The war finally began.
The armies collided like two drunk uncles at a family reunion—loud, sweaty, and nobody really knew what was going on.
Swords clashed. Spells exploded. Someone screamed "FIREBALL" and hit their own teammate. Standard battlefield etiquette.
And me? I stood still, sword in hand, processing one thing:
How do I start the fight?
I have never gone ahead and punched someone to start a fight. I was always the reactor.
So I have no idea how to step forward and land a kick at Malthus.
Even when some Aliens came to attack me, I only sneezed and pushed them to defeat them, I didn't even want to kill them in the first place.
However, I know this is serious.
Malthus was really ready to kill me. It's a matter of life and death.
I glanced at the red demon, clutching my swords. I took one step forward but…
"Wait." Malthus raised his hand.
"Don't stop me now. I worked up the courage for that step, man."
Malthus raised his head towards the sky. "Something is missing."
"Yeah?" I glanced at the sky too. "It's almost night. So it might be the sun."
"Not that. I know what's missing. I don't just want to kill you. I want to humiliate you."
"Humiliate me? So is it my rape that is missing?"
"No. What's missing is, this…"
SNAP!
Malthus snapped his fingers and then..
SHING!
Everyone was forced to jerk their heads at the sky.
Not because it was beautiful or any other shit like that, but because it emitted a dark crimson color.
Whole sky became red.
Me and the soldiers waited for something else to happen but…. nothing really happened. Apart from Malthus using the sky as Alexa to change the ambience of the battlefield of course.
I shifted my gaze at Malthus.
"This was missing? A fucking mood lighting?"
"Don't be so hasty, Human King. There is more to come."
"Just finish it. This war has already stretched for too many chapters."
"What chapters?"
"You won't get it."
"Heh. Your gimmicks won't help you anymore. You will be humiliated in front of everyone."
Everyone? What was he going to do?
SNAP!
He snapped his fingers again and this time, something did happen. Something that really demanded my surprise and tension.
The whole sky, it turned into a fucking live stream.
The whole battlefield was visible, me, my soldiers, aliens, Malthus, his soldiers, everyone.
My eyes widened.
I sensed Erect's eyes on me and he was just as tense as me.
Why was he tense though? It's me who got a chance to see myself acting cowardly on a mega screen.
Malthus laughed. "Haha. Why are you surprised?"
"Oh. Sorry for that. You just converted the whole sky to a monitor showing the real time events in 4k. What's there to be surprised about? Haha."
I laughed.
But then…
"Like hell!" I snapped. "Of course I am surprised. Who won't be. This is not a video game, you red fuck. It's the sky! Have some common sense. That's cheating!"
Malthus smirked.
"I haven't even told you the best part yet."
"There's more?"
"Yes." His grin widened. "Everyone can see you now."
What?
"By everyone.. Do you mean.."
"Yes. Everyone."
I took a deep breath, straightened my posture and changed my expressions to serious.
"Now I won't look bad."
"They can hear your every word too. All of your subjects can watch this war just by looking in the sky. If you lose in front of them, if their King loses in front of his subjects, then that would make me the new King by default and you will be called a weakling and die with no honor. That's what I call humiliation."
That's what everyone calls humiliation. Not just you.
"What about those who are inside their house? How will they see the sky?"
"They must have windows."
"Right. Stupid question. Is there any other feature of this sky-screen?"
"There is a final thing."
"What?" I asked and in response, Malthus snapped his fingers once more.
I waited for something to happen.
I looked around.
Malthus' soldiers weren't fighting right now as my soldiers were busy checking out the sky. At least the Demon soldiers had some courtesy.
But what is the final feature?
I looked at Malthus and before I could ask him, I came to know the feature myself.
"What is going on?"
"Who are those people?"
"Did the Aliens attack us again?"
"That doesn't look like Aliens. It's someone else."
"And that's our King!"
"Wait.. is a war going on?"
"I did hear the Alarm. So a fight is really happening."
"I hope the Hero King defeats everyone."
"I wish him luck."
"You got this, Hero King!"
This was the final feature.
I could hear the voices of everyone present on the planet Moral.
It's already bad that my people could see me but now I can even hear their voices and reactions.
"How's this? They surely believe in you. It will be great to change their views when I crush you under my feet."
"That will only make me more amazing, Malthus. A king died while protecting his people. What better way to go than that? And can you hear them too?"
"Yes. I can hear them loud and clear. And not only you and me, everyone present here in this battlefield can hear them. You say you can die for your people, are you sure about that?"
"Of course. My people believe in me. If you don't believe me, then hear for yourself."
Malthus raised his brows.
"Fine. Let's hear them."
Malthus focused on the voices and everyone else also seemed interested in that as they all paid attention to the people of the planet.
"There is nothing to worry about. The Hero King is the strongest. He had killed many awakened aliens. One more won't be a big deal."
Nice. I puffed my chest a little.
"Yeah. And I have heard he once drank lava after boiling it because it wasn't hot enough for him."
Hmm? I am not sure if I did that. But Malthus doesn't need to know that. He is impressed thinking it's true.
"That's nothing against what I have heard." One man said.
"Oh what did you hear then?" Another man asked.
I was also curious to know and the man revealed it :
"The Hero King was once jerking off from his castle's window and one drop of his cum fell on a man's face."
Wait what? I am not bold enough to do that.
"Then? What happened?"
The first man paused for a moment then said :
"That man is pregnant now."
Malthus' eyes widened. Shit. I forgot he was impotent. That must have hurt his pride even if that isn't true. I changed my mind. Malthus needs to know about all this.
"What? Doesn't it mean the Hero King is going to become a father?"
Malthus clenched his fists. This is bad.
Who are these idiots? If they go on like this, I would never become a father.
Please don't say anything anymore. Shut up, unknown man.
However, the unknown man didn't shut up.
"Yes. And legend has it, he has over hundred children roaming around this planet. Some of them even consist of Aliens. He is a true chad."
Dude. I haven't even landed a normal human girlfriend for myself. What are you talking about?
"Yeah. I agree. He is a true chad. That's why he will win."
"Yeah."
"Let's see now."
"Hmm? Why are they not fighting?"
"The red guy looks angry. Must be jealous of our hero king."
"Kill him, hero king."
"Yeahh!"
…
Hah!
Finally, they went shut.
I looked at the red demon in front of me and he had his jaw clenched.
He inhaled deep and peered inside my eyes.
"You are willing to die for these people?"
"Well, that was the plan."
"Is that plan still active?"
"Honestly? If I manage to stay alive after this, I will bring those two to you. You can have them."
"No. You said you can die for your people. But now…"
Malthus pointed the tip of his sword at me.
"You will die because of your people."
Welp…
Touche.