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Chapter 162: [Scripted Event] [Athetosea Great War] 6/20; Flames of Hope 1/2

Epic of Caterpillar

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As the Realm Menace of Lust moved the strings beneath the war, she extended her Lustful Fragrance, which produced various aphrodisiac effects on humans. Demi-Humans and Monsters seemed to be unaffected by this fragrance, as she carefully manipulated its components to only affect pure-breed humans. The humans that belonged to her were protected by her Flesh and Slime Minions.

The effects were outstanding, the humans were quickly enveloped on a raging lust and fury, rampaging and destroying anyone in their line of sight. This fragrance came with a specific order which hypnotized the affected humans; "Only target other humans".

As the effects of the drugging fragrance intensified, the humans would suddenly feel the terrible urge to enter in carnal actions with anything in their sight, even if it implied them to beat those humans to death beforehand. Their savage acts intensified as their muscles bulged and their eyes became scarlet red in fury. Complete chaos unfolded on the battlefield after five hours since it started passed.

The troops of the Sin of Lust were strong and took hundreds of humans by themselves until they were stopped by different [Epic] users. Even the weakest of [Epic] users were able to hold them back in place, and even more, if they were accompanied by their allies or [Legendary Party] members.

The [Slave Team], was fighting on his entirety against only one, the [Elemental Knight of Fire], his [Legendary Team] had outstanding synergy, and could draw power from his [Epic], while he gained power from their [Epic], creating an amazing effect.

Although he was the first Elemental Knight to appear, he never became the Commander and Leader and resigned himself as the Sub-Leader, because Reynold, the Elemental Knight of Holy, was stronger than him, and showed him that he was nothing without his comrades at his side.

However, David Armand wasn't weak, neither a coward that needed the strength of his comrades, he had what Reynold lacked a truly chivalrous and benevolent heart.

David Armand was born in Orange Village, he was the oldest son in a family with 6 children, the rest of his siblings were all girls, and he cared for them since they were born. His father was an old and veteran adventurer, while his mother was a diligent woman, that worked in the crops every day.

He was never of Noble birth, but he was fine with it. At the age of 7, he began to work in the crops and while teaching his sisters how to read, most of them were geniuses, and he had high hopes for them to become scholars in the future.

David never saw himself as someone interesting or outstanding, to some extent, one could say that he belittled himself a tad bit. He thought himself as talentless and stupid and dedicated himself to attend the crops of his family, which generated most of the income alongside the money his father gathered from the guild after completing monster subjugation missions.

At the age of 8, due to some misunderstandings, he ended up being beaten almost to death by some merchants, who thought he was going to steal their merchandise; however, he only grabbed an apple to ask for its price. The Merchants were accustomed to being scammed by orphan children, and David's tattered robes didn't help in making them believe what he was saying.

When his mother found him out, she immediately took him towards a small medical center, where she spent most of her saved money to heal his injuries.

After that day, David became frustrated over his weakness and wondered what would happen if the beating was taken by his sisters instead. On his anger, he took a rusted sword and began practicing the sword.

When his father found him, he understood his frustrations and taught him the ways of the sword. As the years passed, David learned more [Techniques] and showed outstanding and natural talent.

He kept pushing his limits until at the age of 13, he received a strange system notification. It said that he had awakened his [Epic], he didn't understand it at first but after gaining several skills, techniques and Classes, he quickly figured it out.

Using his new strength, he trained even harder and after years of working as a rookie adventurer, he raised in the ranks and was recognized by a Noble House, when this happened, the Hero of Raging Winds found his identity as a [Epic] user and alongside several others, he created the group of Knights named [The Ten Elemental Knights].

Although on his [Epic], that's what it said, there were only four [Elemental Knights], which were also his first friends, the Knights of Water, Earth, and Thunder.

As the years passed, the group went through hard times together, trained together, and grew together. At the age of 17, David met with a pair of twins, they were two beautiful Noble twins, with sapphire eyes and long blonde hair, Emma and Beatrice. He immediately knew it; they were part of what the system called [Legendary Team].

As he developed a friendship with them, the twins awakened they're [Epic] and pledged allegiance to him. In secrecy, they fell in love with David, as he corresponded their feelings, at the age of 19, the three of them lost their virginity on a passionate night.

Since then, he has been training the twins as they leveled up and obtained Techniques and Arts, quickly gaining spectacular synergy in battle.

After half a month since then, David meet Wallace, his third [Legendary Team] member, an old but very wise and cunning wizard, he had a long white beard and a bald head, he wore majestic Wizard robes of the highest quality, most of his riches came from participating in Dungeon Explorations.

The Wise Wizard was a teacher for David, as he taught him plenty of magic and its usage, at this, David showed amazing talent and understanding, quickly becoming a fine mage pupil. After grasping magic, he was finally able to fully utilize his Elemental Knight of Fire techniques and skills.

As he grew stronger, his income from the Kingdom grew, he quickly bought himself a piece of land inside Athetosea and a manor, with everything that he and his family always dreamed of. His little sisters, who have grown quite a lot now were happy to have comfy beds for each one, while also having clean clothes everyday and delicious food.

David's parents were proud of him, as David made his way into the higher ranks, he ultimately bought himself a Noble Title and created the Armand Noble House. Now his sisters were able to attend good schools and two had already graduated, becoming a talented Alchemist and a Merchant.

With the help of his sister's jobs, he quickly multiplied his money investing in shops and merchandise. He bought several almost dying brands and revived them, creating even more gains. His future looked promising as his family gained plenty of wealth.

At the age of 20, while David was walking through the streets of Athetosea, he found a small slave shop and felt a strange feeling. Something similar to when he met the twins or the wizard. As he entered the place, he saw several demi-humans enslaved inside of cages. As he pitied them, he felt the urge to save them.

While he was inspecting their wounds, he suddenly felt the same thing as before, when he glanced at the origin of such thing, he found a small Half-Salamander girl. She had pale red skin as her hands and feet were subtly covered in scarlet red scales, she had a small salamander tail and one white horn on her forehead of no more than 1 centimeter of length.

David quickly found out that she was his last [Legendary Party] member, the Half-Salamander Healer Girl, Blaire. As he bought the entire shop of slaves, he led them towards his manor and gave them food and clothes, while treating them as equals. Long after, when hey finally recovered, he gave them two options; "You can serve me or you can be free, I leave it at your own choice, you can leave and I won't pursue you, I just want the best for you"

Some of the Demi-Humans cried to such kind words, others didn't believe them and some remained silent.

When half of the Demi-Humans left, the other half wanted to serve him, and become stronger with his teachings. With the Half-Salamander Girl on his side, he taught them various ways of defending themselves, alongside exercises and techniques.

The Half-Salamander Girl, named Blaire came from a small village that was destroyed by humans, she was an orphan since then and was captured and enslaved. Although she has gone through starvation, physical aggression, and sexual assault, she always had a cheerful smile at David's side, even after going through so much, she was always happy to be with him. She treated him as her shining sun and her hope for the future.

After training with her alongside the Wise Wizard, David discovered that Blaire was the only thing left that he needed for the perfect synergy of his team, and that was a competent healer, that could adapt to situations.

Blaire obtained the Class [Sacred White Flame Bishop], it had great synergy with David's, as she had several spells that only those with Fire Affinity could use to their advantages. Having his entire [Legendary Team] assembled, David was truly an unstoppable Knight, he quickly explored several dungeons and beat plenty of bosses, gaining their drops and selling them for riches, quickly expanding his wealth.

Through these months, he kept buying slaves and setting them free, while others choose to stay with him, after half a year, he had formed his own organization of Knights and Warriors, all of them being Demi-Humans. The Kingdom couldn't complain as they were bought legally as slaves, and a slave could be used as his Master wanted.

However, David never treated them like slaves, he always respected them, and trained them, he offered them jobs and taught them how to read and such. He suddenly found endless talents in these people who were abandoned by the world and despised by humanity only by their looks and lineage.

As he kept buying every slave, he found to save them, his organization grew, even more, even his merchant business was being held by his trusty comrades and friends, who were all Demi-Humans. He was an admired man and held endless benevolence. With this wealth, he tried to fight against the Nobles and their rules over enslavement, he wanted to ultimately revoke such horrible things.

As the months passed, the last Elemental Knight, the Gemstone Knight, Saeko Hoseki finally joined. She was a promising young rookie, and David trained her alongside the Wise Wizard every day in the ways of magic and spellcasting.

One day, he was challenged by Reynold in a 1v1 fight for the Title of Elemental Knight Commander. He reluctantly accepted, David always knew Reynold intentions, and his true rotten heart, he wanted to beat some sense into the man.

However, things didn't go as he thought.

The Elemental Knight of Holy managed to get the upper hand in the fight with its amazing movements and Holy Arts, alongside his plentiful of magic spells, he ultimately overwhelmed David. He lost miserably.

Since then, David was ridiculed by Nobles and the Title of Elemental Knight Commander was given to Reynold instead.

David was taken aback, he was confident about his strength, he was sure to have beaten things stronger than Reynold, yet… He lost.

After countless days of meditation and talking with his friends, family and [Legendary Team] members, he came to the conclusion that his power depended in his friends and [Legendary Team] working alongside him, and that's because of the skill named [Fiery Heart Embrace], a skill that grants power to him the more he is surrounded by friends, which also grants his power back to them, into an endless flow of increasing strength, greatly surpassing his limits.

David quickly cheered up, as he discovered that his power wasn't only because of him, but because of his friends and family, and the people he has saved. Everyone put their small grain of sand. He discovered that his strength came from his friends and that he made his friends stronger, individual power wasn't his specialty, but the power of everyone, the power of friendship, and bonds.

He stopped caring about being the leader and concentrated on his life and that of his family and friends, he kept training himself and his organization. Looking forward to what the future waited for him.

And now, he was in a predicament. Something that he never thought possible happened, the dispute between the two opposing sides of Athetosea Noble families finally exploded in a savage war.

However, the Champion of Psychic Eyes had a plan and made him part of it. Although he will have to kill innocent knights in the war, he accepted the sacrifices and would carry those deaths on his shoulders for the rest of his life.

David always saw Nanako Maki as an admirable woman, and due to David's benevolence with Demi-Humans, the Half-Dodomeki quickly saw a potential ally on him. He trusted Nanako about her plans, he always knew that she was a genius and that her plans were always flawless, and admired her because of this.

As he participated in the war and fought bravely for his friends and family, something strange began to happen, something that made his heart grieve in pain. The deaths of two Elemental Knights happened, the entire group of [Epic] users was completely taken aback.

"This wasn't in Nanako's plans…" He thought.

And then, in the middle of the battlefield, a barrage of powerful attacks came, directed by a massive army of Demi-Humans that he has never seen before. They were incredibly powerful and quickly overwhelmed his Dem-Human army, he had to quickly activate [Fiery Heart Embrace] to keep everyone alive, while protecting the Half-Salamander Girl from damage, so she could keep healing everyone.

When things finally stabilized, he gained some momentum and decided to quickly end this, however, just at that moment, a strange rainbow-colored Slime appeared, and with immense power and strength, it started to massacre his troops. Seeing all those who he trained and cared for dying so horribly, deeply enraged David's heart.

As the battle continued, the Rainbow Slime took a humanoid form, this creature was one of Kireina's servants, a combination of six Slimes, Milim, Ranga, Benimaru, Shion, Luminous and Aloysius. By using the Skill [Union], who they obtained naturally by leveling up, they were able to fuse into one single being, combining their stats and magic power into a completely new level.

Using this impressive power, they charged against the Elemental Knight of Fire troops, in hopes to save their friends and comrades. David quickly noticed the Slime immense strength and went by himself to stop it.

Now, a battle that has not been destined, unfolds.