Fallen from the Sky

As the two armies clashed, war drums thundered. Creatures of the same species, serving different masters, saw one another as mortal enemies. The soldiers on both sides wished they could tear out each other's tendons, strip away flesh, drink blood, and eat meat. If they could send their foes down to the eighteenth level of hell, they would do so without hesitation.

"Charge!"

"Kill!"

The cries of battle shook the heavens. After a brief charge, the Tide Army and Mang Army, two massive army groups, met in close combat. The battle line stretched for nearly two kilometers, and cold-glinting melee weapons began drinking deep of enemy blood. At that moment, furious roars and agonized screams filled the entire battlefield. Blood from both sides soaked the earth beneath their feet, like another vividly colored dye splashed across a painting. The dust kicked up by their fighting even reduced visibility somewhat.

On the battlefield, the Tide Army held a firm advantage from the very beginning. Its troops were more elite and understood coordinated battle formations, while the Mang Army's large-scale expansion had diluted its elite forces. As a result, the Mang Army's losses far exceeded those of the Tide Army.

But an advantage did not directly determine victory or defeat. Though the Mang Army was being slaughtered on the battlefield, from the perspective of the higher command, it had the Tide Army firmly in its grasp. The Tide Army's defeat was only a matter of time.

The Mang Army did not need to rush to decide the outcome in this minor campaign. They only needed to hold the Tide Army in place. If they delayed long enough, reinforcements from the Mang Army would arrive. Then the Tide Army would be caught between enemies on both sides.

Therefore, unless the Tide Army's commanders