Leaving the Country (Part 1)

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The massive explosions drowned out every shout of battle. Flames soared into the sky, and the shockwaves unleashed by the blasts tore apart everything within their reach.

At dusk, a cool breeze swept past, and the grass rose and fell in succession, like layer upon layer of waves.

The setting sun bobbed beyond the western mountains, its red light drawing long shadows from everything upon the earth. A soul-stirring scene unfolded before his eyes.

This was a battlefield. Countless demon corpses lay piled amid weeds dyed red with blood, along with the bodies of several human warriors. Arrows and weapons were scattered crookedly across the ground.

Romon gazed over the battlefield. Not far away lay a dead warrior, his eyes hollow, great clots of black blood congealed across his body.

"My lord, we won." After a brief silence, Tekaxiu stepped forward and spoke. He too was covered in marks, though his tough leather armor had kept him safe.

Behind him, Xiusang and Lulie were both somewhat silent.

When Romon had taken center stage, his powerful magic and aerial bombardments had painted an almost romantic picture, displaying the splendor of a hero. But once Romon reined in part of his power, the battle became brutally cruel.

Fighting demons face-to-face, without bombardment, without summoned Earthwalker Dragons, without his occasional aid—war was this terrifying.

The three could not blame Romon, but their hearts felt heavy as lead.

"Give the order. Have them collect their dead at once, then break camp immediately." Romon waved a hand. "You stay behind and help me gather the corpses."

"Yes, my lord!"

"Oh, right. Hand out the Holy Water."

"Yes, my lord!"

At once, a final bustle arose across the battlefield. More than a hundred men gathered the bodies of their comrades and collected the