Bro, I'm not an Undead!

The sea between Feinheath and Opungale was called the Krassos, its waters dubbed the Thicker Deep as many a sailor claimed that they would turn as thick at honey at dense waves.

Because of the ferocity of the waves as they wrestled against the land, a path had been dug inland, tearing through a remote part of the continent up to dozens of miles where it narrowed into a stream.

This passage from the sea into the land was what was named the Tattered Serpent, as because of the waves that had created it, masses of fertile and infertile crust could be seen floating within it before succumbing to erosion, the meandering of this 'serpent' breaking into Emeradis and Pelian.

At this moment, two fleets could be seen slowly pushing in opposite directions against each other merely four miles in through the Tattered Serpent, this far into these waters being called the Tattered Serpent's Throat by many sailors.

One fleet had ships that had a dark colouration with the occasional golden white on the sails and keels while the hull and every other part of the ships remained with the colour of the night sky.

These ships had a rather bulky mass, with sturdiness that could be discerned with the mere sighting of them. Even the waters below these ships seemed to sense the might carried by the vessels as no living thing could be seen within them.

The other fleet had blue, red and white coloured ships, their build seemingly focused on speed as they were leaner with the craftsmanship emphasising a narrower shape up to the forepeak.

This fleet belonged to those who were defending their home.

An ambitious young prince and his army who had rushed over to the Tattered Serpent's Throat upon hearing word that a Union of the treacherous Fulgardt had finally reached Pelian led the charge through water.

Who was this prince?

Bold couldn't even begin to describe him as he was true to the Royan line, as was everyone born during and after Philemen Royan's time.

It was rare for a single Royan to rule over Pelian for more than a century as the ambitious blood that ran in the family lead to internal schemes and plotting. Brother against brother. Blood against blood.

Yet, the line lived on.

On a large ship leading the 64 on Pelian's side against the 52 on the opposing one, a young man with wide set ocean blue eyes, scarlet blonde hair tied into a ponytail and a square face, stood on the bowsprit of vessel.

He was adorned in a blue armour that sparkled under the sun's grace, its grade higher than Legendary and its defence higher than that of any other in the land save for that belonging to three individuals.

He scanned the ships a distance away and breathed out, expelling hesitation and inhaling courage.

This man's name was Juulicus Royan, the second son of Edricus Royan.

"Logma. Can you predict how they may choose to act? The Purity has been supporting the three nations to fight against the Unions since the war started after all. Any Intel?" Juulicus asked without turning his head, his words directed to a dark-skinned man who stood behind him on the deck.

The man did not reply immediately as he considered his answer carefully.

"The Unions are bold. Just as you have seen, despite knowing that we are aware of their movements, those on this fleet are still calm. The energies from their forces have yet to even turn hostile," the man said. "They are incredibly confident."

"I see. Even when there isn't one of those... Chosen among them? I heard that only those four are the true threat," Juulicus said.

The man who had been addressed as Logma smiled bitterly.

"Only the fighters from Maqi can say that with confidence. The forces from your nation can't take that claim to heart. The population has barely grown and the same is true for your strength as a whole," Logma said as he blew away the braided brown hair that turned stiff as it fell from his scalp, making angled falls on both sides of his head.

His small, angled eyes with a hazel hue were taking in large bursts of information while he was entertaining the young prince's questions, enormous bursts of energy streaming from his golden armour that represented his affiliation.

The Purity was dividing its combatants between the three nations, supporting the fight against the heretic believers that followed Fulgardt's belief.

Blasphemy against the Deities?

Needless massacre?

This had to be stopped!

It went against the divine

Over a hundred and fifty years had already passed since the beginning of the Second Grand War and Pelian was only now getting assaulted by a Union. This confused many but it wasn't as if anyone was going to walk up to Fulgardt and ask why Pelian wasn't getting some.

This man, Logma, was a Paladin Champion sent to Pelian to relay information and assist with the war effort but his stationing had almost been forgotten since Pelian had been somewhat free for the past century. Everyone else was busy and he wasn't.

"Prince Juulicus, why hasn't your father deployed Rayn to lead a charge? Does he truly intend to selfishly keep his strongest soldier at his side?" Logma threw a question of his own.

"Hm. That's exactly what he is doing," Juulicus said with a chuckle. "Commander Rayn would have come with me but... he is loyal to my father. No doubt with his strength, he could fight a Chosen or two by himself without dying."

The pride in Juulicus' voice was free for all to notice. The few besides Logma who heard what Juulicus said nodded with grins as they also felt a sense of pride, knowing a bit of the lore surrounding Rayn but the Paladin Champion behind the Prince couldn't help but frown.

Indeed, Rayn was terrifyingly powerful.

Even he as a Peak Incandescent Stage fighter with the full force of his Divine blessing wasn't at all confident that he could even manage a clean hit on the man.

If the hierarchy of the steadily growing Purity could be considered, Rayn would only lose to the most powerful Paladin Champion the Purity had at this time.

Truly, the man was an anomaly.

But the statement laid forth by Juulicus was a bit exaggerated.

Logma flashed up to the bowsprit and carefully dragged Juulicus to the deck.

"We're dangerously close to our enemies. Though unlikely in our circumstance, if a Territory battle were to spontaneously break out, you wouldn't be able to last, even with your armour," Logma said.

Juulicus felt insulted but he swallowed up his retort.

He watched as Logma carefully looked across the rapidly closing gap between them and their enemies, ascertaining their number and power.

'None of them seem to be above the Incandescent Stage but even those that aren't at that level are emitting ridiculous levels of energy! Where did all these powerful experts come from?' Logma questioned.

Those at the Master Stage on these ships all seemed to be on the cusp of reaching the Incandescent Stage, which was insane.

None of the fighters in these Unions had been reported to be weaker than this in all battles that had taken place so far.

'That said... she's the most dangerous...' Logma thought while focusing on a certain woman who languidly sat on the figurehead of the leading ship that was shaped like a grotesque dark creature from the pits of the Under!

She locked her eyes with his, her demeanour showing nothing but complete indifference towards his scouting.

Behind Logma, Juulicus turned to the men on the ship and shouted in a loud voice.

"Men! The day has come! You, just like I saw it unfit to remain sitting on our heads and strength instead of coming to meet the fiends that have started an uprising against the order the world! Let us be the first to engage and claim an uncontested victory against these overconfident bastards!"

The men on the ship, upon hearing the invigorating words spilled by their prince, cheered as their collective power, drawn about by their excitement, caused a dull light to shine on the ship!

"YEAAAH!" they called.

"Let's show them the power that the Royan line has birthed in full! Let us wrangle their innards over the Tattered Serpent's Throat and disdain their cheap attempts at invasion!"

"YEAAAH!"

"Let's prove that quick action bears result! Result and rewar—"

Blood.

Blood sprayed as before a quick breath could be drawn, Juulicus' head was severed from his head, the bodies of the forty rallied combatants on this vessel being shattered into bits before the brisk blink of an eye.

And...

Before a sound could be heard, the figure of an armoured Paladin Champion flew off like a blur, battered by an enormous force as it streaked through ten of the ships in this fleet which exploded as if ignited by tonnes of gunpowder...!