The sky above Forsaken Land darkened, not with storm clouds but with the shadows of countless creatures. The Freedom Force, the last bastion of ancient summoners and lost arts, had begun its march.
From the barren cliffs to the deep valleys, from hidden cities beneath the earth to temples that floated in midair, hundreds of thousands of Summoners gathered. Each carried a distinct aura, their bodies marked by magical beasts, ancient contracts, or forbidden spells. They were soldiers, rebels, monks, mercenaries—and monsters in their own right.
The Great Call had echoed across the world three days ago. A telepathic signal, only Summoners could hear, transmitted through the ley lines of the world, vibrating through every bond between human and beast. The words had been simple:
"Prepare. The path to the Perfect Society opens in seven days. March with us, or be crushed beneath the wheel of fate."
Some arrived on massive winged beasts—Wyverns, gryphons, bone crows, and silver-winged tigers.
Some special people rode the mighty Dragons, each carried features of their elemental affinity.
In addition, Giant aquatic beasts emerged from the deep rivers, carrying aquatic summoners in domed vehicles of coral and glass. Even specters rode ghostly horses across the skies.
The Freedom Force had never before revealed the full extent of their hidden strength.
Many had assumed they were merely a rogue army of failed warriors. But today, that image shattered.
Igaris stood at the edge of a vast black cliff, his arms folded. He was inwardly surprised by the numbers of Freedom Force. Hundreds of thousands. Compared to their army, his own was very pale in comparison.
Below him stretched a seemingly endless army. The valley was filled with war formations, squad leaders barking orders, and magical beasts roaring as they were restrained by their tamers. War drums echoed across the jagged stone.
Leonardo, with his arms behind his back, approached him.
"You see now?" he said. "This is no longer just about survival. It’s a movement. A revolution. One that is approved by the mighty Gods."
"Approved by the mighty Gods?"
Igaris didn’t respond immediately. His gaze drifted to the east, toward the vast expanse of obsidian waters glittering in the morning light: the Black Ocean.
"Will we really cross that in three days?" he finally asked.
Leonardo smiled faintly. "You think the Freedom Force planned a direct assault on the Perfect Society without preparing the impossible?"
He gestured with his hand, and a glowing formation lit up the sky.
Across the edge of the cliff, hundreds of summoners raised their hands. Ancient glyphs formed in the air. Whales the size of castles emerged from the depths, their skin armored in crystal plating. Krakens roared as they surfaced, shaking off centuries of slumber. Giant floating turtles, islands upon their backs, let out bellowing groans as they opened their maws to receive passengers.
And then, from the horizon, came the Heaven Piercers.
Skyships—massive vessels powered by wind spirits and arcane cores—descended in squadrons, ropes of light unfurling like ladders. Each ship could carry thousands.
They were shaped like birds of prey, wings extended, tails etched with sigils that bent gravity itself.
Igaris clenched his fists. "One day I will make my army like them, no, far more powerful than them."
Uncaring about his feelings, the crowd began moving.
Igaris and Leonard also descended to the central platform, where Nina, dressed in a silver robe trimmed with scarlet, waited atop her summoned beast—the Wind Wyvern.
"Are you ready, Darkfire?" she teased, flashing him a smirk."Once we cross this ocean, there’s no turning back."
"Although we aren’t planning to," she replied, flipping her hair. "The Perfect Society burned too many of our people alive. It’s time they choke on our fury."
Igaris didn’t respond, remaining silent as usual. But inwardly, he couldn’t help but feel the chances of Perfect Society winning becoming low in his estimation.
"Can the Mechas really defend against such a terryfying force?"
Inwardly, he was a little unsure because he had never seen a Mecha’s capability with his own eyes.
Behind them, battalions began boarding the skyships and sea beasts. Spirit Beasts-powered elevators lifted troops into the bellies of mechanical turtles.
Flying whales dipped low to receive passengers through glowing orifices in their sides. Lines of fire spirits and wind elementals kept order, guiding even the wildest units with forceful discipline.
It was a harmony of chaos. A military machine of summoners, ancient creatures, and spectral transport moving as one.
Three massive beacons of crimson, gold, and azure, ignited in the distance. They were markers, carved into the sky by some Lord Rank Summoners from Freedom Force.
These would guide the army’s path across the Black Ocean.
The journey would be perilous.
The Black Ocean wasn’t just water. It was a corrupted sea left behind by the Ancient Last War, where the Architect sealed the Void Beasts thousands of years ago.
Even now, distorted sea beasts and fragments of divine energy lingered beneath its surface.
But the Freedom Force appeared fully prepared.
They would cross it in 3 days, using spiritual tides, leyline manipulation, and Void-resistant shields powered by Spirit Stones. A feat no army had attempted in the last millennium.
A Sky rumbling voice echoed from a humanoid figure with Dragonification features.
"He is Marshal Draco. He will be leading the invasion as the Supreme Commander."
As the final units began their ascent into the skyships, Leonardo turned to Igaris.
"Igaris, you’re not my apprentice. But I must warn you strictly, just in case that You should never disobey any of his command nor any other higher officials. Your life now belongs to Freedom Force. You live or die with Freedom Force.
"You will lead the Spearhead Unit. You’ll be the first to land on Perfect Society’s western front."
Igaris raised an eyebrow. "Why me?"
"Because you’re a monster," Leonard said simply. "And monsters are the best weapon against the devils waiting on the other side."
A momentary silence settled.
Then, the horns blew.
A deep, droning sound that echoed across the sky and sea.
From the cliffs of Ashvale, the army charged forward. Skyships lifted in synchronized harmony. Sea beasts dove into the black waters, parting waves with explosive force. Storms brewed as the old ocean resisted their passage.
But their unrelenting march would continue even it means going against all odds.
And where Igaris’s destiny would lead him, only time would tell.