Chapter 199: STRONGHOLD 5
In Stronghold 19, Edmond dispensed with any pretense of peaceful negotiation; he simply unleashed his powers to destroy the entire structure in a display of overwhelming force, defeating those who dared oppose him with swift, shadowy precision, and then spreading the liberating news to the bewildered citizens, who gradually embraced the change.
Edmond pressed on relentlessly, taking two full days to decimate the leaders of various strongholds who stubbornly disagreed with his demands, his path marked by crumbling fortresses and awakening populations.
He continued this campaign until he reached Stronghold Five, the pinnacle of human resilience on Astrid.
Edmond had heard legendary tales of the top five strongholds, revered as the true safe havens for all Astrids, bastions of unassailable security amid a hostile world.
Their walls were constructed from the strongest metals unearthed on the planet, alloys forged in the fires of necessity and innovation, further reinforced by high-grade mana engineers who infused the barriers with potent magical energies, rendering the already formidable structures nearly impervious to penetration, gleaming under the sun like indomitable sentinels.
Unlike the lesser strongholds, the defenses here extended beyond mere anti-mana fields; motion sensors were strategically placed a full kilometer away from the perimeter, forming an invisible web of vigilance. These sensors fed directly into a central control room within the stronghold, alerting leaders to any approaching entity, whether by air with the whisper of wings or by land with the thud of footsteps—nothing escaped detection.
Energy diffusers and reflectors adorned the walls, sophisticated devices engineered to repel incoming attacks with mirrored force while dissipating any excess energy that couldn’t be redirected, making any attempt to breach the fortifications an exercise in futility and frustration. This formidable array was precisely why Edmond chose to pause, gathering his strength and composure before unleashing his riotous assault, his mind sharpening like a blade in the quiet before the storm.
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"Sir, the latest news from our hidden spies," a lady clad in a skimpy dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure, her pretty face framed by cascading dark hair, announced as she handed a meticulously documented paper to a man of imposing build. He lounged in a casual beach shirt and shorts, a cocky grin perpetually etched on his rugged features, a intricate tattoo snaking across his left arm, his golden hair slick and greasy, catching the light in an oily sheen.
Luthor, the undisputed leader of Stronghold Five, reached for the document with a lazy gesture, scanning its contents with an air of detached boredom, his fingers tracing the lines as if the information were mere entertainment.
"So, one man has succeeded in taking down all strongholds from Six to Twenty. Impressive, even for me. Hmm? Jarync’s son?" Luthor murmured as he delved deeper into the report, his interest piquing with each revelation. First, the unconventional abilities Edmond wielded, defying the norms of Astrid’s warfare. Second, Edmond’s familial ties to his father, Jarync, stirring old memories and rivalries. And third, Edmond’s overarching purpose, intertwined with the enigmatic figure he served, painting a picture of intrigue that captivated Luthor’s calculating mind.
"So, his next stop will be here?" Luthor inquired of his secretary, suddenly pulling her close and forcing her onto his lap, his hands caressing her skin with a possessive gentleness that elicited soft gasps.
"Yes, sir. That is, if he continues with his pattern of progressing from the weakest strongholds to the strongest," the secretary explained, her voice breathy as low, involuntary moans escaped her lips under his touch.
"Hmm. Then inform the defense team to heighten their vigilance and double their defensive duties," Luthor commanded, his tone shifting to one of strategic resolve.
"Yes, sir," the maid nodded obediently, rising from his lap with graceful poise.
With a respectful bow that conveyed her unwavering loyalty, she departed to relay Luthor’s orders to the appropriate personnel, her heels clicking softly against the polished floors.
The preparations for Edmond’s impending visit were already underway, the stronghold buzzing with heightened activity as defenses were fortified and sentries doubled, the air thick with anticipation of the confrontation to come.
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Edmond, after resting the entire day in a secluded spot amid the ruin of a lesser stronghold, decided to begin his hunt with renewed determination. He knew Stronghold Five would be thoroughly prepared for him, their defenses honed to a razor’s edge based on the intelligence they had gathered from his previous conquests. But it didn’t matter to him in the slightest; the thought of disappointing Aaron fueled a fire within him that no amount of opposition could extinguish, his resolve hardening like tempered steel under the weight of his mission.
With his mind fully prepared, sharpened by hours of quiet reflection on his abilities and the battles ahead, he dived seamlessly into the shadows, traversing through their cool, enveloping depths like a specter gliding through the veil of night. As he passed through the one-kilometer radius surrounding the sanctuary, the air grew thick with tension, and he hoped fervently that he could bypass the sophisticated sensors without triggering their alarms, his form flickering in and out of visibility as the darkness carried him forward with silent efficiency.
"Sir, he’s on the move," the secretary informed Luthor, her voice steady and professional, echoing slightly in the dimly lit control room where holographic displays flickered with real-time surveillance feeds.
"Good. And the rest of the research?" Luthor asked, leaning back in his ergonomic chair, his fingers drumming impatiently on the armrest, his golden hair catching the artificial light in a greasy sheen that accentuated his cocky demeanor.
"Completed, sir. The research group has made a breakthrough, providing ways to eliminate his abilities completely. From what they discovered through the limited videos and images they procured, grainy footage captured by hidden drones and eyewitness accounts, they determined that he can leap into shadows for instantaneous movement, vanishing and reappearing at will. To combat that, they have created a photon light emitter system, along with other specialized devices to ensure an even spread of intense light throughout the Stronghold, effectively eliminating every source of shadow within the stronghold and rendering his powers inert," the secretary informed Luthor, her skimpy dress shifting slightly as she handed him a digital tablet with supplementary diagrams, her pretty face composed despite the gravity of the situation.