A Battle on the Brink X Watching from the Sidelines X A Bloody Battle
Dust billowed and swirled across the wilderness of District 13.
The army of the Dawn Society pressed in from the distant horizon, their dark figures stretching as far as the eye could see, like churning black clouds sweeping across the wasteland, threatening to crush the city.
The oppressive, chilling aura that swept over them weighed heavily on the entire Rust Remains Alliance camp.
Leading the procession was Nubia, whose long, wide black coat fluttered in the howling wind, his aura surging like a dark tide, and his eyes filled with undisguised killing intent.
Beside him stood three Dawn Society flag bearers, each emanating a powerful aura of spiritual energy.
The three auras intertwined, overlapping with Nubia's oppressive aura, and crushed fiercely towards the Rust Remains Alliance's position.
On the flank, 150 gangsters under Grey Elder's command stood in neat square formation, their black clothes as dark as ink, their cold gleaming in the dim light of the sky.
The Nen user of the Elders' Guard stood silently at the front of the formation, the Council of Elders's crest gleaming on his armor, ready to await Grey Elder's orders at any moment.
The two forces faced each other from opposite sides, with a combined number of over 350 people.
Multiple Nen user were poised to unleash their power, and a sense of despair and oppression weighed heavily on the hearts of every member of the Rust Remains Alliance.
Many of the lower-ranking members of the alliance found their palms sweating involuntarily, their muscles tensing as they gripped their weapons.
On one side is the Dawn Society, with its deep-rooted history, and on the other side is the Grey Elder, backed by the Council of Elders.
With the two major forces joining forces to attack, the Rust Remains Alliance seemed to be facing a hopeless dead end.
Jiang Ye stood on the highest container observation platform, the wind blowing his old coat.
His gaze calmly swept across the two menacing armies on the opposite side of the open field, his shadow stretching out silently like an ink-black sea beneath his feet.
The ye circled high in the clouds, its enormous wings slightly folded, its yellow vertical pupils coldly surveying the entire battlefield below, awaiting its master's command at any moment.
Jiang Ye slowly raised his hand, his voice, amplified by his spiritual energy, clear and resonant, piercing through the howling wind and reaching every corner of the Rust Remains Alliance behind him.
"Brothers! Open your eyes and see clearly!"
His voice wasn't loud or impassioned, but it carried a weight that struck straight to the heart, reaching everyone's ears.
"This land beneath our feet is the homeland we fought and fought for."
"Here, we no longer have to be discarded like trash, we no longer have to go hungry, and we no longer have to constantly guard against having our lives taken."
"But now, these people outside, they want to break in, tear everything apart, destroy the homes we depend on for survival, and send us back to hell!"
At this point, Jiang Ye's gaze swept over the tense or resolute faces below, and he asked again in a loud voice.
Tell me! Do you agree?
"Disagree!!!"
More than a hundred Rust Remains Alliance warriors roared in unison, their voices exploding like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing, drowning out the howling wind across the wilderness.
The fear in everyone's hearts was dispelled by this shout, and a fierce battle ignited in their eyes.
They raised their machetes, iron bars, and shields high, the metal clashing and clanging incessantly.
"We swear to defend District 13 to the death!"
"Fight them!"
Roars rose and fell, and the despair that had permeated the battlefield was completely replaced by a fearless fighting spirit.
A great war is about to break out!
Jiang Ye suddenly swung his arm downwards!
"Attack!"
Upon receiving the order, the Rust Remains Alliance frontline warriors, who were already in position, immediately sprang into action.
Bundles of Molotov cocktails filled with flammable fuel were swung high into the air, arcing through the air before crashing down on the approaching Dawn Society troops.
Immediately following, a massive barrage of sharpened iron spears, heavy pebbles, and modified projectiles rained down from the sky.
Flames exploded one after another!
Molotov cocktails slammed into the Dawn Society's shield formation, splattering viscous flames that scorched the metal shields and sent billowing black smoke into the air.
The scorching heatwave spread in all directions, and many of the front-line shield soldiers were unable to dodge in time, their armor being burned by the flames, and screams of agony echoed throughout the area.
The members of the Rust Remains Alliance held nothing back, fighting with a do-or-die attitude, showing no fear whatsoever.
On the other side, Nubia saw the incoming barrage of fire and projectiles, his face as cold as ice, his eyes blazing with killing intent, completely unmoved by the attack before him.
"Don't stop! Everyone, keep moving forward!"
At a command.
Rumble!!
The two hundred-strong Dawn Society force marched forward in perfect unison, treading on the burning, broken earth.
Layer upon layer of heavy metal shields were erected, forming a mobile Iron Wall to block flying rocks and Molotov cocktails. The sound of footsteps converged into a deafening roar, and the earth seemed to tremble slightly under this torrent.
Meanwhile, Grey Elder stood in the center of his own group, his hands behind his back, his old eyes, as red as charcoal fire, indifferently watching everything on the battlefield.
His 150 gangsters were poised to attack, but he didn't give any orders. He simply watched coldly as the Dawn Society and the Rust Remains Alliance fought each other.
His plan was crystal clear.
The best-case scenario is that Dawn Society do everything in its power to cripple and destroy the Rust Remains Alliance, and then reap the benefits.
This way, they could both eliminate Jiang Ye, a thorn in their side, and preserve the strength of their own subordinates to the greatest extent possible.
Even if Dawn Society loses, he can still seize the opportunity to reap the benefits under the guise of quelling the rebellion.
In any case, Grey Elder has no intention of engaging in battle now.
Nubia took in all of Grey Elder's behavior and understood his ulterior motives, but he no longer cared.
If Grey Elder wants to preserve his strength, then so be it.
The only outcome he wanted today was Jiang Ye's death.
As long as I personally kill Jiang Ye and crush the Rust Remains Alliance, the prestige of the Dawn Society will resound throughout the entire District 13, the hatred for Tie Liao will be washed away, and my position among the three leaders will be completely secured.
As for Grey Elder's schemes, it's not too late to settle accounts after the war.
"Charge! Take Jiang Ye's head!"
Nubia shouted the order again.
The Dawn Society army pressed on relentlessly, braving the damage from Molotov cocktails and thrown weapons, continuing their fierce advance.
In a mere instant, the two groups clashed violently!
The ear-piercing clang of weapons clashing instantly echoed across the wilderness, accompanied by screams, roars, and wails, as blood was splattered across the rubble-strewn wasteland.
The battle officially began, and casualties occurred almost instantly.
Iron Wall, wielding the massive, thickened iron shield, strode into the enemy ranks, his entire body enveloped in spiritual energy, circulating it to its limit, causing his muscles to bulge high.
He was facing the most powerful of the three standard-bearers.
At this moment, Iron Wall's temperament had increased dramatically compared to before. After undergoing the physical training specially designed by Jiang Ye, his physique and the use of his mind had undergone a transformation, and his eyes flashed with a resolute determination to survive even in the face of death.
He knew perfectly well that once the Rust Remains Alliance's defenses were completely breached by the enemy and the camp fell, none of them, the core leaders, would survive.
Rather than sit and wait to die, we should fight to the death!
"If you want to cross this place, you must first cross my dead body!"