MMORPG : Ancient WORLD

'This feeling of Deja Vu is very strange, but with time, I should get used to it,' Alex thought as he made his way to the city in the distance.

The city was surrounded by towering walls that loomed overhead, with dozens of massive plasma turrets mounted atop them for defense.

The city was named Xarentol, a military-owned city near the border of the Magi Empire, and it was different from the city of Fraxburg, where Zlderic was likely stationed, making it so that Alex would not be encountering him any time soon.

Alex could not collect five of the remaining entry token pieces for one reason or another, so he decided it was prime time he join the military of the Magi Empire and began to make a name for himself.

Alex's Avatar had already done the tedious work of joining the military and becoming a Squad captain, which took months of completing monotonous tasks.

Alex planned to wait a bit longer before he entered the army, but the Magi Empire had declared war on the majority of the Skaven Clans, the race of Ratlings, and since the thirteenth regiment was given the task to cleanse the miasmic land of Vozentar, the place that housed one of the four Skaven clans.

So this was a prime opportunity for Alex to earn a great number of honor points and grow through the ranks to the point where he could get close to the Grand Arcanum, who would help him enter the pocket dimension that held the sword he needed.

Alex joined the long line at the entrance, reaching the front after a few minutes. He scanned his soldier card on the scanner, causing a magic circle to light up beneath his feet, and in an instant, he was teleported directly into the city's inner area.

Alex was teleported directly inside a small room with a single bed, plain white walls, and no other furniture.

If some outsider saw this place, they would think this belonged in some commoner Inn, but in reality, this ten by ten feet room was what the Squad captain received, and it was much better than what soldiers were given.

In the HriNovelFirealkyr Cohort regiment, one was given treatment based on rank, and it encompassed everything from comfort, resources, authority, and even the mission one could accept, no matter their strength.

Unless one was an Elemental Ruler, they joined as a common soldier, with there being rarely any exceptions to this rule.

'Let's go and see if some open missions are available,' Alex thought as he left his room, but just as he did, he was greeted by a long, empty hallway and a hulking giant who rushed at him.

Alex sidestepped, making the hulking armadillo lose balance and crash into the door, not failing facefirst only because his body did not slip through the open door.

"Skrel, what are you doing?" Alex questioned once the big guy was back on his feet.

"Captain, Where were you for three days? I thought you left us," Skrel said, as he tried to hug him once which Alex avoided again.

"Captain, you need to go to the Council hall right now, as the Brigade Captain is holding the final meeting before they begin the assault."

"If you miss it, we will be at the mercy of Kiera, and you know how she feels about you. With my luck, she will surely throw us into the toughest battlefront."

"While you will be fine since you are immortal, my poor life will be extinguished before I can see my grandchildren," Skrel said, his voice tinged with panic.

"What? They are launching a full-scale attack?" Alex asked, startled by what Skrel seemed to imply.

"I think so. Because a few hours ago, a direct message from the High Council came, calling all soldiers active on any mission that was not red grade to return to their assigned cities."

"About an hour ago, Brigade Captain Valen called for every Battalion Leader, Company Captain, Platoon Leader, and all squad captains ranked in the top ten to come to the Council Hall," Skrel said, sounding concerned.

Alex knew something was up when the Empire suddenly declared war on three of the four Skaven Clans. At first, he thought it was over territory or some petty feud, but the speed and intensity of the Empire's actions hinted at something far more urgent.

Without wasting another moment, Alex left the building and began navigating through the bustling city, heading towards the central area and reaching the checkpoints seconds later.

Once through the security check, he made his way to the floating tower that housed the Council hall and after another security check, he was granted entry.

As he was teleported inside, Alex was greeted by the sight of a dimly lit chamber with a domed ceiling lined with crystals that bathed the room in a soft glow.

In the center, seven chairs were placed in a circle. Three pairs of these chairs were slightly less ornate, indicating the status of their occupants, while the central chair was occupied by the Brigade Captain, the man who controlled the city.

Alex received a few side glances from other squad captains and platoon leaders standing in silence behind the chairs.

The Brigade Captain said nothing, nor did he spare him a glance as he stood up and vanished, followed by the six other influential figures. Then the squad captains and platoon leaders left, leaving only Alex and three other individuals.

"I was a bit too late," Alex thought, shifting his focus to the woman beside him.

"I thought our rising star had left the army after his humiliating defeat," the woman said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she strolled closer, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

"There is no shame in defeat from an opponent far stronger than you," a middle-aged dwarf to his left interjected before he also teleported away.

"I knew that guy was strong, but to die in a single hit? You turned out to be a bigger fraud than I believed," The man, the only other adventurer in the room, mocked, his eyes carrying a mix of amusement and disdain, and with that, he also left.

"Captain Kiera, it seems I was a bit too late. Could you please brief me on the situation and our role in the upcoming battle?" Alex asked, ignoring the insults and focusing on the task at hand.

"We are ordered to follow the lead of Battalion Leader Licinia Catilina, and we will be leaving for battle in twelve hours,"

"This is all you need to know," Kiera said, before she also teleported away, leaving Alex alone.

Kiera did not like Alex, and it was understandable since she was one of six Platoon Leaders and ranked the lowest.

Alex was completing one mission after another to earn the necessary honor points, and his ambition to advance his rank was not hidden from anyone.

It was clear that it was only a matter of time before he challenged one of the six captains and, with his display of strength, very likely replaced one of them because, at one point, only six Platoon Leaders could exist, and Kiera being the weakest was the prime target.

Alex was not worried about Kiera bothering him since she knew better than to antagonize him, knowing well he was immortal.

Once everyone was gone, Alex also left the council hall, aiming to learn why was the Magi Empire waging a full-scale war on the Skaven Clans, who were by no means weak, as three clans housed millions and millions of Skaven.

While it would undoubtedly be a victory for the Magi Empire, it would not be without some losses, and seeing how hasty they were being with their full-scale attack, Alex knew there was more to the whole thing than met the eye.