This morning, as usual, Cipto walked leisurely through his newly rebuilt headquarters. After being destroyed countless times, the headquarters, now a symbol of his absolute power, stood tall once again, equipped with the most advanced technology and best protection.
In a luxurious room, his eldest son, Arkan, was practicing with a golden staff resembling his father's. Despite being only 14 years old, Arkan had shown extraordinary potential as the successor of the family.
However, the peace didn't last long.
Bad News Arrives An explosion rocked the western side of the headquarters. Armed guards immediately took action, and alarms blared throughout the facility. Cipto hurried to the command center, where monitors displayed a sudden attack by an unknown group.
"Report!" Cipto growled.
Rose appeared next to him, her face tense. "This attack is just a diversion, Commander. They've come for something… or someone."
"What do you mean?"
At that moment, Erwin's face appeared on the screen. His expression was serious. "They've kidnapped Arkan."
The room went completely silent. Fury erupted in Cipto's eyes—cold and terrifying.
"Who?" he asked, his tone flat but lethal.
Rose swallowed hard. "According to reports, it's the leader of Horizon Black… Raventhir."
That name hung in the air. Everyone in the room knew the story about Raventhir, the one person believed to match Cipto's power and strategy.
"He's crossed the line," Cipto hissed. "Prepare the troops. And… call Erwin."
The Counterattack Begins It didn't take long for Cipto to mobilize his forces. With his elite soldiers and incredible power, he led a direct assault on the Horizon Black headquarters, located in a remote mountain region.
However, something unexpected occurred as they stepped outside. A massive explosion struck the heart of their headquarters—the one that Cipto had rebuilt barely a month ago.
"Commander! We're being attacked from within!" Rose screamed.
"Let it be," Cipto said coldly. "The building can be repaired. But Arkan must be rescued."
He slammed his staff onto the ground, creating a shockwave that neutralized all incoming attacks around him. With one great leap, Cipto launched toward the Horizon Black base, disregarding the destruction of his own headquarters behind him.
The Horizon Black Headquarters Raventhir had prepared his headquarters meticulously. Mind-blowing alien technology and futuristic defense systems made his fortress seem impregnable. But inside a sealed room, he stood with Arkan tied in the center.
"You're very calm for someone holding the son of the Supreme Commander hostage," Arkan taunted.
"You're very calm for someone who knows that your father won't survive here," Raventhir replied with a cold smile.
However, Raventhir didn't expect Cipto to arrive so quickly. Before he could activate his full defenses, the outer walls of the fortress exploded. Cipto's body, surrounded by a glowing golden aura, stood amidst the dust and rubble.
"Raventhir," Cipto's voice boomed throughout the room. "Bring my son here, now."
Raventhir grinned. "You're too confident, Cipto. This time, you're in my territory."
He slammed his black staff into the floor, and a red rune circle lit up beneath him. Darkness aura enveloped the entire room, and the two mighty forces prepared for battle.
Titan Clash The collision of the two great powers created havoc across the base. Raventhir unleashed bursts of dark energy powerful enough to destroy mountains, but Cipto blocked the attacks with his bare hands, his golden aura protecting him from all damage.
The two leapt and exchanged blows, shattering the fortress's walls. Raventhir managed to land a powerful strike on Cipto, but the Supreme Commander's incredible regeneration allowed him to heal within seconds.
But Cipto didn't only rely on his physical strength. With sharp strategy, he exploited Raventhir's arrogance and caught him off guard. When Raventhir attempted to launch another major attack, Cipto targeted the weak point of the runic defense on the floor, destroying Raventhir's entire energy system with a single strike.
"You should have stopped when you had the chance," Cipto said, his voice full of power.
With one devastating blow from his staff, Raventhir was thrown into the wall and fell, helpless.
Mission Accomplished Cipto rushed over to his son, who was bound. He easily shattered the chains binding Arkan and pulled him into a warm embrace.
"Daddy will always come," he whispered.
Arkan smiled faintly, despite trembling. "I knew you would, Dad."
Across the room, Raventhir tried to rise for one last time, but Erwin, who had just arrived, stopped him.
"Stay down. Today belongs to our Commander," Erwin said while holding back Raventhir's weak body.
Cipto carried Arkan out, leaving the ruins of Horizon Black's fortress once again. Beneath the shadows of destruction, Raventhir was forced to admit his opponent's superiority.
Return with Honor After two hours of intense battle, Cipto finally returned to his headquarters—or what was left of it. The large building, which had just been completed, was once again reduced to rubble.
Rose waited outside, her face a mixture of exhaustion and concern. "Our headquarters… destroyed again."
"Our builders are going to go crazy," Erwin added with a small laugh.
However, to Cipto, none of it mattered. He looked at Arkan, now safe in his arms, and said with full conviction, "The headquarters can be rebuilt. But my family… they are my top priority."
Everyone knew that although the headquarters had been destroyed thousands of times, as long as Cipto was around, nothing could shake the United Kingdom of Asia.