CH.38 The Conflict at The Valley of Wadi Hammamat

Fight, fight, fight, to kill or defend, A struggle that reveals the essence within. What's right, what's wrong, truth yet to unveil, Life and death, destinies now set to sail.In the conflict's grasp, the answers hide, The resolution lingers on fate's tide. Let the conflict end, its mysteries untwine, And in the aftermath, a new chapter shall align. The Valley of Wadi Hammamat Conflict Part 1. "FIGHTTTTT!" Both leaders shouted as the soldiers and bandits charged towards each other. There were about 200 people in total engaged in the intense combat. The atmosphere was charged with tension, yet it was filled with an adrenaline-fueled energy. The soldiers and bandits raced towards each other; their morale high at the start of the battle. "CLNGGG!" The clash of weapons echoed like a gush of wind escaping from a mountain. The swords clashed, and within the first 20 seconds, almost 10 people were already lying lifeless on the ground. Jack tightly held onto his sword, sweat pouring from his forehead as he slashed at a bandit. However, his strike missed as the bandit swiftly evaded the attack. "Can't even land a hit? What are you doing, Jack?" Kasib shouted as he impaled a bandit with his spear. The droplets of blood splattered onto Jack's face, and he replied, "I just can't get myself to do it." Before Jack could catch his breath, another bandit attempted to attack him from behind. But in an instant, Ramon intervened, chopping off the bandit's hands with his blade, saving Jack from harm. In the midst of the formation, Kamil stood on his horse, surrounded by the Special Unit soldiers, vigilant and ready to protect his comrades. "Shield!" he shouted, his hands springing outward, conjuring a glass-like invisible pentagon that shattered the bandit's sword. Seizing the opportunity, a Special Unit soldier swiftly stabbed the bandit beneath the area where the shield had no effect. "Thanks, Kamil!" the soldier acknowledged. "No worries," Kamil replied, scanning the battlefield for any other potential threats. With a sly grin, Kamil strategically used his Chronotex to safeguard the soldiers from attacks coming from their blind spots. Meanwhile, at the front of the battlefield, Setka and Isabella Rossi confronted each other as the wind howled around them. Setka stood alone, exuding unwavering confidence, while Rossi had her two most formidable soldiers by her side, with the other two engaged in combat elsewhere. "You brought your little piggies with you?" Setka taunted, referring to the two soldiers. "Is it enough to make up for dying 20 times?" he added with a smirk. Rossi laughed, unfazed by the taunt. "Haven't seen you for a long time," she retorted, throwing a small knife towards Setka. With uncanny reflexes, Setka evaded it effortlessly by using his sword as a shield while keeping his eyes closed. "Well, well, still as sharp as always," Rossi remarked. Setka decided it was time to end this swiftly. He vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving two guards dead next to Rossi. "Now let's begin!" Rossi shouted, a maniacal smile forming on her face, as her guards fell in a single swift motion by Setka's hand. With psychopathic glee, Rossi charged at Setka with her sword. "Take this!" she shouted. However, before she could even reach him, Setka appeared next to her and beheaded her in one clean slash. Rossi fell lifelessly to the ground. But it wasn't over yet. In a matter of seconds, five identical copies of Isabella Rossi materialized in front of Setka, attacking him relentlessly from all angles. Setka, undeterred, slashed them all at once, their blood staining the tea-stained ground. The duel was still not over, and Setka acknowledged Rossi's improved control over her copies since their last encounter. However, he knew this battle would never truly end. "This isn't you, and I already know this will never end. However, there is only one way left," Setka said, locking eyes with Rossi. Having the Chronotex of Light Speed, Setka possessed the ability to move near the speed of light, making him an incredibly formidable opponent.Jack, still six minutes into the conflict, refused to kill or hurt a single soul. His wide eyes witnessed the gruesome scene of people being killed, their limbs falling to the ground. "Jack, look out!" Ramon shouted as a bandit attempted to attack him. Jack used his sword as a shield, but the force of the attack pushed him back, causing him to fall to the ground. "Let's get this one first!" the bandits jeered, viewing Jack as a weak and easy target. His heart raced as he struggled to figure out what to do. Six bandits charged towards him; swords held high. Jack hastily positioned his sword in front of them, ready to defend, but doubts still clouded his mind. "No, you don't!" Ramon shouted as he stepped in front of Jack, intercepting the attack. Meanwhile, in the duel between Setka and Rosie, Setka skilfully evaded another knife thrown by Rosie, lunging towards her and slashing one of her copies. But, as before, they reappeared, unfazed by the previous attack. "Rosie," Setka called out. "Yes," she replied. "Let me tell you this: you have already lost. The organizations may have strong Chronotex users, but we have a trump card," Setka said with a smirk. Suddenly, an explosion resounded in the distance, drawing Rosie's attention away from the duel. They're stood Ramon, the bandits who had initially attacked Jack were dead, all dead, killed by Ramon's dark energy power. His shoulders covered in the inky blackness; Ramon's hands exuded a matter of darkness even blacker than the night sky. This was the Art taught to him by Menes. Ramon raised his hands and stepped forward punching the air unleashing a deadly attack that decimated the bandits in the distance. "What is that?" Jack asked Ramon in utter shock. "It's Dark Energy," Ramon replied with a hint of excitement. "Dark Energy?" Jack marvelled, unable to take his eyes off the mysterious power displayed before him this was the second time he had ever seen it. "Thank you, Ramon!" Jack Said, relieved. Approaching Jack, Ramon whispered in his ear, "Jack, I know you can't kill, but the soldiers on our side aren't liking this. You have to do something. All the soldiers have killed bandits. You can't just be a bystander you have to do something." "I know; however, I just can't get myself to do it," Jack replied, his worry evident. Ramon let out a sigh and placed his hands on Jack's shoulders. "Jack, listen to me. Kill to protect what you love. Remember what Kamil said? Well, Jack, we are all here to protect what we love—our people, the people back home. Even if we hate them, we protect them. You have to do something, leave a mark. Come on," he said, trying to motivate Jack to find his resolve. "You too have a power, Jack," Ramon said, looking into Jack's eyes with intensity."Use your power. At least try to. Please," Ramon urged Jack. SHHHHHMMMMM! An arrow of darkness was sent towards Ramon, cracking the air and nearly touching Ramon's eyes. However, Ramon remained unfazed, looking at it with a straight face. His eyes and fingers did not flinch. THH. The arrow was broken as a pentagon-shaped invisible shield appeared in front of Ramon. It was none other than Kamil who protected him. The man who shot the arrow was one of the formidable soldiers of Rosie. He was staring at Ramon from afar, positioned on the left flank where almost all soldiers of the army were being defeated. The left flank was vulnerable and under attack. "Jack, stay here. I leave this to you. I have to take care of that guy; he looks strong," Ramon commanded. "OK," Jack replied in an innocent voice. Ramon turned around, aiming to make his way to the formidable bandit. He stopped and said, "Jack, use Level 1 of your ability. It will keep you safe for now. Use this battle as a catalyst to improve yourself." Ramon jumped, creating a small crater on the ground, and started to fight one of Rosie's strongest soldiers. Jack took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and talked to himself in his head. "Think, think, think about what's near me. Think about what's going on." As Jack's concentration deepened, the dots in his mind transformed into vivid images of the battlefield. He had an eagle-eyed view, observing the moving figures and the chaos below. "Hey, look! The fool has his eyes closed. Let's get him!" one of the bandits exclaimed, rallying nine others to join him. The bandits charged towards Jack, their malicious intent clear in their eyes. Jack remained calm and muttered to himself, "Hmm, I see you." With swift movements, he deftly dodged the spear of one bandit, countering with a powerful punch to the assailant's face. Another bandit attacked with a sword, but Jack effortlessly evaded the strike and swiftly countered with a forceful kick to the opponent's stomach. He moved with grace and precision, taking advantage of his enhanced senses to stay one step ahead. Jack's strategic mind was at work as he devised clever tactics to neutralize the threats. He grabbed some charcoal powder he had brought from the lab and threw it into a bandit's eyes, temporarily blinding him and rendering him unable to fight. As the battle raged on, Jack's enhanced perception allowed him to distinguish friend from foe in the midst of the chaos. His mind assigned a red colour to the bandits and a blue colour to the soldiers, enabling him to identify who to engage and who to avoid. Meanwhile, as Ramon veered towards the left flank and Kasib neared the middle, there was a gap on the right flank. The bandits noticed the opening and tried to exploit it, swarming towards that side.Isabella Rosie, the cunning and fierce leader, had brought four of her strongest bandits to the battlefield. Two of them had already fallen victim to Setka's prowess, leaving only two remaining. One of Rosie's formidable bandits engaged in a heated duel with Ramon on the left flank, while the last one, a man named Calsprus, positioned himself on the right flank, barking orders to his fellow bandits. "Kill them all!" Calsprus roared, and the bandits unleashed a brutal assault, mercilessly slaughtering the soldiers of the Royal Army. Kamil and Kasib, in the middle, looked on in shock as the right flank crumbled under the relentless assault. The right flank, was on the verge of being completely overwhelmed. With hardly any soldiers left to defend it, Ramon and Kasib absent, there was no one to protect it. A heart-wrenching cry pierced through the chaos of the battlefield, shaking Jack from his focused state. The voice was familiar, and as he opened his eyes, his attention was drawn to the source of the despair. There, in the distance, stood Calsprus, a menacing figure with a powerful build, gripping a soldier in his hand like a vise. Jack's heart pounded as he recognized the soldier. It was the same man who had spoken to him back at the camp, offering gratitude for his kindness. The realization hit Jack like a wave of emotions, awakening a sense of responsibility within him. "No!" Jack shouted, his voice resonating with determination. He couldn't stand idly by while someone he had connected with was in peril. The Bandit who was engaged in battle with Jack took advantage of the situation, advancing his spear towards Jack while he was still in shock. Meanwhile, in the distance, Calsprus threw the man he was holding to the ground and swiftly beheaded him with a sword. Caught off guard, Jack froze, and a spear struck him from behind. This moment triggered memories of his father's death, leaving him feeling helpless once again. The image of the soldier's head transformed into that of his father, and the masked man who killed his father now replaced Calsprus. As Jack's heart raced, memories flooded his mind. In the distance, Kamil, Ramon, and Kasib called out to Jack, but time seemed to slow down. Then, in that pivotal moment, a surge of pain and pure anger welled up inside Jack, and something changed within him. The emotions were overwhelming, and then, suddenly...