Chapter 386: The Second Continental War (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 386: The Second Continental War (9)
Boom!
Rumble!
An explosion shook the battlefield.
Realizing exactly what it meant, McBurney felt his blood run cold.
It means one of the Special Unit members has died.
Just an hour ago, he had distributed magic bombs to the unit. Though he prayed they would never have to use these volatile weapons—which the higher-ups had explicitly rejected—they needed a trump card to strike back if the absolute worst came to pass. Linked directly to the wearer's heart, the magic bomb was designed to detonate using their own mana the moment they died, or if they triggered it manually.
In other words, that explosion was a death knell.
The Special Unit members were sacrificing their own lives to drag the Shadows into the abyss with them.
Thump, thump.
His heart pounded against his ribs. McBurney was wearing a magic bomb as well. If he fought to the bitter end and found no other way out, he would make the exact same choice as his fallen comrades.
Whoosh!
The Shadow vanished from his sight.
By the time McBurney threw his head back, it was already too late.
Rumble!
Crash!
"Ugh!"
It felt as if a bolt of lightning had crashed directly onto his skull. His combat boots sank deep into the earth. Under the relentless barrage, McBurney desperately tried to escape the strike zone, but the Shadow pressed the assault without giving him a fraction of a second to breathe. With every step he retreated, shockwaves erupted around him. McBurney’s flushed face made it clear—he was reaching his absolute limit.
Boom!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"Die, die, die!"
If a demon truly existed in this world, it would surely look like the being before him.
Shrouded in a flickering black aura, the Shadow pursued him relentlessly, its eyes overflowing with murderous intent.
It was nauseating. McBurney was blocking the strikes by sheer instinct rather than sight. His stomach churned so violently that he felt he would vomit if he took even a single breath. The destructive power of a 6-Star Aura was simply overwhelming. As cracks began to fracture his defense, McBurney gritted his teeth and threw himself directly into the storm of aura.
Rumble!
Slash!
Blood splattered.
Even a mere graze shredded the flesh of his arm, sending a jolt of pure agony through his body.
But it was a pain he had prepared for.
Slipping into a narrow opening, McBurney thrust his blade along the erratic, unpredictable trajectory unique to the Left-Handed Sword. His aura erupted. Prepared to die if this strike failed, he met the tempest of energy head-on.
However...
Smirk.
The Shadow sneered.
All of McBurney's past training, all the blessing magic—none of it mattered. Roman Dmitry's training methods were not omnipotent. They could not magically bridge the gap for McBurney, a man who had started as a mere commoner, to overcome a 6-Star Aura Swordsman in such a short span of time. The Shadow pulled back his sword. Though it was a delayed reaction to McBurney's attack, it was more than enough to block it.
At that exact moment...
Tap.
Spin.
McBurney spun his body.
Reversing his grip on his sword in a flash, he aimed straight for his opponent's heart just as the Shadow launched its counterattack.
It was a technique meant for mutual destruction.
Fully aware of how formidable his opponent was, McBurney had anticipated the Shadow's reaction and targeted the fleeting opening it would create. McBurney's face twisted with desperate rage. Knowing the sheer danger Dmitry would face if he failed to eliminate this bastard, he gritted his teeth and willingly bared his neck to the enemy's blade.
Perfect timing.
Or so he thought.
But the reality that unfolded in that split second was nothing but world-spinning, agonizing pain.
Flash!
"Aaargh!"
Blood sprayed into the air.
With a long, deep gash torn across his chest, McBurney rolled across the dirt like a piece of discarded trash. His surprise attack had certainly been threatening—the Shadow had instinctively sensed the danger—but in the end, McBurney's inherent limits prevented his blade from reaching its target.
"Arrogant bastard. Did a mere insect like you really think you could bring me down?"
A paper-thin margin.
It was truly a hair's breadth. In that fleeting instant where McBurney's skill fell just short, the Shadow had deflected the strike and carved open his chest.
Then...
Step, step.
The Shadow casually walked toward McBurney.
It was time to end this.
McBurney stumbled to his feet. Though he faltered repeatedly and struggled to maintain his fading consciousness, his blood-stained face remained locked onto the Shadow. His heart beat frantically. If he couldn't win with his sword, he would seize his one last chance: trigger the magic bomb and take this monster down to hell with him.
"Die."
McBurney tightly clutched his chest.
Just as he waited for the absolute perfect moment to detonate it...
Boom!
Rumble!
The Shadow was suddenly engulfed in a massive explosion.
* * *
"You son of a bitch. How dare you run amok in this place?"
A sudden intruder had appeared.
It was Lucas.
He had concealed himself with Invisibility before launching a devastating surprise attack on the Shadow.
Rumble!
A thick cloud of dust plumed into the air.
Stepping out from the debris, the Shadow wore a look of utter shock.
"...What is this?"
Cracks were forming across his body.
Lucas's aura was not particularly strong, and the Shadow had definitely blocked the physical strike, yet it felt a churning, agonizing pain festering deep inside. It made no sense. With trembling eyes, the Shadow glared at Lucas, only to notice hundreds of people swarming the area behind him.
Every single one of them was a member of the Hao Sect.
Seeing them holding round, orb-like weapons, Lucas smirked.
"We haven't just been sitting on our hands all this time. Knowing that your power stems from 'darkness,' we constantly researched ways to fracture that power. This Holy Bomb isn't potent enough to kill you outright, but it's a weapon that can chip away at your strength, piece by piece."
The previous war and the suffering of the people had taught them a bloody but valuable lesson.
Utilizing the Hao Sect's vast information network, Lucas had collaborated with the Phoenix Magic Tower and the priests to forge the Holy Bombs. The surprise attack just moments ago had been executed by detonating one of these very weapons.
As he had explained, the Holy Bomb wasn't a flawless countermeasure to instantly eliminate the Shadows, but it delivered a blow that could not be ignored. The Hao Sect was an organization built on preparing for worst-case scenarios, much like the Special Unit. The very moment he received the report that the Shadows had infiltrated, Lucas gathered the Hao Sect members and armed them with the Holy Bombs.
The Shadow's face twisted into a hideous grimace.
Wearing the true expression of a demon, it bared its fierce teeth.
"Hehehehe. You cling to life like pests. But the outcome will not change."
Whoosh!
Rumble!
The Shadow kicked off the ground.
By the time he reappeared, he had already decapitated several Hao Sect informants at a speed so blinding they couldn't even trigger their Holy Bombs. The initial surprise attack had only caused minor damage. The Shadow continued to rampage, completely unimpeded. In an instant, countless people were slaughtered, staining the earth with a river of blood.
However, this was exactly what they had anticipated.
When facing an absolute powerhouse, there was only one brutal option left for the weak.
Human Wave Tactics.
Roman Dmitry might remain unshaken against thousands of threats, but they refused to believe these Shadows possessed that same absolute resilience.
"Detonate the Holy Bombs, even if it costs you your lives!"
"Die!"
Boom!
Rumble!
Holy Bombs exploded in every direction.
The Shadow's body was repeatedly enveloped in searing divine energy. Whenever it struck down a Special Unit member, their magic bomb reacted, delivering physical and magical shockwaves simultaneously. The Shadow was undeniably overwhelming. It inflicted massive casualties in the blink of an eye, but as the relentless suicide charges continued, the Shadow's body began to tear apart.
Countless people died.
But with hundreds of bodies piling up like mountains, they finally delivered the decisive blow.
Boom!
Rumble!
A Holy Bomb and a magic bomb detonated at the exact same time.
The moment the Shadow screamed from the immense impact, Lucas used Invisibility once more to mask his presence and slashed at the Shadow's body in a lethal surprise attack.
A fair fight? Lucas cared nothing for such things. After sacrificing his own subordinates to create this perfect opportunity, he threw himself into the swirling vortex of aura.
Slash!
With a single, brutal strike, the Shadow's head was wrenched from its shoulders.
The head of a 6-Star Aura Swordsman separated from his body, and his form immediately began to dissolve into black smoke, starting from his feet.
"Th-this is impossible..."
Finally, they had killed the leader of the Shadows.
Though he was powerful enough to slaughter hundreds single-handedly, he could not remain the undisputed victor to the end like Roman Dmitry. The Shadow completely dissolved into smoke. Lucas collapsed to the ground, his legs shaking uncontrollably. Because the casualties were so devastating, no one cheered, despite the hard-fought victory before their eyes.
But they had succeeded.
Even without their top powerhouses like Chris, Kevin, and Fernando, they had slain a 6-Star Aura Swordsman.
Lucas dragged his trembling body up and checked on McBurney.
"You need to treat your wounds first. In your condition, it wouldn't be surprising if you dropped dead at any moment."
"No, I cannot do that."
McBurney shook his head and forced himself to stand.
Though his blood-stained face showed clear signs of severe exhaustion, he hastily poured a potion over his gaping wounds and tore strips of cloth from the clothes of the corpses to bind them.
"We have only dealt with one of the strongest Shadows. Until we eliminate every last Shadow that has infiltrated the city, I don't have the luxury of sitting back and receiving treatment. Lord Lucas, the war is not over yet."
Gritting his teeth and suppressing the agonizing pain, he took a heavy step forward.
"This time, too, I must ensure that the comrades who died before me are remembered for making a meaningful sacrifice."
* * *
Boom!
Rumble!
Ares was pushed far back.
He glared irritably at the figures standing before him.
The situation is bad.
Logan and Fred. Add to that the seamless coordination of Dmitry's swordsmen and mages. They were incredibly formidable.
Even Ares, who had gone to Valhalla alone and defeated their number one ranker, Cesar, could not perfectly block the coordinated attacks raining down from all directions. Irritation flared hotly within him. Under the teachings of Emperor Alexander and Roman Dmitry, he had made immense progress. He truly believed that no one except Roman Dmitry could stop him now, so he never expected to struggle this much in a battlefield where even Chris and Kevin were absent.
Ever since he had cut his chains, his ankles had been completely shackled by this relentless battle.
Stuck in a dilemma where he could neither advance nor retreat, Ares scanned his surroundings.
The Castle Gate.
Rodwell Dmitry was holding the line there.
Though he looked highly vulnerable against the wave-like onslaught of troops, his power to manipulate fire gave him an overwhelming presence when facing large numbers. It was an absurd sight. The Dmitry family was of lowly birth, yet even Roman Dmitry's younger brother refused to yield a single inch against the might of the Kronos Empire.
Furthermore, Mystic had reported the secondary situation to him just moments ago. He had said they were infiltrating the city with the Shadows, but so far, only the sounds of explosions echoed from within the walls, with no significant results to show for it.
Ares flicked the blood off his sword.
Sweeping his hair back, he looked at the warriors standing before him.
"I didn't expect Dmitry to hold out this long. Truly impressive."
Dmitry's swordsmen tightly surrounded him.
Though dozens of them had already fallen to Ares's counterattacks, they clearly had no intention of letting him pass, even if it meant every last one of them would die. Among them were Fred and Logan. Despite being figures who enjoyed considerable renown across the continent, they felt no blow to their pride in resorting to a coordinated group assault.
For the sake of Dmitry, they had cast aside their individual pride. They felt absolutely no shame in joining forces to bring Ares down.
Ares smirked.
"This war is merely a matter of time. From the moment Roman Dmitry refused to make even a single compromise, the stage was set for Dmitry's absolute destruction at the hands of Kronos. No matter how desperately you struggle, the outcome will not change. So, go ahead and struggle to your heart's content..."
Right at that moment...
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Attack!"
A massive roar of war cries echoed across the battlefield.
Ares's confident expression instantly twisted.
The cheers did not come from inside the castle. They were coming from the outside. A massive force was attacking the rear of the Kronos Imperial Army.
Could it be?
Fluttering banners came into view over the horizon.
They belonged to the Northeast Association and the Luna Kingdom.
* * *
Before Roman Dmitry departed for Valhalla, he had issued a strict, secret order.
"Contact the Luna Kingdom in advance and instruct them to be ready to move at a moment's notice through the Warp Gate installed in the Endless Mountains. The Kronos Empire is a faction that could strike at any time. Even if war breaks out in a way we do not intend, Dmitry must never fall."
Only a select few knew the details of this order: King Dmitry, Knight Commander Jonathan, Fernando, and Lucas.
The bitter, agonizing pain of the previous war had made Dmitry meticulous in its preparations. And as if proving that their paranoia had not been in vain, their worst fears became reality. Immediately after Kronos appeared with its forces, King Dmitry had contacted the Luna Kingdom to request reinforcements.
And now, King Dmitry looked at Fernando and spoke.
"Fernando."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Dmitry is currently pushed to the very edge of a cliff. The fate of our entire nation hangs on this war, and countless people are out there risking their lives to protect it. Yet, do you truly believe it is right for a powerhouse like you—a man who once defeated a 6-Star Aura Swordsman—and the elite soldiers of the Royal Guards to waste your strength in here, just to protect a single old man like me?"
From outside the heavy doors, horrific screams could be heard.
The enemy had not even breached the Inner Castle yet, but the trauma of past memories conjured such auditory hallucinations.
Fernando replied, "Your Majesty. This is not a matter of wasting strength. Even if Dmitry wins the war, if something happens to you, the people will fall into deep despair."
"That is a concern for after we win. If the kingdom falls, my survival does not matter."
"But..."
"Fernando."
His tone was absolute.
King Dmitry finished donning his armor. The thick plates he had forged with his own two hands weighed heavily on his shoulders, but his sharp gaze remained completely unwavering.
"My sons are out there risking their lives on the battlefield. Boys who couldn't even swing a wooden sword properly barely twenty years ago are now shouting Dmitry's name at the top of their lungs in my stead. Do you think it is right for their father to cower in the back like a rat?"
"You must not think of it that way, Your Majesty."
"No. I know there are things far more important than my own life. I will share my fate with Dmitry. If my sons and the people of Dmitry all die, I have absolutely no intention of living on, even if we somehow win this war. That is my final decision. If you truly regard me as the King of Dmitry, then obey my will."
Right then, a magical transmission echoed in the room.
[The Luna Kingdom has arrived. According to the communication that just came through, they have expressed their intention to immediately strike the rear of the Kronos Empire.]
Creak.
The King stood up.
He was a man of massive build. Exuding a colossal, commanding presence, King Dmitry spoke in a powerful voice that brooked no disobedience.
"Open the gates of the Inner Castle. From this moment on, the Royal Guards will join me in striking down these heinous forces of evil."
At those words, Fernando's eyes shook.
He knew this was an order he should never accept. A refusal rose to the back of his throat, but feeling his own chest burn with warrior's passion, Fernando deeply bowed his head.
"I will obey your command, Your Majesty."
He, too, could no longer bear to simply stand back and watch Dmitry's crisis unfold.