The Strongest Human

Chapter 8

The acrid stench of burning raw Aetherium and the sharp smell of fresh blood hung heavy in the air of the Ironclad Fortress Command Hall. The two-meter-thick iron door, once carved with protective sigils, now lay shattered to pieces on the stone floor, destroyed by a single pure strike from Alden Vance.

In the center of the room, Commander Valerius lay helpless. His magic-engraved silver armor was cracked in numerous places. The dark blue blood distinct to the Daemonicus race trickled from the corner of his mouth, dripping slowly onto the now-torn red silk carpet.

Alden stepped forward slowly. His boots crunched against shards of Aetherium crystals, creating a cold, grating sound that echoed throughout the hall. Behind him, Garrick Ironwill and dozens of Ashen Vanguard soldiers stood guard with raised weapons, their eyes gleaming with deep satisfaction at the sight of their oppressor prostrated on the ground.

"Get up, bastard!" Alden's voice sounded flat, yet it carried a physical pressure that weighed heavily on the atmosphere around them.

Valerius coughed violently, spitting up a glob of black blood before looking up. His glowing red eyes radiated deep hatred, mixed with overwhelming disbelief.

"Human... bastard..." Valerius whispered in a raspy, contemptuous voice. "You're just a worm without a magic core... How could crawling creatures like you break through the Aetheric Aegis? What kind of magic did you use, devil?!"

Alden stopped right in front of Valerius. Without warning, his leg lashed out, kicking the Commander straight in the chest.

*WHAM!*

Valerius's body skidded five meters back, slamming into a stone pillar until it cracked. He screamed in agony as his sternum shattered into pieces.

"I've told you time and again, this isn't magic," Alden said, clenching his fists. The muscles in his arms quivered subtly as the energy of Somatic Resonance devoured the lingering wild Aetherium in the air, dramatically swelling his bone density. "This is the pure human power you've been trampling on all this time."

Garrick stepped forward, resting his ancient mechanical arm on Alden's shoulder. "Alden, don't kill him yet. We need information from this bastard before the Sovereign Concord fleet realizes this fortress has fallen."

Valerius burst into loud, mocking laughter, his voice sounding discordant and filled with pain. "What do you rebelliousness animals know?! You think taking this border fortress means you've won? Arch-Sovereign Malakor will wipe you from the face of the earth like dust! Aethelgard's elite fleet will burn the entire Deadlands to ashes!"

Alden knelt beside Valerius, grabbing the Daemonicus commander's left horn in an iron grip. He twisted Valerius's head until their eyes met directly.

"Let them come," Alden whispered coldly, his eyes burning sharply without a shred of doubt. "Every fleet Malakor sends will merely serve as a stepping stone for us. Now, answer my questions if you don't want to be flayed alive."

"Screw you, you human dog! I won't—"

*CRACK!*

A shrill scream shattered the hall's silence as Alden snapped off one of Valerius's horns with his bare hands, leaving a bloody stump on his head. The Daemonicus man curled up on the floor, groaning in agonizing pain.

"First question," Alden continued without changing his tone. "How many reserves of pure Aetherium are stored in this fortress's dungeon?"

Valerius trembled violently. His arrogance shattered completely before the boundless cruelty of the human in front of him. "T-two thousand high-grade crystals... Stored in the main vault..."

"Good. Second question," Alden followed up. "When is the next supply shipment scheduled from the sky capital?"

"I-in three days... The supply mothership will dock... Please, stop..." Valerius pleaded, wheezing for breath.

Garrick was startled by the answer. "Three days? Alden, that means we have very little time before they realize something is wrong if that supply ship doesn't return or gets destroyed!"

"Three days is more than enough time," Alden replied casually as he stood up and brushed dust off his trousers. "We'll use those two thousand Aetherium crystals to empower every member of the Ashen Vanguard and liberate the nearest slave camps."

Suddenly, a cold, analytical voice chimed in from the command hall entrance.

"Quite a bold plan for a human who barely survived the Abyssal Chasm."

All the Ashen Vanguard soldiers aimed their weapons toward the voice. A tall, slender woman in a pitch-black cloak stepped inside. Her skin was marble-pale, her long silver hair flowed freely, and her pointed ears marked her as one of the Alvari—a revered high mage race within the Sovereign Concord.

"Lower your weapons!" Garrick ordered quickly upon recognizing her. "She's no enemy. That's Lyra Sylvaine."

Lyra strode past the corpses of the fortress guards without batting an eye. Her sharp blue eyes locked entirely onto Alden Vance. She observed Alden's physical build, watching how the aura around his body naturally absorbed the residual Aetherium.

"Remarkable," Lyra murmured softly. "Pure Somatic Resonance. I've read ancient records regarding Earth human biological potential, but seeing it in person... you truly are an anomaly that shatters the entire magical order of Eos-Vaelhart."

Alden eyed Lyra appraisingly. "You're an Alvari mage. Why is a noble mage in a filthy place like this?"

Lyra offered a thin, cold smile void of warmth. "I'm a former genius mage of the Sovereign Concord who defected after discovering the rotten truth behind Arch-Sovereign Malakor's rule. They aren't sacrificing millions of human souls for peace, but to feed the Voidlord entity that's eroding this dimension."

"Voidlord?" Garrick frowned, clutching his temporarily repaired mechanical arm.

"The true enemy of this universe," Lyra answered firmly. "But Malakor and the Sovereign Concord are far too arrogant. They treat humans like sacrificial livestock. And you, Alden Vance... you are the unexpected variable that could shatter this food chain."

Alden stepped closer to Lyra, stopping just inches away. His sturdy build towered over the Alvari mage's presence.

"I don't give a damn about Voidlords or your Sovereign's rotten politics," Alden said in a sharp tone. "My main goal is simple: smash the magic hegemony, kill anyone who oppresses humanity, and ensure our race becomes the apex predator of this world. If you want to fight by my side, you'd better make yourself useful."

Lyra didn't back down an inch. Her eyes shone with equal determination. "I possess the logistics route maps for the Sovereign Concord, subterranean Aetherial Vein maps, and a method to optimize Aetherium absorption for your human troops without killing them. Is that useful enough for you, Almighty Human?"

Alden let out a thin smile—a dangerous, predatory grin. "More than enough."

He turned to Garrick and the Ashen Vanguard soldiers gathered in the hall. "Garrick! Execute this bastard Valerius and hang his corpse above the fortress gates as a warning! Distribute all the Aetherium crystals to every human here! Recruit every rebel and slave we can find in the Deadlands!"

"Understood, Leader!" Garrick bellowed with a burning spirit that set every rebel soldier's chest ablaze.

"Starting today," Alden shouted, his voice thundering through the stone walls of the Ironclad Fortress, "this fortress is the First Human Free Zone! Anyone from the Sovereign Concord who steps foot here will find nothing but death!"

Thundering cheers broke through the night in the Deadlands. The Sovereign Concord flag was ripped down and burned, replaced by the blood-stained black banner of the Ashen Vanguard. A new dawn had broken, and the era of magical supremacy was beginning to crack beneath the raw power of a human fist.