Chapter 142 Celebration Culture

[A/N: This chapter explains the concept that drives this novel and why partying [increases] during the rapture. So I hope you get wrapped up in the passion and fervor.]

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—July 1st, 2032 | Strategy Meeting—

"Wait… you want to broadcast their humiliation?" Jake asked nervously, "Won't the soldiers, you know, hate us for that?"

"No. Physically weak as they are, these soldiers are not sensitive individuals." Kaze replied, "They're accustomed to hierarchies.

Showing them that they're at the bottom again will make them work harder to gain our respect.

As for televising it, modern communication systems are remarkable mediums to unify people."

"Unity? Are you saying that we should unite over crushing the military?" Evalyn asked in confusion.

"Why not?" Kaze asked with a wide grin, "Everyone will be on edge. About the pandemic. Their families. The military's presence.

So what better way to make people feel safe and proud to be at Immortal Skye than showing them that we can decimate Malta?"

Everyone's eyes widened in shock. No one could believe he was bold enough to declare they planned to shame a world superpower.

The emperor clapped to break everyone out of their state of disbelief.

"Once again, the challenge is voluntary." Kaze reminded them, "We're doing it to earn their respect regardless.

So we might as well focus on building pride, strength, and security in our member's hearts."

"I'm confused; aren't we trying to… traumatize people?" Veronica asked pensively, "Building them up so soon seems like it'll destabilize everything."

"No, if things go as planned, we've already communicated our point." Kylie explained, drawing a nod from Kaze, "The goal isn't to traumatize people.

Instead, we're communicating our messages in ways our members can neither forget nor ignore."

"Correct. By that point, everyone will be wary of leaving or breaking the rules." The emperor smiled, "After that, we must make them want to stay.

Morale is imperative for both order and success."

Everyone else saw her expression and turned to the emperor as well.

"Don't tell me that you're planning on throwing a party at this time." Evalyn scoffed in genuine disgust, "That's distasteful and offensive right now.

Not that it's tasteful at any time."

"Of course not." Kaze laugh-scoffed, "You all will throw parties. I'll simply arrive."

The cabinet members sighed breaths of relief when he laugh-scoffed arrogantly but froze when they realized his message.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Sage asked with a broad smile, confused and delighted.

"Do you think me someone that wastes time on the frivolous?" He asked in a playfully derisive way.

"Unbelievable." Evalyn laughed in amazement, "You're not only starting parties but asking us to initiate them?"

Murmurs spread through the room, leading him to give everyone a rude, mocking smile.

"It seems that you all think me a person who wastes time on the frivolous, after all." The emperor laugh-scoffed, "What is a party?

It's a celebration. In peaceful times, a party may be an excuse to drink and socialize, but in times of peril and war, it's a time to celebrate life and victory."

Each cabinet member studied his facial expressions.

"So you're saying we should convince people it's a time to celebrate?" Jake asked for clarification.

"We needn't convince anyone." Kaze laugh-scoffed in amazement, "The world is starving, yet they're in a utopia with strength, luxury, and opportunities.

Right now, they're taking that for granted. However, they'll be prideful for what they take for granted once we give them a reason to compare us against someone else."

"Which brings us back to televising the matches." Kylie commented pensively, "It's Immortal Skye vs. Malta—and we're stronger. So we should celebrate?"

"Precisely." He replied with a sly smile, "It's time to introduce Immortal Skye as a country and instill nationalism in our people."

—July 3rd, 2032 | Brad's Mansion—

Silence washed over the faction members when Evalyn decimated the over seventy Malta special forces soldiers in less than a second.

They were shocked and terrorized after watching each soldier suffer a broken bone.

It wasn't until Kaze walked up to the soldiers and began healing them that everyone broke out of their mental haze.

"I knew they told us to expect an overwhelming victory." Brad muttered, "But this…?"

Larkin walked up to Brad and put his arm around his shoulder excitedly. "Did you just say you Emperor Scrawn warned this would happen ahead of time?"

The blonde-haired athlete turned to the lanky jester in a haze. "Yeah, Kaze told me that Malta's best stood no chance of victory."

While Brad was uncertain how to feel, the hype man only knew one emotion when it came to Kaze Lexicon—awesome.

[Awesome] wasn't an emotion—for anyone who wasn't Larkin Downs. For him, it was the emotion he knew best.

"Yoooooooooooo!" Larkin yelled excitedly. The sharp positivity viciously cut everyone's terrorized minds, jolting their hearts and making them pulse, "Did you just hear that!?"

Each turned to him in a haze, half startled, half bewildered.

'',

Then they looked at each other, seeing if anyone else had heard Brad's statement.

The jester smiled, knowing that everyone didn't know. He was just hyping it up for flavor.

"Emperor Scrawn informed [this guy] that Evalyn would fight Malta's best today." Larkin announced grandly, "That she'd be up against their guns and shit.

And do you know what Emperor Scrawn said!?"

Everyone's eyes lit up in anticipation and excitement.

The jester scanned everyone's faces with an ecstatic grin. "Malta doesn't stand a chance against Immortal Skye!

A goddamn mutha-fucking world superpower doesn't mean shit to us!"

He gyrated his head at every word while squatting for ultimate mocking.

Like falling dominoes, everyone started whispering, cheering, or clapping. Once it reached through the ballroom doors and moved down the stairs to the lower basement, it picked up steam.

The clapping and the applause became thunderous, and the cheers became manic.

Larkin pulled his elbows back. "Immortal Skyeeeeeeeeeee BITCHES!"

When he let out his battle cry, the area denoted in explosive cheering.

The atmosphere was chaotic, and everyone's mindset was delirious.

Brad developed a broad smile when he watched everyone start celebrating. Larkin just did his job for him! It was his job to spin the event into a point of pride.

However, he realized something then. No one needed it to get "spinned" or convinced.

They were celebrating because what they watched was seriously badass.

Their primal cheering shattered the airwaves, and the other mansions soon went wild.

—July 3rd, 2032 | Immortal Skye Training Grounds—

"Do you hear that!?" The emperor roared, looking around the soldiers, "That's the sound of a bunch of entitled, undisciplined, and inexperienced children winning.

Let me ask you something, soldiers! Are you going to let them trample on your hard work!?"

The soldiers turned to him, alongside the elites, who were shocked by his uncharacteristic passion.

Evalyn, in particular, was stunned beyond reason.

"Or will you take training and cultivation seriously and show them they don't have a chance in hell at winning once you're caught up!?" Kaze roared.

Everyone in the mansion calmed down when they heard the emperor's declaration on the TV. It seemed like he was rooting for the Maltian soldiers.

Light yells rang out in the sea of soldiers. The raw emotions cascaded through the soldiers until they were slightly riled up.

All of the soldiers got up and started yelling in ordered unison.

"That's what I like to hear!" The emperor yelled, "Listen up, soldiers!

You're not at a day camp! You're at Immortal Skye!

There are only two types of people here—elites and one-person regiments!"

The stunned silence in the mansions ignited again and exploded like a powder keg. The area devolved into chaos again, giving his harangue the perfect ambiance.

"If you treat Immortal Skye for what it is, you'll leave monsters amongst men!" Kaze roared, "You'll be valkyries amongst women!"

Excited whispers spread through the soldier's ranks.

General Michaels and Kane Ryker couldn't possibly get more confused.

Only moments before, the emperor beat them down to make a point about respect. Now, he was building them up—military style.

It was hard to believe Kaze Lexicon was a child cultivator sent to Earth. His war harangue showcased his war experience—as a leader, not a soldier. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Yet, it was highly beneficial, so they were grateful.

"Right now, you're less than nothing compared to my members!" The emperor declared, "You must reach up to hit rock bottom!

After all your years of experience, you're back to being a bootlicker again."

The soldiers felt like he dumped a bucket of ice water onto the little enthusiasm they had left. Hearing the wild cheering in the distance only increased that.

"But that's because you don't know what you're up against." Kaze smiled with a sharp glint in his eyes, "You don't have strategies that can fight Evalyn.

You don't have the cultivation skill to fight Evalyn.

You don't have the power to fight Evalyn.

But soldiers! I'll remind you now—that's what you're here to learn!"

His words breathed life into the soldiers again, taking them on an emotional rollercoaster.

Their enthusiasm picked up speed.

"Soldiers!" The emperor yelled, drawing everyone in, "Tomorrow, you'll be training with my members.

They're green, undisciplined, and inexperienced. That's because they're kids.

However, just as you can turn them into soldiers, they can turn you into titans!

So wipe those superiority complexes from your faces and show up tomorrow ready to face Immortal Skye and represent Malta!

'Follow current novels on No v elBin.',

Because if you do, you'll both become monsters amongst monsters."

He panned their gazes with an ominous smile. "And if you don't, they'll fuck you up!"

Explosive cheers shattered the airwaves in the distance.

The soldiers burned with equal passion and desire for vindication.

"Huuuuuurah!" The soldiers yelled in unison.

"Elites! These soldiers are outdoing you!" The emperor roared, turning to the Lockheed elites, who were far too scared of offending the soldiers to cheer before, "Don't tell me you've given up!"

Many elites perked up at the order and roared in battle cries. A fraction of a second later, the others joined alongside the four mansions in the distance.

"Today is [our] victory!" Kaze yelled fiercely, "So tonight we celebrate!

I expect everyone to come prepared to celebrate [together] tomorrow. You're dismissed!"

Evalyn watched in amazement as Kaze collected the elites and walked back to the mansions.

When she heard he'd have a party, she didn't imagine it would have so much power behind it. She could feel it in her bones.

The blonde walked up to the soldiers she had decimated only moments before.

"Hello, soldiers." Evalyn said straightly, "My name is Evalyn Skye. This week I'll be teaching you tactics and offensive techniques."

Within thirty seconds, the soldiers began swarming her eagerly.

General Michaels and Kane felt icy chills crawl down their spines.

It had only just occurred to them that [their] elites inadvertently took orders from another country.

Not only that, they were now swarming their teacher—the leader of a bonafide military.

Now that Kaze had drawn a sharp line in the sand between them, they realized that they were no longer dealing with a school.

They were officially dealing with Immortal Skye—the country.

—July 3rd, 2032 | Brad's Mansion—

After the cheering calmed down, Brad stood on a ballroom chair. "Hey, all eyes here."

His voice was loud, but it was calm and composed. It instantly helped everyone calm down in a rippling wave of tranquility.

The athlete looked around the sea of faces with an amused smile.

What he was about to do seemed like an insurmountable obstacle that required problem-solving an hour ago. Now, it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You heard the man." Brad chuckled in amusement, "Tonight we're celebrating. You don't want to let Immortal Skye down, do you?"

After processing what he said, everyone burst into wild cheers.

"This isn't just about having fun." He laughed in disbelief, "We need to send a message to Malta that we're Immortal Skye, and we consider this our victory. Do you understand?"

The concept was bizarre to them, but awkward cheers spread through the area regardless.

"How don't you get this!?" Larkin yelled with surreal passion, "Emperor Scrawn said we won, and winners celebrate!

We need to show everyone how Immortal Skye celebrates!"

An instant later, delirious fervor spread through the room and spread through the mansion like wildfire. Everyone cheers in excitement.

"They think we're kids!?" The jester yelled, "Then let's prove'em right! So let's teach them we can party better them when we're not kicking their asses!"

Battle cries rang out in the room, spreading until they reached Rein's mansion and spread.

Brad laughed in amusement. He realized why the jester got chosen alongside the smart, athletic and beautiful. He officially had a word for the man: "Hey, hype translator."

Larkin turned to him with a toothy grin. "That's me! What's up, my man?"

"Tell them that we need every recreation imaginable filled up asap." The athlete explained, "We'll figure out food and drinks later."

The jester nodded and turned back to the people.

"Listen up, party peoples!" Larkin yelled, gaining everyone's attention, "This place is about to get lit! Emperor Scrawn's orders!

I want to see the pools and hot tubs full within a half hour. We need a team on the fire pit.

Pool tables, foosball, karaoke… shit! I want to see people playing poker!

Now man, your stations, people! Let's get this party started!"

Kaze listened to their enthusiasm with a strange smile on his face. While many treated him like a playboy, what he was doing wasn't uncommon.

Greeks and Romans drank and feasted in celebration after winning battles. The same is true of all countries and people throughout the ages.

Only through celebrating life can a person overcome the trauma of death. Celebrating after battles allowed soldiers to move forward after losing friends and comrades every week.

During the rapture, which would trigger in less than a week, Immortal Skye would be at war with the world.

They'd be fighting Malta and perhaps other governments, zombie-like humans, and themselves.

In a world that bleak, most become cold and callous—lifeless husks carved out of wood.

Immortal Skye was different. Kaze Lexicon was training an army and rebuilding civilization. Fighting had a purpose, and life had hope.

Therefore, his people would celebrate the lives of the fallen and the victories they achieved.

Only he knew how wild Immortal Skye's nightlife was about to become. And, sInce no one could change their circumstances, he was looking forward to it.