Leon's POV

The whole world seemed…a lot more different ever since I came out of the Planetary Fortress.

Ever since that day, I fear my knowledge of the future shall become nearly useless one day and I had to be prepared for anything unexpected to occur.

I could no longer follow through with my original plan of laying low and staying behind the scenes, because if I don't…the entire world may fall to ruin.

The adjutant could not explain the whole thing to me since parts of its memories had been locked away by someone long ago and the only way to unlock them is if I find the code that the person used to override the adjutant's systems. Which is easier said than done.

Though I was still able to piece together whatever fragments of info were left. It turns out that this world was of interest to all the major three factions in the Koprulu Sector for reasons I don't know yet. Each race sent forth their own expedition to this place, which is millions of lightyears away from the sector itself. The Dominion, The Daelaam, and The Zerg had set up outposts in orbit around the planet and on its surface, researching something that is still unknown to me.

What happened after that had been locked away but I was sure something had happened after I listened to a corrupted voice recording.

"-tO aNyXXX hXXXing XXIs. wE aXe IX XAnXXr! The pXOXoXS hAvX GoXX cXXXXXXXX ThXX arXX't respoXXinX tX AXYthXXG ThX zXRg haXe GXnE FeRXL! It's taXXng evXryonX. AXX oX uX It's this XXaXXT that's caXsiXX tXIX tO HaZpEn! plXase! XXXXX CXME GXT US! Xo XXt C-"

Anything after that was all static but even so, it left me confused and horrified. Something wrong had happened to this expedition that seemed to have dealt with the protoss and turned the zerg feral.

My whole face went pale when those two words went together, Feral Zerg. As if they weren't dangerous enough. Thankfully the adjutant had saved me from having a heart attack when it stated that it hasn't seen any traces of zerg activity for the last 4 thousand years. Dread receded from my heart upon the news but that only made me feel even more confused. If the zerg had indeed gone feral then where are they? Why aren't there any traces of the Protoss being here? What happened to all the Dominion personnel?

So many questions with no answers danced around in my mind. Questions that I forced to the back of my mind since I wasn't making progress with them. Right now, I have to focus on what I do know and what I have to do.

This is why I am pondering in my room, thinking of the future after the complicated and loud discussion I had with my family. Zola, her corrupted spawns, which I refuse to call my siblings, and my actual sisters had demanded everything I have to be handed over to them through the excuse of donating it to the family.

I tried to be reasonable but they forced me to lay down my foot. Having the Vikings aim their guns at them through the windows and the sound of LUXION's main body powering up its weapons was a quick way to silence them and realize that I wasn't playing any games.

Though now I look like the bad guy in this situation, I couldn't care less. I had much bigger and more important matters to attend to…even though it broke my heart to have my little brother Colin stare at me with frightened eyes.

I had to push on, for there sake...even if they don't believe or understand.

After the news of my accomplishments in obtaining numerous lost items reached the royal family of Holford, and then realizing that I now had enough power to deal devastating damage to the kingdom or even conquer it, they quickly made their move.

Instantly they had already arranged a meeting to take place two days from now and LUXION already informed me of them sending an invitation.

I can already imagine just how much chaos the nobles are in. Generally, if a threat like me appeared they would either try to chain me down and swear loyalty to the kingdom or dispose of me, however when you have a giant battleship the size of the entire royal palace any thoughts of killing me off went out the window.

Thank goodness for that.

Not because I fear for my life but because I fear for their lives when LUXION decides to retaliate.

One of the many things I learned about my new partner is that he is very protective of me. I don't know the full details but I think it has to do with my ancestor caring for LUXION as if it was their child and me looking like said ancestor.

"If anything were to happen to you, I will cleanse this entire world of life and then terminate myself."

His words, not mine.

But hey! At least I have someone I truly can count on…despite them being an overprotective AI that is capable of planetary annihilation.

Ding

Huh, speaking of which. LUXION just sent me a report. It turns out that one of the nobles was stupid enough to try and take me out. They had hired an assassin to kill me. Poor unfortunate soul. He couldn't make it halfway the trip before LUXION's mechanical equivalent of a Ghost or Specter killed him…a bit too brutally for my liking.

It kind of made me nervous since I have four of the same humanoid-shaped machines guarding me right now. LUXION calls them Phantoms, a tactical mechanical unit that has psionic abilities. How that is possible, I do not know and frankly, LUXION doesn't want me to know. Oh and they can cloak too.

"Shall I eliminate the threat commander or disable them?"

"Disable, please. I don't want a repeat of what I just saw.", I said while trying to forget the gore-filled scene I had witnessed.

Little did I know that I had just condemned the unfortunate noble to a fate worse than death…but that's a story for another time.

"Anything else to report?", I ask him and he replies through one of the Phantom units.

"Yes, there is. The schematics you requested have already been processed and construction on your personal mech is underway. Based on my calculations, the Raider shall be complete in 2 days, 5 hours, and 20 minutes. Meanwhile, our forces have already begun making progress on Project Bastion, Project Atlas, and Operation Overtake. Our current base of operations has already grown over 29 percent. Barracks, Factories, and Starports have been producing combat platforms non-stop, bringing the total number of our forces to 2,439 android infantry, 1,926 land vehicles/mechs, and 1,260 air units."

"We are making progress, that's good news then.", I sigh in relief before asking the AI about another matter, "What about the island? Is it finished?"

"Fortunately, yes, it has already been completed."

"Oh thank goodness. We need that place as a front to hide our real base. Don't want any nosy nobles trying anything stupid."

"Agreed."

A tired sigh left my lips before I laid back on my bed, the fatigue I had carried for days bearing down on me and making my eyelids feel heavier.

"Man, it's been…quite a day. I returned home, shocked my family with my discovery, and showed Zola who was boss. I really should rest up. I got a big day ahead of me and an even bigger one on the day after."

I turn my head to the window and stare at the stars outside through its glass. Making me wonder just how different things could have been if I did get that overpowered ship instead.

I snicker. I would have probably stayed as a mob and kept to the side, laying low in the background while trying and failing to get a wife to obtain a quiet peaceful life.

Yet as fate would have it, I will be going down an entirely different path, hopefully, it won't cause me too many migraines.

Time Skip

Two Days Later

Me and my big mouth…

"I'm sorry but could you repeat that? I think my brain is having a hard time processing what you just said.", I ask the King and Queen of the kingdom who are sitting in front of me.

"I know it is an unorthodox request but rest assured that we are serious.", Queen Mylene said, "We are offering you the title of Duke once you have graduated from the academy since giving it to you now will cause an uproar and give you unwanted attention, as you requested. We also agree with all of your demands since they are all reasonable. In return, you shall protect the country, defend it against all those who try to destroy it, vow to never betray nor plot its destruction, and most important of all, watch over my son and his friends."

"...I can understand your son but his friends as well?"

King Roland then spoke next, "He is very fond of them and their families have strong connections as well as influence. If something were to happen to them, our alliance may very well fall apart."

I blink…before rubbing my temple, trying to ease my already growing headache, "I mean no offense, your highness, but are you sure you are asking the right person? You barely know me."

"Indeed we do, but I trust your father and I trust that he has raised a strong, caring, and noble son.", Roland replies with a fake smile.

'You just want me to waste my time keeping an eye on them in case they do something stupid, don't you? Keeping me too busy to even think of starting a rebellion. ', I sigh mentally at the King's intentions and that the Queen had gone along with it, despite showing her displeasure.

Fine then, if you want to play it that way, I'm going to add my own rules.

"What if it is they who are endangering themselves because of a irrational decision they made? What am I supposed to do then?"

"Then I permit you to be able to correct their mistakes without any punishments, as long as you don't plan on abusing them, so says I, King Roland!", The man says with a proud voice, not noticing the disappointed stare his wife is giving him.

Even I an glaring passively at him, not being able to believe that he is the king of this kingdom with how carefree he spoke his words.

But hey, at least this means I won't become some kind of lap dog that is helpless against its owners.

That and I can get some payback on those five spoiled brats for causing me so much stress.

"Very well, it seems that we are all in an agreement.", I stood up dramatically and placed my hand on my chest, "Shall we make the contract official then?"

Roland lifts himself off his chair with a smile on his face while Mylene lets out a sigh before doing the same. The two entered the same pose and at the same time, a magic circle appeared on each of our chests.

"By fearless blood and enduring spirit, by courageous heart and unyielding souls, I stake thy name upon our words that may we never forsake our promises. From now on and onto death, ancestors bear witness to our honor until our last breath!"

A flash of light blinds us for a moment until everything returns to normal, but I still felt the effects of the magic lingering on me before it faded from my senses.

The Vow. A spell that our past adventuring ancestors had made to solidify pacts, agreements, and contracts. Two parties cast this spell upon reaching an agreement and the two must fulfill their end of the bargain or stay truthful to it. If one tries to break it, a terrible curse will be cast down upon them, leaving them magicless, powerless, and close to death.

This spell is quite convenient in specific situations, if not for the fact that only those with a large amount of magical energy can use it since it uses so much of it.

Despite its costs, I will surely make use of this spell on future occasions.

After I make sure to expand my reserves of course. I'm absolutly exhausted. I feel like I've been running a marathon non-stop for 5 hours straight. It took me quite the effort not to just show my fatigue to the King and Queen. I can't show any signs of weakness right now.

"Hmm, interesting.", King Roland rubs his chin as he stares at me with small bits of admiration, "To be able to cast The Vow at such a young age without tiring yourself is quite a feat Sir Bartfort."

"Thank you for your praise, your highness. It's nice to know that all my training during my adventure is being acknowledged.", I say with a forced smile.

"I will be looking forward to your growth, young Baron. Until we meet again.", Roland proclaims before he and the Queen leave the room and be escorted by their guards back to their airship. Only when their footsteps had faded away did I allow me to collapse onto my knees.

"Jeez… that took…a lot… out of me…The Vow is no joke…", I say to myself through every breath.

"It is strange to see that psionic abilities are seen as 'magic' in this day and age. More so with how far it has changed."

LUXION commented through the Phantom on my right. It then disables its cloak and then hands me a glass of ice tea.

I nodded thankfully at the android before I took a sip of my drink, "It may have something to do with the phenomenon centuries ago. Though we can't be sure of this until we bypass the lock on the adjutant. Any luck on that?"

"Negative. Any attempt at forcefully breaking the lock will damage the vital intel. The only safe way is to find the code."

Sighing, I set down the empty glass on the table, "Then we don't have much of a choice. Keep up the search LUXION but make sure to remain undetected. We need to stay inconspicuous."

"Affirmative, Commander."

The Phantom then reactivated its cloak, disappearing as I am once again, left to my thoughts.

"Welp, guess I'll be stuck on babysitting duty for most of my school life...", Sighing, I let my mind wander, "I suppose I can go make sure that the protagonist is doing well. The last thing I need is her triggering a bad end…but then again, I have Terran Ingenuity on my side. I'm sure there isn't anything I can't handle."

But that's for the future. I still have a few years left before the events of the game start.

What do I do until then? Hmmm…

My gaze drifts over to my right arm...or where it used to be before it was replaced with a cool realistic looking prosthetic. Ah~ The wonders of advanced technology.

Despite it functioning like a regular arm…I still miss the original…which reminds me.

A grin slowly begins to form on my lips as I remember the faces of the people responsible for my loss. Those who sailed under the black flag, the ones who captured me, tortured me

"LUXION!"

"Yes, commander?"

"Ready The Dutchman.", I watch as my mechanical hand begins to shift into a metal hook. My grin turns wicked while my eyes burn with rage.

"It's time for a little bit of revenge on a couple of sky pirates."

"Already on it Commander."

LUXION's voice spoke with glee. Eager to punish the ones who dared to harm me.

One Week Later

Random Pirate's POV

Today was meant to be a day of celebration with drinks, food, and pleasure after we had taken down a merchant ship.

But then…IT arrived.

We thought it was going to be easy prey…oh how wrong we were. All of us were so blinded by the spoils of our victory that we did not see what that thing was…until it was already too late.

Cries of pride soon became screams of terror as IT brought down our ships, one by one in storm of fire, red light and explosions. It savored each kill, forcing us to watch helplessly as our crew and comrades were blown from the sky and sank into the sea below.

We tried everything, but we could not even scratch IT or the flock of flying death machines that gunned us down.

When my ship was the only one left standing. IT decided to savor its meal some more. That nightmare launched its minions of steel and death at us. They decided onto the deck and began to massacre my men. We tried everything we could do but…we couldn't do anything to them. We didn't even kill one.

They butchered every single one of us and I could only watch as they killed my crew, one gruesome death after another.

I saw a man being pulling in different directions by four of those thing before his body came undone and was torn to pieces.

Another was clobbered into a literal ball, bending and smashing them into a round shape. The worst part about this is that they were still alive.

But most horrifying of all...my right-hand man, my brother…I was forced to watch as he was thrown into a pit of hungry maggots. I could still hear his pained screams even now.

It went on like this for hours on end until I was the only one left. Forced to my knees by two silver soldiers of the devil itself, I waited for my demise without any hope of escaping.

Then at last, after waiting so much in fear…I heard him coming.

STOMP

STOMP

STOMP

STOMP

Each step of his heavy boots made me quiver in terror and my heart dropped to my stomach as those metalic boots stopped in front of me.

I could not look up even if I wanted to. Fear had left me paralyzed and those things made sure I didn't make a move.

"Tell me, pirate scum…"

A metal hook is stabbed into my chin and pierces into the top part of my mouth. I would have screamed, if I was even able to move my mouth anymore.

The owner of the hook then forces me to look up at him and what I saw...would haunt me forever, in even death. Shadows cover his face, a deep shade of black than no amount of light could eliminate and the only thing I could see are two red glowing eyes that stared into my soul.

"Do you fear death?"

The deep demonic voice asks before I felt him begin to pull...and jaw came undone.

CRACK

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HHHHHHH!!!"