Augustus’s eyes betrayed nothing as he rcilessly executed the man. There was no ti to tolerate failure, even if it originated from a core mber of the Zanis Family itself.
As the fragnts of the fallen general scattered across the command room floor, Augustus swept his cold gaze across the faces of those gathered, finally resting once more upon Orfry. He could not deny the young strategist’s sharp intellect; Orfry consistently saw through situations that remained opaque to others.
"What do you think our next step should be?" Augustus asked solemnly.
The generals around them exchanged subtle, surprised glances. They had assud Orfry’s promising career had co to an abrupt halt after the catastrophic defeat in the Asaris Continent. Yet, none could question the brilliance of this young man. He had a way of piercing through chaos and finding clarity in even the most desperate situations.
Orfry stepped forward with a steady confidence, his sharp eyes gleaming with intelligence and decisiveness. "I believe we must imdiately consolidate our forces," he began. His voice was strong and unwavering, commanding the full attention of everyone present. "Given that our enemy most likely knows the location of every prison facility across Exilon, we must evacuate these facilities imdiately. Our soldiers there must be redeployed to positions where their strength and skill can be fully utilized instead of remaining passive targets waiting to be massacred."
He paused briefly to gauge the reaction of his audience before continuing with calculated ruthlessness. "As for the prisoners, there is only one sensible solution. We must execute them all. It won’t matter if the enemy knows exactly where each prisoner is located if all that awaits them upon arrival are piles of corpses. Furthermore, such decisive action will undoubtedly strain, if not fracture, the burgeoning partnership between the invading forces and the rebellion."
Augustus felt the simring rage within him finally ease, soothed by the prospect of such ruthless retaliation. The thought of depriving his enemies of their precious allies through rciless slaughter appealed deeply to his vindictive nature.
"Good," Augustus began approvingly. "Then we will—"
But before the scion of the Zanis Family could even finish his sentence, the monitors surrounding them suddenly erupted into chaos. At first, just a few screens flickered erratically, but rapidly the chaos spread to dozens, then hundreds, until every monitor showed scenes of disaster.
Each displayed a prison or dungeon facility where rebels and prisoners were held captive and subjected to torture. Now, small but lethal squads of enemy soldiers stord through the prison gates, systematically slaughtering the guards and liberating the prisoners.
Orfry’s eyes widened montarily in shock before realization crashed down upon him with terrifying clarity.
"He anticipated our response," Orfry whispered bitterly, his usually composed expression twisted by hatred and humiliation. "He knew I’d suggest exterminating the prisoners, and he had forces stationed silently around the world, awaiting our move. The instant he confird the effectiveness of the pink mist, he mobilized his hidden forces simultaneously. He’s rescuing them all before we can even begin the extermination."
A chilling coldness, mixed with reluctant admiration and dread, filled Orfry’s chest as he comprehended the enemy commander’s extraordinary foresight and strategic genius.
"My Lord!" he shouted suddenly, breaking free from his shock. "We may yet command the guards to prioritize killing the prisoners!"
The invading forces were formidable and possessed impeccable coordination. The prisons would inevitably fall, yet Orfry realized there was still a chance to transform their enemy’s triumph into a hollow victory. By ordering the guards to imdiately execute every prisoner, they could at least deprive the invaders of the living symbols of their success.
Augustus’s eyes blazed as he quickly nodded, understanding Orfry’s intent. He hurriedly accessed the communications controls on the console before him, urgently issuing the extermination command. Yet, monts later, his eyes widened in disbelief when his command failed to transmit.
"A signal jamr?" Augustus growled incredulously. Such technology was impossible within their own fortress—unless soone had infiltrated even deeper than imagined.
Before Augustus could fully comprehend this shocking turn, an earth-shaking explosion rocked the fortress.
"BOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!"
The shockwave reverberated violently through the command center, forcing Augustus to imdiately abandon his thoughts. Pure, volcanic fury consud his features.
"YOU AGAIN!" he roared, recognizing the signature style of the attack. Without another word, Augustus stord out of the room, imdiately soaring into the turbulent sky alongside his elite guards to confront the familiar enemy—an imposing figure bathed in lightning, with white hair and vivid blue scales, calmly hovering above the fortress.
Orfry gazed upwards briefly, accustod by now to the destructive battles between Augustus and the invaders’ formidable leader. He exhaled heavily, troubled by their increasingly desperate situation. Yes, they maintained nominal control over Exilon, but montum was rapidly slipping through their fingers. The invaders had neutralized their greatest weapon, penetrated their defenses deeply, and established an intelligence network that reached into the very core of their operations.
Stepping closer to the monitors, Orfry could only watch helplessly as enemy forces continued their ruthless liberation campaign, swiftly cutting down every guard in sight. In less than an hour, each prison facility across Exilon had fallen, their prisoners joyously escaping alongside the invaders, cheering triumphantly as they tasted freedom.
The dreadful implication quickly settled upon Orfry: the bond forged between the rebellion and the invaders would now grow inseparable. Tens of thousands of released prisoners would join the enemy’s ranks, uniting with their rescuers to form a formidable alliance driven by revenge and hope.
Monts later, the violent clash in the sky ceased abruptly, signaling the enemy’s retreat. Their work was done. Augustus’s bitter defeat was undeniable.
"Hahahahah!" Vlad, standing proudly atop a distant ridge, burst into uncontrollable laughter upon receiving confirmation from Overlord that their ticulously executed plan had succeeded flawlessly.
The assault upon the stronghold had successfully distracted Augustus, and with the A.I. Chip’s assistance in severing the Zanis forces’ communications, the attack on the prisons had achieved perfection. They had liberated every prisoner across Exilon without losing a single Xaos soldier.
Vlad clenched his fists, exhilaration pulsing through his veins. Now, ard with a network of intelligence spanning the entire world, and the Blood Combustion Compound thoroughly neutralized, nothing could prevent their forces from advancing like an unstoppable tsunami.
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