Chapter 24: Chapter 25 – Invasion

“Lord Theseus! Lord Theseus! We’re under attack!” Captain Centos exclaimed, out of breath.

“What’s going on?” Theseus stood up from his desk, which was immersed in paperwork.

“Lord Achilles, Lord Capricorn, and Lord Scorpius are attacking!” Centos could barely stand from running all the way to Oceanus City.

“More information Captain. I need more information. Where, and how many?”

Theseus tried to shake the Captain physically, but Centos was too exasperated.

“Two fronts, Lord Capricorn on one with six Captains, three from her territory, and three from Scorpius.

The other front has Lord Achilles with six Captains and the same composition. Scorpius didn’t come.” Centos gasped out.

“Hmm, send Aries and the Captains against Achilles. I’ll face Capricorn alone.”

“Are you sure Lord Theseus?” Centos asked, wide-eyed.

“I’m sure.” Theseus stood up and explained to Leo what was happening.

“Go with Aries, I’m more than enough to face Capricorn.”

Leo was growing more and more scared of Theseus by the day. How in the world did his little buddy end up this powerful?

“Fine, but be careful Theseus.” Leo responded.

Theseus nodded, and the three left the city.

Out on the Oceanus plains between the borders, Achilles had his encampment set up while Lord Capricorn snuck through the Phaunus Forest with her small army. It was a daring plan. Theseus’s speed could intercept Lord Capricorn, but mobilizing two fronts was impossible for Theseus.

Four Captains and Theseus’s army swiftly arrived with Aries.

“Your puny army doesn’t stand a chance against us!” Lord Achilles yelled with his aura.

“Arrogant bastard.” Aries muttered, but then froze. Lord Achilles was stronger than he remembered. When did he break through the D Rank?

***

Theseus travelled alone into the Phaunus Forest where Lord Capricorn awaited his arrival.

“Come to make terms?” Lord Capricorn instantly noticed his presence in their camp.

“Terms? Does an invasion warrant pleasantries?” Theseus was annoyed.

“Come on now, Lord Theseus. You alone cannot defeat Six Captains and a Suzerain Lord yourself!” Lord Capricorn laughed, and her subordinated pulled out a table for negotiation to put in the middle of the camp.

Little did Lord Capricorn know, Theseus’s skills laid down a firm foundation, deeper than any of the other Suzerain Lords apart from Lord Darkin. If Theseus wanted, he could hold is aura at the Royalty Realm for weeks. This strength was unprecedented among the Suzerain Lords, and although Lord Capricorn was also at the F Rank, Theseus’s raw skill and foundation would be enough to defeat her and her army.

Able to use more aura than he was supposed to, Theseus could use multiple people’s aura at the same time. Although he was the F Rank, his combat ability was far above his peers, and was alone, a one-man army. In terms of ability, he was as strong as three F Ranks at once. Against a D or C Rank King or Queen, this would not be enough, but against Lord Capricorn and her army, Theseus could win.

“I’ll listen to what you have to say.” Theseus sat down for negotiations but had no intention of agreeing. After all, he knew Lord Capricorn was famous for her mind, not her strength. A battle of wits was what Lord Capricorn wanted.

“Wonderful.” Lord Capricorn also sat down.

“You are in a tough position here. You’re outnumbered two to one, and by the time your ally Lord Jezebel gets here, it will be too late for Oceanus.

My proposition is for you to enter my alliance. I have no intention of taking your land, much to Lord Achilles’s loss.” Lord Capricorn smiled deviously. Preparing a double cross to seize Lord Achilles’s large land was always the goal for her.

“You tricked Achilles into thinking this was a land grab but want his land instead.” Theseus explained, knowing Capricorn was even shrewder than rumored.

“With the looming threat of Lord Darkin, we can’t afford needless casualties and squabbles. I want to create an alliance with us four, Lord Theseus, Lord Jezebel, Lord Achilles, and myself. Lord Scorpius lent his men for us, but he has no intention of getting overly involved.

Four Lords should be enough to face Lord Darkin before he reaches the C Rank, especially since your head Captain might as well be at a Suzerain Lord’s level. He runs the day-to-day operations Lord Virgo used to, correct?”

Lord Capricorn’s research was thorough. Theseus was impressed.

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“That is indeed right. What’s the catch? You wouldn’t have brough your army here if that was all.” Theseus observed.

“Obviously not. You’re sharper than you appear, Lord Theseus. When the threat of Lord Darkin has passed, I want exclusive rights to the Lord Darkin’s territory. This is my final offer.” Lord Capricorn’s true nature showed. Lord Darkin was just an excuse to form a four-territory superpower, led by Lord Capricorn herself. After Darkin fell, Capricorn would absorb the strongest territory for herself.

“Your plan has a fatal flaw.” Theseus bragged.

“And what would that be?” Lord Capricorn cautiously asked.

“Your jealousy and greed won’t stop there. What’s to stop you from backstabbing me? You could end up aligning with Lord Darkin instead.

Oceanus and your territory are fundamentally different. My people have grown accustomed to freedom. Going back under a traditional Suzerain Lord would cause them to rebel against you. Also, your hypocrisy would eventually eat your mega territory apart.” Theseus analyzed.

“Hypocrisy? Do go on Lord Theseus. It’s not as if you’re in any position here to bargain.” Lord Capricorn looked around at her army arrogantly.

“You claim to be a sly Suzerain Lord, but I have also looked into you, Lord Capricorn. Your territory is the freest of the other Suzerain Lords, and I can guess why.

Tyranny is not good for business. That’s why only criminals can be enslaved in your territory, and that’s why your territory is more of a strict corporation than a dictatorship, unlike the other Lords.” Theseus explained.

“What’s your point?” Lord Capricorn didn’t see the connection.

“Instituting your laws still breaks the Suzerain Treaty. Even though you claim to be just another Suzerain Lord, your policies are a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Your vassal territory will grow tired and jealous of you pretending to be someone you’re not and will try to recreate the former glory of the Suzerain Lords.” Theseus deduced.

“You really think so?” Lord Capricorn thought deeply about his words. Would setting up her territory really lead to a civil war down the line? This Lord Theseus was not simple to be thinking that far ahead.

“Besides that, obvious flaw, you are also forgetting something else. Your information on my territory and power is inaccurate.” Theseus smiled sinisterly.

“How so? Unless you’re at the D Rank, and even then, you don’t stand a chance against this army alone unless your foundation is unfathomable. Even a D Rank couldn’t face a whole territory’s army, Captain, and Suzerain Lord alone. You had to send everyone else to fend off Achilles to buy time for our negotiations, right?” Lord Capricorn predicted this outcome. Theseus had to negotiate or risk Achilles obliterating his forces.

“You think you’ve figured all of this out huh?” Theseus casually remarked.

“You Suzerain Lords are all the same. You take and scheme malevolently, and you all think you’re different. Every single one of you thinks they’re the chosen Suzerain Lord to control this seven-player chess match, but none of you cares about our greater predicament.” Theseus grumbled.

“What greater predicament?” Lord Capricorn couldn’t help but ask angrily.

“The Suzerain Treaty is an excuse to maintain a fragile power balance between dictators in a place that is designed to kill us. We are in Hell!” Theseus stood up and yelled out.

“Hell’s Dungeon, the dungeon worse than Heaven. This is only the first floor of one hundred merciless floors, and you all dare to sit around playing pretend.”

Lord Capricorn was taken aback. What was he going on about? In the Oceanic Realm, Hell didn’t matter; they would never get to the Second Floor. All they had was what was in front of them.

“Don’t any of you care about the true ruler of this floor, the Administrator? Aren’t there supposed to be regulations for each floor of Hell? Who is to say this petri dish of the Oceanic Realm and the Desolate aren’t even the real precursors to Floor 2? Do none of you care about the looming threat the dungeon poses to our existence?” Theseus looked around at the Captain’s flabbergasted faces.

They all, including Lord Capricorn, stopped caring about their geographical location years ago.

“No, none of you care about the existential threats posed to you because every single Suzerain Lord and Captain are too focused clinging onto a pathetic semblance of power. We already died once, can’t we live a better afterlife and overcome this horrid place together?” Theseus thought it was incredible. These ghosts took all the bad parts of life and made them the center points of the afterlife.

“Your ideals are quite… interesting Lord Theseus, but we can’t afford to worry about these things. Your high ideals will ultimately be your downfall.” Lord Capricorn scoffed.

“High ideals? Aren’t you the hypocrite Lord Capricorn! You don’t even follow the Suzerain Treaty because you know that the sins of the Suzerain Lords are fundamentally wrong for growth. They are bad for prosperity, am I wrong?” Theseus declared. Lord Capricorn stayed silent.

“A bunch of spoiled children, that’s what you Lords are, but I guess you all need someone to set you on the right path. Luckily for you, Oceanus is a place of redemption. I don’t know why I, a random ghost who survived by luck, has to be the savior of you hopeless, useless people!” Theseus roared.

“I will tear down the foundations of this crooked realm and build a home we can all be proud of. I had no idea the stupidity of the afterlife could be this high. Prepare yourself Lord Capricorn; I am about to teach you a lesson in common sense you will never forget!”

Theseus stood up and revved up his aura.

“Skill: Oceanus Founder!”

Lord Capricorn backed up instinctively.

“Captains, the new Suzerain Lord is trying to fight us, get into position!” Lord Capricorn called out. Surrounded by six Captains, a Suzerain Lord, and an army of soldiers, Theseus didn’t back down.

“Skill: Holy Judgement!”

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