Respect Me, Or I'll Show You How To

Pshiiiiiiiift~- Phhshk. It started. A Power Energy arrow flew, a technique shot without Element but with preciseness and swiftness revolving the air around its arrowhead and turned to nothing before continuing to cross through. It landed on a tall woman's upper back, directly paralyzing her. One could see, from her eyes, how she wanted to push her Power Energy there and not let her body waste, but the life was already gone from them, and she fell with her mouth open and her chin striking the ground first. Grass and dirt spilled sideways as her head buried in the snow, and blood started downing the layers of such.

“...” - “Heeek!” - “...” - “...” The atmosphere suddenly became strange. On one part, the top 5 organizations’ people paused and gradually looked at the spot of red snow and a limp body with part of its lower body peeking out of the snow. On another part, the stomps from the incoming Pavilion and Cult’s cultivators became more frequent, louder, and more powerful. Slowly, blades were swung out of their Covert Space bags, and the sound of crushing under the firm footsteps of the top 5 organization’s people turning around echoed nearly everywhere.

“AAAGGH! Face them! Come ooon!!” - “Fuck!!” - “I can’t let it go like this, I can’t run away… aaaggh!” - “Come here, you bastards, come and get it!!” - “Gyaaaaah!” - “Graaaaaaah!” - “Hyaaaaaaa!” - “Learn to fucking respect us!!” As the top 5 organizations’ people turned their bodies and started walking towards the incoming enemy amidst the neutral zone, more and more from their side started charging and even flying towards the enemy.

Even the cowardly and mentally unprepared, sheltered cultivators were already starting their charge and morale boost cries for battle through their lips. They watched as the mounts arrived first, earlier than the others rushing on foot. But they still didn’t draw back. Yet, from the Blue Emirate Grotto’s borders, an obscure purple robed man looked at this, barely arriving at the border, and facepalmed his forehead. His eyes were widened, and his face sweat.

Step, step, step, step, step… Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp… In the neutral zone, the battlefield had formed, both sides understood, and their eyes narrowed, but their pupils shrank as they became imminently prepared for entering battle! Their brains formed a circle, square, or triangle. And all they had in mind was how to take all that space for their side, win, and annihilate the other!

However, a discrepancy. The mightiest 2 top organizations used their mounts to charge forwards, effortlessly overtaking those on foot. Their momentum had been building since they started slowly chasing these cowards. Despite the latter turning around at the last moment instead of rushing into safety as predicted, the nearly a million cultivators didn’t feel threatened and projected their array formations to the fullest.

Their formation was solid and stable, and although not perfect, it was a massive discipline these 2 organizations showed out of nowhere. But these weren’t unknown tactics, as the Feathered Valley Pavilion and Clashing Dust Cult weren’t the mightiest only because they had a higher cultivation base ratio and were closer to transitioning into a Second Step organization. However, seeing them effectuate these together, the other side failed noticing the implications.

From the mightiest top 2 organizations, every few thousand cultivators, mixed in between, were directly linked by an array formation. Their backs glowed blue, green, white, pink, or yellow. Together, they formed a precise but complicated inscription from their altogether fusion above their heads, at the center of their formation. When their feet stepped— they felt the others’ soles land on the snow. Unshaken by the snow density and landing their feet on the ground firmly. Their hearts leaped together as they stepped forwards again and again.

Those flying were the same, but the mounts and riders seemingly became one, and as they did, the air around them somehow worked in their favor. The wind caressed their faces, embraced their arms, tightened the space behind them, and sharply boosted them forwards!

Those galloping on the ground parted the snow but didn’t destroy it or trample it down. Like fish jumping through the waves and like a smooth current of water incorporating from a river into the ocean, they pushed through the snow unobstructed, not halting for a second.

On the other hand, the top 5 organizations’ people rushed through it, parted it with force, and focused their Power Energy, circulating it rapidly and cleverly to release it when the time came. Their weapons glowed with the amount of Power Energy they had already accumulated in them, and their faces gained more courage and fury with every ten steps they took, becoming infuriated and full of bravery when they met the enemy’s mounts head-on.

… pshift- boom, pom pum- bang, bang, boom boom boom… crrsshhhh~... cuuh, swish, whoosh… Crrreeesshhhhkk, crreeshhk… ckrsheerr… phhshk, phhshk, phhshk…

Both sides faced each other, and the initial clash was no surprise. The top 5 organizations’ people were simmered down and turned the snow red, mushy pink, and even yellow as the people behind the frontline saw those before them turn into mush with just the front bodies of the mounts. Some wanted to flee, but the moment they turned around… their backs were stabbed, cut, or cleaved into two.

The third line was more resolved, knowing they couldn’t escape from the imminent clash and seeing the sorry end of those before them. They circulated all their Power Energy and started swinging, stabbing, releasing, and thrusting their weapons and Power Energy attacks. However, when they thought they could turn the tides, or at least the first, and leave the rest to those behind them. Their weapons and Power Energy attacks probed futile instead.

The moment their weapons hit the enemy, they were blasted to pieces. The Fauna’s and cultivators' Power Energy was simply too solid, well incorporated, and shared in an array formation. As for the top 5 organizations’ charge… it was just a charge.

“AAAHH!” - “GRWAR!” - “Kyaaaaah!” - “Hahahah!!” - “Kugghh- bleeergh!” - “Hya! Die, puny weakling!” - “No!-” - “Hahahah! I didn’t know it could feel this good!” - “Don’t surrender now! Fight back, back!” - “Yes… this is the feeling I’ve been missing… Hah~, I can feel my cultivation about to breakthrough! Haha!” - “Shit! They are… too much…”

The mounts continued to gallop and fly forwards, stomping on remains or cutting through corpses as they did in the air. The mounts on the ground continued the massacre, gradually slowing down as they became tired and started needing intensive help from the flying mounts and their riders, proportioning support as they planned for a retreat to the sides, where the cultivators on foot were more than ready to push… even further… to give this humiliation back to these people… and step into their territory!

… Back at the sea, the world there had suddenly changed for the worse. The fishermen from both sides stayed the fuck away from the borders and didn’t even bother trying their luck to make a killing and become rich in the center. Those in the south went further to the south, and those in the north went further to the north. Nobody wanted to get involved in this possible outbreak… it would be their fault if they ended up dead.

Ta ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra… splush, splush- splash splash splash splash…! The two sides continuously fired at each other, trying to see if just this much could make the other move forwards and give the other the excuse to massacre the other. However, while the northern side looked like apes enduring the desire to rush into the other territory and start separating skulls from their skin, the southern side looked like a troubled child stuck between hitting another to get back or run to their mums.

It was the reality of the situation. By now, everyone in the Blue Emirate Grotto discerned a sudden movement from the Feathered Valley Pavilion and the Clashing Dust Cult. Even as reinforcements came to the sea, the inland had the most pressing trouble. It was said through the communications channel that more than a million started forcing their people in the neutral zone! They couldn’t complain, but they also couldn’t act…

Thus, they could already tell that, even with their reinforcements, they would be less than the northern side’s warships… and with much less spirit to engage in a battle, let alone a standoff, until the other side is crippled to no more action. As for an all-out war, both sides were smart enough to know such a thing wasn’t happening… Unless it came to the worse. Of course, both sides knew how this could end. Yet, the party at fault didn’t seem willing.

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The top 5 organizations could have just started negotiations when things became this damn heavy. It wasn’t like this was the first time something like this happened, but they clearly didn’t even bother… Like they would rather deal with the mightiest top 2 organizations instead. Naturally, to the previously ‘acquiescent’ Pavilion and Cult, this was more humiliating than letting those top 5 organizations’ people do as they wished in the jungle, through their territory.

About 40 minutes had passed since the neutral zone became a place of bloodiness and one-sided massacre, but the sea remained ‘silent’ as the machine guns fired at the other side from time to time without actually entering into combat. The leading figures of both sides looked at each other, with their warships 25 km away from the borders, gazing into the other’s eyes.

“Move.” Suddenly, the one on the northern side said after calculating the time. The ready-to-go team around him nodded and started giving directions. Medallions began heating up in each northern side’s warship. Some started spinning to the left or right, and some backed away, seemingly preparing to retreat and let things go… However, the few leading figures from the south narrowed their eyes, looking at these actions and the people boarding those warships before starting to order.

“Don’t let them get off your sight! Follow their actions, don’t let any openi-” Ta ra ra ra ra ra- piuuuu… booooooooom~! Boooom~! Boom! Boom! Boom!

“!!” Before the southern leading figures could continue commanding their flotillas, a sudden noise was initially muffled by the rain of dozens and dozens of machine guns firing at once. However, the experienced southern leading figures only needed a few seconds to catch the noise belonging to… a launching system. Their faces hardened, and their eyes opened with shock as they watched a missile flying in an arch before rapidly coming down… with many more ascending from every other northern warship.

They didn’t have time to react. They really didn’t. Missiles were simply too fast. The top-notch might have a centralized focus on destruction, lethality, or both, but every graded missile is as fast as the other, impossible for those in the Step battling to respond without anti-missile turrets. One of the southern leading figures looked up at the incoming missile. It was cylindrical, with ‘fins’ at its rear, forming an X covered by the phallic front, and completely white.

When it exploded, it sent waves and waves outwards. They dissipated quickly but still pushed the other warships apart, creating a commotion that gradually stopped. But before the crew members in the southern warships could stabilize and take a firm foothold, the rest of the missiles started raining next, and their warships became pure splinters and skin flying around without even a shed of blood landing on the ocean.

“Shoot upwards, fire!” - “Evasive-... maneuvers! Quickly!” - “Get away from here, our reinforcements aren’t arriving on time, we mus-” - “Negative! They are coming. Stand your lines and fight back! Prepare to receive incoming enemy fire… fire!!”

The rapidly retreating southern warships suddenly maintained their position. The northern leading figures looked at this development and rapidly changed orders. After a couple rounds of missiles launched to eviscerate the other side, they aimed their weapons at them and started charging forwards, crushing the incoming waves no matter how powerful they became because of the missiles’ explosions. Albeit not top-notch, they were so fast, and the wooden warships so unprotected that it didn’t matter.

Ta ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra… ka- booooom! Boooom~! Booom… The battle became more intense, with both sides losing a warship every few tens of seconds after the southern reinforcements arrived, launching missiles as well. However, while the start of the naval battle was a scare for everyone except the northern navies, the cultivators flew and dived into the sea rapidly before the missiles came, lowering their casualties by a large margin.

The water's surface became a constant reflection of bullets raining under the morning’s gray day. But they never ceased, and the long-lasting, dreadful sounds of launching systems continued to echo as the water below rippled and burst outwards… before a big explosion inevitably came and another went down, with a few less machine guns’ line of fire present in the battlefield, but it just wasn’t ending!

… Back in the neutral zone. The neutral zone was mostly cleaned from the top 5 organizations’ people, with a few thousand left, valiantly fighting against the extremely superior numbers or fleeing without any hope. They were right to hold no hope, as they would be impaled by different energy techniques taking the shape of weapons, from javelins to rusty blades… As for those still fighting the great victors, who were covered in other people’s blood, radiating intense killing intent from their eyes, hands, and on each step they took, they simply had improbable, delusional ideas of saving and rescue… Or just being pardoned for their bravery and guts.

“Alright, pipe down already.” A Feathered Valley Pavilion dodged to the left as a spear thrust over his left shoulder. He didn’t even sidestep, jolting his torso leftwards and tilting his head to the right. The Green Emirate Grotto’s disciple’s round eyes looked up at the tall, untouchable warrior and understood his helplessness. A hand came forward with a short sword in it. It stabbed through the latter’s chest and stabbed until the handle slammed against his gray uniform.

Putong. The Green Emirate Grotto’s disciple fell on the floor, lifeless. His internal organs ruptured from the vast Power Energy that disorderly popped everywhere once the handle connected with his torso. The Pavilion’s member flinched his back when it happened. Having a moderate chunk of Power Energy storage sucked by a Mortal weapon wasn’t an insignificant thing. Only those candidates to become a Genius can deal with them effortlessly.

“The last one over here is over, too!” The Pavilion member shouted as he turned around and walked among the corpses. No snow was visible, and it was as if they had fought just a few months back when the snow was only starting to fall. He wasn’t afraid to step on someone from his side since every corpse belonging to the Pavilion or Cult was already taken to a safer place. Thus, he and tens of thousands of others walked to where hundreds of thousands were already waiting, within the Blue Emirate Grotto’s territory.

“... Take your break. Those reinforcements will be arriving in under 5 minutes,” a Master from the Pavilion said as he sat on a tower made from arms of the top 5 organizations. It wasn’t just being cruel. It was being blatant and crystal-clear to those who dared face them head-on just because they thought they could. The members and believers sat down cross-legged to meditate. They still had more to do, battle or not, skirmish or duels between both sides. They were ready.

… Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp… Finally, from afar, the dust rose but was quickly blown to the sides and partly dissipated by the few flying mounts coming at them. The gray clotheds stood up one by one without being warned by their leader, at least for this battle. They watched as the enemy approached, and they were… a lot, a goddamn lot. More than their numbers…

Whooosh! Pshift- Whoosh! Pshift! Whistle- whistle- booom!

While the top 2 organizations’ gray clotheds weren’t afraid, an insanely fast and mighty Second Step cultivator flew from the rushing enemy army and shot a Neutral Energy beam towards them. Their hearts clenched, but knowing they hadn’t mistakenly fought against the natural laws. They remained on their spot. However, their brains worked unnaturally faster and better, and they wondered, if this attack landed on them, how many would this person take with them to their death?

However! Before the gray cotheds from the top 2 organizations doubted their standing, the elderly man atop the limb-tower was faster and more powerful than the other cultivator. A Neutral Energy cloud flew forwards slowly but with more momentum to engage with the energy beam. Meanwhile, the elderly Master flew around the proximate area of effect and met the other cultivator head-on. They were just face to face when the explosion rang behind them, slightly showcasing an explosive wave that expanded 20 meters before dissipating.

Pum- pamm~! Whoooshh~~!

The Blue Emirate Grotto Instructor and Pavilion’s Master halted in midair. The latter’s forearms blocked the former’s fists and palms attacks easily without sweating, but the former was just as calm and decisive despite showing a calm face. A stalemate surfaced from this short exchange, but the gray clotheds below and behind them looked on with immense amazement.

“You haven’t had enough and wanted to kill some juniors? Do you think you’re worthy of becoming a martyr? Not in my Pavilion’s eyes, you grease!” The elderly Master spat out without considering status or face. The man opposing me was slightly old but only had a few gray and white fringes at the sides of his head. Yet, the elderly Master could tell this was just a pretty boy taking care of their image.

“You have attacked us!! How dare you?!” The opposing man shouted as rage filled his expression. The top 5 organizations’ people behind him stood in formation and were ready to abide by his orders. The elderly Master looked at the man without trying to say anything in his side’s favor yet. The man took this opportunity and questioned again, elevating his voice and his troops’ morale alike. “You! Have you joined the Blauw Empire after such a long history? For what? Ephemeral raise in power?! Your organizations have stood so low!…”

“Save your history lessons for another lifetime,” the elderly Master crossed his arms, wore a fierce, quiet expression, and continued. “It’s time the Pavilion and Cult gave you one. But unlike you, we aren’t fond of talking. Hey, you talk so much about the Blauw Empire. Are you all just that scared? Hah hah! Don’t fret, kid. If we were joining the Blauw Empire’s lonely side, we would’ve been at your doors and half your face spread on the dirt!”

“!” The opposing man had a raging, tremendously tense expression when he heard those humiliating last words. The elderly Master finished his speech while the man kept fuming. “This isn’t about sides or history. It’s about time you remember what made you our stepping stone in the past… When it was only one Emirate and only one group of fools."

…