As the dust settled, the newcomer's silhouette came into view, and it was clear that another monster had entered the fray. The person facing them was once again a warrior, but one that seemed much older than Alexander, and whilst dwarfed by his stature, he was still a formidable presence, standing at nearly 6'7" and about 300 pounds. His visage also bore the rugged charm of a seasoned soldier: sharp, defined features, a mane of brown hair pulled back into a man bun, and a scruffy, gray-streaked beard that was more a symbol of his ruggedness than any attempt at grooming. At the same time, his attire was a masterful blend of aesthetics and functionality. He donned a suit of steel armor, its surface glinting in the sunlight, and had a sword hanging at his side, a magnificent piece that made the former King's blade seem cheap in comparison. Even the armor's quality, though clearly inferior, bore the hallmarks of expert craftsmanship. Yet, these were merely superficial details, as the truly intimidating aspect was the halo he exuded — a deadly, bloodthirsty aura that had been earned from countless battles and lives taken.
"General, this isn't an easy opponent."
"Hehehe, you can feel it too."
After observing the two men for a little while, the new arrival spoke once more.
"Are you surprised by this trick? You mustn't be familiar with enchantments if that's the case."
His voice was deep and resonant while also laced with wisdom that echoed the innumerous years he'd spent on the battlefield. It was a voice that could command legions, yet held an underlying hint of amusement.
"I prefer to fight with my sword."
Alexander's voice trembled with excitement and adrenaline. At his peak, his strength had been unrivaled, and although currently only at a fifth of it, he couldn't wait to see his worth in this new realm. The thrill of the unknown was just incessantly calling his name.
"My name's Alexander, Alexander the Third of Macedon. What's yours?"
"I am Commander Garland, Trevor Garland."
The General's dark eyes blazed with an insatiable hunger for battle, his current expression terrifying those who had the misfortune of witnessing it.
"Have you come to accept my request?"
"Of course."
Alexander unleashed his sword with unmatched authority before pointing it towards his opponent, the challenge evident. Its sheer size was staggering, with it dwarfing Trevor's by nearly two-fold while also clearly being in a weight class of its own, which made Trevor's mouth twitch in response. He knew that wielding such a thing required inhuman strength and years of experience. This would be way more interesting than he had initially anticipated.
After observing him for a few more moments, he too seized his sword before assuming a combat stance, which was the signal Alexander had been waiting for. The latter then immediately lowered his center of gravity before leaping forward with speed that should have been impossible for a man his size. This rushed opening sent a jolt of surprise through Trevor, which forced him to take a hasty step back into a defensive position. Meanwhile, Alexander, now barely a meter away, noticed this and decided to savagely swing his sword, an exploratory strike intending on measuring his opponent's strength. He wanted, no, needed to know if this man was worthy. The sword cut through the air with frightening precision and speed, its whistle a grim symphony that echoed in its wake as the onlookers gasped in awe.
"This is good, but it's not nearly enough."
Before the strike could even connect, his adversary had vanished from his position before suddenly reappearing behind him.
"You might not be familiar with magic, but that doesn't mean I won't use it."
Alexander's eyes widened in shock. Was this teleportation, or was it merely physical prowess so immense that he had failed to track him? Either way, it just felt… wonderful.
Trevor didn't waste an instant before also swinging his sword with technique that was on par with the former King, who now seemed utterly defenseless. Lloyd, who had quickly seized the opportunity to learn from this, heaved at the turn of events.
Was Alexander weak, or were Arcadia's natives this strong?!
"INTERESTING!!!"
Alexander roared, his head spinning around with blinding speed to meet the incoming blade head-on. It was reckless, even suicidal to some degree, but that wasn't what shocked the Commander. No, it was the fact that the General's face expressed… ecstasy? Who'd be cathartic in such a moment?! As for Christopher, he knew that these were just his instincts flaring up, the ones that had led him to all his conquests. During that moment, he couldn't help but imagine an 'unchained' version of him on a battlefield, which sent goosebumps through his body. He was simply a monster in all senses of the word…
At nearly the same time, the General's body followed suit, meeting Trevor's sword with his own in a powerful collision that sent shockwaves rippling through the vicinity, once again knocking down any soldier that had managed to regain footing.
"Fuck… I didn't expect you to be so strong!"
Trevor couldn't believe it. He was amongst Gruzia's top brass, yet here he was, exerting himself against an unknown opponent. Who was he and where the hell had he come from?! But just as he was about to disengage from the exchange, Alexander's complexion became even more sinister, his dark and soulless eyes beginning to lightly glow.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The pressure, which had already been nigh unbearable, suddenly tripled in strength, nearly sending even Garland to his knees. His subordinates, however, all instantly met the ground with their faces, completely pinned down and powerless. The bystanders also felt the tremendous change in energy, making them retreat even further away. For them, it felt like a calamity had suddenly descended upon the world.
"How… How can this be..."
Garland was incredulous. This power was beyond anything he'd ever encountered. His every tactic, every trick, all rendered pointless. The chasm between them was simply too vast to bridge. Meanwhile, Lloyd had just received a notification that made him grin.
[Subordinate
This was sensational, as the General's power was currently at its zenith. This was what the current Alexander could do.
"Commander, do you have anything else?"
The former King's voice was heavy, with each word feeling more insulting than the last for Trevor. Was he being ridiculed?! After all the bloody battles he had endured?!
"I guess not. Time to finish this."
But before Alexander could deal the final blow, Lloyd decided that it was time to intervene.
"GUARD Alexander! Enough. I assume your curiosity has been satisfied. Please remember our purpose in coming here."
His voice echoed like a peal of thunder, which immediately jolted the General from his battle trance. Lloyd was correct. They were here for a reason, and humiliating one of the Empire's commanders would achieve nothing, especially since this place was currently essential to their future. Plus, he had now seen what they could roughly do, making this spar very informative.
Without waiting a second more, he withdrew his abilities, much to the relief of everyone in the affected area.
"I'm sorry, Commander. It seems I got carried away. Please accept this apology of mine."
Alexander slightly bowed towards Trevor, who became shell-shocked. Had he just heard correctly?
"Are… are you really a guard?"
He gritted his teeth, but agreed nonetheless. This was a necessary deception, even if it rankled his pride. As the words began to sink in, Garland started to laugh uncontrollably.
"Hahahahaha… One of Gruzia's commanders… Losing to a mere bodyguard... My age must've finally caught up to me."
His laughter then continued, long enough for the bystanders to think he had gone mad. However, he soon stopped before turning to Alexander once again.
"No, I don't think it's my age..."
Trevor's eyes were exuding, instead of hatred, a newfound respect, a respect given due to the trials and horrors faced in order to acquire such strength. After all, everything came at a price, and it was clear that Alexander had paid a steep one.
"Again, I'm truly sorry for the disturbance we've caused. Is it still possible to conduct our business in Gruzia?"
The engineer had decided that now was the time to move on, and so he immediately came before the commander while apologetically bowing. He had to know if there was any way to salvage this. Trevor, who was surprised by the question and his apologetic behavior, laughed loudly once more.
"Hahaha of course! Even if I lost, I'm not that bad of a sport to deny entry to someone who was already authorized. However, you'll need to be escorted by someone during your visit. I'd be failing at my job if I didn't monitor someone who defeated me. I hope you understand my concern."
"It's a very reasonable request that we'll accept."
Lloyd was beyond relieved. Their plan was still on track!
"As to whom, I guess I'll assign Alejandro, since he was the first you guys met."
Alejandro, whose body was still reeling from the earlier wrath, choked. Him? Watching over this monster? Had the Commander lost his mind?! As the guard tried to wildly protest, a shadow atop the wall abruptly disappeared into thin air…
⁂
"Oh? Someone defeated Trevor? How interesting."
"Emperor, shouldn't we immediately neutralize this threat?"
"Why? As far as I'm concerned, he's an asset that should be recruited to our side. If your report is accurate, that is."
"I swear I witnessed it all, Emperor, and it was unlike anything I've ever seen. He might even be able to go against our Five Greats."
A sneaky smile appeared on the shadowy figure.
"That's great. Keep a close eye on them, but remain discreet. We don't want to create the wrong impression, do we?"
"Will do, Emperor."