Admiral Incursio's sword was brought before him in a simple leather scabbard. Despite the sword's formidable appearance, it was old and deteriorating. Perhaps in the future, he might request Alex to repair it.
"Your Excellency, the offensive on the beaches is being slowed down," a communication officer reported.
"What's the cause? In ten minutes, they should've reached the enemy's defense lines!" Incursio's tone held frustration. Such a delay was unacceptable.
"Our armored units are being immobilized. They say the ground is affected by enemy mages," the intel officer beside him added.
"I see. I'll leave the rest to you. Maintain the plan, and inform them that I'm entering the battlefield," Incursio stated. As he exited the bridge, his sword began vibrating, as if anticipating the carnage ahead.
"Let's taste the battlefield again, partner," he murmured, drawing the blade. It gleamed under the afternoon sun.
"INCURSIO!" he shouted, as black and white armor began to shine, covering his body. His silver cape fluttered in the wind, and a spear materialized in his grasp, accompanying his sword.
---
**BOOM.**
Exiting the battleship, Incursio sped towards the battlefield. Using his enhanced senses, he quickly pinpointed the mage responsible for the interference. However, something caught his attention — it wasn't just any mage. It was a demigod, expertly concealing his presence.
In his flight form, Incursio's armor adapted seamlessly to the situation. The armor itself was ancient, and he hadn't fully unlocked its many forms.
Wings emerged from the back of the armor, spreading wide. With one powerful flap, a gust of wind disoriented the enemies on the beach, creating an opening for Draconian forces to advance.
---
**Boom.**
As Incursio hurtled toward the demigod at 150 mph, the enemy launched rock lances at him.
*Woosh.*
Incursio dodged the attacks, equipping his long spear. He dove down, clashing head-on with the demigod.
**Clang.**
A shockwave rippled from the collision of their weapons. Incursio took note of the demigod's attire — it was different, not the usual Greek style.
'He's part of the King of Pantheon's court,' Incursio realized. The court had gone silent after the atrocities of King Chronos came to light, forcing many gods to go into hiding.
'This one's likely a chamberlain,' Incursio speculated. He pressed forward, despite knowing that only the Draconian Sentinels could truly match a demigod's power.
"I need a Draconian Sentinel. I'm facing a demigod, and I'll hold him off as long as possible," Incursio called out through his communicator.
"Someone is on the way, ETA 30 minutes," came the reply.
"Understood," Incursio acknowledged.
The battle raged on. Thanks to his anti-matter armor plating, he survived several otherwise fatal blows. The demigod, recognizing Incursio's advantage, kicked him in the chest, creating a wide distance. Pillars of stone erupted from the ground as the demigod attempted to escape.
"You're quick," Incursio muttered as he appeared behind the demigod, his shadow trailing behind him. He slashed down with his spear, leaving a shallow wound on the demigod's back.
"Insolent bastard," the demigod cursed, conjuring a lightning ball and launching it at Incursio. The electrical discharge caused him to grunt in pain, but his armor quickly adapted.
---
**BOOM.**
Another clash, their weapons moving too fast for the human eye to follow. Incursio kept the demigod's full attention on himself. He called out to the front lines, "Daniel, what's the situation on the beaches?"
"The tanks are advancing properly. It seems whatever was holding them back has stopped," came the response.
"Good. Proceed as scheduled."
He refocused on the battle, realizing that a hit-and-run strategy would be necessary to prevent the demigod from unleashing his full power.
"Away from me, you insolent bug!" the demigod roared, his aura exploding outward in a display of power.
**Boom.**
Incursio was pushed back by the force, coughing as fragments of his armor broke off. In response, he activated one of his abilities.
"Unyielding," he muttered. His armor roared like a dragon, and he charged forward at full speed. Claws protruded from his fingers, and with one swift motion, he scratched the demigod's cheek, drawing blood.
The demigod grinned, gathering multiple elements around his sword. With a sonic boom, he appeared in front of Incursio and swung down with immense force.
---
Incursio drew his sword, blocking the strike. The weight of the blow caused him to kneel, but he felt some of the energy transfer into his armor. Taking advantage of this, he slid to the side, causing a trail of destruction across the battlefield.
**Swish. Boom.**
He sped up again, targeting the demigod's ribs with his sword, causing the demigod to grunt in pain. Using the darkness surrounding his armor, Incursio bound the demigod's shadow to the ground, limiting his movement. Taking advantage of this, Incursio delivered a brutal right hook to the demigod's face.
**BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.**
Blow after blow, Incursio ensured the demigod would be incapacitated, but not killed. This was their first lead to someone from the King of Pantheon's court, and interrogation was essential.
"Rest now, Admiral. I'll handle things from here," a voice called out. It was Sentinel Ling, hovering in the sky with light blades surrounding him.
"Sentinel Ling, it's good to see you," Incursio said respectfully.
"No need for formalities. Rejoin your army. I'll take this man to the black site," Ling replied. The mention of the black site sent a shiver down Incursio's spine. He had visited the lowest-ranked site, but the highest-level sites were a mystery. He was glad he didn't have to see them.
After a few moments, Ling cast magic chains over the unconscious demigod and carried him back to the Empire. Incursio, or rather **Dietrich**, returned to the battlefront where his marines were fighting fiercely.
---
"Give me a status update. The demigod has been dealt with. I need to know the status of the battle," Dietrich said into his communicator.
"We've breached their front lines and are securing a foothold. We're rebuilding the defenses. What are your orders?" asked the commander of the marine corps.
"Move deeper. Secure a 20-kilometer radius from the beach. We'll begin the final offensive," Dietrich commanded.
Diving down, Dietrich began carving a bloody path through the enemy ranks, his claws and wings slashing through flesh and bone.
---
"For the Empire!" a shock marine officer raised the battle flag, leading the charge with his fellow soldiers as they cut through the enemy.
---
**Two hours later**
**Alex POV**
I sat on a pile of corpses, mercenaries and Chronos soldiers alike, their faces frozen in shock. The offensive had gone smoothly, with Sean leading the charge on the southern front and Axe and Zarina pushing from the Cossack front. My other forces executed similar offensives, targeting the most heavily defended points.
Ling had captured a demigod during the amphibious assault, and I ordered him to be taken to a black site for interrogation.
"Your Majesty, the army has reached the boundaries of the forest. They await your order," an imperial guard reported, as Alex stood up. With a snap of his fingers, a small flame shot toward the pile of bodies, igniting them. The half-alive mercenaries and soldiers screamed in agony as they were engulfed by flames.
Alex marched toward the frontlines. As he passed through the ranks of his soldiers, they made way for him, some bowing in respect. He ascended a raised platform, where the sight before him was the burning final city—the last stronghold. Behind him stood the amassed army, ready to take it.
This battle could change the future of the continent. Alex knew that politics ran deep, but he had yet to develop the political side of his rule. His focus had been solely on war, and now he faced the moment where everything hung in the balance.
*I must improve at speeches. I'll need to speak more in the future,* he thought, turning to his army—the men who had followed him, bled for him. He nodded toward the imperial guard, signaling he was ready.
"Your Majesty, the other fronts can hear us," the guard confirmed.
Alex began slowly, his voice steady.
"Soldiers of Draconia, Olympus, Muscovy, and Novoros! This war has come a long way. It began with Chronos, once seen as a bringer of order and peace. But he strayed from his path and broke from the very kingdom he built. His war focused on the Olympians, but after decades of no progress, he turned his sights beyond his borders, destroying cities and nations.
But we—WE have stood as the bulwark, stopping their expansion. When our nation was merely a city-state, we defended the South from threats that could have destroyed us. We held the line while the Olympians bled more than we did. Yet, despite their weapons and numbers, they failed to end the civil war. Politics hampered their progress.
When I entered this war, I brought order. I united the armies and silenced the political machinations. Muscovites, your people have been fighting since the war began, defending your cold borders on your own. Now, you have your chance for a comeback."
He paused, knowing that every soldier on every front could hear him.
"Our war has lasted only a few years, but now, we shall END the tyranny and destruction that has plagued our continent! Soldiers of the Empire, you witnessed the near destruction of our beloved city, and now, before us lies their own beloved city. We shall repay them for what they have done by tearing their cities down to their very foundations!"
His voice boomed as the soldiers erupted into a wild cheer, a storm of rage and anticipation ready to be unleashed.
"So, fight! Not just for the nation, but for the families waiting for you to return. Fight with discipline and the professionalism that marks you as Draconian Legionnaires!"
With a final command, Alex's voice rang across the battlefield. "CHARGE AT WILL!"
The army surged forward. Bayonets fixed, rifles fired, and tanks roared at full speed, their turrets and mounted guns blazing. A Draconian soldier yelled, "Eat lead, tall boys!" while manning a machine gun turret. Artillerymen moved like machines, lifting the heavy rounds and loading them into the guns with precision.
At the forefront, Alex led the charge. A gray energy surrounded his sword as he sped toward the enemy. Titans on the walls countercharged, with high generals leading the defense. Olympians fought fiercely on the left, some falling to traps and archers.
When the battle reached the defensive lines, hand-to-hand combat erupted. Neither side wanted to break, but Alex moved with ferocious speed, cutting down commanders as he unleashed his bloodlust.
---
**Sean's POV**
BOOM.
I finished off the general who had jumped at me, mistaking me for a worthy opponent. Sadly for him, he was not. Suddenly, a large man with a long sword appeared before me. My personal guards—the Pegasus Knights—were fighting in the background.
"I am Kalin of the Ashford Clan, mercenary captain of the Heavenly Guard," the man declared, his long red hair fluttering in the wind.
"An Eastern man, huh? Surprising to see you fighting for a tyrant," I replied, gripping my sword with both hands, channeling my power into my armor, strengthening my body.
"I go where the money flows, and preventing your empire from becoming a regional power pays well," he sneered, his body cloaked in red energy as he floated into the air, in typical Eastern style.
"Enough flying," I said, appearing in front of him in a blink and swinging my sword down.
BOOM.
Kalin barely managed to block, but the weight of my strike forced him to the ground. As he tried to rebalance himself, I swung down again, but this time, he propelled himself away, just barely escaping. Yet, I was on him again, not giving him a moment to recover.
A sudden shockwave forced me back a few meters. "You bastard! You're a knight! Fight with honor!" Kalin shouted, his facade of confidence shattering as he summoned a flaming eagle from his sword.
"Die!" he roared as his flaming sword charged at me. But I sidestepped, the attack missing me by a hair. His sword turned, attempting to strike from behind, but I caught the tip of the blade between my fingers, looking at him like he was a fool.
"Seriously?" I scoffed.
In a flash, I appeared before him, delivering a headbutt that sent him crashing to the ground. Yet he wasn't finished. He kicked me in the chest, forcing me back several feet, before charging again. I met his advance, but when I swung my sword, it passed through thin air.
*Damn, an afterimage,* I thought, reacting in a millisecond. I reappeared at his left and stabbed my sword forward, piercing his lung. With a quick follow-up, I severed his left leg, sending him collapsing in pain.
But I wasn't done. Grabbing him by the collar, I hurled him into the sky. A few feet up, I gathered energy at the tip of my blade, directing it at him.
"Supernova," I muttered.
A white beam shot toward Kalin. He had a single tear in his eye, realizing his end had come. In a split second, his body was disintegrated by the beam.
"Mercenary captain down. What's next? A god?" I muttered, knowing that in Draconia, I was being treated as a deity for being the keeper of justice. Though, in reality, I was just a man commanding a magic knight order. Alex had plans for creating a pantheon, solidifying his hold on Pangea.
Lucian Velmont of the Red Moon Order approached, along with another man in full black plate armor—the leader of the Eclipse Order.
"What's next?" Lucian asked with a smirk.
"The final battle is about to begin," I replied.
---
**To Be Continued…**