The sky was a vast expanse of clear blue, with wisps of white clouds drifting lazily. The sun bathed everything in its warm glow, illuminating the heavens.
Amid this azure firmament, a colossal structure hovered in the air like a slumbering giant. Its metallic exterior exuded a cold, mechanical presence.
It loomed in the sky, immense as an aerospace carrier, with layers of mechanical arms and defensive turrets densely packed along its surface, radiating an aura of authority and menace.
Surrounding this war fortress, aircraft frequently shuttled in and out, their streamlined hulls gleaming coldly under the sunlight.
A mid-sized airship slowly approached the fortress's docking platform. As mechanical arms extended to secure the connection, the gangway gradually lowered.
Lynn stepped off the airship and onto the deck, taking a deep breath of the cold, metallic-scented air carried by the strong winds.
His gaze traveled across the vast deck, landing on the imposing war fortress before him. A flicker of awe surfaced in his heart.
"An aerospace carrier, huh..."
Lynn murmured to himself, his mind spinning with thoughts.
This was the culmination of countless advancements in mechanical science, the pinnacle of the City of Machines' ingenuity a true weapon of war.
The moment conflict erupted, this massive warship would unleash an endless tide of troops, automatons, and wizards, like a roaring steel behemoth crushing all in its path.
Lynn could vividly imagine the battlefield this fortress soaring across the sky, artillery roaring, magical arrays interweaving. It would be a scene of sheer devastation.
Shaking his head slightly, Lynn shifted his focus from the war fortress's vast silhouette to the deck beneath his feet.
The smooth, expansive metal deck bustled with activity. Wizards moved back and forth, resembling industrious worker bees within a giant hive.
Apprentices hurried about, leading mechanical constructs transporting supplies or repairing equipment. Sparks flew, and the sound of metal clashing and machinery humming filled the air.
Unlike the remote and desolate fortress he had guarded before where shadows were sparse, and silence reigned this place was brimming with life and noise, like an ever-turning machine of war.
Not far away, teams of wizards busied themselves with preparations, patrols, or tactical discussions atop elevated platforms.
Some donned battle armor, their expressions solemn. Others commanded mechanical legions with steely determination in their eyes.
Previously, while stationed at the fortress, Lynn's life had been largely detached from the war similar, in many ways, to life in the City of Machines.
But here, in the heart of the war zone, he could feel the oppressive weight of battle firsthand. The chilling atmosphere of impending conflict was ever-present.
"Looks like, from now on, I'll be immersed in this war-torn world..."
Lynn narrowed his gaze, letting out a quiet sigh.
In truth, the letter he had received earlier was not a routine mission report but an official transfer order.
And the one who issued it was none other than one of the two commanders of the Thirteenth War Fortress Grand Wizard Yude!
The order promoted Lynn from a mere fortress guardian to the leader of a wizard squad within the war fortress, placing him directly under the command structure of the Thirteenth War Fortress.
"What a hassle..."
Lynn rubbed his temples, an unmistakable trace of frustration in his eyes.
He had hoped to remain stationed at his quiet fortress, where he could focus on cultivation and patiently wait for the right moment.
With the purification and refinement abilities of the Azure Spirit, he was confident he could break through to the rank of a second-level wizard shortly.
But reality rarely conformed to one's ideals.
A single transfer order had shattered his peaceful training regimen, throwing him straight into the frontlines of war.
Lynn eyed the official document in his hand, a complex expression crossing his face.
"Though, if I recall correctly, after that crushing defeat, the Thirteenth War Front had fully withdrawn its defensive lines..."
He furrowed his brows slightly, murmuring to himself.
Given the current strategic adjustments, even though he had been assigned to the war fortress, large-scale battles were unlikely in the immediate future.
Even if tensions remained high, the fortress primarily served as a defensive bulwark, unlikely to be thrust into combat right away.
With this thought, Lynn felt a little more at ease, though he couldn't entirely shake off his frustration.
Compared to the freedom he had enjoyed at his previous post, being stationed here meant strict orders and limited personal autonomy.
Moreover, even his contact with Qi might become more difficult...
But just as Lynn was lost in thought, the entire war fortress trembled violently!
An ear-piercing alarm shrieked through the air, sharp as a blade slicing into his eardrums.
"Beep! Beep! Beep!"
The urgent sound blared repeatedly, like the tolling of a death knell.
Lynn's brows furrowed sharply as he lifted his gaze in alarm.
Chaos erupted across the deck. Wizard apprentices turned pale, panic flashing in their eyes. Mechanical constructs halted their tasks, instantly shifting into combat readiness.
A cold, mechanical voice echoed across the fortress.
"Warning! Warning! Large-scale enemy forces detected!"
"Warning! Warning! Large-scale enemy forces detected!"
Enemies?
That could only mean the Goddess of the Weave Faction.
If they were detecting a large-scale enemy approach…
Could it be that the Goddess' Faction was launching an attack?!
Well… it wasn't entirely unexpected.
After all, the Thirteenth Front had previously suffered a crushing defeat, forcing a full retreat and leaving its defenses weak.
If the Goddess Faction wanted to exploit a vulnerability, choosing this place as their breakthrough point was indeed the best option.
Therefore, their attack was unexpected yet inevitable.
However, ever since the Wizard Faction began their invasion of this world, the Goddess Faction had never attempted such a large-scale war deep into enemy territory.
Because of this, after the front lines were pulled back, the Eastern War Zone had only symbolically sent some supplies and resources without planning any major reinforcements.
Yet, not long ago, due to the threat posed by Qi, the "Morning Star Wizard," the Eastern War Zone hastily reinforced the Thirteenth Front with a large stockpile of war resources to stabilize the rear.
Ironically, this unintended move ended up filling the gap in the fortress's defenses, strengthening what was once a fragile defensive system.
As a result, even if the Goddess Faction did attack, the two sides were not entirely without the ability to fight back.
For the Thirteenth War Fortress as a whole, this situation might not be catastrophic, but for Lynn personally, it was an entirely different story.
"Of all the times they could have come, they just had to come now!"
Lynn cursed inwardly, feeling a wave of frustration.
The timing of the Goddess Faction's arrival couldn't have been worse it was as if they had come specifically for him.
If they had attacked earlier, before he was deployed, the fortress would have already been in a state of war, and he would never have been conscripted.
At that point, no matter how the war unfolded, Lynn could have remained at the Guardian Castle, ready to advance or retreat at his discretion, living freely and comfortably.
But reality had other plans.
Lynn had just arrived at the war fortress, and the Goddess Faction had launched an all-out invasion, igniting the flames of war.
The entire war fortress immediately entered full battle readiness, locking everyone inside with no way out.
And Lynn, more than anyone else, was caught right in the middle of it. He had no choice but to stand and fight alongside the Thirteenth Front.
Escape? That was simply impossible!
In the tightly secured fortress, anyone attempting to flee would be deemed a deserter and instantly eliminated by the automated defense formations and patrolling puppet soldiers.
Lynn knew this all too well. Under these circumstances, his only option was to wait for the fortress's orders.
Standing on the deck, he scanned the surroundings and noticed that he wasn't the only one waiting for instructions.
Besides the combat wizards in the battle division, there were also intelligence apprentices, scouts, and even logistics personnel all waiting for the latest orders from their superiors.
Whether they would be assigned to the main force or given special missions depended entirely on the commanding officers.
Lynn frowned slightly, feeling a sense of helplessness.
"A First-Level Wizard is just a foot soldier. Only a Second-Level Wizard can be considered an officer."
He sighed inwardly. If he had already broken through to Second-Level Wizard, he wouldn't have to worry about being thrown straight into the front lines.
Even if he couldn't lead an army, at the very least, he would have more autonomy rather than being swept along by the tide.
Just as Lynn was lost in thought, a deafening roar suddenly erupted in the distance, shaking the entire fortress.
The sound was like a raging tsunami crashing toward them, sending shockwaves through the air and making everyone's faces change drastically.
Lynn immediately activated his Grayhawk Armor. The scout armor unfolded at his command, and the eagle-eye lens swiftly locked onto the distant scene.
What he saw made him involuntarily suck in a breath of cold air.
It was an army an army of unprecedented scale, surging forward like an endless ocean.
The followers of the Goddess of the Weave, clad in blue and white robes, marched in perfect formation, forming a vast tide that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Lynn gazed into the distance but could not see the end of their ranks. Even within his field of vision, there were already hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions.
And behind that surging wave, countless dark figures continued to gather, constantly replenishing their numbers like a never-ending tide.
"A war of this scale…"
Lynn murmured, his spine-tingling as a deep sense of awe washed over him.
Even the Furnace Wars he had previously fought in seemed laughable in comparison to the catastrophe unfolding before him.
Once this battle truly erupted, the entire area would turn into a colossal meat grinder.
A First-Level Wizard? Completely insignificant.
Even Second-Level Wizards, or perhaps even Third-Level Grand Wizards, would be torn to shreds if they set foot within that overwhelming tidal wave.
In the face of a war of this magnitude, individual strength was reduced to insignificance.
Even those who considered themselves extraordinary would be nothing more than a speck of dust in the storming sea.
Unless their power had reached the point of a true transformation unless they were a Morning Star Wizard…
Otherwise, on the battlefield, only the power of the army reigns supreme.
"But... can the Thirteenth Front hold against an enemy of this scale?"
Through the Grayhawk Armor, Lynn gazed at the vast blue-and-white tide surging forward, his heart filled with doubt and unease.
Although he was not a commander of the war fortress and knew little about its true strength, his instincts alone told him that the disparity in power was overwhelming.
The war fortress was massive, capable of housing millions of troops, but a significant portion of them were mechanical puppets and alchemical constructs.
While these cold, lifeless creations excelled in close combat, they might struggle to withstand the relentless assault of a true army of wizards.
On the other hand, the enemy force consisted of real, flesh-and-blood mages. Their magical energies surged like a tsunami, layering upon one another with devastating force.
No puppets, no elemental constructs only living beings forming an unstoppable flood of destruction.
In a battlefield where both sides were evenly matched, even a First-Level Wizard would be stepping into a meat grinder.
But if the sides weren't evenly matched, like in this scenario, then a First-Level Wizard entering the battlefield would be marching straight to certain death.
Just like the Thirteenth Front had once experienced a crushing defeat!
"No, absolutely not. I cannot go to the battlefield!"
A blaring alarm rang in Lynn's mind as he made a decisive choice.
Staying within the war fortress, even if it ultimately fell, would at least leave him a chance of survival.
But stepping onto the battlefield? That was a death sentence.
He could die at any moment not even from direct combat, but from a stray spell or an out-of-control magical formation tearing him apart.
This wasn't an exaggeration. This was the reality of war.
In a battle that was almost certainly doomed, victory and defeat became secondary. Survival was all that mattered.
"But… why hasn't there been any response from command?"
Lynn turned back, looking at the deck behind him, where a large number of wizards were still gathered, their expressions filled with confusion.
Even now, they had received no orders. They had no idea what role they were supposed to play in the coming battle.
Could it be that the commanders themselves were paralyzed by the sheer scale of the enemy army, unsure of what to do?
Lynn's guess was spot on.
At that very moment, in the fortress's central command room, two Third-Level Grand Wizards stood with grim expressions, cold sweat beading on their foreheads as they frantically tried to contact the Eastern War Zone.
Faced with an army of this unimaginable magnitude, they had both come to the same conclusion retreat!
Even Grand Wizard Yude, who was known for his love of battle, wore a grave expression.
He was a warrior at heart, but he was not a fool who sought death.
The overwhelming numbers of the enemy force sent a chill deep into his bones.
This level of warfare was not something a single war fortress could withstand.
"This damn front is cursed! Ever since we lost that battle, everything has gone wrong first the issue with that mysterious Morning Star Wizard, and now these damned divine followers…"
Grand Wizard Yude cursed furiously, unable to contain his frustration.
Beside him, Grand Wizard Earl was slightly calmer, but not by much.
He was still waiting for orders from higher up. After all, if they pulled the fortress back, they would be tearing a massive hole in the front line.
Even if they survived, they would face severe punishment.
But neither of them was willing to sit here and die rules were rules, but people had to stay alive first.
If no orders came soon, then even if they had to face the consequences later, it was still better than being swallowed by the tide of divine followers.
"I don't think this is our failure I think the problem lies with those higher up. First, a Morning Star Wizard passed through without the Eastern War Zone detecting him, and now, an army of this scale has mobilized, and we received no warning at all…"
The two Grand Wizards were already prepared to press the retreat button.
Because if they waited any longer, they would die here.
And just at that moment, a message finally came through from command.
"Hold out as long as possible. Reinforcements are on the way. Hang in there!"
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