The Almighty Supreme WarLord

The sound of roosters crowing reverberated throughout the military headquarters.

It was 5 am, and the sky was just beginning to brighten. In the huge, meticulously manicured field situated in front of the headquarters, over a thousand soldiers stood uniformly in neat rows, their eyes fixed on a tall man draped in a black cloak and hat, and adorning a mask. Among them, some of the soldiers looked at the young man with sorrow, some with admiration, and others with longing.

In the hearts of these soldiers, this young man was their hero, their idol. If he asked them to lay down their lives for him, they would do so without hesitation.

This young man was none other than Ares, exuding a majestic aura. Surrounding him were the revered Gods and Goddesses of War, their expressions mirroring the soldiers' sadness as they gazed at him.

If they could, they would have begged him to stay. This was all the more reason they were sad because they knew they couldn't.

Once the Master's mind was made up, nothing or no one could change his mind.

Tearing his gaze away from the military helicopter poised for takeoff, Ares glanced over at the more than a thousand soldiers. A faint smile curled his lips. "I'll miss y'all too. But I have to go," he said, his voice steady yet tinged with melancholy.

Those nine words were all it took to break the silence. The field was soon filled with the sounds of weeping, tears streaming down the faces of the soldiers, both males and females. The majority of these soldiers in the past were mere prisoners just like Ares. When Ares broke through the walls of prison and escaped, he had brought along all the prisoners who were willing to escape with him and fight for their country. He transformed them into new men, and now they stand as revered soldiers who have devoted their lives to serving their nation.

As they witnessed all of the troops in tears, the Gods and Goddesses of War were moved to tears as well. They, who were known as beasts on the battlefield and whose names struck fear in the hearts of their enemies, were now reduced to tears!

If the citizens were here to witness this, they would have sure been trembling and their mouths gaping at the sight.

For several minutes, the only sounds that echoed across the field were the sobs of the soldiers and the weeping of the Gods and Goddesses of War. The air was heavy with sorrow and reluctance.

Ares stood among them, deeply moved by the outpouring of emotion. He sighed, feeling the weight of their grief tug at his heartstrings. These soldiers and Gods and Goddesses of War were no longer just allies; they had become his brothers and sisters in arms, a true family. He wanted nothing more than to stay with them, if not for anything but because of their tears. However, he knew he couldn't stay, he would never be at peace if he didn't leave.

He sighed again, his gaze flickering between the soldiers and the Gods and Goddesses of War.

"I might be leaving, but this is not the last you will see of me. I give you my word, once I'm done with my revenge, I'll find every one of you." He could only promise them.

But this promise was enough to cause the eyes of the soldiers to light up in delight.

"Really?" one of the soldiers, a young man with a single star on his chest, stepped forward and asked. Normally, he would never have the courage to speak to Ares directly, but the swirling emotions of the moment gave him an unexpected bravery.

Ares turned to face him and gave a firm nod. "If I said it, then so shall it be."

"Yes!" The soldier exclaimed in excitement. He quickly turned to the rest of the soldiers and bellowed, "The Supreme Warlord is not abandoning us as we feared. He will come back for us once he has completed his revenge!" His voice echoed across the field.

In an instant, the atmosphere shifted. From despair, the soldiers were suddenly filled with hope. Shouts erupted from the ranks:

"We, The Red Talons, will wait for the Supreme Warlord's return!"

"We, The Blackfangs, will wait for the Supreme Warlord's return!"

"We, The Iron Fangs, will wait for the Supreme Warlord's return!"

"We, The Steelclaws, will wait for the Supreme Warlord's return!"

"We, The Nightblades, will wait for the Supreme Warlord's return!" Their voices were so loud that the wind seemed to fluctuate, and the temperature dropped several degrees. As their chants rang out, they all raised their fists to their heads, giving Ares a reverent military salute.

Seeing this, Ares smiled. "Now I can leave without any sadness," he said quietly.

Calista, one of the Goddesses of War nibbled anxiously on her lower lip, wanting to speak but not having the courage to do so. It had always been an unspoken rule that unless extremely important, they were not allowed to speak to Ares except he spoke to them first.

Ares noticed this and, without looking her way, said calmly, "Speak, kid. If you don't do so now, you might forever live in regrets."

Calista's face lit up at his words. Swiftly, she knelt on one knee and bowed. "Master, the emperor stripped us of our military positions last night. We are now mere civilians. Since we have nothing to do, let me come with you, please."

"What, Calista, what do you mean by this?" Before Ares could even speak, a God of War snapped angrily. Then, he also knelt on one knee and bowed. "Master, I've always been your favorite. Please take me with you. I can act as your bodyguard."

"What do you two mean by this? And, Caldor, what nonsense is this about being Master's favorite? Master has never had a favorite! If you think that will earn you a point, you've failed!" A Goddess of War blasted angrily. Then, like Calista and Caldor, she knelt on one knee and bowed. "Master, throughout the war, you were never with a woman. Now that the war has ended and you are leaving, please take me with you so I could at least warm your bed."

"Outrageous!" A Goddess of War bellowed indignantly. "Do you think you are Master's spec? And who are you to even dream of warming our Master's bed? Know your place!" Despite her scolding, she too knelt on one knee and bowed. "Master, I don't ask for much. Since you've always praised my cooking, let me just be your chef. Please."

As soon as she finished, another God of War stepped forward, continuing the plea. This pattern repeated until every God and Goddess of War was on their knees, each one begging Ares to take them along. The soldiers behind them watched with envy. Though they had pledged to await Ares's return, they couldn't help but wish they too had the chance to ask to accompany him!

Ares's lips curled into a faint smile as he stared down at the Gods and Goddesses of War kneeling and bowing before him. Having groomed them, he had expected things to play out just as they did.

He said nothing for several minutes, till the Gods and Goddesses began to lose hope of getting any response from him.

Finally, he said calmly, "I would have liked to take at least one of you with me, but I can't as I have a task for you lot."

The Gods and Goddesses of War, still kneeling, lifted their heads to look at him, a spark of curiosity in their eyes. Calista, ever the brave one, asked, "What task, Master?"

Ares turned and cast a glance at the direction of the Imperial palace, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face. "I expected better from that old man," he murmured, almost to himself.

Shaking his head, he turned back to the Gods and Goddesses of War. "Stripping you of your positions would cost Carrington another war," he said, his tone heavy.

The Gods and Goddesses of War exchanged glances. "Another war?" They thought. Nevertheless, they remained silent, not daring to interrupt Ares.

"I know your positions were unjustly stripped," Ares continued, "and I shouldn't ask this of you, but Carrington is our dear nation, and we must not for the sins of one man let it fall. I want you twelve to secretly station yourselves at the borders of the twelve Provinces.

"There, you will train a thousand soldiers each and keep an eye on the borders for any invasion. The way I taught every one of you, teach to the troops under you. You understand what I mean."

The Gods and Goddesses of War nodded in unison. There was a secret no one knew about them, not even the Emperor and the soldiers behind them: though all were exceptionally skilled fighters, Ares had imparted a unique ability to each, setting them apart from one another.

Ares's gaze shifted to the soldiers. "Distribute them evenly among yourselves, and then recruit additional men and women to reach a thousand each. Do not contact me until you have completed this task. Only defy this order if there is a sudden invasion by the enemy."

A hush fell over the group as they absorbed his words. No matter how hard they tried to hide it, their expressions fell. The task was a bitter pill to swallow, especially after the emperor had unjustly stripped them of their positions just the night before. Why should they deny themselves the enjoyment they deserved by remaining on the borders?

Ares noticed their sullen faces and his lips curled into a faint smile. "I am your Master and Lord. I promise you, I'll make the emperor apologize to you and with reverence, restore your positions."

If anyone else had said this, the Gods and Goddesses of War would have dismissed it outright. But it was their Master speaking, and his words were as good as gold. They knew he would keep his promise. After all, if he could challenge and threaten the emperor, what else couldn't he do?

As that thought sank in, their expressions lightened, some of the tension easing from their shoulders. Simultaneously, they stood and gave him a crisp military salute. "We promise, Supreme Warlord, we will fulfill the task you've bestowed upon us! We will never let our dear nation fall."

Ares nodded in satisfaction and turned away. He strode calmly toward the helicopter, his boots clanging against the metal ramp. As he reached the entrance, he halted abruptly, glancing back at the Gods and Goddesses of War from the corner of his eye. "Remember, your safety is paramount. No matter what you see, or whatever happens, even if the enemy launches a sudden attack, don't risk your life by engaging in a fight alone."

With that, he grabbed the handle and hoisted himself into the helicopter with practiced ease. He secured himself in a seat and gave the command, "Take off."

The pilot nodded, relayed a few commands over the intercom, and soon the helicopter began to lift off the ground.

"Farewell, Supreme Warlord!"

"Farewell, Supreme Warlord!"

"Farewell, Master!"

"Farewell, Master!"

As the helicopter picked up altitude, shouts rang out, filling the air. Ares glanced out.

He stared at the soldiers and the Gods and Goddesses of War until they resembled tiny ants crawling on the earth and their voices became faint, almost inaudible.

Only then, did he stare away and lean into his seat to take a rest– a luxury he hadn't indulged in for ten long years.