"Hold the line! All of you, hold the line! Reinforcements will be here any moment! Take one more step back, and the entire mine is lost!"
The hoarse roar rang out over the battlefield like a cracked gong, filled with desperation and resolve pushed to the limit.
Kelin Laiyang, commander of the Principality of Klan's defending forces, was a late-stage level-six warrior, yet he was already utterly disheveled. His long hair hung messily over his shoulders, caked with blood and dust. Artillery fire and magic had gouged several deep scars into his once-imposing armor, and dark red blood seeped between its plates. He gripped his astonishingly heavy longsword tightly, his entire body shuddering with every swing, yet he still fought desperately at the very front of the defensive line.
Severed limbs and blood already littered the ground beneath his feet.
The magic crystal vein was, in every sense, the lifeblood of the Principality of Klan. More than half of the principality's finances, its military supplies, and its development of magical equipment depended heavily on this mine's output. If it were lost, the principality's economy would collapse instantly, and the entire country would grind to a halt. As the defending commander and the grand duke's nephew, Kelin Laiyang bore a responsibility whose consequences were enough to implicate his entire family. All that awaited him was a court-martial-execution, and a deeply disgraceful one at that.
Failure to hold meant death.
Fleeing meant death all the more.
Every path led to a dead end.
So he could only grit his teeth and hold on, using his life and will to prop up the crumbling line. His eyes were crimson and bloodshot as he watched his soldiers fall in swathes beneath the magic. Anger, anxiety, and helplessness burned within him, yet he lacked even the capacity to turn the battle around.
And the true cause of this overwhelming advantage was the Sixth-Level Fire Magic Mage in the Shadow Alliance army.
At range, mages were warriors' natural enemies to begin with. A Sixth-Level Mage was an even greater strategic asset, powerful enough to determine the course of a war.
The mage stood behind the lines, red flames surging around him as an incantation flashed past-
A Level-Five Super Fireball Spell, a blazing sphere several meters across, came crashing down!
Its fiery light tore through the air as it hurtled into the defenders' position with a terrifying howl.
BOOM!!!
The entire stretch of ground was torn up, and waves of fire instantly swallowed nearly fifty soldiers. Screams rose one after another, the sight of human bodies engulfed in flames horrifying to behold. Then more area spells descended in succession, walls of fire crashing down one after another. Every bombardment added to the defenders' casualties.
The soldiers fell in swathes beneath the magic without even catching a glimpse of the Shadow Alliance army.
Terrifying mass attacks, absolute suppression!
Kelin Laiyang's despair reached its limit. He roared to rally morale, but he knew full well that this was nothing more than a dying struggle. His only thought was to hold on a little longer with his life, to let reinforcements arrive a moment sooner, just a moment sooner.
But just then-
A deadly threat suddenly descended!
The Shadow Alliance's Sixth-Level Mage fixed his gaze firmly on Kelin Laiyang.
A cruel smile curled his lips as fire elements gathered wildly around him, forming an enormous magical slash several meters tall, wreathed in flames!
Level-six fire magic: Flameblood Slash!
The strike shot toward him like a meteor, bearing the power to burn everything to ash. Even the air warped beneath its scorching heat.
It was far too fast to dodge!
I... I'm done for... Kelin Laiyang's pupils contracted sharply, and the last trace of hope in his heart went out in an instant.
He closed his eyes and waited for death.
Just as the flames were about to swallow him-
An agile figure suddenly shot in from the distance like thunder splitting the air and leaped upward!
In that fleeting moment in midair, Shiheng's aura surged wildly as his Berserk Secret Method abruptly activated!
His muscles swelled, veins bulging like coiled dragons. Crimson berserk markings rapidly spread across his entire body, and the aura of power around him rose visibly to its peak. His savage presence blasted aside the surrounding air.
He swept his saber horizontally, its blade carrying the tremendous force of his berserk state, and directly scattered the raging Flame Slash. Without dodging or retreating, he stood in front of Kelin Laiyang and took the deadly strike head-on!
"BOOM-!!!"
The flames and berserk power collided violently. The blast hurled dust into the air, and the soaring firelight illuminated half the dim sky.
Kelin Laiyang's eyes widened as he stared at the tall, straight figure standing before him. Shock filled his heart, and the heart that had been in his throat finally settled.
Reinforcements... finally.
Without a single unnecessary movement, Shiheng turned and roared sternly behind him, ordering Kelin Laiyang to gather the remaining soldiers at once and stabilize the defensive line. Then he stamped hard against the ground and shot straight toward the Sixth-Level Fire Magic Mage like an arrow loosed from a bow, intending to seize the momentum and forcibly kill this core combatant, completely breaking the enemy offensive.
But just as he was about to close in on the mage, a sharp rush of wind suddenly came from the shadows!
A peak level-six Shadow Leopard, covered in pitch-black fur and surrounded by a dense shadow aura, suddenly sprang from the thick woods to the side. Its claws gleamed coldly as it lunged straight at Shiheng's back, seeking to kill him in a single strike!
At this moment of life and death, Shiheng had no choice but to abandon his attempt to kill the mage. He abruptly spun around and brought his saber across to defend, forcibly catching the Shadow Leopard's surprise claw attack. He immediately became locked in combat with this peak level-six magical beast.
Seeing this, the Fire Magic Mage nearby immediately seized the opportunity. He chanted incantations without pause, sending small fireballs and fire blade spells hurtling toward Shiheng one after another, disrupting his attacks throughout and working with the Shadow Leopard to keep him firmly pinned down.
For a time, Shiheng was caught in a one-against-two stalemate. He had to contend with the Shadow Leopard's swift, vicious lunges while dodging surprise magical attacks, and gradually began to fall behind.
And at that very moment, a third powerful aura suddenly swept in!
Another peak level-six warrior from the Shadow Alliance charged out with a saber, ambushing Shiheng from the flank. Every strike was vicious and aimed straight at a vital point.
Facing a Sixth-Level Mage, a peak level-six magical beast, and a peak level-six warrior—the combined assault of three peak level-six combatants—Shiheng began to show openings. His attacks were completely suppressed, and he retreated again and again, steadily losing ground as small wounds already began to cover his body.
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