Chapter 29 Incoming!
16th March 11AE, 23:37 at dusk.
Near the northeastern mountain range, two imposing peaks rose majestically, their sheer height and expansive presence resembling guardians at the entrance to the northeastern frontier.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the surrounding mountains cast long shadows over the valley, shrouding it in darkness.
At this moment, the soldiers on the walls and sentries heightened their vigilance. They knew the first wave of the beast tide was anticipated to arrive any moment.
Under the illumination of the lights, they kept a vigilant watch for any signs of trouble.
Lt. Colonel Gran stood tall, his eyes fixed on the ever-shifting details of the approaching beast horde.
Despite his Annasi heritage, his robust build, authoritative demeanor, and thick beard bore a striking resemblance to the Panthera race, a lineage known for its commanding presence and intimidation.
Given his formidable presence, it wouldn't be surprising if Lt. Colonel Gran had some Panthera blood coursing through his veins.
Meanwhile, his adjutant and deputy, Major Dell, stood behind him. He exuded a scholarly air. As a descendant of the elven bloodline, he possessed innate talent as an awakener within the army.
Even before the great disaster, Major Dell's family ancestors had migrated to the continent long ago. Over generations, they had established themselves and developed a deep attachment to the land. Many of his relatives had served faithfully in the garrison and the army.
The two of them were calmly monitoring the approaching beast horde.
Through the monitors and hologram projection, they can see the details of each beast inside the horde. The computers were operating extensively to identify and count all the beasts in this wave.
"How was the analysis coming?" Lt. Colonel Gran asked the monitoring team.
"Sir," the chief of the monitoring officers reported, "At the moment, we've observed over 40,000 beasts and counting in the first wave. Based on current projections, they're expected to cross the 70km mark in another two and a half hours."
Major Dell followed up. "Has any of these beasts been identified as a new species? And what's the estimated count of aerial beasts?"
The chief responded confidently, "As of right now, all the beast species we've observed are recorded in our database. There haven't been any unusual sightings."
"As for aerial beasts, we've identified a group of Vulcan Eagles, numbering 134 eagles," he continued.
"Display the projected path of the Vulcan Eagles on the screen," ordered Lt. Colonel Gran.
"Yes, sir."
Soon, on the screen, among the red dots representing the advancing beasts, a cluster of dots labeled 'Vulcan Eagles' appeared, indicating their trajectory. These dots were rapidly closing in on their location.
Simultaneously, aerial images captured by UAVs revealed the formidable appearance of the red-feathered eagles, a sight that could instill fear in any ordinary onlooker.
Lt. Colonel Gran observed the rapidly approaching red dots and asked, "Are our marksmen ready?"
"Yes, sir. They've been in position since early this afternoon awaiting orders," came the reply.
"Excellent. Authorize them to engage the Vulcan Eagles at will. Ensure they receive real-time updates on the eagles' positions for prompt response. Instruct their captain to prioritize their safety and avoid unnecessary risks.
Also, inform the patrols to take cover and avoid direct encounters with the eagles," he instructed.
"Yes, sir."
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Perched near the edge of the mountain cliff, a sturdy stone and brick structure overlooked the valley below, offering an advantageous vantage point. A team of marksmen had been standing by and ready to engage in the battle.
They were a group of elite shooter teams, that specialized in battles against the awakened beasts.
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Since the world's Aura Qi began to recover, its influence extended beyond humans to encompass beasts, animals, and plants.
Interestingly, compared to the Sentient Race/humanity, the beasts were more prone to mutation by the chaotic Aura Qi. This susceptibility led to rapid changes in their characteristics.
If we categorize the first-generation ancestors created by the Creator as Gen 1, the subsequent generations after generations of adapting to changes and experiencing bloodline dilution would be called Gen 2, Gen 3, Gen 4, and finally Gen 5.
Following this lineage, beasts that had devolved from their sentient form could be classified as Gen 6.
And, there were fundamental advantages and disadvantages between Gen 5 and Gen 6 respectively.
While a Gen 5 humanity retained their ancestors' characteristics and had stable gene/bloodline in their body (thus saving them from being mutated), it also had the disadvantage of no longer being able to sense Aura Qi easily.
So, unless someone helped them or they had a great affinity (a.k.a. talent) to a certain cultivation path, it would be hard for ordinary people to awaken, even with the advent of Aura Qi recovering.
On the other hand, Gen 6 beasts no longer retained their humanity, living like animals, but thanks to their unstable gene/bloodline, for better or worse, they were more susceptible to Aura Qi and could easily awaken.
It could only be attributed that the world is relatively fair.
For beasts who could only cultivate instinctively, it allows them to enter the cultivation path more easily.
On the other hand, humanity (regardless of whether it was the Annasi race, Elven race, Phoenix race, and so on), who had their wisdom, could have better control of Aura Qi and build a more solid foundation in their cultivation path.
Because of this, on Blanc Planet and other planets where Aura Qi recovery occurred, there was a significantly higher number of awakened beasts compared to awakened humans.
In contrast, while humanity cannot win in quantity, they have the advantage of quality. Many of the awakeners were considered the elite, capable of fighting against a group of beasts.
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"Roger that. We'll be preparing to intercept them soon," said Captain Vlad.
His name was Vlad Silverleaf, known for his tall, slender frame and elven features, including sharp facial contours and piercing green eyes.
He was a Mortal Level 7 awakened. His path was the spiritual path where he could use his senses to detect enemy attacks. He has a sharp sixth sense.
He was known to be stoic, humble, and reserved, beloved by his subordinates for his loyalty and concern for their safety. Vlad was unmatched in marksmanship and approached every situation with calm assessment.
He led a group of 200 elite marksmen, each equipped with cutting-edge magic rifles and finely crafted leather armor etched with elven runes.
"How was it, captain?" his adjutant, Selena, asked.
She was a lithe and graceful elven woman. She had a flowing chestnut hair tied back in a practical ponytail. She was responsible for assisting their captain in analysis and planning.
Everyone else on the team was watching him with eager eyes. They had been stuck here on standby for hours without any news and their
They knew that the call was from the command post. It should be that their captain was given their first target in this battle.
Sure enough, their captain didn't disappoint them. He heard him say, "Command had given our first target. It is the Vulcan Eagles. A total of 134 heads heading straight here."
The Vulcan Eagles, one of the awakened species of the Eagle beast, inherited some characteristics from their Aquilin race ancestry. They retained their swiftness and agility but exhibited heightened aggression and susceptibility to provocation.
As an awakened species, it was named Vulcan because of its great affinity and sensitivity to fire elements.
At this time, the command center had synchronized the data of the Vulcan Eagles' movement with everyone on the team.
"As you can see, these birds would arrive in 45 minutes," their captain continued.
"If it's Vulcan Eagle, we cannot use fire element skills or firearms. These eagles' sensitivity to sparks are on a different level," a member of his team added.
"Speaking of levels, it seems we have six eagles at Mortal Level 6, about 21 at Mortal Level 5, and 30 at Mortal Level 4. The remainders are a mix of Mortal Levels 1, 2, and 3," Selena said.
"There's something else we need to figure out. Wouldn't a pack of Mortal Levels 6 and 5 typically be led by a Beast King? But from our observation, there's no Beast King among the Vulcan Eagles."
"That's strange. There's no way the base's radar couldn't detect such a large energy reading from beasts above Mortal Level 7."
"In that case, there's a strong possibility that the Beast King has learned skills similar to stealth."
"That would be troublesome."
While his subordinates discussed among themselves, Captain Vlad had already inquired with the base regarding the possibility of a Beast King appearing. However, those in the command center only informed him that he had full authority to respond to such situations as he deemed fit.
Or, in simpler terms, they have no additional powerhouse to reinforce them. He and his team can only deal with the situation by themselves.
Hearing this, Captain Vlad felt overwhelmed. He had a headache thinking about it.
Fighting a Beast King alone would be a difficult task of its own. But do they need to take down one while dozens of mini-boss-level creatures and dozens of minions were disturbing them? That would make the battle much tougher.
"Okay, listen up."
As soon as Captain Vlad began to talk, everyone quieted down.
"First, I need Dark Eye to monitor the surroundings for any signs of a Vulcan Eagles' Beast King while we deal with these 134 eagles. Keep a close eye on changes in the battlefield, especially in the direction of the clouds. The Beast King might be using the clouds to conceal its presence."
"On the other hand, Selena, Thorne, Lyra, and I will swiftly take down all six Mortal Level 6 eagles. Even though Thorne and Lyra are only at Mortal Level 5, ambushing them shouldn't pose a problem."
"Those of you in Mortal Levels 4 and 3, your task is to delay and disrupt the Mortal Levels 4 and 5 Vulcan Eagles. If you get the opportunity to take them out, seize it, but prioritize your safety and keep them occupied while the four of us handle the Mortal Level 6 eagles."
"As for the rest of you, with your numbers and Mortal Level 3 abilities, you should have no trouble dealing with the smaller threats, correct?" Vlad finished his instructions with a question.
"Yes, sir. We'll get it done," they responded earnestly, though their excitement was evident in their eyes.