Lord of Annihilation

A week later.

"Something good happen to you, Boss? You seem to be in an awfully good mood today." Olivia's second-in-command Wilkes gazed at his lady leader and surreptitiously asked.

Unable to hide the beaming smile on her face, Olivia, wearing a brand new purple-colored armor, cheerfully shook her head, turned to face Wilkes, and replied.

"Nothing in particular. Why?" Her words were unusually warm with joy apparent in her tone.

"No-nothing, Boss." Seeing those mysterious violet eyes staring at him, Wilkes suddenly felt flustered. He hurriedly turned his head away and thought to himself.

'Yep, something is definitely different with the Boss today. She's suddenly so…radiant!' 

Wilkes remembered when he had met her yesterday to discuss their preparations. 

Olivia's facial features had sunken further and the dark circles surrounding her eyes had become larger and darker. There was also a general irritable aura surrounding her, as Olivia was slightly short-tempered as a result of her weariness. 

Her dark gaze, coupled with her fluctuating murderous intent, kept Wilkes and the other Captains on the edge during yesterday's meeting. Rather than feeling like they were in a meeting with their leader, the Captains felt like they had awakened a dangerous, sleeping Wild Beast.

Recalling that feeling from yesterday, Wilkes' body faintly quivered. However, it only served to confuse him further as he looked at Olivia's behavior today.

Simply put, she was a completely different person!

Just as Wilkes further sunk into his musings, he felt his instincts tingle as the space near him suddenly twisted. Just as he was about to unsheathe his weapon, his body froze as an overwhelming pressure and dense murderous intent hit him.

Appearing out of thin air, was a cold-faced young man with long, straight black hair. His handsome face, which could straight up be considered as beautiful, radiated a sense of indifference and majesty.

For a moment, Wilkes thought that he was in the presence of a greater being that held his life and death in its hands. A sense of powerlessness and insignificance spread throughout his body, mind, and soul.

This feeling lasted for a few seconds before disappearing. That mighty, young man had already walked ahead and stood just beside their Boss.

'Lord Lucius…' As Wilkes' mind relaxed, a wave of respect and awe appeared within his heart.

This young man who stood beside their Boss was an invincible existence who had entered the realm of Stage 3. 

For someone who had lived his entire life on a backwater planet like Pectron, Stage 3 was the peak of power and the goal that Wilkes strived for.

'I could not feel him until he was right next to me. As expected of such a great existence.' Wilkes' thoughts had broken past the realm of respect, reaching the threshold of reverence.

His eyes then looked at the closely standing figures of Olivia and Lucius, and his mind drifted once again.

'Indeed, only someone as superior as him deserves our great Boss as his mate.'

Being an Oncanian, which was one of the many Beast-Human tribes, Wilkes saw the world from the perspective of a pack. Within the Beast-Human tribes, only the stronger, more superior males were given the right to mate with the females. The rest of the weaker ones had to leave the tribe if they wanted to sire a pack of their own.

Seeing his Boss, for whom he held nothing but respect and gratitude, be so close with that mighty Stage 3 being, immensely satisfied Wilkes' heart and instincts.

'I could not ask for a better pairing. Ah, seeing them like this, they do make a fine coup…le?' 

It was only then, did Wilkes' gaze land upon their clothing/armor. Apart from the obvious color difference, the two armors were virtually the same.

Wilkes' eyes constantly moved between both the figures. His eyes then landed on his Boss' radiant face, allowing him to finally realize the answer to his question.

'I see. So that's how it is.' A smile formed on Wilkes' canine face, as his hands unconsciously rubbed the bottom of his jaw. 

His head then turned to look towards the other Captains, who were looking at the two figures in the front with a similar expression. Wilkes and the other Captain's eyes met and they spontaneously nodded their heads in unison.

'We shall protect that smile till our final breath!'

An unspoken understanding/pact was formed between the soldiers at that moment.

----------

"How is the sword?" Lucius asked the dumbly smiling Olivia next to him.

The moment the sword was mentioned, Olivia's suppressed excitement burst out. She hurriedly nodded her head and spoke with an enthusiastic voice.

"It's so great! The length and weight distribution are just perfect and the handle fits so nicely in my hands!" 

Retrieving her sword from her sheath, Olivia swung it a few times to show Lucius and continued to speak with greater elation.

"Oh, and I thought that the design of the sword was a bit weird since it was so different from my previous one, but this design is so much better! My movements and attacks feel much smoother and sharper than before."

Lucius calmly nodded his head at her words and replied. "Good."

He then gestured to her new armor and continued. 

"The new equipment is less of an actual armor and more of an all-weather clothing. Don't count on it too much for protection."

Lucius then turned his head and faced the massive Teleportation Array in front of him.

"After we're done with your plan in Pectron, we'll leave and your training under me will officially start. It might take a few years depending on how fast you're able to reach Stage 3. During this period you'll not be able to contact anyone else. So if you have something to do, finish it before we leave."

Olivia nodded her head with greater zeal. The very prospect of leaving this paperwork hell made her incomparably joyous. Not to mention, she would be starting her training under Lucius.

'Hehehe, it will only be me and Lucius…alone in the void of space, filled with many dangers…who knows what'll happen? Maybe we will—hehehe!' 

Hiding her mouth beneath her hands, Olivia let out an excited giggle. She had automatically filtered out Ka'lor'ah from her pink-hued dreams.

Lucius looked at her buoyant excitement and trembling shoulders and thought to himself.

'She seems excited. That's good.' He reviewed the plan he had made for her training in his mind and continued. 'Let's hope that she keeps this excitement after we start.'

When Lucius had shown this training plan to Ka'lor'ah the day before, she had let out a scream in horror and had called him the 'Devil'. Lucius, as usual, had ignored her over-exaggerated reactions and finalized the training plan.

Alas, for once, Ka'lor'ah's reactions weren't over-exaggerated at all. 

----------

The 300m wide Teleportation Array in front of them hummed with massive fluctuations of energy. Stabilizers worked hard to keep the energy contained and prevent any explosions.

Before long, the gate started to open and the familiar blue-colored swirls of light formed in the center of the Teleportation Array.

Taking in a deep breath, Olivia stepped forwards first and yelled.

"Remember to stand tall, people! Don't falter! We have a show to put!"

Saying so, she took the first step and entered the Teleportation Array. Lucius entered next, followed by the Captains, the near-three-hundred warriors from Pectron, thousands of human soldiers carrying various artilleries, squadrons of mechs piloted by Mankind's best pilots, and a few dozen spacecraft.

On this day, led by the Violet Witch and backed by the 'Black Death', Mankind's strongest expeditionary forces set foot on Pectron. 

Mankind's proliferation into the Universe had begun, and the wheels of the Great Plan had begun to turn.

----------

Inside the Governor's office of Pandemonium's second-largest city, Fallen Rock.

"Lord Governor, we followed your orders and forced the guards of Pandemonium into more skirmishes. At this point, it's more or less confirmed that the Violet Witch is not within the city."  A female assistant nervously reported to the Stage 3 Terran in front of her.

"As I thought," The Governor nodded his head. "After causing such a big mess in Stellar Light city, that bitch was unusually silent. I knew something was fishy."

A vicious smirk appeared on his face as he continued.

"Nine months have passed. Either that bitch crawled back into the hole from which she came from, or died in some corner of this world."

He then leaned back into his seat and casually spoke. "Either way, it does not matter. Pandemonium will soon be mine."

Hearing his words, the female assistant kneeling before him, bit her lips. She cautiously raised her head and carefully spoke.

"My lord, is this decision wise?"

"Hmmm? Do you doubt my abilities?" The Governor slowly asked.

The assistant quickly shook her head and replied.

"Not at all, my lord! You're strength and wisdom are unmatched in this Universe!!" she hurriedly praised. 

Her expression then turned prudent as she continued. "It's just that…the Violet Witch is known for her cunning and schemes. Though she was in Stage 2, she delayed the assaults of a Stage 3 being for two years! Not to mention, later destroyed the Stellar Light City with her schemes."

"Apart from being a sore sight to look at, she has never really gone against our city. Our monthly profit dividend from the city is also great."

"There is also a rumor that the 'Faerie' from Moonwater City, owes the Violet Witch a favor. If we provoke an attack, that 'Faerie' might intervene and cause us trouble."

"There is also that old guy living in 'Gravity Falls City'. While he did not intervene during the Stellar Light City's chaos, his stance is still unclear and I'm afraid he might use this opportunity to---"

"Dia'ne." The Governor interrupted the assistant. 

Noting the solemnity of his voice, the assistant lowered her head and answered.

"Yes, lord Governor." 

"Have I ever feared a challenge?"

"No, lord Governor."

"Have I ever feared a scheme?"

"No, lord Governor."

"Have I ever settled for anything other than the best?"

"No, lord Governor."

Turning to gaze at the bustling city outside through his window, the Governor spoke with heavy gravitas.

"All these years, this city...my city, has been under the shadow of that Bertarian bastard. Not that he's dead and his city as fallen that place at the peak must be rightfully mine."

"Moonwater City is too closed and selective. It will never reach its peak. That cripple within Gravity Falls City is a coward and will not strive for the top. That leaves only two more cities…that wench's and mine."

"If this was a year ago, I would've let that city go." The gaze in his eyes sharpened, as he continued. "But, not anymore."

"Pandemonium is big of a piece of meat to be left under the hands of some Stage 2 junior. With it in my hand, my goal to rule over Pectron will near."

Turning around to face his assistant, he loudly laughed and thundered.

"So what if that Faerie intervenes?! I'll just kill her!"

"So what if that cripple makes trouble?! I'll cripple him even further!!"

"And so what if there are schemes?! Under my raw power, I will crush anything and everything in my path!!!"

Mid-Level Stage 3 aura burst from his body, quaking the entire office as a result. 

"WE LEAVE FOR WA---"

"LORD GOVERNOR!!" A hurried voice screamed in horror. The door to the Governor's office burst open and a panicked Terran rushed in.

"EMERGENCY!! Som-some strange vessels have arrived over this city!!"

Just as the Governor was about to ask the panting Terran for further details, Olivia's voice cheerfully resounded across the entire city of Fallen Rock.

{Hey Xe'ar!~ I hear you've been harassing my people and looking for me. Well, don't bother, 'cause I'm right here.}

Her voice suddenly turned sharp, as she coldly declared.

{And I've come to retrieve payment for the damages caused.}