Iron Shield Fortress, situated at a pass between two mountain ranges, is fortified with the hardest black granite and serves as the last solid barrier on the East Blue defense line leading inland. At this moment, this fortress, renowned for its sturdiness, is enduring the most intense attack since the start of the war.
The demonic tide surged like a black tsunami, crashing against the towering city walls wave after wave. No longer a chaotic charge, it was now a coordinated attack spearheaded by several dark purple ( Vice Admiral level) " Siege Beast," leading a massive horde of black and dark purple monsters. These Siege Beast resembled giant apes, their arms covered in crystallized carapaces; each strike caused the city walls to tremble violently, cracks spreading across them.
"Aim at the big ones! Concentrate fire! Don't let them get close to the walls!" The fortress commander, a lieutenant Vice Admiral with a scar on his face, roared hoarsely. The city's defensive cannons spat fire, and energy beams crisscrossed into a net, but they often only left scorch marks on the armor of the Siege Beast.
" Vice Admiral! There are breaches in three sections of the western city wall! Monsters are swarming in!" The communications soldier's voice was filled with terror.
"Damn it! Reserves! Follow me!" Vice Admiral Scarface drew his sword and personally led the reserves to charge towards the breach. At the breach, monsters poured in like a flood bursting its banks, clashing fiercely with the defenders. Lieutenant Vice Admiral Scarface's swordsmanship was swift and Haki, his blade shrouded in a domineering aura. Each strike shattered a dark purple monster, but more monsters kept pouring in.
"Go back to your homeland!" the Vice Admiral roared, cleaving a flying monster in two with a single strike, but his left arm was also slashed open by the claws of another monster, leaving a deep, bone-revealing wound from which a purplish-black corrosive energy began to spread.
Just as the breach was about to be completely breached, a golden figure crashed into the area where the monsters were most concentrated, like a meteor!
" The World-Purifying Flame - A Wildfire!"
A platinum-gold firestorm swept outwards from its point of impact, instantly vaporizing dozens of monsters! Where the flames passed, even the contamination of the fungal carpet was temporarily purified, creating a blank area.
Ace, clad in a white commander's coat stained with gunpowder, landed in front of Scarface Vice Admiral. He glanced back at the Vice Admiral's wound, his brow furrowing slightly. He casually flicked a wisp of white-gold flame, which landed precisely on the wound. The Vice Admiral felt a warm current flow into the wound, and the corrosive alien energy was quickly purified and dissipated as if it had met its nemesis.
"Commander Ace!" The Vice Admiral was both surprised and delighted.
"Leave this to me." Ace's tone was calm, but his eyes burned with a fierce fighting spirit. "You go and organize the defenses, and plug any other gaps."
After saying that, Ace turned to face the surging demonic tide. He took a deep breath, spread his arms, and an even more powerful Flame of World Purification gathered around him, its temperature so high that it distorted the air.
"You scum who only know how to devour... This land is not your dining table!"
" Great Flame Commandment - Flame Emperor - Pure Lotus Flower!"
No longer a simple, giant fireball, but an extremely compressed Flame of World Purification that formed a huge, slowly rotating, white-gold lotus! Wherever the lotus passed, all the demons turned to Void, and even the few dark purple Siege Beast were scorched by the purifying light emanating from the lotus, roaring and retreating, their shells cracking!
Ace's all-out attack temporarily cleared a large area in front of the fortress, giving the defenders a precious respite. The soldiers on the city walls erupted in thunderous cheers!
However, from behind the demonic tide, an even more terrifying aura locked onto Ace. A dark red figure tore through the air at a speed Transcendence sight! It was a humanoid demon commander with dark red skin, wielding a long spear made of bone and energy, and with cold, bloodthirsty eyes— Admiral- level being!
"Finally, someone decent has arrived..." Ace wiped the trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, caused by overexertion, and the platinum flames rose once more. "Your opponent is me!"
The Crimson Demon General remained silent, his bone spear thrusting straight forward, ripples spreading through the space wherever the spear tip passed! Ace roared, throwing a punch to meet the attack, the platinum flames clashing violently with the crimson destructive energy!
boom--!!!
A massive explosion erupted before the fortress, the shockwave blasting away nearby monsters and soldiers! The battle between Admiral had officially begun before this iron-blooded fortress! And yet, an endless tide of demons continued to surge forth... Iron Shield Fortress, this furnace of flesh and blood, the test had only just begun.