Summoning the Kingdom of Erusea

Chapter 15 - Strike From Above

On a highway connecting the cities of Runepolis and Leiden, a sleek black car smoothly cruised along the left side of the road. Unlike most cars, particularly in 2 and 3 Civilization Regions, the exhaust emitted by this vehicle was a purplish hue instead of black. The color of the smoke indicated that this car ran on magical fuel known as Elixir, rather than fossil fuel.

Looking at the car's license plate and the emblem on the driver's door, it was evident that this vehicle belonged to the government. More specifically, it was the property of a ministry commonly referred to as MOASEC. One could also deduce the identities of the occupants from the license plate.

"Mentos, what do you think about this coup?" someone seated in the rear left seat asked another person sitting next to him.

The person being addressed, Mentos, instead of immediately answering the question, glared at the person who asked, displaying an irritated expression filled with anger, while the questioner wore a mischievous smile. After a few seconds of intense eye contact, Mentos finally spoke up, "For the umpteenth time Walmart, my name is Meteos!"

Walmart, the questioner, burst into laughter before saying, "And my name is Walman!"

Both of them erupted into fits of laughter for a moment. After their laughter subsided, Meteos opened his mouth, indicating he had something to say.

"Fuck you!" Meteos continued.

Walman could only chuckle before asking, "So, what's your opinion on this coup?"

"It's an internal political matter, that's all I can say," Meteos replied curtly, returning his gaze to enjoy the green scenery on the roadside.

"Ah, that makes sense," Walman responded with an equally brief remark.

Observing Meteos's reaction, Walman understood that he was not yet willing to discuss the topic, so he turned his attention to the driver.

"So, hey Robinson, what's your take on this?" Walman asked the driver.

The driver, named Robinson, immediately put on a blank expression before answering, "I don't know, why are you asking me?"

Upon hearing this, Walman shifted his gaze towards the window, taking in the beautiful green scenery on both sides of the road. The well-maintained farmlands were a soothing sight for anyone passing through. The open window allowed a gentle breeze to enter the car. As Walman admired the view, he felt his eyes growing heavy from the increasing drowsiness, exacerbated by the calming breeze.

*Bam!

The sudden impact jolted all three of them forward, crashing into whatever was in front of them as the car came to an abrupt halt. Walman, who had lost his drowsiness due to the sudden braking, immediately grew curious about what lay ahead, probably crater caused by artillery strike. He leaned his head out of the window to get a better view, and to his surprise, he saw a military checkpoint up ahead.

"What's going on?" Robinson asked in confusion, as turning back to Runepolis was not an option. It would raise suspicion and possibly result in them being shot.

"We didn't see any signs of this checkpoint when we passed through here earlier," Walman muttered in astonishment.

"It seems like we have to proceed forward," Meteos said.

"Are you sure?" Robinson asked.

"Yes, look at the soldier standing near that pole, he's waving his hand as a signal for us to move ahead," Meteos replied, pointing his index finger in the direction he meant.

Walman, feeling somewhat uncertain, asked, "Are you sure it's safe?"

"Well, based on the emblem on their sleeves, they seem to be IMED forces, so it should be safe," Meteos reassured him.