The assault began as a wave of vengeful fury. Believers under the command of four enraged demigods materialized across the desolate plains, their war cries echoing in the grey, stagnant air of the Undead Plane. Orcs, tauren, and other fierce races, their eyes burning with the divine will of their masters, charged forward with the singular goal of tearing apart Christon Al's arrogant demon legions.
From his divine realm, Su Cheng watched with cold indifference. The demons and Gnoll Demons under his command, fresh from their recent slaughters and empowered by evolved soul fire, met the charge not with apprehension, but with bloodthirsty zeal.
The clash was immediate and brutal. The allied demigod forces, while numerous, were a disorganized rabble compared to the disciplined formations of the Gnoll Demons. At the forefront, the legendary Red Dragon Kalis descended like a crimson meteor, bathing swathes of the enemy army in a river of molten dragon breath. Orcs turned to ash before their axes could fall, and tauren warriors were melted within their heavy armor.
The God of Storms watched in horror as his remaining elite believers, the core of his power, were incinerated without resistance. "How is this possible?" he roared in his distant divine realm. "That dragon… its power is not merely at the peak of the legendary rank!"
Meanwhile, Gedo, the King of the Gnoll Demons, moved like a phantom through the enemy ranks. His sanctuary-rank power was an aura of absolute dread. He didn't bother with the lesser troops; his targets were the enemy commanders—the few epic-rank orc chieftains and tauren captains leading the assault. With each flash of his blood-gold claws, a leader fell, their command structure crumbling into chaos.
The slaughter was swift and merciless. Within minutes, the grand assault had devolved into a rout, with the demigods' believers being systematically exterminated.
[Log]: Your believers have repelled the assault!
[Log]: You have killed 1,245 believers of various gods! Your Slaughter authority has risen significantly!
[Log]: Your believers have gathered the spoils! You have obtained 11 Legendary-rank Soul Fires and 247 Epic-rank Soul Fires!
"Infinite Evolution!" Su Cheng commanded without hesitation.
[Log]: You have used infinite evolution on 11 Legendary-rank soul fires and 247 Epic-rank soul fires!
[Log]: The evolution is complete! Of the 11 Legendary-rank soul fires, the 100% probability was triggered 11 times. You have obtained 11 Sanctuary-rank Soul Fires (+1 Rank)!
[Log]: Of the 247 Epic-rank soul fires, the 10% probability was triggered 25 times and the 100% probability was triggered 222 times. You have obtained 25 Sanctuary-rank Soul Fires (+2 Ranks) and 222 Legendary-rank Soul Fires (+1 Rank)!
Su Cheng's eyes lit up. A harvest of 36 Sanctuary-rank Soul Fires!
In the private residence of Orton, the God of the Hunt, the atmosphere was one of absolute despair. The demigods who had just launched the assault were now trembling with a mixture of rage and terror. Their forces were gone. Annihilated.
"It was a trap!" one of the gods shrieked. "He knew we were coming!"
"We are the prey now," Orton declared, his face a mask of cold fury. His gaze fell upon the remaining demigods—the few who had held back their forces. "He is hunting us down one by one. We cannot run. We must consolidate everything we have for one final stand."
He looked at the desperate gods before him. "I have a divine scroll bestowed by Lord Lamov. It is our final chance. Gather all your remaining believers at the Shadowmire coordinates. We will lure Christon's forces there and use the scroll to trap and kill that damned dragon. Without his most powerful believer, we might have a chance!"
Back in his divine realm, Su Cheng was about to distribute the newly evolved soul fires when a private message window blinked into existence. It was from the spider goddess, Lilith.
[Lilith]: It's over. The assault failed completely. They're terrified.
[Lilith]: Orton is gathering the last of their forces for a final stand at the Shadowmire. He's planning to use a divine scroll from the God of Thunder to trap your red dragon. Be careful, Christon.
Su Cheng's lips curved into a dangerous smile. A final stand? It was more like a final, consolidated offering.
He sent his divine will out across the undead plane, a command that echoed in the minds of his most powerful saints.
"Gedo. Kalis. Change of plans. The prey has decided to gather in one place for us."
The hunt was about to reach its bloody conclusion.