Banni could clearly remember the battle years ago. The time when they did a large-scale operation to wipe out the Red Matter Association.
The power of the top 2 executive was no joke.
"I don't have anyone with me right now... I guess I have to do it alone."
Banni smiled wryly. The Chief Captain was gone and they couldn't find Servas and Micah. The Squad Leaders of the First, Second, and Third Grain were doing their best to support the warriors that got their mana pool sealed.
So he was alone to deal with the executives of the Red Matter Association.
"It's a tough job but I have to do it."
Banni tightened his muscles and his energy enveloped his body. His mind was prepared for everything that would happen next.
The smoke slowly dissipated and a tall man was standing in the center of the crater. The man was wearing a formal suit. He was holding a rapier in his right hand while his left hand was on his back.
He had sharp brows and deep black eyes. On his forehead, there was a pair of antennas sticking out and an exoskeleton could be seen on some part of his body.
He was alone. Shiela was nowhere to be found.
"She escaped..." Banni muttered with a grave look.
Jayden has arrived and he failed to land a killing blow on Shiela. Well, with her condition she wouldn't be able to fight anymore.
Even if she healed herself, she wouldn't be able to fight at her peak. Ordinary Squad Leaders were enough to match her. The Squad Leaders from higher Grains would dismantle her in her current condition.
"It's been a long time Banni." Jayden greeted him.
"Yeah, I didn't think that you are still alive," Banni replied with a laugh.
"Well, it's not like everyone can kill me." Jayden shrugged his shoulder.
"You're on time. If you were one second late, I would have killed Shiela."
"Haha, she had another job. She didn't need to fight anymore." Jayden laughed.
"I see... It's understandable with her current condition but... I think you would end up the same as her."
Banni burst forward as he zoomed the distance between him and Jayden in an instant.
Jayden laughed as he thrust the rapier in his hand.
Swoosh!
Banni blocked it with his dagger then he kicked the group and jumped in the air. Lightning covered his blades before slashing in his opponent's direction.
[Twin Lightning Slash]!!
"Not enough!" Jayden jumped backward as a magic circle appeared on his left hand.
[Three-layered Wood Gate]!!
Three twenty-meter-tall wood emerged from the ground. The wood gates were lined up as they blocked the lightning slash.
Boom!!
The first gate was shattered but the second gate stopped the lightning from advancing.
"It's really irritating that you have the same element as your Chief Captain!"
Jayden said before he dashed forward while thrusting his rapier.
"It's an honor to have the same element as my Chief Captain!"
Lightning and wind exploded from Banni's figure.
[Dual Element Drive: Lightning and Wind Force]!!
The air vibrated and a ring of energy exploded at where Banni was standing. The next moment, his figure which was covered in lightning and wind disappeared. Dragging a chain of lightning and wind tracks behind, he came right before Jayden.
Wrapped in lightning and wind, the pair of daggers, instantly appeared in front of Jayden's eyes.
[Hailing Storm Blade]!!
In the blink of an eye, Jayden gathered his energy while raising his rapier to block the incoming attack.
Boom!!
Jayden gritted his teeth as a ring-shaped shockwave exploded from the point of impact. A tsunami of lightning and wind rushed at him.
His body shot out like a cannonball hundreds of meters away and penetrated buildings one after another.
"The lives of the warriors are in my hands. No matter what I can't afford to lose this battle."
Banni mumbled in his heart. Without the Chief Captain, Servas, and Micah, he had to hold the enemies before they come back. No matter how many executives came here, he had to fight them.
He couldn't rely on his warriors. His fellow warriors had their own problems regarding the sealing runes, so he didn't want them to worry about powerful enemies like executives.
...
The Blue Cross Squad was at the edge of the eastern region of the Aekr Republic along with another squad.
They were here with the folks from this nation. They were helping them fend off the attack of the Red Matter Association.
"I'm sorry, warriors. Our forces aren't to decrease your burden." The President of the Aekr Republic said.
"It's nothing. A little bit of power is enough to help us." Leilus said while wiping the blood on the corner of his mouth.
"Squad Leader, here."
Paolo approached him and threw a bottle of health potion.
Leilus quickly drank the potion and asked, "Thanks, Paolo. How many health potions are left in our baggage?"
"We still have thirty-three health potions, Sir. We couldn't last long." Paolo answered.
"Only two squads are left in this area. We finally find the way to undo the sealing runes but we can't break through the formation of our enemies. It's tough." Leilus said while looking at the battlefield.
Hundred meters away from him, Drami and the others were fighting the members of the Red Matter Association. He and Paolo retreated from the battle as both of them received injuries. After taking potions and resting for a few minutes, they will switch with one of the warriors on the frontline.
"Is there really a way to help you?" The President asked.
"Yes, but it's on the other side. Fifty people from Red Matter Association are guarding that building. Twenty-six are at One Shackle, while five are at Two Shackles, and one at Three Shackles." Leilus replied.
The Blue Cross Squad only had five people and the other squad, which was called Wind Slide, had eight people. Luckily, they had the soldiers of the Aekr Republic to help them.
Although only a few could help them, since most of the soldiers were escorting the civilians out of the nation, they were still glad for their help.
"Do you want me to gather my elite soldiers and help you in your goal? I will personally fight too. Even if I'm injured, I think I could still handle someone at One Shackle Realm." The President said in a serious tone.
"What about the civilians?"
"They are fine. Narkus and the other Guardians of the Gate are with them. Also, most of my people have successfully escaped from the nation."
The President was only talking to those who managed to survive after the initial attack of the Red Matter. Hundreds of thousands of people had already died from the first attack and a lot more had perished from the next attack.
"Are you sure you can decrease the soldiers around your people?" Leilus asked.
"I'm sure that they can manage it. Helping you is like helping us survive too." The President said seriously.
"Okay, gather your elite force. I'm going ahead of you so just bring your force to the battle. We're going to push through them afterward."
Leilus said before he flew towards the battlefield.
"We're counting on you, President."
Paolo said before he followed Leilus.
Swoosh!!
Blue Cross Squad and Wind Slide Squad along with some soldiers of the Aekr Republic were doing great in holding against the force of the Red Matter Association.
In the beginning, they had a total of thirteen squads with them but the eleven squads had died one after another leaving only the two squads on the battlefield.
They suffered huge casualties and the enemy's side was the same. Both had suffered casualties and they were slowly wearing down each other.
Boom! Boom!
"We need to get through! Our potions wouldn't last long!" Leilus said as he joined the battle.
A man swung a sword in front of him but he quickly jumped to the side and threw a powerful punch.
Bang!
His punch pushed back the enemy but another enemy charged at him.
A warrior came to his side and helped him block the attack of the enemy using a great sword. Then, Leilus launched a series of punches blowing the enemy away.
Boom!!
"How many potions are left? We need to do this no matter what. The enemies are encircling us as they don't want us to pass the message on to the other warriors."
This man was the Squad Leader of the Wind Slide Squad, Fridd. He was a strong warrior but his current condition wasn't great. He had been fighting nonstop ever since the forces of the Red Matter appeared.
"Of course, we found the device to undo the sealing runes so they weren't going to let us leave this place alive," Leilus said.
"So it's do or die?" Fridd took a deep breath and a smile formed on his face.
"Yes, there's no other way. Even if we failed, we are going to die as a warrior." Leilus smiled.
