747 Mars War
Sia didn't know what happened, but Varian seemed a bit different after she woke up.
He seemed fine all the time, but now, something was different. It's like he let go of something weighing on him.
Sia tried asking him, but Varian merely smiled and walked to her.
To her surprise, the distance between them was cut short to three feet.
"…how?"
"Secret," Varian said with a cheeky smile.
Enigma assured him that Sia wouldn't know what happened. Even though he didn't like to keep secrets from her, some things were better off not said.
"You…" Sia pouted as she gave him a resentful look.
But realizing it's not gonna get him to spill the beans, she walked into the command center and studied the latest developments.
Varian stood behind her. Even though they still had a significant distance, due to their levels, it felt like they were standing next to each other.
Feeling his hot breath on her back, Sia's face flushed lightly and she stepped to the right.
'Focus! Sia, Foc…..'
Varian stood behind her and Sia chewed her lips in frustration.
'He's doing it on purpose!'
After all this time of solitude, she was aching for a warm hug. Feeling his presence so up close, Sia felt more and more unbearable.
Even though she kept staring at the holograms displaying the mars' planetoids' conditions, nothing was registering in her brain.
'I…I need a hug…no, I need to see the situation…no, a hug…'
As her internal conflict continued to escalate, Sia suddenly felt a warmth covering her.
Two warm hands wrapped around her waist, a large and sturdy chest touching her back.
Even though Sia knew this was only created through Varian's telekinetic power, she closed her eyes.
"Thank You…" Her lips curled into a smile and she chirped in a happy voice, like a little girl that got candy.
Varian scratched his head. 'Where is my hug?'
But he didn't disturb her by asking.
Even though he realized his actions in revenge were impulsive, if he's given another chance, he'd still pursue revenge, minus Kreo's daughter.
'On the bright side, I got rid of a Psychic Sovereign.'
Compared to Julius who could at most kill, Kreo was much more dangerous. If he captured Sia or Sarah, he could erase their memories of him, completely this time.
Of course, mind awakeners have a very strong resistance to memory manipulation. That's the reason Roxanne didn't try to brainwash Sia. Roxanne wanted to exploit her, not cripple her golden goose.
Even then, Kreo would've been able to tamper with their minds and cause big problems.
'No use crying over spilled milk.'
Varian pulled a drawer and called Boo.
The reliable ghost showed him the condensed news, including the relevant footage.
"It started?"
Varian narrowed his eyes.
— — — —
Varian's plan was adopted and modified by the high generals to suit the situation.
In essence, it relied on a single principle.
"Appear strong when you are weak, appear weak when you are strong."
Since they're weak, they needed to appear strong.
What would a strong party do after gathering their forces on the planetoids?
Of course, they attacked.
They didn't pull any punches and went all out.
First, they started with skirmishes—short, intense battles aimed to disrupt the enemy's balance and boost their own morale— all over the planetoids.
Varian's written plan ended here.
From here on was the generals' handwriting.
The wars suddenly escalated.
On a planetoid, like all others, humans and abyssals faced off each other.
From the clouds, it seemed like the collision of countless black dots and countless gray dots. It reminded one of the scenes of two ant colonies confronting each other.
The two level 7 commanders were in the army base, but their eyes were closed as they faced off their counterparts.
They were fighting each other in the illusion constructed from their minds.
"Your time has come to a close, the pattern of planetoids will change." The human commander declared with confidence close to conviction.
One-half of the illusion world was dyed blue. It was his side.
"Heh. Empty confidence." The abyssal commander laughed. "Just like your empty strength."
The other half was red. It was the abyssal's side.
"See for yourself!"
A huge spear materialized itself in the blue sky. Splitting the blue lands below with its sheer speed, it shot toward the abyssal.
"Futile!"
A giant red shield materialized itself in front of the abyssal and blocked the spear.
The world shook violently as the spear gained an upper hand and broke through the shield.
The blue world grew a bit dominant and swallowed a portion of the red world.
The abyssal's face paled as he felt the pain in his psychic power. His chest heaved up and down as he stared at the enemy with hatred.
"You'll pay!"
"Don't bark too much."
As the battle of the commanders escalated, the battlefield ended up a mix of brilliant colors.
Icy blue arrows and bloody red spears flew rained from the sky. Mud-colored spike balls attached to lightning chains moved across the battlefield as they skewered enemies like squashing bugs.
In the huge battle involving more than ten thousand soldiers on each side, the right-most regiment was headed by a very competent officer.
Xavier Bell.
Standing on top of a guarded tower, he said with a serious expression. "A-1, smash the lightning awakeners. I'll take care of the earthern guys."
"Yes, Sir."
The reply came and a platoon of eighty soldiers changed their course.
Dropping their caution to the wind, they charged forward.
The abyssals noticed their change and the earth awakeners channeled their mana.
They decided to split the ground in front of the awakeners and attack with them lethal spikes from behind.
With their agility, the platoon would be able to dodge them. But doing so, they'd expose themselves to the lightning abyssals behind them.
"Hahaha! Come!"
Imagining the platoon electrocuting to death, the earth awakeners abyssals laughed and raised their hands to split the ground.
"Di—"
Their smiles froze and their eyes widened as an unimaginable pain assaulted their minds.
"Argh…!"
"Mind Awake…"
"Attac…"
The lightning abyssals realized what happened and were about to withdraw when the A-1 soldiers burst into a sprint and closed the distance.
The next thing they knew, a flurry of lethal punches and kicks rained down on their body and the world turned black.
