Chapter 398 - The Final War Commences

As soon as the King of Ritz and Emperor of Kres returned along with the other deities, the army of the respective kingdoms started to mobilize. It had already been prearranged the day before Alistair left for Earth that the army would be on standby. 

"Captain, are we going to this war with just our kingdom's men?" one soldier asked. 

"Of course, not. We have the Flame Emperor's Elite Force coming with us," the captain of the unit spoke with an impatient tone as he inclined his head towards the group of soldiers wearing Kres's colors.

It had been a year since they had been through the Immortal War, and their forces had won that time. But last year they were a myriad of soldiers from different kingdoms who joined forces to defeat the Black God's minions who were able to pass through the barrier. It was totally different from the current setup. There was only around a million soldiers in the Ritz Kingdom. Based on the recently concluded Immortal War, Czernobog's forces counted up to ten times that size— and it didn't include the ones which couldn't go out of the seal. They had no idea of the numbers of those who were not able to pass through. 

"But they're only three hundred people! Aren't we going to die?" the soldier asked anxiously and the captain hit him squarely making him fall on the ground. 

"Are you an idiot? Who do you think our king is?" the captain snarled, and the soldiers, even those who didn't voice their thoughts suddenly froze as they remembered this fact. 

They had totally forgotten that they're no longer the weakest kingdom in all of Ged. They were not the strongest with Alistair, the Returner to Ancestry of Perun as their king. 

"Now, if you remember that you all shut your trap," the captain yelled and everyone stood up straight. Their morals that had crumbled and turned to dust rose from the ashes and now soared. 

At the same moment, light flashed from above and five individuals appeared right before them. Their towering heights intimidated the soldiers but seeing as their commander was one of them, they remained standing rigidly in attention. 

"Oh? Aren't our soldiers looking good?" Kazehaya Gin commented as he looked at the nervous men. They all stared at the smiling man who looked exactly like their king. "Hi! I'm Stribog," he introduced himself with a wave of his hand. 

"Why are you introducing yourself like an idiot?"Ryuu stated with a bored countenance. "They just need to see your face and they'd know who you are."

"One million and three hundred thousand men, ready to leave at your order Your Highnesses,"Fredek told Stribog. 

Since Gin was the king's brother, and Ryuu was Alinea's husband, Fredek addressed both as "Your Highness". This would only change if the two decided to migrate in Ged and Ovid's throne would have to be handed back to Stribog, while Kres would be handed back to Kresnik. This was the rule of Ged. Regardless of which branch of the family the Returner to Ancestry was born from, they would immediately ascend as the head or the main family with no questions asked. This was how they were able to maintain the divine inheritance in their blood. 

"Stribog will take care of them,"Ryuu said as blue light appeared, surrounding his body. 

"Don't be scared. He's just giving you immunity from his fire," Ivan announced and the men relaxed. 

Mavara and Ryuu would be fighting with them tomorrow, and the soldiers in their camp would be exposed to Kresnik's flames. The all-consuming fire would annihilate anything and anyone on its path unless given the immunity by the caster. 

The blue light covered each and every member of the Ritz Army and Ivan's Elite Troops. It enveloped them for several seconds before seeping into their skin until it vanished. 

"Oops, I guess it's my turn now," Gin said before mimicking the same thing that Ryuu did. This time, the army was enveloped with a soft breeze that sank into their system. 

"D-Divine Blessing…"The captain and the soldiers were all in awe. 

In battle, friendly fire was inevitable most especially when people were in too deep into the fight. Getting their comrade injured by their own powers was the norm. But that shouldn't be the case for powerful deities such as Stribog and Kresnik. One hit from them regardless that it was accidental would be fatal. Ergo, they both decided to protect their allies. 

After giving protection, Fredek briefed everyone about the formation for the next day. The army would surround the borders of the Dark Valley and only deal with the monsters escaping from the attack ranges of Mavara and Stribog's horde. The harpies were giants and Mavara as well. Aside from the divine protection that Kresnik and Stribog blessed them with, they would have to make sure that they were out of range of the elementals or accident could still occur. 

Also…

"There's unrest in the Dhahlian Empire at the moment. Make sure none of you would cross the border to Dhahliah or let any of the Black God's minion pass to the empire."

This was an absolute rule. Although they were deities and none within the mortal plane would ever contest their might and authority, they didn't want to meddle with the mortals as much as possible. Their main focus was to finish the task and end the thousand-year curse that the Black God and Fanya had bestowed to the only remaining child of heaven. 

"Unsheathe our swords and might. Let's pave the way for our Princess— to defeat the Black God in this final battle!"

Everyone raised their swords up in the sky. With the presence of the deities in the legends and those powerful words, each and every one present wore a mask of determination. 

A fire was ablaze in their hearts! Let the Final Immortal War Commence!