Island Cluster 2, July 20.

Somewhere in Island Cluster 2, in the Planet of Zeoter. There is a huge city filled with people, surrounded by wildflowers, farms, fruits, and vegetables. Rivers running through the city. It was a Picturesque city.

This was the city of ZA1.

ZA1 Military Command Centre...

Currently, there was a meeting going on inside the meeting room.

"How many did we lose today?" Asked General Rick with a deep voice.

"1 million, and 37 thousand, Sir!" Replied one of the commanders.

Everyone in the room went silent. They are currently losing the war. they have been in the front line, and have seen those monsters with their own eyes. The sheer size of those Leviathans sends shivers down their spines.

They have been fighting for around 3 months now, and haven't dealt with any major blows to the enemies, which was frustrating everybody in the room.

"What's the status of the other civilians? I heard there is unrest, and some people were causing trouble?" Rick asks with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, we are facing a little problem. People are getting more anxious, and some rumors have been running around that, if they worship the Entomons, they won’t face any harm." Replied one of his officers.

"Find out the source and kill them. We can’t have any distractions and waste our energy, and time on these people. Kill every Notata you find, I will take the responsibility. Send out orders, create a new law which says, anyone who associates with the Notata, they will be deemed as criminals and face the same consequences.” Ordered Rick.

“But, sir…”

“Stop!” Rick stops him from continuing. “Right now it’s a military state. So we make the rules. Anyone who disagrees arrests them. While you are at it, announced a big sum of rewards to the people who exposed Notata or anyone who associates with them.” Rick said with a resolute face. No one can dispute his orders.

"Yes, General." Colonel Mason gave a salute and left the building.

"General! We might have some issues with Notata. They have some connections with the Overseers and backings from powerful merchants. The Overseers are administrators who have power and influence within the systems. We can't do anything to these people, and they are important people who are managing the cities." Reported one of the officers.

"General! The higher-ups want to speak with you." One of the subordinates interrupted the meeting.

“Alright!”

General Rick stood and walked left the meeting room. He went into a secret chamber and connects to the military virtual network, and with a flash, he was inside a virtual room. He saw a person sitting on a chair. It was Marshal of the Air, Colton. He gave him a nod and sits down on a chair.

"Marshal of the Air force, Colton…!"

"General, Rick…!"

Both of them exchange their greetings.

"How is the situation in Perseus and Island Clusters?" Asked Colton.

"The situation is not very good," Rick replied shaking his head. "We cannot prolong the war. We only have 41 planets in PE2 and PE5 clusters, and 6 planets in Island Clusters. These are newly explored cluster so our foundation is not deep. The resources are draining rapidly, and the people are in a panic. Without a proper functioning society, the production line has been affected.

The merchants and the Overseers are creating more problems for us. The deaths keep piling up every day. I don't think we can last another month." Rick pours out his frustration.

"I see... Good thing Lord Adril foresaw this situation. His foresight is very far, that's why he is recalling everyone back, each and every one of you. Now, you are to command everyone outside of the Sol Cluster and bring them back to our Solar system within 5 days. That is your current assignment?" Colton gave his order...

"Yes, Marshal of the Air." Rick stood up and salutes Colton.

"From now on, it’s a police state. So, you are the law, and you don't need to be worried about some pesky merchants or the Overseers. Everybody will eat the same meal unless you have high contribution points. From today onwards, the currency is contribution points. I bet you and your soldiers will be rich when you return back to Earth.”

“HA HA HA..."

Colton laughs loudly. "See you in 5 days, General!"

With that, Colton cut off the communication, and vanish into thin air.

Rick also exits the virtual room.

“Beep, Beep, Beep…”

His wrist made a sound when he walked out of the chamber. He taps his bracelet and opens up a screen. On the screen, it shows a few sentences "You have to treat me with the oldest wine when you come back wink emoji."

‘That greedy bastard.’ He cursed in his mind. It was Marshal Colton. The wine he talks about is the 500 to 600-year-old wine, and It cost a fortune.

When he talks about him becoming rich is when he saw the 3 codes. That's the code of an emergency bomb called the X-UVA Bomb that is buried deep within the planets with a blast radius of 20 light minutes (speed of light in minutes).

The long name is Ultra-Violet Antimatter Bomb and they come with different grades. X-UVAB means one of the special grades which is top secret even within the military. These bombs are one of the strongest bombs ever made by humans. Only use in an emergency situation like this. No one knows about it except for the General rank officers. Not even the Lords and Elders knew about it unless they have security clearance.

With these arsenals in his hand. He should be able to kill a few 100s of billions of Entomons and make tons of contribution points. Now he understands why Colton was asking for the 6th-century wine.

"That bastard!!”

“He must be itching with jealousy right now." Rick curse Colton.

"Achoo... ." Colton sneeze. "I think the weather is cold today. I should wear an insulator." He sniffles his nose and walks around the camp with deep thoughts. He was thinking about strategies to kill the 3 Leviathans without letting them escape, and fast before the reinforcement arrives.

---------------------------------

Meanwhile in Zeoter

"General!!" Everyone is waiting for you to make a decision and give orders. Everyone stood up when they saw General Rick enters the meeting room.

General Rick calmly sat down in his chair and look at every one.

"Kill every Notata and the people who associate with them.” Rick gave out his orders. Everyone was startled.

“But sir…” A subordinate tried to speak out. But Rick raises his hand and stops him.

“Lieutenant General Gordon!!”

“Send out commands to all of the planets in Perseus and Island Clusters for a retreat. Declare a police state and start loading the people and cargos for escape. I want everything to be in an organized manner. Those who tried to cause any scene, arrest them and if they resist, execute them on the spot.”

“ARE WE CLEAR?" General Rick shouted.

"WE ARE CLEAR SIR!!" Everyone in the room stood up and shouted with a salute.

"Now, disperse!!"

Rick shouted and left the room. Everyone walks out of the room and started putting things into actions, giving out orders to their subordinates and communicating with other planets. Everyone got themselves busy.

General Rick was in his office thinking of a plan on how to lure the Entomons in the 3 planets and blast them into pieces.

"Lieutenant Amelia!" Rick calls out.

"Yes General!" Amelia rushes in and gave a salute. Lieutenant Amelia was a non-combat officer and she is one of the management officers. Management officers mostly manage military resources and information.

"How much meat reserves do we have?" Rick went straight to the point.

"Sir, We currently have 14 billion tons of meat reserves on planet Zeotar?" Amelia answered. "And we have 27 billion metric tons of meat from all of the 5 planets in Zeotar solar system. But we don't have any meat farms on the other remaining planets. They are only for mining minerals. The atmosphere is inhabitable and unsuitable for terraforming." She continued.

Rick felt annoyed with her continuous explanation. "Do I look stupid?" He asks with stern eyes.

"I'm the highest in command here, and I’m in charge of this whole cluster. Do you think I wouldn't understand the situations in my own backyard?"

Rick was angry. She could have just given him the numbers, but she goes on about the farming conditions and terraforming, which was clearly unrelated to the question.

With his status and how long he has been on this cluster, it’s obvious that he knows everything about the planets., if he doesn't know his surroundings under his control, would he be a General?.

"Whaa Whaa... !!"

Amelia was startled. Feeling the stern eyes from General Rick, she was frozen. She didn’t know what to do, and she was panicking inside. She was new to her job and she just got transferred here, 3 months ago. So, she doesn’t know the temperament of General Rick.

‘I’m fucked!’ She screamed in her mind.

She had never been in this kind of situation. she was very confused and start tearing up.

This woman? General Rick was surprised.

"Stop crying!” Rick shouted. She timidly wipes her tears.

He wondered why he flared up all of a sudden. Maybe he was too stressed because of the war or because she reminds him of someone. Rick was having doubts. Everyone in the headquarters knows he doesn't like babysitting any inexperienced soldiers because they were just a distraction to him. So, who send her here? Not many people can enter his Army Group because the bar was set so high that it’s almost impossible for ordinary or inexperienced soldiers to enter his Army Group.

‘To pull this kind of trick, they must be someone above me in the ranking. The Lords of Union High Council won't dare to play this kind of trick to me. Lord AdriI is 100% out. He doesn’t play these types of tricks. It must be those 3 old fogies.’ He came to the conclusion.

"I'll pay them back when I return." Rick clenched his fist. He has the temperament of a magnificent untamed wild stallion. He was too dazzling for him to be left alone, everyone wants a piece of him. He was also the youngest General whose combat power is on par with Field Marshal Brayden.

Somewhere on the corner of Earth, three old men suddenly felt a chill on their backs.

‘Such a heavy killing intent, and with such animosity. Who could it be?’ They thought. They look up in the sky in the direction of the Island 2 cluster. They suddenly felt a little restless.

In the room, Rick could be seen holding his head and sighing continuously with a confused look on his face. In front of him stands a girl with puffy cheeks, trying to hold back her tears, and snot. She looks comical and cute.

Rick sigh and took a deep breath. At the end of the day, she is just an innocent girl, who hasn't done anything wrong. She was just doing her job and trying to fully explain all of the situations, afraid to miss out on anything.

"Sorry about that! I don't know why I lash it out on you. I suddenly got annoyed with your over-explaining because It reminded me of some annoying bastard." Rick said sorry and explained the reason behind it.

"No no... General! It was my fault. It was because of my poor choices of words." Amelia stammered and hurriedly explain.

"Enough!!”

“Let's leave everything behind. Instead, I'll ask you some questions. Who is your father?" Asked Rick.

"Aiden Balfe. Sir!." Replied Amelia.

"What’s your grandfather?" Rick asks again.

"Aizel Balfe. Sir!" Replied Amelia.

Rick was startled. "So, you are the granddaughter of that annoying old bastard." Rick murmured.

‘That explains everything. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.’ He thought.

I should have known when Amelia’s last name is Balfe. I haven't closely paid attention to her before, and she must be from the new batch."

"Alright, sit down," Rick ordered. Amelia sat down timidly with her head down like a puppy.

She was thinking. ‘This is too shameful. I cried and almost snot in front of General Rick.’ She screams in her mind.

Rick looked at her and thought, ‘She is too comical. Just like her old man.’

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Somewhere on Earth, in a science laboratory.

"Achoo... ."

"Who is cursing me behind my back?" Aizel shouted. He suspiciously looked at his colleagues who were busy working on their own projects.

"We didn't." Replied one of the young colleagues, and murmur to next to his friend. "What's wrong with Professor Aizel?" He asked. His name was Arnost. He is a scientist that just arrived from other planets.

"These days___He is going senile." Joe sighed and replied with a bitter smile.

“Poor professor. He is currently leading the project on time machine. He is burdened with the heaviest responsibilities, and he hasn't slept for days. His temper is flaring up from time to time, and it’s getting worse.”

"Should we report this to the higher-ups? He never listens to us, and he hasn't slept for days. His brain may go haywire if this continues, and that will be a disaster." One of the scientists pitches in, looking a little worried.

"I think we should. That may be the best option, and we can’t let this continue." Joe replied.

That day, Lord Adril ordered Professor Aizel to take a break for 7 days, as a punishment. It was a harsh punishment for Aizel especially because he knew how precious “time” was. In 7 days, he could have accomplished many things.

He pleaded Lord Adril to cut down the punishment, but the answer he got was... "You are the one creating problems for others. This is a team project, and don't be too self-centered. Working tirelessly for days, without any rest is not helping anyone. You just made everyone worry.

Working like a madman is not helpful to anyone. Especially you! Do you know what mad scientists are good at? Failure, and explosions to their face. The success rate falls below 5%.

A proven theory doesn't mean success in practicals. Nothing can be accomplished without the right mind. Now go and reflect upon yourself, and stop wasting everyone's time." Adril scolded harshly.