Chapter 21

"Gentlemen... what do you think of the military situation of the Empire?" A young man asked, he had a very handsome face devoid of his baby ish features and had spiky blood red hair that he had grown upto his back.

This young man was Alexis who had finally turned eighteen years of age, he was seated in a relaxed position and had rested his chin on his arms that rested on the table...

He glanced at all the old men wearing intricate militaristic clothing.

Make no mistake, these men are the highest ranking officers in the Imperial army and General Titus can never be compared to them.

Titus was indeed a General, but his rank as a 'General' was given because he was in charge of the facility, once the facility was of no use, he would lose his rank!

Alexis still remembers the day when he was informed of it and the look on face made him smile.

"Your highness, if I may?" One of the older Generals voiced out as Alexis nodded.

"The situation is not that bad BUT it is not good either... our soldiers are growing lax. This is bad news considering how detrimental it will be in the future..." he said solemnly and sighed as his colleagues nodded.

"I see... what if I propose something?" Alexis asked them.

"What is it your highness?" The General next to the older one spoke curiously, he had gained the support of all these Generals after he had explained of some of the things he was going to in the future, they were so inclined to be his supporters to the point that they would even revolt against the current Emperor if Alexis had asked them...

There were still a few of them that Alexis knew were too dangerous to be kept around once he had the throne.

"How about some propaganda?" Alexis stated.

"Your highness, I mean no offense but we have already tried such things..." Another General spoke and shook his head sadly.

"Yes, but take a look at this!" Alexis smirked and took out a bunch of military posters that he had prepared and placed them on the table.

The posters were colourful and had very bold words and images of soldiers...

"Amazing..."

"Such patriotism!"

Alexis heard good reviews about his product almost immediately and opened his mouth to speak.

"So... what do you think?" Alexis asked them.

"We would like to buy these posters your highness!" They shouted excitedly.

"But your highness... this is supposed to be a deal is it not? What are your demands?" The older General stated politely.

"I want all the soldiers with bad performance!" Alexis said with a chuckle and looked at the shocked faces with a smile...

"Deal!" All of them laughed and shook hands with Alexis eagerly.

Then they gathered around and poured some wine into their chalice which were brought by a few servants...

"For the Empire!" Alexis said and swallowed the poured wine in his chalice with one quick gulp.

"FOR THE EMPIRE!" The Generals shouted and followed Alexis' actions, they were very happy and their blood boiled in excitement, the only thing remembered from Alexis' speech was something about a great war.

"Send your troops to the entrance of the Kritten heights!" Alexis reminded them with a smile and bid them goodbye.

He then got into his carriage where Florestine was waiting for him.

"Your highness, you smell of alcohol!" Scolded Florestine with a frown on her face as Alexis laughed and informed his coachman to travel back to his palace...

He then sighed and glanced outside, the place where the group met was in the residence of a prominent General who is a supporter of Alexis.

Alexis felt a soft hand pinch his ear with a hard grip and twist it violently, he didn't feel pain and just turned to the only person inside the carriage with him...

"Florestine, what are you doing?" He asked his lover and grabbed her smooth soft hand and caressed it, he then let go of it by giving a gentle kiss.

"Your highness, it is not good to drink so much..." Florestine spoke to him gently and had a worried face, Alexis waved his hand.

"It's no big deal!" He said as she sighed.

"Why won't you ever listen to me?" She asked him with a smile as Alexis closer to her.

"I don't know... you tell me!" He whispered into her ear.

"Your highness~" Florestine shivered and coyly spoke his name.

-●-●-●-

Alexis along with the thousand odd people he had gathered four years ago were moved to the land he had bought in the Kritten heights...

All this was done in secret with the help of the Generals who covered up everything for him so that Aurelius would not get suspicious!

He had been training Marcus, the small kid was now thirteen years old and was very diligent in his work!

"Time to stop fooling around..." Alexis mumbled as his eyes became cold.

He then left Florestine in the palace and teleported to the land where his 'secret' force was being trained...

Currently there were two hundred men and women, following the fighting stances of the instructor, they were aligned perfectly and had very serious faces.

They were dedicated to serving Alexis... the young man who had saved them when they were at their lowest...

'A little brainwashing wouldn't hurt anyone!' Alexis thought as he secretly observed the training, he would expose himself once the group has completed their stances.

Within an hour of shouting, punching and kicking air, Alexis decided to come out.

"SIR!" The instructor shouted and kneeled infront of him as Alexis shook his head with a sigh...

The trainees and the rest of the eight hundred people came out and followed the instructor's approach.

"You may rise..." Alexis said as he amplified his voice with his mana...

"Attention!" He shouted as the thousand men and women immediately changed posture and stood perfectly still.

Alexis observed them with a very keen eye and nodded.

"At ease!" He said as they changed posture again.

"Everyone, the weapons will be ready in a couple of months! These four years have been very tough for all of you all however all the training you have had here at this base will prove to be fruitful! It is time to prove to the world that anything is possible! Including non mages defeating mages! You are the first of your kind, the first to go down in history as the heroes of the common populace! And the first to give hope to everyone so that no one else will go through what you have... Long live the Empire!" Alexis gave a speech.

It wasn't much but it's honest work, he did his best to make it up on the spot and seems like it was effective!

"LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!!"

"LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!!"

"LONG LIVE THE CROWN PRINCE!!"

They shouted, some of them even chanted his name which was soon followed by everyone else. Alexis raised his hand to quieten down the crowd that was still excited with the rush of adrenaline...

"Today, there will be a joint force of the army arriving at the base! They will number at around fifty thousand troops, they are the worst of their specific armies, I plan on having a mock battle between them and you all. Soldiers, I hope you will make sure that it gets to their heads that they cannot survive in battle, utterly destroy them! You may use any formation, traps and attacks necessary. Try not to kill them, although it won't really matter if they die anyways..." Alexis explained what was going to happen.

In the evening after Alexis had given the speech, the army arrived.

'Hmm... these guys seem very weak...' Alexis thought and appeared infront of them.

"Well...first things first, you all now belong to my army now" Alexis spoke to the tired army, they looked at him fearfully.

"And the other thing is that... you guys are pathetic!" He shouted with a smug smile which seemed to infuriate the soldiers as if he didnt already insult them.

"Alright you dirtbags, maggots in a cesspool! Get into the forest and start camping..." Alexis shouted at them.

"..."

"Shout goddamnit! Say 'Sir, Yes sir!' Now!" He shouted.

"Sir yes sir!" They looked at him weirdly but still obeyed and muttered his words.

"I can't hear you, what happened? Are you all so pathetic that you can't even shout? No wonder your Generals gave you away so easily... you cannon fodder pieces of shits!" He insulted them.

Every word stung like needles as they glared at him.

"What are you asses glaring at me for? The only reason why your Generals gave you away was because of your inadequacy! In simpler terms you guys are utter trash!" He shouted and laughed at them mockingly.

"How dare you!"

"What did you say you bastard!"

"You have no right to say that!"

"I'm quitting!"

"Truth hurts doesn't it? I bet you all won't even be able to survive inside the forest..." Alexis riled them up, then they would get motivated...

"Who is the leader of this entire army?" Alexis asked them curiously as a woman stepped forward.

"Oh my what a coincidence... Sophia!" Alexis was surprised but regained his serious look and glanced at her.

She wore an officer's uniform that was plated with the black metal that was used by the army.

"Don't... just don't..." She muttered and grit her teeth in anger and glared at the army she was supposed to lead.

'How shameful...' She thought to herself and clenched her fists.

"Go with the act!" Alexis whispered to her and slapped her in the face, he didn't touch her but pushed her away with a but of wind mana, all in all she was unhurt.

"YOU BASTARD!!" The soldiers took out their swords and quickly went to help their General.

"What's wrong? Did you finally grow a backbone... trash!" He spat as a soldier charged at him, this particular soldier couldn't handle the insults anymore...

Alexis sidestepped and dodged the sword coming at his way and kicked the man's back once he was out of range.

The soldier felt the force behind his back and went skidding along the ground and hit a tree...

"Is that it?" Alexis asked them.

"I will acknowledge you all IF you survive in the forest for two weeks and then win agaisnt my own personal elite force of a thousand soldiers!" Alexis said and continued.

"I don't really expect much from trash such as you all, so maybe if you can atleast touch one of my special forces soldier, then I will stop insulting you. How is it maggots?" Alexis asked them as if he was looking at trash.

The soldiers shouted, screamed and even jeered at him.

'I will motivate you so much that when you fall... It will eat you away!' Alexis grinned maliciously.

"Your pathetic General may lead you if you wish to..." Alexis reminded them as they glared at him, infact every last one of them glared at Alexis as they went into the forest...

His own army then came upto him.

"Permission to break them, Granted!" Alexis said with a smile and added,

"Leave the General alone, she is more than capable!" He then waved them goodbye as the army turned to Marcus who smirked at the forest.

"Let's give them hell!" He said in a hushed voice as the army giggled...