Josephine turned her head towards the three other guards, who were clearly scared shitless, and said in a flat tone, "Send this command: All soldiers must be gathered at the city square in twenty-four hours... By this time tomorrow, they should all be present... Or your lives end there."
The three beastmen quickly nodded their heads and rushed out from the castle hall.
"Are you sure they won't run away?" Star asked, staring at the men.
"They can try." Josephine smirked.
____
[Star Empire.]
[Night time: 9:36.]
[Lord Vancouver's Mansion.]
Vancouver sat in his extravagantly decorated sitting room, staring at the five men before him, a cold expression on his face.
"So in the whole of this empire, you can't find a single man?!!" he yelled.
"Lord Vancouver, we searched the whole empire, but the majesty seems to have vanished, we used everything!" the muscular man, standing at the center of the men, said.
"Yes! Lord Vancouver!! Even the bounty placed by the Empress is still active! Even with tens of hundreds of bounty hunters who have taken the mission," another said.
"We also sent countless drones to search and even sent words to other big nations; we haven't found anything," the third added.
Vancouver stared at the five for a few seconds, exhaled, and massaged his temple. "What about my troops?"
"Still nothing, they are outside as we speak," the fourth man answered.
'Sunny can't just disappear out of thin air! What if that bitch already killed him, and also killed Bella... Then lied at the court, putting the blame on my nephew,' he thought with a slight frown.
"Lord Vancouver, we discovered something on the search," the fifth, who had been silent, suddenly said.
"That isn't our mission," the muscular man quickly warned.
"No... Let him, what is it?" Vancouver asked.
"Weird things have been happening so far... The bandits have been wiped out, and the planet was taken over by a king who called himself God Wolf... He also took down the bounty placed on a criminal by the three-eyed nation... Even placing a bounty of one trillion Galaxy Crystals for anyone who dares place another bounty on that criminal."
"Just get to the point," Vancouver cut him off.
"Yes. Yes! This God Wolf has been silent, and suddenly appeared right the day before the Empress revealed those 'things' in the court," he said.
"Where are you getting with this?" Vancouver asked with a deep frown.
"I am just thinking, what if this God Wolf is the king's subordinate? Only the emperor can give such a huge amount out!" he concluded.
The other four stared at him like they were staring at a fool.
"You are so stupid!" one said.
"Yes! That God Wolf is now the king of the beast nation! Even the Queen said it...! Now look, if he is the king's 'subordinate,' as you said, why didn't he take down the bounty on the king's head, but some random criminal!!" the muscular man yelled at the guy.
"Oh... Now that you put it that way---"
"Just shut up!!" the third yelled, silencing the guy.
Vancouver just sighed: "Forget about that person," he said and turned his head to the muscular man. "Increase the time for the search, and also the area! Check any settlement, villages, towns, cities, empires, and even planets! Leave no stone unturned until you find my nephew!! He is the only family I have left!"
"YES!!"
The five bowed their heads.
BOOOOM!!!
The six men turned their heads to the entrance door, watching as the doors flew into the room, smashing heavily on the ground.
"Those doors are made of pure hardened materials, how can someone take it down with a punch!" Vancouver asked, staring at the single figure who stood at the entrance.
"Hehehehe!"
The figure withdrew his hand, his face and body completely covered in a black cloak.
The five men instantly got on guard, summoning their weapons and armors.
"Who are you?!!" the muscular man yelled.
"Hehehehe?!"
The figure let out a sinister laugh as he slowly raised his head, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth and orange-colored eyes, with one red magatama in its pupil.
"This?!!"
Vancouver stood up in shock: "How did you get here you barbarian?!" he roared with killing intent, his energy channeling.
"Hehehe... Someone knows us!"
Vancouver moved his gaze behind the figure, seeing two more walking inside, dressed as the first... He looked further behind them, seeing all his soldiers dead.
".....?!!"
He was speechless.
'What the hell?!! The weakest soldier I have is at the core rank, while the strongest is a heavenly! How did they get wiped out without us even knowing?!' He looked at the three figures standing at the destroyed entrance.
'The barbarians were another race entirely; they are known to reside in a different galaxy. A barbarian who is in the Grand Master rank can kill a heavenly rank without a sweat! No one knows of their ranking system or strength... But... These guys are completely evil; they will never work for a good person.'
He thought and yelled: "Who sent you?!! Are you related to my nephew's disappearance or Bella's death?!!!" he yelled.
"Hehehehe."
The one standing in between the two smirked: "If you are referring to the elf, yes... We are the ones who killed her." he said with a grin.
"You!!"
Vancouver stopped himself: "That means, my nephew is innocent?!! Who sent you?! Is it Matilda?!!" he yelled at them.
"Hehehe..."
The figure raised his hand towards Vancouver and clenched his fists: "You can only make us talk by showing us you are worthy." he said.
"You aren't worthy to fight the Lord!!"
The five men shot forward, channeling their energies into their blades.
"Die!!!"
"Hehehehe."
WHOOSH!!
Vancouver only saw a flash as the figure appeared behind the five men, and before his eyes, their heads separated from their shoulders, and with a THUD! All the bodies dropped to the ground... A look of surprise was still on their faces.
"So weak? Thought you guys will put up a fight... Hehehehe." The figure said, licking his bloody fingers.
"We didn't even have the chance to fight." the second said.
"Don't worry, there is still one standing." the third added, staring at Vancouver.
"Haha." Vancouver burst out laughing, his laughter catching the three off-guard.
"Why? Why are you laughing?!" the third yelled at him.
"Laughing at some ants who think they can take me on!"
He clenched both his fists as a dense amount of celestial energy burst out from him, smashing into the figure closest, throwing him backward.
BAM!
The figure landed between the other two, and the three stared at Vancouver as his clothes ripped apart from his muscles, which were getting bigger.
".....?!!!"
The three were stunned, staring at the 8-feet tall muscular human before them, two feet taller than each one of them.
"Hehehe... A celestial stage 10 warrior, a good match." he stated.
"This time, let's all have the fun!!"
The three lunged towards, their nails turning into claws.
"Let's feast on his blood, Brothers!" the first spat out, arriving in front of Vancouver.
"MIGHTY CLAP!!"
Vancouver used his high grand class skills and smashed his two palms together.
BOOOOM!!!
"...?!!"
A powerful celestial energy wave burst out from his palms and smashed into the three.
BOOOM!!!
It shattered half of the mansion, throwing them right outside.
BAM!
Two smashed heavily on the ground, while the first landed on his feet, then dropped to his knees, and vomited a mouthful of blood.
He gritted his teeth, remembering Matilda's words:
["Don't underestimate that old man! He might be old, but he is still one of the strongest in the Star Empire."]
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his flesh, and stood up: "You will pay for that!!"
BOOOOM!!!
Energy unknown energy burst out from him, turning his cloak into dust... And what stood before everyone was a man with red skin, and ten long sharp claws.
"Brother is going all out!" one muttered in mild surprise.
"Should we help?" the second asked.
"No."
He yelled at them, his gaze fixed on Vancouver who walked out from the half-destroyed mansion.
"He is my opponent!!"
The figure stated and shot towards Vancouver with pure bloodlust.
"Come on!!!"
Vancouver yelled and shot towards him.
On a distant building under the night sky, two figures stood, watching the battle:
"Prepare the celestial missile," Matilda muttered coldly.
"What about the houses around the mansion? The people?!" Joshua asked in mild shock.
"They are of other races, not mine or yours, so why are you hesitating?" she asked, turning to face him, a frown on her face.
Joshua stared at the houses, seeing children, men, and women, some having dinner, some sleeping, and sighed: "Ok... As long as they aren't humans or elves, I can do it."
With a thought to his cosmic brain, an enclosed place outside the empire's border opened up, and a huge silver missile rose into the air, and the next moment shot into the sky.
"Done."
"Good... If he dies, I won't have to worry anymore." Matilda nodded.
"But you said Sunny?"
"What can he do? His uncle is the last line of hope he has, if he dies... Everything is over for him."
They watched as the missile separated into two, and the head shot towards the mansion.
____
WHOOSH!!!
Vancouver and the three barbarians looked up and stood stunned seeing the Projectile.
"What the?!" Vancouver was speechless.