CHAPTER 204: BEGINNING

[Alert: Crestfall City Announcement: Crucible match 2177944-98 has ended.]

[Earth has successfully resisted Sylphane in a breathtaking victory. The Sylphanian Tyrant has been killed by Elian Reed.]

[Factions that participated: Weapons of Valestra | Verdant Cataclysm]

[Rewards will be claimed upon the annihilation or subjugation of Sylphane.]

[Congratulations to Earth! Glory be to the Tyrants!]

Relief and joy poured into Elian’s being. While he did not believe they would lose, he couldn’t see how they could win either. But looking at his progress, the key to his growth was clear.

[Talent: Adamant – deactivated.]

[Talent: Driven – deactivated.]

It was only when he fought, risking death, that Elian Reed would rapidly grow.

[You have leveled up! You are now Level 48!]

"Two levels, huh? It seems the green army gave a lot of experience."

When logic failed and he had to find a way no matter what, he found solutions no one could have ever imagined. Eating a hurricane, arming it with teeth and guns, it was one of those things few would even believe.

But he made it a reality.

All for the sake of victory.

When the last enemy fell, the black tornado stopped in place. The guns searched for an enemy; the chainsaws spun, waiting for their next meal. But there was nothing left. Somehow, Elian felt the melancholy of his children.

Like the feeling one gets after finishing a really good movie. Or when one goes home after a wonderful day of playing. The Weapons didn’t want the battle to end.

Elian knew that he shouldn’t sympathize with them. But much like him, the children thrived in battle. They lived for war; that was his intent. It was why they were called Weapons.

I should say something. But what?

Connected to the hive mind, Elian already knew all the information the rest of the Weapons knew. Although he only fought on two of the three battlefields, the third was already over as well.

[You have leveled up! You are now level 49!]

Oh? I get shared experience?

[Alert: Crestfall City Announcement: Crucible match 2179978-98 has ended.]

[Earth has successfully resisted Astrapheia in a breathtaking victory. The Astrapheian Tyrant has been killed by Bianca Valestra.]

[Factions that participated: Weapons of Valestra | Dukedom of Radiant Thunder]

[Rewards will be claimed upon the annihilation or subjugation of Astrapheia.]

[Congratulations to Earth! Glory be to the Tyrants!]

The sadness came not just from his army, but from the other one as well. Bianca, much like him, went to another battlefield. She reinforced the eastern wall where Beta, Gamma, and Epsilon were.

Astrapheia was a land of lightning. The beings there were like thunder elementals that moved really fast and electrocuted anything in their way. However, against the Weapons and Bianca, they were helpless.

Even without going to that battle, Elian gave the Weapons of the East only one suggestion. Although Living Metal was already nearly immune to mana, it could still be overwhelmed by enough lightning.

"Insulate yourselves with rubber and use lightning rods to ground the electric charge."

Unlike tornadoes, lightning storms already had solutions. Electricity, which was basically harnessed lightning, was an everyday part of human life. Thus, the result was that whatever attacks or defenses the Astrapheians used, the Weapons, learned, adapted, and countered it.

That was all before Bianca arrived.

When she did, the Psychomancer merely froze everything. Unlike Elian, she was not restrained by the rules of physics; the eastern battle was far simpler than the western one.

Just like that, three separate invasions have failed.

Three worlds, all of which could have destroyed the city, were slaughtered to the last.

Compared to the first one, these all feel easier.

Elian was not being arrogant. It was an objective fact. While he had few bodies to use during the Virexan invasion, now he had thousands. And once he and Bianca created even more, the Weapons would surpass even a hundred thousand in a few months.

"At this rate, aren’t we like a zombie outbreak? Once our numbers reach a high enough level, it would be impossible to contain us. Especially when the Weapons adapt to kill anything they fight."

The realization made Elian giddy. It was terrifying if you were on the wrong side of the fence, but as he commanded the undying army, it was comforting.

Feeling that it was time to revert to normal, Elian disconnected from the hive mind.

He then gathered metals from the hurricane to reform his own body. Like devoted, loving children, his army of monsters did not think twice and gave him everything he could need.

"Charade, Shark."

Summoning his forged silver armor, Elian was about to ask the Weapons to let him leave when something amazing happened. Rather than wind, the black hurricane acted like water. In an instant, the middle part opened. The rifles folded, and the chainsaws all twisted to make way.

A clear path from within the spiral of death appeared.

"Thank you," Elian said in gratitude.

He safely walked out of the hurricane like a superhero. It even bowed before closing up again. Like a docile dog eager for its master’s praise, it waited. Anyone who saw how ruthless the calamity of teeth and guns was earlier would laugh at the absurdity.

To others, it might have been a monster born out of nightmares. But to Elian, it was the power of his family and the shape of his will. With a kind voice, he called out to the hurricane before him.

"Great job, everyone. I am proud of you. We have protected our home. I don’t mind you keeping this form, but it will be harder to move. Please separate for now. When the time comes, we can join up again like this."

At once, the sounds of chainsaws buzzing and howling wind stopped. Then, like a balloon that popped, the towering presence of the steel hurricane dissolved like a lie. A thick, viscous sea of black flooded to the ground like a waterfall.

The moment it hit the ground, the water joined and formed monsters by the thousands. All neatly arranged into rows and columns by type and size. With a single request, the Western defense army was reborn anew. All of them bowed to the ground.

Elian couldn’t help but feel pride in the display. It gave him a sense of omnipotence. While he started out alone, now he had a living, breathing faction of monsters with unimaginable power.

"This is only our beginning," he said with a smile. "Follow me; we are heading back."

The Weapons slammed their feet, hooves, and weapons to the ground and shouted in a loud voice.

"Yes, Father!"

They no longer called him Tyrant, but Father. It was more intimate, but he didn’t find the familiarity offensive.

Turning around, Elian walked triumphantly back to Crestfall City. With an army of his children in tow.

***

As he was walking back, Elian’s phone began ringing non-stop. Calls from various people connected. All of which had various things to share.

[Son, that right there was beyond amazing. You saved a lot of people today. And I am sure you will save a lot more. I am proud of you. Your mom says to come over soon. And to bring Bianca too.]

Praise and concern from his parents.

[My lord, this Silas is in awe of your display. The stream was so over the top that most would think it a work of fiction. How can the Dornevales even dare to call ourselves the guardians of Crestfall with you present?]

Admiration from his subordinates.

[Ugh, I should have been part of the battle! You bastards guarded us too well. Mom and Dad are pissed too! The newbs got all the good stuff! No one even managed to attack this place! The oversized matchstick is fine, by the way.]

Frustration from in-laws on guard duty.

[HAHAHA! Seeing you eat a Hurricane gave me immense satisfaction. As someone who went through the same thing, I know for a fact that it hurts a lot! Still, you really are insane, aren’t you? You eat anything you cannot beat.]

Feedback from Tyrants who watched his performance.

[I have received confirmation from all five lifelines. Burny, Charlotte, Katri, Yearns, and Blooms have all successfully become Psychomancers. The city is unharmed; we have a few Breakers injured, but no one died. That was a performance worthy of song, Elian.]

To reports of the city’s defenses.

Seeing his preparations pay off so well made the tension in Elian’s body melt away.

"Thank you, Aunt-in-law. Is there a chance for worlds beyond Iron Rank to attack us?"

[No. The Crucible is fair in this regard. Higher worlds can only direct their subordinates to invade you. They may give said subordinates support, but that is all. Currently, Earth’s Axis is fully occupied; until one of the worlds leaves, none may attack you.]

"I see. So the system is giving us the chance to counterattack?"

[Yes. The blitzkrieg perk has a cooldown, so they cannot retreat. This might be a good opportunity to launch an invasion and fulfill your last requirement. You don’t even need to succeed. Showing the mettle to start a genocide is enough to convince the system.]

Elian nodded in understanding. Currently, only two things stopped him from becoming Earth’s Tyrant. A successful invasion and the fact that the other candidates were still alive.

"Hmm... Then I think it’s time to gain as much as we can before we leave the iron rank."

[Huh? What do you mean?]

Elian rubbed his chin as he declared, with a smile.

"Aunt-in-law, tell the entire faction. When I return, we will invade Virexar, Gnareth, Sylphane, and Astrapheia."

[Okay. Which should we prepare for first?]

"Why stop at just one? We are invading all of them."