The mist was thin enough to see through, not completely obscuring the view ahead.
However, the blue mist exuded an eerie, foreboding aura.
The soldiers who entered the corrupted region swallowed nervously, their faces tense.
"So, this is what a corrupted area looks like?"
"It's horrifying just to look at."
"Doesn't this mean it's crawling with monsters?"
The barren ground was stained gray. The surrounding trees and grass had withered into shriveled husks, devoid of any sign of life.
Blue mist and gray terrain, a land where everything but the monsters had perished—this was what the territory corrupted by the Rift looked like.
The Rift had already consumed a massive area. Somewhere within this expanse were the Riftborn.
As the soldiers speculated about what their next move would be, Ghislain raised his hand and issued a command.
"Set up the catapults and prepare the airships."
The moment his words fell, the engineers began assembling the catapults.
First, 200 medium-sized Galbanium catapults belonging to the Fenris forces were erected. Soon after, another 100 standard catapults, brought by the Fenris army and allied forces, were completed.
Simultaneously, 100 hot air balloons carrying mages rose into the sky.
"Form ranks," Ghislain commanded.
Though the enemy was not yet visible, the soldiers followed the order without hesitation.
Fenris's heavy infantry, clad in Galbanium armor and shields, lined up in the front to form an impenetrable wall.
Behind them stood spearmen, their weapons ready. Further back, archers drew their bows. Mounted archers and cavalry took positions on the flanks, standing by.
Thus arrayed, the soldiers waited in silence.
'Aren't we supposed to be attacking somewhere?'
'Are we just going to stand here?'
'Didn't they say this place was the size of a small territory?'
The soldiers, tense as they were, couldn't help but be curious. With monsters said to be scattered across the region, it seemed odd to simply wait in one place.
As time stretched on, the faint sound of wailing reached the soldiers' ears once more.
— Kaaaargh!
The soldiers couldn't tell whether the cries belonged to the Riftborn or a larger creature.
They guessed that the Equidema's roar wouldn't be audible from such a distance, but they couldn't be certain.
Then, after another brief interval, the sound of something rushing toward them grew louder.
Da-da-da-da-da!
"They're coming!"
The soldiers instinctively understood that countless Riftborn were charging toward them.
Drrrumble! Drrrumble!
The sound of their numbers grew steadily louder, accompanied by vibrations in the ground.
At the forefront, Ghislain dismounted from his horse and raised his greatsword. His aides and knights followed suit.
Ghislain patted Black King on the side. The horse snorted and trotted to the rear lines, seeming displeased by its retreat.
The knights' horses followed suit, and by the time the last mount had withdrawn, the source of the rumbling was close.
Drrrumble! Drrrumble!
Kaaaaargh!
Though the Riftborn remained out of sight, their cries alone were enough to reveal their overwhelming numbers.
Ghislain extended his hand forward and gave the order.
"Fire."
"Fire!"
Though they could not yet see their targets, the soldiers did not hesitate. If Ghislain said to fire, they fired.
Boom! Boom! Boooom!
Hundreds of catapults launched their payloads into the distance.
Simultaneously, arrows darkened the sky as volleys from archers and mounted archers arced through the air.
Whoosh!
Kaaaargh!
The agonized screams of Riftborn echoed from all directions. Their cries confirmed that the attacks had struck true.
The Northern Army continued their relentless assault, the thundering of falling stones and the hiss of flying arrows merging into a cacophony of destruction.
Before long, the Riftborn came into view.
Kaaaaargh!
An overwhelming horde of Riftborn emerged from the blue mist, charging en masse.
Boom!
Ghislain drove his greatsword into the ground and roared.
"Do not relent—keep attacking from the rear! These creatures number over 100,000! Knights, follow me!"
Ghislain had no intention of merely commanding from behind the frontlines. The heavy infantry was positioned at the vanguard only to protect the other soldiers.
"Prepare yourselves!"
As the Riftborn closed in, now just a few paces away, Ghislain channeled mana into his greatsword.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The knights raised their weapons in unison, with Gillian hefting his massive double-headed axe.
The moment the Riftborn crossed into striking range, Ghislain gave the signal.
"Charge!"
With a thunderous shout, Ghislain surged forward and swung his greatsword.
Boom!
Dozens of Riftborn were obliterated in an instant. The knights followed with their own attacks, cutting down hundreds more in mere moments.
Yet the sheer number of Riftborn was overwhelming.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Hundreds of Riftborn slammed into the heavy infantry's shields, and within moments, their numbers ballooned into the thousands.
"Hold the line!"
"Stand firm!"
"Attack, quickly!"
The spearmen thrust their weapons through the gaps between the heavy infantry, taking down Riftborn one by one.
The Riftborn, though fast and strong, were no sturdier than ordinary humans. Every exchange of blows saw hundreds of them fall.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Despite Ghislain and the knights cutting through the horde, the unending waves of Riftborn began to push them back.
The sheer volume of enemies resembled a tidal wave, and a few knights were even knocked over and trampled underfoot.
As the onslaught continued, the soldiers gradually retreated. Unlike the battle against Greggs, they had no fortified defenses to rely on.
This was why, in Ghislain's previous life, most territory had been abandoned, and humanity had retreated to fortified cities.
'We must finish this as quickly as possible.'
Ghislain gritted his teeth as he swung his sword.
Compared to his past life, this was nothing. Before the Riftborn's numbers could swell to 500,000 or even a million, the Equidema had to be eliminated.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Yet, with over 100,000 enemies, the slaughter seemed endless. Killing them all was possible, but the resulting casualties would leave them too weak to face the next Rift.
Just as the formation began to buckle, a sacred hymn resonated from the rear. A bright light spread through the soldiers' bodies, filling them with renewed strength.
The 120 priests had begun casting divine protection over the troops.
Kaaaaargh!
As the holy light reached the front lines, the Riftborn writhed in agony. Holy power was their natural bane.
Hssss!
Riftborn caught directly in the holy light began to burn.
Thud!
Meanwhile, reinvigorated by holy power, the soldiers at the vanguard pushed forward with renewed vigor. The knights, too, swung their weapons with increased force.
The Riftborn that had surged into the frontlines were now being driven back.
And that wasn't all.
To protect the more vulnerable flanks, the mages made their move.
"Fire Wall!"
From her perch in a hot air balloon, Vanessa conjured a massive wall of fire along the flanks.
Hssss!
Kaaaaargh!
The Riftborn that had been charging at terrifying speed and numbers along both flanks were scorched the moment they touched the massive wall of fire conjured by a 7th Circle mage.
Still, their sheer numbers meant that some managed to break through the flames.
"Chain Lightning."
Crackle!
Those who made it through were struck by bolts of lightning, reduced to ash on the spot. It was the same magic used against the Greggs.
Crack-kakakakaka!
Without even relying on runestones, Vanessa, a 7th Circle mage, incinerated thousands of Riftborn in a single instant.
But tens of thousands still pressed in from both flanks.
Vanessa frowned. She couldn't afford to expend all her mana here.
Though a plan had been set to deal with the Equidema, there was always the chance of failure. She had to conserve enough mana to prepare for that possibility.
It was time for the other mages to step forward.
She glanced toward another airship and shouted loudly.
"Alpoi!"
Alpoi, who had argued his way into becoming the deputy director of the Fenris Magic Research Institute, responded with a shout.
"Don't hold back! Pour everything you've got into this! Someone else will handle the beast later! Hurry up, you morons! You think war is a joke? Slack off now, and your cushy estate lives are over!"
He had a knack for yelling at people, far more so than Vanessa.
The two enslaved 6th Circle mages and five 5th Circle mages grit their teeth.
'Ugh, that disrespectful bastard.'
'He thinks he's some kind of mage king.'
'How did we end up working under someone like him…'
The unwritten rule among mages—that power was everything—didn't apply in this territory. In Fenris, seniority reigned supreme.
That much, they could chalk up to local culture. The real issue was that Alpoi showed no respect for higher Circles at all.
Though their blood boiled, they could neither argue nor rebel. Suppressing their anger, the mages followed Alpoi's orders.
Under Alpoi's command, a deluge of spells erupted from the airships.
"Fire Pillar!"
"Aqua Ball!"
"Earthquake!"
Boom! Crash! Kaboom!
An overwhelming array of magic rained down upon the Riftborn.
Even without Vanessa, the combined might of two 6th Circle mages, six 5th Circle mages, and over 200 lower-level mages was staggering.
Kaaaaargh!
With each massive spell cast, swaths of Riftborn were obliterated.
Hundreds of catapults, tens of thousands of arrows, and hundreds of spells blanketed the battlefield.
The overwhelming assault rapidly whittled down the Riftborn horde, which had initially numbered over 100,000.
The Riftborn that had reached the frontline were quickly dispatched by the knights.
"Keep attacking without rest!"
Ghislain's voice boomed across the battlefield.
The fight was manageable so far. Before the other monsters, particularly the flying ones, could arrive, they needed to destroy as many Rifts and Equidemas as possible to prevent further expansion.
"Waaaaaaaah!"
The soldiers let out a thunderous cheer.
Though they were exhausted, casualties remained minimal. Against all odds, they were holding their ground, mowing down the endless horde.
Even the soldiers themselves found it hard to believe and were riding high on their success.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Despite the Northern Army's overwhelming firepower, the Riftborn showed no fear and continued their relentless charge.
The soldiers, lost in the chaos of battle, moved like automatons, doing exactly as commanded.
After half a day of ceaseless slaughter, what had seemed like an endless fight finally showed signs of nearing its end.
Thousands of stones hurled by the catapults were spent. Tens of thousands of arrows had been fired. Over 200 mages were utterly drained of mana, collapsing from exhaustion.
By then, only a few Riftborn trickled in—dozens at most, lagging behind from far off.
The enormous horde of Riftborn that had once filled this region had been completely wiped out.
But the battle wasn't over yet. Ghislain mounted Black King and shouted.
"Now, we head straight for the Equidema!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
His aides and knights swiftly mounted their horses. The 10,000-strong Fenris mobile army, relatively unscathed, gripped their reins tightly.
A few priests and mages, including Piote, also mounted their horses.
Neigh!
"The rest of you, hold formation here and stand by!"
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers responded with booming voices. Fenris's commanders, including Max and the elf Lumina, would manage the Northern Army in Ghislain's absence.
"Let's move!"
Ghislain charged ahead, slicing through the blue mist. His lieutenants and the mobile force followed closely behind.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Though they encountered more Riftborn along the way, they numbered only a few dozen to a hundred at a time.
Zap!
The Fenris troops crushed these scattered remnants with ease as they raced toward the Equidema.
After an extended gallop, they finally reached the location of the Rift.
Grrrumble…
The Equidema lay sprawled on the gray, lifeless ground. Spotting the intruders, it bared its teeth.
Kaaaargh!
A few Riftborn continued to emerge from the Rift, but only in small numbers—nothing like the initial swarms of hundreds.
The Equidema itself required time to gather energy to corrupt the world further.
Thud!
The massive beast began to rise.
The Equidema was well aware that intruders had entered its territory and that its attempt to overwhelm them with Riftborn had failed.
Reluctantly, it unleashed its stored energy.
Kaaaaargh!
Neigh!
One roar from the Equidema caused several horses to collapse, foaming at the mouth. Even the battle-hardened mounts couldn't withstand the oppressive aura.
Only Black King remained undeterred, snorting defiantly as if eager to charge ahead.
Ghislain, his aides, and all the troops dismounted, gripping their weapons tightly.
Kaaaaargh!
The few Riftborn that charged forward were immediately cut down by the knights.
With the Equidema eliminated, this area would be safe for a time.
"Is everyone ready?"
Ghislain's question was met with nods all around. With this many elite warriors, the Equidema could certainly be defeated.
Ghislain had killed an Equidema alone before, though barely, and at great cost. This time, he wasn't alone.
With powerful allies like Gillian, Kaor, Tenant, Vanessa, Belinda, and the 10,000-strong Fenris mobile army, victory seemed assured.
The only concern was exhaustion. Everyone had conserved energy, but facing a superhuman-class monster was still perilous. Any mistake could cost lives.
Ghislain grinned.
"We're all tired, so no need to make this harder than it has to be. Let's use the strongest weapon we've got. Alpoi, are you ready?"
Alpoi nodded.
"It's time to deploy the ultimate weapon."
Everyone looked at Ghislain and Alpoi in confusion. Whatever they were discussing didn't seem to involve anyone else.
'They must have some secret plan.'
'The strongest weapon? Ultimate weapon?'
For most, those words conjured only one name: Ghislain. But the way they spoke suggested someone—or something—else.
Belinda's eyes widened in realization, and she exclaimed in astonishment.
"Oh, no way!"
Indeed, there was someone capable of wielding a power akin to that of a goddess, albeit under strict conditions and for a limited time.
For that brief moment, they might even surpass Ghislain.
As Belinda turned to look behind her, the others followed her gaze. Alpoi strode purposefully toward a figure.
That figure stood with wide, innocent eyes, blinking in confusion.
It was Piote.
[T/L: Please support me and read 385 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]