The cold wind was biting, and the sun, which had just risen on the horizon, seemed to be obscured by slowly moving dark clouds, gradually dimming. However, unlike silent, formless clouds, this expanse across the sky, gradually growing noisy, was the boundless army of low-level demons.
The rustling sound of wings flapping was particularly chaotic within the approaching black clouds that filled the sky, initially sounding only like a swarm of bats flying inside a mountain cave at night.
As the dark clouds drew closer, the momentum grew immense, starting like the turbulent sound of a tide, gathering cleansing power from the rising and falling of lakes and seas, slowly growing from small to large, rolling in from the sky.
The thick, pervasive resentment and mist in the air were scattered by the wind generated by the flapping wings of the demons covering the earth, revealing the equally dense demons on the ground, like layers of surging tides.
The last remaining rays of the sun on the horizon were gradually devoured by the ferocious faces of the demons.
No one could clearly state how many types of demons originated from the The Abyss, born under the influence of the The Abyss's chaotic power.
Whether it was the most powerful Legendary Mage, a Deity holding high the Astral Realm, or the mighty Demon Lords of the The Abyss, none could know even half the types of demons existing in the world.
There were flying demons with goat heads and bat wings, land-walking demons with the bodies of minotaurs, humanoid demons, and demons resembling primitive beasts, insects, spiders, and cephalopods.
These chaotic souls were infused with the primal racial memories of disgust and fear that the world's creatures held during the creation of races in the The Abyss, causing these demons to be feared and panicked over by mortal beings.
There were also some demons that lacked complete racial features, their bodies twisted and deformed. Their ugly, distorted faces were like deep-sea octopuses smashed flat and unable to recover, with spikes and tentacles growing wildly and randomly across their bodies.
Certain random parts of their bodies were constructed almost entirely of metal and machinery, and semi-organic armor plating grew beneath their flesh.
Perhaps it is precisely because these demons can draw their origin power from the fear and wickedness in mortal minds that they are the most terrifying enemies of all things in the world.
Because the vast majority of mid- and low-level demons are influenced by the Chaotic Will, spreading chaos and destruction throughout the Multiverse, attempting to return all worlds to primordial chaos.
On the city walls, which were built up like mountains using irregular stones, and throughout the entire city, the deep sound of the horn had already been blown, echoing through every corner.
However, the civilians in the city did not hide; every single person, even the elderly, children, and women, picked up the stone and wooden pitchforks and dung forks —tools made only after the iron was melted down to forge the warriors' weapons —which were always kept nearby. They left their homes and gathered in the designated areas beneath the city walls.
Sakaruo and the armed forces of the sects had already gathered, standing at the front lines and organizing the order.
Although the swords and blades held by these sect forces were mostly broken and incomplete, they were the last reserve army, as all able-bodied warriors were already deployed on the city walls.
One after another, well-rested Wyvern Dragons clung to the Spireless Towers. The massive Magic Dragons —some with silver scales and green eyes, others with black armor and sharp horns, or golden wings and red tails —opened their vertical pupils, loudly spread their huge membranous wings, and roared toward the sky, displaying formidable might.
The Targaryen Family, the Orion Family, and the Belleris Family, as the first batch of Dragon King Families to pledge allegiance to the Imperial Legion, were incorporated into the Imperial Legion, becoming high-ranking officers in the Magic Dragon Corps. They had already led all qualified Wyvern Knights to wait at the encampment established by the Legion.
When the Commander of the Wyvern Flight, Countess Bartoli, stepped out of the barracks, all the Wyvern Knights had already assembled in silence. The fierce wyvern Flight Leader, Swift Shadow, swooped down from the sky, landing beside the formidable Female Commander.
Bartoli's beautiful face had long been hardened by war, making her as resolute as any other warrior. A slightly deep claw mark ran across her face from her mouth toward her ear, a scar that had never faded.
But this did not detract from the Female Knight's grace; instead, it gave her a unique, androgynous beauty.
Clang,
Bartoli raised her head, her short, flowing hair shining in the growing sunlight. She raised her drawn longsword vertically before her forehead and shouted loudly, "In the name of the Imperial Legion, by the will of the Emperor, in every battle, we shall give our all!"
"We shall give our all!" The Wyvern Knights leaned on their long Dragon Lances with their left hands, drew their longswords with their right, and shouted in unison.
"Our swords, spears, and arrows heed the call of the Imperial Legion,"
"In the name of bronze and steel, ice and fire!" The Dragon Knights drew their longswords and shouted hoarsely.
Whoosh,
One after another, Dragon Flights, covered in brilliant scales and tentacles, carried their comrades-in-arms into the sky, beginning to form ranks and circle above the city.
The thick, long Dragon Lance in Bartoli's hand was not tied with a red tassel but a rolled banner, which looked like the Royal Banner of the Great Dragon, dancing fiercely in mid-air.
Subsequently, the Dragon Knights mounted their Wyvern Dragons beneath the towers, ascending into the sky, following the Female Commander Bartoli's Dragon Lance.
The massive wyvern Flights and Wyverns gradually completed their formation under the command of Bartoli and the various commanders, and shadows began to cover the sky.
The valuable Caster Corps also emerged from the barracks beneath the city walls, stepping onto the walls swiftly and orderly under the command of the Legion Officers.
At this time, these Casters also needed to participate in the war on the front lines. Therefore, unlike those fragile Mages, the Imperial Legion's Casters had grown accustomed to holding a Staff in one hand and a War Hammer or sword in the other, being proficient with both.
Many native world residents who possessed the aptitude for learning magic were also absorbed and supplemented into the Imperial Legion's Caster Corps, cultivating a large number of low-level Casters during the prolonged fighting, barely maintaining the defenses along the entire front line.
The warriors on the city walls had already set up their Ballistae, drawn their bows, and donned their armor and blades. The overwhelming multitude of demons no longer terrified them, although they still feared death.
The Slave Corps and the Unsullied Warriors prayed for the Dragon's Favor, hoping that their souls, after death in battle, could also receive the peace granted by the Great Dragons, aspiring to step into the Legendary Sanctuary meant for brave souls.
The tall figure of Sahar stood on the mountain-like city wall. One of his dragon-like horns was already broken, and the Magic-Powered Heavy Armor he wore was damaged in many places.
As the head of the Imperial Legion and the most powerful warrior, the pressure he faced was far greater than anyone else's.
His gaze swept past the pouncing Shadow Demons, Wolf-Serpent Demons (a combination of wolf and snake), grotesque Deformed Eel Demons, ferocious Ape Demons, putrid Ghoul Demons, and Giant Ox Demons, which bore some resemblance to minotaurs.
These countless types of demons, including massive Beast Demons and Abyss Dragon Beasts, were not enough to concern him. His gaze pierced through the rolling black clouds filling the sky, looking toward the Long Summer Land across the strait.
There was an unprecedentedly powerful aura there, demonstrating its strength to this civilization that dared to resist the demons.
This demon's powerful aura stirred the dark clouds and resentment, and the Demonic Energyvaguely condensed into a colossal phantom in the sky.
Even the Dragonborne Werewolf, who had reached the Saint Domain, felt a sense of weakness before this intense, chaotic, and brutal aura.
This was no ordinary high-level demon; it was a Great Demon, possessing power beyond the Legendary level. Even having crossed the Plane barrier and lost much strength, it still wielded power that he could not resist.
If the opponent had not descended in their True Form, the situation would be even more terrifying.
The Dragonborne Werewolf's eyes could see many high-level demons; the Six-Armed Snake Demon, the Barlog, and the Soul Reaver Demon were all gathered around that extremely tall demon, awaiting its command.
The Plane passage was in the distant Shadow Lands of Asshai. The fact that this Great Demoncould arrive here proved that the civilizations existing in Asshai, including the Dawn Dynasty, must have already been completely destroyed by this Great Demon.
The Deity worshipped there, and the Extraordinary Creature native to that world —the Night Lion —were also killed by this Great Demon. It seemed that perhaps the Golden Empire was the only remaining resistance force in the entire world.
"Perhaps, in this world, the Imperial Legion will fall today,"
The Dragonborne Werewolf thought this, but the overwhelming tide of demons had arrived. He instantly cast aside these useless worries, spread his massive wings, and let out his own roar, "Clad in strong armor, heart like steel, in this battle, we shall not retreat!"
"We shall not retreat!"
Roaring shouts echoed along the entire section of the city wall guarded by the Dragonborne Werewolf.
Whoosh,
With a violent vibration, the taut strings gave the Great Crossbows and arrows the power to penetrate the tough flesh of the low-level demons. A rain of arrows shot down demons, which crashed to the ground and were immediately trampled to death by the demons surging forward.
The massive Ballista Bolts carried astonishing kinetic energy, enough to penetrate the body of a huge Wyvern , skewering the densely packed demons in a string.
The Ballista cleared a small gap in the demon tide, then lost its momentum against the endless obstruction of demon bodies, falling down with the shattered corpses of several demons.
Within this surging demon tide, ferocious demon faces occasionally emerging from the shadows in the sky were swept forward. The fact that this type of demon could blend into the power of shadows and easily conceal itself even in areas barren of magic proved this was their Innate Talent.
Only the demons' ugly bat wings and sharp claws, glinting with cold light, exposed their forms. These were Shadow Demons, Hunters in the Dark, quietly mixing among the countless demons, trying to breach the city wall defenses and infiltrate the crowds.
"Mental Storm!"
The commanders of the various legion defense lines shouted loudly. Intense Mind Power, controlled by the warriors' will, began to whip up a storm and sweep out.
The Shadow Demons, which could not be killed by physical damage, howled, unable to maintain their ability to merge with shadows, and fell from the sky with trembling bat wings.
"Attention, everyone, area coverage, Spell —Shattering Soundwave," the Caster Corps raised their Staffs and commanded loudly.
In sections not guarded by the Wyvern Corps, clearing these Shadow Demons could only rely on the power of Casters, because mortal weapons could not harm these weak yet tricky demons.
These Casters, specifically recruited and trained as Legion Mages, did not need overly powerful Spells. Battles between legions prioritized coordination and order; even the lowest-level Spells had a massive effect when executed with legion-level coordination.
Low-level Mages and Novice Mages used the amplification of their Staffs to maximize their Manaoutput, weaving and fixing it into Spell Models, vibrating them in specific ways to achieve the desired Magical Effect.
A layer of indiscriminate Shattering Soundwave covered the sky ahead, vibrating the air and shaking down the Shadow Demons hidden in the shadows along with the other flying demons, causing them to fall like rain.
"Everyone, Sleep Spell ready!"
"All Casters —Fire Arrow!"
"Collective Casting —Magic Missile!"
Roars, amplified by the Amplification Spell, echoed along the sections of the wall defenses. The commander of each section made their own judgment and issued commands based on the Spells mastered by the Caster Corps.
Mages, through long-term coordination, gradually achieved synergy. Countless Spells bloomed above the city walls. Although they were low-level magic, the results were fruitful, with demons being knocked out of the sky like dumplings and then killed by other demons.
While these Mages recovered their Mana and temporarily rested their Mental Energy, the hundreds of Wyverns in the air, led by Bartoli, began to sweep across the sky.
Hundreds of Dragon Flights vibrated the tentacles beneath their jaws, emitting oscillating soundwaves under the leadership of Dragon Flight Leader Swift Shadow, clearing wave after wave of flying demons.
Each massive Wyvern, along with its Dragon Knight, had its own Anti-Air Domain. Under the guidance of the knights, these Wyverns circled back and forth, spewing Dragonfire hot enough to melt stone, incinerating all charging demons, which fell from the sky wailing.
"Dracarys!"
One Valyria Knight after another roared, causing the chests of their mounted Wyverns to glow. Surging Dragonfire spread into a Sea of Flames above the city walls, temporarily preventing the demons filling the sky from charging through.
Occasionally, demons that broke through the Sea of Flames and approached would be directly impaled by the Wyvern Knights using their long Dragon Lances, or cut down in the air by coordinating with the sharp claws of the Wyverns and wyvern Flights.
The demons on the ground began howling and climbing up the mountain-high city walls, braving the rain of arrows. The demons' sharp claws could grip cracks in the rock and pierce the hard stone, their immense strength allowing them to leap dozens of meters easily.
But the two roaring Titanoboas , Grenek and Haninek, guarded a section of the defense line alone. They opened their huge mouths, exposing long, hooked fangs, and moved along the entire wall section, letting out excited roars.
Several Cowardly Demons had just poked their heads onto the city wall when Grenek swept them with a mouthful of fangs, instantly slicing these unpleasant-tasting demons like razor blades.
Haninek's massive snake tail acted like a game of Whack-A-Mole, waiting for the demons to show their heads. Several Spider Demons saw the others being torn apart and tried to leap up.
But Haninek's snake tail, like a giant swinging a massive hammer, instantly smashed the skulls of several delusional demons. It then coiled its body on the Parapet, extending its thick, long tail down the wall, swinging like a pendulum to clear all the demons from the face of the city wall.
"Everyone, target specific goals, Enchanted Weapon!"
The Caster Corps raised their Staffs and enchanted the weapons of the Slave Corps and Unsullied Corps warriors, allowing the mortals' iron to gain the ability to harm demons that possessed Non-Magical Weapon Resistance and immunity to non-magical weapons.
The Unsullied were brave and fearless. They roared and lunged at the exposed demons. Blood began to splatter on the city top. The war, as always, had begun.