Under the walls of a city, Alexander was breathing heavily. He was already at the Sixth Phase. His terrifying talent allowed him to rival even monsters at the Eighth Phase, but this time, perhaps, he had overestimated himself.
The commander of the city of Gezia continued to throw terrifying blows against him, trying to take his life with every one of them. The commander was in the Late Stage of the Eighth Phase, at the limit of what Alexander could face.
…
Four years after going into exile, Alexander had become King, when dangers, envy and hatred against his kingdom were appearing everywhere. He was only twenty.
Philip had been assassinated by one of his most trusted generals, who had been chased and killed while on the run. Together with him, Alexander had punished everyone involved in his father's murder.
However, despite the various investigations that had been carried out, the motive for the murder had never been found.
True responsibility, according to many, including Alexander's friends, was to be attributed to the young King's mother. There was no concrete evidence, but most believed that Philip's general had been corrupted by Alexander's mother. They were all convinced that she had clouded the General's mind, using esoteric arts that had been handed down for generations in her Clan.
After the murder, Alexander had also had to organise an escort for his father's younger wife, who was widowed after just a few years of marriage. Even the new King feared that his mother might kill her if she wasn't properly protected.
As much as Alexander's pride prevented him from admitting it, the relationship between him and his father had always been visceral and nothing, not even Alexander's voluntary exile, had managed to break the affection they felt for each other.
Philip, after the wedding night in which he had threatened his own son, had cried for three whole days, regretting how he had treated Alexander. His pain was eased only by an emissary who had warned him that Alexander was alive and well, sheltered in the city where he had studied as a child.
In order to amend his mistake, Philip had sent Alexander a letter to reassure him that he was the only legitimate heir to the throne.
But now that Philip was dead, Alexander was facing an unprecedented crisis. On Madonia's borders, in all the territories that his father had conquered, people were revolting and everyone wanted to set up an independent government.
The old King had left his son with a very heavy burden. As young as the new ruler was, everyone thought they could take advantage of that moment and claim their independence. Nobody imagined that that boy, now about to collapse under the weight of all the problems that had hit him, would one day conquer almost the whole universe.
"We have to step aside, train, and only then claim what is ours," said Crater, with a dark expression on his face, as soon as Alexander was officially proclaimed King. The situation did not bode well.
Crater and all the other Alexander's followers were immediately appointed generals by the new king. If they had stayed with him in his darkest hour, Alexander would have kept them with him till the end of the world.
Efeistio was silent. Whatever decision they made, he would follow his King.
"If we back off right now, when we will try to put them back in line they will say: 'Oh, look, it's Alexander, that weak fag that shat in his pants ten years ago.'" Alexander's words, since he had become King, were always accompanied by a determined gaze. "If I changed the attitude my father kept so far, we would be subjected to their mercy."
"Without Philip, our army cannot stand up to those who have always been its enemies," said Crater through gritted teeth. For years he had studied military discipline and no one knew more than him about militias. In the years to come he would have gained enough experience to make him the first strategist under Alexander during his conquest the universe.
"What do you need Philip for when you have Alexander?" Said the King indignantly.
Everyone was silent, knowing that the young King was a hot head and, once he had decided something, nobody could stop him.
Crater's gaze stopped on Helial, begging him to intervene.
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Helial shook his head. "I don't think it's my duty to intervene in this decision."
And so it was.
Alexander decided he would act like this: he first calmed all the rebellions that had occurred on the borders of Madonia and then began to head towards the conquered nations that were trying to rebel.
Inside the continent, everyone hated him, convinced that he was a threat to the independence of every nation, as Philip had been before him. But if the old King seemed to have kept a little sense, thanks to his humble origins, it was not so for Alexander: the young man had studied with the greatest masters of the continent and known the greatest living sages. He had a strong character and ruled with an unrivalled iron fist.
All the barbarians found to loot and plunder had been impaled alive and kept alive through Runes and Formations, to make them suffer as long as possible. Their screams rang for days along the streets, a dismal warning not to break the laws of the kingdom of Madonia.
That was Alexander's first action to assert his strength. It was as if he meant to say, "I'm not a kid."
In fact, after his first real battle as a king, he was considered a lunatic by most.
…
The King of the Getis, Azemilco, descended directly from the Dragons and the blood of these mythical creatures flowed in his veins.
Skill Activated:
Draconic Conversion.
His body had been refined by the power of those legendary creatures and, in a plain where there were no Immortals, he could defeat every other Human.
His skin began to grow scales and his Meridians became harder than steel. Not even a hundred swords could have scratched his skin.
Draconic Conversion transformed the Mana into pure Strength, thus guaranteeing Azemilco extraordinary capabilities. Alexander's opponent did not need elegant or elaborate Skills, but he would have broken through every obstacle in his path.
Only Philip, who had reached the Ninth Phase, could have faced that man without batting an eyelid.
The planet on which Madonia was located was in short supply of Immortals. Only a couple of Immortals could be found in those lands and they weren't up to the big monsters in the universe at all.
Alexander had immense talent and boundless courage, but this time he had acted like a lunatic. He had tried to defeat a man much more powerful than he was.
On the battlefield, the Getis were at a numerical disadvantage, but their physical strength had cornered the Madonis.
The battle was taking place in a valley. The two enemy armies were facing each other and fighting without adopting particular strategies.
Efeistio fought like a maniac, leading the cavalry against the Getis’ ranks. Their armour was really strong. In fact, they were famous for being the greatest blacksmiths on the planet.
Although their number was lower than the Madonis', their superior defense guaranteed by their equipment was a crucial factor in the clash.
Madonis and Getis' power was balanced.
However, the Getis received far fewer wounds and therefore could fight longer, going beyond the limits of a human body.
The left and right wings of the Madoni deployment continued to be kept under pressure by the unstoppable power of the Getis. There was no way out. As out of the ordinary as Stamina and Vigour of the warriors in Alexander's army was, what could they do if even their leader was unable to stand up to Azemilco?
Was it worthwhile for Alexander's army to be crushed in that hazardous battle?
Several felt their legs tingling in fear. They were ready to flee and turn their backs on the enemy and their King to save their lives.
Crater, covered in blood from head to toe, so that not even his wounds were visible, roared like a wounded lion and broke the skull of an enemy General.
Skill Activated:
Comet
Alexander's General leapt upwards, rising tens of meters in the air. He was covered by sunlight and started to look like of the celestial bodies that populate the firmament. At the highest point in his trajectory, he seemed to freeze in mid-air for a few seconds.
A dazzling light enveloped his body and he began to plummet at full speed towards the enemy lines.
The blood formed cobweb threads in the air, dispersing in drops and then in steam due to the temperature generated by the Skill.
…
In the middle of a forest near the battlefield, a young man on horseback looked into the distance.
"When are we going to attack?" Said one of his men anxiously.
"Not now," said the rider, watching Crater's attack explode with unprecedented violence.
"If we don't attack now, everyone will die!" Shouted another.
"We have to attack!" Pressed the others.
Skill Activated
Lv: 3
Flame of the Qilin
Grade: Master
Knowledge level: Manifestation of Weapons
Radius: 1500 m
Damage: 9500-14000/sec
Effects:
Flame of Qilin has different damage based on the link between those who use and the Forces of Life. Deals triple damage against Dark creatures.
Inflicts Burning Malus
Cost: 0
In a split second, the belts that held their swords were charred by a white flame and all the men found themselves stripped of their armour.
"Take the traitors away, they will be punished after we have won the battle," said Helial briefly without even looking away, observing the actions of the two armies.
His control over Flame of the Qilin had reached a terrifying level. After passing the Master Grade, Helial could also have used Flame of the Qilin to heal wounds and remove poisons from the body.
Together with Alexander, Helial had studied Medical Art, and both had reached the Master Grade. Moreover, Sword Art and many other Skills had also reached the same rank.
Although he had not gone up a level, only the gods knew what his effectiveness would be in combat in the real world.
Within the Time Block, Helial was in the Sixth Phase, like his King.