Ambush
Step, step, step, step. It was the second day of the journey to the Endless Desert Division. It was in the morning, and Heian Ciemnosc and his team had gone to take a shower. They had left the Wrath Nihility Academy's 3* Region, the only one in a Middle Kingdom in the world. Just as Heian Ciemnosc returned to their bedroom, he grinned as he walked in and saw Oleg, without a shirt and a towel, hugging his waist and enveloping his legs with Fengli between him and the wall.
The boi was quite sharp and efficient in his approaches. And as Fengli feigned innocence and a princess-like demeanor, both were aware of the other’s intentions. Fengli and Oleg continued to murmur towards each other, their lips slamming and sucking against each other occasionally. When Heian Ciemnosc entered the bedroom, and this sight greeted him, he didn’t even grant them the chance to feel his presence as he addressed them. “Only 50 minutes until we get to work, and you guys are already warming up? What a great team I have!”
“...” - “...” The pair immediately separated, the back of their hands rapidly cleaning the other’s saliva on their mouths, and waited to see Heian Ciemnosc’s reaction. He was their team leader, after all. But Heian Ciemnosc simply sat on his bed and looked at them while ordinarily dressing up as he put his boots on and a new piece of black clothing. He lifted his head while doing so and said, “What? You thought nobody knew? Violet and Esteban are already in their ‘do we become a couple?’ stage, and Victor and Sakura are both homosexual. You two are too self-centered. When we return from scouting, I’ll have you do more training. It’s not good to not know your teammates’ livelihood. Even more when at a war.”
“Yes, team leader.” - “Understood, team leader.” Fengli and Oleg said with drooped shoulders and their faces hanging low. But Heian Ciemnosc noticed the former’s eyes traveling over the latter’s. Shaking his head, Heian Ciemnosc teased them, making them hurry to their beds and get dressed. Fengli had her bra and pantsu on while Oleg was daintily bare behind that towel. “Get clothed unless you want me to join in and want an orgy when the others return.”
Rustle, rustle, rustle…
A couple minutes passed, and after fully dressing, Heian Ciemnosc waited in the bedroom for all his team members to return and dress. They saw each other’s bodies several times, not just in the previous shower and as they changed clothes. Each had their own exquisite beauty, but only Heian Ciemnosc was the most handsome and had the most extended tool, at least in length and a balanced girth. Even then, no sudden attraction or unleashed lust plagued the team.
After going through some stuff under the team leader’s tyranny, even seeing each other’s most intimate sexual organs was common ground. It wasn’t something standard within an army, for example. But within a team that was old or was cordial towards one another, it was indeed heard of. Only Heian Ciemnosc’s team was pretty new. It was a great and novel thing he could achieve this state with his team members.
The only difference would be when the couples within the team saw each other. Flirty glances would then be exchanged. Other than that, there was nothing going on within the team other than their ‘family-like’ meals and spending time together, chatting, meditating, and even cultivating.
… After several more minutes, Heian Ciemnosc readied and prepared his team before exiting the room and walking around the transporting ship. They went through the corridors as they saw the land passing by at fast speeds. It was a velocity they had never experienced. For Heian Ciemnosc, it was the same, at least within a Kingdom and not in space. After all, even Fighters were faster than this massive thing.
Their journey wasn’t completely safe. Several times, the transporting ship reported sighting groups of enemy cultivators, both detected by the medallion and the Academy’s system. They were engaged simply: the pair of machine guns at the rear and front fired away to annihilate those enemies, not letting them even see where the rain of bullets came from before becoming part of the land forever.
Each time, the student troops were warned. After all, they would have to act if the transporting ship somehow ended up being struck down. It wasn’t common during these 2 days, but it did happen. And the upper echelons of the Academy seemed aware of it as they issued orders not to ‘remain calm’ if enemies were seen amidst short travels. It wasn’t dangerous for Heian Ciemnosc and the transporting ship he was in. But a few in other parts of the Blackotia Kingdom had it much differently.
Through his medallion, he received public access to the information of the war, at least for the student troops. He had read, with his team, the casualties of each transporting ship whenever they were struck down. From 100,000 or more student troops, if the students managed to react in time, half were down by the time the transporting ship crashed. When not, everyone died. The enemy was prepared, and they weren’t simply sending rocks and coming at them with sticks.
He now knew the army Yon commanded, about 2,000,000 student troops. There were only 1.2 million troops before, but after she brought the other students to this other army, others followed her and joined her new army. In this way, commander Yon was one of the largest armies sent out to war, with the largest fleet of transporting ships. Heian Ciemnosc was, for now, at ease knowing Elena and Arla were fine. Arla was such a good and sweet fuck, a leader figure, and a fellow club member. Losing her would actually mean something went wrong.
The transporting ship Heian Ciemnosc was in, Cari’s transporting ship, met smaller groups than those where other ships were destroyed and virtually annihilated. Thus, he and his team were safe along this army’s section. Their formation to fly through the Greentundra Division was simple. 2 on the rear and 1 at the ‘front’ to the left while the commander’s transporting ship was in the middle.
After Heian Ciemnosc and his team walked to the hangar, where the main hatch was, most of this section’s army was formed and standing respectfully. Their second-in-command, Cari, stood before them with his arms crossed behind his back, serious-looking at his army’s section. When he saw Heian Ciemnosc come in with his team, his eyes revealed some heavy thoughts before ignoring them.
Heian Ciemnosc felt the ship slow down and lower its height. His head felt slightly buzzy because of it. He led his team forward to meet the rest of the army. They were known already. Some began identifying them as the first to die from their army, more or less. But Heian Ciemnosc led his team members through the crowd, looking at the backs he and his team would have on their hands should something happen.
“Heian Ciemnosc, you’ve come.” The second-in-command said as Heian Ciemnosc pushed some shoulders aside and walked to the front to meet Cari head-on, his team not lagging a step behind him. He added without malignant intentions. They were challenging, if anything. “And here I thought I’d have to send other scouts to find you.”
“...” Heian Ciemnosc kept silent and glanced at the second-in-command, his eyes tranquil. And his team, though seemingly having more character than Heian Ciemnosc, were mum as their slightly furrowed eyebrows fell on Cari and a few others accompanying him. Cari looked at Heian Ciemnosc’s team members, slightly smoothly nodding at each of them before passing an order from his medallion, showing it as a hologram for their team leader to read.
“These are the commander’s orders,” Cari said. “Initially, I wanted to send more, at least. But the amount and their prowess have to be it. I can’t do anything to change it except ask for permission from the higher-ups, but… I don’t see why bother them about this when other armies have started warring for their lives even in the Academy’s organizational territory.”
“...” Heian Ciemnosc didn’t even salute before looking down and handling the hologram, lowering his head, and began reading the order. But Cari didn’t mind and simply waited while looking at his army’s section. Heian Ciemnosc’s team members ogled at the hologram, but only saw a blank piece of blue sheet. They knew something was written on it. They just weren’t allowed to take a look. Only their team leader and this Cari, second-in-command, could.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
As time passed, Cari thought Heian Ciemnosc would give out a little answer. Perhaps appear troubled, bothered, and even unjust. It was expected, considering the resources the first scouting team was given, scouting was so important after all. But all Cari received was Heian Ciemnosc’s noncommittal glance and calm words while letting go of the hologram as it returned to Cari’s medallion.
“My team is ready,” Heian Ciemnosc said. As soon as he did, the 7 fellows behind him took half a step forward and stood in attention. Fengli, Sakura, and Esteban were behind him, covering his shoulders. While Violet, Victor, Oleg, and Aleksander seemed to protect his sides. Heian Ciemnosc was practically ‘in charge’ of leading and opening the way for their formation. “When are we heading out?”
“In 2 minutes, we should have landed already, if you didn’t notice.” Cari stored his medallion and looked at Heian Ciemnosc directly. Heian Ciemnosc’s team members narrowed their eyes momentarily, not having noticed, but knowing their team leader knew some stuff about it, they didn’t let it be known. In fact, almost nobody in the armies knew the movements of a Fighter, let alone a ship or a speeding racing ship.
“Very well, I’ll take positions now.” Heian Ciemnosc said, not disrupting his gaze and keeping it on Cari’s eyes. Then, Heian Ciemnosc added as his darkest eyes seemed bottomless, “How long should the scouting be? And how are we to report any sightings?”
“Orders will be sent to me, but the commander has instructed me to consult him whenever something comes up.” Cari calmly elaborated, his hands passed to pose in front of his body with crossed wrists. “The scouting will last 3 days. We’ll be right behind you and ensure the transporting ship is safe. It’s our topmost priority. But so is getting to our objective before 2 weeks’ time. The Academy hopes that can be done. Can it?”
“Oh. I can. Your commander has done well in choosing me,” Heian Ciemnosc said before ignoring the second-in-command and facing the main hatch, walking towards it with his team and 24 Sub Students with a low cultivation base.
Heian Ciemnosc and his Concealed Ornament Team then waited 100 seconds with the 24 fragile and pale Sub Students around them on their rear. Finally, the hatch emitted some fresh and humid smoke. Before the 50,000 behind Heian Ciemnosc could react, the hatch slid open from several directions, not from a rampart. Heian Ciemnosc looked back at the army. “...”
After silently addressing them with his gaze, he looked at the pale and frigid Sub Students before finally looking at his team. With a calm voice, his words became even-calmer as he continued speaking. “We go first. Reunite with the other Sub Student scouts ahead on the road. I’ve sent them a message so they will catch up with us… If they don’t want to suffer punishment for insubordination.”
Tap, stompstomp… Heian Ciemnosc stepped first on the jungle’s flat and tree-less land. Before continuing his steps, he turned half his upper body back before addressing his team members. His words were whispered but not covered by his Spirit Sense. “In this war, I may scare you a little more. I need my team stable, and know it will be there for me. I need to know if you all will follow me…”
“... Yes,” Heian Ciemnosc’s team members were startled by his sudden change in attitude. They looked at his darkest eyes, focused on each of them as he spoke, and when their team leader finished speaking, their beating hearts answered that question. “We will, team leader. But now, we are losing speed and time! Those Sub Students will think they are as good as us in moving through unknown places! Why aren’t we moving already?!”
The first one to speak and nod in agreement was Oleg, followed by Fengli and everyone else. And the one to express his ‘duh’ words was Esteban, who stepped forth and looked impatient, for both demonstrating the Academy what they were made of and the army what they were capable of. His team suddenly began exclaiming to their team leader why they weren’t seeing bloodshed, raising a little commotion as they stopped in front of the army.
As they astounded the student troops, the second-in-command lifted his face from some documents and his medallion with a frowned face before looking at Heian Ciemnosc and his team. Seeing the atmosphere, he became startled and only woke up after his army’s section began moving and Heian Ciemnosc’s team had long disappeared into the jungle.
‘Not only are you this influential, without speaking even a word to anyone else but your own people, you also don’t see the commander as your commander… Such a tough luck…’
In the meantime, beside his army’s section, Cari saw groups of 2 dozen Sub Students rushing into the jungle, with 2-minute intervals between each other as they rushed in for 3 groups. Those were the Sub Student troops designated Heian Ciemnosc’s scout group members besides his team from the other transporting ships. Another thought resulted in Cari’s mind as he frowned more in-depth as the first army from another transporting ship closed in on his.
‘From all ships… really, Lionel, you want everyone to know him, huh?’ Cari shook his head and went over to meet the incoming army. It was naturally Lionel’s army’s section. But instead of leading the student troops at the front, he was in the middle and on top of a structure, carried by Sub Students and Students alike. It took them 10 minutes to come to the transporting ship flying at the front, and another 10 minutes would be needed for each other ship to arrive before they could start following behind the scouting group.
… Stomp! Stomp, stomp, stomp! Stomp!...
Heian Ciemnosc and his team had begun rushing into the jungle already. The Sub Students scouting members were right behind them, stepping on their feet, already sweaty from the humidity and expending so much Power Energy just to keep up. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t slow or halt even after the Sub Students proved themselves. Each time he stomped the ground, his team members would follow half a second later and continue to rush forward.
Meanwhile, the Sub Students used some Power Energy to impulse the soles of their feet on the ground without wasting unnecessary amounts. It has been a couple hours since they joined Heian Ciemnosc, even after it took them 20 minutes by using more Power Energy catching up. It was time for them to start worrying about heading in too deep and not having an efficient communication channel for how far they had gone from the army.
“T- team leader!” Finally, one Sub Student couldn’t hold it any longer and shouted while speeding and sweating. “How much should we continue like this?! Sho- shouldn’t we take a break? Or slow down to let the army catch up?”
“...” Heian Ciemnosc ignored them and continued to rush forward. This was a walk in the park for him and his team members. Only those below the Ashes Soul realm would become tired after a few hours going like this. Heian Ciemnosc sent a message to Victor with his medallion, and he turned his head around before saying in a low, light tone. “Why are you questioning the team leader?! Do you want others to hear you?! We are already too fast for any sonic radar array formation to detect us in the First Step with the team leader’s Spirit Sense covering us!”
“If you can’t keep going, then stop!” Victor shouted sharply at the last word. He gave the student scout, who spoke, a ferocious glare with his face growing feral before turning his head and slowly saying, “Just don’t blame the team leader’s actions after you do so.”
“... gulp!” The Sub Student fell silent, and a few others near him looked at him before returning their eyes to face ahead. They didn’t ridicule him but shared his pain. However, since this fellow Sub Student shouldered the blame on him, they kept silent and formed a tighter formation. Unbeknownst to them, they instituted a better formation to defend themselves, increasing their speed and reducing the amount of Power Energy used even more.
“... Stop!!”
Whoo- tap! Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap… Heian Ciemnosc yelled all of a sudden and halted his steps, becoming still on the ground and not stumbling at all. His team members were as quick-witted as him. They manipulated their bodies and surroundings to instantly stop and gain balance. But the same didn’t happen to the Sub Students.
They all widened their eyes and employed Power Energy to stop themselves from moving forward by even taking their weapons and tools out of their Covert Space bags to halt their bodies. Most Sub Students stopped tens of meters in front of Heian Ciemnosc and his team, exhausted and with the scare of their lives. They looked as the team leader was simply looking in one direction before looking at a Sub Student.
“Go back and alert the commander. There is a small group of enemies carrying a strange device with them. It has an array formation inscribed on it, and they are incorporated in the device’s array formation. It must be a weapon. My sightings advise to retreat and take another route or wait and send a team to dispatch them. Go, quickly.”
Heian Ciemnosc’s calm words were contradictory to their meaning. The Sub Student, Heian Ciemnosc, nudged his head to began sweating more. Without thinking anymore, he said before dashing away with all his capabilities to run back to the army. “Yes, team leader!!”
Coincidentally or not, the Sub Student who dashed back to report to the army had the largest storage of Power Energy and was at the Spirit Birth realm. He had also kept most of his Power Energy among the Sub Students.
After Heian Ciemnosc sent the student scout, he looked at the other student scouts and loudly said. “Gather! If the enemy attacks from a long distance, we will move back to the army!”
…