Novel Galaxy's First Ruler (R18 - System)

Discussion in 'Community Fictions' started by Hand_Number_37, Jul 26, 2021.

  1. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    [​IMG]

    Update: 15 chapters out
    Author's Note: I am publishing the free chapters here. :) Enjoy!
    But you can still access the rest of the Novel at the parent website. :)
    Thanks for the support.


    Hello everyone, I am working on my first novel "Galaxy's First Ruler", and you can also read this story at: https://www.webnovel.com/book/galaxy's-first-ruler_20587903805726905

    Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, System, Mystery, Genius, Lovecraft, Romance, Comedy, R18, Smut, Myth

    SYNOPSIS

    (Genius + OP + Don't Give a Fk) MC + R18 stuff (Cough!) + Incredible Fights + Adventures + System + Dark Theme = This Story
    -------------------------------------------------------
    WARNING: The first 125 chapters that I wrote were inspired from my fav Novel Series The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. So if you don't like changes in POV, this might tick you off. Though after 125 Chapters the POV is constant and would rarely change.

    Welcome to a World that encompasses Lovecraft elements, legendary creatures, mythology, and historical legends!!!
    Welcome to a Galaxy where the fight for evolution never ceases.
    Welcome to a System where just Leveling-Up isn’t enough.
    ---------------------------------------------------

    Bloodshed and war had ravaged the life of intelligent beings of the Milky Way Galaxy since time immemorial.
    Who had started the war? And why it must be continued?

    What if some being had created humans for its own twisted goals and pleasure? What if the struggle of evolution in intelligent beings follows a pre-planned rule?
    What if those who we call Gods are nothing but puppets? What if everything that happens, happens not because of a reason but because someone intends it so?

    It is commonly said that every life has its own story. What if all lives exist just for the sake of one story?

    Oblivious to such questions, on the planet Earth, Aldrich was used to living a normal life. And, to learn everything under heaven had become a part of his existence since childhood. Aldrich had just wanted to remain a normal person in an eternal pursuit of perfect knowledge.

    What would happen if such a person would be forced to become part of the Level-up system?
    What would happen if such a person would be forced to battle mythical beasts and historical legends?
    And what would happen if such a person would be forced to learn the Darkest secrets of the Universe?

    Follow the journey of a scholar becoming the Galaxy’s First Ruler.

    But if all lives are nothing but puppets, would this Ruler ever find out about the Puppet-master?
    ------------------------------------------------------
    Author's Note: Read up to the free chapters to get a complete idea of Novel.

    Disclaimer: The 'Earth' in this novel is not the same Earth as we live in. The novel heavily includes mythical elements from different cultures, but these topics have nothing to do with real life gods and other beings.

    -----------------------------------------------
    The cover is not my property. If you are the owner of the cover please contact me for its removal. Thank you.

    For inquiries (Discord): Hand_Number_37#6967
    For inquiries (Mail): [email protected]

    Table of Contents:
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2021
  2. Bobasis

    Bobasis Weeeeee

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    Btw the image is broken.
     
  3. Bobasis

    Bobasis Weeeeee

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    Have your tried clicking on the image button and copying the image address . Or maybe try using imb image upload to upload your image and copying the image address like that .
     
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  4. Bobasis

    Bobasis Weeeeee

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    Oh nice~
     
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  5. GentleSnow

    GentleSnow Well-Known Member

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    Wow ... It's awesome ...
    Looking forward to more !!!!
     
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  6. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Yes sure, I will be posting the 3rd chapter today :)
     
  7. flowersonyourgrave

    flowersonyourgrave Well-Known Member

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    Is this 1v1 in pairing??
     
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  8. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    I am sorry but I didn't quite get what you mean. '1v1 in pairing' like are you asking about the content??
     
  9. flowersonyourgrave

    flowersonyourgrave Well-Known Member

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    Ah, I was asking if there is also romance hehe.
     
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  10. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Yes, but its not of the main focus. Also the hints of romance would start to surface by chapter 13 or so.
     
  11. flowersonyourgrave

    flowersonyourgrave Well-Known Member

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    Ooooh. Thank you!!
     
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  12. Swift Gull

    Swift Gull Well-Known Member

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    I find it very interesting the concept as not only is the description really a interestingly written Also I waited for so long from any novel writers/authors to use this topic/plot similar to write about or make a story about .hat's off to your imagination. Really expectant towards your upcoming chapters. Best of Luck!

    Eagerly Waiting....
     
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  13. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Chapter 1: Prologue

    When I answered the question 'Who I am?' I found out that I am a God.

    […..]

    I looked up after this sudden realization, and yes, there he was, watching and observing me. There was no particular look in his eyes, no story, and no statement. It was like he was expecting another question. So I did.

    When I answered the question 'Why I am?' I found out that I am a Way.

    Yes, a Way to fill the blankness in his eyes. This answer gave me a purpose. And I convinced myself that I have no more questions unanswered. So I took my first step with an unwavering resolution to find a story.

    They are easy to find, the stories. But what isn't easy is to determine if they are worthy.

    Not just any story could fill those eyes with alertness. So I went on a long journey. It was my first time being away from home. And somehow it turned out to be my last, too. For I had found something worth waiting for. So I waited.

    As I was wandering through the many worlds, I came across something different. Now, different can be good depending on how it is being portrayed. And this world portrayed itself as quite fascinating to me. I heard a calling from the future and I glimpsed a great story. And this story would unfold in this world in a few billion years.

    In the meantime, I observed "little innocent beings" devouring each other. Darkness had embraced them like a mother embraces her newborn. The "little innocent beings" lost their innocence when I made them see the result of their voracious appetite. Soon I found them developing a concept called RECORD, like a set of rules, to regulate their hunger.

    No, I had no part in its development. Yes, I was the one who suggested it.

    They made rules and made an already fascinating world even more exciting. It had been quite a while since the RECORD overpowered its developers and replaced the base laws of this world.

    No, I had never foreseen this happening. Yes, I knew this would happen.

    Ah, that time soon came, which I foresaw. RECORD had already made itself known to most of the intelligent species of this world. The "not so innocent beings", later named as The Oldest Ones, had to develop their races according to the rules, rules that they were being forced to follow.

    Destiny guided me to one of these settlements. A Barred Spiral Galaxy: The Milky Way.

    An excellent story needs characters. And my first character was in his mother's arms sucking milk when I found him. But destiny did not gather on this character for too long. As I saw him becoming stronger, oblivious to his future, Destiny held my hand again and brought me to a blue planet.

    And it had no intention of moving further, for it selected an ordinary boy. Yes, he was ordinary, and compared to my first character; he was nothing. The converging of Destiny is neither good nor bad. But it is, definitely, a condition for the initiation of the story. Its converging on this character did not mean him being a chosen one. In mundane terms, Destiny can select a spider, and humans getting power after being bitten by it can be the ultimate beneficiary.

    Intelligent beings of this planet had bizarre views on many things, and the most bizarre was their perception of the Divine. There was no outline for who to call a God. The situation was like this because the 'not so innocent beings' had put little weight on their evolution.

    Nothing lasts forever. Hardships and rewards often go hand in hand and looking at the new character, I found myself content for all the wait.

    I saw all that needed to be seen and much more. The journey was brief, but the characters lived it to the full. And the feeling of having more, as the thirst for water at the end of a long run, was ever insatiable. My story had finally taken shape, and every writer needs something to write on and something to write with.

    But am I a writer? When I held the pen to write, I came across a baffling question. I thought I had already answered all the questions that I should have asked. Yet, this question, which didn't seem of any importance, became more essential than the last two.

    I knew who I was. I also knew why I was. And finally, the moment came to ask the last question. So I did.

    When I answered the question 'What I am?' I found out that I am just a hand.

    I am the Hand of Mr. Lost.
     
  14. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Chapter 2: Prologue (2)

    1 June 2021

    Milky Way Galaxy

    Few people could resist the temptation of being worshipped. And even fewer could resist the urge to rule them all. Even with their rarity, one could still find such people. And this old man was one of them.

    This old man did not want to be idealized as a God, nor did he want to be a Saint. If someone were to give him the status of the Supreme, he would have humbly rejected that too.

    The status he wanted and desired was just a simple word: RULER

    A Ruler in all directions. A Ruler of all things.

    "RECORD."

    An ancient voice came out of this old man and a screen materialized in front of his eyes. If one could see this screen, it would appear as symbols imprinted in his eyes. On the right side of this screen was a 3-D image of the old man with a golden halo. It had even copied his long and heavy beard as it is. The left side of the screen showed various stats.

    Now, this was not the time to look at those stats. This old man didn't even care about them, as his eyes moved downward and to the middle part of the screen.

    […

    CLASS: Class Update in Progress

    Update Status: 99.99%

    Time Elapsed: 12,160 Years

    …]

    There was a gold progress bar underneath this information. And there was a minuscule empty area devoid of golden color, almost equivalent to a line, was visible at the end.

    This old man had not got up from his throne in a long time. The cold sensation of the armrest of the throne had already subsided a long time ago. But today this sensation returned by an inconsiderable amount. As he saw that progressing bar, a slight smile showed itself on his time-worn face. It seemed he has not smiled for a long time, for his lips were struggling to even turn the corners up.

    This old man was content. A dream was coming to fruition.

    Something indeed relaxed this old man. A new beginning to an old end was going to start.

    But this old man was destined to be disappointed. The screen, which he was looking at, suddenly shook. It was like a glitch. The words, the image, the numbers, and the progress bar got blurred. Out of nowhere, in big, bold red letters, a message popped out on the screen.

    [ERROR]

    This old man had never shown such a silly face. His eyes were almost popping out of the sockets. His brows were at their highest point, and his mouth felt dry and cracked. The message flashed three times and then disappeared. It only left behind a sense of redness on the appearing screen. And all this baffling process had happened in the blink of an eye.

    The image came back and so did the words, the numbers, and even the progress bar. But something was different.

    […

    CLASS: Class update in progress

    Update Status: 0.00 %

    Time Elapsed: 0 years

    …]

    The otherworldly grace, it used to own, had abandoned the image and the progress bar.

    This old man had seen in the eyes of Death. Yet, his old body never shook to this extent ever before.

    Sadness

    Anxiety

    Fear

    Anger

    Emotions he had forgotten came back to him like lost friends.

    First, the throne shattered as the old man straightened his posture. Then the massive structure, which looked like an amalgam of a pyramid and castle, got blasted apart into hundreds of illusionary stars. A distant part within the Milky-Way Galaxy trembled. And only an inhuman scream of agony and wrath reverberated in the emptiness of space.

    The cause of his misfortune, if this word could summarize what had happened to him, was a single person. Oblivious to everything, he did not know what kind of Karma his choices would bring back to him. Calling it a butterfly effect would not be wrong, but it would not be right either. Because in this case, the butterfly had slapped its wings on the face of that old man.

    And one could trace the whole matter back 1 year to a time called–The Night of Awakening.

    That was the moment when the hands of Darkness had reached the small but bright planet called Earth. That was the moment when Hell brought itself to Earth. And that was the moment when it all began.

    ------------------------------------------

    Author's Note: The symbol * would be used as a change of scene, or time, or place, or all at the same time.
     
  15. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Chapter 3: Never Stay Still

    30 May 2020

    Leavenworth, Washington

    USA

    In a town known for its tourism and festivities, locals were busy enough to ignore weird things and weird people. But they did not forget the oddest creature living among them–the young master of the old Guo family.

    No, they just used to whisper about him.

    'Damn, here comes another one,' Aldrich thought.

    Di-iing-Diing. The bell atop the door notified him of a customer.

    "Hello Ma'am, a pleasant afternoon. Welcome to the Guo Antique Shop."

    "Hello, a pleasant afternoon to you too," the woman said.

    'And the job's done,' Aldrich thought. He went back to his laptop and scrolled down the article related to Egyptian Hieroglyphs.

    "Um, excuse me," the middle-aged woman, Ms. Julia, came up to the counter.

    Aldrich reluctantly raised his head and gave an apologetic smile. "Yes?"

    "Can you recommend me something like pottery?"

    He raised his eyebrows, "I have the perfect piece for you to take back to Canada."

    He brought her to the Porcelain and Pottery section. And with confidence reached the bottom layer to pull out an item.

    "The Italian couple's masterpiece from 1923. These colors are traditional. The depiction of pheasant birds and road runner symbols, with vines, flowers, and rain, makes it one item to have on your shelf."

    The polychrome jar seemed to be in excellent condition and squeaky-clean. And around the jar's neck was a tag as the authenticity of the piece. Ms. Julia was still admiring the designs when Aldrich, in a hurry, took it to the counter. She could not help but follow him.

    "As you are our first customer today, you deserve a discount of 5%."

    She felt confused and happy about the discount at the same time.

    "That would be $699 only," Aldrich said, as he handed over the packed item.

    "That's expensive…"

    "And here is a coupon for a 10% discount at the Museum's Giftshop," Aldrich said. In a swift manner, he exchanged the coupon with the credit card which Ms. Julia had taken out somehow.

    "Please come back next time. Happy vacations." Aldrich bowed and sent his third customer out.

    The entire experience was so perplexing that Ms. Julia paused and asked herself, "How did he know I am from Canada?"

    Aldrich sent a text while the article had occupied most of his attention.

    Aldrich: Hey man, just handed over the last coupon.

    Boomie: Haha!! :p

    Aldrich: ok

    Boomie: ??

    Aldrich: wat?

    Boomie: So you up for tomorrow's hiking??

    Aldrich: yeah

    Boomie: cool :D :p

    Aldrich put away the mobile and pictured Boomie as a red-haired boy in shorts. He realized the boy of the past had not changed even by a little. Even he didn't find himself changed too much. Twenty years had passed since he found his mission. At that time, he was just 4 years old.

    'Learn everything, and live normally,' he remembered.

    Yes, to learn everything and as much as he could, till the electric signals in his brain work.

    And because of this, he had suffered a tough childhood. The urge to read more and to learn had occupied most of his day. How could he have spared any time for other mortal things?

    Bernard, aka Boomie, was the only person who found this oddball fascinating. Boomie had spent his middle school and high school with him. And like Aldrich, Boomie also skipped college and got a job in the town itself. Aldrich had always found a college degree redundant. Boomie agreed with this, but for an entirely different reason.

    Around 6:30 pm, he put up a 'Closed' sign and went out for a walk. He loved these evening walks, for Bavarian-themed Leavenworth was a town less of locals and more of foreigners. And even if he had to take out some time, as long as he got to learn something out of them, it would be worth it.

    *

    After a casual talk with an African-American, he came back to shop. The Guo family's ground floor was the means to put food on their plate and to pay their bills. While the first floor was where they lived. It was not much, but for Aldrich, it had always been more than enough.

    "Oh, you've come. Did you see your father?" Mrs. Sarah Guo asked. She put down the brush and gently blew air on the paper.

    "No, I did not go that far. Let me help you with the Inkstone."

    "Ok, then I better get started with the dinner's preparation."

    Saying his mother liked calligraphy would be an overstatement. It's just that she adored the idea to keep trying new stuff. "What're we eating, mom?"

    "Rice and beef curry."

    "Oh, Boomie and I have planned to go on hiking tomorrow. I would also get the chance to do stargazing from the top of Icicle Ridge."

    "What? Wasn't he going for bouldering? Well, stay off the slopes."

    Aldrich nodded.

    "I'm home," Mr. Ben Guo said, as he entered the hall. He was holding the canvas and other painting tools.

    "Dad, what have you painted today?"

    "A baffled middle-aged woman in her thirties. She sat on the bench near the fountain and kept looking at a ticket or something."

    "Can I see it?" Aldrich asked, wondering about the idea of collective sub-consciousness.

    "Yeah, it's here in the bag. Hmm, Oh! I forgot the bag in the car."

    Aldrich was already out of the main door even before Mr. Ben told him to get it. He took out the painting while climbing the stairs to the first floor.

    "Hey mom look, she is the same lady who bought the pottery you were cleaning this afternoon."

    She glanced over at the painting while soaking the rice. And yes, same chestnut hairs, same butterfly tattoo on the left shoulder. It was the same lady.

    "WOW! What are the chances?" A sheepish smile appeared on her face. She couldn't help but notice her husband narrowing his eyes towards Aldrich.

    "What did you do?"

    "Nothing Dad, I promise I sold what she wanted, and like always, mom was like an invisible person. That lady didn't even notice mom."

    "Ok, fine. Your mother does not have any presence from the start. It's a miracle that even I noticed her. I am wondering what was going on with that ticket."

    The pair of mother-son looked at each other and got busy with their work.

    The Guo family had a small history in Leavenworth. And it only started with Aldrich's grandfather when he came to America in the late 50s. In 1962, he got a foothold in town after becoming a member of the Project LIFE (Leavenworth Improvement for Everyone) Committee. The project was to revitalize the struggling town when its economy plummeted because of the relocation of the railroad. In the end, he even changed his surname to its Pinyin Romanization.

    The Guos became Leavenworth's own ever since.

    The Guo (lit. 'The wall that surrounds a city') had a massive history everywhere else. One could trace the family's name to the Xia Dynasty, the first dynasty in traditional Chinese historiography. But now was not the time for history because dinner had already got served.

    "Honey, would you bring over the beer from the fridge too? I am extra fatigued from all the painting today."

    Mrs. Guo handed the beer over, and said.

    "I met Mrs. Sanderson today. You don't remember? We have to do something about your memory. You know the wife of Mr. John, owner of the café by the highway. Well, her niece has come over for summer vacation. She is beautiful, and she works for a travel agency in Seattle."

    "Well, if you know this much, then I'm sure you did not meet her by coincidence," Mr. Ben said.

    He understood his wife too well. And Aldrich was already eating in a hurry when he heard her mother met someone today. Ignoring her son's oddity, she said, "Well, what do you think? Should I mention Aldrich to her and set up a date?"

    Aldrich couldn't help but slow down. There was no point now.

    "Mom, ask me, not Dad. I have no interests and time for dating, you know that."

    "So what? You need to marry soon. Otherwise, it's not too late to attend college. We already told you, your father can still remember enough things to handle the shop."

    "No, I am finally having a normal life as I planned. I've already decided that I will marry a woman who has the qualification of a teacher and who can move here in the town."

    Aldrich sighed. This was a routine. The daily repetitions had even tired the questions and answers.

    "Some dreams you have, my little Aluu. Why would a woman of those qualifications marry you? It's not like you are handsome or something."

    "Mom! You sure know where to kick so that it would hurt the most. And would you stop giving me weird nicknames, I am not 12 anymore."

    Mr. Ben kept eating dinner and drinking beer. He nodded as his wife asked and laughed as his son retorted. And Aldrich loved these little things about his father.

    Aldrich knew he was normal, and only he knew that all his childhood he had coveted this normal life. Normal brownish eyes, normal black hairs, and a completely normal nose.

    'And who remembers normal things these days? This one word has bored the society: Normal,' he contemplated.

    "Mom, I'll take care of the dishes. Why don't you guys have some rest?"

    "Okay. I better look up that travel agency in the meantime."

    "I want to read something. Where is my book, you know, the one on hunting?"

    Aldrich shook his head. He looked at them and smiled. It's like there was an unwritten and unspoken rule in the house: Never stay still.

    At around 11:30 p.m., Aldrich put away his laptop. He had completed his research for that day and then sat down in a meditating posture. This was an inescapable task for him. For 15 minutes before bedtime, he would always say the same words repeatedly.

    Aldrich took a deep breath and cleared his mind of any unnecessary thoughts. Then, like a mantra, chanted these words in his mind, 'This is a dream. This is a dream. This...'

    Meet the self-claimed lucid dreamer: Aldrich Guo
     
  16. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Chapter 4: A Thousand Faces

    31 May 2020

    London

    Mr. Edwin Marshman was a man who got work done.

    At the tender age of 18, he sealed his first Black-market deal worth millions of dollars. At 30, he became a world-renowned lawyer, yes world-renowned, but not in the reach of many, and at 40, he became a father. The people with discerning eyes used "Sly" as a synonym for his name by the time he crossed 45.

    Nobody knew what he had been doing for the next five years. But at 50, he received an email.

    'It has been seven years since then,' Mr. Edwin thought, nudging his round glasses. He also had a thick white anchor beard, but he didn't have a habit of stroking it in moments of deep contemplation. His hair had already gone white. And yet, the striking head of hair could deceive anybody into thinking that the color was artificial. The sharpness in his eyes matched perfectly with his facial features.

    At 57, Mr. Edwin was in the prime of his career.

    "Sir, the auction has ended."

    "Good. You handled it well," Mr. Edwin said, taking a sip of the black tea.

    The manager, Mr. Oliver, took a deep breath of pride. It was no less a simple task to get a compliment from Mr. Edwin 'The Butler', not anymore for the last few years.

    "Thank you, Sir. But there is a slight problem."

    Mr. Oliver flinched as he saw those white, sword-like eyebrows going up. And he knew he should not wait to blame someone else as soon as possible.

    "Sir, the successful bidder is demanding to meet the painter. He said that he would pay double the worth if the painter can make a portrait for him."

    "No."

    Yes, there was no need to say more words. And nothing else was required.

    "Of course Sir. Of course. Please let me treat you to dinner this evening." Mr. Oliver had already booked the best table and a custom menu at a Michelin star restaurant.

    "Next time. I must go now."

    Cold sweat kissed Mr. Oliver's back as he saw the smile on Mr. Edwin's face. It's like in front of The Butler's eyes there could be no hidden motives whatsoever.

    "Haha, I'm already looking forward to your next arrival."

    Mr. Oliver rubbed his hands in defeat after seeing his 'career's ladder' exiting the hotel.

    He had done 5 auctions on Mr. Edwin's behalf, each more exquisite than the last. They auctioned the first piece for 90 million US dollars and it took the whole art world by surprise. The bidders, like hungry wolves, had pounced upon the latest work. And why wouldn't they? The painting was being evaluated to be the best of its time. 'On the Color of Dreams' got auctioned at a record-breaking price of 243 million US dollars.

    The winner, though anonymous, contacted him to meet the painter 'Snowfall'. Nobody knew who this 'Snowfall' was, a man or a woman, young or old. They only knew that 5 out of 7 of his works had secured sky-high prices in London in 7 years. The mystery of 'Snowfall' pulled at the heartstrings of art enthusiasts with his every new work. But Mr. Oliver's heartstrings were already loose enough to discard any pulling. The only man who could give a momentary tension to them was Mr. Edwin.

    *

    In reminiscence, Mr. Edwin took out the old email on his way to the London International Airport. He had been feeling nostalgic about its content and the events that had pursued it. There was not much meaning in the email address, as it kept changing from time to time. But the name of the sender, ever so humbly mentioned at the end of content, was like a Holy Grail for him.

    'A Thousand Faces,' Mr. Edwin repeated the name 3 times. And there was only a single line worth of content in the email. A sentence that often still echoed across spacetime to remind him of one of the greatest gifts of his life.

    "If life's mundane activities have bored you, then reply to me and I will keep you occupied for the rest of your life."

    At a single glance, any person of considerable intelligence would mark it as spam and delete it. And this obvious scam also couldn't fool the shrewdest man alive, a title given by well-known critics. But Mr. Edwin couldn't delete it. Curiosity killed the cat, and curiosity also killed his intelligence. And this curiosity led him to reply to the mail also with a single line.

    'Yes, I am bored,' he chuckled, remembering his reply. And true to the words, "A Thousand Faces" had kept him occupied ever since. Mr. Edwin did not know its identity, but he knew it was an organization. An organization of the world's best geniuses, the prodigies of their time.

    Paintings, scientific papers, commentaries, medical research, psychology, cryptology, philosophy, and literature were among the many topics he had been handling for his exclusive client. He had secured the outgoing and incoming content with utmost privacy.

    Finding problems and providing all the needed materials and data to the client also came under his purview.

    Mr. Edwin: Please confirm the amount. There are requests for a thesis on OCPD from a secured target. The money is considerable. Let me know by today.

    He sent a brief e-mail to his client and leaned back in his seat. Awaiting what interesting things he would have to do in the future.

    *

    31 May 2020

    Leavenworth, USA

    Honks of a candy apple red pickup truck were not Mozart's symphony.

    "Would you just stop it?" Aldrich yelled from the top window.

    As usual, on Sunday morning, his mother had already gone to the fishery department. Mr. Ben had been investing this time in his wood carvings in the basement. In the guise of volunteer work, the Guo family's members had been satisfying their curiosity for quite some time.

    Yes, there was a basement. The Guos used it for inventory and some sort of tinkering, as told to the people of the town. Aldrich was checking his mails when Boomie arrived ahead of time, much to the headache of all the sentient beings nearby. Besides Aldrich, this was another thing the neighbors had wanted to get rid of.

    "Have you brought the bear spray? I've already reminded you twice about it since yesterday," Aldrich said.

    Boomie took the heavy backpack from him and put it in the truck's bed.

    "Be gentle with it, my telescope is in the bag too."

    "Ok, and yeah, I've brought spray and other things. Now get in the cabin man."

    Boomie, other than a red bush for his hair, was tall and lean with a broad chest and heavy shoulders. Yet, in a town where almost all locals knew each other, his appearance had also deceived nobody. As with most climbers, the strength to weight ratio of his body was ridiculous. His tendons were strong, to where every step seemed like a tiny jump.

    "Would you like to drive?"

    Aldrich gave him a look and said, "You realize I do not have a driving license."

    "Haha. No, I remember but I wanted to hear it again." Boomie was trying hard to curb his laughter.

    "Let's go. We need to reach the site by 9:00 pm."

    Boomie was a fearless guy, but even he didn't like the idea of a hike after sunset. So he jumped into the cabin and the wheels were rolling soon towards the trailhead. The good thing was that it was right outside of the town.

    "So, Mindy said hi. She had a sudden errand to take care of, at the lodge." Boomie explained the absence of the third hiker, even when he hadn't told him about her probable arrival.

    Aldrich was looking out the window, thinking why do people sometimes feel good and sometimes bad upon hearing a lie?

    "This 'errand' that you mentioned. Did it come before you told her, that I am coming along, or after?"

    Nobody in their right mind would approach Aldrich of their own volition. He knew it, Boomie knew it, Mindy knew it, and so did the rest of the town. Boomie became quiet upon Aldrich's inquiry, and that was an answer at some level. There were many such things that had kept the two cut off from most of the same age crowd.

    Every person had their own thoughts about Aldrich and his oddity. Aldrich had never explained himself and discouraged Boomie to do so too. But in the end, Boomie was not Aldrich. There were things that only he could do, and there were things that only he knew.

    Things which, if were to come out, could cause worldwide unrest. There were some secrets that Boomie wished he hadn't known and some secrets that he thought he should have known. Some secrets which he had wanted to remain buried deep enough to never see the light of the day.

    And yet all secrets had paled compared to the one related to the man sitting by his side.
     
  17. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Chapter 5: A Thousand Faces (2)

    How should one approach something that was bound to be an impossible task?

    Boomie had tried to ask the same question many times. A question that had only one answer. But Boomie was familiar with the fruits of repetitive failures and persistence. The question was even more important when given that in this entire world only he could ask it. Or it was appropriate to say only he had enough guts to ask it.

    Boomie had even prepared a routine for himself to start the process. The first thing was to remain away from other people. The second was to break the question into two parts most times. And the third was to not get to the point directly. Boomie made sure that he had satisfied all the conditions and observed Aldrich by the corner of his eyes.

    "Why don't you…" Boomie swallowed the rest of the words. Aldrich had looked towards him so fast that Boomie's ass clenched from the sudden reaction. Boomie let out a sigh of triumph and a beam of resolution shined in his eyes. He took a long breath and slowed down the truck.

    "Why don't you come out with it? Isn't it enough already?" Boomie asked.

    This wasn't the first time Boomie had tried his routine. Aldrich found the topic distasteful but still replied, "Enough? It would never be enough."

    Both stared at each other, for instance, when Boomie realized he was still driving. The same old answer brought the same old tension between them. Boomie and Aldrich knew each other enough to not let this tension get any heavier than it already was. And the task had always fallen on Aldrich's shoulders.

    "How's aunt?" Aldrich asked.

    Boomie's father was a Medical Examiner. And his mother used to be the best trainer an amateur climber could get at the start of his career. Especially from mid-September to October, when her services were getting booked a year before the actual climb. But one time, while doing her routine climb, an accident happened, and she fell from quite a height. Aside from legs and ribs fractures, she sustained a traumatic head injury. The authorities could never find the primary cause of the mishap, but Boomie's mother had suffered from retrograde amnesia ever since.

    "She is doing alright, but not for long. What could I expect when Dad, that bastard, decided to just disappear? Bills for psychotherapy are piling up, and the job isn't lucrative enough. I am out of practice and I am not my mother, am I? Help me get something to do, it would be best if you can ask 'him'."

    For the first time, Boomie's face showed anger and helplessness at the mention of his father. He had dreamed of being like his mother, doing what he loved to do. And in his case, he wanted to be a trainer of bouldering. But after the incident with his father, he had to take out time to work in the Museum's gift shop. With his father's money gone, emptying their savings and what little money they had, there wasn't much Boomie could do to alter the situation.

    Aldrich did not consider the incident with Boomie's father as 'disappearance', but both accepted it silently.

    "Don't worry. I've already transferred some money for the therapy."

    "Huh..?" Boomie immediately checked his bank account. His eyes had almost popped out while looking at the mobile's screen. And combined with his lean face and comical eyes, he almost looked like a chameleon.

    "Dude! I know you love me, but this is still too much." Boomie, the shameless, exclaimed.

    "It's for aunt. I don't love you." And Aldrich was not subtle with the jokes either.

    "But I would still prefer if you could do the therapy, you know. I mean…" Boomie hesitated a little. He looked around like he wasn't in a car but a pub and whispered, "I mean, who can claim to be a better psychologist in front of you."

    Boomie looked at Dr. Aldrich Guo, a title he added for his satisfaction from the corner of his eyes. The Artist Aldrich Guo, a title he added for the world's satisfaction, had taken out a notepad to dribble on.

    "And it's not like you lack money. So… how much did it sell for?" Boomie asked.

    Aldrich rested his hand over the verses he had written. And with a pained expression, he said, "243 million dollars."

    "Haha…," Boomie laughed so hard that even the car, moving with the speed of a pregnant snail, suddenly picked up speed.

    "I won. Yes! Finally, I won a bet against you." Boomie had made the bet that the final amount would be over 240 million dollars. While Aldrich had gone with 238, give or take 1 million dollars.

    Yes, with Aldrich, there was not much margin to get lucky with bets. Aldrich did not know that the few extra million dollars were an amount added for Mr. Edwin. Aldrich looked at the smiling face of his only friend, who was just cursing his father a moment before, and compared it to the scene of their first meeting.

    Weeks after the accident of Boomie's mother, as Aldrich later found out, Aldrich was dissecting a lizard using a surgical knife he got somehow. Boomie ended up in the basement of their house and watched the entire scene. And he must have run too fast, for he didn't come to school for 3 days after the incident.

    On the fourth day, Boomie waited for him after school and he seemed like he was hiding something. As Aldrich approached him and showed no sign of halting, Boomie brought his hand in which there was a dead frog.

    "Um…, Can you… Can you do an operation on him? He hasn't jumped since my father kicked him."

    Boomie had always thought he saved Aldrich from all the solitude, and that Aldrich had also saved him.

    "You know, I was reading history the other day… Hey! don't look at me like that, I know how to read too. So where was I? Yeah, and I found out that people like you did not like to amass wealth and something like that," Boomie said.

    "It is true to some extent," Aldrich paused his dribbling, "But only time has determined the value of wealth. Those scholars could not swipe the card and get information from the other half of the world. Those prominent physicians could not get all the relevant knowledge. They could not get all kinds of test subjects, even with all the money. So what use of amassing wealth was to them?"

    "But still..."

    Aldrich cut him off and said, "We are living in a world where every tiny little service costs money. I don't need money, per se, but I don't want any moment where I would have to hold back because of the lack of it."

    Boomie headed the truck towards the parking area of the trailhead. He couldn't help but ask, "But what's wrong with letting the world know about your 'gift' or 'gifts'? Wouldn't it be easy then? You don't know what I experience when every second-rate bum out there calls you a psycho."

    In the end, Boomie was already pointing towards the town.

    "Boomie…"

    Boomie jumped out of the cabin, "I know, I Know. Your mission." How could Boomie ever forget 'The Mission'?

    "But you know, you should at least tell Uncle and Aunt. They deserve to know."

    "Yes, they deserve to know," Aldrich said. Boomie, in astonishment, dropped the backpacks back in the bed. But Aldrich, looking worriedly at his bag, continued, "They deserve to, but they do not need to."

    "You know I got to ask," Boomie handed over the backpack to Aldrich, "Why do you do it? All the things, the research papers, the experiments, the books, the paintings and I remember your contribution to that LIGO, too. Why?"

    "You know too much for your good. I should have pushed you down to the river."

    Aldrich looked at his friend's silent laugh and then gazed at the top of Icicle Ridge. His eyes suddenly gaining an immense depth moved from the top of the ridge to the empty summer sky. Boomie's mouth had already sealed his mouth. No laugh could come out when he saw Aldrich standing by his side, looking at the sky like he would bring it down if it didn't kneel in the next few seconds.

    Aldrich took a full breath of mountain air and said, "Nothing is more beautiful than to know all."

    And Boomie shuddered, 'Why I was even talking to him about money like some normal person. "That" is not a normal person. "That" is a monster, the nightmare of countless others in their dreams.'

    "Kircher," Boomie reflexively pointed out. Aldrich nodded at the name and both moved on with their hike.

    Mr. Edwin could have been the wiliest person. But even in his wildest dreams, he would have never thought that the organization he was working for, 'A Thousand Faces', was a thousand faces of a single man.
     
  18. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Chapter - 6 Retirement Ceremony

    Planet – UGF-P02

    Tall women are appreciated everywhere, but they are especially admired in the company of small women.

    Boudicca felt the warm rays of the afternoon suns on her red face. The visible traces of embarrassment subsided a little under its endearing warmth. She stared at the back of her superior, who was walking a step ahead of her. Not only they made her come here but had also put her under this midget's direct supervision. And she couldn't help but curse her destiny for it, as the midget's presence had been unbearable ever since.

    "Military Secretary Boudicca! Are staring holes in your superiors' back also come under your active duty?"

    "No… No, Lt. General Eydis." Boudicca stuttered a reply and came out of her dazed state.

    'How did she know? There cannot be that much of a level difference,' Boudicca thought.

    She glanced at the left arm of her superior and saw an insignia of a round red shield, with a starry spiral at its center. Her thoughts wandered to the good old days of her time in the kingdom, where people worshipped her. But now that she was here, this place owned her. No kingdom's matter could take priority in front of that insignia.

    Boudicca sighed.

    "Ma'am, where are we going? It's almost time and I still have the last inspection left to do."

    "To meet the Supreme Commander."

    One sentence and Boudicca's legs trembled.

    "But… But I have done nothing wrong." The panic in her voice was vividly noticeable.

    Turning around, Eydis said, "Well, the orders were for only me to report. But isn't it better if there are two of us? Now come on and try to keep up with me."

    'This… this… this fucking bitch,' Boudicca thought. With a head full of rage and heavy steps, she almost overtook the midget.

    No one wanted to be called upon by the Supreme Commander. And no one wanted to be called upon by him, especially today, on the day of his retirement ceremony. Boudicca still remembers when he announced his sudden retirement 3 days ago. His declaration had taken the entire galaxy by surprise. Some were teary, and some were plain sad. While most of them were curious.

    "Activate the teleportation to His Majesty's office." Lt. General Eydis ordered the officer in charge of intra-planetary teleportation.

    Boudicca noticed the officer's gaze on her face, even if it was for a moment, and she calmed herself down. Her blue hair under the peaked cap and her white military greatcoat fluttered as they arrived at their destination.

    A soldier was already there to receive them. He saluted, "Ma'am, the Supreme Commander is expecting you."

    Eydis nodded and gestured to him to show the way. Even after serving for 3 years in the United Galactic Front, she was yet to meet His Majesty in person. There were four Generals under the command of the Supreme Commander, but only the Generals had convened the annual meetings.

    "Why do you think he asked only for you?" Boudicca whispered.

    "We will soon find out."

    The young soldier approached the entryway to a corridor. "I may not go further. Please go to the end of the corridor and take a left."

    The pair of officers were soon standing before an enormous door. They could only see a nameplate, and there was an unearthly and eerie silence.

    "I think we need to knock…"

    As soon as Boudicca uttered those words, the door opened with a creaking noise.

    "Lt. General Eydis, reporting to the Supreme Commander."

    "Major General Boudicca, reporting to the Supreme Commander."

    All nervousness had gone within a tenth of a second. The officers were not given that title unfoundedly.

    "Come in." A gruff voice reverberated in the surrounding.

    As Boudicca entered the office, she felt suffocated by its vastness. This office could have made someone feel diminished in comparison. But not the man seated behind the desk. His relaxed posture looked like a deliberate attempt to make the office more commodious.

    The young officers kneeled and synchronously said, "Long live His Majesty, The King."

    The Supreme Commander of the United Galactic Front, a position only a King could have earned. And as long as he lived, none could make him give it up. Nobody in their right mind would have dared to look into his eyes and asked him to retire? Who would dare to even stand in his presence and utter any word of defiance?

    "At ease, soldiers."

    Boudicca stepped back and let the Lt. General be the center of attention. She furtively observed the Supreme Commander and realized, if she were to stand on her toes, even then she would come up short. The King did not look old, even with that massive gray beard, and his black eyes still brimmed with vigor. There was a ghastly scar that ran down from the top of his left eye and down to his neck, where it disappeared behind his uniform's collar.

    "Lt. General Eydis, I heard you have had some trouble with the General of the 2nd Quad."

    Eydis clenched her teeth and replied, "Yes, Supreme Commander."

    Boudicca did not feel surprised at this inquiry. She had already known General Grimwald's acts of wooing and how the naïve and young Eydis reacted to the incident. It was a hot topic, and it did not need one to report it to reach even the ear of the Supreme Commander. But it was not important enough to get addressed by the King himself unless there was more to it than met the eye.

    Eydis's thoughts were not much different from Boudicca's, but she was not ready for what followed thereafter. She only remembers an image of the Supreme Commander, mouthing some words. And a heavy silence followed it. Only the perplexed look she had, and her incapability to process what she heard, could have described Eydis' astonishment.

    "Huh! What?" Before Eydis could react, a bewildered squeaky voice came out from behind her.

    The Supreme Commander raised his eyebrow and Boudicca, drowned in shame, lowered her head. But her voice had fulfilled its purpose and took out Eydis from her stunned state.

    "I will ask again. What do you think about becoming the next General of the 1st Quad?"

    Eydis collected her emotions. "It would be my honor, Sir. But I heard nothing about his retirement."

    "He will declare it soon. Not only that, but he will also leave the office within the next year."

    "But what about the other Lt. Generals? They would not stay calm if I were to assume the office of General of 1st Quad. I am the youngest among them, sir." Eydis poured out all her doubts in a single breath. Sweat had already drenched her back.

    "You do not have to worry about them. Would they dare to deny a direct order from me?"

    The air in the room suddenly felt like a swamp. Boudicca could barely withstand the urge to vomit, and the corner of her eyes had become wet and red. The Supreme Commander tapped his finger on the table and the nauseated atmosphere once again became bearable.

    "You would not have any trouble, given your family background, Lt. General Eydis. How much time do you need to become a Duchess?"

    Boudicca raised her head with a jerk at this question. She could not perceive General Eydis's strength, but the King definitely could. If he was right, then the midget had been strong enough to not remain a mere Lt. General, and there was no "if" to it. As proved by the Lt. General's answer, "4 months but I can achieve it in 3 depending on luck."

    "Very Good." The Supreme Commander showed a rare hint of a smile at those words.

    "For now, I want you to take the General's Trial," his words took aback both of them, "It's ok, you don't need to pass it. Give it your best and send me the data later."

    Eydis's whole body had itched at the prospect of her attempting the Trial.

    "Ok, you can leave."

    "Yes, sir." Boudicca and Eydis saluted at the same time.

    With the approval of his nod, they took their leave.

    *

    The King, in his amusement, noticed that General Eydis looked almost an inch taller before she came. He exhaled and slumped back on his throne, the office chair. As he massaged his temples out of habit, he waited to lose himself in the utter silence of his office. This retirement did not signify a pleasant rest, but it was his ultimate vicissitude.

    "What, tired already, Imhotep?"

    The King's eyes shot open, and the air was becoming denser by the rate of milliseconds. But this time he was the one to bear the pressure. Who would dare to address him by his first name? But another more important question was occupying the Supreme Commander's thoughts. How could have someone approached him without his knowledge?
     
  19. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Chapter 7 - Retirement Ceremony (2)

    Even if Imhotep was not using his Perception, this was UGF-P02, the one place where even the other Kings hesitated to come. Here, he was unbeatable, unconquerable, and unperishable. Here he was equal to a God. Yet, there was someone in this galaxy who could hide from the king's senses and was so confident to even call out his name.

    Imhotep wetted his dry throat with a noisy gulp. And at some point, a huge wooden hammer had materialized in his hands.

    "All things in the universe…"

    A ghastly voice cut off his Skill and gently said, "Haha, Imhotep, calm down. Why are you being so jumpy?"

    Imhotep saw shadows had gathered in the corner of his office on his left. All the light felt to Imhotep like being cut off from the outside world. It would not be wrong to say that somehow the dark shadows had suppressed the existence of light. None could tell if the man had come out of the shadows or the shadows had come out of him. The left-out part of the shadows weaved around his body and became his robe.

    "You… You…," Imhotep stuttered.

    What in the world could make him stutter? But the undeniable thing was that Imhotep had never been so happy since his last judgment. A judgment that had robbed a King of his life. His face was beaming with a gigantic smile and the hammer had vanished like it wasn't there to begin with. Imhotep bent his knees to kneel, but the Shadow-Wearer stopped him.

    "I had a hunch you would come. I had been waiting for a long time. Long enough that even I forgot about it."

    "Haha Imhotep, I've brought you good news. Where are your manners? At least offer me your best wine."

    Imhotep reached out his hand in the void and took out a jar of purplish-gold color wine.

    "Tch-Tch, Phoenix Blood wine. Who would've thought? Pour me a glass."

    Imhotep, like a professional sommelier, served him the wine, full to the brim. And the Shadow-Wearer gulped the entire drink in one go. There was no need for him to nerve himself for a shock. Soon, white fumes rose out of his body and an ethereal white fog followed the fumes. Both fumes and the fog turned into a blazing white flame that enveloped the Shadow-Wearer. But all three lost themselves in the shadows.

    "Hah. Good stuff."

    The Shadow-Wearer slammed the cup on the table and took a seat. But the Supreme Commander wouldn't dare to look at his 'throne'.

    "3 years. It would only take three more years, Imhotep."

    Imhotep listened to this proclamation and heard his shoulder joints popping in relaxation. He leaned on the table and let out a deep bellow of laughter.

    "Haha-Haha…" Nothing seemed to get in his way today. No one could stop him.

    Even the other person stayed silent and let the walls of the office take care of the echoes of the hearty laugh.

    "You have done well, awarding promotion to that little girl. It would likely keep the Kingdom of Swordless in check for some time."

    "Yes, even if they were to create some problem, the Kingdom of Divine Beast would have to come forward. They wouldn't let their princess get bullied."

    The Shadow-Wearer nodded at Imhotep's explanation.

    "Wait!. Were you already here when they came?"

    "Haha, little Imhotep, I was hiding in the shadow of that Healer. Pretty legs, if I say so myself. What is her relationship with the Kingdom of Life-Authority?"

    "She is 'Her' niece."

    "Is that why you put those two together? Hmm, clever indeed."

    "I will declare my retirement, otherwise those greedy bastards won't be able to endure any longer. I have an incredible idea to delay the next assuming office for 3 years. What would change even if I held on to the rank for a few extra years when I have already served here for the last 195 years."

    Imhotep then whispered his brilliant plan in the ears of the Shadow-Wearer.

    "Haha, Imhotep, who would believe what a sly little bastard you are?"

    Imhotep couldn't be any happier after receiving his praises. But there was still one problem that was eating its way into his stomach.

    "What to do with the Kingdom of Eternal Servant? They are odd, quiet, and often decisive. It would be very hard to convince them of this plan to work."

    "You seem to forget about something, Imhotep. Where do you think we are?"

    No one knew the location of the HQ of the United Galactic Front. And to access it, one needed many inter-planetary teleportation from certain UGF bases. Only the Supreme Commander could have access to this classified information.

    "You mean to say…," Imhotep's eyes shone with realization.

    "Yes, UGF-P02 got named so because of its predecessor's destruction in the last Galactic War. Do you think it was a coincidence?"

    Their faces darkened at the mention of the Galactic War. But one could see a hint of anticipation on their faces. And both of them thought in conjunction, 'It would be different this time.'

    *

    3 hours later, DTC

    Huff!!! Huff!!!

    Low panting sounds were resonating with the heavy steps in a dark corridor. One could see a silhouette of a 'kid' engulfed in the darkness coming out in the light. Eydis dragged herself out of the Hell Tunnel and called out to the soldiers on duty at the Duke Training Center (DTC).

    "Go… Go bring a Healer. Hurry!"

    The soldier had already contacted the healer's unit when he had heard the terrible screams a while ago.

    The young Lt. General had realized her grievous state when she asked for a Healer, given that a whole 30 of them were already there. A boom rang out in the distance and before the shock waves subsided, Boudicca had already arrived at the scene.

    Boudicca gasped in shock and only hoped that she wasn't too late. She examined Lt. General Eydis and took out a potion. Eydis's singlet was shredded from all over and blood was pouring from the deep cuts. A thick piece of her right thigh had become mangled flesh. It looked like someone in leisure had tried to take a bite of her thigh.

    But the title of the most gruesome scene belonged to her left arm. Well, there was no left arm. Eydis in her blood-soaked blond hair seemed no different from a tired soldier at his last breath. Boudicca emptied the potion that looked like melted metal on Eydis's thigh.

    "Sigh, this is too much, even for me. It would take at least an hour to regrow that arm."

    Eydis only let out grunts of pain through her clenched teeth as the potion drilled its way into her body.

    "I warned you, Lt. General, there was no need to go along with the promotion. Anyway, now that you've come out, we can consider you have passed the Trial, right?"

    Boudicca gave a reassuring smile to Eydis and ordered the rest of the healers, "Go back to your position. I'll take her to the medical facility." Boudicca took the DTC's Trial Report and took a glance at the data.



    Trial Time: 16:40:34 hrs

    Trial Completion: 14.3%

    Trial Status: Pass



    She gave the half-dead midget a surprised look and muttered, "She is truly lucky."

    In the Medical Hall, Eydis struggled with the grogginess and her blurred vision gained a hint of clarity. She looked around and before her eyes moved towards her left arm; she had already been gripping it.

    "I have sent the report to the Supreme Commander, and the time is nigh. You should also get ready for their arrival."

    A familiar sweet voice resounded to her right and Eydis realized she had survived. A proud smile crept its way over her puerile face.

    "Boudicca, thank you."

    These sudden and honest words took aback Boudicca. Her blushed peachy cheeks were ripening by seconds and were almost ready to get plucked. Her eyes wandered in the dull room to avoid the gaze of Lt. General. But the next words from Eydis washed away all the tension.

    "Anyway, it was your duty."

    'This… damn midget! I should have let you suffer a bit more,' Boudicca cursed Eydis and regained the pale white look on her face.

    "You must have used the Volcanic-Blood Amplifier potion. Don't worry, as the new General I'll award you another one for this meritorious service."

    'Me… Meritorious service? How important do you think you are?' Eydis glared at her superior, who was stretching her left arm.

    "With you being out of the way... I... I mean, with you getting promoted to the rank of General, I am also getting considered for the rank of Lt. General."

    "Yes, that's true. You are already qualified if one looks at your strength and merits. But if you could get your hands on one more potion, that shouldn't pose any problem, right?" Eydis winked.

    Boudicca didn't let the season of peaches return and said, "I'll let you familiarize yourself with your arm. We are to report at the Hall of Blessings and Gratitude." She saluted and almost skipped her way out of the room like a little girl after getting candy.

    *

    Supreme Commander's Office

    "I must go now. The next time we meet, you must bring out a much better wine. Haha."

    With the laugh still echoing in Imhotep's head, the Shadow-Wearer had already melted down in the shadows.

    Imhotep went to the window and looked out at the binary stars. And then his gaze gradually moved down to his military boots. A sinister smile crawled up his face ever so slowly. The jar of wine was still on the table. He poured himself a cup and sat down on the 'throne'. He stroked his scar and traced it down over his heart. No one but he, knew who gave the horrible wound to him.

    But someone could ask one question with certainty. If there was a warrior who could stop his sword just over the King's heart in a battle, to be merciful, what kind of sword control would he have required?
     
  20. Hand_Number_37

    Hand_Number_37 Member

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    Chapter 8 - The Kings Arrive

    UGF-P02

    The Hall of Blessings and Gratitude wasn't the most conspicuous building on the planet. But its location was one of the easiest for anyone to find out.

    Planet UGF-P02 had a radius of 15000 km and the highest point on the planet wasn't its mountains but four colossal statues. At North Pole-The statue of Emperor Divine Beast, at South Pole-The statue of Emperor Swordless, at Equator-The statue of Empress Life-Authority, and the statue of Emperor Eternal Servant opposite to the Empress' statue.

    And the Hall of Blessings and Gratitude was under the statue of Emperor Eternal Servant. Or one could say, the hall itself was a part of the foundation.

    Boudicca craned her neck up to look at the astronomical size of the statue. It was at least 100 km tall, and one could only see up to the Emperor's hands. The left hand was gripping the hilt of the sword at his waist and in his right hand was an open book. Clouds were trying their best to blurry the rest. But, across the clouds, the majesty of the statue was still drizzling on the people like drops of soft rain.

    For it was the statue of the last Emperor whom the Galaxy had seen, Emperor Phoebus Melanthios–The Eternal Servant.

    All the generals with their armies were on both sides of the path, lined with carpet and leading to the main archway of the Hall. Boudicca observed the vast back of the General of 1st Quad and thought, 'How can he be so calm? Isn't he aware of the pressure he would soon face?'

    She felt a vibration in the air and found Lt. General Eydis, on her right, shooting at someone with an intense glare. As she followed the string of raging tension, she found the handsome General of the 2nd Quad at its receiving end. General Grimwald Gerbold had a slight smile on his face. Boudicca's heart palpated at that smile, but the strident military music poured out by a pair of bugles saved her. The sound most probably had reached the ears of the statue.

    A huge blue-green portal opened up at the far end of the carpet-lined path. The swirling rays of condensed mana were like scintillating rivers of stardust.

    A man in flaring red armor and a red cape stepped out from the portal. The vertical golden-red pupil of his eyes was gleaming in the dark through the gap of his helm. But the most eye-catching was the helm's red plume. If one were to look closely, one would have found out that it wasn't red at all. And then, that person would die right after this startling discovery. Everyone, from beggars to nobles, knew never to look at the helm's plume of the King of 1st Quad. For it wasn't an ordinary plume, but a plume made of a Phoenix's heart.

    'Look at the Phoenix's heart for a second and burn for eternity.'

    Ancient sayings were the most powerful skills. And this saying had also forced the brave warriors to subdue their courageous nature.

    And the one who had donned it like some jewelry was the one who was ruling over the Kingdom of Divine Beast, King Alvis Hildingr - The Red Dragon.

    5 men in a stark red greatcoat followed the King. The entourage didn't end here. At least 100 more nobles, in one or other form of red uniform, were also a part of this delegation. The King led the men on the carpeted path. As he passed by the armies of 3rd and 4th Quad on his either side, the Generals bowed their heads to show their respect. Yet the rest of the soldiers had still their chin up. The smile of General Grimwald had vanished under his mask of utter reverence. And one could see a smirk of derision on Lt. General Eydis's face. There was a throne placed at one side of the path before the archway. The King elegantly sat on the throne, and the remaining entourage of nobles had lined themselves up behind him.

    But it was a mere start, and the portal was now at its maximum output. A wave of refreshing air blew out from the portal. And the air brought a woman with it.

    If the morning dew could have a face, even then it wouldn't be as beautiful as hers. The blues of the ocean had dyed her hair and her dark black eyes were like the bottom of the deep sea. The smile on her face was like a crescent moon. A golden fibula had held together her long skirt, with the wonderful colors of summer, with the gold-embroidered outer layer. At her slender waist was a belt of wisteria. And a purple-green tiara embedded with the brightest jewels dictated her title.

    One could only compare the entire experience of seeing her with a field of Baby Blue Eyes at their full bloom in spring.

    Her entourage wasn't lacking compared to the already seated King. 3 women and 2 men, followed by 100 nobles, were all in yellowish-green robes. She passed by the Generals with their heads still bowed. Every step could have either been on the far clouds or in the hearts of staring men. She sat on the throne at the far right of King of 1st Quad. With a comfortable posture, she finally glanced at the King and gave a courtesy nod.

    The King nodded without even looking at her. But that was enough. She wanted a nod in return and she got it. If she needed something, no one could stop her from getting it.

    For she was the one who was ruling over the Kingdom of Life-Authority, Queen Eluned Rhiannon–The Daughter of Mana.

    The clouds that curtained the sky had gone. And the eternally opened eyes of the Emperor's statue finally reflected the bright rays of suns.

    Bright golden rays were pouring out of the portal too when a man in Alb (a plain white garment that reaches to the ankles) stepped out of it. He was wearing a Papal Tiara, and the crown beamed with many jewels. Cope with a huge jeweled Morse had girded the Alb. He had a stole around his neck which hung down almost parallel to each other. Jet black discs as an ornament at either end were there on the band of golden-purple cloth. The man, in all the serene atmosphere, was also holding a Papal Ferula–short goldenrod with a jet-black globe attached to its end.

    Everybody got to know how the stubborn clouds had given away an unobstructed view of the ever reticent sky.

    5 Bishops and a hundred other priests followed this man. The pride of ever-loyal soldiers couldn't have kept their chin raised anymore, and they had bowed their head a little, in that man's direction. This man looked at the Emperor's statue for a while and took his throne opposite to the Queen. The Queen didn't nod this time, for she didn't want him to nod. The man before her only bowed to his 'God' and he would do the same for none other.

    For he was the one who was ruling over the Kingdom of Eternal Servant, King Antiochus Theotimus–The Last Saint.

    The sudden rain, long winters, and uninvited guests all bring tremendous pressure with them.

    But the man who had come out from the portal was the "pressure" himself. There was no jewelry on him, there were no armors, and neither there was a crown nor flashy clothes. This man wore a common black greatcoat, black pants, and plain black shoes. He was being followed by only 2 men and 1 woman, all in even simpler black garments. The pressure that had flooded the grounds was already bearing down on every being that was present there. Everyone found themselves at the sea-bed. The dense water was compressing every muscle from all around, and even their breath was leaden under the man's dreadful presence.

    The man stopped himself in the middle of the Kings and the Queen. But what he did next left all the nobles flabbergasted.

    The man turned towards the south and kneeled, with his head almost touching the carpet. And then he slammed his head so hard that every soul from ground to sky shook. The veins of soldiers were already popping out all over the body. All thought that they would lose their consciousness if that man were to slam his head one more time. But the man just stood up and went to his throne. Nobody had wanted to confront him for his odd behavior, and nobody could have asked him for his disregard for human lives.

    For he was the one who was ruling over the Kingdom of Swordless, King Hagen Bergman–The Impenetrable Shield.

    King of 1st Quad, Alvis, was aware that his subjects had borne most of the pressure. Almost all the faces behind him had turned purple.

    A snake's tail and a Dragon's pride were not to be trodden upon. The helm's plume fluttered, and the King stood up. He took a step towards Hagen, who was also glaring at him. A fiery wave of scorching heat spread out and collided with waves of tremendous pressure. Gentle rays of light enveloped all the priests and bellows of fragrant air surrounded the Queen's entourage.

    All pretenses were on the brink of getting dropped and the Generals' faces were already pale.

    "Haha! Young blood boils the most on hearing the battle-cry of enemies."

    With those words the heat subsided, the pressure went poof in the air, the curtain of light vanished and bellows lost themselves in the void. And all beings under the sky found themselves in an illusion of a flowery meadow. The Kings and the Queen vacantly stared at the man who had shown up and mouthed, "Old Monster."

    All the soldiers, including Generals, kneeled and shouted in unison, "LONG LIVE HIS MAJESTY, THE KING."

    The sound was so deafening that even the sound of the bugles would have to recede in front of it. And he was the only man who deserved the title of a King on planet UGF-P02.

    For he was the one who ruled over nothing, the Supreme Commander of the United Galactic Front, King Imhotep Paphnutius–The Judge of Calamity.