"A council meeting of the division commanders will now take place to discuss the recent developments."
The little man stood before the platform, signifying the start of the meeting, this was none other than Parthan Ulin, the current Emperor of Mankind, who had held his position for nearly three decades, despite his wrinkled appearance, it appeared that he would reign the empire for several more decades, as the imperial bloodline was renowned for its longevity.
Tales whisper of the imperial family's origins rooted in a realm beyond the sea, upon reaching this land, they rapidly subjugated all regional kingdoms within a span of a few years, as a testament to their conquest, they rebranded the entire territory, proclaiming it henceforth as 'Ulin' while designating all human lands and their inhabitants as their rightful possessions.
Faced with an overwhelming adversary who surpassed them in all aspects, the human kingdoms capitulated and submitted to the mercy of the strangers, henceforth, for a millennium, humanity succumbed to the rule of the Ulin family, ushered by the introduction of advanced technology and foreign instruments that the native inhabitants were unfamiliar with, along with instruction on their proper utilization.
Following a millennium of affluence, a different type of invader came on this region, in sharp contrast to its predecessor, it foretold disaster and ruin rather than growth and civilization for humanity, this visitor took the form of an alarming huge tree that appeared unexpectedly in Ulin's southern realm, dividing the heavens in a single day, the deadly Aloki, born of this malicious tree, caused devastation on the land.
Much like the earlier invasion, the humans succumbed with relative ease. However, had the Ulin family not facilitated the preceding advancement, humanity would have been eradicated on the day of the attack two centuries prior, despite the drastic loss of the majority of their lands, humanity managed to safeguard a modest territory that formed the foundation of their current headquarters, this shrinking domain now consisted of but a handful of regions, a stark contrast to their expansive former holdings.
"I shall not waste your time, Commanders. Let us proceed forthwith. Commander of the Seventh Division, kindly furnish us with a comprehensive account of yesterday's events."
Like the rest, my eyes fixated upon the Seventh Division's commander. The towering man I had observed the previous day, with his shaved head and muscular build, was the embodiment of the male physique that women longed for, unlike yesterday, he no longer was bare-chested, he now donned military attire as he prepared to give his report.
"Yesterday, corresponding to the 11th day of the sixth month of the year 1246 of the reign of Ulin, a sudden earthquake struck the city of Etoll situated in the seventh region, the noxious fumes emanating from the factories blanketed the vicinity, leading to widespread visual obstruction and saturating the city's atmosphere with poisonous gases that claimed numerous victims."
Ah yes, that's right. Upon arrival to render assistance, the city was enveloped in those fumes, prompting soldiers to don gas masks in order to safely move within the area, fortuitously, the smoke held no effect over me.
"It so happened that I and a member of the special squad were present in Etoll at the time of the incident. We engaged with the Aloki that surfaced from underground with the forces stationed in Etoll until the support of my Seventh Division, along with other divisions, could arrive. My own Seventh Division arrived within half an hour. The Fourth and Eighth Divisions followed suit, reaching the scene within 40 minutes and an hour, respectively. The Eighth Division Commander and I managed to subdue a ten-tentacle Aloki, while the other Aloki were dispatched within five hours, an inspection lasting two hours was promptly conducted to make sure all the aloki were eliminated."
After the Seventh Division Commander's detailed presentation, he returned to his seat, his ability to repeat such a lengthy report in a single breath without error indicated hours of practice the day before.
Did he say that he and the Eighth Division Commander defeated the Aloki?
My gaze shifted to my own commander, only to see her normally keen eyes soften, is this because he shared his victory with you? Commander, have you truly forgotten the insults you received yesterday at his hands? You should despise him and never forget your anger.
"How did Mr. Jrandreys fare in his first battle?"
Huh!? Is someone actually referring to me by my given name? No one had used my name since I left my cottage, I glanced over to find that the individual addressing me was none other than the Emperor himself, his gaze fixed upon me.
"The smudged man vanquished the Aloki situated near the fifth shelter before proceeding southward to the main battleground, although his arrival was subsequent to the main conflict's end, he played a crucial role in the subsequent examination, eradicating numerous Aloki singlehandedly."
Once more, someone addressed to me by my title rather than my name. "Sigh," I thank you, Commander, for awakening me, the mention of my name rekindled emotions I thought I had forgotten, your irritating tone acted as a reminder that I had a name.
Furthermore, if you're going to state that I arrived after the major battle, you should also mention that you were the one who sent me to the shelter beforehand.
"I am delighted to hear that, especially after Mr. Gar's disappearance and Mr. Fei's disability. I hope Mr. Jrandreys will be with us when we finally vanquish the Aloki and restore our homeland.
Why is this old man smiling at me? Is he unaware that I, the Smudged Man, and the Aloki have a shared origin? Should not humanity loathe me?... Ah, right, the Ulin Imperial Family is not human either, despite their amazing similarity to humans."
Perhaps because he isn't human, he harbors no ill will towards me, first and foremost, all of the Aloki' victims were human, never has a member of the imperial family taken part in combat on the front lines, the duty of the Outer and Inner Imperial Guards is to ensure that the imperial family remains safe and secure from the Aloki, as well as from humans themselves.
"Although the aftermath of the calamity was dire, we managed to safeguard the Seventh region, which is cause for celebration, particularly given the substantial losses we've endured over past years. Commander of the Seventh Division, Khato Om, I extend my gratitude for your efforts, and I earnestly hope that you and your courageous division will persevere in safeguarding humanity with your heroic endeavors."
The Commander of the Seventh Division bowed and declared that he would do everything in his power to carry out his duties.
Did the emperor really invite us here just to convey this?
"Specialized teams will soon arrive in the seventh region to begin restoration efforts and eliminate the remaining harmful vapors. Refugees will be temporarily transferred to the nearby fourth and eighth regions while the seventh region is restored. Commander Khato will assign members of his own division as he sees fit, while the remaining teams will remain alert. The experience demonstrated that another invasion can occur at any time and from any area."
"Are there any inquiries or questions from the assembled commanders before we conclude this meeting?"
This man truly summoned us here merely to utter those two brief phrases, how idle he is. It appears that he has nothing else to do within the confines of his elaborate palace and thus called for this assembly.
A figure raised their hand and got up to address Commander Khato, saying, "I have a question for Commander Khato, Your majesty." The speaker was my father, the Commander of the Fourth Division.
"Sure, Commander Arkan. Please feel free to ask your question commander Khato?"
"Feel free to inquire as you wish" Commander Khato said quickly.
"I believe you may recall the previous conflict that occurred in the Fifth region three months ago, which compelled us to evacuate the area permanently."
The atmosphere thickened the instant my father touched upon the subject of the Fifth region. Everyone's gazes hardened, and the air grew denser. I wasn't part of the previous engagement since I was still rehabilitating and not yet ready to fight. The Aloki encroached on the Fifth region following their victory over the Tenth and Ninth, despite the presence of all the commanders. The string of losses was the most significant of its kind, surpassed only by the initial battles at the start of the invasion 200 years prior.
"Cut to the chase, Commander Arkan, what is your question?" The Seventh Division Commander's annoyance was evident.
"My question, Commander Khato, is whether the same entity that overpowered us in the Fifth region battle is part of this assault, specifically referring to the advanced Aloki."