The sky was still shrouded in black mist as thick as ink, as though a hand covered the world, denying it all light.
The lingering flames of the Demon Explosive Bomb at the blast's center lit the entire valley like the first opening of hell.
"Screee-!"
The Doom Brood Hive let out a cry of agony that tore through heaven and earth.
Blazing fire pierced the ground, burning a passage straight into the abyss. Corpses and scorched earth paved the way, and the embers had yet to die.
The gates of hell had opened wide.
The thick mist lingered, the spore fog clung like glue, and the air reeked of blood and decay, threaded with mysterious whispers.
"Nothing more needs to be said." At the head of the formation, Duke Edmund rode forward, his blue-and-silver cloak snapping in the wind, his long shield engraved with his family's heraldry.
He looked back at the knights behind him. "May the blood of each of you buy the light of humanity's tomorrow."
Hundreds of knights answered softly behind him, their voices merging into a chant:
"For His Majesty!"
"For the Empire!"
"For all who have fallen! And all who still live!"
Metal clattered like a sudden downpour. Armor scraped, and battle aura surged through the air like a wildfire.
Arthur silently drew his blade of light, its edge gleaming pale gold within the black mist.
On the other side, Gaius narrowed his eyes at the enormous, twisted Brood Hive, still heaving with breath.
He slowly bared his teeth, crimson battle aura rising around him like furnace flames.
In that instant, heavy crimson armor like forged iron covered his entire body, turning him into a steel god of war striding out of a volcano!
[Bloodline Talent · Undying Charge] activated!
Gaius gained