Fighting for You

The dragon is roaring.

A long, mournful dragon's roar played the notes of death, crimson clouds gathered in the sky, and everything resembled the end of the world. Although it was already morning, the rising sun did not bring clear and warm sunlight. Danfeng Lucerne was shrouded in a crimson light and shadow, and the elemental concentration in this area had been completely out of balance.

This capital of Goth was the first city to stand in the land of Calonia hundreds of years ago. It has witnessed Goth's establishment, prosperity and decline, hundreds of years of management, and the construction and reinforcement by more than a dozen Goth princes. It is a formidable and indestructible city that is unparalleled in the world.

But since the dawn of war, the fate of all fortified cities has been to be breached, because the widespread use of magic in war brought an end to the conflict between spear and shield.

Even the strongest city walls cannot withstand the relentless onslaught of magic from an unrestricted warrior.

Since the Elf Expeditionary Force launched its surprise attack without warning, Danfeng Lucerne had held out for nearly twenty-four hours against the onslaught of the Twilight Moon Elite. The relentless magical assault had caused several sections of the city walls to fall, and it was only thanks to the desperate efforts of the Goth soldiers to plug the breaches that the city fell. Everyone knew that the city's fall was only a matter of time.

Many sections of the city wall were already crumbling, most of the protective runes had been extinguished, and the elemental content that the white mud city wall, reinforced by the Creation Saint Stone and the Seven Radiance Crystal, could hold had reached its limit, and it could no longer provide effective magical protection. The Goth army stationed there was also showing signs of exhaustion.

This was precisely the tactical objective of the elves, while reinforcements from the Twilight Moon Expeditionary Force continued to arrive in this direction, and Goth's soldiers were dying one by one. The disparity in national strength between the two countries destined the war to be tragic and sorrowful. War has never been fair.

If it weren't for the fortifications that Danfeng Lucerne had built up over hundreds of years, this battle would have ended within hours... But the elves had already proven one thing with countless victories: static defenses are doomed to failure, and tall, sturdy walls can only delay the pace of destruction.

The scales of victory were already tipping precariously, while the elf continued to add weight to his side.

Shortly before dawn, Commander-in-Chief Xierfankai Le finally and forcefully rejected the council's order, sending all the air force and heavy magic units secretly reinforcing the homeland onto the battlefield.

He hoped that the high-speed air force Dragon Group could be concentrated to leverage their speed, range, and firing range advantages, enabling the elven forces to cross the overly formidable walls of Danfeng Lucerne, open up a new battlefield, and further utilize the magic, numbers, and even tactical advantages of the Twilight Moon faction.

This groundbreaking idea and tactic achieved tremendous success.

Under the dense barrage of spells from the mage squadron, Danfeng Lucerne's mage troops could only passively defend against incoming spells, having no time to deal with the rapidly advancing air force.

The gryphon riders hurled enchanted arrows at spellcasting positions and war machine positions, while pegasus riders charged in droves, breaking through sparse defenses, attacking field hospitals, storming supply wagons, and dispersing militia. Three Dragon Knight dominated the skies, their roars and cries of doom echoing as they stormed mage towers and Arcane hubs, further weakening Danfeng Lucerne's magical power.

Despite it being their first large-scale aerial operation, the elven knights, fighting independently, were led by highly skilled officers and instinctively understood what they were supposed to do, thanks to their terrifying war instincts.

Sabotage, raids, creating chaos, weakening the enemy's fighting capacity, and instilling fear in civilians—they attacked not only granaries, armories, and medical stations, but also universities, libraries, churches, and commercial areas, setting fires, poisoning, and creating explosions. They used their speed advantage to break through Goth's magic and long-range interception, seeking out weak points in defense and constantly tying down Danfeng Lucerne's reserve forces.

Goth's side was powerless to do anything about it.

They could rely on strong city walls to confront and bravely resist powerful armies from all over the world, but Goth's methods were really limited against powerful enemies from the air.

Bows and crossbows and war machines posed no effective threat to fast-moving targets, while mages were bogged down by a barrage of spells from outside the city and unable to divide their forces. Even the few brave mages who managed to fly into the sky to intercept these aerial enemies quickly perished.

Because elves also have aerial mages to support them.

As elven air force squadrons turned to attack the city walls from the rear, tying down archer and mage units and providing support for friendly forces besieging the city, the balance of the battle shifted even more rapidly to one side.

More and more city walls are falling.

The expeditionary force headquarters advanced another twenty miles and was now very close to Danfeng Lucerne.

Real-time battle updates were continuously transmitted: the status of battles between mage groups, the tug-of-war between ranged spells, the attacks on the city walls by various battle groups, and the results of air force operations.

It was an overwhelming victory, an overwhelming advantage.

He constantly read the battle reports, assessed the situation, compiled the results and losses of the air force's first use as the main attack force on the battlefield, and analyzed the gains and losses.

He rapidly improved his tactics with the war instincts of a genius commander and a renowned general of the Twilight Moon Army.

"Order the First Flying Wing Air Cavalry Regiment: all Pegasus riders to remove their armor and discard their lances. Pegasus riders should retain only minimal vital defenses, such as chest and flank protection. Riders should carry only light repeating crossbows, and all remaining loads should consist of alchemical bombs and Blazing Fire School Magic scrolls. Landing is prohibited; maintain an airborne posture."

"Their mission is to drop bombs on key targets, use scrolls, return to rest and recuperate afterward, reload their bombs, heal their wounds, use stamina potions, and then rejoin the battle."

"All the Hippogryph Archers of the Second Shadow Regiment, in groups of eight, will retain only the minimum required armor, discard all direct-kill arrows, and carry only Poison Cloud Arrows, Explosive Arrows, and Ice Arrows. They will fire at medium engagement range. Each squad's captain will carry a short-range communication magic device and must memorize the Goth Walls map, being able to immediately identify each section of the wall."

"Their mission is to respond to the siege forces' calls and provide close-to-mid-range tactical support; a dedicated communications mage will tell them what to do!"

"Aerial Mage Unit..."

He kept issuing orders, and the staff officers responded immediately, relaying the commander's orders continuously.

The deputy chief of staff kept assigning tasks until the commander finally stopped, at which point he breathed a sigh of relief.

And looking at his superior, his face was full of admiration and fervor.

"This war will go down in history."

He said sincerely, "I must say it again, you have ushered in a new era. This is an epoch-making innovation that will rewrite the future of warfare, and we are still at the forefront."

There was something he didn't say.

Such a victory, such a contribution, such an innovation—shouldn't that be enough to make up for the mistake of disobeying parliamentary orders and deploying air combat troops?

Xierfankai Le's brow remained furrowed.

The air force's overwhelming victory only slightly calmed his anxious heart.

He defied parliamentary orders, deployed air force units, and commanded the expeditionary force to attack Danfeng Lucerne at any cost, without regard for reputation or casualties, hoping to capture the city before someone arrived.

He could only hope it would be faster, much faster.

Lord of Dawnlight ignored his subordinate's praise and instead asked, "Have the locations of the Taidariel Family members been pinpointed? I need their exact information!"

The deputy chief of staff stated, "The intelligence team and the Juggernaut squad are conducting searches and analyses."

"We need larger aerial units, whether they're the war behemoths of the Druid Academy or the war machines of the Alchemical Ordnance Center, we need them all."

"We need alchemical weapons capable of carrying heavy magical artifacts, and we also need behemoths capable of deploying elite troops to designated locations in one fell swoop. My mentor told me that war is a unified whole, and I wholeheartedly agree. This newly born military branch and its tactics should be integrated with land offensives, not stand alone. I have many ideas I want to verify, many conjectures I want to try, but my friend, my mind is filled with countless brilliant ideas. The sparks of war are flashing here, yet I am also very uneasy..."

Xierfankai Le murmured, "Danfeng Lucerne is destined for defeat. The Goth People reinforcements are what we need to be wary of. And where is Kang De, the Cathayan?"

The deputy chief of staff blinked but didn't say anything.

So far, the air force has suffered relatively few casualties and is fully capable of launching a siege against Kang De. The city is about to be captured by the Twilight Moon Army. What can one Cathayan change?

But he wouldn't be so tactless as to say such a thing.

Xierfankai Le paused for a moment, then said, "Tell the intelligence team to speed things up. Once we pinpoint the location of the Taidariel Family members, I will lead the entire elite force in air-riding warhorses to storm that area. We only have one chance. If we fail, the Goth People will be on guard."

The situation is indeed worse than ever before.

When the elven air force was deployed to the battlefield, Danfeng Lucerne, which had been struggling to hold on for more than twenty hours under the fierce offensive, was immediately in trouble. When the sky was completely occupied by the elves, the city's defense operation was disrupted. A large number of reserve troops were tied down, and the mobilization of supplies and troops became difficult. Chaos gradually broke out, fires broke out everywhere, and enemy activity was everywhere.

Because the enemy is in the air.

An attack can be launched at any time and in any place.

Those that run on the ground will never be as agile as those that fly in the sky.

The war machine that Danfeng Lucerne was struggling to maintain under intense attacks was beginning to show signs of slowing down and malfunctioning, and the defeat in war has always been a domino-like chain reaction.

As Xierfankai Le quickly adjusted his tactics to better utilize the air force's advantages, many of the city's defenses, which had been holding out for so long, began to crumble.

The stalemate was broken by the arrival of the gryphon riders who approached at low altitude and high speed, unleashing a barrage of enchanted arrows. Poisonous clouds spread and explosions roared. This high-frequency, relentless barrage of arrows aimed at the stalemate was like a dozen spellcasters firing their full force simultaneously from the most treacherous direction—enough to be the key to breaking the balance.

Meanwhile, the Pegasus Knights dropped alchemical bombs, disrupting the rescue of the wounded and the transport of reserve troops, greatly diverting the defenders' attention.

The expeditionary force established battlefield communication between the air force and the siege troops, which made their first appearance, using magical communication devices. Attack orders were issued by the staff group, which closely monitored the real-time dynamics of the battlefield. The air force, which broke through at high speed and appeared and disappeared unpredictably, launched a surprise attack to cover the siege troops' attack. Goth could not resist such tactics. They had no air force, and the spellcaster troops were at a disadvantage.

The battle is no longer balanced.

Sections of the city walls fell completely.

The elven troops that followed continued to scale the city walls and deploy their attack formations. Even when Goth troops attempted to counterattack, the gryphon riders' rapid-fire enchanted arrows were already raining down upon them.

With each bridgehead echoing the others, the elves had already established a firm foothold on the outer walls of Danfeng Lucerne.

Danfeng Lucerne's defeat is a foregone conclusion.

Panic, despair, sorrow, and anger are spreading throughout the city. The swaggering elven army in the sky is a weathervane of the war. Even those who are slow to realize that Goth's demise is imminent, and as the disaster of national subjugation descends, those who experience all of this have their own choices.

The brave resist, the cowardly survive, the unyielding polish their spears, the wise plan for the future, and those who uphold their duties remain steadfast—and this applies not only to soldiers.

"Teldrassil's glory will be extinguished in my hands."

Having refused the general's request, Archduke Goth left the command post and climbed the nearby city wall. The area had not yet been attacked by the elves, but the dragon's roar in the sky already foreshadowed the approaching danger.

He stroked the rough bricks, looking back at Danfeng Lucerne, the city he had protected all his life. His beautiful homeland had been ravaged by enemies, the azure sky was crimson, and elven knights were swaggering around. This city, which had shone brightly in epics and legends, had finally met its end.

The Grand Duke asked softly, "Tina, are you afraid?"

His other children were fighting in various parts of Danfeng Lucerne, including his daughters. Only Tina stayed by his side. This beautiful jewel was not known for her strength or knowledge, but she still bravely asked to go to the front lines to encourage the soldiers and stay by her father's side.

Tina's appearance had thinned, but her beauty remained, making her even more pitiful, like a flower swaying in the wind, making one worry that she would soon wither away.

She shook her head, but tears streamed down her face.

The Grand Duke asked softly, "Then why are you crying?"

"Father, I'm sorry..."

Tina's tears streamed down her face. She bit her lip, clenched her fists, and lowered her head.

"I lied..."

The difficult choice finally came to an end, but she felt only pain and reluctance.

When she first realized that the elves were about to launch a second attack, she could have sent a letter to Kang De to come to her rescue. However, she realized that this was an elf trap and did not want Kang De to get his hands dirty with blood for the country again. So she lied, concealed the matter, and sent her innocent aunt to Valentan.

The price, however, is that Goth will be buried today.

There is no right or wrong in choices; only the tormented soul bears the price of those choices.

And... it must have some value, right?

Her tears were gently wiped away.

The Grand Duke said softly, "I already knew."

Tina looked up in surprise, only to see her father's calm and serene smile.

"I'm such a failure as a father that I can't even see through my daughter's thoughts," the Grand Duke said calmly with a smile. "But there's nothing wrong with that. If a country founded by the Goth People has fallen to the point of needing to be saved by a foreigner, then it's time for it to enter its grave..."

Tina said tearfully, "But..."

"There are no 'buts'. Protecting Goth's country is my responsibility, not yours. The fall of a nation is already a great disgrace. If I were to fly into a rage because of your choice and resent you for not seeking his help, it would not only be a disgrace as a Grand Duke, but also a disgrace as a father."

He gently embraced Tina: "Keeping innocent people out of the war is the right choice, and I won't blame you for doing the right thing... Since you don't want that kid to be Teldrassil's son-in-law, then let him get lost. I'm not so sure about him."

Tina burst into tears.

Dragons roared, explosions erupted, spells swept across the sky, and everywhere echoed the cheers and battle cries of elves. The duchy was on the verge of destruction, and the city was about to fall, but the brave heart still had one last choice: to forever imprint its blood and soul on this land and protect its homeland for eternity.

The Grand Duke asked, "Tina, are you afraid?"

Tina wiped away her tears and shook her head vigorously.

"Then fight with me to the last breath! Fight them in the streets, fight them in the squares, fight them in the palaces, until we shed our last drop of blood, until the last Goth People falls..." The Grand Duke drew his sword, looked around, and shouted, "Goth People! There will be no reinforcements!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the heavens and earth roared.

A sound of explosion, completely different from the bombardment of spells and magical artifacts, rang out from outside the city. People turned around in astonishment and saw a well-organized elven reserve force in the distance kicking up Flame and large clouds of smoke. Countless severed limbs and flesh flew into the air, and orange flames continued to explode, with shock waves roaring wildly.

In the expeditionary force headquarters, Xierfankai Le suddenly opened his eyes wide.

"He's here!"

As if time had been frozen, the expressions on the staff members' faces instantly became still.

They all looked in the direction where the banner had been hung, their hearts began to pound, their mouths watered, and an indescribable sense of dread enveloped their bodies.

Ah, that Cathayan... has arrived?

"Immediately recall all air units. Cavalry, prepare. Reserve mage units, stand ready. Disperse your forces and deploy into formation according to the previous tactical arrangement. Charge your magical artifacts. Keep a close eye on the sky!"

He rushed out of the tent, using his Eagle Eye to scan the battlefield. "It's that kind of long-range magical attack! Deploy the hunter units! Spatial mages, prepare! Lock onto his location immediately and disable his teleportation ability!"

The aura of an unparalleled powerhouse was unleashed; Lord of Dawnlight was like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath.

"Find him! Find him! Where is he?!"

On the city wall, the Goth People watched as the explosions, which seemed to overturn everything, continued to advance, tearing apart and scattering elven formations one after another. It was as if a dozen heavy magical devices were firing continuously, the dense attack extending forward. All the elven troops in the vicinity along the way hurriedly retreated. Even the strongest protective spells shattered under the attack, with almost none surviving.

Amidst the rising fireworks, blue and gold lights intertwined and echoed each other.

"That..."

The Grand Duke glanced at her a few times, then turned to Tina: "That looks like your aunt!"

The Dou Qi of the Sword Saint Cascading Snow.

At least two top-tier experts are advancing in this direction.

The devastating bombardment seemed to be clearing a path for them.

Tina was already frozen in place, her beautiful eyes wide open, staring in that direction.

"Get in!"

The Grand Duke drew his longsword, unleashing his Dou Qi like wings of light, pointing it towards the sky. The two figures immediately changed direction. The Goth People rallied their remaining strength to provide support fire, clearing away the cavalry rushing towards them. In an instant, two figures burst out of the black smoke and leaped onto the city wall.

One person wielded a long, azure sword amidst falling snowflakes, while the other wore heavy lava armor, their eyes gleaming with gold. Their exquisite beauty, coupled with an unparalleled aura that looked down upon all living beings, made those present dare not look directly at them.

Archduke Goth called out, "Xier!"

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow frowned and asked, "How did you end up on the city wall?"

The Grand Duke shook his head and said, "It's a long story. What brings you here? And this gentleman..."

Before the siblings could even exchange a word after their reunion, A Xing walked straight towards Tina, and the surrounding soldiers quickly made way for her; this woman was a bit intimidating.

A Xing's gaze swept over the other person's chest, revealing a look of great displeasure.

Tina stared blankly at the spirited woman before her, feeling a sense of familiarity with her gaze and expression. But that didn't matter, because the previous barrage of artillery fire reminded her of something.

Her body trembled slightly as a thought, one that left her unsure whether to be happy or worried, surfaced in her mind.

The princess murmured, "He..."

A Xing tossed something over, Tina hurriedly caught it. Although she didn't recognize the object, she could barely make out what it was by its shape.

They can better understand its origins.

On the entire continent, only one person possesses such a thing.

She asked in a trembling voice, "Kang De... where is he?"

A Xing snorted, then took out the "quantum communicator" again and pressed the button.

Then she took out something from her person and threw it high into the air. Her arm strength was so great that the object made a whooshing sound and went higher and higher.

The communicator in his hand also lit up.

"Three, two, one."

She counted down until the communicator lit up again, then she shouted, "Look up!"

Everyone looked up at the same time.

The next moment, the dark spatial gate opened, and a silver light streaked out, a supersonic explosion resounding through the sky above Danfeng Lucerne. A fiery tail streaked across the sky, and the pinnacle of Earth's cutting-edge modern industrial technology and the ultimate achievement of the art of war appeared in the sky of another world, above the soon-to-fallen Danfeng Lucerne, in the firmament ruled by eagles, pegasus, magic, and dragons.

The walkie-talkie in Tina's hand rang.

"Calling, calling, this is Kang De. This unit has arrived at the designated combat zone and is about to provide air support and air superiority for Goth."

The familiar voice carried a long-lost smile.

"I will fight for you, my lady."

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PS1: Six thousand words! So it's a bit late, goodnight everyone.