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Chapter: Army of Macedonia

"No," Forseti shook his head and turned to leave.

As he departed, a robust young man in golden armor hurried over. "Your Highness, Aristotle is looking for you."

Alexander remained silent, watching Forseti until he vanished from sight.

"Do you know who he is, Your Highness?" asked the young man, Craterus.

Alexander shook his head casually. "But, Craterus, I doubt you could best him."

Craterus froze momentarily but said nothing, eventually walking away with Alexander.

After lunch, Forseti was summoned by Aristotle to a hall bustling with people. Among them were Agamato, Menehmos, core members of the Shield Brotherhood, and several unfamiliar faces.

To Forseti's surprise, the blond boy he had recently met was also present.

Upon seeing Forseti enter, Aristotle introduced him, placing a hand on Alexander's shoulder. "Forseti, this is His Royal Highness Alexander, Prince of Macedonia."

Forseti hesitated for a moment before realization dawned.

Alexander of Macedonia—the famous Alexander the Great?

He inwardly chided himself.

If only he had known earlier, he might have played the role of an elder before the boy, gaining boasting rights for the next two thousand years.

Aristotle continued with introductions, gesturing towards a middle-aged man in golden armor who seemed to lead the others. "And this is the Commander of the Macedonian God Legion."

The title "God Legion" piqued Forseti's curiosity.

"God Legion?" he queried.

Aristotle explained, "The God Legion of the Kingdom of Macedonia. Among the allied God Legions willing to assist us in this world, none surpasses the Gods Legion in strength."

Forseti nodded in understanding.

Aristotle proceeded to introduce Forseti to the others. "This is Forseti, a warrior from the Aesir gods, who will aid us in our battle."

Greetings were exchanged.

Alexander, eyeing Craterus standing nearby, smirked and murmured, "Craterus, the God Legion has encountered a real god this time."

Craterus remained silent.

Aristotle interjected, "We have five days until the summer solstice. The Macedonian legions are mobilized, preparations are on track, and the greatest and most dire battle in two millennia is upon us."

The Commander of the Aesir Legion declared, "The three hundred of us in the God Legion will attack the pyramid and sever the tyrant's head."

Forseti interjected respectfully, "With all due respect, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse wield formidable power, far beyond ordinary power-users. Three hundred of the Aesir Legion entering the pyramid might find themselves outmatched."

The Commander of the God Legion frowned slightly. "Have you battled an Apocalypse Knight yourself, Aesir warrior?"

"I have slain one," Forseti replied.

There was a momentary pause from the God Legion's Commander, followed by his retort, "Nonetheless, you do not fully grasp the God Legion's capabilities. What makes you so certain we should not enter the pyramid's battle?"

"It's a matter of deduction," Forseti replied calmly. "If you doubt my words, you may challenge me. The strength of an Apocalypse Knight is roughly akin to mine."

The three members of the God Legion exchanged glances, after which Craterus spoke up, "Then, may I challenge you, Aesir warrior? I am Craterus, Deputy Commander of the Aesir Legion."

"Of course," Forseti nodded.

Menehmos interjected, "Both of you, cease this. There is no need for a clash; it serves no purpose."

The Commander of the God Legion agreed, "This is merely a sparring session. Craterus is among our bravest warriors. We seek to understand how an Aesir warrior compares to our own."

"If we indeed lack the strength, we will not risk entering the pyramid."

With that settled, they adjourned to an open area. Forseti and Craterus faced each other, the latter brandishing his longsword in a defensive stance.

Except for Wakanda, which remains secluded from the world, Earth lacks powerful materials. Most weapons are fashioned from ordinary bronze or iron. Sun Metal weaponry is the domain of the Apocalypse, beyond the reach of other factions.

Craterus wielded a well-forged iron sword, while Forseti stood unarmed.

"Are you not armed?" queried Craterus.

"No need," Forseti replied, shaking his head.

Craterus, initially courteous, bristled slightly at the response. Gritting his teeth, he lunged forward, arcs of electricity crackling around him, enveloping his body as he swung his longsword.

Forseti effortlessly evaded Craterus's attacks, though some of the arcs grazed him.

However, compared to divine power wielded by the Aesir, human abilities fell short. Forseti felt only a mild numbing effect from Craterus's electrical strikes.

Craterus pressed on with his sword, but Forseti deftly dodged each strike, avoiding both blade and arcs effortlessly. As the duel progressed, Craterus grew increasingly agitated, his strikes faster but less precise.

Most observers were seasoned combatants. Even Alexander, not yet ten, possessed keen perception and recognized the disparity in skill between the combatants.

"Seems we need to rethink our approach," mused the Commander of the God Legion wryly.

After biding his time, Forseti finally engaged. Confronting Craterus's sword with his bare hand, he effortlessly met the blade.

"Crack!"

The longsword snapped cleanly in two upon impact with Forseti's palm.

Craterus stood stunned for a moment, then bowed his head in defeat.

The Commander of the God Legion remarked, "Are Apocalypse Knights truly comparable in strength?"

Forseti nodded. "Indeed. Moreover, besides the Knights of the Apocalypse, there are other servants of Apocalypse, whose might rivals that of the Knights though they lack their renown."

The Commander sighed. "It appears we are ill-suited for the pyramid's battle."

Before Forseti could reply, he noticed Craterus holding his broken sword with a crestfallen expression.

After a moment's consideration, Forseti approached. "If you don't mind, I can repair this for you."

Craterus looked surprised but hesitantly handed over the broken blade.