Seeing a planet appear near them, everyone was delighted instead of shocked. The Awakened rushed inside the planet to plunder it. A new planet could supplement many Awakened and came with many unique resources. They could even make a Path Ancestor their slave.
The Sea Masters, however, remained hovering in space. A new planet had nothing that could interest them, but since their juniors had entered it, they could only wait. Every planet had a layer of protection that helped keep its interior safe from prying eyes. However, people inside the planet could clearly see what was happening in space.
Many Awakened entered together. They reached the protective layer and passed through it without any problem. They saw their bracelets flashing. These were made to help them float in space, but here inside the planet, where gravity was present, these bracelets became nothing more than their entry and exit passes. They quickly landed on the planet, but what they found inside was not the riches they had expected, but an army of Awakened.
In a large battlefield the armies were assembled to fight them. The Awakened did not back down. They started the fight as soon as they stepped on the land. They had thought that the battle will be easy as this is newly evolved planet, but the fighting continued to spread as more Awakened entered the newly appeared planet. The armies of the six Empires had never expected to encounter such resistance inside a planet they had assumed was unoccupied. Their opponents fought in organized formations, protecting their resources and refusing to surrender their positions. Every time an enemy fell, another soldier stepped forward to take their place. The ground became increasingly difficult to cross, and the advantage that the invading Awakened had expected to enjoy began to disappear.
The Sea Masters waiting outside felt that something was wrong. Why had not even one junior returned?
At first, they assumed their juniors were simply busy collecting resources or fighting over valuable discoveries. However, as time passed without a single Awakened returning, their expressions gradually changed.
One of them spoke at last.
"Should we go and check?"
"Let’s wait for some more time. If there is no response, we will also enter the planet." Leader said while looking at Adaptris Sea Masters.
Inside the planet, all the monarchs sat with Silas in the main hall. They listened to Silas very carefully.
"I think Earth arrived on a battlefield and now soldiers from all sides are rushing inside our planet. Do you see those rings and bracelets on the hands of every Awakened?"
Every monarch looked at the Awakened fighting their planet’s inhabitants. Everyone was wearing the same kind of ring and bracelet.
Seeing that all the monarchs had noticed the rings and bracelets, Silas continued.
"They are semi-artifacts. The function of the rings is storage, and those bracelets are like their keys for entering and exiting the planet."
The monarchs nodded.
"Now your aim is those rings. Take one from any Awakened, and you will find an option to imprint your Will on it after the Awakened dies. Imprint it with your Will and then you can go out to fight those Sea Masters outside. Bring as much rings as possible. They will have spirit stones inside them and also order your armies to bring out spirit stones from all the rings they collect."
All the monarchs nodded, clearly understanding the importance of Spirit Stones for Earth.
Roan was the first to stand. "My sword is itching to fight those Sea Masters outside. After ordering my army to collect the rings and taking one myself, I am going to test my Sea Master abilities."
After saying this, Roan flew out of the hall. All the other monarchs also went to their armies. Paul went to his continent.
The battlefield was already soaked in blood. Soldiers fought across the broken ground, their weapons colliding amid clouds of dust. Broken shields and shattered spears littered the area, while the cries of the wounded mixed with the roar of battle.
Rurak moved through the chaos, his eyes fixed on the enemies approaching from the front. He had already fought an opponent with cracked skin. His breathing was heavier than usual, and a shallow wound ran across his left arm. Still, his movements remained steady.
A figure emerged from behind a fallen tree. The man wore blue armor, and his skin glistened as though covered by a thin layer of water. He held no ordinary weapon. Instead, a transparent blade of water extended from his right hand, its edge so sharp that even the air around it seemed to tremble.
Neither man recognized the other. The stranger looked at Rurak.
"Move aside," he said. "I have no interest in wasting time on you."
Rurak glanced at the water blade but didn’t speak. The man’s expression hardened.
"You’re making a foolish decision fighting a Aqualen."
Rurak once again remained silent, but this time, neither waited for the other to speak again.
The Aqualen moved first. His water blade swept toward Rurak’s neck with startling speed. Rurak bent backward. The blade passed over his face, cutting several strands of hair. He immediately stepped forward and threw a punch at the Aqualen’s chest.
The Aqualen twisted aside. Rurak’s fist brushed his armor, but before he could withdraw it, the Aqualen’s elbow struck his shoulder. Rurak staggered. The water blade followed, slashing toward his ribs. He crossed his arm to block the attack. A sharp pain shot through his forearm, but his body and emotions were already under his control.
Blood spilled onto the ground. Rurak retreated several steps, staring at the wound.
It’s not an ordinary weapon. Probably their Path ability. I should have also selected a Life Will Weapon.
Across from him, the Aqualen examined his own chest. Rurak’s punch had left a dent in his armor. His expression changed slightly. He had expected the young man to be much weaker.
"Not bad," he said. "You have some strength."
Rurak ignored the remark. His eyes remained fixed on the water blade. The weapon’s shape shifted slightly as the stranger moved his wrist. It was not entirely solid, yet its edge was sharper than steel. More importantly, the man wielding it seemed unusually comfortable with it at close range.