Allan seethed with rage as he watched Ares walk away, his chest heaving with each breath. Since assuming his position as Supreme Commander, no one had ever threatened or disregarded him like Ares just did. Just like the Gods and Goddesses of War, everyone—both military personnel and civilians—practically worshipped him and tried to curry favor with him.
But in front of Ares, things were different; it was as if he was nothing.
His anger was so intense that his knuckles had turned white, almost bleeding. If only he could chase after Ares and unleash his fury, but he knew he couldn't. Since even the emperor had done nothing when the punk threatened and challenged him, who was he to act? It wasn't like he could do anything even if he wanted anyway.
After all, the Gods and Goddesses of War were present and they were so filial and loyal towards Ares.
Gritting his teeth, he could only watch helplessly as Ares continued walking until his back disappeared and his shadow with him. As soon as that happened, Allan, as if he had been waiting for that, exploded in a fit of rage. "I want to kill that punk! I want to kill him with my bare hands!" he shouted.
The Gods and Goddesses of War exchanged glances, amusement flickering across their faces. Their Master and Lord had been in the room just a second ago, and Allan hadn't dared to speak. But as soon as he left, he started making a scene.
What a coward, they thought.
From the corner of his eye, Allan happened to see their amused expressions. Knowing exactly why they were amused, he became even more infuriated. "And what's so funny? Do you think I'm a clown here for your amusement?" he glowered at them.
"Perhaps," one of the Goddesses of War brazenly replied, shrugging her shoulders.
"What did you just say? Do you dare repeat it?!" Allan bellowed, shuddering with rage.
But despite his fury, the Goddess of War remained unconcerned. She gazed past him as if he were invisible, ignoring his presence, his anger, and his question.
However, one of the Gods of War decided to respond on her behalf. Chuckling, he said coolly, "Supreme Commander, as humans, we naturally have no control over our expressions, so why are you so worked up over something we can't control? And why are you challenging Calista to repeat herself? Do you think she wouldn't?
"Heh, don't forget we are not under your command nor are we your subordinates, so we can challenge you as much as we want and you can do nothing about it. You might be the Supreme Commander, but we the Gods and Goddesses of War don't fear you! We only respect you, but don't ever mistake that as fear! The only person we fear is our Master! I've spoken too much so I'll end my speech with this: our Master just left so I believe he hasn't gone far. If you truly wish to kill him, why not chase after him? I assure you, none of us will stop you."
Allan's lips twitched at the last remark. He couldn't believe that the God of War had figured out why he hadn't dared to attack Ares. It shocked him even more to realize that the young man had also figured out exactly what he was hiding and was now using it to toy with him. He wouldn't have asked him to chase after Ares if he hadn't!
Though he had used the excuse of the Gods and Goddesses of War being present in the room as a reason for not attacking Ares, coupled with the fact that the emperor hadn't acted against Ares when he threatened and challenged him, the truth was that those were not actually the main reason he refused to chase after Ares.
The main reason was that Ares was formidable, and he was not sure he could defeat him. In simpler terms, he was scared of him! And who wouldn't be? Ares was, after all, the embodiment of death itself. Some rumors even suggested he might actually be the devil in human form.
"You are still standing here, Supreme Commander. Don't you want to kill our Master anymore, or could it be that you are scared?" Calista mocked with a grin.
"Hahaha," instead of the reaction the Gods and Goddesses of War expected to get from him, Allan instead burst out laughing. "Indeed, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." He shook his head and turned to the emperor, suddenly adopting an aggrieved expression. "You've seen it all, Your Imperial Majesty. Not only am I insignificant in front of that punk, but even the Gods and Goddesses of War also think nothing of me. I guess the title of Supreme Commander has now become a joke in Carrington!"
"This punk, is he trying to use me to deal with the Gods and Goddesses of War?" the emperor cursed inwardly, his expression slightly darkening. He remained silent for a while before turning to gaze at the Gods and Goddesses of War. Calmly, he said, "For the first time ever in the history of Carrington, twelve civilians were allowed to fight the war with military ranks without being enlisted into the military.
"They were allowed to take the sacred oath that binds every soldier of Carrington. All this because they were single handedly picked by an unparalleled figure, an existence incomparable to none and were contributing immensely to the victory of the war. But now, the war has ended.
"And though twelve revered Gods and Goddesses of War, twelve national heroes, to continue enjoying the benefits allocated to military personnels and keep your positions, you have to be enlisted. Otherwise, you will be stripped of your military-given positions."
The Gods and Goddesses of War exchanged glances, shocked by this proclamation. Meanwhile, Allan secretly grinned. If the Gods and Goddesses of War were to be normally enlisted, they would naturally become his subordinates, regardless of their revered status.
Hah! When he spoke earlier, he'd just wanted to test the waters. Who would have thought the emperor would actually go against the Gods and Goddesses of War just for him! He was over the moon!
"Hahaha," Calista shook her head and burst into boisterous laughter, her body shaking from the sheer force of it.
"Hahaha," another Goddess of War joined in, her laughter echoing through the room. Soon, all twelve Gods and Goddesses of War were laughing, creating a sound so unusual it seemed to make the temperature fluctuate wildly. Suddenly, as if controlled by a single remote, their laughter ceased.
As that happened, Calista took a step forward, her gaze fixed on the emperor. "Your Imperial Majesty," she bowed gracefully before saying coolly, her brows narrowed, "First, you stripped our Master of his authority, and now you are indirectly trying to strip us of our military positions.
"Is this your way of punishing us for challenging the Supreme Commander, or are you trying to take away whatever remaining power our Master holds over the military? After all, you clearly know as long as we are in the picture, he would receive whatever military help he requires whether approved by House of Astralis or not."
A God of War stepped forward, picking up where Calista left off. "It's really a pity that a ruler like you, who should be treating his heroes with utmost care, is treating them this way. It makes us wonder what our Lord did to make you so opposed to him."
A Goddess of War continued the speech seamlessly. "Nevertheless, whatever your reasons are, you should be glad to know that you have succeeded, as we would never enlist and become Allan Montgomery's subordinates. We only have one Lord and Master, and would never have or serve another! We live for him and would gladly die for him!"
As soon as she finished, two Gods of War stepped forward, speaking in unison. "Nothing can ever be compared to our Master. Tonight, we leave, and as you wish, we leave our military positions behind!"
In perfect synchronization, they dipped their hands into their pockets, pulled out their badges, and walked to the round table in the center of the room, placing the badges there. Then, they turned to the emperor and gave him a crisp military salute. "It has been an honor serving you and the nation at large," they said in unison. With that final statement, they turned and walked away.
"Master, wait for us!" Barely out of the room, Calista yelled, her voice brimming with excitement. She did not look one bit like someone who had just been unjustly stripped of her military position.
The same could be said for the rest of the Gods and Goddesses of War.
Frantic footsteps echoed as they exited the meeting room, and soon the space was enveloped in silence.
"Hmm. I can't believe this," the emperor muttered, shaking his head. For the first time tonight, his mouth parted in shock.