The Automated King

Bulwark

This very morning is the D-day. Everyone is in their sleep, raking up some energy for the imminent rush that we have to pursue. I have no further knowledge on their scheme of assault, but I have a dubious sentiment that they would be brute and move along with their muscle joints. Well, as for me, I need to identify my own supportive measure for them, or I might be worthless to the team in short.

Based on my own conjecture, the power that I could obtain right now would be achieved from my martial arts training. Hmm, My doodle notes nearly running out of space...... I have to buy some on my way home.

In emphasis, my powers would be stimulated by the unpredictable contacts to one of the most concentrated array of attacks. Moreover, there are two situations that I have to pursue onward. The former would be regarding to the duration of the power itself. I could extend the limit of my ability to be situated more than one day. On the other hand, this course only happened if I have no probability of being exposed into something that might be the cause of another set of impulse.

The question is, how long could I maintain the sole power that I have on the present?

Well, it’s on the next page, I guess. At this very midnight, I have to unravel my traits for the siege.

“Head on.”

Nah, all of my senses are working normally.

“Torso.”

No hints on swelling or enhanced capacity.

“Arms.”

This is the foremost places that I’ve been focused upon these 5 days of our desolation. Simon insisted to train our punches to repel the weak points of bare handed fights, and we were constantly sparring with it as the main course. I’ll have to inspect the bone structure first, to be certain about it.

“Hmmph, It’s nothing peculiar. Oh, I am totally forgotten on how should I try this one out.”

Sorry, Mr. Worm.... I don’t wish to interrupt your shower time. Hyaaa!!!

“Haha, duly noted.”

What if my legs has the similar power up to enact?.

humph.... humph....

Nah, it’s just stays as lame.

My current power is a strong punch, with the downside of normal sprinting. I wonder if Simon could do a piggyback ride with me for combination attack. It would be a nice combination power to have.

---

The trickling sound of colliding branches of trees were emanated throughout the green forest. The breezing wind hallowed the camp with the vivid atmosphere of the morning. However, the brisk of activity were occurred way earlier, as all of the tent inhabitants has working themselves up on their drills of the day with the utmost energetic vigor to commence.

“Come on, you slowpoke!! You deserved to be ruled. Plead with your tails within your silly arse!”

The camp leader, the fierce and magnificent queen of the north, held the reign of their settlement in cold-blooded fist. She fell reluctant to ease off her conduct, or even bearing an accommodative leadership to her subjects, as this is her best methods to lay off.

“She is growing impatient. You have to pacify her, Simon.”

“No way. That beast is fearsome and rowdy at a time like this.”

“Look at those man, and that one, Simon. They were running out of stamina, but she kept them on the run! How could you stand calm against it?”

“Heh, this is her style of facing the war, Regi. Everyone has their own way to teach people how to read.”

The shout and yell of Serafina has proven to be effective, as the entire encampment cleaned up all of the tent and its appliances in a matter of an hour. All of her subordinates are smiling in satisfaction, while being vigilant on the further order of their queen.

“Alright guys, good job on the meticulous work! You have your right to rest for 15 minutes, then we’ll march to the Fishman kingdom on foot.”

“Yes, Ma-am!!”

In a synchronized rhythm, the line of man settled themselves down to the solid ground. The intensity of discipline were descending down in motion, shifted into a mass of noisy soldiers with no conformity.

“Look, Regi. She is not a tyrant, at least. Rest assured and see the storm coming, mate.”

“Yeah, would be magnificent to walk upon. Anyway, does every mentor has this many underlings to work for them?”

“Haha, no way. She is the only two great mentors of our group. If there’s a great need to learn something quick, her troops regime would be the first choice in-line.”

“She must be the legend of our team at this point, am I right?.”

“Kind of true. Well, she’s the freak in terms of soldiers and such, so nobody would not recognize her in the team at once.”

As Reginald and Simon chit-chattering about her figure, the stoic chief stepped down of her royal seat to blend herself into the group. The cluster of warriors accepted their leader in hospitality, messing about with her just like a long-time friend.

“However, does this much combatants would be a great problem for a stealth mission? How could we infiltrate the palisade in quiet?”

“Hold your horses, Regi. She might be a close friend to me, but I don’t have a slight understanding of strategy. It’s your game, not mine.”

“A simple grunt, as expected from your fighting style.”

---

Fifteen minutes in the dot, the small army of Repugnare were treading in parade. The woodland were shaken under the tremble of vigor from the march of soldiers, yet cheered them up with the grace of fallen leaves from the trees around them.

“Hey, Sera.”

Simon is poking her back a few times to gain her attention.

“What is it, Mon-mon?”

“Could you reveal the scheme to us? Reginald have an interesting argument over the crowd.”

Reginald is placing his right hand by the nape of his neck to ease off his unsettled mind.

“Hehe, not to do the adverse, Miss Spectre. I want to match-up my own strategy to yours.”

“With pleasure, Pufferfish. It’s conventional matters, literally. I’ve been doing this for years to my squad, and it’s blending up just fine.”

“Staggering result, to be honest. She is a conservative in methods, but as long as it works, she is on the job anytime.”

“True, Mon-Mon. My plans are plainly stick to this framework: The crowd of troops would be our bait, and the rest of us sneak into the actual target at the same time.”

Reginald tilted his head in 30 degrees, showing his astonishment over the response.

“Really? That’s your regular practice for every mission? Does all of your new recruits were assembled as the decoy at the start of every mission?”

“Not in that way, Pufferfish. I’ve equipped them with the latest protective gear from Merry, fairly specified for distraction purposes. You’ll see how it is.”

By the end of her arguments, the three person discarded themselves from the column of soldiers and closing up to the leader and her guests.

“Nice momentum, my lieutenants. They are my reliable combatants for infiltration, due to their unique skills and compatibility with me. For the leader of them all, this is Rami Fuschia.”

The green-haired male bowing down in respect.

“Good day to both of you. I am Rami, Fuschia is the pseudonym for the job.”

“He is the specialist for wrecking any barred gateway in front of our squad. By any means necessary, to add.”

“Nah, she’s in for the ramming part, while I set my whole work with elegance of my mind.”

“You made me flustered, Fuschia...... And then, the second of my special ops team is Kino Dunga. He is the brawn of our group, the smack-to-death kind of man.”

A stern-looking guy is standing up in firm honor while kept his pace alongside the line of soldiers on their back.

“H-h-hello, Mister. N-nice to see you.”

“Talking is not his forte. However, his prowess in soaking up damage is complimentary.”

“He could endure so much injury, I presume? I’ll agree with those statement without blinking.”

“Yeah, this man is huge!! I wonder if my ‘talking to the moon’ fist would be effective to him.”

“Nah, Simon, He won’t. You’ll be the one in peril for such audacity.”

“Alright, step aside, dorky. Now, for the final exhibition, it’s my agile combatant. His name is Arno Tinpolen. He is a slimy attackers, if you know what I mean.”

The last showboat is coming up to the stage. He is a blue-haired man with a lean body posture. Distinctive to the other combatants, He is wearing a chain-mail armor to his torso to protect his own credibility to the fight.

“I couldn’t say more, my queen. My entire well-being is yours to enamor.”

“Disgusting manners. Sera, could I kick his butts?”

“I’ve known a single person in a mirror of this man, Miss Spectre.”

“Yeah, His courteous attitude is one of my best, but you don’t have to praise him this much, Mon-Mon.”

“Mon-Mon? Hah, what an imbecile. How dare you tainted my Queen’s flawless imagery?”

Arno turned his back and taunting him with the jiggle of his bottom parts.

“Ergghh..”

“Dont mind him, Mon-Mon.”

“But... Ah, fine.”

“Well, that’s my special ops team. I’ve been cooperating with them for 2 years now, so their capabilities is intact and commendable to me. For their power, I’ll fill you all with 3 key words: Smart, Brawn, agile. I’ll usually switch them up with the other recruits for practice, but these three person is the only core members of the group. ”

The three musketeers returning back to their line, integrating themselves within the march of troops in a smooth fashion.

“Hoo, they even directed themselves up to the bigger group on their own, how impressive.”

“Anyway, why are you labelled me with ‘Spectre,’ blowfish? It’s kind of new to me.”

“No, it’s nothing of the sort. Your way of leadership made me remembered some cunning commanders from a novel.”

“Hehehe, I am actually blushing, Regi. You’re surely having your way on girls, huh.”

“Ehm, could you be counted upon them, Sera? Hehe, my eyesight would be deceiving me for this.”

“Huh, the beef of mine would hurling your sorry mockery, Mon-Mon. I might be rough, but my heart is still tender like a small puppy.”

Simon is laughing wholeheartedly by the retort.

“HAHAHAHA!!! The beef of yours.... Delicate reply, impostor.”

“Quit the jest, Simon. She is an amazing leader, beyond your standard of mentoring at the most.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You’re great, Sera, but the image of a proper woman doesn’t suit you fairly well.”

“WATCH OUT, SIMON!!”

In the wake of their small talks, an abrupt pile of boulder is falling off the sky and close-by to hit Simon over the head. The other set of stones were followed suit, surrounding themselves up with a rain of terror.

“We’re closing in!! Ready the formation, lads!!”

“Hey-Ho!!”

The slacking off regiment of soldiers merged themselves into a bulwark of shields, proceed to encircle the commander in order for them to cover their movement. On their ways to the frontline of the battlefield, the scenery of horrendous battle could be seen from up close. Several remains of the fallen soldiers were laid down, scattered in numerous places. They even have to run over a few rotten corpses to set forth.

“Steady your stance, soldiers!!! We’re far out of reach for a direct run.”

“It seems we are approaching the front-line. Are you sure it’s on the right way, Serafina?”

“Yeah, this is the plan. We could breach the second-gate on the back of their stronghold, but we need to withstand the rage of both side for half an hour, at least..”

“No sneaky maneuver or something, Miss Spectre?”

“Nuh-uh, the great General has no doubt over the immense feat of direct strike.”

They were arrived on the banks of the flowing river of skirmish. On their way to get across, the column of shield marching one step at a time, holding their ranks in strength of their defense.

“By the way, any info of your ability, Regi? Notify us in brief.”

“Yeah, Brute fist for the principal, shameful legs in the bottom line.”

“Awesome!! A glass cannon in our disposal!”

“Sadly, I am amazed, Pufferfish. You are blowing my mind in every possible angle.”