Year 2035, April
8:00 A.M
Military fortress, Mustang, Nepal
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[14th day of the Great Transcontinental War]
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As much as I wanted to mobilize all of my troops, against enemies twice as large, it wouldn't do me any good in the end. After all, the western borders around China and Kazakhstan were huge enough that my forces were spread thin. Sooner or later, I would've to drag myself to the frontline again in order to pick out any weak spot in the enemy's formation. I hated doing that.
"Master Gheele," said one of my military officers.
"This eastern front . . . What do you think about it? Do I have to go all-out?" I asked him as I rested my head on my right palm. Slowly, I adjusted my sitting posture.
The military fortress I was at didn't have any grape juice, much to my dismay. I could've ordered my subordinates to bring it in from someplace, but then, they would look at me like I wasn't serious about the war. Or something along that line.
"We are currently taking on a defensive stance in this war," said the military officer, sweat beaded down his forehead. "So . . . By relying on Master Gheele's Aegis dome that is now protecting the entire Neo Africa, we can engage the enemy sparingly just to figure out how they will try to break through."
I nodded in satisfaction. "Great . . . Anyway, did you want to say something before?"
The military officer finally realized the reason that he was there in my office. With a cough, he explained the details of his report.
"Hmm." My eyes lazily glanced at the metal door after that. "Basically, more immigrants from China popped out near my Aegis dome, wanting to take safety inside Neo Africa."
"Exactly."
"More of them, huh. The past week, they have been filing in endlessly around my border."
The military officer wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Then, should I have them placed in a concentration camp nearby like the others?"
"Hmm. Do that. Make sure to check whether they have any communication devices before approving them into the camp," I ordered.
"Right!"
I stood up from my chair. "I guess I need to prepare myself for combat. After we destroy a small portion of the enemy's army, have ours retreat back into my Aegis dome. There's no need for needless sacrifices."
"Understood."
That same morning, I went to the eastern front. Of course, to get through my Aegis dome, I willed a large portion of it to disappear so that my military truck could drive past it. Once the truck halted a hundred kilometer deep into China, I stepped onto the battlefield with my Aegis Gear: Ruler's Blade. Multiple armored vehicles then arrived as well, soldiers pouring out of it.
"Get to the barracks and stand by!" I ordered them.
"Yes, Sir!"
My eyes stared at the rocky expanse that stretched out across the battlefield. High up in the cloudy sky, dozens of fighter jets flew past each other as they traded missiles. Once every few minutes, explosions flashed amidst the chaos.
Shifting my attention to the ground troops, it was clear that my own was being pushed by the C.U's large numbers. It seemed like my assistance was needed after all.
"Alright. Enough casualties."
I tapped at my earpiece and barked an order to my ground forces. "Concentrate on the right side of the battlefield. I'm sure that stupidly intelligent general is already doing just that for his own squadron, so have the others follow close behind him."
I tossed my Ruler's Blade up in the air and grabbed it. "Now then, I'll engage the enemy forces in the center so that most of my troops can retreat smoothly after this."
As I was about to head straight into the chaotic battlefront, three enemy air bombers flew across it.
"Ah . . . That's the problem."
I pointed my Ruler's Blade in the bombers' direction. A few seconds later, large orange crystal shards pierced it from each side. One of it broke into half while the rest exploded the instant my Aegis crystals pierced them.
"I guess the effort of spreading my Aegis particles this deep into China . . . I can finally use it against the C.U."
Seeing that some of the enemy's ground troops had noticed my Aegis crystals, they slowly started to fall back. Of course, since I already spread my particles that far into the enemy territory, it would be a waste to not use it.
"Graaaah!"
"Earrrgjjh!"
"H-Help!"
I strode into the frontline as my Aegis crystals wreaked havoc.
Raining orange icicles crushed a few of the enemy missile launchers flat. Tanks and other armored vehicles fell prey to huge waves of orange Aegis crystals that washed over them in quick succession. Surprisingly, there were a dozen C.U's soldiers that dared to approach me head-on.
"Master Gheele!"
"No. Stand back. Handle the rest . . . These people are my prey," I said to a general standing behind me.
"Gheele Folami!" said one of the enemy soldiers. "The Aegis User that defeated Ivar."
"Oh? I guess the news had already spread. Then again, it has been quite some time."
The enemy soldiers, assisted by a few military jeeps equipped with mounted machine guns, then opened fire. Unfortunately, none of their pitiful bullets managed to touch me. All of them succumbed to my Aegis crystals, the area engulfed in it.
"What's this? I was hoping that you people can give me some challenge like that Ivar," I scoffed.
My orange Aegis crystals had enveloped a kilometer of the area, imprisoning any enemy troops that didn't manage to escape. I stood at the unaffected spot in the center, brushing my fingers over the bullets trapped inside my Aegis crystals.
"I guess this is good enough for me. It's good to know that the C.U haven't come up with any method to penetrate my Aegis dome. Unless they want to bring any Pillars, I don't see them winning this eastern front."
I sighed and formed a straight path using my Aegis crystals to head back to my military truck. Still, it was foolish of me to think that the ones other than the Four Pillars themselves to be worthy opponents. Mere soldiers, no matter how many, would never amount to a single one of them. My hands twitched in anticipation.
If I could just meet one of them, then me going so far as to be on the frontline like this wouldn't just be a waste of time. Though, if my soldiers or even that child heard me saying this out loud, they wouldn't be pleased. A ruler should be prioritizing the safety of his civilians, so for me to desire stronger opponents was contradictory to that golden rule.
"Master!" said a soldier through my earpiece.
"What is it?"
"As you have instructed, we are pressuring one side of the enemy's army. B-But . . . But we have a problem."
I snorted. "Solve it without me. I'm sure their reinforcements are--"
"No! Um, no, Master. It's the Pillars."
"Huh?" His answer surprised me, but at the same time, I grinned.
An explosion could be heard coming from the right side of the battlefield. I assumed it was due to the Pillars getting themselves involved, helping their comrades.
"I'm going there at once. Hold them off until then," I said.
"But, we can't--much longer--Aaarggh!"
The voice cut off after that.
"Tsk. Now I regret wishing for those Pillars to actually show up," I mumbled.
I got into my military truck and the driver slammed the pedal at once. The truck drove off into the chaotic battlefield. Every few seconds, the driver glanced at me, who sat next to him.
"This is suicide, Master!"
"It will be if I order you to kill yourself."
"W-We'll get there soon enough." He shut his mouth tight and didn't speak until we arrived at where the Pillars were supposed to be. Though, in that large, rocky area, an enemy tank decided to stop a few hundred meters in front of us. Its main cannon pointed directly at our truck before it fired.
"Aaaaah!"
"Shut up, slave," I said to the driver.
A large shard of orange Aegis crystal manifested from thin air. The cannon's projectile crashed into it, protecting the truck. I then waved my hand once and a large orange hammer collapsed straight onto the tank.
"Wait for me here. It won't be long."
"But Master! I will not survive on my own!" said the driver.
"You won't be harmed. I am here after all." I exited the truck and immediately, a bunch of women in a white wedding dress lunged at me. Peach Aegis blades flashed in the next few seconds.
Before any of it could even make contact, orange Aegis crystals pulverized those women from above. More of them showed up and I took those women out as quickly as they came. From the looks of it, there were dozens upon dozens of them fighting against my foot soldiers. Each one was an Aegis User, though it seemed like their capabilities were limited.
"So those women are Yvonne's clones. I see. Just like Klaus said, she can make a lot of it," I said to myself.
Those clones had managed to take down about a few hundred of my soldiers without any difficulty.
"H-Help!"
A soldier fell down to his knees and one of the clones slashed at him with her Aegis blade. However, her blade bounced off the moment it hit a floating orange shield. She turned to look at me and orange spikes pierced her from every direction.
"Stand up!" I barked to the soldier. "Inform the rest. Have them retreat back to the fortress."
The soldier nodded and ran away from the area.
"Hmm. Now, to kill off these women."
Most of them switched their target to me and began to attack. They sliced and slashed; thrust and clawed at me. Still, none of them was able to do anything more than scratch the surface of my Aegis crystals.
"Disappointment. But it's a nice warm-up nonetheless. And for that, I thank you." Large orange serpents manifested from thin air devoured them. Some escaped from it, but I had a record for not letting any enemies get away. So, I got rid of them.
"Ah, what a blunder. I forgot to ask if the real Yvonne is also here, but oh well . . . Retreat back to the fortress!"
The few soldiers nearby obeyed and ran back. As for me, I entered the same military truck I was in before and surprisingly, the driver was still there. I thought he had run for his life since we were literally in the middle of the eastern front.
"You. Why didn't you escape?" I said to him.
"I'm a soldier! To run away, abandoning my duties just like that is unbecoming of me."
"Good answer, good answer . . . I suppose you can expect a promotion after this war is over."
"Y-Yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!"
The military truck drove off, leaving the battlefield where my forces had begun to retreat.