An enormous storm of directed fire cut across the firing lanes cleared out just hours ago by the Republic’s forces. Thunderbolt’s Alpha Company, who had returned to full strength, wasn’t even firing, as virtually everyone who was watching from above shuddered at the insane volume of the first volley of fire.

Hundreds of Palisades had been redirected to face the incoming fire, but against emplaced Limitless Shots, and around forty-two thousand soldiers firing their own Straight Shots each…

In the face of such an attack, Captain Aziz could only commend their quick thinking in bringing about their best defences to bear. The enemy troops were also beginning to use their own individual abilities and artefacts, causing some disorder within their ranks.

But none of that mattered if the only outcome was the ability to add a tiny bit more to the defences around them.

Time seemed to slow for a moment as the enormous hail of qi projectiles neared the last-ditch, all-out defences of the enemy troops. The captain could see the looks of fear that dotted the faces of every human present.

The myriad of defences that had been called up shattered as the wave of attacks crashed into it. Virtually every single shield that had been projected out from the Palisades shattered almost immediately on contact, and the others lasted only a fraction of a second longer.

And then the deaths began to rack up.

Thousands of soldiers standing at the front turned to fleshy pulp immediately, as three divisions’ worth of fire slammed into them. The next few ranks didn’t fare any better, as most of the attacks had retained enough penetrating power to injure the people behind them. Thousands of other men, who were lucky enough not to be in the first few ranks of the formation, crumpled over as the Limitless Shots began to fire in earnest.

But the Straight Shot could fire quite a few times before needing to be reloaded. The only reason why the soldiers of the Third to Fifth Divisions fired as a volley was to ensure coordinated fire, and nothing else.

No one lived through the second volley, and as the last man toppled over to the ground, silence dominated the battlefield. Seconds passed in utter silence — but Aziz didn’t know if it was the result of joy…or horror at what they had collectively done.

In front of them weren’t humans. Nor were they human bodies. Just an agglutination of human flesh, blasted and pounded to pulp, unrecognisable to anyone. The captain couldn’t help but feel sorrow at this sight.

Sorrow for the soldiers, led by incompetent commanders.

Sorrow for the family of the fallen.

And sorrow for the fact that warfare from now on would rarely leave anyone with a complete corpse. When the next battle began…what would it look like? He’d brought back doctrines from the North about how battles between two modern forces would look like, but they were just words.

The result was right in front of him. Where the killing field was. The captain closed his eyes, unsure of what to think.

But others weren’t like him. A rousing cry came from someone inside the infantry divisions, and the others followed. Soon, the Republic’s forces were all cheering, crying out at their perfect victory, as though as doing so would ease their minds from the deaths of so many humans.

“EQUALITY! LIBERTY!”

“EQUALITY! LIBERTY!”

“EQUALITY! LIBERTY!”

“FOR THE REPUBLIC!”

Cheers and slogans resounded throughout the battlefield, as the encirclement broke up into a disorderly mess. The soldiers had somehow managed to toss aside their fear and apprehension, and were now celebrating raucously. The First to the Twelfth Infantry Divisions regrouped as they cheered, while the Republic’s Knights handled the remains of the human forces by creating a blazing inferno.

Perhaps I’m the odd one, thought Aziz. How many fools are there in the Five Lands that would grieve for the fallen?

He looked at the reunited Thunderbolt Battalion. Not all of them were beastfolk — humans made up a great number now — but he couldn’t spot anything in their face that hinted at sorrow or distaste. There were a lot of mysteries surrounding the Republic, now that he thought of it.

Why were humans willing to help? For Aziz, he’d long seen himself as part of the beastfolk, even if he wasn’t one himself. He’d grown up with his friends, and watched as one after another died at the hands of the humans.

But the new conscripts, the new soldiers…it was impossible that all of them had a shared history with the beastfolk like he did. Why, then, did so many humans join their ranks?

“Marie.”

“Something on your mind, Aziz?” The colonel looked at him, curious.

“Just a question. Why are so many humans willing to join us, and fight against their own kind? I know it sounds weird, coming from a human, but surely all of them can’t have the same experience I had.”

She smiled. “Listen to their cheers.”

“Equality? Liberty?” The captain shook his head. “I don’t get it.”

“The people who’ve joined us are fighting for a world without unfairness, one that treats everyone regardless of their background the same way.” She shook her head. “It’s not a racial war. It stopped being a racial war a few months ago. Our desire to be treated like the humans have been subsumed under a greater cause.”

“You mean—”

Aziz stopped talking. An immense presence had appeared, a few kilometres away from the infantry troops, and he saw a huge person where the presence was. The person was flickering, translucent, but even then, the captain could feel the immense power radiating off him.

“A Demigod.”

“That’s the third one I’ve seen this year,” Captain Aziz muttered. “What happened to them being asleep or serving the gods?”

“Shush. He looks like he has something to say.”

A few moments passed, moments in which the infantry divisions took on a wary pose. Thunderbolt Battalion had spread itself out, forming a crescent directed at the Demigod.

“Rest assured, citizens of the Republic of Francois. I am Demigod Nox, chosen of the Human God. I’m here to negotiate a ceasefire, effective immediately. The Assembly will cede all conquered territory, and renounce all claims on cities within the Republic’s jurisdiction.” The Demigod folded his arms. “Furthermore, I’m here to extend an invitation to the leaders of the Republic, to witness my ascension in the tier two city of Lumari next Friday, a week from now.”

“Rest assured,” continued the Demigod, “I have no interest in mortal politics. I give you my word.”

Demigod Nox vanished, the only trace that he’d ever existed the echoes of his voice.

But Aziz’s heart was still pounding madly.