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He had known from the beginning that this wouldn't be an easy mission.
That's why he had committed the maximum force available, and spared no expense on equipment.
Colonel Emily Croft, commander of the Orange Line's Special Mobile Strike Force.
Colonel Beloga, a Level-7 ether adept—among the top-rated within Ark.
On top of that, White Line royal guard, ether soldiers, and Skull Knights.
In short, this was the finest assembly of troops possible without pulling from Ark's active front lines.
It was only possible because the order had come directly from the White Line.
That's why Brigadier General Douglas, though aware of the difficulty, hadn't dwelled on the possibility of failure.
Because success was, for all intents and purposes, a foregone conclusion.
And yet…
'…How did it come to this?'
Douglas' eyes scanned the battlefield.
Carl Marcus and Isabel were running rampant, decimating White Line forces.
More astonishingly, even amidst this chaos—while injuries piled up—there were no fatalities.
'Unbelievable.'
Douglas, more than anyone, knew how impossible it was to intentionally avoid killing in such a brutal conflict.
'Does that mean the power gap is that vast…?'
He had never once thought they lacked firepower for this mission.
They had thoroughly prepared and, he believed, fully analyzed their opponents.
'To think that Carl Marcus, not even the girl, would be the one to block us…'
Carl Marcus hadn't even been the primary target.
The White Line didn't want to stir trouble with the Kronos Union through a direct confrontation with Marcus.
This mission had originally been meant as a warning for the girl, whose recent actions had grown increasingly concerning.
But then Carl Marcus got involved—and the battle had begun.
Even that would've been acceptable—except Marcus' capabilities far exceeded Ark's previous assessments.
'Especially that armor. It's beyond ridiculous.'
Everything about Carl Marcus was abnormal, but the performance of his armor defied logic.
Could it be Machine Cult technology?
If not for tech supposedly a century ahead of Ark's, how else could one explain that kind of defense—even against plasma barriers?
'Even with Machine Cult engineering, is it really possible to have this kind of protection without plasma fields?'
Douglas' expertise in weapons and gear was second to none.
That was why the defenses Marcus displayed were so utterly incomprehensible.
'…No. Focus on the immediate threat.'
Douglas leveled the NOA-540 Anti-Colossal Behemoth Cannon at Marcus.
No matter how absurd the armor was, surely this weapon would pierce it.
Sliiide—
Colonel Emily Croft also began to move in, holding a plasma sword in each hand—both R-4b models.
If anything could breach that armor, it was those.
And that wasn't all.
The remaining royal guards, ether soldiers, and Skull Knights trained their weapons on Marcus.
Although the ether soldiers were largely tied down by Isabel and Beloga, they could still offer support.
Every angle had been covered.
Even Carl Marcus couldn't overcome this situation—or so they believed.
That's when it happened.
As Douglas pulled the trigger on the NOA-540, and Croft charged in—
"…Your Majesty."
No one knew what Marcus did.
But before they could even register it, all the Skull Knights dropped to their knees, bowing their heads before Carl Marcus.
"What the—?"
Colonel Emily Croft, who had charged confidently with her swords, was thrown back in an instant.
Normally she would've charged again—but instead, she stood frozen, eyes locked on the kneeling Skull Knights.
She didn't understand what had just happened—just like Douglas.
'Mental manipulation by ether? Is that even possible?'
High-level ether adapters could influence the minds of others, yes.
But only by damaging or destroying them. Not controlling like this.
To make such strong beings as Skull Knights bend completely?
'If this is possible with ether… he might be stronger than even the girl.'
Stronger than Isabel—subject of Project Eve?
Unthinkable.
So, Douglas considered another explanation.
'Machine Cult tech? Have they found a way to control Skull Knight minds?'
But if the Machine Cult had such power, they'd have conquered Ark already.
He didn't believe they were holding back out of moral restraint.
No—more likely, such tech simply didn't exist.
'Besides, if Marcus could manipulate minds, why wait until now?'
After all, the ether soldiers and royal guards were unaffected.
Why only the Skull Knights?
'Then it must be… Marcus has some specific way to interfere with their minds.'
Unfortunately, he had no time to think further.
The once-kneeling Skull Knights were rising—eyes fixed on Douglas and Croft.
'…So, this is how it ends.'
Douglas shouted:
"Skull Knights have turned traitor! Don't consider them allies—attack on sight!"
No one objected.
Even his troops had noticed the eerie change in the Skull Knights.
But that clarity didn't extend to their side.
"That won't slide."
The twin plasma weapons in Marcus' hands began to flare once more.
"Did you think we'd let you?"
Douglas quickly re-aimed the NOA-540 and fired.
KRAK-KRAK-KRAAAK!—
Red flares, blue frost, and colossal bullets all collided, sending fragments and shrapnel flying.
Their firepower was formidable.
But unfortunately, Douglas' enemy wasn't just Marcus' BLT-47 or ICE-54.
Chk—
Click, click.
"…What?"
Douglas couldn't believe his eyes.
Around Marcus, firearms like the Ark-34 Assault Rifle began to rise into the air.
'Ether?'
No. That wasn't it.
Not even Marcus could manipulate weapons like that during such heavy ether turbulence from Isabel and Beloga.
It had to be tech—Machine Cult tech.
"…Tch."
One man can't fend off ten hands.
And as if to prove it, Douglas' plasma shield finally cracked.
"General!"
Colonel Emily Croft tried to assist—but the Skull Knights stood in her way.
"Move. Are you moving or not?"
"…."
They gave no answer.
Croft smiled fiercely.
"Fine, let's go then."
No more words were needed.
Croft and the Skull Knights, elite soldiers of Ark, clashed with roaring fury.
KAAAAANG!
As expected, her numbered plasma swords sliced easily through bone tendrils and shields.
But the Skull Knights, no slouches themselves, flooded her with attacks—hoping to outlast her limited weapon energy.
KRKRKRNG!
CRACK—CRUNCH!
A brutal melee erupted.
At a glance, it seemed balanced—but the first break came from an unexpected place.
KRAAAANG—!
General Douglas—armor and shield shattered—was hurled into a corner.
The unit led by the famed war god of Ark, Douglas, had fallen.
And all by the hands of a single outsider.
"…Cough."
"Let's end this meaningless battle. The result is clear."
With the situation crumbling, even Croft and Beloga had to pause.
"General…"
"…The general lost…?"
Both stood stunned by what lay before them.
Douglas wasn't just anyone.
He was the War God of the Red Line—a legend in Ark.
And yet, even leading a full detachment, he had been defeated by one man.
"…I suppose this is the end. What now? Do you intend to kill us all?"
Marcus shook his head.
"There's no need."
And he meant it.
With Douglas down, the will to fight had left Croft, Beloga, and the troops.
The fall of such a massive symbol had broken their morale.
"Then what do you plan to do?"
"Take me to the White Line. I'll go myself."
"…What?"
Douglas' eyes widened in shock.
He had prepared to die—but this?
And it didn't end there.
"There's no need for that."
Clack, clack—
Heels echoed from somewhere in the darkness.
Then, emerging into the light, came someone everyone here recognized.
"Ah… ah…"
Isabel trembled violently at the sight.
Her ether echoed in kind, screaming.
[Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't.]
[It hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts.]
[Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.]
Who could draw this reaction from Isabel?
"Carl Marcus, let's finish the rest of this conversation—with me."
Barbara Claudia.
A member of the White Line's House of Representatives, had arrived.
===BREAK===
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