So far, Ace’s Gol Force had conquered 14 Cities – more than the ten minimum requirements to form a duchy. Still, Ace hadn’t officially formalised his territory as a Duchy.
After discovering the mine, he and Cirulus decided to wait until after officially conquering their 15th city – Firmbrook City – before making it official.
Technically, the mine fell in the territory of his 14th city, Marshgrove City, but Cirulus said that if they wanted to ensure the protection of their mine, they should take over all cities surrounding area.
Although they were one city short of completing that task, the members of Ace’s Gol territory had wasted no time commencing the mining process. In fact, they were hurrying along at quite some speed.
Even though Ace was confident in the quality of the soldiers in his alliance, he knew there was a good chance of his side being greatly outnumbered.
After all, on his side, both he and Linley were relatively new forces. As such, their numbers weren’t quite up to par in comparison with their enemies; the only member of their alliance who could compete numbers-wise was the Rohault Empire. Unfortunately, they couldn’t compete with all four forces that were threatening them.
As a result, Ace had already passed on the message that although they would try and fight for control, it wouldn’t be a do-or-die. If things really did look too difficult, Cirulus was under orders to retreat.
Still, that was just the worst-case scenario. Even though they couldn’t compete numbers-wise, when it came to the quality of their strongest warriors, they were definitely a level above.
They had 11 experts at the level of an ordinairy general – that included Cirulus, who, under Ace’s brutal training, had not only broken through to the peak of the ninth rank but also finally comprehended impose.
In the skies above the army, Ace, Leona, Wukong, Linley, Bebe, Jordon Rohault, and Kaymin Banux – the former invincible General of the Rohault Army, turned saint – all stood, calmly talking amongst themselves as they waited for the battle to begin.
“This will be the biggest battle I’ve ever seen,” Linley sighed as he slowly hovered in the sky, looking down at the combined force below. “Who do you think will win?”
“As long as your father’s really as strong as you claim, I can’t see us losing,” Ace shrugged.
“You don’t need to worry about my father,” Linley rebuked. “It’s your brother, Killian, I’m worried about. Are you sure he’ll be up to the task?”
Under Cirulus’ command, they had created four outposts, effectively forcing the enemy to split their army into four to face the encirclement of their alliance.
Each outpost was manned by three generals and a large contingent of their force, with the only exception being the main outpost.
At the main outpost, there were no ordinairy soldiers. In fact, the only two present at said outpost were their two secret weapons, Killian and Hogg.
“Don’t worry about Killian,” Ace snapped back. “There are no mortals as strong as him.”
Since Ace began expanding his Gol territory, Killian had broken through to the late stages of the seventh rank, but most importantly, his insights into the profound mystery of the throbbing pulse of the world allowed his raw power to approach that of an early-stage saint. Unfortunately, it was just his speed that let him down.
Still, there was virtually no mortal who’d be able to take a full-powered strike from Killian and live to tell the tale.
As for Hogg. As a Dragonblood Warrior at the peak of the eighth rank who had comprehended impose, after transforming, his strength was no weaker than Olivier as he was when he fought Ace. He too could be considered invincible amongst mortals.
With the two of them to hold down the fort, Ace had every right to feel confident in his chances.
“With Hogg and Killian manning outpost one, I’m sure nothing will go wrong on that front,” Jordon interjected helplessly as the two boys prepared to start bickering for what felt like the hundredth time already that day. “I’m more concerned with the other three outposts.”
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“Don’t worry,” Ace replied casually. “Cirulus assured me he has made adequate preparations.”
Kaymin, who had been quiet till then, suddenly sighed. “I still can’t believe how far you’ve come in such a short period of time.
The last time I saw you, you barely had the strength of a ninth-rank warrior, and now…
You’re likely no weaker than me, and you’ve even formed your own territory. At this rate, it won’t be long before you’re standing at a height I can only look up to.”
“You say that like I had any choice. With my enemies, it’s either hurry up and improve or die,” Ace sighed before his sight fell on a dark-skinned youth standing near the front of Outpost two. “And by the looks of it, I’m not the only one who has improved these last few years.”
Following Ace’s line of sight, Kaymin saw a youth who looked like a younger version of him lazily stood, waiting for the battle to begin.
“Although that little brat of mine has improved somewhat, he can’t compare to you or your classmates,” Kaymin snorted as he tried to hide the pride-filled smile that threatened to creep onto his face.
It was true he wasn’t quite as strong as Ace’s classmates. Still, Ebeze was only 16 and had already reached the peak of the 6th rank and fused both states of wielding. Outside of the teens from the Pavilion, those from his generation who had surpassed him could be counted on one hand.
Ace opened his mouth to respond when he sensed a large number of powerful auras approaching from the distance.
“What is it?” Wukong asked, seeing Ace’s reaction.
“We’ve got company,” Ace smirked.
Jordon was the next to sense the incoming auras, but he couldn’t help but shake his head as he looked at Ace in surprise. He was a peak saint, yet Ace, a warrior and mage of the sixth rank, was the first to sense their uninvited guests. In fact, the only ones not surprised by that fact were Leona and Wukong, who were well aware of Ace’s monstrous soul.
“It’s about time,” Wukong stated as the corners of his mouth curved up, forming a fiendish grin. “This King has had enough waiting.”
It wasn’t long before those of the army below were able to detect the approaching army. But unlike Ace and the others in the sky, it wasn’t via their auras but the sound of a giant Army marching towards them.
Anticipation and tension began to rise among the Gol, Baruch, and Rohault Alliance soldiers. Especially among the ordinairy soldiers of the Gol Army. Unlike the soldiers of the Rohault Army, who had fought several battles of this scale in the past.
This was the first time any of the Gol Army soldiers had fought a battle of such magnitude, and the fact that their enemy was the soldiers of four of their continent’s strongest organisations.
Still, their already high tension spiked when they heard the cold and deafening shouts of who they immediately knew had to be a saint spread across the battlefield, deafening all who heard it.
“GOL D. ACE,” Byrius roared, his voice like thunder as he suddenly appeared no more than a few hundred meters in front of Ace’s front line, along with a group of eight saints. “COME OUT, NOW!”
Even though Jordon was undoubtedly the strongest expert on Ace’s side, everyone subconsciously treated Ace as the alliance's leader. In part because the mine was in his territory, but mainly because Ace was the poster boy for this new era, his fame made it too hard for others to focus on anyone but him.
Still, Ace didn’t take kindly to being commanded like that. Ace’s body flickered, appearing in the skies just in front of his front line.
“Byrius,” Ace voiced coldly, skillfully using his haki to project his voice. “You’ll do well to remember mine isn’t a name you’re qualified to speak.”
As his voice waned, Ace’s [Conqueror’s Haki] surged forth like a raging tide.
Ace was still a mortal. His Haki did nothing to the saints, but some of the weaker soldiers nearer the front of his enemy’s army began to drop like flies.
The moment they heard the overbearing shout of their enemy’s saint, the soldiers on Ace’s side found their morale starting to wane, but upon noticing Ace’s domineering response, their morale began to rise again.
This was their spiritual leader, the greatest talent their continent has ever seen, the peerless son of heaven – Gol D. Ace!
A cold snort escaped the mouth of the tall blue-haired man with electric blue eyes when he noticed Ace’s action.
Sparks of lightning began flickering wildly around him. One of which fired straight toward Ace’s head at a speed that was too fast for Ace to evade.
Still, Ace remained calm as he faced an attack that could very easily claim his life.
“Who dares attack the junior of this king?” Wukong snorted as he appeared in front of Ace, his staff piercing forward like a bullet, easily blocking the bolt of lightning attacking Ace.
“Can I consider this as you wanting to forgo the battle between mortals and make this a battle between us saints?” Fain asked with a cold indifference that would make most shudder as he stared into the eyes of his Master’s ‘son’, all but ignoring the ape-like young man who blocked his attack.
“You don’t need to ask pointless questions,” Byrius snorted as he glared at Ace for once again making him lose face so publicly. “For a saint to attack mortals, isn’t the answer obvious?”
“What saint attacked a mortal?” Ace asked back as he met Byrius’ ferocious glare without a hint of fear. “First of all, I am a mortal. Leona and I should be fighting down there with the other mortals.”
As he said that, the eyes of Fain and the others narrowed, but they couldn’t find the words to respond as Ace was right.
“Don’t worry though, I can’t be bothered to play with the trash you call soldiers. I’ll leave that to my classmates.” Ace smirked before carrying on.
“Second, I never attacked. It’s not my fault the trash of your empires collapsed from fear from my aura.” Ace mocked, knowing that they still had no idea how his haki worked, and therefore couldn’t argue against him.
“And finally,” As Ace said to there, his aura turned particularly frigid as his killing intent surged forth, with his eyes falling on two saints in particular who had yet to speak. “It was those on your side who sent saints to battle mortals first!”