Chapter 246.5: Ramiro's troubles
On a certain battlefield in a large jagged terrain shaped by constant war there stood two armies facing off against one another.
On one side stood the full force of the Lion's Spearhearts, including their honorary members such as Carlos Leon Jr, various Leon clan experts, and Brassaint's Second Prince Jin Fang. They were all led by the infamous Ramiro León, who stood tall with his powerful spear in hand. His armor was tattered once again after constant replacements through weeks of battle.
On the other side gathered one of the large and mighty armies of the demonic alliance. Familiar faces such as Umbrawllak, Cheol Hyeol Ma, and several other long-standing enemies all stood in formation. Many of these experts had already fought Ramiro at some point. Many had fallen before him but were saved at the brink of death. Others had fought evenly before retreating after grueling battles.
Cheol Hyeol Ma was one such expert and had even managed to overpower Ramiro to an extent due to his being a rather powerful Early Stage Mortal Lord. Yet despite that advantage he could never fully defeat Ramiro because of the chaos caused by other powerful combatants across both armies. For nearly three weeks since the White Star Radiance alliance secured control of this region, the two factions had reached a stalemate. The situation was a given especially due to several key events, most notably the disappearance of the four-armed black devil and the divine-eyed goddess.
The war was too large, too scattered, and too unpredictable for any army on all sides to devote focused attention toward mysterious experts who fought at levels possibly beyond Middle Stage Mortal Lords.
Once again, another face-off began as both armies prepared for yet another battle.
"Damnit let me take care of the Dragon Spear Hero once and for all!"
"No, it's my turn now! I will make him pay!"
"You bastards should stay out of my way! I will be the one to take his head!"
"Hmph! All of you were crushed by him at least once so you can sit back. Your injuries look damn near permanent and you still want to fight? Hah!"
"You all just fuck off! He killed my comrades so he must pay with blood!"
The demonic experts loudly argued with one another regarding who had the right to fight Ramiro. Despite his terrifying reputation, many powerful opponents ranging between Golden Lords and even Mortal Lords had survived their earlier encounters with him, even if heavily injured. This changed the dynamic of the war on their side, shifting it toward a strange phenomenon where warriors now challenged Ramiro directly rather than throwing themselves into chaotic group battles.
"Haaah? The hell are you idiotas talking about? Just come at me you damned demon worms!" Ramiro shouted heroically with a passionate, mocking grin.
"Fuck you all! I'm going to be the one to kick that bastard's ass!"
"Get out of the way! Actually how about we fight him together?"
"Hehehe so you're admitting that you're too weak and scared to fight him alone?"
"...How about I kill you instead, you trash!"
"Oohh? Mister fake leg wants to fight me? I will kill you first!"
"Oi…"
Ramiro rubbed his forehead as a mild headache crept in while he listened to the chaos.
"When exactly did things become like this?" he thought.
"Isn't that just Rami Rey's charm? In any case it certainly made things easier for our army ironically enough." Isabella said with a proud smile behind him with Gabriela nodding in agreement.
"No seriously, what the hell is up with these demons? I think they are secretly doing this on purpose to minimize damages." Carlos Jr added with disbelief.
"Hmm… There might be some truth to that, but it's not like they haven't tried other strategies with different detachments or different armies." Jin Fang muttered thoughtfully. "To be frank, I think they finally realized that the White Star Radiance alliance has already become too strong with a solidified base here. And secretly they know that certain extremely powerful individuals are still lurking around. Another major reason might also stem from that incident from over three weeks ago, along with the recent creation of that forbidden zone filled with demonic beasts."
As their speculations continued, the demonic army finally launched their attack. The battle raged throughout the night before both sides eventually retreated. The White Star Radiance alliance collected their injured and fallen before returning to their fortified territory.
Compared to when the land was first conquered the region was now far more fortified. A multitude of traps, weapons, and defensive structures along with sturdy walls had been placed throughout the area to repel invading armies. This territory had become a massive strategic safe haven for many people, whether natives or wandering experts from Desert Red Star. Some individuals from the Purple Starmist continent had even attempted to escape recruitment into their own major sects and clans, secretly seeking refuge here.
The White Star Radiance alliance was not the only such safe zone, but it was undeniably one of the most stable. The largest and most fortified protected region existed deeper toward the Pocket Dimension's center, ruled jointly by one of the most powerful native sects alongside another top sect, one powerful clan, and several other forces. Their combined might created a superpower that the demon alliance had struggled to overcome.
The demons made one early mistake. When they had rushed toward the opening leading to Desert Red Star, they failed to prevent these native factions from uniting. Now that those forces had joined together and expanded, it was too late. Territory had grown, and demons were frequently repelled, sometimes even massacred.
Of course, the demons were not the only ones suffering.
There were three major groups within the region:
Desert Red Star experts, Purple Starmist experts, and natives of the Pocket Dimension.
Within each faction existed internal factions, factions within those factions, rivalries, betrayals, and shifting alliances.
Later that evening Ramiro sat inside a newly constructed tavern with an exhausted expression as he waited for his meal. Two women sat beside him. Both were core members of the Lion's Spearhearts inner circle.
One was the demi-human spearwoman he had encountered many months ago and crossed paths with many times since.
"Sir Ramiro, another job well done. I expect nothing less from the magnificent hero I have grown to admire." she said with sparkling eyes despite being wrapped in bandages.
The other woman nodded as she sat quietly with a hood draped over her head, a thin scarf covering her lips.
"A job well done, huh? Well I guess that isn't wrong." Ramiro said while rubbing his temple. "Though honestly I still feel like I'm lacking compared to that tonta espada negra de diablo and El— uhh, Sect Master Solman, even though he hasn't been seen in two months."
(He's talking about Zoro in Spanish calling him a Black Sword Wielding Devil)
Three servers placed large plates of food before them.
"I truly admire that competitive spirit." the demi-human woman said. "But I don't think you realize something. Your training has never stopped, and even though your methods seem simple, the results are strange. You feel even stronger these days. Honestly, you give off a stabilized pressure that rivals a Mortal Lord. Many people have started even begun to actually mistake you as if you actually are one."
Finally, the hooded woman spoke while Ramiro devoured his food.
"...Master Rami, aren't you underestimating yourself? Back in my clan, your aura would make elders look at you as a treasure with a very high chance of becoming an Apex Mortal Lord upon breakthrough. Those types of cultivators have far weaker bottlenecks and far higher comprehension. They basically touch the early fundamentals of the Soul Tier while still beneath the Mortal Shedding realm."
"Huh?? Me? Apex Mortal Lord? Never heard of that." Ramiro blinked. "But what you said is interesting, Lalinata. And Jurhai, what you said also makes sense. I will keep both of your words in mind. Thank you."
Both women blushed and looked away shyly while taking small bites of food.
Such peaceful times continued for a short while longer…
But the winds of change were already gathering.