Muria's expression turned strange. Ever since his birth as a child of Titans and dragons, no one had ever suggested that he flee from an equal opponent.
For a Titan, running away from an opponent of the same rank was an absurd notion—so much so that it wasn't even worth imagining. No Titan would ever do such a thing; anyone who did could hardly be called a Titan.
"Jeros, this isn't retreating. It's a strategic withdrawal necessitated by the overwhelming power difference between us and the enemy. Charging into battle under these circumstances would be sheer foolishness."
"You're right; the power disparity is significant." Muria nodded in agreement.
"Then let's retreat quickly."
"No, you're mistaken about one thing. The ones holding the advantage are us—not the aliens."
"Jeros, I understand that asking you to retreat hurts your pride. But please believe me, the Celestial Descendants are incredibly powerful. Facing any one of their generals requires a titled Star Knight to go all out, and even a moment's lapse can result in death."
The elder, typically mild-tempered, became firm upon noticing Muria's clear intent to confront the enemy. In his eyes, Muria's value to the family far exceeded that of the million soldiers or the priceless strategic supplies he sought to protect. For Muria to risk his life fighting three alien generals was the worst possible decision.
"Those generals are indeed formidable opponents for Star Knights, but I am not a Star Knight—I'm a martial artist."
"But…" The elder was now visibly panicking, realizing that Muria was determined to fight.
"Jeros, didn't you promise the other elders that you would retreat when faced with an insurmountable enemy?"
"Yes, I did promise that. If I face an invincible foe, I will retreat," Muria said, standing up with a calm smile as he sensed several foreign presences approaching.
"But the ones coming for me now are not beyond my ability to handle, so I'm not breaking my promise to the elders."
"Did you not hear what I just said? At least three alien generals are heading this way. How do you plan to deal with them?" The elder's face was lined with worry, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"There are five generals. No big deal." Muria closed his eyes briefly, sensing the distinctly alien life auras drawing closer, and stated the staggering number.
"Five?" The elder's face turned pale, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Those fools in the Silver Empire! Every year, they take so much support from us, and yet they let this many aliens break through the defensive line?" The elder, feeling like the world was ending, erupted in a fit of rage, shedding all traces of dignity.
"Enough. Once I've killed these aliens, you can go yell at the Empire's officers all you like." Muria patted the elder's shoulder, then opened the emergency exit of his private carriage. Wrapped in pure white martial flames, he launched himself into the sky.
"Silver Empire fools! Damn it!" the elder cursed as Muria shot off. After venting, he quickly picked up his communicator and contacted the Empire's front-line command.
"When will reinforcements arrive?"
"Please hold on as long as you can. We are coordinating our defenses and will dispatch titled Star Knights as soon as possible."
"Cut the nonsense! Get the nearest Star Knight here immediately."
"Apologies, but you don't have the authority to issue commands. However, reinforcements are en route."
"Listen to me! Because of your incompetence, the Douglas family's greatest genius is about to face five alien generals. If anything happens to him, you will face the wrath of our family."
"Please remain calm, sir. The reinforcements have already been dispatched."
"What you should do now is abandon all nearby defenses and pour every resource into rescuing our family member. His value justifies such actions, even if it costs ten defensive lines."
"Sir, may we have the name of your family's member?"
"Jeros Douglas. Surely even you have heard of him." The elder's normally kind demeanor turned menacing. "You can test our resolve if you wish, but if the Douglas family loses him, we will make sure you regret it."
"The reinforcements are on their way."
"How long will they take to arrive?"
"Approximately ten minutes."
"Ten minutes. Fine." Hearing the definitive answer, the elder exhaled in relief. "Oh, by the way, there are five alien generals in this attack. Is your response force adequate?"
"Five? Understood. We will adjust accordingly."
"You'd better hurry!" The elder cut the call, gritted his teeth, and donned his Star Armor. Then, sensing the oppressive energy erupting in the distance, he rushed toward the battlefield.
As a family elder, he was prepared to die for the family's interests if necessary. He valued life but wasn't afraid of death—only of dying in vain.
---
"Jeros Douglas. The Federation's top martial arts genius and the youngest Grandmaster in history. Quite an impressive set of titles," the grizzled Imperial commander remarked with a smile upon hearing his subordinate's report. "It seems the Federation has sent us a remarkable figure."
"Remarkable? The Federation sends 'remarkable' people to die here every year. If he dies, he'll just be another name added to the list," muttered a communications officer. Even a low-ranking staff member in this command center had significant backing, enough to not fear the Federation's four great families.
"Silence!" the commander barked. "If a Federation Star Knight dies on the battlefield, that's their problem. But this situation arose due to our negligence. If anything happens, the Empire will bear full responsibility."
"The tone of that Douglas elder suggests they're on the verge of losing it. It speaks volumes about this young Grandmaster's status within their family."
"Have the reinforcements been dispatched? If we're late and this genius dies before reaching the front lines, the consequences will be severe."
"Yes, they've been dispatched. But the young Grandmaster faces five opponents of equal rank. Lasting ten minutes might be difficult."
---
Above Celavy Station, Muria, surrounded by pure white martial flames, soared into the air, intercepting five black-red meteors hurtling toward the station. The collision unleashed waves of force, their colors blending into a mesmerizing display that painted the sky with an almost magical brilliance.
The five meteors revealed their true forms: five fearsome, humanoid creatures mounted on monstrous beasts. Their bodies were clad in metallic exoskeletons that resembled armor but were clearly a part of their flesh.
Behind the five "knights" was a scattered but disciplined formation of thousands of similar creatures.
One of the knights, curious about the human who stood before them without any apparent external support, spoke in halting, awkward human language.
"A human?"
"Yes, a human."
"A peculiar one. But since you're human, it's better if you die. Attack!" Though intrigued by Muria's ability, the lead knight decisively issued the command, unwilling to waste any time deep in enemy territory.
"Decisive, but foolish," Muria murmured. The aura surrounding the five knights surged like sparks igniting a bonfire, quickly forming a black-red sea of malice and aggression.
But as they prepared to strike, an overwhelming wave of pure white martial flames erupted from Muria, engulfing the sky in a dazzling radiance. Within this sea of white, constellations began to form, and mythical beasts materialized upon the stars. Above them all, a majestic figure radiating imperial authority emerged, embodying dominance and power.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+100 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]