章節 76: We have not lost yet

[Tai Lung's POV]

"What just happened....?" I said in the desolate silence of the valley.

Just a few seconds ago, the valley was filled with the vigorous screams of warriors battling each other and the sound of iron clashing with iron. Now it was the ghost of a moment ago.

I checked my body carefully and I was completely unharmed. Although I might not be able to see or realize what was going on, my body driven by instincts was able to save itself from any harm.

But everyone else, not so much.

I waved my hand and used my Chi to bend the air. A small whirlwind erupted and cleared the dust and smoke-filled valley, revealing the damage of the aftermath.

There was no longer a valley.

The mountains had been cleaved and the uneven land had been turned into a plain. The crumbled mountains buried in its depth the gorillas and their cannons. The chance of survival were slim and even if they were alive, their scream would be unheard through all the layers of earth.

I tapped my ear as it rang loudly. I tried to listen for any survivors but to no avail, the constant ringing had blocked everything out.

So I walked on the broken battlefield and observed carefully. The earth was mixed with the blood of soldiers friend and foe and their mingled corpses which were splattered around like dead leaves were not a sight I was very fond of.

Whatever it was that hit us, it did not differentiate friend or foe as I saw the equal corpses of my army and the enemy. Luckily, there were still some who survived but they were knocked unconscious due to shock.

I continued walking and when I reached the place where the battle was taking place, it was filled with mountains of corpses which was buried in a mound of earth. They looked like potatoes ready to be harvested.

But then my eye caught something, and I stopped.

And stilled.

'Alpha.'

I looked at the bisected corpse of my commander and he was also holding his weapon tight in his hands even as his body was completely severed.

The last talk we had not too long ago came to my mind. His stupid smile as he talked a big talk, his eyes that held absolute faith in me as he entrusted his fate into my hands.

His wife who was waiting for him back in the city, the one who had refused to leave because she said he would protect her and the city. I wonder how I will react when I see her face.

It was strange, how someone so alive could end up so dead in the next moment.

Now his body was mixed with the earth and he would forever lay cold, embraced by the world who had once given him warmth and life.

But why am I saying all this? Why am I feeling these emotions again?

This is war.

I was not naive. I realized that people die in wars. I have fought enough battles, and seen enough violence that I have already been through the initial shock of war and what it truly meant.

I was already above all of it. I had accepted the fact that the moment you call yourself a warrior, you have decided to walk with death and are ready to give up your life at any moment.

That was why I never really held a regard for a warrior or a soldier's life as long as they are not great Kung Fu masters or something close. I might come across as evil to some people because of such outlook I had.

But that was the belief you must hold in this world. Or else you would worry tirelessly and get hurt with every death in this accursed world.

Yet.

In rare moments like these I allowed myself to grieve for a life lost. I wonder why I was feeling this now, it was not like I knew Alpha personally. I have been closer to people and I did not react when they die in battle.

...

I see.

It was not that I was grieving for Alpha because I was close to him. It was because I did not want him to die and I thought I had enough power to not let him die. So I built an emotional connection with him.

But he did.

He died even before I knew it. I was as helpless as any civilian when it happened.

The strongest in the World.

How hallow must that title be if it did not allow me to achieve what I desire, instead it only brought destruction to the people around me.

I became angry, I became enraged. I seethe.

I tore my eyes off my commander's corpse and looked up to the sky. My eyes locked on the giant eagle who was flying above.

It did not take a genius to figure out that Mighty Eagle was the one who had caused this destruction. But how?

My mind worked with the clarity of a pond even when I was seething. With all the knowledge I held and analysing the events that just took place, it did not take me long to realize what happened and how he did it.

"I see."

*KAWWWWWWWWW!!!!!*

His victorious screech filled the sky and pierced my already ringing ear. He flapped his wings, causing a disturbance in the atmosphere as his gigantic body sailed through the air with the confidence of a king.

"SOLIDERS!!! REGROUP AND LAUNCH AN ATTACK!!!" I heard the yell of Master Sloth in the distance as I turned to look at them.

The soldiers who were not inside the valley started regrouping and marched towards me. They were still shocked and affected by the calamity that just struck but knowing that it was done by Mighty Eagle and seeing my army, which seemed invincible before, lay down and dead gave them enough motivation to approach me.

"THEY ARE DEFENSELESS!! LET US AVENGE OUR FALLEN COMRADES!!!"

"THE GOD OF THE SKY IS WITH US!! WE CANNOT LOSE THIS WAR!!"

They beat their drums, they beat their shield. The steps they took gained confidence as they gained distance. They started approaching me and since there was no longer a valley to protect us, they came in all their might.

200 thousand of them.

They surrounded me, they were like dark clouds that came from the East and promised a destructive storm. It was done, the war had been concluded.

They won the war.

"Is that what you think?" I asked in a whisper which was unheard and drowned into silence with all the sound they made.

My anger grew until it felt like it was going to suffocate me. I rage at their audacity and my Chi comes alive, it reacts to my anger and enhances it, like adding fuel to a burning fire.

Then I released all of my warth and my raging Chi to the outside world through a technique. My will bent the will of the world as it pressed down on reality, caving it and leaving a permanent mark.

A wave of Chi and anger, indistinguishable and one, burst out like an explosion of energy and willpower.

It shook the entire fallen valley and the clear sky quickly darkened as storm clouds made themselves known from above as if reflecting my anger.

*BOOOOOOOOM!!!!*

Conquerers Haki

It was a technique I had worked on since the beginning due to its sheer versatility in battle. It was a technique that allowed one to face off against an army without even having to lift a finger.

I have achieved a similar technique by mixing killing intent and Chi but it could never measure up to the real thing. But now I was finally able to replicate that technique.

My willpower exploded out in a bubble of dark grey energy as it continued ravaging reality like a constant sonic explosion. My willpower pressed on the world and onto every soldier present.

The lesser beings and the soldiers with weak willpower started dropping down like puppets as they were deemed unworthy to be in my presence. The presence of a Conquerer, a Supreme King.

In just a few seconds, almost all of the infantry fell unconscious with their eyes turning white and foam leaking out of their mouth. My willpower was something which simple mortals could not resist.

I stopped after a few seconds as the decrease in my Chi was too alarming. But by that time, the world had fallen into a sullen silence again. It was like a child who dared not make a sound before his angry father.

"haaa..." I breathe out sharply as I felt all my bubbling anger disappear. I also felt my will weaker than ever. If I had to explain it, the difference was like the will you had when you just woke up and the will you had right after being motivated by a speech.

But I shook my head and gathered myself.

Then my eyes looked up to the sky again. I met eyes with Migthy eagle who was flying around me like a vulture. His face was serious and grave.

Chicken was my favourite meat.

It was due to this reason that when I first met the messenger or even Master Crane, I wondered if they would taste like chicken.

It was a question that always plagued the furthest corner of my mind. Does the bird in this world taste like chicken? Or would they taste even better?

Today, I will find out.

"Run." I mouthed to Mighty Eagle and he did.

He flapped his mighty wings and took to the sky again. He was not exactly running away but he was preparing to execute the same attack for a second time.

While he was busy preparing for his trump attack, I turned my focus back on the battlefield.

My soldiers who were still alive were slowly waking up. My conquered Haki did not simply knock the enemy unconscious but it also worked to stir up my soldiers.

We have not lost yet.