A large group of fully armed Players in all kinds of armor stood beside Carl.
These Players were the Elite Troops who had fought at Carl's side through countless battles.
Their armor was elemental armor made by the Empire's research institute.
Each suit had formed a contract with an elemental sprite of the universe.
Wearing this Powered Armor made it easier to wield the power of the corresponding elemental sprite.
Carl could now combine and unleash seven elements so freely because the resonance of these Players' elemental armor amplified his power.
Their three-thousand-strong force was, in effect, a vast elemental formation.
Every suit of elemental armor was a focal point of that formation.
Unfortunately, after the relentless onslaught of Nightmare power, only about two thousand of the original three thousand remained.
As those suits vanished, Carl's control and use of elemental power began to falter.
Yet while Carl's side struggled, the Nightmare tide in the Abyss's Endless Labyrinth continued to surge forward.
Ryan, wielding his Berserker Axe, said urgently, "Boss, I've just heard that the walls along our defensive line have been breached!"
"Nightmare power has covered huge areas outside. Large numbers of sprites have fled the region on their own."
"We can't keep the elemental bombs going much longer!"
Carl's expression remained calm. "I know."
"Just as we said before setting out, we're going into this battle with no expectation of coming back alive!"
"Brothers, not every choice in life has a perfect answer!"
"Sometimes we're forced to embrace certain things and let others go."
"The supply Teleportation Gate can open one last time. Anyone who wants to leave with his equipment can go now."
"I, Carl of the fifth position, won't say a word against you. It's your choice."
"There's no need to let one battle come between