignore the matter, as it wasn't the right time to be preoccupied with people's fear of him.
He and his companions gathered, their expressions a mixture of relief, suspicion, and confusion. Jian Yi spoke with great suspicion, as the idea of a traitor in their ranks still lingered in his mind.
Yuta's return at this time only intensified his suspicions, as criminals often enjoyed witnessing the consequences of their actions.
"What brought you back here? Didn't you have business at your companies, Master Yuta Kasiral?"
Yuta's eyes remained calmly crimson as he looked at Jian Yi, whose gaze held a strong suspicion that he was involved. While Jian Yi had a point, it was naive to say this in front of more than 100 students and amidst an army of over two thousand. Fighter
But at the same time, if he wanted to kill them, no one could save him. After all, he was stronger than Reinhardt, who, at half Trans-Omnipotent, still couldn't open Wing 3. Uta, on the other hand, was at the Beyond-Existence level, meaning he possessed a Wing of Level 4. Level 3 Masters were called Emperors, Level 4 Masters were called Venerables, and Level 5 Venerables.
Moreover, he had 12 Level 4 entities and the Venerable Venerable of the Heavenly Blessing of Isabeleth on his side. Therefore, the idea of killing him would make them pay dearly—their very existence.
However, Uta didn't want to kill or destroy this world, as it would affect his future plans. Furthermore, acquiring them was extremely arduous, and negotiating with a sacred scribe and the Mist of Mystery was nearly impossible.
Therefore, killing them at this time based on mere suspicion would be a waste of his efforts.
"The reason for my return is that I left the meeting papers in..." "The academy, Fersleken, canceled the meeting decision when I was 15 kilometers from the city of Euspecrus, so I decided to camp and return to Euspecrus, but I did not expect it to be attacked by monster rulers."