Two level 8 mortals for a single level 9 enemy, this meant that Edwin was forced to use up eight level 8 cultivators to resist the enemy's three remaining level 9 cultivators, and thankfully he was able to easily supply this number with one last level 8 cultivator to spare.
Despite there being just a one level difference between the combatants, Edwin knew better than most not to underestimate the difference between the level 8 and level 9.
Normally, except they were talented and experienced level 8 cultivators, sending them to contain the not novice level 9 cultivators that had infiltrated the inner city will just be him sending them to their likely death but thankfully for Edwin, they had the home advantage.
A battle simultaneously happening between multiple high level cultivators, this was something that would have brought about the destruction of the inner city, but fortunately, this was just not any normal city, it was Monwac city.
As city which was origin and source of the kingdom's wealth and knowledge on sealing, all it had taken was Edwin giving the order for seal masters and grandmasters to come running out of their educational caves and to his command center.
Whether one could believe it or not, using the well detailed information which Minuha had provided him, Edwin had made these masters build multiple boxes all for the purpose of hosting battles.
A rectangular box that was just enough to have around 100 people cramped in it, with a special protected section that housed canons, Edwin had proposed his idea, and the masters had immediately gone to work on it.
The enemy unaware that they had been spotted had decided to stay in place to avoid blowing their cover, and Edwin using their cautiousness, had a few guards patrol that area of hiding, the guard's actions keeping the enemy in place till the battle boxes as it had been named were created.
When everything was set, Edwin and his officers came up with a plan which entailed them drawing out the enemy till they fell for their trap, stepping into the battle box only to find themselves trapped.
Despite having tons of advantages over the enemy, it still didn't change the fact that trapping the enemy, especially the level 9 ones had been a hellish operation, with Edwin losing two level 8 cultivators and 15 level 7 mortal cultivators.
Such losses especially when they were under siege and still had an enemy to fight outside were a very serious blow to Monwac city's military power, but for now, Edwin could only brave on and try to quickly deal with the situation within the city before moving to the one outside.
Two level 8 cultivators for each of the 3 level 9 cultivators, and as for the 5 level 8 enemy cultivators, he had three level 7 cultivators fighting each of them in a battle box, four level 7 cultivators fighting one of the other two level 8 enemies, and for the last one, he had last remaining level 8 cultivators on his side fighting the man with an addition of two level 7 cultivators by his side.
Edwin had nothing but the best and biggest qi stones powering the battle boxes, and to avoid any sort of misshapen, he even had lower level cultivators on standby, yet he was more than aware that his problems weren't even half solved.
No matter how good Monwac City's seal masters were, it didn't change the fact that they had built the battle boxes impromptu.
Several shortcuts had been taken with several other fortifications abandoned just to build the boxes as quickly as possible, and right now, while the people inside fought to kill each other, Edwin's men had extra responsibilities, and that was to keep the enemy from attacking and destroying the boxes.
A well prepared and concentrated strike or strikes from these powerhouses was capable of destroying the boxes, and the men who were currently fighting the infiltrators had to keep the enemy busy at all times, most of the time not having the freedom to dodge their attacks.
This battle was one of wit and cunning, a battle of endurance that pushed a cultivator to the edge.
Whoever was to get tired or make a mistake with the boxes will lose, and if any of the level 9 enemies were to somehow win, then an unstoppable enemy will be let loose on the city, Monwac City becoming his playground.
"In all my years, I have never hated anyone as much as I hate that Evary Seth" Edwin muttered to the hearing of Ella.
"Don't jump to conclusions so hastily commander, you have no proof or reason to accuse Seth of being behind all this, there is a chance he could be innocent" Ella quietly said.
"Ha innocent, I bet my life that this was all his doing, Monwac city has stood impenetrable for hundreds of years, yet the day he shows up here, my city's defenses all began falling apart and now I can actually smell defeat in the air".
"The man killed Gastrol for god's sake, don't tell me you don't hate him, or did Gastrol mean nothing to you," Edwin said, deliberately taunting Ella, and just like he hoped, he successfully irritated her.
"How dare you" Ella whispered, her rising aura which while not particularly powerful was enough to express her anger.
"Well can you blame me, your lax attitude toward Seth has me thinking a lot of things," Edwin said, not backing down as she stared up at Ella.
"Believe me when I say that at the moment I desire nothing, more than to have Seth's head off his soldier and hanging on a pike, but I believe that at the moment, I must keep calm, and so should you".
Gastrol has been my personal guard for many years, I looked up to him as an uncle, so please don't ever question the emotions I had for him" Ella said, her trembling voice more than enough of an indication of the emotions she was going through her.
As much as Edwin didn't want to, he knew that what he was doing needed to be done, and now that he was almost at the finish line, there was no way he could stop, so he made the final shot.
"If you truly do hate him, then hand over Irene to me".
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