Supreme Paragon Reborn: Humanity's Rise To Galactic Supremacy-Chapter 327: Horror Of War

"What is happening?" Lord Sirius’ face twisted into a grimace.

The protective veil he had conjured for his troops was doing its job well enough. But past it the blizzard was starting to rage with unexplainable fury.

In mere minutes the snow was going to pile up taller than a man. The short trees strained under the pressure, mere seconds from snapping under the weight.

"Inside the spatially manipulated ground, the surroundings are supposed to mimic real-world environments." Sirius muttered.

"But in all my life, I have never witnessed, or even heard of, such a storm. Not even on Neptune’s surface. Is this a test from the Emperor, or..."

His breath hitched. Before their clash with the Indomitable Alliance, they had researched every detail extensively. At this very moment, one particular fact resurfaced in his mind.

"Of course! They recently recruited Transcendent Lord Robert! According to the database, he has the ability to manipulate wind! Could he be hiding somewhere, altering the terrain to his faction’s advantage?"

It wasn’t a far-fetched theory. By now the Indomitable Alliance had made it clear that they would employ any strategy and exploit any vulnerability in their foes’ ranks, be it other humans or aliens alike, all to emerge victorious.

"We must make haste!" His order caused painful weeps to resonate from the back. The weaker soldiers were having trouble moving even with the shield sphere around them, and now their leader demanded speed?

Sirius was aware of the limits of his troops, but warning Lord Astra took priority!

Gradually, a new formation took shape. The Lords soared at the very front, with a few positioned on the flanks, scanning for anomalies. In the middle marched the Grandmasters and Masters capable of keeping pace on foot.

At the rear moved the weakest of the bunch, and to make matters worse, their exhaustion was quickly draining the little strength they had left.

"I wish I was back home, cuddling with my wife..." A younger soldier sighed in exhaustion.

His aching muscles forced him to stop and catch his breath.

Slash!

Faster than a heartbeat, Devil, in his sword form, struck the man’s spine. His legs buckled, collapsing into the piled-up snow.

His senses didn’t have time to register what had happened before Michael hovered above him, ending his life.

The Epic technique Fade aided him immensely in remaining undetected.

At the same time, a feline hunter moved beneath the snow.

Ruby’s eyes focused on a woman.

Three slashes with her claws proved enough. Two beneath the knees to make her fall and the last one to slit her throat.

One fell... then two... then five. Unbeknownst to the offensive team they had sent, their members were being slaughtered beneath their very noses.

There was a reason why Michael’s faction hadn’t attacked immediately.

First, they let their enemies walk toward the ruined castle. Then they allowed them to search the place for three long hours, only to force them to return with empty hands.

All while a certain Lord used his wind manipulation ability to slowly ramp up the intensity of the blizzard.

Each breath the Flawless Starlight drew grew more cautious, their minds more paranoid, and their senses endlessly on high alert.

Because the most lethal tactic in a war setting wasn’t physical, despite what many were misled to believe...

It was psychological.

Like boiling a frog, instead of escalating the intensity all at once, they increased it gradually.

Now the members of Flawless Starlight who had remained outside for so long had begun to grow wary, their bodies worn down from staying on constant guard. The primal fear of danger creeping at the edges of their vision, an enemy that might emerge from the blizzard at any moment, slowly took its toll.

And the worst part? Their paranoia was completely justified. As soldiers, they forced their self-preservation instincts aside. Even if someone noticed that their numbers were thinning, they would just blame their nerves and dismiss it as nothing.

There was a reason that the Emperor had named it faction wars. The soldiers were allowed to employ any form of warfare they deemed necessary to secure victory.

"I have a bad feeling about this. I’ll move to the back, just in case." One of Flawless Starlight’s Lords exclaimed.

Once he repositioned himself, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Weren’t we supposed to be leading over a hundred soldiers? Our forces seem far too few..."

Instantly, a glint of light caught his eye. On high alert, the Lord descended to get a better look.

Buried in the piled-up snow lay a bloodied rifle.

"This looks like one of our—"

Before he could utter another word, three figures emerged from the snow.

Radiant Lord Iris struck the man’s lower half. Simultaneously, Transcendent Lord Cayson focused on the enemy’s heart. At the front, Claire impaled her lance from the man’s lower jaw straight into the brain.

In perfect synergy, the Indomitable Alliance moved as one. Every time it seemed as if one of them might be exposed, the others immediately covered their tracks with monstrous precision.

Ultimately, when the tension among the Flawless Starlight was at its peak, the Indomitable Alliance struck.

A massive explosion erupted in the middle of their formation.

"Drive them off!" Sirius commanded. He as well as the remaining Lords focused on the blast.

Suddenly, Sirius himself was attacked. He was forced to dispel the protective veil and focus on defense.

Meanwhile, the raging blizzard tore through the remaining Flawless Starlight troops. Concealed figures moved beneath the snow, striking anyone they encountered.

The ambush lasted only seconds before Sirius conjured the shield once more. But the damage was done. The majority of their forces lay dead. Even worse, five of the Lords were nowhere to be found.

"We have been outmaneuvered and outsmarted..." Sirius saw red, yet he could not deny that he had been bested.

The Flawless Starlight grew more cautious, but they were no longer attacked as they made their way toward the castle.

Immediately after Sirius made his report, he bent at a perfect 90-degree angle in a respectful bow.

"I have betrayed your expectations, Lord Astra. Please, push me as you see fit."

A frown appeared on Astra’s face as she considered the state of their forces.

"It’s not your oversight, Sirius... it was mine." She admitted, biting her nails nervously. Despite her preparations, she had still underestimated just how menacing the Indomitable Alliance could be.

"Change of plans." She ordered. "With their castle in ruins, they have no protection from the cold. Robert can’t keep the freezing temperatures at bay. If we simply wait them out here, they will either die from the elements or be forced to attack recklessly."

It was humiliating... for a revered faction like the Flawless Starlight to cower in their own base, too afraid to attack the Indomitable Alliance, despite having far superior forces.

Yet even if the whole world were watching this clash, Astra had no intention of acting like a righteous figure. This was war, and she was ready to deploy any tactic, no matter how ruthless, in the name of victory.

The remaining Lords didn’t object. Holding the fortified base gave them and the weaker troops a brief respite from the mounting tension. Which often proved deadlier than any blade

"Umm... My lady? I think we have a problem..."

However, the tone of a cautious Lord seemed to bring a chill to the air.

Following his gesture, Astra peeked out the window at the threatening weather.

"This... I didn’t anticipate..." She gritted her teeth in frustration.

No matter which side the troops looked from, they witnessed a hellish nightmare. Their slain comrades were arranged in a circle around the castle. Lifelessly tracking their every move with hollow eyes.

The Flawless Starlight was about to experience the true horror of war.