Austronesian Empire, Imperial Maharlika, Mindanao, General Santos City, In The Outskirts Of General Santos

2000, 2, 1st Week, January

Since the event of the sunrise, the clouds of the storm have now effectively dispersed. Under the bright, warm sky of this new world, flickers of light and the smell of smokeless gunpowder reverberates through the entire surroundings. Within a few moments after each flash of light with the deafening explosions that followed, dozens of armed boots began pounding the ground as soldiers rushed towards another location, only for the scene to repeat.

"Flying bogies at two o'clock! Shoot it down!" a soldier shouted.

Upon hearing the command, some soldiers immediately redirected their fire towards their side. With the benefit of sunlight, they could now take full advantage of their weaponry, because of the fact that their vision wasn't restricted anymore.

Overhead, several AH-12 Thunderwings attack helicopters were making rounds in the air as they pummeled the demons on the ground with efficient fire support to the ground troops below. Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from the far center of the city. With the chopping sound from the rotor blade of the thunderwing attack helicopter became even more violent as they ascended to a higher altitude to investigate the source of the deafening sound.

However, as the thunderwings were rising up in altitude, they made a fatal mistake when a flying building suddenly flew towards them. Who would have expected that there was a demon that could throw literal buildings up high in the air?

One Thunderwing fired a barrage of rockets, shattering the airborne building and narrowly avoiding disaster. The other AH-12 wasn't as fortunate as it was being struck and was sent billowing down to the ground with its entire crew killed on impact. The Thunderwing crashed into a building, resulting in an immensely loud explosion.

To the boots on the ground, the only thing the soldiers had on their faces was a look of terror as a new type of demon seemed to have appeared. To worsen the situation, an ear-piercing roar resounded across the battlefield. The troops were momentarily stunned, but they were able to recover just in time to continue firing at the demons.

"Don't mind it! We have artillery and air support arriving soon! Forward!" a commanding officer shouted with vigor.

Soon, the armored corps arrived, and have now entered the various streets that required heavy support. Meanwhile, dozens of artillery shells rained down on the city center, where an endless swarm of demon monsters seemed to be pouring out.

BOOM!

The MTF-16, or the Mobile Tank Fortress, known to be as the most heaviest and largest tanks that was ever built within the Liberation Army had stopped in the middle of the streets and fired a shot, sending dust everywhere suddenly swirled and flew away, to which was followed by a deafening explosion on the far side of the battlefield.



Another ear-piercing roar echoed through the surroundings, this time killing a ten-meter-tall spider demon. Suddenly, something new appeared, catching the soldiers off guard. The demons that had been causing havoc from a distance now stood directly before the mobile tank fortress.

Seeing the inevitable battle, the soldiers, along with other mechanized vehicles, moved to safer locations to provide fire support. If only they had enough rockets for their launchers, they could offer better support for the tank. However, this army composition was a last-minute call-up. Apparently, the higher-ups were desperate to contain the source of the demons and prevent it from spreading even further as much as possible, resulting in the armored corps arriving late to the battle. But it is better late than never.

The demon had a giant body. It almost seemed like it was a much larger body than a typical elephant that could be found in southern Asia. It sported two massive horns poking out of its front and what seemed like an enormous mouth. It seemed like the creature used its horns on the front to capture its prey and trapped them as the horns closed inward, directing the prey into its mouth.

The monster roared and charged toward the Mobile Tank Fortress in a sprinting fashion at the speed of a warhorse. Soldiers countered with thunderous gunfire, including several gunners firing machine guns in their JLTVs. The battle was happening in a street to street fashion, with both sides facing each other head-on.

When the Tank Fortress fired, its shot blasted the side of the demon. The force of the explosion caused the enormous demon to trip and fall, suffering a severe wound from the Fortress. Roaring in anger, the demon stood back up and once again charged towards the massive tank.

Unfortunately for the Fortress, its main armament was still reloading. As it tried to back up, soldiers and mechanized corps pummeled the demon, but their bullets had little effect on its thick body.

The demon was able to close the distance within a few moments and spread its horns outward which clashed against the Fortress tank and slammed them inward, effectively capturing it.

As the demon prepared to bite into the Fortress, the tank finished reloading and fired a shot directly into the demon's mouth. The resulting explosion tore the demon apart as the shell burst itself inward, having its carcass scattered around the places and painting the surroundings crimson red.

With the enormous horned demon dead, the mechanized corps returned to their positions, and combat engineers began removing the remains of the demon from the front of the MTF-16.

Suddenly, in the far distance of the streets, something is slowly walking towards the units menacingly.

Some soldiers spotted it, sensing an overwhelming killing intent emanating from the creature. It held an axe made of concentrated demonic energy in its hands.

"Greetings, honored guests of this war, I am the Greater Demon known as the Baron of Dreadthirster!"



"Shit, isn't that one of those noble-class demons I've heard about?" one soldier said, shaking in fear.

Noble-class demons. According to the elf woman they've heard reports about, including the information she gave off about these monsters, there are demons that were ranked based on social classes, similar to human nobility such as Kings, Princes/Princesses, Dukes, Marquises, Earls, Viscounts, Barons, Baronets, and lastly Chevaliers.

These ranks were roughly the approximate power levels of the demons.

Lesser Demons, like Imps fall into the Chevalier rank, with power levels between 1,000 to 5,000 magicules. Stronger lesser demons, such as demonic Knights, rank as Baronets, possessing power levels from 5,000 to 10,000 magicules.

Following them were the noble-class demons known as Greater Demons, powerful demons that were started at the Baron-rank, with power levels ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 magicules. And Viscount-ranked demons are even stronger, with power levels between 100,000 and 500,000 magicules.

Archdemons, which are the higher-class demons that include Earl-ranked demons, which were around from 500,000 to 1,000,000 magicules, and Marquis-ranked demons, whose power exceeds a million magicules, making them as deadly as Transcendents.

At the top are the Demon Lord levels such as Dukes, Archdukes, Demon Princes, and Demon Princesses. These apex demons are equivalent to living nukes, far surpassing the power levels of those below them.

Finally, there is the Demon King level.

Forget about that level, the Austronesian Empire as a whole would've been eradicated in an instant the moment they had encountered such a being.

And at this moment, what the soldiers were facing was a Baron-rank demon, the lowest of the noble-class demons.

But despite being the lowest, high command had warned that their power was terrifying and required immediate elimination with heavy firepower.

Two gunners in the mechanized corps knew the protocol and aimed their machine guns at the demon, opening a stream of .50 caliber rounds into it. However, Dreadthirster lunged at one of the vehicles, grabbing its front bumper and effortlessly tossing it into another, causing both vehicles to crash into each other.

All the soldiers immediately reacted and opened fire on it, but the bullets only enraged the demon Dreadthirster further as it rushed toward the group and decapitated five soldiers in a flash, followed by swiftly stabbing one in the chest and throwing him into another soldier, knocking both down.

In a spinning fashion, Dreadthirster had slashed down a dozen soldiers in mere seconds. It then sliced down another soldier in half at the torso before grabbing yet another and, without hesitation, he ripped him in two and threw the remains aside.

After slaughtering an entire platoon, the Baron demon Dreadthirster was being shot by a barrage of .50 caliber rounds in the back. He turned to see the Mobile Tank Fortress, with a soldier on top of it, firing and gunning him down with a machine gun.

In a fit of rage, Dreadthirster slammed his foot into the ground and charged forward, creating a small crater he left behind as he rushed towards the tank at frightening speeds. The gunner continued firing, but to their surprise, the demon Dreadthirster used his axes to slice through the rounds, deflecting them without a scratch.

Inside the tank, the crew quickly prepared their next shot. With a deafening boom, the tank shell burst out of the barrel and sped towards Dreadthirster. But to the soldiers' utter shock, the demon crossed his axes and slashed at the incoming shell, cutting it into four separate pieces, sending the fragments flying past him and exploded harmlessly against an already destroyed building behind the demon.

Steeling his resolve, the gunner continued firing more high-caliber rounds, only to watch them disintegrate against Baron Dreadthirster's demonic weapons.

The demon leaped into the air, deflecting bullets with his axes as he flew while the soldier continued firing with all his might, and like a ferocious beast, the demon Dreadthirster swung his weapons down at lightning speed, cleaving both the Mobile Tank Fortress and the gunner vertically in two, triggering an explosion that shook the streets.

Despite the blast, the demon Dreadthirster still lives as he walks out of the flames with only slight injuries. Standing amidst the destruction of the Fortress, the demon let out a deafening roar that reverberated throughout the streets.

But then, the demon noticed two surviving soldiers, who were helping two more on the JLTV the demon had tossed at the other earlier. Upon noticing the demon had turned its attention towards them, all four of the soldiers raised their guns and aimed in his direction. But before any of them could press the trigger, the demon was faster as he threw both of his axes and cleaved the heads of two soldiers in an instant before its fists were enveloped with black crimson energy known as Demonic energy.

As he rushed towards the remaining two soldiers, they fired at him with a roar. But the demon seemed unfazed by the shots, and with a slight movement of its hands, it effortlessly sliced their rifles in half with ease.

Staring at their destroyed weapons in horror, the soldiers faced the demon, and the last thing they see before their life flashes is the demon slamming his massive fist onto them at lightning-fast speed, causing their bodies to explode into red mist.

After turning those poor soldiers into a mere bloody puddle, Dreadthirster raised his hand, and both of his axes moved on their own, returning to his grasp.

"No matter the slaughter of billions, no matter the destruction of a thousand worlds, Goremother and Child were never satisfied! Blood for the blood god! SKULLS... FOR THE SKULL THRONE!!" Dreadthirster cried out viciously as he moved forward, his aura dripping with malice and bloodlust.

At that moment, another platoon of soldiers arrived, accompanied by a fleet of tanks. As they approached the enemy, both infantry and tanks opened fire.

“Target on sight!”

“One round on the way!”

“FIRE!!”

BOOM!

The explosion of the gun firing filled the inside the four turrets of the tanks, but Baron demon Dreadthirster raised his axes named Goremother and Gorechild and sliced through several shells with relative ease. However, one shell impacted his chest and exploded, only for the demon to survive with a small bruise on his chest. The second shell, however, struck his head. Greater Demon or not, there was little that could withstand a direct hit from a 120mm armor-piercing round to the head, and this time, his natural armor-like skin failed to protect him.

Seeing the demon's headless body fall to its knees, the army cheered and began moving forward with the four tanks leading the way on the front.

All of a sudden, the ground shook, and in the far distance of the streets, a slight view could be seen, and it was enough to scare the shit out of the soldiers as they saw about dozens upon dozens of demons gathered at the edge of the city center. Among them stood one particularly imposing demon, emitting a massive amount of demonic energy that froze the soldiers in their tracks.

The sheer magnitude of demonic energy enveloping the area indicated that it surpassed the Magicule Count of 100,000, making this demon significantly stronger than the Baron-rank demon they had encountered earlier.

Therefore, what they were facing was not an ordinary demon, but a demon at the Viscount-rank, and the first enemy they had encountered that possessed the power around Tier 8.

But even the situation felt hopeless, the four tanks were immediately immobilized and all of the soldiers started to shoot their flimsy firearms with all their might.

But the Viscount-rank demon simply smiled as he shrugged off their rounds as if they were mere pebbles. It was about to command the demon army behind it to advance and spelled further peril for the soldiers.

But as if the heavens were on the humans' side, a loud boom echoed through the sky, followed by an ear-piercing sound as something streaked past. In the next moment, dozens of massive explosions erupted in front of the streets, reducing dozens of demons to mere meat paste and leaving some leftover carcasses around the area, while also painting the surrounding with crimson red.

The cavalry had arrived, as a squadron of F-16 Phantom fighter jets unleashed dozens upon dozens of bombs onto the demon army and the Viscount-rank demon, obliterating the demon forces and decimating an entire area that leveled an entire city district.



After releasing their load, the fighter jets circled around the sky and, from time to time, they conducted strafing runs on areas where there was a massive amount of demons. They returned to the air base with their chests up high in pride as they reloaded their armaments for another sortie.

Soon enough, the troops on the streets could hear the chopping sounds of a few dozen Thunderwing attack helicopters once more as they made another sortie to provide a massive amount of fire support to the troops on the ground. The fight was fierce with the Imperial soldiers as they had sustained casualties against the seemingly unstoppable hordes of demons.

Meanwhile, the Viscount demon weakly rose to its feet after being bombarded a thousand times from fighter jets and attack helicopters.

"Damn it! I only recently evolved into the Viscount-rank, AND NOW I HAVE TO DIE LIKE THIS BY PESKY RATS?!?"

Enraged, it unleashed an earth-shattering roar that caused a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7 throughout the city, creating cracks on the ground and crumbling down many buildings that collapsed over troops occasionally, claiming the lives of over hundreds of soldiers in mere seconds.

Unfortunately for the Viscount demon, before it knew, the fight was only getting started as the loud roaring of the engines from the Greyheat Tactical Bombers had just once again reentered the battlefield. Upon reaching the altitude over the city center, they once again pulled the lever and this time not just a few dozen bombs were dropped, but hundreds of cluster bombs were included. Explosions and chaos erupted everywhere as the dead bodies of the demons filled the surroundings, and the Viscount demon found itself bombarded once again before it could advance any further.

After the first group of Greyheat Tactical Bombers completed their sortie, another squadron entered the battlefield. This was once again followed by a massive bombing campaign of cluster bombs, but this time, napalm was also being dropped.

Massive explosions erupted, and inextinguishable fires were also fuming inside the city center. It was a good bombing effort against the demons, as the demons comprised flesh and flesh burns. Napalm sticks to flesh and into anything, plus it is immensely high in temperature that could melt steel itself, so that would mean the demons would have a hard time countering the effects of Napalm.

With the bombing effort and the addition of napalm, the Viscount demon finally died and the surrounding area was being cleansed of living flesh that was growing everywhere in the city. Unfortunately, amidst the destruction, the bodies of the dead citizens of General Santos City were also unsalvageable. This was heartbreaking for the Austronesians, knowing that even the bodies of the civilians and heroes who died defending their homeland were lost, which breaks their tiny hearts.