Defiance of the Fall

Zac didn't know which of the two demons was right. Both, most likely. Some of these volunteers might be wartime opportunists. But it wouldn't be odd for many of these old warriors to stir after witnessing the brutality of the struggle.

He remembered the problems they'd had with their recruitment drives in the beginning. Many didn't even believe them when they said a war was coming. And even if it did, so what? The integration had been dealt with without many of them ever lifting a finger. Why would this be any different?

Now, war was here, and people were forced to face reality. Months had passed since the battles started, which was ample time for the situation to be spread back to the civilians. These old fighters might really have chosen to sacrifice themselves for their tribes now that the Kan'Tanu and their Heart Curses were at their gates.

"Then we'll go ahead," Ra'Klid said, not without some reluctance. The demon was clearly curious about what rank and designation Zac would be getting. "I need to see what we're dealing with."

"I'll catch up soon," Zac nodded as he turned toward the recruitment center.

Zac's arrival initially came unnoticed. The crowd was busy shouting at the workers barring the entrance behind an array. A few glanced over when Zac came close, but they didn't recognize him. Joanna helplessly shrugged at the scene, indicating for him to speak up. Zac chose an even more direct solution; he rose into the air and floated above the crowd.

"Emperor Atwood!" a human clerk exclaimed upon seeing Zac fly toward them, prompting the grizzled old warriors to look up with shock.

Zac saw the mixed emotions in their eyes; hope, suspicion, curiosity. He knew what kind of impression his demon citizens had of him. The events in the Tower of Eternity, or when he quelled the Raun uprising, had long since spread throughout the Mavai population, intentionally so by Ra'Klid and his council. Adding his reclusive nature, Zac had almost taken on mythical status.

He could tell that some of the old warriors had almost expected him to have three heads and six arms, and they looked a bit disappointed upon realizing he just looked like a normal human, even if it was a flying one. Zac hesitated a moment before releasing some of the restraints on his aura, letting roiling waves of Killing Intent, Divine Energy, and the Daos of his Evolutionary Path spread through the crowd and beyond.

The barrier surrounding the recruitment center groaned, and the line of reinforcements froze momentarily on its way to the inner regions and the Battlefront Array. The Mavai veterans took the brunt of his aura, but they were only briefly shocked before a fervent gleam appeared in their eyes. Zac obviously restrained his power to a level where it wouldn't hurt these people, and he knew the allure of his path to these old Mavai Demons.

If he'd been Mavai himself, he would have been considered a forefather already. Of course, it looked like his reputation had taken a hit as there were not a few unfriendly looks trained at him. Zac had an inkling why and ignored it. He'd turn these people around through action.

"I'm gratified to witness the Mavai's bravery and the steel in your veins," Zac said, his Dao-empowered voice echoing through the square as he stopped before the entrance. "I know you are worried for your sons and daughters, but rest assured. The Mavai Tribes are part of the Atwood Empire, and you have our full support. We will crush this assault, as we will any faction who tries to harm our people."

"Warc- Ah, mister Emperor," a wizened Mavai warrior missing an arm said. "Are you joining the war?"

"I am sorry to have kept you all waiting these past months," Zac said. "I had just broken through to Hegemony when I learned of this early attack. I'm stepping onto the frontlines as soon as I've registered. Our forces are more than capable of handling this assault, and there is no need to send noncombatants to their deaths. If you still wish to serve, please talk with our recruiters. There are many ways to help keep our soldiers safe."

No order was issued, but the protective barrier deactivated, letting Zac inside. There were a dozen clerks and warriors who looked ready for a siege, but Zac only nodded in their direction before continuing to one of the fifty glimmering crystals floating at the back of the hall. Zac placed his hand on the crystal, and a familiar pulse spread through his body.

[Use Alias?]

"No," Zac said after some thought, not feeling the need to hide his identity any longer. If anything, it could help his faction if he gained some renown and appeared on leaderboards.

Perhaps the System already had him on file because the evaluation was far quicker than when it scanned his Cosmic Core. A set of screens popped up almost immediately.

[Evaluation: Early D-grade. S-grade Attributes. B-grade Dao. S-grade Achievements. S-grade potential. Rank: Baron of Conquest]

[Comprehensive evaluation: S-grade. Marked for unique scenario, special designation awarded.]

[Designation: Fated Flamebearer]

[Flamebearer of Zecia (Campaign, Inheritance (1/?)): Lead your faction to conquer 9 Early D-grade worlds in the Zurbor Sector. Kill or capture one Sealbearer. Reward: Court Cycle Token. (0/10)]

[Calculating Pre-enlistment Merit. Merit cap Reached.]

There wasn't anything surprising in the evaluation. It was a bit annoying not being awarded S-grade across the board, not even getting an A-grade rating for his Dao. But he had to admit that three Middle-stage Dao Branches wasn't that impressive for an Early Hegemon. For example, Iz had three Late-Stage Dao Branches while still in the E-grade, and there were likely Early Hegemons who had formed Earthly Daos.

Of course, the difference between him and them was that he'd just entered Hegemony while they'd likely spent centuries there, possibly millennia. At least the comprehensive Evaluation was put at S-grade, though the text after left Zac with mixed emotions.

Being marked by the System for 'special training' had controlled most of his actions during the event in the Research Base at the threat of having Skills and levels removed if he didn't comply. And he still remembered the stifling feeling of being congratulated for being awarded a unique scenario when left alone on Demon Island. Now, he found himself marked yet again.

He loathed the feeling of having the System trying to rein him in and control him, but the situation was thankfully quite different this time around. Terminology aside, his new quest looked just like the one Vilari had, with no stick to go with the carrot. Of course, there was one interesting difference. Vilari's quest had no reward listed, while he would receive a 'Court Cycle Token' from completing the very first step.

There was no description of what the thing did, but it had to be related to the Left Imperial Palace, and likely his other inheritance quest that had him complete cycles of sealbearers. Getting the token was easier said than done, though. Conquering nine worlds was one thing; he could force a few quick victories with money before retreating if need be.

But where would he find a hostile Sealbearer? It wasn't like they announced their presence. He had long since figured out the method Valsa used to expose him, but those tracking arrays could only scan the surrounding hundred meters. He'd keep it on him while fighting, but it was still akin to looking for a needle in a haystack.

The added merit was tacked onto the bottom of his Status Screen, and the pre-enlistment War Merit cap was apparently 125,000. The reward was no doubt the result of his activities inside the Void Star. He didn't have much to go by, but Zac suspected it was significantly more than any of his followers had earned so far.

Joanna's quest had said she'd gained roughly 18,000 merit from taking out enemy leaders, and that was with a rank that provided bonuses for doing just that. Zac estimated Joanna had around 30,000 total when adding her other merit sources. Truthfully, Zac felt the reward on the lower end, considering the effect his contribution had on the whole sector.

He'd been one of the main reasons the Kan'Tanu infiltration plan had failed, and he'd killed multiple hostile Hegemons. The only reason Zac could come up with was that the System didn't want to award too much merit before the actual war. It wanted him and others to temper themselves on the battlefield. The bonus should at least set him up with some nice things that'd let him quickly advance through the initial stages of Hegemony.

Opening his status screen led to another startling discovery; his Draugr self hadn't received any merit. Both bodies had gained the inheritance quest, but only his human Status Screen had a line with merit. Zac had wondered whether his bodies would be counted as two individuals or one. The result wasn't definitive, but Zac leaned toward him being counted as two for the war but one for the Left Imperial Palace.

That was actually the optimal scenario as far as Zac was concerned. It would be difficult maintaining his cover if his Arcaz persona didn't appear on any leaderboards. Of course, he'd have to visit another Recruitment Center with his Draugr body later to confirm his findings. Now, Zac had more pressing matters to deal with.

He turned toward the exit after he was done, but he was surprised to find Joanna quickly trying to hide the disappointment on her face as she stowed a Communication Crystal.

"What's wrong?" Zac asked.

His mission was tricky, but Zac was overall happy with the results.

"When Emily broke through and was promoted, the Command Center got a notification saying our army ranking had been upgraded. I just confirmed that we didn't gain a rank this time. I guess we all kind of thought…" Joanna said, her voice trailing off.

"Oh," Zac said. "Sorry, I've received a specialized role."

"Is it related to…" Joanna asked, getting an affirmative nod in return.

"Let's go," Zac said.

However, Zac didn't even reach the exit before a commotion erupted outside.

"The Merit Board!" dozens of demons shouted as one blue screen after another popped up among the crowd.

The demons that had seemed indignant suddenly looked at Zac with reverence, and he could guess what they were thinking. People had thought he'd been in seclusion while his armies bled, but the accrued merit told another story. The Atwood Emperor must have fought tirelessly in the shadows, perhaps on the front lines in the Million Gates Territory.

Of course, their previous assumption had been much closer to the truth. He really had been in seclusion since the war started. Zac glanced at Joanna, who shared a screen identical to the others.

1st – 125,000. Zachary Atwood.

2nd – 41,327. Rhubat.

3rd – 37,173. Emily Larkin.

4th – 27,911. Joanna Thompson.

5th – 24,474. Vilari Blackwood.

6th – 24,238. Ra'Klid Erosa.

7th – 23,471. Janos Azh'Rodum.

8th – 21,788. Ilvere Azh'Rodum.

9th – 21,629. Aouvi Sealmyre.

10th – 20,138. Carl Elrod

[…]

100th – 15,362. Torat.

Zac quickly skimmed the list of names and realized it was a local ladder of the Atwood Empire with only a few dozen names he didn't recognize. The entries themselves didn't provide any big surprises. The top ten were mostly made up of people chosen for the upcoming trial, excepting Ilvere and one of the two Raun leaders at the 9th spot. The other one was at the 12th.

He hadn't expected Rhubat to hold the second place, and with such a margin over people like Vilari and Joanna. Zac guessed it made sense, considering he was the leader of the warlike Zhix, but he had to be one of the sealbearers who had evolved. Zac also hadn't expected to see Thomas Marshall at the 14th spot, nor Verana Tir'Emarel, the Tal-Eladar Beastmaster, at the 15th.

"Amazing," Joanna said.

"It's not bad," Zac nodded.

"Not bad," Joanna repeated with a wry shake of her head. "Rhubat, Emily, and I had the most accrued merit when registering, yet none of us crossed 10,000. I had 8,000."

It had taken three months for Joanna to earn another 19,000, meaning that roughly 5,000 merit a month was the target for a Peak E-grade elite, which tracked with the barrier of entry to the top 100. Meanwhile, Emily's and Rhubats tallies indicated Hegemons could earn just under double that. If a powerhouse like Zac could earn double what an elite like Emily did, he'd earned around half a year's merit in one go.

Zac was very curious about what kind of rewards you could exchange for such a chunk of merit, but the still-progressing stream of soldiers was a stark reminder that this wasn't the time to investigate the ins and outs of the War System. Joanna joined him as he flashed out of the building, soon arriving atop the Battlefield Array. Altogether, they stayed less than two minutes on the Mavai continent.

The transportation was instant. One moment Zac was embraced by the vibrant aura of the Mavai Continent. The next, he almost felt suffocated from lacking truths and energy, while a loud rumble made it difficult to even think. This warfront had to be located on a Middle E-grade at most, judging by the energy density. Then again, Zac guessed that the huge fortress around him would further drain the region.

The environment was almost unbearable after having spent years in the sublime realms of the Perennial Vastness, but he pushed down the discomfort as he inspected the screen that had appeared before him.

[Eighth Battlefront of the Atwood Empire. Assigned Leader: Ra'Klid Erosa.]

[De-facto leader of Atwood Empire detected, designation qualified for leadership. Assign yourself leader?]

"No," Zac said without hesitation.

[General assignment: Defend the fortress. Merit awarded after siege is over, depending on individual contribution.]

[Fated Flamebearer: Break the siege. Destroyed battlements 1.5x merit. Killed or captured enemies above 1st Grade Sergeant, 1,5x merit. Conquer enemy base 1-2x merit depending on performance. NOTE: This world is insufficient to advance campaign quest.]

Zac scanned through the temporary assignments and breathed in relief upon seeing the nature of those provided by his designation. The bounties were clearly urging him to go on the offensive rather than hunker down inside some command tent. Even better, the System still didn't force him into anything like the quest chain he'd completed inside the Mystic Realm. It more resembled Joanna's tasks.

After closing the screens with a thought, Zac took in the scene. It quickly became apparent that the rumbles didn't come from thunder but from enormous explosions that shook a wall far in the distance. Between the teleportation platform and the frontline, there was another line of defense, together forming a diamond-shaped fortress the size of a city.

They had appeared right at its center, and Zac noted their pillar was one of two, with the other only a few hundred meters away. From it came a stream of minotaurs, the smallest of them three meters tall. They weren't quite the height of the Zhix's Anointed but were decidedly bulkier. However, while their expressions were fierce, their auras and equipment left some to be desired.

Of course, it wasn't fair to compare the beastkin with the overgeared armies of the Atwood Empire, but they seemed a bit shoddy even for an established Zecian D-grade force. They reminded Zac of when he fought Clan Azh'Rezak. As Ra'Klid guessed, these minotaurs likely came from a newly formed force or one with limited resources.

Both minotaurs and his own soldiers streamed toward a large square beneath the platforms, where they were arranged into larger units before immediately being sent to the frontlines. The attack came from two directions, with the battle to the north being much fiercer. A large section of the wall was actually missing, and there were well over a hundred unmoving bodies around the breach.

A shimmering barrier covered the broken patch, but Zac wasn't sure how dependable it was, considering his soldiers were constantly passing through it to meet the attackers head-on. He could vaguely spot a river of Kan'Tanu attackers stream toward the breach under cover of an enormous tangle that pulsated with cursed power. Meanwhile, the Array Towers atop the wall unleashed unfettered destruction on something hidden behind the fortifications.

"What should we do?" Zac asked, filled with urgency upon taking in the scene.

They'd known about the war for years, and the briefing had given him a decent understanding of the recent developments. However, the stakes hadn't felt quite real, especially with the System almost making a game of it. It was all too real now. The soldiers in the distance were only specks from their vantage, but each was a warrior under his command who could join the unmoving corpses on the ground at any moment.

Yet they staunchly streamed toward the breach, which felt increasingly like a bloody grindstone where every minute was bought with rivers of blood.

"I can't believe they broke through so quickly. They've always had problems dealing with our arrays," Joanna swore, her shocked expression not making Zac feel any better. "It looks like we have the situation under control, but something's wrong. Look."

Zac followed where Joanna pointed and saw an army tens of thousands strong having gathered behind the wall at the other frontline. Meanwhile, hundreds of array masters were fast at work, setting up doorways that rippled with spatial energy.

"They're striking out," Zac said, recognizing the arrays.

They were War Arrays that would create short-distance gates leading to the other side of the fortifications. If timed correctly, they would allow his army to strike the enemy front lines much quicker while avoiding the killing fields between the wall and the invaders. In return, it cost a small fortune to power those things, not to mention the cost of the doorways themselves, so few D-grade factions would use them.

The Atwood Empire was essentially leveraging their massive wealth to minimize casualties, but Zac knew that the vanguard of those arrays would take heavy losses to form a beachhead. He remembered doing the same thing back in the Mystic Realm when the Church of Everlasting Dao tried to disconnect their platform from the Memorysteel Mountain.

But instead of a few hundred cultists, these warriors would have to face a sea of Kan'Tanu and their war machines.

"The Kan'Tanu must have forced our hand. We would have stayed within the walls normally, using our Array Towers to weaken the attack before striking out," Joanna said. "Must be related to that big hole. Ra'Klid wants to destroy whatever created it before we're left with a second entrance."

Zac looked back and forth, gritting his teeth with frustration. It felt like whichever side he chose, the other would suffer heavy casualties. He even regretted not bringing his other body, even if he knew he wasn't ready to fight a pitched battle under those conditions. Ultimately, he could only follow his gut and do his best.

"I'll deal with the breach," Zac said, not waiting for Joanna to answer before shooting forward like a rocket. There were Kan'Tanu to kill.