Floating Island - Triple S Talent-Chapter 581: Platinum General

"The Heavenly Sky Realm has sat comfortably on these prime routes for too long. Today... we claim our share."

Several pirate captains laughed openly on the public channel, tossing around the names Arya, Lein, and "Earth’s little queen" with sneering contempt.

Sector Alpha’s Commander drew a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

"Red Alert," he said calmly. "All Earth Legion units in Sector Alpha, full combat formation. Activate Golden Troops."

Special sirens wailed... lower, deeper than standard alarms.

Along the ring, small gates opened.

From within, ranks of golden-armored soldiers emerged in perfect formation, standing atop floating platforms encircling the ring. Their armor reflected starlight, spears and swords covered in blazing runes.

Golden Troops... Earth Legion’s core combat force, every member at Tier-3 level.

At the formation’s head stood someone in thicker golden armor, a pale golden cape billowing behind. His helm bore a clear five-star layered shield emblem glowing brightly.

Golden General.

"Golden Unit, listen up," his voice echoed through the formation’s mental network. "Today, we’re not just guarding an iron ring. We’re guarding Heavenly Sky Realm’s dignity."

He raised his sword.

"Drive them from our skies."

. . .

The enemy fleet advanced.

Their cannons glowed, firing energy beams, rune-coated rockets, and light spears toward the ring.

The Golden Troops moved as one.

Runes at their feet flared, linking hundreds of soldiers into one massive pattern. They leaped beyond the ring, meeting the sea of warships with their bodies.

Battle erupted.

From a distance, it looked like golden bees colliding with iron locusts.

Golden Troops pierced enemy hulls, danced between barrages, breached defenses. Each swing of their golden weapons cut more than steel, they shredded the energy formations coating enemy ships.

Several small Void Conqueror ships exploded, blooming into fireworks in the void.

"Their front line formation’s collapsing!" the radar officer shouted in awe. "Golden Troops are pushing them back!"

On the bridge of one pirate ship, a disheveled captain spat curses.

"Why are their infantry this strong? They’re not just orbital grunts!"

"This ain’t some fringe kingdom, idiot," another captain sneered. "You actually believe the rumors that Earth was just a new realm?"

The muffled voices on their private channel turned tense.

. . .

"Get out there," a raspy voice crackled from the Void Conqueror Alliance command ship. "You’re not getting paid to watch."

On the enemy formation’s flank, a massive black ship with a star-skull emblem on its prow opened its hangar bay.

A figure cloaked in black-purple robes floated out.

A chilling, heavy, oppressive aura spread from his body, making nearby energy beams tremble.

A Grandmaster!

He raised his hand, staring down the Golden General leading the advance push.

"You’re decent warm-up material," he said, voice broadcast on open channel. "But this is where you stop."

He raised the long staff in his hand.

Purple runes swirled at its tip.

A thick purple beam shot forth, piercing the linked Golden Troops formation. Several soldiers were blasted back, their armor cracking, formation lines disrupted.

The Golden General reacted swiftly.

He raised his sword, forming a massive golden energy shield before his troops, blocking the purple torrent.

"A Grandmaster..." he muttered, his chest tightening under the pressure. "Just as the intel warned."

He pushed his aura to its limit.

His golden shield held, but fine cracks began appearing on its surface. He was only a Master-tier commander!

At Sector Alpha, another name was called.

"Summon the Platinum General," the Commander ordered.

. . .

Moments later, from the ring’s opposite side, ranks of silver-white armor appeared.

Rune chains along their armor glowed like miniature constellations, forming intricate patterns. On their chests, nine-star emblems shone, the highest rank before entering "Pillar" territory.

They weren’t as numerous as the Golden Troops, but the pressure they brought was far heavier.

At their head, one stepped forward.

Full platinum armor with a long cape striped in purple, his helm bearing three small horns. Behind him, a pair of spirit blades floated in formation.

Platinum General.

Early Grandmaster.

He leaped into the battlefield heart, piercing the barrage, and stopped squarely between the Golden General and enemy Grandmaster.

"Handle the front line," he said curtly to the Golden General.

The Golden General nodded, wheeling his formation to contain ships trying to break through gaps.

The Platinum General raised his hand.

The two spirit blades behind him shot forward, slamming into the enemy Grandmaster’s purple beam, slicing it in half.

An energy explosion rocked central space.

The enemy Grandmaster grinned.

"Earth Kingdom sends a Grandmaster? Impressive," he said, his purple aura raging. "Let’s see how far your ring can hold us back."

The duel between the two figures erupted, silver and purple light clashed, slicing nearby small ships too close to the fight.

Golden Troops and surrounding silver units continued holding back the enemy warship sea.

For a moment, the orbital defense line seemed stable.

Until Sector Alpha’s sensors screamed again.

. . .

"New energy signature!" the radar officer shrieked, face drained of color. "Magnitude... this isn’t normal cannon class!"

All eyes snapped to the main hologram.

At the extreme rear of the Void Conqueror formation, a massive spear-shaped ship with a giant red core at its center began spinning the metal rings around its hull.

Ancient runes ignited across its surface, drawing power from thin surrounding dimensions.

"Star-Killer Cannon..." whispered a veteran officer, voice barely audible. "They actually brought it here..."

A weapon that should never be fired near inhabited planets.

"Target: Heavenly Sky Realm," the Void Conqueror leader’s voice rang out, thick with hatred. "If we can’t take their ring, we’ll at least scar their face."

Sector Alpha’s Commander tensed.

"All Aegis Satellites, focus shields on that vector!" he roared.

Shield lines on the hologram shifted, thickening between orbit and planet.

But even with the Aegis Satellites, he knew...

It wouldn’t be enough.

Not for an attack of that caliber.

"No General can stop that," he muttered grimly. "Not even the Platinum General..."

Outside, the spear ship’s rings spun faster.

Its central red core glowed brighter.

Thousands of soldiers, from Earthmen to allied races, could only stare toward the flash that would decide their fate.

. . .

The beam fired.