The Stalemate Begins (13)

"Roar"

Montedoss roared and then stabbed himself into Sordil like a javelin.

"Prison /Imprisonment"

The spatial technique that had always worked perfectly before failed this time. Montedoss seemed to transform into a javelin, easily piercing through Sordil's spatial wall and continuing forward. Realizing the danger, Sordil decisively retreated.

"Want to leave? Gravity Zone!"

"Buzz"

A purple, cylindrical energy enveloped Sordil and continuously pulled his body backward.

Damn it!

After spitting out a curse, Sordil controlled his body to move forward while channeling his magic to prepare to switch to battle mode.

"Ghost Dragon Mode!"

A dark gray light flashed out, and then Sordil transformed from a seven-colored dragon into a dark gray dragon. Once the mode switch was complete, the pulling force around him vanished instantly, and Sordil regained his freedom. However, instead of taking the opportunity to leave the purple energy zone, he used the pulling force to rush towards Montedoss.

As a seasoned fighter, Montedoss naturally saw through Sordil's clumsy tactics, but he did not expose them and instead played along.

"Magnetic Current Wave"

"The Ghost Dragon's Roar"

Once the two closed the distance to a certain point, they launched an attack on each other with remarkable coordination. Two beams of energy, one black and one purple, flew towards them respectively. Faced with the attack, each used what they believed to be the correct method to defuse the crisis, but the results were vastly different.

On one hand, it absorbed the opponent's attack into its own stomach and transformed it into its own energy, while on the other hand, it was pierced through the chest by the opponent's attack.

"Puff!"

"I never expected... I never expected that this black energy could penetrate my defenses. I really miscalculated!"

Seeing that Montedoss had miscalculated, Sordil pressed forward, ready to strike while the iron was hot!

"Whoosh!"

Just as Sordil was about to succeed, a sea-blue breath blocked their path, halting Sordil's decapitation strike. When the breath dissipated, Montedoss, supported by a bright yellow dragon, had retreated to the rear, where he was heavily protected. Zakro, who had thwarted Sordil's plan, had vanished the instant Montedoss was rescued; after all, he didn't want to risk another brush with death.

After eliminating Montedoss, Sordil integrated the special operations units and then used them as the spearhead to cut through the blockade between Glaide and Montedoss, successfully joining forces with the Second Division.

"Haha! You little rascals, you've come just in time!"

Feeling Acnologia's powerful slap and hearing his bold, rough voice, Sordil simply couldn't believe this was someone who had been fighting for nearly an hour and was forced to call for help. He quietly moved forward a little, making sure he could withstand the force coming from behind, and then Sordil down to business.

"Uncle Sacred Dragon, please have your Second Division hold off the enemy forces and buy us time to rescue the First Division."

"Haha! No problem, we will definitely not let anyone escape from here and interfere with your operation!"

After agreeing on the plan, Sordil led the reinforcements to bypass Kelsu's forces and attack Goodpes's forces directly, in an effort to create an escape route for the trapped First Division.

"Uncle Kaldiz!"

"Clear!"

"Ghost Cry Spear!"

"The Ghost Dragon's Roar!"

"Whoosh!"

Two thick, gray -Black Light Pillar, like two flying crossbow bolts, pierced straight into the enemy army in front of them. Immediately afterwards, a straight, hollow passage was drawn through the enemy's well-organized formation.

Just after Sordil and his companion launched their attack, Yelibell, Igneel, and Yesveta followed suit. Soon after the two black crossbow bolts flew past, purple poison mist, orange-red flames, and a bright yellow lightning halberd followed, ensuring the path created by the black bolts wouldn't automatically close.

After Sordil and his five men carved out the passage, the remaining six were responsible for leading the main force to widen the existing passage, ensuring that the 1st Division could successfully escape through it. (The remaining six were Metalicana, Vyseria, Skiadrum, Mevajena, Lindel, and Murellia.)

Although Sordil and his team's plan was effective, the First Division was not in perfect condition.

After being besieged by an enemy twice their size for nearly an hour, the physical and magical strength of the vast majority of the First Division had reached their limits. Moreover, they had just experienced the psychological process of humiliation, hope, and despair, so very few of them still had the determination to fight on.

So when Sordil and his men finished connecting the tunnels, only two or three hundred people managed to escape; the rest became dumpling filling for others.

Just as Sordil was preparing to launch a strong attack to rescue the captured personnel, the Montedoss and Glaide divisions, having regrouped, surrounded Sordil and his men again, preparing to set up a second line of defense. At the same time, Acnologia, who was responsible for blocking Kelsu, also alerted Sordil.

"Brother Sordil, Uncle Sacred Dragon just told me through telepathy that they can't hold out any longer and we need to retreat immediately!"

Upon hearing Yelibell's words, Sordil had no choice but to abandon the captured men and lead the members of the First Division who had successfully broken through, along with the mixed North and South formation, toward the Second Division to prepare for retreat.

After the three factions joined forces, Sordil, Acnologia, Xizhalansa jointly issued a retreat order. Immediately afterwards, the three led their remaining troops in a humiliating withdrawal from the battlefield.

Chigengster Plains, Western Continent Camp

After the battle, Kelsu and his men, riding high on their victory, recaptured their camp. (Actually, it wasn't a recapture, because Belserion had no interest in the empty camp; he simply walked in, glanced around, and left without even assigning anyone to guard it.)

After dealing with the prisoners and wounded, Kelsu and the others gathered in the central tent to discuss exchanging prisoners for food.

"Today was really close!" (Kelsu)

"Who says otherwise! If Goodpes hadn't asked us to send a thousand men from the other two strongholds to help us out for safety reasons, we would be in real trouble today!" (Delsd)

"Hehe! I did this because I listened to Montedoss and the others, so if anyone should thank someone, it should be Montedoss and the others! (Goodpes)"

"My lords, let's discuss the matter of merit in detail after we've exchanged the prisoners for food!" (Feldroka)

"Yes, Feldroka is right! (Kelsu)"

"Now, we need to find someone to go to the other side and negotiate the prisoner exchange. Who do you all think is most suitable?" (Goodpes)

Upon hearing Goodpes's words, everyone exchanged glances, none of them speaking. Just then, a weak voice came from the tent entrance, drawing everyone's attention.

"Lord Goodpes, please entrust me with the matter of going to the Ishgar Camp to discuss the exchange of prisoners!"

Seeing the person standing at the tent entrance, Feldroka and Zakro hurriedly stepped forward and helped him into the tent.

"Montedoss, what brings you here?" (Kelsu)

"Kelsu, when you left the medical camp, I guessed you were going to discuss exchanging prisoners, so I hurried over. Kelsu, please let me go!"

"But your wound?"

"Kelsu, please rest assured, this minor injury will not kill me, nor will it affect my work!"

Although Montedoss had made his promise, Kelsu did not immediately agree, but instead left the decision to everyone in the tent. Seeing Kelsu's gaze sweep over them, Goodpes and the others nodded in agreement.

"Alright! Since you're so confident, I'll entrust this task to you!"

"Kelsu, and thank you all!"