A Fourth-Tier Ghoul's Dying Struggle

"Graaahhh!!"

Deep within the sky-piercing sea of composite flames, the battered Silver Sword Commander suddenly threw back its head and forced out a long, shrill howl that made the air tremble.

The alchemical explosion buried underground had been like a sharp blade, brutally stabbing through the last scraps of its remaining sanity.

The ghoul's most primitive bloodlust and brutality completely overwhelmed every trace of judgment at that moment.

The High-Rank Ghoul no longer calculated reinforcements or losses. At that moment, it had only one thought: smash through that door and tear apart everyone still alive inside.

The rank pressure of a Fourth-Tier Demonic Beast exploded through the sea of flames!

Thick Shadow Battle Aura, nearly black enough to be opaque, violently gushed from its riddled, mutilated body.

Like a great mass of spilled black tide, it suppressed the remaining Platinum Flame on its body until it crackled wildly.

Dragging its charred, broken limbs, it suddenly shot out of the sea of flames.

"Boom!"

Its entire body nearly transformed into a black afterimage as it charged straight toward the Inner Fortress's massive gate.

It moved so fast that it seemed unreal. All that remained along its path was a forcibly stretched black mark and a string of sparks bursting in every direction.

Shien stood at a high vantage point, his gaze firmly pressing down on the uncontrolled black shadow charging below. A trace of cold fury flashed through his eyes.

He raised his right arm, his movement crisp and utterly decisive.

"Fire."

At the highest point of the inner wall, five concealed firing ports that had been tightly shut suddenly burst open.

The last five Heavy Automatic Rune Steam Repeating Crossbows still operational in Blackpine Fief's trump-card armory began roaring at the same time!

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Five heavy,