Calm before the storm
Nolan then addressed all the soldiers below.
"Everyone!" his voice echoed, capturing their attention.
"To all combat soldiers, take heed: you will be rewarded with 3rd generation battle suits. You can exchange your old ones for new ones at your distribution camp. Non-combat soldiers will receive 2nd generation suits."
"And to all soldiers who participated in the war, your contribution points will be sent to you via your Virtual Link. Additionally, all soldiers will be granted a 2-day holiday to spend with their families. Make the most of this time and enjoy it with your loved ones. With that, we conclude today's Ceremonial Awards," Nolan announced, bringing the event to a close.
Excitement filled the air as soldiers began receiving messages about their rewards and contribution points through their wrist systems. Today was a day of triumph for all, as each soldier was a winner, receiving upgraded battle suits, contribution points, and a well-deserved holiday.
Amidst cheers and applause, the names of Nolan, Adril, and Rick resounded throughout the crowd as tokens of gratitude. With spirits lifted, soldiers dispersed, making their way back to their homes, eager to share the news of their achievements with their families.
As Lord Adril departed for Alaska in his hovering limo alongside Nolan, Marshal Rick received his contribution points, which amounted to only a billion points—far lower than he had anticipated. Despite this, the tally of class 1 and 2 Entomons he had vanquished was countless, not to mention the nobles and rare Entomons among their ranks.
Class 1 Entomons is 1 contribution point, class 2 is 2 contribution point.
"Oi, aren't you satisfied with 1 billion contribution points?" Cotton asked, giving Rick a pat on the shoulder.
"I'm satisfied. I just want to know the reason. If we are low on resources, I could donate 90% of the contribution," Rick replied.
"I don't need such a huge amount of contribution points. I might as well put it into useful developments," Rick replied.
"You don't have to. The contribution points are a little inflated right now, so it's a reasonable amount. The fewer resources we have, the more expensive it will get. The contribution points will just continue to inflate, but you are only allowed to get limited resources," Cotton explained.
"The only advantage you have is that you can buy rarer resources like the 800-year-old wine, which you promised me," replied Colton with a grin.
Upon hearing about the 800-year-old wine, the three old men nearby perked up.
Realizing the situation was tense, Rick dashed straight to the limo and flew off into the clouds, disappearing from sight.
The four old men exchanged glances, understanding the urgency of the situation. Jayden grabbed Aizel, who stood only 2 meters tall, by the neck, and they dashed off to their own limo, followed closely by Colton and Brayden.
Their limo soared off in the direction Rick had disappeared, as they pursued him urgently.
The unusual behavior of these high-ranking officials caught the attention of everyone in the central tower, leaving them surprised and confused.
Adril and Nolan watched the unfolding events from the comfort of their limo, observing the antics of the five men on a virtual screen. They found the situation amusing, viewing it as a form of entertainment. Both Adril and Nolan had previously seen footage of the altercation between Rick and the others before the ceremony, and they were genuinely impressed by Rick's punch. Adril even jokingly rubbed his face, pondering whether Rick would ever resort to punching him if he were to annoy him. However, even Nolan was uncertain of the answer, recognizing Rick's unpredictable and wild nature.
"This is not good. I think we should find him a wife soon. He can't always go wild without control," Adril remarked.
"Have you forgotten what he did to the three Marshals?" asked Nolan. "I doubt anyone can stop him if he wanted to punch you unless you declared full-on war on him," Nolan replied calmly.
Adril became awkward.
The four old men caught up to Rick, and they started battling in the sky. They fought as if their lives depended on it, sustaining injuries in the process.
Rick hovered in the sky with his particle shoes and gloves, calmly observing these shameless old men getting bruised and beaten.
Rick knew these old men were stubborn, and unless he killed them, they would never let him go, and they were well aware of this too.
Rick sighed. "How did I get stuck with these shameless old men?"
"Hey, who are you calling shameless old men?" shouted all four of them as they wiped off their bloody noses, their clothes torn and bearing light bruises all over their bodies.
"Fine! You can have only one bottle," Rick shouted back.
"How can we drink one bottle with everyone? These old people won't even get high with 5 bottles each. That's an impossible deal. We want 2 bottles each," shouted Brayden.
"Your mother!" Rick almost cursed out profanities.
"Do you know how much one bottle costs? 150 million contribution points. You have to kill 150 million Entomons for just one bottle," shouted Rick, fuming with anger.
"Three bottles, I can only give you three bottles," Rick said with a grim face.
"We will fight you to the death. We will never let you leave unless you kill us. Come on, friends, let's fight him to the death!" shouted Brayden.
The others followed along with the dramatic act as if they were prepared to sacrifice their lives.
Adril and Nolan were too embarrassed, looking at these shameless old men.
"How did they get promoted to Marshal?" Adril asked with some doubts.
"It was you who promoted them, Lord Adril," replied Nolan.
Adril went quiet.
Rick knew he has to come up with some agreement, he has to at least satisfy them or else they would be harassing him for eternity.
These stubborn old fools, Rick curse in his mind.
"Alright, one bottle each, not one more or one less. This is my final deal. Give or take, you choose," Rick offered them.
"What?! That's too low. We need at least 7..." Before Brayden could finish his words, he was punched in the face, five times harder than the punch in the council hall.
"I will kill you before the Entomons kill you, old men," Rick released his baleful aura as he locked his eyes on them.
He was truly angry now.
The four of them were truly scared, especially Aizel. He resembled a frail chicken, lacking the experience of a seasoned soldier or the courage of a warrior. He nearly fell due to the pressure, cursing Brayden for overstepping his boundaries.
"Ahem..." Colton grabbed everyone's attention and said, "We are willing to accept one bottle each."
Rick calmed down, and everyone felt relieved.
Finally, they all came to an agreement.
They went to the exchange point and received their special 800-year-old wine. The wine was truly exquisite, and the special case it came in was extravagant.
Rick got one bottle for himself, and the others each received one as well. They decided it was too awkward to drink together at the moment.
The four of them went to Brayden's house to drink together.
As they entered the house, they were welcomed by Isabella, Marshal Brayden's wife.
When Isabella saw the four of them, she was astonished. Who could have beaten her husband like a rag doll? Her husband was ranked highest and one of the strongest human beings on this planet.
The four of them were in an awkward position, holding the precious wine case like their babies, and they looked like beggars and thieves with their torn clothing.
Isabella couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"What happened? Who did this to you?" she exclaimed as she rushed to check their injuries.
"Don't worry, it's just minor injuries," replied Brayden with an awkward smile.
Brayden suffered the heaviest injuries from the last punch.
After receiving treatment in the medical pod, they changed into fresh clothes and walked into the beautiful garden. The servants had already started setting up tables and meals.
The wives and families of Jayden and Colton arrived at Brayden's house as well.
Aizel's wife had passed away, so his son and granddaughter, Amelia, came to the party as well.
Everyone happily chatted, as some of them were friends and most of them recognized each other. Balfe Amelia and Brayden's daughters were friends with each other.
They sat down at the table and began enjoying the meals while drinking their prize wine.
The wine tasted exquisite, with a smooth and sweet aftertaste. Its fragrance added to its wonderful taste sensation. Everyone exclaimed in delight as they savored the wine.
Isabella, Brayden's wife, knew that their injuries were related to the wine. This was the 800-year-old wine, which cost 150 million contribution points. No one could spend that much on just wine, especially considering they brought four bottles. The number of these wines was limited; initially, there were 1000, then 100, and finally, only 24. Now, with four of them present, there were only 19 ancient wines left on the list. The person who got the one bottle must be the one who beat up her husband and his friends.
Isabella, being a shrewd woman, deduced that the only person strong enough to beat up her husband would be General Rick, the youngest and strongest general of the centuries. As a Marshal's wife, she was adept at analyzing possibilities.
"Husband, we have four beautiful daughters. Why not consider marrying one of them to General—I mean Marshal—Rick? He is single, and he seems like the right person to be our son-in-law," Isabella suggested.
The four men coughed, nearly spitting out their expensive wine, and exchanged awkward glances.
Amelia wore a sad expression, recalling the handsome and unyielding demeanor of Marshal Rick. She harbored feelings for him, despite knowing that Rick didn't reciprocate those feelings for her or any other girl.
Brayden's daughters, on the other hand, were excited at the prospect, indulging in fantasies about becoming the wife of Marshal Rick. Some of them even blushed at the thought of Rick's rugged demeanor.
"Let's not discuss this topic further," Brayden interjected sternly, putting an end to the conversation.
Sensing the tension, Isabella remained silent, quietly sipping her wine.
Brayden and his three friends were in no mood to provoke that formidable individual again; they had already endured enough of his wrath.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Somewhere in the mountains range of North America, there was a wooden lodge near a river, Inside the cabin, Henry was sitting in a chair while playing with his adopted daughter, his wife was smoking a deer while cooking a vegetable dish.
Henry suddenly stood up and walked outside as he looked up in the sky.
A hovering limo came into view as it stops near the house.
"Gracie, increase the amount of food, we have a visitor," shouted Henry as he went out to welcome the visitor.
Marshal Rick stepped out of the limo with a broad smile.
"Ah, living the quiet life in this beautiful mountain setting. I should consider getting a place around here too," Rick remarked as they shook hands.
"I'm honored by the Marshal's visit to my humble abode," Henry replied.
"Enough with the formalities. Let's have a drink. I brought some 800-year-old ancient wine," Rick suggested as they entered the house.
Rick wanted to treat Henry, pleased with how he handled the situation at Island Cluster 2.
Across the world, people were enjoying their holidays with their families, enveloped in an atmosphere of happiness as they made the most of their time together.