The destruction of the tenth base (1)

"Thankfully, we have eyes around the tenth base," Disyo sighed in relief.

The number of screens that were displaying the differents base of Night was astronomical.

However, even this wasn't the true number of bases they had. There were bases, similar to the ninth that Rangyl supervise, or rather, supervised, that weren't depicted here.

There were two reasons for this. The first reason was that Rangyl's god had absolute trust in the capabilities of some of those supervising those bases. This was why there wasn't security footage around Rangyl's base and why they didn't know what neither Amelia nor her companions looked like.

The second reason why some bases weren't displayed by Rangyl's god was simply because not all the supervisors trusted or respected Rangyl's god like Rangyl did. They refused to be "spied on" by the god.

Despite the behavior of those individuals, Rangyl's god let them be for the simple reason that he needed their strength.

"It seems that only one person attacked and destroyed the base," the god remarked.

"One person? That's-"

Disyo, who was about to say that a single person couldn't destroy the tenth base, shut his mouth when the god displayed the face of the one that attacked the base.

"T-That woman, isn't that..." Disyo's words trailed off.

"Interesting," the god uttered, "let's watch what happened."

***

A few weeks before the attack on the ninth base by Alex's group.

In an unknown location in the Fiore Empire, deep underground, in a chamber room lit by the light of several screens...

"Puhahahaha, I can't believe how easy it was," a man with spiky dirty blond hair and brown eyes exploded with laughter.

He lounged in a luxurious chair, seememingly having the time of his life.

All around this man, several other men were standing, each wearing a mocking expression.

"Ohh, don't make so much fun of him, you know that it's not everyone that can resist my charm~" a woman with an aura of captivating beauty remarked with a playful giggle.

She had long, wavy black hair, a pair of clear sapphire eyes, and boasted a voluptuous figure.

"Damn right! No one can resist you!" The man sitting on the chair exclaimed.

With a swift motion, his hand rose, and he delivered a resounding slap to the black-haired woman's ample, shapely butt.

Slap

"Hmm," the woman moaned and glanced at the man, "that will cost you 10 gold coins," she said to him, her tone tinged with amusement.

Hearing that, the man erupted into laughter. "You heard that? The woman you're so infatuated with is nothing but a gold-digging whore!" he exclaimed, "It would have been easier for you to fuck her than win her heart!"

Before him, another man knelt, his limbs bound together. This man sported shoulder-length black hair and dark eyes ablaze with fury.

This man wore lavish black clothes embroidered with gold. His neatly combed hair and luxurious attire clearly indicated his noble status. However, despite his refined appearance, the way he growled in rage, saliva dripping down his mouth as he tried to speak but was muffled by the cloth gagging him, painted a different picture. He resembled less of a nobleman and more of an enraged beast.

"Aye, girl, you really did a number on him," the man seated in the chair chuckled, as he wrapped his arm firmly around the woman's waist, pulling her closer to him and seating her comfortably on his lap.

This sight caused the tied man to struggle even more fiercely, trying to get free, alas.

"What can I say, everything is this fool's fault," the woman shrugged carelessly, "if he hadn't suddenly decided to elope with me, none of this would have happened to him, at least not this soon."

"You really are a cold bitch, Olga," the man with blond hair chuckled, "the poor guy was ready to abandon his nobility for you, yet you speak ill of him."

Olga only shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, thanks to you, we'll be making a lot of money, so I'm not complaining," the man with blond hair grinned.

He glanced at the man writhing on the ground, and his grin widened, "I wonder though, how much the Feynor family patriarch is willing to spend for his firstborn and successor. Probably nothing if he knew that you intended to abandon your family because of a woman, but don't worry, it's in our interest that your father don't learn of this, so it will be our little secret."

At that moment, one of the men inside the chamber who had been monitoring the various screens called out to the man with blond hair.

"Boss, someone is approaching the base," he informed.

"Chill out, newbie. No one knows that our base is here," one of the men in the base replied.

The newbie nodded his head but kept his gaze fixed on the figure moving above their base.

"It's weird, it's like I've seen her somewhere," the newbie muttered.

"Hm? Who?"

"That person walking above the base," the newbie said, pointing to the screen he was looking at.

One of the men approached the screen and scrutinized it.

"Oh, it's a woman," he raised a brow, "she kind of looks like..." The man's words trailed off.

"Boss, I think you need to come see this," he said a moment later.

"Tsk, what is it now?" The boss, who was busy playing with Olga, clicked his tongue in irritation.

"I'm coming," he said to her before pushing her off his lap and standing up.

"So what is so serious that you dumbass need to bother you? I'm warning you, it better be ser-"

"So, what's so serious that you need to bother me, you dumbass? I'm warning you, it better be ser-"

The boss' words got caught in his throat the instant his eyes landed on the screen showing the woman above their base.

A chill went down his spine as he immediately recognized who this woman was.

'Please, move along, there is nothing here,' the boss thought, beads of sweat appearing on his face, 'move, move, move, move.'

"Um, boss, she seems to have stopped right above the base's location," the newbie informed.

"Shit!" The boss cursed, "Deploy the security barrier around the base!" He bellowed to the newbie.

"Huh?"

"Now!"

"O-Okay," the newbie nodded and began executing the orders.

"Rest of you, prepare for combat!" He ordered his men with a solemn tone.

A confused expression appeared on the subordinates' faces.

One of them approached and asked, "Why do you look so agitated, boss? Who is this woman?"

"Fools, don't you recognize her?!" The boss retorted.

The subordinates glanced at the screen showing the woman, then turned towards their boss, shaking their heads.

"How did I end up with so many idiots," the boss sighed.

A moment later, his solemn expression reappeared as he glanced at the screen.

"That woman is none other than Astarte...Aura master Astarte."

****

Above the tenth base.

"Hmm, it should be here," a woman wearing pristine white full-body armor muttered to herself.

This woman had white hair, but it wasn't the dull white of the elderly; no, her hair were of a radiant white akin to freshly fallen snow, flowing gracefully down her back, reaching to the small of her back.

With a graceful motion, the woman's slender fingers glided through her locks, gathering them effortlessly before elegantly fashioning them into a sleek ponytail.

As the bangs covering her eyes parted, they unveiled two magnificent deep purple orbs. Their allure so enchanting that one could become entranced, losing track of time within their captivating depths.

This woman was exceptionally beautiful, possessing a beauty that could render kingdoms powerless. Compared to her, even the likes of Olga could be considered mere ugly ducklings.

It was as though she had crafted her own perfection, for nothing else could account for such stunning beauty.

"Hmm, what shall I use this time?" Astarte wondered aloud.

A few seconds later, a sword identical to Earth's odachi materialized in her hand. "Let's go with the sword today," she decided.

She firmly gripped the sword with both hands, raising it above her head.

At that moment, a vibrant and mesmerizing purple energy enveloped the sword.

"Let's begin the dance!" Astarte grinned, then swung down her odachi!

A second later, she retrieved her sword and placed it on her shoulder.

Initially, nothing appeared to happen, as if Astarte had merely sliced through empty air. Then, a tiny line, barely ten centimeters in width, materialized.

Before those watching below could comprehend what was unfolding, the line began to expand at an astonishing rate.

Barely a few seconds later, an enormous chasm, one kilometer in width and ten kilometers long, had been created!

*******

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