Chapter 26: Upcoming War

*Boom!* *Sizzle* *Swoosh*

The water users are in synchrony as they splash water on the raging field. The exploding pressured smoke keeps on rising and lava keeps shooting up.

They were like golden lotuses blooming in the field, beautiful and bright. Even if water splashed on them, they just kept on blooming.

Soldiers come and go as they rescue the wounded.

The Librarian, Sian, floated in the air while watching the havoc.

'How troublesome.'

Sian thought to himself.

'The perpetrator, Zowie, is one big trouble. We can end this if we kill him, yet, it will bring even more trouble if we anger his brother.'

'Zowie can't control this much power yet, that's why the Sun's will invade him. Luckily, the Sun didn't put much thought on the weak Zowie and just sent a puppet.'

This was a rule in this world. If you can borrow other's powers without constraint, then the world would be in chaos right now. People would be devouring the world, not caring about anything.

You can borrow the powers of celestial bodies' as long as you have their corresponding recognition.

Zowie hasn't comprehended the rules of light yet, that's why the Sun's will has taken over his body.

*Sigh*

"How troublesome."

Sian floated in the air and went inside the field. He used his magic to shield him from all the smoke, although the heat still got to him.

Heat came from the light and light was everywhere, he can't dispel light so he was still reachable by the heat.

After a minute of floating, Sian saw a sphere or light, floating in the middle of the battlefield.

Sian frowned while observing it.

'The Sun's will wants to increase his level to completely obliterate Zowie's consciousness; if that happens, only time rewind can save him.'

Sian approached Zowie, he was in a weird state of absolute focus. He reached out for his pocket, there was a light element mana crystal in his hands.

Sian breathed in deeply and approached Zowie. Sian's skin was starting to flush as he approached him, he started forming blisters and sweating.

By the time he's 100 meters close, his hearing is buzzing, his vision is lost, he feels like his blood is evaporating.

But Sian still persisted. By the time Sian got closer to 10 meters, his mana heart's energy was constantly depleting and it was desperately trying to contrast the rule of light.

Sian got closer to Zowie. He can't see him but he can feel that the light aura was the most concentrated here.

Sian touched Zowie's abdomen, where the mana heart was located. Sian transferred something from the light element mana crystal in his hands to Zowie's mana heart. The mana crystal disintegrated, turning into dust.

'All of this will depend on you now.'

After doing his job, Sian hurriedly ran away from Zowie.

At this time, Zowie suddenly had a violent reaction, his aura started fluctuating and he started sweating. His body seemed to be melting while his aura was growing weaker.

He seemed to be having an intense fight, and after an hour, his aura suddenly changed. Zowie's element was flame, so he had a burning aura, but his aura right now seemed to be shining brightly.

*Zing*

An intense light fell down from the Sun, blessing Zowie with its light. The light surrounded Zowie and it turned into a cocoon.

After a minute, the cocoon was absorbed from the inside. Zowie glided down and the sun seemed to regain its original brightness. It was no longer overbearing nor scorching.

At this time, outside the field.

The soldiers collapsed in exhaustion, they were trying to extinguish the flame for hours, but to no avail.

When suddenly, the lava died down and the smoke still lingered, but the volume obviously decreased. The sun was now covered by the smoke, creating an ominous atmosphere.

But the soldiers were instead elated, the Sun was slowly turning their land barren, making them feel helpless and in despair. Now that the Sun was covered, it means that the Sun was back to normal.

Suddenly, from the black cloud of smoke, a silhouette of a man appeared. He was rather easy to see as his body was emitting a bright aura.

The soldiers suddenly kept their guards up. Even though they don't know who he is, at least they know that this man was abnormal.

Zowie exited the field with his hands up. He looked outside and saw many soldiers, as well as the Commander.

The surrounding soldiers were shaking in fear but they still surrounded him. The commander looked at him overbearingly.

"Looks like you still know what you did. Arrest him!"

The commander ordered and the soldiers bound Zowie's arms, legs, and mana heart with runes.

"Submit him to the loyalty facility. I'll talk to him after cleaning things up here."

The surrounding soldiers did their task, removed any corpses, healed the wounded, and fixed the field.

The incident spread like wildfire to the whole camp, scaring everyone.

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"Hnn..."

Insig moaned in pleasure. He felt that he was in a hot spring, like his whole body was being massaged, really, really deep.

'What is this feeling? It feels quite familiar...'

Insig frowned as he tried to recall what this feeling is. When he suddenly recalled that it was magic.

'Magic? Magic..!'

Insig suddenly opened his eyes as he felt what the familiar feeling was. He looked up to see a ceiling that he usually sees in the hospital.

Insig looks at the ceiling and reminisces the havoc. He looks at his hand and melted feet. They were already healed, but that was not what he was thinking.

'Strength...'

He remembered the feeling of weakness and helplessness, the feeling of desperately looking for help. It was humiliating and despairing, but he didn't give up.

Insig clenched his fist and made a promise to himself.

'I swear, I'm gonna get stronger!'

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*Knock*³

"Your majesty, this is Rendall knocking."

The sound of a door knocking resounded in an extravagant office. There was a charismatic old man sitting in the middle of a pile of documents.

"You may come in."

The king said in a deep voice.

The door opened and an eunuch entered. He respectfully bowed towards the king and said formalities.

"So, how is it? Did they agree?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the surrounding kingdoms have reached a compromise to attack the Shire kingdom. They assured that they would do their best in this war."

The king snorts in mockery.

"Those old fogies were friends with that kingdom, yet they smoothly promised to attack them as long as they got benefits. By the way, how long would it take to attack their nearest military camp?"

"Using carriages, the soldiers can reach the nearest enemy military camp in a month, if there's no accident."

The eunuch replied loyally.

"That would be too slow, just use the airship, and also, send Duke Elamine. With all of that, I'm sure we can decrease the time to at least a quarter.

The king ordered.

"But Your Majesty, that would cost massive resources! The airship alone would need thousands of level 10 mana crystals! And convincing an Integrated would take massive resources! He may even demand a resource that can boost his cultivation, thereby decreasing our influence on him!"

The eunuch worriedly advised.

"Don't worry, the Empire would surely provide us with resources. They are getting impatient nowadays."

The king assures the eunuch.

"Send my orders, tell the Red Phoenix legion to attack the nearest enemy base camp, they are to set out today, immediately. They are granted the permission to use any resources necessary. You can now go."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The eunuch bows and leaves while facing the king.

The king looked outside his window and went into a daze.

*Sighs*

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*6 Days later*

"Haa!"

*Creak* *Thud*

The sound of wood creaking echoed with the shout of a youthful voice of a man.

Insig was now training his fist, he was trying to destroy a tree by punching only.

Unfortunately, he was not strong enough yet, but he is already not thinly built like last time.

Right now, he was already a bit muscular, it was to the point that there's already a 'cut' in his stomach.

*Sighs*

Insig sat on his butt as he took a rest.

'After 500 punches, I still can't break a level 5 wood. How am I going to beat someone in level 5 without using my death magic then?'

Insig sighed on his powerlessness. He looks at his hands, they are almost as white as jade, yet they hold incredible power, but it's still not enough.

'From that day, I've trained really hard. I punched a boulder 200 times every day and 200 times every night. I've run laps hundreds of times, I tried to stretch my body to the limit, pop my vessels by punching, and I've tried breaking my bones too. Albeit it was forced.'

Insig's eyes looked melancholic as he reminisced about his training. Rolly survived the explosions and strictly trained him.

He was forced to remove all of his fear in his heart, like his fear of getting hurt. And 'to remove the fear, you have to face the fear' is what they say.

'Damn those bastards!'

*Sigh*

Insig sighs again.

'Even with all of this training, I can only do best level 4s', how disappointing.'

'Well, that's enough training for the day.'

Insig stood up and entered the [Camp] again. He actually went out to the wilderness to train because there were no trees inside the camp.

Insig showed his healer badge to use as a key to get inside.

Insig walked in and looked around. There were so many facilities, with bright lights radiating out of them.

The [Weapon & armor facility], the [Cafeteria], The [Hospital], the facility where you can release your stress, the [Beast Tamer Facility], and such.

Insig uses this moment to take in the 'old' beauty. The scenery here was vastly different from the technological Earth, but it's still as beautiful.

The organized patrolling soldiers, the wide-open road, the unpolluted air. It was the kind of cleanliness that you'll only find in the innocent past.

Insig looks up at the night sky. The moon was not visible, so the stars were the center of the night sky.

The fiery red, crystal blue, and snow white stars drizzled the night sky. The sky was vast, clear, and calming.

Insig sings an emotional song to feel sentimental.

♪Every now and then,

when the storm comes,

and you've lost sight of the light.♪

♪Just wait for the clear sky,

and bloom once again,

even if night is near,

because, such is life.♪

(AN: Sorry for the wrong grammar, I just loosely translated it. But anyway, it means that: even if you get hurt, just keep on trying and forgive the past, even if the future looks bad. Because that's what life is.)

'It really feels good to release sadness through songs. I should purify one more time and call it a day.'

With that, Insig went into bed and slept. He didn't know that tomorrow, he'll be missing the bed he's lying in right now.

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*At the same time.*

*Bang*!

The wooden desk broke, but the person who broke it doesn't care.

"What did you say? The enemy sent an airship? And they've already been embarked for 6 days? Why did I not know this?"

The Commander angrily said. They've been protecting the borders all their life, yet, the news that the kingdom gave isn't even reliable.

"T— We don't know how, but most of our spies were caught lately, so we've only gained news just this morning."

The intelligencer stuttered as he made an excuse.

"Damn it!... How long will it take for reinforcements to arrive?"

The Commander asked, he was planning to stall for time.

"...."

Seeing that the intelligencer was not answering, he frowned in irritation.

"Why are you not answering me?"

'Its because they've given up on us! I'm sure that you'll be f*cking angry and take it out on me!'

The intelligencer looked begrudgingly at the commander, but he still made an excuse.

"T— The surrounding kingdoms have waged war at the borders too, so.... they were only able to allocate a small amount of manpower here... They are expected to arrive.... in a.... month? And apparently, they didn't send any... Integrated."

The Commander felt a foreboding feeling when the intelligencer started to speak. And at the end, he really snapped.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THAT BASICALLY MEANS WE'RE ABANDONED!"

The Commander said angrily while clenching his fist. He breathed in deeply to extinguish his anger. He went into a daze as he planned the upcoming fight.

'Even though we've taken measures against the air force, we've only considered the aerial beasts. The airship is a different enemy. Only a Level 10 Wind user can reach an airship, and that's not even considering the bombs, weapons, magic, passengers, and the shield formation. Looks like there'll be thousands of casualties this time....'

The Commander gritted his teeth, he was stuck between a stone and a hard place.

'If I evacuate the camp, the kingdom will get angry at me, because I failed to protect the borders. However, if I protect the kingdom..'

The Commander remembered his hometown, his family, friends, he just can't bear to leave with them.

He has been living in this land for decades, so he has grown attached to it.

*Sighs*

'When I was young, I dreamt of reaching the top. I guess you only know how hard it is after you've experienced it.'

Getting into the 'Integration' state needs resources and opportunity, and it's something that Commander doesn't have.

He only had himself to rely on, and so far, this is the farthest he has been.

'This is no time for nostalgia.'

The Commander reinforced his will.

"Tell all the soldiers to prepare for a battle. Tell all the lookouts to keep watch of the sky. Making the necessary preparation considering that the enemy will use an airship to attack."

The Commander ordered imposingly, the intelligencer nodded.

"Yes, Sir"

"You are dismissed."

The intelligencer sighed in relief inside but his face looked serious.