Launching A Surprise

"Other than the youngest male or female in each household, and leaving at least 1 authoritative figure, the rest of you will become part of my forces." Heian Ciemnosc spun in place as he elaborated. The villagers were helpless and felt hopeless. Even if they wanted to struggle and refuse this, they would die. The idea of rather dying than to submit wasn't appealing when it happened to oneself, and these people understood it right away. However, Heian Ciemnosc didn't give them even a second to keep weighing the new misfortunes of their lives.

“You won’t be joining any battle for now,” Heian Ciemnosc said, “My Crimsonbreaking Faction has the reputation they deserve, but that doesn’t mean we’ll use useless people in our battles. You’ll be trained, disciplined… and will become part of us by the end of this event. To you, it might mean a life-changing matter. To us, you’re just joining us.”

“If anyone wants to make an inquiry, you can do so after you’ve received your new uniforms. Any one of you that fails to meet the requirements to at least become an auxiliary engineer or logistics assistant will be used for labor.” Heian Ciemnosc stopped those who were curious, and a bit positive towards this sudden change.

“You may take 1 or 2 years before your position in my forces is defined. Some of your bodies are old and weak. Some of you are above 120 years. You’ll be granted pills to nurture your bodies, among other things. If even then you fail to accomplish anything, you can be relaxed to know you’re really useless and will be exiled after reconstructing this settlement.” Heian Ciemnosc pointed at the sky, areas around them, and some of the most long-faced villagers around him.

“If you didn’t hear well, I’ll repeat myself. Only this time,” Heian Ciemnosc said. His voice was too powerful thanks to his [All-Devouring Force Chronicles] 7th level. He didn’t need to use anything but his will, so his voice could reach tens of kilometers from his position. It was like a tutor calmly and patiently guiding a pupil with their hand on the shoulder.

Heian Ciemnosc’s expression became a little indifferent, but his darkest eyes glowed with ultimate coldness. His voice was calm, still. But his tone made them feel chilly to the bone. “This village is utter garbage. My people will reconstruct it, but it won’t be a village anymore.”

“!” The villagers seemed a little alerted when they heard this. Everyone’s faces changed, and the light in their eyes showed they were about to do anything, but Heian Ciemnosc continued without letting him speak. As for interrupting him, they didn’t dare anymore after the old lady’s knees trembled nonstop since she tried to punch Heian Ciemnosc.

“A 2* Region doesn’t necessarily need more than a city, and the Medium City on our southwest is enough to supply this entire land section with endless riches!” Heian Ciemnosc’s words caught the villagers’ attention. He continued, “I was planning to make a city, so people like you would become the first ‘holders’ of this place, but both your village and your neighbors are too close. So a Small City will have to be.”

“!...” The villagers were flabbergasted to say the least. Heian Ciemnosc saw young, old, childish, and mature faces. Then, one villager stepped forth from the crowd upon seeing he momentarily stopped. It was a young boy, nearly a young man, with dull brown clothes, holding his hands together. “But, mister. If we’re no longer a village… then, the Sect won’t give us enough rations to fill our bellies every day!”

“Yeah, that’s right!” - “We won’t have any food!” - “Look at us. We don’t even have clothes to spare. All that remains is enough food for everyone. We’re fine like this!”

Heian Ciemnosc looked at them unfazed. The Sect and Academy had placed many ‘laws’ within the inhabitants. Not only were they forced to keep their farms and stores at a limited supply and workload, they also had to depend on the ‘ruling’ organizations to survive every day. If any of them wanted to make the village turn into a more prosperous settlement like a town, they would be forced to let go of such ideals.

It’s been enough decades to force these people into relying on the organizations to feed themselves. Even if they wanted to, they couldn’t make food for themselves because they lack crops, and most agricultural knowledgeable folk are brought to the resource gathering installations. This left the settlements with fewer and fewer farmers.

“Well, that’s stupid of you.” Heian Ciemnosc’s words quieted their complaints. The villagers immediately looked at Heian Ciemnosc in response, but he wasn’t in a hurry to explain himself. Heian Ciemnosc casually stood in the same place before comfortably saying, “You won’t be subjected to those things anymore. Starting from the moment this place is rebuilt, you will become the second and last City in this land section!”

“You will respond to us before anyone else, and no one in this Region can tell you what to do if they aren’t the Crimsonbreaking Faction!” Heian Ciemnosc’s voice was like steel. The villagers nervously looked at him. Some gulped, while others trembled slightly before calming down.

“There’s many of you here. But not everyone will be used for the war effort. Some of you are just not apt for being involved, so you’ll stay behind and rebuild what you willingly gave up. From now on, you’re under the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s protection!!” Heian Ciemnosc finished speaking and walked away. He didn’t pay attention to the villagers anymore despite their pleading gazes, and walked northwards.

Etherea, the commanding assistant, spoke to a few vice commanders before hurrying towards Heian Ciemnosc. Her clipboard showcased many numbers and different profile images. All these villagers’ faces had been taken into the civilian records from the database servers Heian Ciemnosc created while walking here.

“What further instructions do you have, commander?” Etherea asked, as she more or less understood Heian Ciemnosc. She still had to experience more of his commandeering, but she was getting there. Heian Ciemnosc looked at her silently and said, not responding quite yet. “It’s good that you’re following me here, too.”

“Sir, I have decided. My career lies within your path. Just let me follow from behind, I’ll be infinitely thankful.” Etherea bowed while walking forwards. Heian Ciemnosc nodded and didn’t speak anymore. Etherea added as she felt the need to say more. Her voice was collected, but showed a little thrill, “I know commander trusts his Team the most, and that I am the first to seek the shadow under your wing. But, commander. I will only be the first of many. You’re aware, aren’t you?”

“Hm, alright,” Heian Ciemnosc lightly smiled but didn’t say anything. He looked at the north, where he could still feel as nearly 1 million kilometers separated him from the oceanic river, and the salty water’s scent reached his nostrils. Etherea couldn’t feel the same unless she was at the Farsighted realm, but knew what he was doing.

“We set off in 4 days and must return on the 5th at most. Prepare everyone and everything.” Heian Ciemnosc said as his darkest eyes slightly narrowed. Etherea looked in the same direction and didn’t ask questions. As for how many people to bring and how many to leave, she was clearly aware. All soldier units must g o! Leave some auxiliary units behind! That was it.

“Sir, these are the people you instructed me to find for agriculture activities, domestic affairs, civilian security, and education.” Etherea passed her precious clipboard to let him see the panel. Heian Ciemnosc nodded and tapped at some faces’ noses with his right-handed index finger before instructing her further. He chose the people for this position or that one, and gave her a few extra details to considerate.

. . .

More than half a million kilometers from the village that Heian Ciemnosc’s small force occupied. 4 days alter. Evening.

The world was covered with a golden luster, translucent and reminiscing of one’s old, innocent, and naïve childhood memories. The tall grass barely swaying in the wind offered comfort as the footsteps sounds and crouching people with inscriptions around their bodies neared a village barely 15 kilometers away.

Strangely or not, the Aqualian Drake Sect established a resource gathering location near their lad section’s northern oceanic riverbank. It only had 2 villagers to ‘offer protection’ in case an enemy went on the defensive.

The only reason a resource gathering location was built here was because this place and the southwest corner are the richest in resources in a half-a-million kilometers circular area around it. As for why only 2 villages were placed there, only a coward would understand their mindset.

Maybe, the Aqualian Drake Sect believed they had enough protection and time to respond to an enemy incursion with another 4 villages surrounding its rear. Either way, the resource gathering location was left behind by Heian Ciemnosc and his small force.

All 50 vice commanders attended this small mission, but only 200,000 auxiliary units came with them. Heian Ciemnosc felt Etherea’s presence on the left on his rear. He slowly turned his head towards her as Heian Ciemnosc took several arm-long cylindrical objects from his Covert Space bags and passed them around. The soldier units around him passed them to the others until arriving at their formation’s sides’ perimeters.

Crghu, crghu, crghu~... Then, the troops placed them on the ground, stabbing them a few inches while the rest of their length remained visible. When every device was prepared and set, they emitted a slowly blinking, blue light. Heian Ciemnosc nodded at his commanding assistant, who started giving his instructed orders to his small force.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

The vice commanders suddenly became tense, and even the top 20 experienced from before the special operation changed their faces, turning serious.

They had to remain behind, but within the battlefield, so they could organize and dictate their 1,000-strong troops‘ movements and couldn’t join the battle this time. Not even by sending energy attacks! Nevertheless, while the commanders were surprised, they understood what they had to do and mentally prepared as time went on.

“Go,” when Heian Ciemnosc saw the first trace of darkness descend onto the open field before him, he muttered the signal. His left hand pointed with his index finger forward, activating the devices with his dark Vigor Energy as they suddenly blindly glowed for half a second, a distance from the first village.

PSHIIIIIIIIIIFFF-TTT~! PA- BUUUUUM!

Immediately, Heian Ciemnosc’s pre-inscribed array formations traveled to the troops’ backs, including the auxiliary units, who were already sprawling forwards at their commander’s orders. Then, they felt their bodies gaining a moment-lasting impulse as they became lighter and the energy within them stagnated and solidified with the inscriptions entering their uniforms and Earth armor sets.

In a second, they crossed 14 kilometers, just as the cultivators in the villages noticed the blatant glowing blue light in the distance. Before they could react, tens of thousands of cultivators with Third Step cultivation base realms rushed towards them, wielding weapons with energy bouts, Arts, and Elemental Arts flying towards them with several hundred meters length.

“Huaaaaaaaaaa...!!!!!” A roar echoed throughout the open field.

Rumbleeee~~... The ground shook a little as the Crimsons immediately destroyed dozens of buildings. They were mostly houses, and some had people inside. A few villagers were blown away by the impact, but none were directly killed. Only some who were stupid enough to look at what was happening and had weak survival instincts remained on the spot and were crushed by debris.

The world wouldn’t blame the Crimsons for such deaths, and the preemptive attacks that slightly injured the villagers were intended to push them away, even if it did hurt them. Thus, as the hidden cultivators within the center and some other houses, either taking those buildings to live, or doing other, shady activities wanted to see the incoming cultivators suffer a backlash, they didn’t notice the carefulness of their actions before it was too late.

“Arms up! Get ready!!” - “Dammit! Did they teleport or what? Shit!” - “It’s just enhanced speed and an impulsing array formation! Focus!!” - “Too many! Prepare a retr- what the fuck is that?!”

Before the enemy, which were a couple thousand in the Third Step’s Mythical realm and a few in the Central Formation realm, could react, an enormous, flying shark suddenly flew towards them from dozens of kilometers up the sky. It was 1.5 kilometers long, with a body 400 meters in diameter, and fins of at least 300 meters with heavily armored, thick layers of scales around them for protection. Furthermore, those fins seemed to be formidably connected with his body.

This was Alejandro.

In the Hana-Saga realm, Alejandro was 890 meters long and about 140 meters in diameter. But that was the Second Step. Furthermore, he was no longer a Simmer Shark Monster. His body lost a bit of its bubbliness, but its nose and ‘cheeks’ were still adorable… at least in Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes.

Alejandro’s whole body, be it scale, teeth, or skin, was dark-gray. Furthermore, some scales were spiked up, as if they were introduced there somehow, and were as terrifying as anyone could imagine. If there was a porcupine fish, other than poisonous, this would be it.

Alejandro’s back was riddled with piked-up scales like a steep, uneven, gigantic rock. It was like a piece of skin that was 140 meters tall in repose, and 700 meters maximum. This thing was moving towards the enemy, flying forth as if gravity didn’t exist. Its shockingly rocky-scaled tail barely flipped, but it was already rushing with such speed and heaviness that its momentum stole the enemy attention for 2 breaths.

Alejandro evolved from a Simmer Shark… to a Dormant Magma Shark Monster!! A variation!

PSHIIIIIIIFFFT~~~! GUUUURGLEE~~!!

“Aaaaah!! We’re trapped!!” - “NOOO!” - “Hurry, we must break it!” - “No! We can’t! Turn and fight! It’s our only shot… Fight to the death! Aaaaah!!”

Just as the enemy woke up and realized they were more fucked than fuck, turned their tails and decisively fled towards the north, Alejandro’s mouth threw watery gurgles. Reddish-orange water rapidly moved through the air. It encapsulated the village in a bubble as the Crimsons could cross through effortlessly, but the enemy couldn’t even make a crack on the red, watery bubble despite using Arts and forbidden Arts on it before.

Now, however, the enemy faced the Crimsons, and as they looked at their emblem, their faces suffered a drain of blood to showcase their fright. But there was no going back.

“Haaaaah- psshggaaahk!” - “Hiyaa- AAAH!!” - “Wa- BOOOOM- aah…” - “Mf! Mmf! Graaaawwh…” - “We’ll die together, hahahahaha!” - “Come on! Come on!!”

The enemy cultivators fought with everything they got. The Crimsons weren’t invincible, so when they faced all-out, crazed cultivators, they suffered grievous injuries as those who suffered were pulled back and immediately attended by a few auxiliary units who circulated energy into the afflicted’s bodies.

The enemy gained fervor as they watched Crimsons’ blood fly into the air, smear the ground, and paint their eyes. But it was their blood that flew out more constantly, along organs and whatnot. For every Crimson took out of battle, a dozen enemy cultivator were mangled to death, with only hair and clothes remaining recognizable after a plethora of all sorts of attacks descended onto their bodies.

Some cultivators were emboldened and enraged when they saw multiple of the Crimsons cowardly pulling each other away, taking the killing way from their hands. The cultivators in this village were powerful, but they were too little still. Furthermore, after a few minutes, Alejandro dived from the sky and opened his mouth wide.

He had his owner’s permission so he didn’t hold and directly ate a hundred enemies along the ground in an a-few-hundred-meters-diameter zone before rolling on its back and smashing another hundred enemies to a pulp.

CRRAAAGGHH-... SLAAAAMMM~~!!...

The villagers were overly astounded, but they didn’t dare to look outside their bedrooms or step out from below their tables as they heard the ‘invaders’ threats and numerous footsteps. The villagers were sure that these people outnumbered them. But the villagers weren’t cultivators, and those threatening them most likely were.

PSHIIIFTT~~! CUUUH!! PU CHI! PUTONG~~! SLAMM! CRAASSSHH!! CLINK- CLANK- SPLATTERRR~~!!

A small bloodbath descended on the village’s outskirts. There wasn’t much blood, but from the method the enemy died, their bodies losing limbs everywhere and coming from various Races that had different body compositions, goriness filled the ground. As the fertilizer in the outskirts dried up, and only a few enemy cultivators remained, Heian Ciemnosc finally showed his face.

Step, step, step. Etherea walked behind him as one of the cultivators fighting for their lives wielded a long sword, had a thin figure, and brandished his sword to kill anyone even 25 meters around him. His Spirit Sense wasn’t that good, but he utilized it to its utmost efficiency.

Swish… swish- cuh! Whoosh… “Grrh…” The young man cut the air with his swords a few more times before suddenly noticing something. His eyes were already trembling before he confirmed his Spirit Sense reading, but when he saw Heian Ciemnosc just a few tens of meters before him, his body uncontrollably trembled.

“You-... Why are you here?! Why would they send you?!” The young man was astounded. The soldier units around him stopped. Some with ghastly injuries on their shoulders, arms, and thighs, seemingly wanting to fight the young swordsman still.

“Mn, end him. Get the villagers ready. This time, you’ll speak,” Heian Ciemnosc gave the fella a glance before becoming disappointed. He looked at a vice commander and ordered. The vice commander didn’t dare not show courtesy and solemnly nodded. Heian Ciemnosc then walked to the other ‘rings’ where the soldier units trained themselves.

When the other soldier units saw Heian Ciemnosc slowly walk towards them, they hurriedly attacked their opponent, wanting to have one last go before they were interrupted, or the fella was sentenced to death.

Heian Ciemnosc walked for 15 minutes while the auxiliary units and some soldier units did the menial work of gathering the villagers. In the end, he only took a fancy to 2 of them, with one of them being a young woman who wielded blade-claw gauntlets, and a young Dwarf who used countless tools to defend himself.

Although he couldn’t severely injure the Crimsons as in the other ‘rings’ around him, his tools proved useful to keep his little life.

2 hours later, Heian Ciemnosc stayed at the side while the vice commander gave the explanation to the villagers, with Etherea nearby in case he fucked up. The vice commander didn’t imitate him, nor did he try to appear imposing and valiant. He informed the villagers and quelled their inner rage. After everything was over, Etherea walked to Heian Ciemnosc and presented him with her clipboard with a satisfied smile on her face.

“... Oh,” Heian Ciemnosc did the same as before and selected certain individuals for specific purposes. But then, as he looked at 2 young girls from 2 different Races but in the same household, he fell pensive. Heian Ciemnosc debated for a few minutes under the commanding assistant's gaze, who was more than patient with him.

“Leave these 2, I want them for myself,” Heian Ciemnosc said. Etherea blinked twice before nodding. She started fidgeting with her digital clipboard. Then, she looked up and asked him, as her Spirit Sense continued doing the tapping on its screen in her fingers’ stead.

“Commander, what about the following procedures?”

“Leave 3 vice commanders and 50,000 auxiliary soldier units. The former will complete the mission and occupy the second village. I’ll return to the Small City in construction before returning here again.” Heian Ciemnosc immediately said.

Etherea nodded and noted something down on her clipboard before saying in a slightly dragged manner, “Will you… conduct the gathering of information?”

“No, they will,” Heian Ciemnosc said, nudging towards the village. He referred to the troops he’ll leave here. Heian Ciemnosc added as the commanding assistant showed bafflement. “The enemy is hiding in a small, outlying installation. I could do everything myself, but their array formations will notice when someone tries to pry within whatever they’re trying to hide.”

“The place isn’t too small, so if I alert them, they’ll probably just flee,” Heian Ciemnosc swayed his head slightly. With how easy the enemy fled, they were clearly waiting to receive information on the Crimsonbreaking Faction, not to slowly occupy these settlements.

However, Heian Ciemnosc had to re-occupy them even if they weren’t occupied by the enemy… How would he respond when the organizations’ representatives on his side showed up if he didn’t show what he got?

“Besides, the Sect and Academy’s Farsighted realm experts have already noticed my Spirit Sense. Although they’re debating whether it is from the Crimsonbreaking Faction they’ve been waiting for, or a passing intruder, they’ll come knocking at our doors somewhat soon. Oh, right. The enemy is also hiding a Farsighted realm cultivator within their hideout, so tell them to arrange well their espionage.”

“If they don’t act according to the situation, I’ll act severely!” Heian Ciemnosc ultimately coldly spouted those words. The commanding assistant could see the sternness of his words and didn’t doubt blood would flow if the troops failed in their espionage. She made a mental note to select the vice commanders with more or less the best espionage Teams and blew a sigh.

…