Everyone Is A Lord: My Talent Is A Little Too Strong Chapter 2660: 1263: Past Events and Confessions (Part 2)

To shield themselves from the threats posed by the Broken Valley Alliance, the Desert and Rainforest forces outwardly forged a pact of friendship with it, yet they remained secretly vigilant, never dropping their guard.

During the clashes between the Broken Valley Alliance and the witch demons, opportunities abounded for the Desert and Rainforest to dispatch reinforcements as per their pact, aiding the Broken Valley Alliance in overcoming its dire straits.

However, right up until the Broken Valley Alliance fell entirely to the witch demons, both sides opted to watch idly, allowing the forbidden arts to devastate the once-thriving territories, and they even harbored a touch of malicious glee, until the flames of this conflict finally engulfed them.

Put simply, the surge in the witch demons' might stems mostly from the failings of the Desert Alliance and the Rainforest Fortress Alliance.

Had they honored their vows from that era and sided firmly with the Broken Valley Alliance rather than spectating from afar, the witch demons would have been wiped out ages ago—how could they have grown so formidable today?

In truth, those mighty second-tier powers turned a blind eye since the witch demons posed no direct threat to them, while the others shunned involvement out of dread for the Broken Valley Alliance's prowess, culminating in treachery and the dire circumstances now at hand.

These thoughts left Sina and Loris with faces growing ever more flushed with shame.

Though they held no sway in decisions back then—or hadn't even entered the world yet—the witch demons' brazen rampage, nearly eradicating them and their alliances mere moments ago, could have been curbed if those pacts had been upheld.

Sensing their discomfort, old Gary merely shifted his jawbone, as if attempting a grin, before addressing Leo Ray with the same deferential honorific that Sina and the rest employed, bowing his head solemnly and declaring: “Your Majesty of the Humans, this Underground City functions on its own, severed from any ties to the world above.”

“Given the nature of witch demons, they’d never link their stronghold to this place, so we should head back topside first.”

Old Gary gestured toward a different tunnel and added: “The closest exit from the Underground City lies nearby, so let’s make our way to the surface without delay.”

With that, old Gary motioned for Leo Ray and the others to hold for a beat, then strode toward the remaining stalwarts of the Broken Valley Alliance, his voice booming: “Comrades, we’ve endured this wait far too long for our reckoning, and now Your Majesty of the Humans arrives with his formidable retinue, joined by the Desert Alliance and Rainforest Fortress Alliance's elite—this is our moment to strike back!”

“Yet first, we owe profound thanks to Your Majesty of the Humans for igniting the inscriptions etched into our forms! That alone granted us this cherished shot at vengeance!”

As he spoke, old Gary rested his hand bone against his ribcage, offering a profound bow to Leo Ray.

The other luminaries of the Broken Valley Alliance mirrored the gesture, conveying their deep appreciation and reverence to Leo Ray.

“No need for thanks, all—your revival is what’s flipping the battle in our favor.”

Leo Ray stayed composed, giving a faint nod: “It’s truly our privilege to stand and battle with you.”

“On the contrary, it’s our privilege to stand with Your Majesty of the Humans! The sheer boldness of venturing solo into the witch demons' core domain wins our utmost respect, for we grasp all too well their dread might and savagery.”

Old Gary dipped his head low, straightening the tattered crown atop his skull, then proclaimed: “Broken Valley Alliance warriors, vengeance calls at last—this time, no one lags behind!”

At his command, old Gary swept his arm wide, igniting fervor among the Broken Valley Alliance's elite warriors; they swiftly arrayed into fighting ranks and marched toward the nearest surface-bound tunnel, with Leo Ray and the rest of their powerhouses regrouping to match their stride.

The party ascended the tunnel path, and though the earlier gravitational blockade was absent this round, a formidable milky barrier wall halted their progress.

Initially, they aimed to shatter it through sheer force, but neither old Gary's onslaught nor the concentrated strikes from Loris and the others made it yield even slightly.

“Curses, the foes must’ve caught wind of that last witch demon squad’s downfall and sealed off the whole Underground City!”

After unleashing a futile barrage, Loris nursed his tingling, reddened palm from his tiger form and cursed with a spit.

“This sealing barrier draws straight from the witch demon capital, boasting toughness on par with the shields guarding second-tier powers' central hubs, fueled by the ceaseless black mist miasma.”

Frank scowled after a brief inspection and stated: “Barring the demolition of the witch demon capital above, breaking through by force is impossible.”

“Yet here we sit, all boxed in—how do we topple their capital from this trap?”

Sina creased the brows of Melody Lyon's guise, her gaze drifting once more to Leo Ray despite herself; through the cascade of trials they'd shared, this Desert chieftain had grown to place utter faith in him.

“Elder, got any alternative to crack this?”

Leo Ray stroked his chin lightly and queried Frank: “Something like that unique trick you pulled on the witch demons earlier?”

“Your Majesty, this barrier's core revolves around Necromancy, so I could give it a go.”

Frank inclined his head after another probe: “Deciphering it’ll take a bit, though.”

“Proceed.”

With no better option in sight, Leo Ray affirmed resolutely: “Whatever you require, I’ll provide full backing.”

“As you decree, Your Majesty!”

Frank snapped a salute, fist to chest, and dove into the task at once, as Leo Ray tasked Yonir and the team with erecting a silencing ward to ward off disruptions.

Preparations complete, old Gary drew near and remarked: “Your Majesty of the Humans, I’ve sent my elites to scout the other tunnel outlets—if word comes, you’ll hear it straightaway. Fear not; this time, we stand with you to the bitter end.”

“The elder leader’s assurances always steady the nerves.”

Leo Ray offered a faint smile, seizing the lull as Frank unraveled the array to rein in his expression and pose a query that had nagged at him for ages: “Elder leader, forgive my directness, but what precisely sparked the war between your alliance and the witch demons in those days?”

“I’ll conceal nothing from Your Majesty of the Humans—it all traces back to an insatiable hunger for dominance.”

Old Gary tilted his skull downward and recounted: “That warped craving ultimately unlatched the Pandora's box of ruin, stirring those loathsome, nightmarish entities to life.”

“So, you’re admitting your group actually roused the witch demons?”

Loris bulged his leonine eyes, exclaiming: “What on earth transpired back then?”

“The tale’s roots lie in our chance unearthing of a subterranean relic from the Silver Moon Era.”

Old Gary’s weathered tones carried the weight of ages as he pressed on with his account.

Through the tale echoing from the facing tunnel, Leo Ray gleaned that in those times, upon the relic’s discovery, old Gary—as Broken Valley's helm—had been scouting the vicinity and, hearing the report, promptly mustered the Imperial Guards to bolster the relic-probing crew.

“In the outset, that buried relic mirrored the many we’d unearthed before, steeped in antiquity and the patina of time, with arcane vines and luminescent moss blanketing every corner, glowing with an enigmatic, shadowy allure.”

“Yet as we delved further, anomalies mounted in that relic, for the wall carvings unveiled scenes of utter brutality and gore—sacrifices, forbidden arts' nurture, a parade of savage torments laid bare in sequence.”

“Even more chilling, grotesque and sinister colossal statues emerged, fashioned from bones, demon beasts, and even fabled fiends…”

As old Gary delved into these details, the listeners exchanged uneasy glances among themselves.