Chapter 176: First Haunting Memory Of A Supreme Paragon (2)

In the original timeline, Neptune had eventually fallen under alien rule after contact with the outside world was cut off. The aliens’ advance didn’t slow down, as they settled their eyes on Uranus next.

Sadly, because the human struggled to organize quickly enough amidst the internal fighting for power happening at the time, the second ice giant fell even faster than the first. This pushed humanity’s rank all the way back to Saturn.

This was where the majority of humanity’s efforts were focused now. Though it proved tough to guard such a large surface area, considering that the planet was more than 80 times bigger than Earth.

Even with countless Lords and a few Kings stationed there, it proved nearly impossible to constantly keep things under control.

In one of the countless bases, Michael and his sister were stationed.

“S—Salute!” The normal soldiers instantly descended into panic as they heard the worried shout of their superior.

“Glory to Mankind!” They saluted in unison the moment one of the Grandmasters stationed in the base appeared.

This was, of course, Michael, said to be the strongest soldier in the planet’s district. As for Scarlett, who walked diligently behind him, she too was rumored to be unbeatable.

Several years had passed since the death of the siblings’ parents. Under the strict, some may even say inhumane, training regime Michael had put Scarlett through, she had attained the status of a Master in an incredibly short time.

“F—Fuck, every time I look at him I feel like crapping my pants.” One of the soldiers stuttered when Michael made eye contact with him.

The troops knew that among their superiors, Michael was the one not to be trifled with. He had earned a reputation for refusing any kind of invitation, whether it was a drinking contest or a trip to a brothel to relieve stress, all in the name of focusing on exterminating the alien species.

An obsession that many would say neared self-destructive behavior.

“You tell me… There is a rumor that one rich aristocrat, who didn’t know about the siblings’ nature, attempted to court Master Scarlett when her brother wasn’t looking.”

The soldier gulped audibly, a cold shudder passing over his spine.

“Apparently, once Michael was done with him, several cleaning teams had been called just to clean the bloody mess that was left of the poor fellow.”

“Yeah, I remember the scandal. If I’m not mistaken, the family attempted to get revenge, only for Grandmaster Michael to end their entire bloodline…”

The soldiers made a mental note not to try their luck with Scarlett, which wasn’t easy, considering her striking beauty that surpassed even Grandmasters.

Naturally the siblings were effortlessly able to overhear the conversations of the soldiers, making Scarlett heave a sigh.

“I am not that scary.” She muttered, taking a peek at her brother’s back.

“Though he could very well be…”

Effortlessly picking up on her muttered words, Michael scoffed. “Stop daydreaming. We have work to do.”

He didn’t go into detail about the rumor because it was true. A man named Samuel had been making their lives harder than necessary, exploiting his powerful connections. Not wanting even more headaches, Michael made sure to eliminate anyone who could pose a similar threat, especially if they had their sights set on his sister.

As for Samuel and his family, Michael’s hands were tied for now. He couldn’t do anything until he reached Lord status, as Samuel was surrounded by too many guards.

Today the superiors of the base gathered to discuss their future plans.

“We have received an urgent plea for help from the south.” One of the gathered Grandmasters spoke.

“The highest threat is believed to be an Elite, with a very low chance of a General appearing.”

Instantly Scarlett gazed at Michael with her puppy eyes.

“You are fine with me going there, right?”

Michael met her gaze, unamused. By now, he had allowed her to go on several missions where the risk was considered minimal. Given that he believed his sister could handle a General with the help of several other Masters, he was inclined to agree with the decision.

After all, despite how much he hated to admit it, if a warrior doesn’t occasionally push past their limits, they will stagnate.

“I love you!” Leaping into a wide hug, Scarlett didn’t hesitate to softly kiss Michael on the cheek, making him groan in annoyance.

“Just be careful. Even if the odds of meeting a General are low, there is still a chance. Always be ready for the worst.”

“I know! Good luck with your mission.” She giggled, not wasting time heading to the assigned spot.

Michael sighed as he watched them leave. At least he was relieved that her personality hadn’t changed drastically. It was partly his fault, though. He had carefully shown her the true horrors of war, taking great care not to overwhelm her.

“…”

A palpable tension filled the room the moment Scarlett left. With her gone, Michael no longer bothered to hide his killing intent. His cold, empty gaze made even the Grandmasters, who were meant to be his rivals, shudder in fear.

“A—Anyway, our mission concerns a base to the north. Apparently, it has been wiped out overnight, and we don’t have a clue who is responsible. Though we lack clues, I firmly believe that it’s the work of Generals.”

Instantly, the Grandmasters turned their gazes to Michael. Strangely enough, it was usually his opinion that swayed any vote in his favor.

“Let’s exterminate them.” He proclaimed coldly.

In due time, the unit arrived at the destroyed base, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Despite their thorough search for any threats, there was nothing to be found.

Just then, a grave warning came to the communication devices of the soldiers.

“Spotted Overlords!” Their faces paled as a sheet. “Three in number, all somewhere in the far south. We are to evacuate at all costs!”

Unsurprisingly, the soldiers didn’t linger, dropping anything they were doing and heading further north.

Everyone… except Michael, whose head began to spin. His gaze slowly drifted to the south.

To where the supposed Overlords were located… And to where his sister had departed.

“…No.” He whispered, exploding full force towards the danger before he could form a single thought.

“Please, let me be on time! I can’t afford to lose the only thing I have left!”

Without a trace of self-preservation, he didn’t stop until he reached his destination.

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