The Urban War God Returns

A private cruise ship appeared on the horizon of the Azure Sea with hundreds of fighter jets accompanying the ship while an aircraft carrier sailed behind it. Onlookers watched in excitement as they waited for the arrival of a legend. The person in question was a big shot, a guardian of the Empire, bearing the dual titles of War God and King of the Battlefield. “We pay homage to the War God!” A young man, donning a black jacket and looking no older than twenty-five, disembarked, looking majestic with his head held high. He carried about him an air of confidence that could change the atmosphere wherever he went, allowing him to appear almost unbeatable to all those who set eyes on him. The man was a legend in the military and a bonafide hero of the nation, given the title of War God by the International Strategic Organization and King of the Battlefield by the Emperor himself. As it was, he was second only to the Emperor, founding the Dragon Legion, which was greater than any other legion in the empire, being as sharp as a sword and completely unbeatable on the battlefield. With such a terrifying and intimidating record, everyone agreed that this man was a legend deserving of his accolades. “General Sloan, have you found out what happened?” Nathan Ripley asked one of his subordinates as he stepped in his tracks to address the fellow. “Yes sir.” General Sloan replied respectfully despite being significantly older than Nathan, which was understandable considering Nathan was ranked higher than him. Not even the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces would be able to speak rudely to Nathan if he was standing before him. Taking a deep breath, General Sloan explained, “Your father's company has been taken over by the Valerian Group of Companies. As of now, the eldest brother of your father's mistress is the one in charge of the company's operations, while your grandfather serves as the CEO.” Nathan shook his head, an expression of disdain on his face as he muttered. “Just as I thought, they stole my father's company and made it their own.” Letting out a sigh, Nathan recalled the incident from six years ago. At that time, his father, Jacob Ripley, had been a very successful merchant, establishing the gold star-rated company, Rifts Corp, which was regarded as the biggest corporation in the city. Unfortunately, he made a huge mistake, falling prey to the schemes of an ex-lover who plotted his demise along with several others, with the media covering it up by claiming that he died of an incurable disease. To ensure that Nathan took over his legacy after his death, Jacob had arranged for him to be married so he would be able to start his own family. But the day after his wedding to the woman his father had chosen, Nathan's uncle, Isaac Ripley, had used his position as his guardian to pull some strings so that Nathan, who had just turned eighteen, was shipped off to the army at the southern border, which was considered the most dangerous location to be posted to due to how heavy the fighting was over there. What Jacob's mistress had hoped for was that Nathan would die in battle so that she would be able to obtain Rifts. She never expected Nathan to return, but unfortunately for her, she underestimated the extent of sheer human resolve, as Nathan had made it back safe and sound with more than what he left with. Nathan wasn't surprised to learn that his father's mistress, Rebecca Valeria, had stolen his father's company after all. Wasn't that the reason why she somehow managed to charm his father, making him abandon his family? But to think that she would go to such lengths, killing him just so she could steal his company. Nathan felt embarrassed that his father would make such a mistake and disgusted to know that the woman that ruined his family was still out there. Sensing that Nathan wanted him to continue, General Sloan remarked, “It's your uncle's birthday today and there's a party scheduled at Ripley Villa. Your mother and younger sister will be in attendance. Do you wish to attend the party?” “Send a message to him.” Nathan calmly remarked, with General Sloan responding. “Understood, what should the contents be?” “Let them know that the War God will be attending his birthday party to wish him a happy birthday.” “As you wish.” *** That evening at Ripley Villa. It was Isaac Ripley's birthday, and there were three tables filled with food in the dining area, causing it to resemble a feast for a king. Isaac sat at the head of the table and was surrounded by beloved members of the Ripley family. Currently, they are in the gift-giving phase, with everyone stepping out to hand over their present to Isaac. “Father, this is a crystal statuette of an ancient deity from the forgotten age. I got it for you. It's worth five thousand dollars.” “A wonderful gift; thank you, my child.” Isaac praised with yet another stepping up. “Father, I got these tea leaves from the highlands, and they were worth six thousand dollars.” “Oh, my dear child, you shouldn't have.” Even a fool could see that the Ripley family members were competing about who would give the best gift to Isaac just so they could win his favor, considering he was currently enjoying the good graces of the Valeria family. Once they were done, Isaac nodded in satisfaction at the gifts he'd received. “Thank you all for the wonderful gifts, you have succeeded in making this old man very happy.” Just then, someone spoke up, ending the wholesome scene in the dining room. “Isaac, can you please lend me some money?... Vera's condition is worsening, and I don't have money to buy her medicines. If I don't buy them soon, she might end up in the hospital.” Everyone glanced in the direction of who had spoken, quickly discovering the presence of a mother and daughter at the corner of the room. It turned out to be Nathan's mother, Sara, who had spoken, and next to her was Nathan's sister, Vera, who looked slightly pale.