Chapter 6: Where's My Army

On the field right outside of Bouchart, an army of hundreds were marching in unison. The one heading this party was Moon.

"Hand me another Cannon".

He took the cannon and with movements like a pitcher, threw the cannon over the walls of Bouchart and a huge explosion could be heard.

This went on a couple of times.

As for the condition on the other side...

"They're over 200 of them, I don't sense any relics from them though"

He had deployed his shadow to spy on the marching army.

"What now!" The one who spoke next was Rex, he was panicking evident from how he was aggressively pulling his hair.

"What else, we fight"

"H-hold on!" Rex interjected

"I didn't sign up for war, this is his problem."

He was pointing at Pale.

"Re..."

WHACK!

Max slapped him shocking everyone around them.

"He is our Clan mate now, and we don't abandon our friends!"

He exclaimed furiously.

Rex had a puzzled look on his face as he held the spot he was slapped.

"You can either help us out or run away like a coward, but I am not going anywhere!"

Pale could only stare at Max with admiration and respect.

He wasn't the only one too, the 50 Guards that were assembled around them and the trio were present too.

'Now I see what the Commander saw in you'. May thought to herself with a smile.

Max turned to face Pale with the usually warm smile on his face.

"What's the plan Pale?"

"I've sent word to Asgar and requested backup from that wizard, we're all facing a common enemy here"

"Right, who is this Mooly anyway".

"It's Moon". Puth corrected.

Pale began explaining...

"You know the story of how relics emerged 800 years ago?".

Ace nodded.

He continued.

"Moon is one of the Four Generals of The Retina Region, a Nation hell-bent on returning the world to how it was before relics came".

"They believes that Relics are evil and all those who use them are no different".

"So the Region is waging a war on all Relic users?"

"That's right."

Retina is a Region South of Altair. It's called the land of Swords.

"That means none of them use relics! No wonder I didn't sense any on them earlier"

All soldiers of Retina are trained diligently in the Basic and Advanced Arts of using his Relic to face off against Relic Users.

"The strongest members are the Four Generals.

"Commander!". May Exclaimed looking worried as she continued...

We have a problem, our signal is being jammed we can't reach out to Asgar, we're on our own".

Everyone's faces turned Grim at this development.

"What else, we fight!"

"We're heavily outnumbered!"

The current stats for the pending war was 250 against 50.

There might be relic users on their side but the difference in numbers plays a lot in war not to mention that the opposing General is someone said to be on a level that even the district commanders haven't reached yet.

"I have a plan to take down Moon". Rex who had been quiet all this time suddenly spoke.

"It's not gonna be easy though".

Max smiled seeing that his friend was willing to help them.

"Re..."

"You're right Demon spawn, clan mates should look after one another, I'm sorry for what I said earlier too Pale".

He gave the Big man a hand signaling him finally accepting him as an ally.

Pale grinned and in return lifted Rex with a massive hug. The sound of his bones cracking could be heard.

"Ouch! Hey! Put me down you big palooza!"

Max could only laugh at this exchange.

A few minutes later...

"Right, so everyone knows their role?"

Rex had shared his plan with the crew and they were all geared up for battle

"Yeah!".

"Let's get these Retina Bastards"

"Hahaha, this plan is crazy enough to work, no wonder you're the strategist"

Ace faced the army of 50 in front of him.

Besides him were Rex, Pale, May, Puth, and Vidal

"Today! The world shall witness the rise of The Band of Misfits!"

Back at the fields, the two armies were facing one another.

Moon came forward and Max did the same.

"Are you the Commander of this army, A mere teenager? Hah!"

He mocked, liking the odds he was facing, a small army led by a kid against an army of hundreds under his command.

What he didn't know was that Max was the one who defeated Pale in the video Catherine showed him the other time.

He urges the soldiers on his side.

"My companions! The time is nigh, we will purge this world of the impurities of these accursed Relics, and the people that worship them".

He pointed his sword forward.

"Attack!"

...

Nothing happened.

He looked around to witness that his entire army was gone. He grinds his teeth and turned towards Max.

"You! What accursed Relic did you use?"

"Who me?" Max pointed at himself acting like he didn't have anything to do with what just happened

"I didn't do a thing, you Bastard!"

Moon was confused and frustrated, his army vanished and he was now all alone facing the opposition army.

'I'm sure this is the doings of a Relic but what type?'

He thought to himself, trying to figure out just what in the world is going on here.

He figured it wasn't an illusion-type Relic cause he would have felt their presence using Seismic Sense.

He couldn't feel a thing.

What he didn't know was that he was playing right into Rex's trap...

A few moments ago, Rex was explaining his plan to the crew.

"Eh! You're gonna transform into me?"

"Yes demon spawn"

Rex is the owner of Zephryus Relic, one of the abilities he received was the power to transform into anyone.

Moon had never met Max so he wouldn't know who was the original.

"Max and Pale will take this path and circle around the army while I stand in as the commander of ours".

The plan was simple.

Rex knew Max and Pale are two individuals with Vast amounts of relic power, if they could somehow combine their powers in unison, Max could use his relic to control not just his shadow, but the shadow of the hundreds of soldiers.

He recalled how Max had used His Shadow to follow him into the prison when he was arrested, he blended with the shadow completely and could move through narrow places.

Max confirmed this hypothesis.

"It's possible to have their shadows absorb them but even with all that power it can only last for a little while"

"A little is all we need here, I will use my relic's other ability. 'Snatch Steal' which allows me to copy any relic ability and use it on the spot."

He snickered as he explained that part

"Hehe, a perfect ability for a Master Swordsman don't you think?".