Little Tyrant Doesn't Want to Meet with a Bad End Chapter 664.2: Inseparable (2)

The dawn broke with the thunderous roar of fortress artillery. As the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, dozens of fortresses along the eastern frontier unleashed their long-range enchantments upon the Fallens, igniting the fires of war after a tense three-day lull.

Under the relentless barrage from humankind, the Fallens, who had been aimlessly patrolling the Tark Prairie, began to mass, preparing for their counteroffensive. This signaled the successful commencement of Phase 1 of the 'Battle of the Edges'.

The sharpest point of any weapon defines its cutting power, and in this critical conflict, it represented the line between life and death. This vital edge was embodied by Roel's thousand-man contingent. Consequently, the unified army bestowed upon this war the moniker 'Battle of the Edges'.

The Battle of the Edges was meticulously planned in three distinct phases.

Phase 1 was dedicated to bombarding the Fallens and weathering their subsequent assault.

Acknowledging the Fallens' superior martial strength, the unified army opted to leverage the formidable fortresses, fortified and reinforced over centuries, to equalize the battlefield. This strategy was their most effective means of achieving parity.

Their primary objective thus became luring the enemy into their carefully laid trap.

With earth-shattering booms, the fortress enchantments discharged dazzling bolts of energy, transforming into a myriad of projectiles that rained down upon the distant enemy. The palpable surge of mana immediately drew the attention of the tens of thousands of Fallens roving the Tark Prairie.

Concurrently, a combined force of soldiers from the Rosa Kingdom and the Knight Kingdom charged forth, acting as a lure for the pursuing Fallens.

In ancient times, the Savior was revered as a supreme entity, the embodiment of the sun. Even after succumbing to madness, His divine authority persisted, explaining the Fallens' heightened ferocity during daylight hours compared to the night.

Phase 1 of the Battle of the Edges commenced at daybreak and concluded at twilight. During this period, soldiers were tasked with defending their designated fortresses and gradually eroding the enemy's combat effectiveness.

Only under the cloak of night would Phase 2 begin.

During Phase 2, the human forces stationed on the eastern border would simultaneously launch a counterattack against the Fallens. Beneath the moon's glow, they intended to pick off their weakened adversaries through guerrilla tactics, steadily advancing towards the grand imperial capital.

It was during this phase that an opportunity for Phase 3 was expected to arise.

In Phase 3, Roel and his specialized team, empowered by the unified army's blessings, were destined to advance. Their mission was to serve as the sharp edge plunging into the enemy's core, forging a new path for humanity's future.

Amidst the ongoing bombardment from the fortress artillery, Roel ascended the fortress ramparts to survey the unfolding scene. Soldiers stood in vigilant formation along the battlements, a diverse array of defensive armaments poised to repel the approaching foe.

In the distance, Pendorian knights could be seen executing a hasty retreat, drawing back towards the fortress alongside Rosaian archers. Hot on their heels was a vast, shadowy horde of Fallens.

Though stripped of their weaponry and their minds, the sheer might of the Fallens was undeniable. Their collective dark mana coalesced, forming an ominous shroud overhead, casting a pall of gloom across the sky.

A hush fell over the human defenders.

Even the battle-hardened veterans, accustomed to confronting the most monstrous of deviants, felt a tremor of apprehension at the Fallens' overwhelming momentum. Yet, their resolve remained unshaken. They held an unyielding faith in humankind's capacity to overcome any adversity.

Human soldiers channeled their internal Qi into the fortress artillery, unleashing incandescent beams of light, akin to celestial rivers, that decimated swathes of the enemy. This was swiftly followed by coordinated army-wide spells and a relentless shower of arrows.

Significant numbers of Fallens were annihilated, but it was not enough to decide the outcome of the battle.

Some of the more formidable Fallens began to mount their own counterassault. Ancient sorcerers raised their gnarled wooden staffs, intoning arcane incantations. Burly knights exuded a crimson-black aura of Qi, enabling them to scale the city walls with astonishing agility in mere leaps.

A fierce and bloody engagement commenced.

Humankind deployed every asset at their disposal in a desperate struggle to hold back the tide of Fallens, while an unending stream of the creatures surged forth from the Tark Prairie. Not a single moment of respite had been granted since the battle's eruption that morning.

None of the Origin Level 1 cultivators, including Roel, Lilian, and Wilhelmina, were permitted to engage in the ongoing conflict. This was a strict directive from the highest command of the unified army, necessitating the conservation of their strength for the pivotal moments ahead.

However, others were ready to step into the breach.

Carter Ascart, Kane Xeclyde, Bruce Sorofya, and other seasoned Origin Level 2 cultivators entered the fray. Their determination was unwavering: to safeguard humanity's defensive perimeter from being breached by the Fallens, until the opportune moment arrived for the Origin Level 1 cultivators to make their move.

“You are humankind’s hope and the future. It’s not your time to act yet. Hold back until the crucial moment, then strike with all your might to make it count,” Carter had advised Roel before he went to the fortress wall.

Roel understood the wisdom in Carter’s words and had no choice but to contain himself.

The sounds of clashing swords and exploding spells continuously reverberated throughout the fortress. Roel quietly assessed the unfolding situation while simultaneously familiarizing himself with his full spectrum of powers.

Even now, Roel remained uncertain about the exact number of adversaries he faced. Beyond Lukas, whom he knew was also after Sia’s Scepter, there was a formidable threat amongst the Savior’s devotees – the Collector, whose status he had been unable to ascertain.

He had been aware of the sudden disappearance of his primary nemesis, the Collector. Puzzled, he had attempted to leverage the intelligence networks of both the church and Rosa, but it was as if the Collector had vanished from existence.

This unsettling development greatly unnerved Roel, particularly after he uncovered the truth behind the Second Epoch.

If the Spirit Cataclysm in the Capital was a result of the Eggs of the Beast God exploding, rather than the Savior, then the mastermind behind such an operation would inevitably be the Collector, who had also led the Fallens a millennium prior. If he had stooped to such measures then, it was inconceivable that he would remain inactive now, with the Savior on the precipice of awakening.

This realization sharpened Roel’s vigilance.

As the sun gradually dipped below the horizon, casting the sky into night, it was finally time for the veteran Origin Level 1 transcendents to engage.

Five Origin Level 1 transcendents – Holy Eminence John, Principal Antonio, Sword Saint King Friedrich, Military God Layton, and the recently awakened Astrid – united their efforts to eliminate the remaining Fallens.

Impenetrable holy light, destructive flames, and shimmering iridescent energies rained down upon the battlefield, decimating vast numbers of enemies. Friedrich and Layton plunged into the Fallens’ formations, annihilating foes with their unstoppable slashes and devastating lightning strikes.

Concurrently, the human armies swiftly organized themselves and advanced.

Layton offered a silent acknowledgment to Roel, choosing instead to pat his shoulder and offer a smile. He perceived this as a hereditary responsibility, proving his past judgment of Roel correct.

“Grandpa Layton, you have worked hard,” Roel stated.

“I am merely clearing the path. Everything now rests in your hands,” Layton responded.

Friedrich took Wilhelmina aside for a private pep talk, while Astrid and Antonio appeared to be engaged in a discussion.

Members of the golden generation, including Paul, Geralt, Selina, and Teresa, along with several other military commanders, approached Roel’s thousand-man contingent and offered a respectful bow, acknowledging the courage of the soldiers who dared to spearhead an assault into the enemy’s core.

Roel’s team stood prepared for deployment. The thousand-strong unit, composed of elite soldiers from the five nations, responded with crisp military salutes, extending their well wishes to the vanguards tasked with forging a path forward.

A mixture of apprehension and anticipation surged through the soldiers as they observed the successive marches of the armies onto the battlefield.

After bidding farewell to his close companions, Roel stood quietly on the fortress wall, seemingly awaiting a specific event. A considerable time later, he finally detected two intense surges of mana erupting into the sky, eliciting a sigh of relief.

The critical Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Battle of the Edges could now officially commence.

…

The successful breakthroughs achieved by Nora and Charlotte brought welcome news to humanity. The addition of two more Origin Level 1 transcendents to their ranks significantly bolstered the soldiers’ morale, finally alleviating Roel’s anxieties.

With this development, Phase 2 officially commenced.

Mirroring the Battle of Scorched Earth, the three million human soldiers positioned along the eastern frontier would launch a simultaneous advance, aiming to engage and contain the Fallens as effectively as possible.

After several hours of concerted effort, led by the veteran Origin Level 1 transcendents, the main army, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, had successfully cleared out the majority of the Fallens lurking on Tark Prairie. They had advanced to a vantage point from which the walls of the imperial capital were clearly visible.

Even the most battle-hardened soldiers were struck with awe and a sense of deference upon glimpsing the immense scale of the imperial capital’s fortifications.

This shared sentiment echoed in the minds of all present.

However, the main army halted any further approach towards the imperial city. Earlier reconnaissance reports had indicated a significant concentration of Fallens that intensified the closer one moved to the heart of the imperial capital.

The sheer multitude of enemies before them served as irrefutable proof of these reports.

Countless dark silhouettes roamed beneath the moonlight. In stark contrast to the Fallens encountered during the day, most of these beings had undergone grotesque distortions, transforming into monstrous forms.

Ancient sorcerers shambled forward, their skin withered and flesh decayed, resembling ghastly specters. Knights had undergone grotesque transformations, becoming monstrous abominations. In the distance, some loomed like colossal mountains of flesh, painting a scene akin to a hellish vista.

The human soldiers felt a bone-chilling dread at the nightmarish spectacle before them, yet they clenched their jaws, resolved to hold their positions. They understood that their defeat here would mean the doom of their loved ones back in the distant human world.

If they could not overcome these challenges with their current strength, a devastating calamity would inevitably engulf all of humankind.

For countless millennia, humanity had endured solely due to the courageous sacrifices of those who came before. This moment was no different. Despite their gnawing fear, the human soldiers summoned every ounce of their valor to engage in battle.

Concurrently, a thousand spatial mages, under Antonio's precise direction, worked to detect the faint spatial undulations. They meticulously wove a formidable teleportation enchantment, intended to transport Roel, Alicia, Nora, Charlotte, Lilian, Wilhelmina, and their accompanying thousand-strong contingent to the heart of the imperial capital.

However, the path of events would not unfold as smoothly as they had foreseen.

The instant their spatial spell began to shimmer with power, the ambient mana surrounding the imperial capital surged erratically. Several sections of the Tark Prairie fractured, giving rise to colossal, dark monstrosities that erupted from the earth.

These were the Eggs of the Beast God. Detecting the looming threat, they rose from the ground to confront the encroaching adversaries. Each of these Eggs of the Beast God was of immense size, appearing as veritable mountains beneath the pale moonlight. Their sinister, savage roars resonated across the prairie, exerting a crushing pressure that impeded the soldiers' every forward movement.

An eerie silence descended upon the battlefield as the human soldiers gazed upon these leviathans with utter horror. Just as despair threatened to consume them, a spectral white mist materialized from the horizon, gradually coalescing into a resplendent, six-hued cloud.

Six gargantuan beings—hues of fiery red, icy blue, obsidian black, ethereal orange, misty white, and pale tempest yellow—emerged from the distance. They unleashed mana pulsations of unimaginable power that vibrated through the very fabric of their surroundings. Once the world's most formidable calamities, they now stood as humanity's unexpected champions.

These Six Calamities charged headlong into the Eggs of the Beast God, their arrival eclipsing the bestial howls. Bursts of incandescent light and concussive explosions followed in their wake.

Meanwhile, the teleportation spell, meticulously channeled by Antonio and the spatial mages, began to emanate a brilliant, captivating glow.