It was only at that moment that I finally came to a deep, profound realization.

The first graders, and I, were not the one being put through the grinder of experiential learning.

It was everybody else!

I don't know who or when they made that decision, but sometime in the course of that supremely long day, the leaders of the Academy decided that if we were so damn bloody strong, and if I was so damn bloody invincible, why not use us as a sharpening stone?

And so all the kids were sent to destroy us, the Military High Command, the instructors, and at that moment, even the Blood Moon!

It was the only plausible reason as to why they would continue sending all those poor lambs to the slaughter even after knowing that I could wreck Black Kong's peak white mecha with a single punch.

Bruce wanted everybody to have a taste of fighting with surprising enemies that were above their power level.

And that enemy was me.

However, before the Blood Moon could mobilize, the shrill wail of the Federal Air Raid siren suddenly sounded!

Judging by the sudden burst explosive actions from the top leaders, they too were caught by surprise.

"CLASS DISMISSED! ALL STUDENTS GO BACK TO YOUR DORMS!" Vice Principal Jeanette Wen shouted loudly as she took to the skies.

"First Line Instructors! Battle Formations! Second Line Instructors, secure the students! Black Kong, get yourself a mecha and get your ass to the front!" Bruce Pang ordered.

The massive hum of hundreds of mechas moving in a calm and organized manner gave the urgent situation a controlled atmosphere.

But there was no denying the sudden electric charge of tension that surged through the entire student population.historical

Their practice mechas immediately powered up as emergency protocols activated and brought all of them towards their respective practice fields by their dorms.

"Justin. Come along with me and let's see what we can devour this time." Jeanette Wen's voice came through my comms.

"Gladly." I replied and immediately took to the skies after her.

Crackle!

My comms crackled to life as it was included into the high level discussions of the military higher ups.

As the Federation's ace in the hole, it was just good sense to have me included in the real time discussion based on real time intel, age be damned.

"Initial reports indicate that a massive army of airborne lifeforms have broken through the Federation's hundred mile barrier from the south." Came Secretary Wang's sombre voice.

"The Navy is on it. Our Quick Response Teams have set up our initial line of defense fifty miles out. We would have contact in thirty minutes." Admiral Terry Wei said.

"Our airforce is scrambling. I have all the southern units on alert five, and they are ready to launch at a moment's notice." General Anthony Chang added.

"The Ghost Squadron is on the move." Came a soft but extremely creepy voice which was completely impossible to determine whether it was male or female.

"Good. Have the Special Forces from each Academy on alert five as well. We don't know what their intentions and targets are. The kids must not be in danger at any cost." Secretary Wang said.

"Acknowledged."

"As you command."

"Of course."

...

The responses from the various Academy Heads came swiftly.

"General Peter Long. Do you have an update for us?"

"The Army is being mobilized all over the Federation, and I am having them stand their ground for the moment. We do not know if this is merely a feint or a real push. However, the southern units are on alert five as well. All transports and mechas are manned and ready to move at a moment's notice." General Peter Long said gruffly.

"Feint or real, the fact remains that this massive army is a real threat. We need to secure the southern border." General Anthony Chang said in slight disagreement.

"Use the tactical nukes on them." General Peter Long said stubbornly. "I will not leave the interior of the Federation unprotected."

"General Peter Long has a point." Russel Whitefrost's heavy voice sounded. "Let the army remain in position. Allow me to lead the coalition Civillian Army to the south and secure the border in the event of a land based push occurs."

"I agree with General Peter Long. I say we nuke them. No mercy for our enemies." Said a male voice I did not recognize.

"No. As always, nukes will be our final resort." A deep and authoritative voice rang out. "For now, the Navy and the Airforce will hold the line fifty miles out. Bruce will lead a Special Forces team to execute Operation Roast Pork. Based on his results, we will or will not send the Army south. Russel Whitefrost will assume command of the Southern Civilian Army and reposition to South Point 12. All units standby for further orders."

"Yes Mr President." Came everybody's instant reply before a ringing silence settled on the comms to indicate the adjourning of that particular comms channel.

Crackle.

"Where are you? Fly faster kiddo." Came Bruce Pang's voice through my comms.

"Operation Roast Pork huh? I hope this operation will be as epic as it sounds." I replied as I increased my speed.

My Deathscythe sped through the air and zoomed after Bruce Pang and Jeannete Wen who were flying relatively slowly to allow me to catch up.

"It will be. I immediately proposed this operation because of your performance earlier." My big bro said with a slight chuckle.

"Really? Is that army made up of biomechs or something?" I asked eagerly.

"Spot on." Bruce Pang replied. "If everything goes well, you will be a very fat and very full little boy in fifteen minutes time, and the incoming army will be shells of their former selves and will fall at the first salvo of the Navy's wall of bullets."

"Hoooo. You want me to keep them mobile while absorbing everything else that does not contribute to their ability to fly forward?" I asked with my eyes gleaming in anticipation.

Fifty percent of my red mecha core was already active by that point, and my capacity to devour other mechanical units had more than quintupled compared to before.

Furthermore, my ability to send out my red energy to take over other machines had increased very significantly.

In fact, I was rather itching to do that.

"What if I could gain control of a general or two from within their army, and get them to fight each other? Wouldn't that be better? We don't have to fire a single shot, and I can freely absorb whole biomechs in the chaos." I suggested.

"It would be a deviation from our mission objectives, but I daresay that the President would have no issues with that." Vice Principal Jeanette Wen laughed out loud. "Go ahead and try to do that while I update him."

"Alright. Let's do this. Follow me you two!" I shouted as I increased my speed once more and shot past the two of them.

Voooom!!!

Chronos exploded with great speed and easily kept pace with me, while Void Walker took a slightly longer time to catch up.

Not much longer, though, for she too was an exceptional peak white mecha.

Within minutes, we reached the beach, and another short minute saw us shooting past the Navy's fifty mile defensive line. And very soon, the "massive army" which Secretary Wang had mentioned earlier came into view.

As I had expected, they were an ocean based race which were fully decked out in airborne gear. Initial observation placed them at approximately a million in strength.

Like the Horse Gavarels, they were freaks of nature which I had never seen before.

They were bird-like creatures with three pairs of scaly wings stacked on top of each other, and a strange long tail that forked at the end like a snake's tongue.

Their bodies were covered with black scales which made them look more like snakes than birds if not for their three pairs of wings.

Their beaks were thick and sharp, and looked like they could easily rip a man's tummy apart and feast on his innards with but a single dip of its head.

On its own, it was an absolute horror to face.

In a massive host of a million, the word terrifying barely scratched the surface of what I felt.

"What the hell? Are they really from the ocean and not from some hell underground mountain in some secret location in the bowels of the earth?" I shouted loudly when I got my first clean look at them.

"They are from around the South East Asian countries, right above the Indian Ocean. We have caught a couple of them before, but without the three pairs of wings and that scary ass beak." Jeanette Wen said.

"Those are their breathing and flying apparatus. Actually if you want to destroy this entire army, you can just devour those two things. But I like your plan better. Lets just get them to fight each other." Bruce Pang said.