“Dior, Ren, Zero will be your superior captain from now on. He is in charge of the two teams you previously lead. Show him respect and assist him as co-captains. And remember, no disobedience will be tolerated.”
Inside a tent, Commander Zain spoke with Captains Dior, Ren, and Aengus on short notice.
Captains Dior and Ren, who appeared to be in their early 30s and had a friendly demeanor, looked at each other speechlessly, processing the news of a new dynamic in their ranks.
Captain Dior, having heard of Aengus’s S-Rank status, accepted it readily, but Captain Ren seemed a bit reluctant.
“Welcome, Captain Zero. Former squad leader of Team 23 reporting,” Captain Dior said, saluting, even though Aengus was younger than him.
Aengus nodded, appearing rather disinterested, which was simply his natural demeanor. “It’s a pleasure to have you, Captain Dior,” he replied, returning the greeting.
Commander Zain furrowed his brows, noticing that Captain Ren still hadn’t acknowledged his new superior yet.
“What’s the matter, Captain Ren? Are you not pleased with your new captain? Would you prefer a transfer elsewhere?” Commander Zain asked sternly, clearly displeased with Ren’s attitude.
Captain Ren looked flustered, hearing the commander’s words. “N-No, I am fine, Commander.”
Turning to Aengus, he added, “Welcome, Captain!” and bowed as he greeted him.
“Okay,” Aengus replied, unfazed.
Whether Captain Ren was willing or not, it didn’t matter to him. This was only a temporary team, and as long as Captain Ren didn’t become a nuisance, Aengus was fine with it. If Ren caused trouble, Aengus wouldn’t hesitate to remove him from the squad. Fairness didn’t concern him.
Afterwards, they went to meet the soldiers of the two squads to introduce their new captain.
Over 500 soldiers had gathered, awaiting the announcement.
“Hey, any idea why both squads have been called together like this?” one curious soldier in the lineup asked.
“Who knows? But it’d be nice if there was a pay raise, haha…” another replied jokingly.
“You must be joking… They already give us what we need; we shouldn’t ask for more.”
“But hey, look at those four—Princess Delilah, the silvery goddess, and two others. Maybe it’s an announcement that Her Royal Highness is joining our team,” another chimed in, gazing admiringly at Aria and Delilah.
“What’s the name of that white-haired goddess, anyway? She’s even more beautiful than the Princess. Think we have a shot with her?”
“Dream on! There was a guy with her, didn’t you see? And he’s an S-Rank powerhouse. If you go after his girlfriend, who knows what he might do to you.”
The other soldier immediately became nervous. “Haha… I was only joking, man. I don’t have a death wish.”
“Sister Aria, so Ethan is going to be our new captain? That’s incredible! I can finally get a chance to spar with him!” Drake said, sounding excited.
“Well, he is your superior now. Don’t you think you should show a bit of restraint?” Yona replied with a mocking smile.
“Heh, who cares about ranks? He’s one of us,” Drake retorted.
“Ohh, how could I forget? He’s your brother-in-law now, isn’t he? Maybe you should start calling him that, Drake?” Yona said calmly, her tone laced with a taunting, mischievous edge.
“Look who’s here, everyone! So handsome!” Princess Delilah said, sounding surprised and impressed.
Aria and the others turned to see Aengus in a sharp, two-star light green military suit, looking dashing as he approached, flanked by the two captains.
“Ah hah, he’s quite the charmer, Lady Aria. Watch out for all the admirers buzzing around him,” Yona teased mischievously.
Aria’s cheeks flushed slightly, clearly taken by his appearance. And as expected, murmurs spread throughout the crowd, especially among the women, irritating her mood.
“Wow! So handsome!”
“I want to marry him!”
“What’s his name? Isn’t he the one who came with General Leon earlier?”
“Yes, he’s an S-Rank, I heard,” another female soldier replied, her eyes gleaming with admiration as she looked at Aengus.
“Hey, Check out his uniform, everyone! He has two stars. Do you know what that means? He’s a new captain.”
“So, is this why we gathered to welcome him as our new captain?” a male soldier guessed, hitting the mark.
“Mm-hmm… that seems to be the case, judging by Captain Dior and Captain Ren’s expressions,” another replied.
“Soldiers, we have a new captain among us who will lead us in tomorrow’s battle. This is Captain Zero, an esteemed S-Rank powerhouse. We should feel fortunate to have him with us. Please give him a warm welcome!” Assistant Captain Dior announced loudly, prompting an eruption of applause and murmurs.
“Clap, Clap, clap!”
Aengus stepped forward calmly, his gaze steady and focused.
“Hello, this is your new captain. First of all, I don’t like to talk too much. You may doubt my strength, but I’ll make only one promise: No one shall die tomorrow in my presence. In return, I require your absolute obedience. Those who can’t comply will face strict consequences,” Aengus declared, his expression cold.
“Now, If anyone has questions, feel free to ask.”
“Tsk..”
Some soldiers viewed him as arrogant, while others found him both dependable and, undeniably, strikingly handsome.
A female soldier quickly raised her hand.
“Yes, go ahead,” Aengus permitted her to speak.
“Do you have a girlfriend, Captain?” the female soldier asked boldly.
Aengus furrowed his brows, just as Aria clenched her fists, glaring at the woman.
“Yes, I do. She’s right there,” Aengus replied honestly, pointing to Aria, whose goddess-like figure caught everyone’s attention.
Aria felt a surge of happiness at his answer. Yona and Delilah, noticing her reaction, exchanged smiles, amused by her earlier jealousy.
“Aww…”
The beautiful female soldiers looked disappointed, casting jealous glances at Aria. But after observing her beauty, they realized they had little hope of winning Aengus’s heart through beauty trap alone.
As the women finished their questions, a male soldier raised his hand.
Aengus swiftly gestured for him to speak.
The man asked, “Captain, you said you’d ensure our safety at all costs. I have some doubts. How can you guarantee our absolute safety if we lose the war? Were you just boasting, or is there some truth to it?” His question were sharp and direct.
