Immortal Kingdoms

The geopolitical landscape of the human domain was peculiar to say the least. With the three ruling powers in the centre of the domain, encircled by the seven kingdoms, and ring after ring of feudal territories that stretched their claws onto the edges of the domain.

Although it wasn't wise for a superpower to find itself encircled by countless ambitious factions, the ruling powers couldn't help it as the centre of the domain was the location most abundant in worldly energy and the core area where the energy vein connected to the planet's core is closest to the surface.

Although the three ruling powers don't have an established non aggression pact or any semblance of a powerful alliance, they at least have a signed pact of mutual defence unto perpetuity. Unless the seven vassal kingdoms acted as one to usurp the power from the three ruling powers simultaneously, any foolish endeavours towards that goal would result in but one final destination; absolute destruction.

Putting aside the overwhelming power of an offensive alliance with three superpowers represented, the vassal kingdoms needed to put their differences and grudges aside, cleanse the planted moles and spies within their ranks, and absolutely trust one another before they could even think about acting up against their lords.

Everyone knows that isn't impossible, but highly improbable.

However, this also placed Leonardo and company into an awkward position as they would need to travel through the territory of Regalia's Kingdom, under the nose of House Regalia, if they were to charge into the desired borders of Sylvia's Kingdom.

Even if Queen Adeline was aware of the incoming ambush awaiting her newly crowned Foreign Prince, she couldn't justifiably march an army into the borders of a vassal kingdom. On the other hand, House Venus and Exodia split their troops with the excuse of ferrying their forces on multiple rotations, making the queen feel helpless.

Thus, at the moment, an army of nine thousand strong spearheaded by three robust saints took positions in a fairly wide ravine carved through massive mountains. These mountains would be the very first natural landscape to catch one's eye on the distant sea as they approached the town's harbour, with the ravine coming next the moment they touched down on the mainland.

"Stay focused! Anytime soon, they will appear within our line of sight! It is suspected that they have at least two saints, so expect heavy casualties!"

One of the saints in heavy armour and a broad sword slanted on his shoulder spoke up, his robust voice echoing through the ravine.

"Remember, your goal is to drain their stamina and capture the children on any given opportunity! Once you've captured them, consider the battle resolved!"

A commanding officer under the saint spoke up to remind his troops. According to their information, the target places heavy importance in the safety of his two adoptive children. If they could capture those, they could spare themselves a heavy toll of death counts.

Sadly, the commanding officer barely finished his sentence before a red beam of light shot through his forehead, which burst like a watermelon the very next moment, followed by a loud bursting sound almost two seconds after the fact.

This was a shot delivered through Pandora's new baby toy energy rifle, powered up by her energy essence in a makeshift replacement of energy stones. Silent and without a trace of energy fluctuations, even the three saints couldn't see that one coming.

Everyone stared dumbly at the posing body of their once commanding officer with blood rushing out through his blasted head, horrified.

"What the fuck…" Someone finally spoke up, and everyone snapped their necks to the entrance of the ravine. There, a party of five slowly walked down the path flanked by two massive mountains.

A young man, a young woman, a mature elf, and two children.

They looked like nothing short of a family on vacation, especially with the cute fluffy fox hugged by the doll-like little girl walking beside the young man.

Leonardo suspected that the mystical beast fox was at least a peak mortal if not a saint, otherwise it couldn't have withstood the pressure emission from his ascension back there. Thus, he entrusted the inconspicuous feral with Leona's safety, mainly out of trust in the little one's intelligence.

Leonardo sighed helplessly and looked over at Pandora who was lovingly stroking the energy rifle. He didn't allow her to use it within the borders of Valdmor, but the moment he allowed her to, she went ahead and shoot off the head of the first irritating fucker they've ran into.

"You know, Specter, I really wanted to personally kill that bastard." Leonardo complained with a bitter smile.

Pandora smiled awkwardly and apologised, "Eh… I'm sorry?…"

"Never mind!" Leonardo waved his hand, looking at Juvia next.

"Winter, as my future secretary, you need to know that sometimes, a businessman can't rely on numbers and wits and deliver a message." As Leonardo spoke, he began to roll up his sleeves, gesturing for everyone to stay back as he broke formation and advanced in a solitary stand.

"Sometimes…" He muttered, his lifeless black eyes overwhelmed with a sinister crimson flare as his aura flared up from the shackles of desolation, radiating an unadulterated bloodlust, "You need to start subtracting lives instead."

Juvia didn't know whether to laugh or cry in despair on such advise, she didn't need any pointers on something like that. As for Pandora, she glared intently at Leonardo's back and the bloodthirsty aura radiating off his body.

That was an aura reminiscent of an orthodox House Hestia warrior, though he was lacking the blood red set of weapon and armour, everything else clicked right in.

On the other side of the wide ravine, the three saints were at first bewildered as to why the target would break from the formation and protection of his two saint bodyguards, but it didn't take them long enough to notice the sharp rise of his aura and the expanding, invisible domain from within his body.

"He's a fucking saint for god's sakes!" The trio blurted out, shocking the thousands of second cycle mortals, hundreds of third cycle mortals, and tens of fourth cycle mortals beneath their commands.

They couldn't help but send messages and reports with this revelation to their superiors, oblivious to the fact that the entire region was under spatial lockdown and total obscurity by a mischievous little fox snuggled into Leona's flat chest.

However, when hell breaks loose and they'd attempt an escape, they'd be in for a rude awakening. Aria had long made it her objective to leave no survivors behind after this encounter.

After the moment of shock, the three saints at the rear of the formation snapped back to attention and barked their orders for a full scale march, hoping to exhaust Leonardo's energy with overwhelming numbers.

Oh, little did they know what divided their mortal and saint physiques from that of an immortal. First harsh lesson; don't ever compare energy reservations.

The thousands of foolish mortals screamed their throats hoarse as they rushed like a river of steel and metal down the ravine, crashing through Leonardo's domain with wild abandon. Those of weaker wills among them felt as though they've phased into a world of bloodshed as their earth and sky flipped over in a sea of blood, collapsing in horror where they stood.

However, all it took was a bit of pain from the uncaring stampede that trampled their bodies, and they snapped back to reality before picking up their swords, spears, and axes before resuming their march.

For the longest time during their voyage across the sea, unceasing thoughts of murder and slaughter clouded Leonardo's mind, and he was about to unleash these unholy fantasies and paint the world red with misery and pain for they have plotted against his bottom line.

The vanguard of the army were thrilled to find their target a mere hundred metres away, but gasps of shock resounded when he thinned out from their fields of view, vanishing without a trace.

Their confusion wasn't long lived as a miserable cry drowned by none other than the clang of steel echoed from the depths of their military formation. Leonardo stood there, hand wrestling out a long spear from a random soldier before wedging it deep through the chest cavities of three perfectly lined soldiers and into the throat of the unlucky number four.

This was the beginning of a massacre, but they were yet to realise it.