Canvas City had always been a bustling metropolis, teeming with life and activity. Before the apocalypse, it was a sprawling urban center known for its diverse population, vibrant markets, and busy streets filled with people from all walks of life. Skyscrapers and residential buildings stood tall, and parks and recreational areas were scattered throughout the city, making it a lively and dynamic place to live.
One of the city’s most prominent features was the Great Shield Military Base. This massive installation was a symbol of security and strength, fortified with large, imposing black walls and buildings strategically positioned at the end of major highways. The base was equipped with advanced defense systems and had served as a bastion of safety and order before the world fell into chaos.
Currently, the Great Shield Military Base was packed with humans. Thousands of people were gathered around the walls of the base, all in formation and holding weapons. At first glance, it appeared to be a military force ready to defend, but a closer look revealed the harsh reality.
The people were malnourished, trembling, and holding only basic machetes and metal shields. They had no armor, and most were not even Level 1. It was clear that these civilians did not want to be there, but they dared not move. The fear was not due to the unknown enemies but to those who had taken control of the Great Shield Military Base and forced them into this predicament.
Inside the military base were nearly three hundred men, all exuding a sinister aura and possessing vitality far greater than those forced to protect the walls. These men were covered in tattoos, many sharing similarities that marked them as part of various gangs or groups. Their eyes were filled with malice, and their movements radiated a predatory confidence.
On top of the wall stood two men. One was nearly two meters tall, with large muscles, and the other was thin with very pale skin. Both men wore military uniforms that should belong to colonels, their bodies brimming with vitality, indicating their great strength.
"Marlon, how sure are you about the arrival of this force?" The bulky man spoke with a cold and solemn voice, his eyes narrowed as he looked into the distance.
"Tomas, I don’t believe a force capable of taking down one of our squads would make empty threats. I feel they will soon appear." The thin man’s voice was cold, and his eyes were sharp.
Marlon and Tomas were part of a small gang, nothing special, and they had been in prison when the apocalypse started. The duo awakened very powerful Gifts and used their power to take control of the prison, kill the demons that appeared, and rally the rest of the prisoners.
The duo then led the criminals to the only place they believed had the defensive power to help them face the demons: the Great Shield Military Base. The soldiers in the base had been fighting when the criminals arrived.
Marlon and Tomas could have led their group to help the soldiers, but instead, they waited until the original defenders of the Great Shield Military Base were exhausted to attack them and take control. After that, they began to take in civilians from all around, not out of kindness but to have servants who would do their bidding.
As the months passed and their power and status grew, the duo began to call themselves kings, declaring that people should either bow to them or face their fury. Things had gone great over the last few months, but everything changed three days ago.
One of their squads, which had gone out to explore and bring new servants, found a group of soldiers. Nine of their men were captured, and one was allowed to return to deliver a message: surrender within 72 hours or be marked as rebels and sentenced to death.
Of course, when the brothers heard the message, they were enraged and even killed the man who brought the news. There was no way they would surrender now that they finally lived like lords, so they decided to fight back.
The duo had no military experience whatsoever, so they packed the entrance of the Great Shield Military Base with civilians to act as meat shields. Neither Marlon nor Tomas expected much from these civilians; they just wanted to force the other side to expend their energy.
Then, the hundreds of criminals inside the Great Shield Military Base would march and attack, killing everybody. It was a crude plan, but not so bad, and the duo was sure of their chances of success, believing themselves to be super powerful by now.
However, all that bravado and arrogance did not last long as the sound of small blasts echoed in the distance. As Marlon and Tomas focused on the horizon, they saw a group approaching with such immense power that the earth actually trembled under their synchronized march.
The sight before them was awe-inspiring. Over 500 soldiers advanced in perfect formation, their footsteps pounding the ground in unison, creating a rhythmic and thunderous beat. Each soldier was clad in gleaming armor, their weapons meticulously maintained and deadly. The polished armor and weaponry glinted menacingly in the sunlight, a stark contrast to the ragtag group of criminals behind the walls.
This was no ordinary military force; it was a display of supreme power and impeccable discipline. The soldiers moved with precision, their movements synchronized to perfection. Every step, every breath, was a testament to their rigorous training. The aura they projected was so intense it felt like a tangible force, pressing down on everything in their path.
The disciplined ranks, the unified march, and the palpable sense of purpose emanating from the soldiers made it clear that this was a force to be reckoned with—a stark contrast to the criminal’s disorganized and fear-driven existence.
Leading the army was a colossal figure, a man whose presence dominated the battlefield. His towering body, almost three times larger than any other soldier, was encased in resplendent golden armor. He carried a massive shield on his back and a shining machete at his side. The sight of him alone was enough to instill both awe and dread.