The Martial Unity

Rui stared at the deputy commander with a raised eyebrow. He knew that the deputy commander was from the Evolutionary Army, and his nomination into the central human command had been controversial, but Rui could see right through him, both literally and figuratively. There was nothing that an ordinary evosapien could hide from him.

And since that was the case, then Rui didn’t mind relying on the man’s strategic mind. He had known of him ever since he had inherited Anthea’s memories, which was why he knew that a powerless evosapien could reach the highest ranks in a power-centric army purely due to his strategic intelligence. It was worth it to bring the evosapien in on the most important military command body in human civilization.

”Go on,” Rui told him with a serious expression. ”Provide me with the options at hand.”

The deputy commander gulped, breaking into a cold sweat internally. His memories with the Emperor of Water weren’t the most pleasant. He recalled how many years ago, shortly before the Era of Expansion commenced, the Emperor had effortlessly stormed a top-secret military training base in Moridia and found him effortlessly.

This was before he had become a Transcendent.

It had taught him that the Martial Transcendent could not be crossed. He wasn’t even sure he could keep the existence of Aethna hidden from the Martial Transcendent. Regardless, he sincerely presented the strategies that the command committee had fleshed out.

”The biggest factor that has affected the strategy that we believe is most suited for this threat is that the arakai could very easily choose to shift their target before the operation begins, if they have reason to,” the deputy commander continued with a serious voice. ”After all, even though the Arima III System is the closest and was chosen for that reason, there is very little difference made in consumption of energy or difficulty if they choose to shift their target to the star system adjacent to it, the Vor Solar System. In other words, they are spoiled for choice for where they invade human civilization from. And predicting where they would shift their target to is too difficult. The fact that we know where they are going to invade from is the biggest advantage we have.”

Rui nodded, understanding what the deputy commander was getting at. ”In other words, any strategy that gives them reason to choose a different star system is not a good strategy.”

For instance, if the arakai saw that humans had begun packing the Arima III System with countless warships, astro-fortresses, and other such military infrastructure that would significantly increase the difficulty of a successful invasion, then they could very easily shift locations and simply dodge the defenses.

”Yes, Your Majesty. That automatically rules out a frontal defensive perimeter and battle lines. Any action we take must be covert and furtive, and should not tip the arakai that we know where they are going to attack,” the deputy commander remarked.

”That begs the question, how do we defend the Arima III System without tipping the arakai off?” Rui raised an eyebrow.

”That is the most difficult part, Your Majesty,” the deputy commander replied. ”But we have several options, options that we believe can allow us to bring about the optimal outcome. We believe that it is possible to conduct a counterattack at the moment when the invasion is at its most vulnerable.”

Rui’s ethereal eyes sharpened. ”You mean at the moment the wormhole opens.”

”Yes, Your Majesty,” the deputy commander nodded. ”When the wormhole is opened, arakai civilization will be exposed, and if we are able to mount a serious counterattack at the moment of the invasion through the wormhole, then we will be able to inflict great damage on our enemies before the invasion has even begun.”

”The arakai aren’t stupid; they will be prepared for that,” Rui remarked, revisiting the memories of the Divine Mother that he had unearthed. ”They have failsafes, such as a one-way electromagnetic forcefield that prevents anything from human civilization from entering Arakai Web Civilization.”

”The goal is not to attack them through the portal; that would likely cause them to halt the operation and change targets,” the deputy commander replied. ”The goal is to inflict as much damage to them when in this vulnerable phase after they have already committed to the invasion.”

Rui’s expression shifted with realization. ”After the first set of Arakai ships enter the star system.”

”That’s right, Your Majesty,” the deputy commander confirmed. ”That is the moment when an attack will yield the most fruit. When they are at their most vulnerable and are unable to turn back.”

”And how exactly do you propose we accomplish that?” Rui raised an eyebrow. ”How do we attack them when they’re vulnerable, but committed, without tipping them off ahead of time?”

”The strategic committee has already fleshed out some of the proposals of the committee,” Deputy Commander Wiles remarked. ”But this is the most promising strategy out of all of them.”

The man waved his hand, causing the smart table to project a hologram featuring a labeled animation. It featured an opening wormhole, through which the arakai forces rapidly began entering the Arima III System.

In addition, the animation featured three more elements.

A distant machine labeled ’Photonic Phase Induction Catalyzer.’

A group of elves

A single individual who faced the wormhole directly. An individual that he recognized.

”Bodhisattva Maitreyi?” He raised an eyebrow.

The animation featured ships entering the wormhole, before Bodhisattva Maitreyi proceeded to use one of her most powerful techniques upon entry.

[Omnilumina]

The animation then featured a large number of the warships that entered turning into pure light, exploding in all directions. The group of elves rapidly grew floral tissue from their body, branches and leaves emerging from their body to reflect the light from the explosion all towards the remaining ships, inflicting great damage upon the remaining crew.

”This is Operation Lightfury,” Deputy Commander Wiles remarked. ”This strategy will allow us to inflict great damage on our enemies the moment their forces enter the wormhole.”