First Existences' War, The Frontline Battle (5)

There were unique shields one could buy or even forge on their own to resist much more than a Carrier's can hold. However, these are many times more costly, to the point that it is easier to make a Mothership than to buy and even less create a shield of that magnitude in both the size it can become and the efficiency towards what is known as a peak firepower, a Sixth Step organization's full-on armada firing at the same target.

However, as Heian Ciemnosc kept advancing through the enemy lines, he saw none. Of course, even if an organization had stored at least one of them for the worst possible situation, and they could use it in this battle to secure their younger generation’s victory, having better chances at winning. The organizations would prefer to use them when their Kingdom, individual territory, or Space Station was in danger. Never would they send their younger generation with them to fight a measly early realms-focused war.

As Heian Ciemnosc razed the enemy line’s center with his group, he stood before his commander’s spot as he witnessed all angles of the battle. Hundreds of enemy spaceships were collectively destroyed by their rockets, missiles, barraging, raining bullets, and selective artillery shelling.

Veeeeeeeem- spark spark spark! Cruuushhhhh- bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Fwuuooooshhh~! Pshift, pshift-kank! Pshift-clink!

Not only was the young black monster’s military unit still mowing spaceships and advancing through spaceship-coated space as if it was mostly empty, but their speed had increased. Heian Ciemnosc’s group advanced at a slightly high potency, sending all of their arsenals forward as they stopped for not even a moment.

Whenever the enemy’s fearless Low Battleships and a group of Cruisers made a blockade before them, Heian Ciemnosc’s Low Battleships would take the front temporarily and crash into the enemy, bringing them along, launching a rapid assault at the enemy spaceships as they become entrapped and stuck in their rectangle formation.

The few Fighters would bring personnel from the spaceships, boarding the enemy spaceships and focusing on the enemy’s central command. It might be one of the few safest places, but it could do nothing against prepared devices and poison. Or merely just deactivating the array formations to fight the Elemental Poison off.

They knew what to do, and they did so flawlessly. Heian Ciemnosc trained those who weren’t part of the Crimsonbreaking Faction and those who guided the rest. Heian Ciemnosc’s Large Flotilla’s personnel was enough to guide tens of thousands of cultivators into the enemy spaceships before rapidly retreating as the extended Elemental Water Eye array formation let go of the enemy and to die behind.

But as time passed and 2 hours went by, Heian Ciemnosc’s Large Flotilla started seeing the exhaustion of their resources start gnawing at their defenses and possible offensive movements soon. The main force was behind them, just a few kilometers away, and sometimes only hundreds of meters, but they were chasing behind his group to not leave him alone.

No matter how alarmed the enemy became and how much they went through the rapidly worsening situation, they couldn’t fully defend against this spearhead tactic. Heian Ciemnosc’s actions were strenuously followed by the main force, helping them subdue any thoughts of striking the young black monster’s group’s rear from the enemy’s heads.

Whenever an enemy wanted to crush Heian Ciemnosc from the back, despite knowing they would receive severe damage and injuries, the main force behind his military unit would suddenly boost their advancement and stride throughout the enemy spaceships to death!

Heian Ciemnosc felt confident in continuing like this, even as only a quarter of an hour remained before the battle’s 3rd hour arrived, and his group’s arsenal had been consumed, in general, by around 40%.

As the battle continued, Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes looked at one of the radars, showing another Frigate besieged and about to implode from just the massive firepower it was facing from an enemy filled with hatred. The piloting experts witnessing this frowned but knew not to aid Heian Ciemnosc. Even when this was his first time, he had already shown he didn’t need his hands or ears pulled.

“Start phase 3. I’ll let you contact the main force,” Heian Ciemnosc calmly spoke as he stepped backwards. The commanding assistant looked at Heian Ciemnosc, astounded. What was he gonna do? They were still moving, and their speed would only gradually slow when the main force behind them confirmed their help. What could the commander do now?

“Yes, sir!” - “Yes, sir!” - “Yes, sir!” A few piloting experts’ teams shouted, nearly in unison. They started communicating with the tens of thousands of spaceships behind them as Heian Ciemnosc’s dark coat fluttered, and he suddenly lifted his arms lightly.

“Don’t fear what’s to come. I’m only making a few moves,” Heian Ciemnosc’s voice became hoarse and dragged on. Somehow, though, as it arrived in all his soldier units’ ears, they felt comfort and a sense of… utter, fitting reliance!

Bowwbooumb!!

Myriad Darkness Materialization! Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes became wholly dark, and everyone suddenly felt as if everything around them was a light bulb that slowly dimmed out. Their heads felt stiff, their pores numb yet excited for some reason, and some parts of their bodies even felt as if their skin wrung in twirls as if something deep within their nature called them.

But while their eyes sensed this happened slowly, it only happened in under 2 seconds. They remained in utter silence and darkness during that amount of time. But that was only for Heian Ciemnosc’s soldier units. As for the enemy… it was like a shapeless claw clawing at their faces, stealing them of their 5 senses for 2 seconds, shooting fearful sentiments to their deepest core!

When everything happened, their eyes gained the ability to see again, and their bodies could feel. As their Spirit Sense and Soul seemed to again exist, only a few noticed what had changed, at least from those within the dark ‘dome’ that appeared out of nowhere.

“!” The only people to have a recognition of what just happened were Elena and some of the Academy members she brought with her directly under her command. When it happened, she kept quiet and only stared in a direction. That place just happened to be where one of their Frigates was facing unbelievable firepower, and many who noticed knew it meant a death sentence even for them.

It belonged to one of the ‘vassals’ that accompanied the Obscure Orb Sect, but the Frigate had already chosen to drive the enemy’s firepower away so their comrades could focus on destroying them instead.

“!” - “?!” - “Commander!” Within that Frigate, the surviving members in the central command were just notified of the preparations and, together with their personnel, planned to drive their last existing seconds into one of the enemy wings their military unit forcefully created, making the starting point of their 3rd phase easier. The commander, vice commander, and commanding assistant’s eyes went round!

Heian Ciemnosc suddenly appeared before them! He was even standing at their central command module’s entrance! Their eyes weren’t deceiving them. It was really him! Moreover, as the flames from the corridors and injured personnel shoved themselves towards the hangar, they also looked at Heian Ciemnosc’s back, finding it familiar.

“!!!” The central command’s personnel felt strange since their leading figures’ energy fluctuations were suddenly in disarray. Just when they thought their leading figures had become cowards and looked at them, they also noticed Heian Ciemnosc and their jaws dropped. Who, how, when, why, what in the actual fuck?!

“Operate as usual.” Heian Ciemnosc softly exclaimed as he stepped forth. He walked over to the commander’s spot and continued to arrive at the piloting experts in charge of directly maneuvering the Frigate. It was a team of 22 people.

“Leave it to me. Bring everyone to this module and the adjacent ones,” Heian Ciemnosc’s calm words woke them up. A part of their hearts wanted them to yell at their commander to leave. A tiny third of themselves.

Heian Ciemnosc was still a Second Step cultivator! No matter his body tempering ‘Supreme’ Art or his stupidly perverted capability of jumping a cultivation base realm. All this war was filled with Third Step spaceships! This could obliterate even early-stages Universal realm cultivators!

However, the rest of their parts made them feel comfortable knowing Heian Ciemnosc was here. They instinctively acted and obeyed his commands as the piloting experts in charge notified all the personnel to move nearby. A few thousand crew members and thousands of auxiliary units rushed near them.

Meanwhile, Heian Ciemnosc rapidly moved his fingers and Spirit Sense as he accommodated the Frigate to aim to its right. Its nose seemingly gleamed coldly because the enemy started firing at it as if it had killed their entire families. The Frigate’s structure wouldn’t last more than 10 seconds like this.

Heian Ciemnosc separated from the Frigates and looked back at the pack of fellas already formed and looking at their commander. The knowledge that their commander was stuck in this with them and in danger kicked in, but Heian Ciemnosc didn’t give them a chance to make him feel cringe with sacrificial words… because all sound was stolen the moment one in particular rang.

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Bowwbooumb!!

The dark dome appeared again, covering half the rectangular formation from its left rear to the center. The spectators in a warring position far away from the 3-line battlefield watched with interest as they witnessed this again. When it disappeared, they saw the Frigate in flames rushing into the Evergazing Existence’s right wing, slightly echoing in explosions until it became a 200-meter-diameter light bulb in the middle of their right wing’s line.

However, while the spectators and the enemy were confused, Heian Ciemnosc and the even more confused Frigate’s crew members suddenly appeared in the Low Battleship’s gigantic main hangar. After the darkness covered their senses again, the Fighter Teams in the main hangar were astounded to see thousands of comrades suddenly appear.

If it wasn’t because of their commanding standing before them, they might’ve acted and arrested them in order to question them… what the fucking fuck just happened.

“Commander!” A Fighter Team’s leader spoke as his SC Fighter opened its cabin, and he peeked outside it. As he did, several booms rang from the outside, signaling the mighty, strenuous battle they were still on, but Heian Ciemnosc wore a calm, nearly indifferent expression.

Heian Ciemnosc didn’t bother with anything else, sparing a glance to the team leader before raising his left arm and showing his Crimsonbreaking Faction medallion and shouting, “During phase 3, I might reappear here or in any other hangar in my Low Battleship whenever I secure some of your comrades lives! They are to immediately prepare with the other assaulting forces!”

“...” Heian Ciemnosc lowered his arm, looked at an Officer, and nodded at the destroyed Frigate’s crew members he had just rescued from sure death. He looked at a transporting ship and a Soldier waiting for him with a gaping mouth as he walked towards them. Heian Ciemnosc ordered one just before leaving. The Soldier had no idea why the commander ordered this, but now she did… It was absurdly cool! She lacked any other words to think about it.

Heian Ciemnosc left the hangar as the auxiliary unit couldn’t believe their eyes and the new workload left for them. However, they did little to complain. While they were here doing miscellaneous stuff and chatting or relaxing with citizens, their soldier unit comrades went out and fought. Some died, and some Fighters didn’t even return.

They rapidly went into motion. The Fighters in the main hangar wouldn’t come out until phase 3, and from what they heard half a minute ago, it was about to start! They moved the spaceship-less comrades to the other hangars, guiding them through the corridors of a Low Battleship they hadn’t been able to enjoy before. But everyone knew this was just the prelude of relaxation and comfort before assaulting. And that meant a lot more in space than in naval or ground battles.

That’s right, Heian Ciemnosc spent much less than a minute to accomplish using Myrid Darkness Materialization, rapidly moving between his dark dome and then returning with thousands of cultivators to his Low Battleships.

Heian Ciemnosc was returning to his central command, but the battle was still ongoing. One thing worth noticing that gladdened him was the Low Battleship’s speed slowing down. As the Soldier fought the need to rest her head on his thighs and slumber, Heian Ciemnosc got off the transporting vehicle and walked into his central command.

“Commander…” The commanding assistant looked at him with her digital clipboard hugged in her chest, clearly unaware of what to think. When the piloting experts announced Heian Ciemnosc’s words and showed where he was through surveillance array formations, everyone felt chills down, up, in, and out of their skin.

Heian Ciemnosc nodded at the female reporter and continued walking until he arrived at his commander’s seat and placed his bum where it belonged. The commanding assistant nodded and rapidly transferred her knowledge of the situation to Heian Ciemnosc. His Spirit Sense could do that without these devices, but not with all the information of the spaceships and enemy spaceships, whose structure he could not break with his Spirit Sense.

While he could calculate the enemy spaceship’s arsenal through their weaponry and missile launching systems’ machinery, this was for anything in the 3,000,000 km range of his Spirit Sense. He couldn’t possibly feel Third Step spaceships’ locking, weaponry, and moving systems.

“And the 3rd phase?” Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes remained slightly closed as he read through the female reporter’s Spirit Sense. He opened them and glanced at her with them after finishing. She nodded and showed him her clipboard device. Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes shone comfortably, giving the commanding assistant and a few Officers in the module a sensation of slight warmth.

“Good. I’ll make a move a few more times until the 3rd phase begins. Continue the battle as intended,” Heian Ciemnosc calmly voiced. He sat in his commander’s seat without much comfort but without feeling nervous. It was strange… as if… it was just right.

“Yes, commander,” the commanding assistant nodded and sat on her chair outside his commander’s spot. She then showed her something and embarrassingly spoke. “This was left by your Team member, Ruo Wei, 5 seconds after you returned.”

Heian Ciemnosc gazed at a frame showing Ruo Wei’s paused image. The video played out, and Ruo Wei barked as her countenance became suspicious and ‘enraged’ as she questioned him, “Did you lend your wifey Elena the Ornament?! Aah! I wanted to use it before 4th phase was over! Why didn’t you tell me? I was already expecting the moment it was in my hands again!”

“...” Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes slightly narrowed as the video ended and the commanding assistant took her clipboard away. She blushed slightly and constantly looked at the floor and Heian Ciemnosc’s pale face with fidgety eyes.

Heian Ciemnosc shook his head a little before continuing to observe the battle. It wasn’t his fault that Ruo Wei wanted the Ornament. She always did. It was her most fun toy whenever they trained or were in leisure, and traveling with it granted her chances for inspiration and whatever else.

However, it really wasn’t his fault. Elena played him before everyone docked off and took their positions within the formation. She grabbed his Ornament after winning against him. He wouldn’t use it anyway, as he would have a more dangerous placement in this ‘hunting objective’ they were entrusted with.

Ruo Wei knew to ask before missions or battles, but she felt too free to do so now. It was her fault for underestimating his wife, and he was innocent! Heian Ciemnosc rigorously nodded to his thoughts thrice before looking at the commanding assistant. She felt perplexed by the commander’s sudden actions, but she was clever not to push for an answer.

“Alright, just have people waiting for me in all hangars from now on. If I need to select another Low Battleship, I’ll tell you. Gotta move,” Heian Ciemnosc suddenly stood up, followed by the commanding assistant, who became slightly stunned by his words.

‘Commander, are you kidding? We’re in the middle of the war, but you’re showing off? And whatever thing you did… was that teleportation?! That Frigate was a couple kilometers away. Because even Third Step cultivators in the middle realms can travel this fast in so little without an Art! But the records denounce you aren’t a speed-based cultivator or specialized in it. How…’

Bowwbooumb!!

“...” The commanding assistant had to stop her words as she, some piloting experts, and the few Officers and Soldiers standing in formation were stunned to see their commander go away again. But this time, the darkness felt like it lasted less, but this was because they had sensed it already. Nevertheless, they wondered if the enemy felt the same strange comfort within the ‘endless’ and unbreakable silence they barely remembered after the darkness dissipated.

Just as their thoughts arrived there, the commanding assistant watched a few enemy spaceships on both wings, slightly reached by the dark dome, affected as they were already crashing and charging against one another when the darkness blinked out of existence. It was like a shadow playfully hiding and revealing the sun like a small cloud within a strong wind.

On the other hand, Heian Ciemnosc’s military unit’s spaceships were fine, without the slightest trace of misfortune or engineering trouble. Then, as the dark dome blinked out, the Cruiser in the rectangle formation’s right side on the middle, without its shield and all its machine guns destroyed, welcomed a new visitor.

Heian Ciemnosc watched as the crew members around and in the Cruiser’s command center looked at him, baffled and seemingly aware that this could happen. However, no matter how much they frowned at the notifications a few minutes ago, they now witnessed the truth.

“...” Heian Ciemnosc looked at everyone in front of him before walking forward. The piloting experts in charge of spaceships' internal communications went to work ASAP, and those maneuvering the Cruiser moved their chairs away before bowing and walking to stand with the rest.

When the piloting experts finished alarming the crew, they joined the group and stared at their commander. Some gulped out of nervousness, and others feared their lives would be destroyed if something went wrong with their commander’s strange teleportation.

Heian Ciemnosc’s nature reading showed him their thoughts, but he didn’t even grin and just put his dark Neutral Energy into the Cruiser’s systems via his yolks as his Spirit Sense did all the work. Other cultivators could do this if they used particular methods, followed a bizarre rule, and in the use of at least an Art. But all that showed how difficult it could be to get it done.

Rather than letting a cultivator do it, with the possibility of failing, Heian Ciemnosc did the work himself. He didn’t need anything. All he had to do was use his dark Neutral Energy because it was damn easy to manipulate anything with it.

“Prepare, you’re a lot more, so you’ll feel a heavy pull. Don’t fight it, but don’t become unguarded. It’s not gravity. It will be the sheer force of me bringing you away.” Heian Ciemnosc finished working on the Cruiser than before at the Frigate from its mere size and roundness it had. He didn’t correct them about the ‘teleportation’ Art move he could use, as it was no teleportation but an immediate, all-trespassing movement.

Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes became wholly dark, and this felt like their cue to prepare as they became enchanted by the sight. Heian Ciemnosc activated his Darkness Myriad Materialization, and before they knew it, it felt as if the world pulled their skin, hair, and blood downwards while their bodies elongated and became several dozen meters long.

Bowwbooumb!!

However, they couldn’t see or sense anything, for that matter. Then, before they knew it, the darkness clouding their everything disappeared, and they reappeared in another place, dizzy and feeling as if their bodies were warped in twirls nonstop. The sensation was still there until half a minute later when they noticed they were inside another hangar and auxiliary units were treating them before instructing them where to wait for further instructions.

If nothing went wrong, then this would be a 1-day war. All these phases Heian Ciemnosc’s group had and would go through were more than necessary, and other military units had their own, too. Thus, they rapidly went to their stations, met their Low Battleship new comrades for assaulting purposes, and waited.

From then on, the battle slowed down slightly in the 3rd battlefield line, but it had also welcomed its most intense period… And yet again, the young black monster’s force was leading the move!

…