Chapter 534: Excitement
(Aboard the Destroyer Ship, Leo’s POV)
Leo and Veyr sat tensely within the craft, when the co-pilot came rushing out with a big smile on her face.
"Lord Dragon, Lord Shadow Dragon, Sir, we have just received confirmation from the command center on Juxta, that the operation to blow apart Koral’s mana shield was a success.
We shall now course-correct and move ahead at full thruster speed.
We expect to reach our real destination in 40 minutes." The co-pilot reported, as Veyr jumped out of his seat in joy.
"YES! THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!" He said joyfully, before giving Leo a firm clap, as the two grinned ear to ear.
*Clap*
Leo looked more relieved than overjoyed, since he had some serious doubts about the Cult’s ability to execute missions after the botched attempt to steal the Timeless Assassin’s Skill Scroll.
But thankfully, it seemed like the agents sent to complete the mission were competent, and were able to execute the mission exactly on time.
*Crack*
*Crack*
Sitting beside Leo, Dupravel began cracking his neck, as he mentally began preparing for war.
While the rest of the members on this ship had no obligations to fight in the war, Dupravel had been tasked with killing the enemy Commander, who was a member of the Su Family and a Monarch Tier Warrior himself.
"Viper, after we land, your job will be to locate the enemy Commander and lead a team to kill him.
The sooner you complete it. The better...." Leo said, as Dupravel looked at him from behind the white mask and gave him a reassuring nod.
"Aye, but I don’t need a team, they’ll only slow me down.
Don’t worry, there’s nobody who can slow me down on this battlefield, apart from the enemy Commander.
I’ll find a path to him in no time" Dupravel assured, as Leo clenched his fists in excitement.
Everything was going as planned, by now half of Koral’s defensive fleet was heading towards planet Nemo, and were five hours away from their home base, even if they turned immediately to return.
But it was too late for them to act now, as by the time they came back, the Cult’s forces would already have obliterated the planet’s air defences completely, making their return nothing more than a futile effort.
*THROOM*
*Jerk*
Everyone within the craft felt the jerk when the Cult ships all turned to course correct and accelerated at once, as it was only now that the common soldiers were informed about their real war destination.
—--------
*WHIRR*
*STATIC*
A low hum rang out across every vessel in the fleet, followed by a sharp ping, as the encrypted comm-link opened.
Then, a deep, commanding voice echoed through every hallway, ship bay, and soldier cabin in perfect sync.
"Attention everyone...."
"I repeat, attention everyone...."
"This is High Commander Zorran of the Third Legion, speaking on behalf of the Supreme Command of the Dragon’s Army."
The chatter inside the warships died instantly.
"Our original destination was Planet Nemo... but that was never the real target."
"Our actual target was always Planet Koral, with the move toward Nemo being nothing more than a calculated misdirection. A feint."
Gasps and surprised murmurs broke out among the lower-ranking soldiers, all of whom were shocked by this sudden revelation.
"Based on the information that Lord Dragon and Shadow Dragon procured, one of our Cult operatives infiltrated the shield core facility on Koral and executed the single most daring sabotage mission in recent military history as a result of which, their planetary mana shield is now gone."
"I Repeat, the Koral Planetary Mana Shield is down.
And a path to wiping them out is now clear.
Their defenses are crippled, while half of their main fleet is heading towards Nemo as we speak."
The voice shifted, assuming a fiercer tone.
"The mission has just become a whole lot easier, and the only change in our execution is that the projected loss of life is now 80% less than before.
Lord Dragon with his immense wisdom has created the best war strategy for us.
And now, it’s our turn to repay his faith, and deliver him a resounding victory!"
"Today, we show those righteous faction cowards no mercy, TODAY, we plunge Koral into darkness!"
The audio cut for half a second. Then another commander spoke, this time it was Lady Quorra, the Legion Commander of the Fourth Legion.
"We arrive at our destination in exactly T minus 35 minutes. Let nothing stand in our way when we land... Glory to the Cult Of Ascension! Glory to Lord Dragon! Glory to Lord Shadow Dragon!"
*Ping*
The transmission ended.
—---------
(Inside Various Cult Ships, Soldier Reactions)
The low-ranking Cult troops, who’d until now been sitting in anxious confusion or quiet prayer, suddenly erupted in cheers.
"Wait, so we’re hitting Koral? Not Nemo?"
"Hell yeah, baby! They’re screwed!"
"Did you hear that? The shield’s already down! We’re walking into an open house!"
"I never expected such a twist, but I’m thankful for it! I can’t even begin to imagine the planning that went behind the scenes to pull off such a dupe."
One soldier leaned forward and slammed his fist into his chestplate.
*Chink*
"Glory to the Dragon’s Army!"
"Death to the righteous!"
"I swear, if I don’t get at least ten kills in the first wave, I’m retiring."
"LET’S GET THEM BASTARDS!"
The mood had shifted completely.
What was once a tense wait turned into electric anticipation. Weapons were checked. Armor was strapped tight. Helmets clicked into place. Veterans smirked while rookies bounced with wide-eyed eagerness.
Inside every ship bay, soldiers lined up at the ramps, staring at the countdown timers painted above the launch doors.
35:00
34:59
34:58
They knew exactly what those numbers meant.
By the time it hit zero, the firefight would already have started in the skies of planet Koral.
And if they were lucky, they’d land with their boots on scorched dirt, ready to finish the job.
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