The Supreme Teigu, the first and strongest of all Imperial Arms, is said to be the origin of all Imperial Arms, known as the "Shikoutazer." Legend has it that it possesses powers comparable to that of gods, and only those of royal blood can wield it.
"What... what is that?"
The soldiers on the battlefield, engaged in brutal combat, suddenly froze in place, turning their gazes toward the distance. Their swords hung limply at their sides.
"What kind of monster is this?"
The soldiers present swallowed nervously, taking several steps back as their faces filled with terror.
Amidst a deafening rumble, an enormous figure emerged from the clouds of dust and smoke.
It was a colossal entity, so large that the towering castle barely reached its chest—likely several hundred meters tall. Compared to it, houses looked like mere matchboxes, and humans appeared as insignificant as ants.
This spectacle defied human imagination. The soldiers on the battlefield stared, dumbfounded, at the gigantic monstrosity before them, resembling a massive mountain.
Some quick-witted soldiers had already discarded their weapons and quietly begun to flee.
As the soldiers were unsure of what to do, the Supreme Teigu's mouth slowly opened, a glowing sphere forming at its center. The sphere grew larger and brighter, exuding an overwhelming aura.
In the blinding light, the sphere suddenly exploded, shooting a massive beam of light across the battlefield.
Boom!
The light erupted, sweeping through the battlefield. When the blinding light finally subsided, a deep chasm, resembling a canyon, stretched across the land, dividing the battlefield in two.
Those caught in the path of the beam had been vaporized, reduced to nothing but ash.
"What is that thing?"
"Run!"
"Look out!"
As the battlefield descended into chaos, another beam of light shot toward the soldiers.
Boom!
Another flash of white light burst across the sky, shining even brighter than the sun. A massive mushroom cloud soared into the sky, the explosion deafening. The resulting shockwave, combined with a fierce gale, roared across the land like a tsunami.
The soldiers on the battlefield didn't have time to escape—they were incinerated in the explosion and intense heat, leaving no remains.
"Hahahahaha!"
A mad laugh echoed from within the Supreme Teigu. The deep voice belonged to none other than Prime Minister Honest.
"Hahahaha, this power... this is exactly what I craved!" Honest bellowed with maniacal laughter. "Finally, I have this kind of power!"
With each step Honest took, the massive body of the Supreme Teigu moved, emerging from the palace. As it advanced, houses, shops, and even skyscrapers were crushed into dust. No structure could withstand its might—everything crumbled like sandcastles before it.
With only a few steps, it had already reached the battlefield.
"Princess of the Imperial Guard!" Honest's voice boomed arrogantly. "Before me, you're all ants. I will crush every single one of you! Anyone who defies my orders will die!"
With Honest's furious roar, a beam of white light shot across the sky, tearing through the battlefield.
Its target: the Imperial Guard and Imperial Army engaged in battle. Now drunk on power, Honest no longer cared about anyone's lives—not even his own soldiers.
Boom!
The white beam crashed into the battlefield, triggering a massive explosion. The ground caved in, rocks shattered, and waves of dust and flames rolled across the land.
Any Imperial soldiers who hadn't moved in time were vaporized by the radiant light.
Those who survived crawled from the rubble, stunned by what they saw.
The battlefield was now marred by several massive craters—like impact sites from falling meteors—each at least a thousand meters in diameter and impossibly deep. Bits of smoldering debris lay scattered, filling the air with a pungent, burnt smell.
"He... he's killing his own men?" an Imperial soldier muttered in disbelief.
"This is madness," another soldier growled through clenched teeth. "We're risking our lives for him, and now he's trying to kill us too!"
"What kind of person do you think he is? You should know by now."
A voice suddenly spoke from nearby.
The Imperial soldiers, startled, grabbed their fallen swords and turned toward the source of the voice, ready to fight.
Emerging from the thick smoke and dust was a lean figure clad in armor, holding a massive sword. Though slender, the figure radiated immense strength. It was none other than Ieyasu, leader of the Imperial Guard.
"You're with the Imperial Guard!" one of the Imperial soldiers shouted, warily watching Ieyasu's approach.
"Yes, I am," Ieyasu responded firmly. "And haven't you realized yet? That prime minister doesn't care about you at all. To him, you're nothing but cannon fodder. Once you're no longer useful, he'll discard you like trash."
"How dare you call us trash!" an enraged Imperial soldier tightened his grip on his weapon and prepared to charge.
Before he could move, another soldier—clearly a higher-ranking officer—held him back.
"Wait! Don't act rashly," the officer said.
"Captain!" the furious soldier hissed, but ultimately lowered his sword, glaring at Ieyasu with hatred.
"He has a point," the officer said solemnly. "We've been risking our lives for the prime minister, yet he doesn't even care about us. Now he wants to kill us along with the enemy. Why should we keep fighting for him?"
The other Imperial soldiers exchanged uncertain glances. Their weapons slowly lowered as they contemplated the truth of their situation. The atmosphere grew tense and heavy.