NOVEL NEXT Chapter 58
---A Few Days Later, Invasion Day 1---
Watching the principality’s movements from Yamato’s camouflaged deck, our current ETA was five minutes till intercept. Managing to garner additional noble support before setting sail from their capital, the fleet of seven hundred vessels had grown to fifteen hundred. Dividing their forces into two separate groups, the Black Knight and Princess led the vanguard, consisting of four hundred ships, while the remaining eleven hundred ships sailed ten miles behind them. Believing the Black Knight intended to soften up resistance and leave looting and pillaging to the main force, I was going to make them regret their decision to come here with a single, decisive blow.
“Luxion, bring the BFG 10,000 online and begin charging sequence.”, I ordered him, “Set the output to ten percent, and aim for their rearguard. I want to crush their spirits by obliterating most of their forces. Await my signal before firing the weapon.”
<Understood, Master. Beginning charging sequence now.>
“Yamato, please notify the troops to prepare for battle. When I give the command, I want them to send all of them to the abyss. Leave only the flagship intact, the Black Knight and Princess are mine.”, I commanded.
<Aye Captain!>
Deploying my Bleeding Edge Doom armor, I decided to check in with Cleare and my family to confirm their status. Fully aware of what was going on, they were onboard with my plan and were contributing in their own way. Explaining things to the crew and students on my behalf, Angelica, Clarice, Deirdre, and Olivia would ensure all the cruise ships were headed back to the capital as of this morning. In the event some of the men wanted some fame and glory, they could join their families in the fight against the Holy Kingdom. Wanting my family as far from the invasion as possible, their safety was my top priority.
“Hello Victor, did you already destroy the fleet?!”, Olivia asked, with a surprised look.
“Haha, no. I am currently three minutes out from interception. Just wanted to check in and make sure you did not have any trouble on your end.”, I said, with a chuckle.
“No problems here, we began our return trip home just after eight this morning.”, Clarice answered.
“Good, I look forward to seeing you all in a few days. I apologize for not giving you a proper send off before I left this morning.”, I stated, in an apologetic tone, “Cleare, I am trusting you with the most precious people in my life. Make sure you protect them properly.”
<No worries, boss. No one is going to lay a finger on them with me around!>
Saying their goodbyes, my family wished me luck and safe travels. Ending the call there, as a layer of thick fog began rolling in, I promptly turned my attention toward their flagship. Having built large fortifications on the back of a gigantic whale monster, it sort of reminded me a bit of the space whales from Doctor Who. Clearly not as gentle as them, the only thing keeping the beast under control was the magic flute in the princess’ possession.
“Look alive Yamato, we are on the clock now.”, I chuckled, as the fog cleared revealing their vanguard group.
Engaging her airbrakes, Yamato brought herself to a standstill in just a few thousand feet. Making the holographic bodies of students flee in terror, she made all the chaos look very damn convincing. Bringing them to a halt, when the enemy flagship projected an image of Princess Hertrude, I stood there silently awaiting what she had to say.
“Greetings Children of the Holfort Kingdom, I am First Princess Hertrude Sera Fanoss.”, she said, “Due to the inexcusable actions of your Viscount Stark, we are here to declare war upon your nation. Unfortunately for all of you, everyone aboard your vessel is now our prisoner. Either surrender willingly to us, or we will send all of you to a watery grave. We expect answer from you by the time our boarding party arrives.”
Ending the projection there, a small boarding vessel departed the flagship and began slowly making its way over to us. Noticing that several dozen guards were aboard, led by a man with a hideous mustache, all of them wore disgusting smirks on their face.
“Yamato, bring your weapon systems online. Once I squash these insects, release your camouflage and show these idiots what a real show of force looks like.”, I commanded.
<Hehe, of course Captain! I am going tear them apart!!>
Pulling alongside us, a few minutes later, the enemy group disembarked their vessel and began to approach us. Looking at all the female holograms, like they were at a meat market, the holograms began to back away sheepishly from them. Making Angelica and Olivia’s holograms move behind me, the group came to a stop about ten from me.
“Hehe, alright you mongrel kingdom mutts, what is your decision? Are you going to choose subservience or death?”, Mustachio inquired, twirling his mustache with a fiendish smile, “Actually, you know what, seize the women and take them back to the ship. The men can watch us rob them over their dignity while we sent them to a watery grave!”
Locking his lustful eyes on Angelica and Olivia’s holograms, my patience vanished. Having wanted to buy my fleet a bit more time to get into position, all bets were off now.
‘I figured this was how it would be, but it still pisses me off he thinks I would let that happen. No Man or God is allowed to touch my fiancés but me!’, I thought, stepping toward them defiantly.
Waving my hand, the student holograms vanished leaving me standing there alone. Unsure what was happening, the soldiers rushed in front of Mustachio, raised their rifles, and opened fire upon me. Watching the bullets turn to dust upon hitting my energy shielding, they did not stop firing till their magazines ran out.
“You fools are wasting your time. Those pee shooters will never reach me.”, I taunted them, ripping the rifles out of their hands with the Force, “Now then, I have known about your invasion plans from the moment your cowardly border nobles ran to your capital with their tails between their legs. I watched you gather your forces and set sail five days ago at quarter to noon. Whether you like it or not, you have been doing exactly as I wanted this entire time.”
“You…you are bluffing!!”, Mustachio shrieked, ‘How did he know the exact time we left?! No vessels passed us on our way here!’
“Whether you believe me or not is of no consequence now. You foolish principality pigs graciously declared war on my homeland meaning I no longer must be civil with you.”, I reminded them, “Now you will feel my wrath like never before!”
Lifting my hands from my sides, the sky began to turn an eerie shade of green. Hearing the cracks of lighting begin to echo all around us, the soldiers abandoned their commander and made a dash for their ship. Crushing it with the Force, I broke the unfortunate truth them.
“Your opportunity to change this outcome ended the moment you besieged my ship. Now stand there and watch as I show you want total annihilation looks like!”, I said, grinning behind my helmet, “I am, the Inevitable.”
Snapping my fingers, a brilliant green light flooded the area as the BFG 10,000 struck the center of their rearguard. Engulfing them and the surrounding several miles in moments, the unholy, green energy field reduced everything it touched to atoms. Watching the shockwave come toward us, we watched various crews begin to brace for impact. Crashing into the sterns of many of their vessels, dozens of ships were pushed into each other sending hundreds of sailors overboard. Hearing their screams as they plummeted to their deaths, the enemy soldiers decided to take a chance and attack me head on. Howling like mad men as they came at me with just combat knives and their fists, I did them a kindness and ended their lives.
Generating a powerful Force Storm, I blasted the soldiers tearing their flesh off their bones. Peppering the petrified Mustachio, the commander fell flat on his ass and began screaming like a little girl. Scooting away from me, as I approached him, I used the Force to pull him toward me. Seizing him by the throat, Mustachio began pleading for his life and offering me anything my heart could desire. Promising me fame, fortune, and all the women I could want, I began to squeeze the life out of him.
“I have no interest in anything you could offer me. In three days’ time, the Principality of Fanoss will be nothing but ancient history.”, I told him, before producing the signed Royal Decree, “King Roland has given me full authority to do what is needed to bring your rogue ducal territory back under the Crown’s rule. By the time I am finished, these lands will be known as the Stark Duchy.”
Having no use for him, I casually threw him overboard and let him plummet to his death…twenty thousand feet below. Ordering my vessels to begin bombarding the remnants of their Strike Group, I told Jarvis to ready Nova Gundam for combat. While he performed final system checks, I took to the skies and flew over to the enemy flagship. Deciding to kill as many soldiers as possible to draw the Black Knight out.