Chapter 60: Modern Warfare

After waiting for a while, Shining was the first to arrive at their location and the Sarkaz was tearing up after she saw him.

His face was unreadable, Ash's face was blank. But the aura around him prickled her skin. It felt very hostile.

Nevertheless, she crashed onto him and hugged him tightly while shedding tears. "If only I was there..." Her voice laced with regret.

Ash frowned at that and he put a hand on her back softly. "It wasn't your fault." He growled after he spoke. Ursus has been lurking around like a little snake. Planning this conflict for decades.

But he would never give them the chance. They wanted an altercation, he would give them one. Their weapons were complete, every single soldier of Paradiso can be armed with revolutionary weapons.

Even the most basic grunt of theirs were holding 50 caliber machine guns as standard arms. And they carry twenty kilograms worth of ammunition to unload onto the enemy.

Margaret and Degenbrecher arrived. The two of them looked at him with hurt in their eyes. Seeing how cold he appeared. He wasn't like his normal cheeky smartass self.

"You were out for more than a week." Margaret slowly walked up to him and put her arms around his waist. Degenbrecher just huddled up to him and was silent.

He didn't reply to that. "We have a battle to prepare for. Lungmen will be the first city we'll capture." Ash looked at Ch'en and Hoshiguma.

The duo gulped, but Ch'en stated right back at him defiantly. "I am Ch'en Hui-chieh. I am a swordmaster, I won't be taken into your custody without a battle."

Ash snapped his fingers and Ch'en felt her body shut down. Her nerves misfired and she felt like she was trapped in her own body.

He then craned his neck towards Hoshiguma and the Oni just chuckled nervously, raising her arms high in the air.

"We surrender sir! Just give us some booze please." Hoshiguma shouted and Ch'en glared at her shamelessness.

Yelena quickly binded them with ice, knowing the assignment. One of theirs caused all this, they would be joining in to correct it. Even if Talulah fractured from them a long time ago.

They then went to Wei's office with an awkward silence after meeting up with Sonus and Mudrock.

Back at the slum districts, a Lupo wearing a hoodie was using mist arts to hide as hard as she could.

Neo-Reunion members were quickly dwindling down in number. The Silverlance pegasi had amazing senses. Leithanien's casters were patrolling while emitting pulses like a sonar.

And the banshees will apprehend anyone so fast it was like frying beans with lightning.

Crownslayer was sent in the city to help Skullshatterer, Alex's codename.

But the slums were so heavily patrolled in, she was hiding behind a dumpster for at least thirty minutes now. And she's the assassin of Neo-Reunion.

She was still as a rock and just waited for them to leave. But she suddenly felt dread come to her.

"Wolf... I smell a wolf here." A childish voice was heard and Crownslayer held her breath.

Her eyes were trembling. She knew that the only person that got noticed by that voice was her.

She heard sniffing for a bit and it seemingly passed. Making her breathe in deeply.

But Crownslayer suddenly felt something above her. She slowly looked up, and there she was. A young teen wearing a red coat was standing horizontally on a wall. Staring right at her with a knife in hand. (pic)

Crownslayer booked it and she released her mist arts like a spooked squid that ejected ink.

She tried to run away and hid in an alley, abandoning her pride as she went inside a garbage can.

Putting a hand over her mouth, she tried to calm her breathing. Hoping that the smell of the trash would camouflage her.

"Found you." It was for naught though, as the lid of the trash can got lifted and she was taken out the thing. The girl smashed her to the ground, putting a hand on her neck.

"Projekt Red, don't be rough." Crownslayer heard a woman order the girl and she stopped pressing the tip of her knife to her temple.

"Y-you!" Crownslayer went wide eyed upon seeing Kal'tsit.

"You shouldn't be here Lyudmila. Deities are out hunting. And like lions, they don't hold back even on rabbits." Kal'tsit frowned at her.

"Shut up! Tell me! Where is Alex and Misha's father! That traitorous bastard!" Crownslayer struggled in her rage and Red slammed her to the ground again. Making her see stars.

"Ilia would've died regardless. Ursus wanted to silence anyone in the research project of the black sarcophagus." Kal'tsit explained.

Crownslayer bit her lip, she couldn't believe it blindly. Alex and Misha's father sold them out and her father died in exchange.

"Were you in it too!? Is that why you're alive!?" Lyudmila glared at her.

"Silly girl, blinded by hate. You will understand one day. Come on Red, we need to warn Wei about Paradiso. Ash woke up, he's here." Kal'tsit started to walk away and Red let go of the Lupo.

Lyudmila, Reunion's Crownslayer just looked at their backs as they walked and she didn't know what to think or do anymore.

__Wei's office__

Ash was guided by Margaret's team and they entered the office of Wei Yenwu.

The Lung went wide eyed when he saw Ash and he broke into a cold sweat. The man was Leithanien's emperor. And based on rumors, Kazimierz were in his pockets.

And seeing Margaret standing behind him obediently, he was believing it. The radiant knight of Kazimierz is supposed to be knight primus of the Nearls. And her uncle letting her go with him just cements the sayings.

"How can I help you?" Wei calmed himself down and Ash smelled the air. "First, you can stop smoking." He raised a finger and the glass of the office shattered. The air from the room exited in a flash, turning it into a vacuum for a split second.

"I hate the smell, it makes me want to kill something." Ash glared at him and Wei wiped the pooling sweat on his brow.

'This man isn't just strong politically...' Wei couldn't believe he has that much control over his arts. He could kill you by just looking at you.

"Enough small talk Wei Yenwu. Lungmen is Paradiso's property now. The city will be a buffer against Yan. Not that we need it to be, we'll be knocking on their doorstep." Ash announced and he walked out.

The others quickly followed, leaving a stunned Wei behind. "Damn... I thought they'd at least take control of Lungmen. But not wage a war against Yan." Wei massaged his temples, feeling a migraine coming.

A few minutes later, Ch'en arrived with Hoshiguma. They were late because they ran on foot. With the duo sweating heavily.

"Chief Wei! This isn't good, Paradiso is going to take over Lungmen! We need to gather the LGD immediately!" Ch'en shouted desperately.

"Too late Ch'en... They already paid me a visit." Wei smiled wryly as he pointed at his windows.

"So... We POW's now or what?" Hoshiguma was thinking they were lucky they didn't get sent to prison or something.

"Yeah, we are prisoners of war now Hoshiguma. Basically free in Lungmen. But the city will be in lockdown, that's for sure." Wei explained with a shrug.

"Why are you two so lax about this!?" Ch'en shouted angrily as she imagined Deliverance take over the city.

"Well, can you do anything?" Wei gave her a look like she was fucking stupid. Ch'en just blinked and she thought that fighting them would just lead to casualties for LGD.

"That's what I thought. Just shut up and drink some tea. Can I have some tea brewed please?" Wei ordered his secretary.

Kal'tsit then entered with her Rhodes island group. With Projekt Red looking around for something interesting.

"Ash woke up, and things won't be pretty." Kal'tsit informed Wei, but she quickly saw his expression.

"He already came here didn't he?" The Dokutah observed the room and he concluded that nobody else would thrash his office like that.

"He did..." Wei had a faraway look. "And what did he come here for chief Wei?" Amiya asked anxiously.

"They are going to war against Yan. Lungmen is already in the process of being in lockdown. Have a seat and have some tea, you'll be staying here for some time Rhodes island." Wei politely pointed at his seats.

Ash was piecing puzzles together. His turbulent mind needed all the stimulus it can get to drown out his memories.

Together with Shining, they dug up files about the attack of Ursus on Lungmen a few decades ago.

Patriot explained that Kaschey, a duke of Ursus pressed the attack onto Lungmen and tried to ignite a war between Ursus and Yan.

The first wave of attacks failed as Wei repelled Kaschey's advance with Edward, Talulah's father. And another friend that controlled the underworld of Lungmen.

One problem with that though, was Kaschey specifically targeted Lungmen because Edward Artorius was there too.

He was in line for the throne of Victoria. Having the lineage of the royal Dracos. And Wei was pressured to execute the man for stirring trouble in Yan's turf.

After those events, Talulah's mother was forcibly sent back to Yan in order to marry a Lung which was in their words, what's supposed to happen in the first place.

And losing Edward, Wei's sister resented the man that put her husband to death. But shortly after, Ch'en was born.

They even saw a picture of the two being together happily. With Ch'en being a bit awkward due to being raised in Yan. They were sticklers for manners. (pic)

And then, the next attack of Kaschey happened. Without the support of his friend from the underworld. Due to their relationship souring.

Kaschey was able to get his hands on a pivotal piece, Talulah. He strapped her with bombs and threatened to detonate her alongside Lungmen to kingdom come.

So Talulah was taken as a hostage to Ursus. Their mother's health quickly declined after losing one of her daughters as well and died shortly after.

"So that's how he latched his soul onto her." Ash squinted his eyes and Shining listened to his description of Kaschey's soul inside her body.

"I believe he made some changes to it. His arts would trigger at the right moment. When the host experiences extreme emotional outbursts." Shining remembered the story of Neo-Reunion's creation.

They saw a village brutally starve infected to death and let them die to the biting cold of Ursus' tundra. Alina then explained that the Draco changed after that.

"That bastard's out there somewhere... His soul didn't feel complete. It was just a piece." Ash growled and he would scour Ursus later to find that bastard.

Yan was the problem they would need to solve right now. And by solving, it meant conquering.

"Yan's as much as fault here. Without them executing Edward Artorius, Wei would have defended Lungmen just fine. Talulah's arts gave Kaschey too much power." Ash smashed the table in front of him.

Margaret, Degenbrecher, and Shining immediately held on to him. His temper is currently a hairline trigger and they don't know when he'll snap abruptly.

"Leave the bare minimum of squads needed to keep Lungmen in our control. Call back the others, we will prepare to fight Yan." Ash remembered the censors.

They were arrogant, thinking they were indestructible. Curbing that would be the first step in their entrance to introduce themselves to Terra.

"Call Nian, I need her to be here." Ash impatiently ordered and they called for the dragon.

Nian arrived at his office, looking wary. He kicked their asses while he was going on an unconscious rampage.

Fighting him while he was aware wasn't something she was keen on doing. She doubted that they could even try and touch him.

"Nian, create as many brass casings, primers, and bullets as you can. That includes artillery shells, we'll be introducing the king of battle that's not stationary on some walls." Ash squinted his eyes.

The dragon remembered Victoria's artillery. They were slow, cumbersome, and time consuming to aim.

It also has a huge problem, they were stationary. A commando with a charge would fuck it up in an instant.

But theirs was different, it was made to be transported. And Nian felt complicated about this. They were going to attack Yan full front. Even if she has no love for it. That nation was her birthplace.

"Aye, just please don't overdo it." Nian said with a pleading tone and he stared at her for a couple of seconds. He then slowly nodded and Nian sighed in relief.

"We won't bombard cities at least. I have no qualms committing war crimes. But I draw the line at civilians. It's a different matter if they resist though." Ash sneered.

Anyone dumb enough to wave around weapons and point it at enemy soldiers during war time is fair game. Natural selection breeds the best specimens for a reason.

The squads not needed in Lungmen quickly traveled back to Paradiso and everybody prepped for how they would truly fight.

Soldiers were reloading magazines and belts for their guns. Artillery shells and mortar shells were packed into crates and loaded into choppers.

155 mm howitzer guns were being lined up. Its black finish absorbing light. The military city moving towards Yan at its fastest speed. It was faster than even the most advanced mobile cities in the world.

They were travelling at a steady 100 knots and the nearest fortification would be reached in a couple of hours.

The borders were nearby as Lungmen is a satellite city of Yan. And when night fell, they were already upon it.

Flares were sent to the skies and illuminated the fortress. The choppers that were too high quickly mapped it down and saw soldiers of Yan prepared for battle.

"It seems that little censor was able to make it and tell the news. Skadi, I have a little mission for you." Ash looked at the abyssal hunter and she tilted her head.

__Gates of the Fortress__

The ones responsible for watching incoming hostiles quickly reported something weird.

"Something's moving sir! Or... Is that someone?" The man rubbed his eyes and checked if he was hallucinating or something.

The flares illuminated no man's land that was beyond the fortress and he double checked if he was right.

And there, he saw someone running. She was carrying a large, metal construct. Something never seen before that's for sure.

"Prepare to fire your arrows and arts! That woman will surely try to breach the gates! She must be carrying a battering ram. Such strength, we can't let her get close!" Their commander shouted and everybody got tense.

But Skadi stopped right outside their range and she pointed the thing she was carrying right at the gates.

She gingerly took something from a bag and inserted it behind the barrel. Adding a charge too. "Sir, she's putting a headphone on. And she's holding a black piece of string." The guy scoping informed his superior.

And when she pulled it all hell broke loose. Dozens of men cried out in pain and agony as the 155 mm shell hit the gates and it exploded.

Shrapnel of stone and metal hit dozens of them. And ones behind the gates didn't make it.

"W-what's happening? What was that!?" Their commander was confused. It was as if thunder rumbled and something exploded.

They then heard whistling sounds. And then all hell broke loose.

The fortress was suddenly hit by hundreds of shells and the commander looked around.

Explosions rained on the place. The mobile fortress that is Paradiso rained death onto them.

"I-it's like the angel of death blowing through a penny whistle." The commander's pupils reflected the erupting ground.

Clouds of dust being raised after every impact. Ear ringing shockwaves rupturing eardrums. Shellshocked soldiers crawling and screaming for help.

Then he heard a rhythmic noise. A stream of light fanned out through the walls and his men exploded into mists of red.

The phalanx turrets firing 20 mm rounds accompanied with tracers. Cycling bullets so fast it looked like it was firing lasers.

Floodlights from Paradiso then opened and they could see the enemies march. Silverlance pegasi shimmering with their armor. Sarkaz cyclops carrying an gau-8 avenger.

A massive drum strapped to the giant Sarkaz's back. Carrying almost two tons of ammunition.

"The light will lead the way! Charge!" Margaret illuminated the path with golden light and they lit their weapons up.

Thunderous roars of hundreds of guns being fired made Paradiso's soldiers' adrenaline pump. This was their first campaign.

And they saw the thick walls of the fortress crumble like a tower of cards being blown away by an industrial fan.

It was almost cruel. Soldiers using spears, swords, and crossbows fought against basic Sarkaz goliath units using 50 caliber machine guns.

The small and dainty banshees were carrying LMG's. It was an overwhelming assault. A new type of warfare never before seen on Terra.

Laterano would cream their pants seeing their arsenal. Their gun knights carrying Gatling guns would pale in comparison to the cyclops Sarkaz hauling 30 mm guns to battle.

Even abyssal hunters with their seaborne blood would be shredded at the wall of lead and metal flying at them faster than the speed of sound.

And before the night even deepened, the first line of defense at Yan's border fell in less than an hour.

__

Thanks for reading everyone, and if you're having trouble imagining how much damage 30mm bullets the size of beer cans can do.

They open up head size bullet holes on cars. If you get hit by one, you'll explode into tiny little pieces immediately.

Team R6S defended themselves in a siege with just assault rifles and handguns. Paradiso is bringing the heavy boys.