Seiju trains in the Evac-12 forests, firing off flame JōKai arrows and striking the trees with bullseye designs carved into them, the heat of the arrows radiating outward. Seiju summons a Flame JōKai arrow, the heat of it singeing his fingertips as he places it on the bow and launches it toward the tree. "Flame Bow: Flame Shot!"
Seiju's arrow whizzes by the bullseye, and he clenches his teeth in annoyance. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me. I gotta restart again."
Seiju moves through the forests, his eyes searching for a new group of trees. "Damn, I really loathe training, but.." Seiju replays the battle with Overlord within his mind's eye. "I was useless during that battle against Overlord. Few of my attacks hit the guy. I need to get my aim better if we ever face him or an opponent like him again."
Seiju extracts a knife from his pocket, the scent of freshly cut wood lingering in the air as he carves bullseyes into the trees. "Guess it's time to place those dreaded designs on the trees again."
Seiju positions his bow and draws back the string, aiming an arrow at a nearby tree. "Maybe If I were to generate more Flame JōKai into my arrows, I'd have a legitimate shot at hitting someone as fast as Overlord or, hell, one of those super specimens. Maybe if I were to use a lot more JōKai in my arrows, I can create a larger area of effect, which should allow me to hit faster enemies."
Seiju tightens his grip, and the Flame JōKai on his bow swells, the heat radiating around him. "More. I need to create more."
Seiju summons more JōKai onto his hands, the intense heat singeing the nearby foliage. Seiju ganders determinedly at the burning flame, the orange, and yellow light reflecting in his eyes. "More! I need to summon more!"
Seiju's flame summoning dwindles away as the strength of his hand gives out from the intense strain, causing him to let out a shriek of agony as he collapses. "Damn, I think I went a bit overboard."
Seiju eyes his red, aching hand, the pulsing sensation making his fingers tingle. "Why in the hell am I training so hard? I don't even remember the last time I even came close to putting this much effort into my fighting."
Seiju gazes up at the twinkling stars illuminated by the fluorescent night sky and thinks back to his journey with the other rookies. "That entire experience had its ups and downs. Miri and Astran, getting stronger and just getting away from all those cramping rules, were surely the ups of the trip. On the flip side, that annoying Denkei guy, getting our asses handed to us and those other weird people, were just ugh, it's going to suck tolerating them for the next couple years."
"And that damn Navar, he's the one who dragged us into this mess. Why did we even listen to him? Why in the world did we follow him in such a terrible situation? Matter fact, I didn't follow him. The dude legit kidnapped me. He dragged me all the way to Molorx just to get my ass kicked." Seiju lets out a low, gentle chuckle. "Well, then again, my stupid ass followed him, even when I could have left. And he also motivated me to take my fighting career seriously. Now, I'm not just trying to get women, I can go somewhere. You know what, now that I think about it? He also helped me score the numbers of those hotties at that club. You know what, now that I think about it, he aint so bad..."
Seiju rises from the ground, and a slight orange blaze surrounds his bow. "Alright, grow steadily," Seiju gradually summons more and more Flame JōKai. "Just a little more," Seiju's summoned flame intensifies, the spewing embers singeing the surrounding plants and growing steadily larger. Seiju's flame becomes so powerful the surrounding boulders sizzle as they melt. Seiju's face contorts from the intensity of wielding the fire. "Ok, release!" Seiju releases an arrow, and it lands right in the center of the bullseye for eleven consecutive shots. Seiju lies in the dirt, his eyes closed as he savors the warmth of the sun on his skin. "Whew, bro! I'll take a nap for the day and get back to it tomorrow. I made good progress."
We now go into the POV of Rai, Bushiyon, and 499 in a room with a round brown wooden table and four chairs. 499 glances down at his watch. "He's late..."
"Settle down now, 499. You know how busy admirals can be. They have a lot on their plate," says Bushiyon.
"That's still no excuse. Punctuality is key when you are superior. You're supposed to set an example."
"You're right, Captain I- "
Bartholomew enters the room, the steam curling up from 4 tea cups on a silver platter. "Sorry, I'm late, you guys. I was busy making this splendid tea for us," Bartholomew places the platter on the glossy surface of the long wooden oval-shaped table. "You all enjoy."
As Bushiyon takes a sip of the aromatic tea, his lips curl into a satisfied grin in Bartholomew's direction. "This tastes amazing, Bartholomew."
"Yes indeed. What ingredients did you use for this?" asks Rai
"I used Ayan Herbal Extract and Plophor Honey along with some other fruits."
"We're getting off task, guys. We were here to discuss how we were going to strategize for the war," says 499.
"Oh, my apologies 499. Let's begin the meeting. Bartholomew, I summon you as the fighting Admiral for this battle. And 499, I'll use you and your training division for this war," says Rai.
"Shouldn't we use more numbers, my Lord? I feel like we're underestimating the threat of the Goblins," says Bushiyon.
"No, sending too much of our Empire's power toward a group of outlaws would leave us vulnerable to attack from other Empires."
"Agreed. I think one division of our army and my fleet should be enough to defeat the Goblins," says Bartholomew.
"Ok, when should we start our advancement? I just received word from The Black Grid Division that the Goblins have already begun their blockade on Molorx," says 499.
"I say Bartholomew gathers his fleet, and they should start their advancement tomorrow. That way, the Navy is already on the move while our Warriors and Soldiers continue their training," says Bushiyon.
"Yeah, that's good and all, but there's still one variable I forgot to mention.." Rai's eyes grow heavy with concern as he contemplates the situation.
Bushiyon's brows furrow together in a look of concern. "What would that be?"
"The Goblins raided a planet and gathered an apocalyptic weapon," Rai's words cause a palpable wave of tension to ripple through the room; Bushiyon, Bartholomew, and 499 all wearing looks of worry on their faces.
"When did you receive word of this, my Lord?" asks Bushiyon.
"Not too long ago, a space station guarding Ishix was invaded by a Goblin fighter ship. They slipped through the defenses and gathered it. A surviving soldier told me this."
"This isn't good. That means we'll also have to be on the lookout for Overlord launching this weapon," says Bushiyon.
"Settle down. Although they are destructive, apocalyptic weapons can be reversed by finding energies that oppose the ones that are within them. If the scenario occurs where the apocalyptic weapon becomes a threat, I'll send an infiltration group of my cadets to do so."
"Thank you, Bartholomew. That makes our job much easier," says Rai.
"Emperor Rai, what apocalyptic weapon is this?" asks 499.
"The apocalyptic weapon is known as Annihilation Cannon X, or AC-X for short. This weapon was used during the "Two Hundred Year Universal War" by the Spectorian Empire before their demise."
"I wonder how Overlord gathered knowledge of this weapon," says Bushiyon.
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that we get our soldiers ready for battle. I recommend we do not tell any of them about the apocalyptic weapon. We don't want them to panic and have their focus shift from the task at hand, being The Goblin Army," says Rai.
"Ok, my lord," says Bushiyon, 499, and Bartholomew.
"Any more questions?"
"…"
"Good, you're all dismissed. You all take time to form your battle strategies, then gather your troops together for the battle."
"Got it," they all say. 499, Bushiyon and Bartholomew leave the meeting room to prepare for their battle.
Rai rises from his seat and blankly gazes out the window, his vision unfocused and distant.
Rai's secretary enters the room, carrying a drink. "Lord Rai, I got a drink for you. Do you want it?"
"Yes, just set it down on the table, if you don't mind."
The secretary sets Rai's drink on the table. "Something seems like it's troubling you. Are you alright?"
"I'm just deep in thought that's all. I appreciate you checking up on me."
"Ok, page me if you need anything else."
Rai's secretary departs from the room while Rai still stares out his window. "These wars never seem to fade. Someone always comes having the same quell for violence or vengeance as others, then it continues. If you were in my shoes, what would you do, Reymont pal?"
"Oh well, I guess standing here wouldn't do me anything good now, would it?" Rai lets out a boisterous laugh. "I guess we'll just have to see how it all plays out," Rai flashes a confident smile before settling back into his seat to do his work.