Just as the Sison Kingdom was on the verge of collapse, the Lorenzo Kingdom's war against the Abyssal Demons entered a fever pitch.
At first, both sides had fought with some restraint. But after the Insect Race destroyed the Lanting Kingdom, the Lorenzo Kingdom clearly felt the Abyssal Demons step up their attacks.
The demons kept reinforcing their front lines, drawing a steady stream of troops up from the Abyss and putting the Lorenzo Kingdom under tremendous pressure.
Alsa Province bore the brunt of the fighting. Its defenders were all Green's private troops, his Undead Army, and the Retainer Army under his command.
On the main front, they met the Abyssal Demons' frenzied attacks with formidable strength and fierce resolve.
The Retainer Army stood out in particular. Years of indoctrination and propaganda by the Undead Empire had made them Green's most loyal and courageous soldiers. Equipped with the finest gear, they galloped across the battlefield with extraordinary ferocity.
They not only held the border under the weight of a powerful offensive but, while forces elsewhere had to pull back, launched a sudden counterattack that drove a wedge into the Abyssal Demons' lines from Alsa Province.
Alsa Province's stand eased the pressure on the Lorenzo Kingdom's other fronts. Led by Cyrabelle and several Calamity-Rank Strong Ones, the kingdom launched a large-scale counteroffensive.
On Green's front, General James used the salient in Alsa Province as a pivot, striking the rear flanks of the enemy lines on both sides. Working with allied forces on the wings, he forced the enemy to contract its lines and retreat.
But the Abyssal Demons stubbornly refused to believe they were in danger. They dug in instead of withdrawing—and found themselves neatly wrapped up.
More than three hundred thousand demon troops were trapped in two tight pockets, where