The beasts inside this world had increased their vigilance and had been moving in large groups in recent days. The previous battle had made them more cautious.
Under the couple’s orders, Carod had paid some Elders to investigate. That’s when he discovered that there were even more demonic beasts guarding their old camp than he’d originally thought. Obviously, everything was done so Pouzek would also know through these Elders, about their intentions to reclaim their lost base.
After almost a week, he approached the couple. That’s when Ruri asked, "Did you buy everything I asked for?"
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"Yeah, but are these things really going to help us take back our land?" Carod asked, curious, although he no longer had any doubts. If they asked for it, he’d do it without thinking now.
The list Ruri had given him was full of seemingly random and senseless items. Even with his questions, he had bought everything.
"Don’t worry. When me and master work together, even I get scared. I don’t want to piss off Pouzek to the point that he just dies from anger. What I want is for him to know that this isn’t just some game. The goal is to play with him until his death," Ruri said with a smile that mixed something sinister and playful.
Carod looked at her oddly. There was a duality in her that unsettled him. He didn’t know if she was as malicious as she seemed, or if it was a facade to hide that she was someone kind and radiant. Sometimes she seemed to be entirely one side, as if she was flipping a coin.
He wasn’t the only one who noticed this. ’She’s not going to split her soul and become some kind of disturbed being, like us, is she?’ Bruno thought, alarmed.
Alm snorted dryly, not responding. Being two opposite poles was quite a problem, something painful for both. However, Ruri was actually a perfect mix, capable of shaping herself however she wanted. She had control... at least, that’s what the two of them hoped.
"Alright, let’s talk about the plan. Tomorrow, we’ll take back our land. Get excited. I’ll take you to play a game that will definitely get you pumped," Bruno told Carod.
***
The next day, the ninth legion marched out, pumped up.
The warriors were completely different from before. Their broken armors were replaced, and their weapons were also new. Their eyes were filled with renewed confidence, and everyone was now carrying heavy pockets, able to buy whatever they wanted.
Following the couple’s suggestion, Carod had spent only a tenth of the earnings from the last operation to acquire the necessary items. The rest was evenly divided among all the warriors. They used this money to equip themselves with many items that would drastically increase their power and could even save their lives.
Now, they were full of great expectations and had unshakable confidence that the couple wouldn’t disappoint them. They were all being led to another expedition, and they could feel the blood heating up. You could say the entire ninth legion had undergone a massive transformation.
Seeing his warriors so changed, Carod clenched his fists. The ninth legion had always had so much potential, but he could never bring it out of them. In just a few days, these two had completely transformed them.
He saw many qualities in them that he didn’t have, and he also noticed something that none of the Celestial Legion commanders had: confidence, built within them to their bones. The two made it seem like there was nothing they couldn’t solve, something that exuded a fatal charisma to others.
"We’ll wait an hour in preparation. Check your bodies and equipment. Send scouts to watch the surroundings. If there’s anything suspicious, report immediately," ordered Ruri.
Jilina nodded and organized everything. Arki had already been trained, being in the midst of the warriors, completely integrated with them.
Everyone did their final checks before the battle. Some went out to explore the surroundings and quickly returned, reporting that everything seemed fine.
Carod muttered under his breath: "The tripwire we set earlier was triggered."
Bruno smiled but said nothing. A minute later, he waved his hand. "Move out."
"Didn’t she say to wait an hour?" Carod asked, confused.
"That was just for others to hear. Did you believe it? Why would we need an hour to prepare for battle?" Bruno replied, as if it was obvious.
Retaking their camp wouldn’t be a child’s game. It would be a bloody battle against the beasts, and they were still being followed by another legion. They would have to create all kinds of misinformation.
They quickly reached a narrow passage. On one side, the space distorted constantly, with a large hole in the center. On the other side, a massive mountain covered in ice exhaled a cold air that made everyone feel as if their souls would freeze just by looking at it.
Between them was the exclusive camp of the ninth legion. But all the buildings had been demolished. Countless beasts now inhabited the place.
Defending it before had already been a difficult task for the ninth legion. Now, being forced to attack, they would have to pay a high price, considering the great advantage the terrain gave the defenders. And that was only considering the beasts as enemies.
Suddenly, a roar echoed from within the camp, and the demonic beasts began to appear.
"You damn thieves, coming here is asking for death. You should disappear!" shouted one of the demonic beasts, who had the form of a giant lizard.
"Something’s off. There seem to be fewer demon beasts here than before. Plus, they’re telling us to scram instead of attacking us directly," said Carod, tense.
"Commander, there are countless terrifying auras around us. They’re dozens of times larger than they appear on the surface!" Jilina suddenly exclaimed. With her newfound wealth, she had acquired a powerful detection formation that now allowed her to sense numerous hidden, powerful auras.
Ruri calmly nodded. "Everything’s going as expected. We’re not trying to hide that we’re reclaiming this land. Weren’t we shouting earlier to let them prepare? But this little trick of theirs is excellent. They’re practically cooperating with us. And that’s even better—we won’t have to waste as many of the things we prepared."
Carod immediately gave the order, and everyone advanced against the beast army.
The moment they moved, the various ballistae stationed at the rear began launching long-range attacks, clearing a path through the demon beasts toward the camp.
Carod charged into the camp, only to realize that the beasts there were incredibly weak, unable to withstand even a single strike from him. The beasts began to flee the moment he entered.
"Commander, the surrounding demon beasts are starting to encircle us!" his vice-commander shouted, staring at the sensor tablet.
"Don’t worry about them. Tell the rear to slow down. We’ll all get inside and stick to the plan," Bruno said casually.
The warriors of the Ninth Legion slowly entered their old camp. The first wave immediately began assembling a tower.
This wasn’t an arrow tower. It was specially designed for extremely long-range signaling. Normally, it fired distress signals to call for help.
On a battlefield, this kind of long-range tower could save lives at critical moments. However, its arrows had no killing power.
Once it was set up, the duo climbed the tower and gazed into the distance. By now, the beasts lurking in hiding had begun to ’secretly’ surround them. As soon as the entire Ninth Legion entered their camp, they would launch an instant attack.
"Why are they so slow? Pouzek, you’d better not disappoint me," Ruri muttered as her confidence began to waver. "He didn’t run into something unexpected, did he?"
Bruno ordered, "Tell the warriors to slow down and wait a bit longer."
A moment later, Carod’s expression changed. "The demon beasts look like they’re losing their patience. They won’t wait anymore!"
"Damn it, what’s that idiot doing? He can’t even handle something this simple? Get everyone inside now," Ruri said, exasperated.
At that exact moment, the surrounding beasts burst from their hiding spots and attacked from all directions.
"Hahaha, good, good—they’ve come too." Suddenly, Ruri’s face lit up with a wide smile. Then, everyone saw the space in the distance distort.
Countless beasts were chasing a group of people. When Pouzek came into view, Bruno and Ruri were elated.
"Is Pouzek out of his mind?! If we all die here, he won’t get out alive either!" Carod shouted in shock and fury, watching Pouzek do something so reckless.
They saw Pouzek hauling a massive flying ship. It was being pulled by three war chariots! Besides that enormous flying ship, he’d also bought two more war chariots!
That flying ship, in addition to being used for combat, was massive enough to carry a much larger army and was focused more on defense. The chariots, on the other hand, were fast and offensive, but traded off defensive power.
On the ship, a gigantic ballista was constantly firing arrows. Every time the bowstring trembled, a massive arrow sliced through the space. No matter the beasts’ cultivation level, they were all annihilated.
This was a weapon capable of killing even an Elder of the empire if struck directly. It was an immensely valuable treasure and the Third Legion’s greatest trump card. But due to its size, it took three war chariots and the ship just to move it.
On top of that, every shot from that ballista was incredibly expensive. Even if the Ninth Legion had one, they wouldn’t have had the money to fire it.
It was the sight of this ballista that infuriated Carod the most. Pouzek truly wanted them dead.
Pouzek sneered, watching the two golems and the Ninth Legion surrounded by beasts. "Stop firing. No need to waste more arrows."
Suddenly, the ground exploded, and a giant bubble of light appeared at a specific point. The chariots were pulled into the bubble, and space began to warp. It was actually a massive transport formation that could be set up in the middle of a battlefield in seconds. There was no need to mention how expensive this was—Pouzek was a spender beyond comprehension.
He had clearly come prepared. Because of the size of that supreme ballista, they couldn’t move across long distances with the formation, but it was enough to vanish from sight.
"Carod and those damned golems! Put on a good show! Let me enjoy watching you die," Pouzek mocked.
"What’s that?" Suddenly, the vice-commander pointed toward the tower where the golem pair stood.
Someone else said dryly, "It’s used to send messages… wait, who are they trying to send messages to?"
Suddenly, Pouzek’s eyes widened. "No, it’s aimed directly at us!"
*BOOM!*