"Hmm? Mediate? Who's supposed to mediate?"
When someone suggested stepping in to mediate, a coordinating officer in the command center immediately turned to his colleague who had made the suggestion. "Why don't you go?"
"Are you kidding me? With my build, I'd be dead the moment I got involved." Even though he knew his colleague was joking, the officer shook his head vigorously, like a drumstick puppet. He was genuinely afraid the commander might get a sudden impulse and order him to intervene. Gods clashing wasn't something mere mortals could meddle in.
"Are fallen martial artists really this terrifying? Forget about the Imperial Martial Sovereign—people keep saying he's a once-in-five-thousand-years martial arts prodigy. But this new Tyrannical Martial Sovereign is just as terrifying, able to fight him evenly!"
A female communications officer, watching the battlefield displayed on the projection in the command center, spoke with a look of amazement.
The scene before her completely shattered her worldview. To her, star-armored warriors were supposed to be the strongest. But now, she was witnessing the existence of something beyond them.
"The Tyrannical Martial Sovereign is ten years older than the Imperial Martial Sovereign. It makes sense for them to be evenly matched right now. I heard that the Imperial Martial Sovereign's conjured aspect is incredibly unique."
"Evenly matched is good—perfect, actually!" said the elderly commander-in-chief, a faint smile appearing on his face as he observed the situation. He was well aware of the empire's plans to win over this martial sovereign.
There was no need to mention Jerrods Douglas, the Imperial Martial Sovereign. The empire had no chance of swaying him. But Ayn, the Tyrannical Martial Sovereign, was a different story.
According to intelligence reports, Ayn had endured an exceptionally harsh childhood, one that likely left him with little attachment to the Federation.
If the empire offered him significant benefits, the likelihood of recruiting him was high. Seeing that Ayn could rival Jerrods in strength reassured the commander-in-chief.
It meant Ayn possessed the same level of combat power, enough to eliminate five alien generals in a short amount of time—precisely the kind of extraordinary force the empire hoped for.
But after his initial satisfaction, the commander-in-chief became troubled. How were they supposed to stop these two powerhouses from fighting?
Should they dispatch ten star-armored warriors to intervene? Ridiculous. Even if they could mobilize ten titled star-armored warriors, they might not succeed in stopping the battle. Worse, the two martial sovereigns might join forces and wipe out all the mediators within twenty minutes.
"How do we stop them?" The commander-in-chief fell into silence, no longer smiling. He truly had no idea how to handle the situation.
"Maybe we should just let them fight? They might stop on their own after they've had enough," someone suggested.
"But looking at their intensity, it seems like they won't stop unless one of them dies!" A worried officer glanced at the screen, where the battlefield's sky seemed to shatter under the martial sovereigns' overwhelming force.
"They can fight all they want, but a fight to the death is absolutely unacceptable. Both are irreplaceable treasures of humanity. We can't afford to lose either of them."
The commander-in-chief's voice turned resolute. Although he was somewhat frustrated by the Douglas family's interference in his plans regarding Jerrods, he understood their stance. If his family had such an outstanding heir, he'd likely do the same.
"Deploy Crimson Blade, Mountain Shatterer, Speedburst, and Shadow Hunter. Have them move to the Norman Defense Line."
After a moment of thought, the commander issued his orders. The command center instantly became a hive of activity as officers relayed the directives. But his adjutant cautiously approached with a question.
"Commander, sending just four star-armored warriors doesn't seem like enough."
"It's more than enough."
"Uh..." The adjutant was stunned, completely unable to grasp his superior's logic.
"Sigh." The commander let out a helpless sigh at the adjutant's bewildered expression. He had tried to mentor this man, but the latter always seemed a bit slow.
"The Imperial and Tyrannical Martial Sovereigns are fighting above the Norman Defense Line, which is outside our empire's jurisdiction. Understand?"
"Are you suggesting there's a chance the alien forces might take advantage of their fight? And that's why you're sending four titled star-armored warriors—to prevent those creatures from getting any ideas?" The adjutant immediately caught on.
"Exactly."
"I'll go oversee the orders right away!" The adjutant's demeanor turned serious. Ensuring the martial sovereigns' safety was of utmost importance.
...
On the Starfall Plains, a vast city covering hundreds of square kilometers stood tall. Its towering spiral structures reached skyward, the metallic sheen of the city flickering with purple-black light, like the rhythmic breathing of a living entity.
At the center of the city, a three-thousand-meter spire pierced the clouds. Its spiraling peak emitted streams of purple-black runes, forming brilliant ribbons of light that danced around the tower.
At this moment, a strange humanoid creature, mounted on a ferocious beast, approached the tower. The purple-black light atop the spire flashed three times before returning to normal.
The humanoid creature dismounted and leaped into the tower, disappearing in a flash of light. He reappeared inside a metallic corridor, unperturbed by the transition. His hooves clanged against the floor as he marched, sparks flying with each step. His massive frame seemed to make the entire corridor tremble.
"Your Majesty," the armored general knelt before a presence exuding an aura of terror within a grand hall.
"What is it?" The being, gazing through a ten-meter-tall transparent wall at the city below, asked without turning.
"The Imperial Martial Sovereign has encountered an unexpected situation. He is currently engaged in battle with an unidentified human."
"Fighting a human?" The presence shifted his attention, intrigued by the report.
"Yes. According to our observations, the opponent is also a human martial artist."
"Another martial artist?" The being, referred to as the King, expressed surprise. "A supposedly dying tradition among humans, yet now two appear in succession, both displaying extraordinary strength. Interesting."
"What are your orders?" the general asked cautiously.
"I've heard this Imperial Martial Sovereign eliminated five of my generals in fifteen minutes. Such power—I'd deal with him personally if I weren't being watched. Unfortunately, I can't act freely."
The King looked down at the general. "But relying on you all? You're no match for him."
"In a direct confrontation, we might stand no chance. However, since he's now fighting another martial sovereign, this could be an opportunity to make him disappear."
"Or it could result in both martial sovereigns turning on you. No matter their differences, they're still human. If you attack, they might join forces to eliminate you first."
"Your Majesty, the threat of a single martial sovereign is already immense. Now there's another equally powerful one. If this continues, we'll lose our advantage."
"Then train harder and grow stronger. With us here, humanity won't dare come too close." The King returned his gaze to the city below.
To him, battles involving his generals and humanity's star-armored warriors were trivial, incapable of shifting the grander scheme. Even the martial sovereigns, while slightly troublesome, posed no significant strategic threat. If necessary, he could eliminate them at any time.
"Go. Whether to act is up to you."
"Understood!" The general reluctantly bowed and left the hall. He knew the King didn't regard them, his generals, as particularly important. The King's primary concern was the survival of their species.
"Let's see who makes the first move. I hope I'm not disappointed," the King murmured, watching as the general departed. "The Imperial Martial Sovereign may be formidable, but I want to see if this ordeal spurs you all to grow stronger."
As the King anticipated, the general conveyed his words to his peers, stirring restlessness among them. Some began to prepare for action.
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