Chapter 315: Bros, Assemble!
This time, Alexander did not stand immediately. For the first time since he became an E-Grade, he felt genuine fear. This monkey that had appeared out of nowhere had the power to match him, maybe even defeat him.
Would he die?
Alexander gritted his teeth. He did not want to die. He had to rule the planet. The coldness in his heart easily overwhelmed his honor, quickly settling on a plan that would grant him victory. There would be a heavy price to paynot just for him, for the entire planet, but so be it.
Come, he ordered, contacting the forces that could help him. Then, slowly, he rose to his feet. He had to buy time.
Dont think you won yet! he declared proudly, raising his head to look at Brock. You are just one person, and your righteousness is a delusion! Only might makes right in this world! Only the ones who make hard choices win! You may think your power is great, but I have the Animal Kingdom by my side!
And what they gonna do? Brock replied. Bark at me?
No, Alexander replied with a crooked smile. Kill you.
Suddenly, the Integration Starship shook under their feet. A part of its surface slid open, revealing a dark, gaping holeand, from inside, out jumped a hundred animal people of various species. There were canines, turtlers, lycans Every sort of animal species was there, including some that Brock hadnt seen before. All of them were at the E-Grade, though only a few were particularly strong.
As Brock stared at these hundred cultivators, Alexander started laughing. You fool! he shouted. Did you really think I would fight you alone like an idiot? I have the Animal Kingdom by my side! So what if our planet has to pay increased taxes for a hundred years? For getting rid of all of you, its a worthy price!
Brock did not reply immediately. His gaze calmly scanned the hundred cultivators, all of whom stared back at him. He could sense their power. He could also sense the growing terror of the alliance army, who realized that this amount of reinforcements were impossible to combat. By all appearances, this entire war was settled the moment Alexander requested assistance from the Kingdom.
Of course, this was breaking the grace period rules, but rules were the last thing anyone cared about right now.
Faced with this certain doom, Brock only shook his head. You the fool, he replied. You think you saved, but you only have soldiers. And I
Suddenly, a person crashed down in front of the hundred Animal Kingdom cultivators. It was a human. Another person landed next to him, then another. Three people turned into a dozen, then even more. Everyone looked at the sky. A small starship hovered there. Nobody had seen it arrive, and it looked like it could barely fit a dozen people. Yet, from its open doors, cultivator after cultivator dropped down. They had been packed inside like sardines.
Who the hell are those people? Vivi exclaimed, looking at the incoming rain of cultivators. Are they allies?
They better be, a man by her side replied.
Before long, almost a hundred people had fallen from the starship and landed before the Animal Kingdom cultivators, staring them down. None of them looked soft. Most were humans, though many other species were included, and any System inspection showed they were unaffiliated E-Grades, mostly around the mid E-Grade.
Out of the starships door came another man, holding a large drum and beating it to a fighting tune. He was the same man that had been beating the drums on Outer Planet as they watched Jack duel Maximus Lonihor. The same man whod been the first to join Brock on Outer Planet.
This was the bro army, who had all left the Exploding Sun to follow their big bro. And the starship they rodewas the Trampling Ram. BIG BRO! the man shouted. WE ARE HERE!
Brock smiled brightly. You have soldiers, he repeated at Alexander, but I have bros.
Who are you people? Vivi shouted from below.
Two more cultivators appeared on the starship door. One was a feshkur wielding a mace, and the other a minotaur holding a greataxe. We are friends, said the minotaur. And we are here to help.
On the floor, Vlossanas eyes widened. She was barely recovering, still in no state to fight, but she could speak. You What are you doing here!? she shouted.
You idiot! Vashter shouted back, hoisting his mace over his shoulder. How could you believe we wouldnt help our crewmate, especially after he saved Dordok? We owe it to him! He jumped down from the starship, landing at the very front of the bro army. Bring it on, suckers, he said, pointing his mace at the Animal Kingdom cultivators, who all stared in shock. I have a score to settle with your lot.
Brock turned back to stare at Alexander, whose face remained painted with shock. See? he said. Bros always win.
You You idiot! Alexander spelled out. If you break the Star Pact this openly, the Kingdom will have to
Before he could finish his words, two heavy auras blanketed the battlefield. Two people appeared in mid-air, both of them lycans. And D-Grades.
We are the planetary overseers designated assistants, one of them declared. Our soldiers were only acting to capture wanted criminals. However, since you are breaking the Star Pactdont blame us for being rude.
Before anyone could feel despair, however, another voice rang through the air. Oh, well, it said, feigning nonchalance despite clearly hiding battle spirit. I wasnt supposed to join, but if youre bringing out D-Grades, I guess there is no choice.
Space warped before the Kingdoms two D-Grades and another two people stepped out. One was a bald monk clad in orange robes. The other was a towering cyclops wielding a greatclub.
On the ground, Vashters jaw dropped. Captain!! he shouted, unable to contain his joy.
Vashter, Bomn, Dordok said with a huge smile. Im glad to see youre safe.
Not just safe, Bomn said. He stepped off the starship and floated to the sky, arriving beside Shol and Dordok.
You broke through! Dordok exclaimed.
When I became the captain, I finally found my missing insight, Bomn replied with pride. But you didnt sit still either, captain. You raised hell on Hell.
Damn right I did! How could I fall behind my own crew?
Are we invisible to you? one of the Kingdoms D-Grades said, frowning. Since youre determined to interfere, face us in battle. Let the strongest prevail.
Are you blind? Shol retorted. We are three and stronger. What do you think youre
Space slid open once again to reveal a dark-haired, blue-robed man beside the Animal Kingdom immortals. Shol frowned. Li Qian, he said, enunciating every syllable. You are here as well?
I suspected youd come, Li Qian replied, already drawing his sword. You have left the faction and acted against our interests multiple times. On behalf of the Exploding Sun and my master, Elder Monsoon, I hereby sentence you to death. Surrender or be cut down where you stand.
Hmph! Shol snorted, golden light emanating from his body. My palms have been itching for a rematch. Bring it on, Li Qian!
In the battle below, Vivi laughed out loud, echoing across the Integration Starship. I have no idea whats happening, but God is finally on our side! she shouted. Cultivators of the Flame Brotherhood alliancegive them hell!
The army roared and charged. The Ice Peak defended, equally confused. The bro army and the hundred E-Grades of the Animal Kingdom clashed as well. Since there wasnt too much space on the Integration Starship, these two E-Grade battles slowly became entwined.
On the sky above, Dordok and Bomn attacked the two Animal Kingdom immortals, while Shol and Li Qian flew to the side and started fighting as well. Every reinforcement had appeared. The only ones not fighting yet were Brock and Alexander Petrovic, who wore an ugly expression.
Brock turned to stare at him once again, this time unable to hide the ridicule in his voice. You no bro, he declared. Ridicule turned into boundless enmity. You have no bros. Nobody will save you. You live alone, so you die alone.
Come and try! Alexander declared, summoning new swords of white ice and crossing them before his chest. You cannot kill me.
In the name of my father, I swear I will, Brock replied solemnly, raising his staff to the sky. Then, carrying the worlds righteousness on his back, he attacked.
Brock rushed at Alexander. He was no longer playing around. All reinforcements had arrived, all distractions were gone, and nobody was going to interfere anymore. He would kill this man.
Brohood emanated from his staff. He raised it high and brought it down with a shout, crashing it into Alexanders swords and breaking them. More white ice appeared, less pure this time. Alexander must have been running out.
Against the power of a big bro, it was useless.
Swords broke. Ice shattered. Alexander was beaten around, his every defense crumbling and his every attack faltering. His blond hair were matted with blood now. His white ice was growing thinner and thinner, more impure. He had been nurturing it in his soul for six months nowhis supply was very limited.
He was losing, and all his planned reinforcements had been blocked. He really was alone. If he couldnt escapehe would die.
For the first time since the System descended, Alexander Petrovic felt the fear of death. It seized his heart like a cold fist and held it still. He thought he cultivated the Dao of Icebut this was real ice. Nothing like the parlor tricks hed been practicing. Before the fear of death, even his white ice was not worth mentioning.
Alexander swam in terror. His soul and heart froze over. He saw death approaching, and he was powerless to stop it. Nobody would come to save him. Nobody would cry for him. He was alone in this world, so terribly alone. His body was still fighting Brock, but his soul felt like a naked man in a blizzard, kneeling in a fetus position to protect himself. The snow piled on him. Slowly, he was encased, dying a horrible death as even his heart and blood froze over. It was so, so cold.
And right there, at the eve of death, as everything froze around him, Alexander touched something. For a fraction of a second, he felt true ice. The ultimate cold. It was a sensation so foreign it was terrifying, a destiny so lonely, dark, and heartless that he bled even at the thought of it.
Yet, his heart was already cold, and he was dying. What did he have to lose?
He clutched at that ice with both hands, letting the true ice seep into his soul, freeze it over and turn it into an ice statue. He froze completely. Everything died.
And then, he was reborn.
In the real world, Brock was fighting Alexander when he sensed something wrong. Trusting his instinct, he immediately retreated. A sphere of ice spread from Alexanders body, expanding so quickly that, if Brock had delayed his retreat by even a moment, he would have been encased in it.
Brock scratched his head. He was now facing a large, opaque ice globe. He could no longer see his enemy. Was he hiding?
He smashed his staff into the sphere with all his might, channeling the power of brohood. Even the white ice from before would have shattered before this attack. Yet, the sphere showed not the slightest blemish. Brocks staff bounced away, and the webbing of his palm was almost torn from the recoil.
Hmm, he said, observing the sphere better. What was going on?
Suddenly, his eyes shone. He knew what was happening. Alexander Petrovic was breaking through.
Brock grunted. This was bad. He had been winning before, but the power of an immortal was leagues away from the E-Grade. Moreover, he couldnt stop this breakthrough, as the ice sphere was too durable. Alexander was breaking through, and there was nothing Brock could do about it.
However, a big bro should never despair. Brock ran through his options and realized he only had one. Therefore, he flew back down to the concert stage, sat on the floor cross-legged, and broke through as well.
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