The tower lit up, and an arrow tore through space. As it approached them, it suddenly exploded into multicolored dust, like a beautiful firework. But... a strange, indescribable smell permeated the air.
"This isn’t a distress signal. What the hell are they doing?" the enemy vice-commander asked, confused.
"Ignore them. Activate the transport formation," Pouzek ordered. He also sensed that something was a bit off, but... what could this powerless tower possibly do?
Suddenly, a warrior who tried to follow the orders shouted: "Commander, the spatial laws around us have changed. The formation can’t activate!"
The transport formation trembled a few times as he tried to activate it, but nothing else happened.
"What? That’s impossible! The spatial laws here are immortal-level!" the vice-commander said, clearly panicking.
"Those golems must have set this up... Fuck! We’ve dug our own graves." An important figure quickly fell into despair. This meant they were doomed.
"That arrow contained spatial chaos dust!" the vice-commander continued trying, until he discovered the cause. "This is the most expensive item that can be bought in the empire. It’s only used in large spatial formations, but how did they manage to use it like this? We won’t be able to use the transport formation temporarily."
"How long?" Pouzek demanded.
"At least an hour. But the demon beasts we attracted will arrive in a minute. The formation will be useless when they get here, because their attacks will destabilize the space," he replied, now also in despair.
At that moment, furious roars suddenly rang out. Pouzek was shocked to find that, somehow, everyone from the Ninth Legion had disappeared. As for the demon beasts surrounding them, having lost their target, they now turned and attacked the Third Legion.
"This is impossible! Bastards, they definitely used the hidden transport formation set up underground!" Pouzek fumed.
The nine camps had secret formations set up underground. These formations were built over hundreds of years. Even if the camp was lost, the demon beasts wouldn’t know the secret entrance to these formations, so they could only destroy the buildings above ground.
But these formations couldn’t be easily used by the legions. It wasn’t forbidden, but only someone with high-level control over spatial laws could activate them. It was something that usually only an Elder of the empire could do.
Rarely did people from the legions use these formations; only if they sent an emergency request in time could an Elder come and rescue them. But doing so had major internal consequences. The commander of the legion would be considered incompetent. So, it was better to let the camp fall, as they could still have a chance to recover it in the future.
By doing this, if they succeeded, they would expel many beasts and still profit. If successful, the empire would even be pleased, as it was much harder to attack than defend. There had been cases in history where commanders claimed their leadership skills were different, focusing more on offense. It was a great comeback.
However, today, Carod had activated the formation, taking everyone away. How did he do that alone? There was no explanation.
The demon beasts didn’t even understand what was happening. They only felt a powerful explosion that killed those closest to the first defensive line of the camp, before everyone disappeared without a trace.
That strange smell still lingered in the air after the explosion. Quickly, any demon beast that smelled it began to get violent. Their eyes turned red, and without any regard, they charged toward Pouzek and the others.
"Make the three war chariots surround the divine ballista! We’ll set up our defenses here. Send out distress signals!" Pouzek shouted.
It was too late to run. If the divine ballista had been aimed at the camp, then with its power, he was confident he could push forward.
Unfortunately, the ballista was pointing in the wrong direction, and with its giant body, turning it would take longer than the few seconds they had before the enemies arrived.
They had no choice but to hold out and wait for reinforcements. Pouzek quickly gave orders. "Transfer the power of the divine ballista to the war chariots. Their runes will increase the firepower."
The ballista began to glow, its light spilling onto the three chariots. The ship would be the shield. Then the chariots roared, and rune blades shot out, massacring the demon beasts approaching.
Using the war chariots, they formed a death domain for the demon beasts. However, there were still gaps between the attacks of the chariots, which were covered by the warriors of the Third Legion. They couldn’t let the demon beasts attack the divine ballista.
That weapon was currently their greatest source of power. If it were destroyed, then the three chariots alone wouldn’t last long before running out of energy.
"Brothers, hold on! The distress signal has been sent, and we’ve received a response that help is coming!" Pouzek shouted.
They would send a message to the other legions in that world to come help them. Given the status of the Third Legion, everyone would come as fast as possible to gain favor. They just had to hold out until reinforcements arrived.
Unfortunately, holding out didn’t seem easy at all. These demon beasts were attacking frantically, without fear for their own lives.
"Why the hell are they so crazy?!"
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The warriors of the third legion were all green with fear. Many began to die, and the beasts seemed to be in a frenzy.
"Something’s wrong. These creatures got way more violent and stronger than usual!" exclaimed the vice-commander.
The demon beasts surged forward like a mad tide, completely ignoring the rune swords of the war chariots. When the first wave was wiped out, the second took its place, and so on, as if they were endless.
"Damn it, this is definitely their doing!" Pouzek gritted his teeth in anger. He didn’t know exactly what had happened, but he was sure it was yet another well-planned trap.
"Commander! They’re back!"
Through the gaps in the tide of demon beasts, the warriors of the third legion were able to see the camp again. What they saw almost made them explode with rage: the ninth legion was already rebuilding their defenses on site.
Once the new defenses were completed, the formations could be reactivated, restoring the camp to its former glory. In this state, the demon beasts would have a hard time invading again.
The last time the camp had been invaded, the situation had been critical. Carod and the ninth legion were forced to retreat hastily due to a devastating wave that had attacked them by surprise. They didn’t even have time to send a distress call. Many warriors sacrificed their lives to slow down the beasts’ advance, allowing the legion to escape.
Now, atop a newly reconstructed building, the couple of golems looked at the chaotic situation outside with mocking smiles on their faces.
Nearby, Carod declared with satisfaction, "I never imagined we’d recover our camp without spilling a single drop of blood."
All they had done was attack the front line of the camp, shoot a strategic arrow, access the underground, set off an explosion, and then use the secret formation to return to the second line of defense, which was the heart of the camp.
He wasn’t even that shocked to see Ruri manage to activate the secret spatial formation. He already knew the extreme level of the laws she controlled, after all, her mutation was specialized in it. In fact, he had no idea how difficult it was; ignorance spared him the surprise.
With this, the demon beasts had completely ignored the ninth legion and turned their fury against Pouzek and his men. Now, the ninth legion was calmly taking advantage of the scene while rebuilding their fortress.
Carod commented, "They spotted us."
"How curious," said Ruri, resting her hand on her chin with an intrigued expression.
"What’s curious?" asked Carod, confused.
Ruri murmured, "Their looks don’t seem friendly at all. This is so... peculiar."
"Yes, very peculiar," agreed Bruno, exchanging a serious glance with Ruri, as if neither of them really understood why.
Just behind them, Arki saw the scene and couldn’t help but laugh.
Meanwhile, the warriors of the Ninth Legion continued rapidly assembling the camp structures. The materials were easily put together using Qi and laws, and the buildings took shape in moments.
On the battlefield, the demon beasts continued to ignore the ninth legion and attacked the third with irrational ferocity.
"Is this the effect of the medicine?" Jilina asked suddenly, coming to a conclusion.
"Yes," Bruno replied calmly. "This was possible because these beasts have very limited intelligence. They usually follow their instincts rigidly. However, those with low intelligence can easily be manipulated by their desires... well, it’s not so different from other races, but it’s more evident in beasts. A little aphrodisiac mixed with violence stimuli, and voilà: they go crazy, even attacking their own companions."
Ruri listened to the explanation and only then fully understood the strategy.
Alm and Bruno weren’t alchemists, but they had the Dao of the Alchemist God. Besides teaching pill-making techniques, the knowledge they acquired included details about herbs, mixtures, and their effects. Recognizing some familiar names in the supply catalog, they remembered a simple and effective formula.
Although the original recipe was for creating a pill, they made it in the rawest form, just crushing the herbs into powder and spreading it in the air. The effect was reduced, but by buying a large amount of herbs, they achieved the desired result. Fortunately, the ninth legion had obtained many resources recently.
"Reporting! The formation platforms are set up. Should I activate the defenses?" reported one of the warriors from the ninth legion.
The thirty-six formation platforms were connected to the underground formation, and once activated, they would generate an impenetrable barrier, consolidating the camp’s control.
Ruri immediately responded, "Not yet. Activating the defensive formation now would make setting up the offensive platforms take longer. There’s no threat to us right now, so let’s make the most of it. Set up the offensive platforms first. Arrow towers, among others, should be prioritized. Just keep the team ready to activate the defensive formation at any moment."
Carod nodded and transmitted the orders. Minutes later...
"Carod and his damn golems! None of you will die a good death!" Suddenly, Pouzek’s hoarse, furious voice echoed among the maddened roars of the demon beasts.
"Looks like he’s cursing us," Ruri commented, almost laughing.
"Reporting! Part of the offensive platforms is already set up," informed another warrior who approached.
Ruri and Bruno smiled with satisfaction. As long as the defensive formation remained deactivated, the work progressed quickly. The offensive formation platforms were nearly ready, and soon the battlefield would be under their control.
"Activate it," she said.
The ground trembled, and one platform after another lit up. Above, a light curtain began to condense in a pale blue.
At first, the curtain seemed fragile, as if it could tear with the slightest touch. However, as the energy from the platforms flowed into it, it quickly became more solid. Soon, countless runes appeared on its surface, strengthening it even more.
The great formation had been summoned. Carod finally felt a weight lift off his shoulders. At the same time, the warriors of the ninth legion erupted in celebration.
"You’ve all suffered for so long. Now that we’ve won, celebrate however you like!"
Bruno spoke loudly, and the warriors behind him roared in euphoria, their excitement echoing through the camp.
Meanwhile, in the third legion, Pouzek trembled. His face alternated between purple and green. He had been used by the ninth legion to reclaim the camp without shedding a single drop of blood.
He could see the completed formation from a distance, and even amidst the roars of the demon beasts, he could clearly hear the celebrations coming from the camp. This made him so furious that he coughed up a large amount of blood. The humiliation hit him like a devastating psychological blow.
"I swear, I’ll tear each one of you apart!" Pouzek roared, his voice filled with hatred.
"Commander, the demon beasts are attacking with unusual ferocity. The energy of the divine ballista is quickly running out, and our reinforcements are still on their way... It seems they won’t make it in time," said the vice-commander with concern.
Although they had been a bit desperate at first, they had calmed down after sending a distress call and receiving a response. What they hadn’t expected was the intensity of the demon beasts’ attacks. They were advancing so recklessly that the third legion’s energy reserves were rapidly being drained.
"Commander... our only option now is... to beg for help," the vice-commander’s voice trembled.
"Are you dreaming? I’d rather die!" Pouzek roared with fury.
"Commander, as long as people are alive, there’s always a chance for revenge," the vice-commander replied, trying to reason.
Pouzek gritted his teeth so hard it seemed like they would break. He looked at the endless army of demon beasts in front of him and slammed his fist against the ground, coughing up more blood before shouting with all his might:
"CAROD, I have something to tell you!"
Even after shouting three times, he got no response. His rage grew so much that his vision began to darken.
"They want us to die..." Pouzek murmured, his teeth grinding in frustration.
"No, they can’t. It’s clear they have enough power to save us. If they ignore us and this is investigated, it would be against the rules, and Carod and the others would be executed. They wouldn’t dare. But they’re doing it on purpose, muffling our cries for help with their celebration shouts. We need to send a distress signal so they can’t make excuses!" said the vice-commander hastily.
"Fine, release the distress signal!" ordered Pouzek reluctantly, spitting the words out along with blood.
An arrow was shot toward the camp, but the distance was too great. It exploded midway, releasing a burst of light.
In the camp, the round golem waved his hand, signaling for the warriors to stop celebrating. Once the noise ceased, Pouzek sighed in relief. After so many shouts and celebrations, the silence felt like a blessed relief.
Pouzek roared again: "Carod, we’re surrounded by danger! You dare just watch without helping?!"
"Oh, is this how he begs for help?" said the round golem, adopting a serious expression.
"These are the rules," explained Carod. "If we have the power to help but only watch, we are punished with execution. Even if Pouzek continues to be so arrogant, we have no choice."
Alm responded sarcastically: "And what’s it to me? Pouzek, are you begging for help? Because your attitude doesn’t seem to match that."
"Don’t give me that crap! If we die, you’ll suffer a miserable fate too!" Pouzek roared, furious.
Surprisingly, the round golem just smiled. "Great, you won. We’ll save you right now. Brothers, fire your arrows!"
He waved his hand, and a rain of arrows was fired, but...
Pouzek trembled with rage. He coughed violently, expelling blood as he staggered. The vice-commander held him with concern.
"This has gone too far!" Pouzek roared, as if those were the last remnants of his strength.
Following the orders, a rain of arrows fell. However, the arrow towers remained untouched. Instead, the warriors of the Ninth Legion used their bows directly. But how much range did these bows have? Well, the arrows couldn’t even pierce the barrier before falling to the ground.
"Didn’t you eat before coming? What a lack of strength! How do you plan to save them this way?!" Ruri shouted, her expression one of reproach.
One of the warriors complained, grumbling: "It’s not our fault! We worked hard setting up the formation platforms. We’re exhausted and out of strength..."
"Stop talking nonsense! Why don’t you use the long-range cannons?!" Ruri shouted, gesturing exaggeratedly.
Jilina replied, flustered: "We still haven’t set them all up. We can’t use them for now. We’ll need at least two hours to prepare them."
"Two hours?! Why so long?!" Ruri asked impatiently.
"We were really nervous and made some mistakes with the initial setup. Now we have to fix those problems first," Jilina answered, her gaze lowered.
"Alright, then we have no choice but to keep firing arrows. Give it your all! Use every last bit of strength to help our brothers and sisters! Fate will decide the outcome, but we won’t give up!" Ruri declared with a shout, feeling helpless.
The words were spoken in a way that Pouzek and his legion could clearly hear from a distance.
"Forgive us, we’re trying to save you, but we just don’t have enough time. But don’t worry, if you can hold out for two more hours, we’ll be able to rescue you," Bruno said, clenching his fists with a sincere expression.
"You...!"
"What? I can’t do anything. It’s natural for people to get nervous during such a large battle. The rules are clear: if we can guarantee our safety but don’t help our comrades, it’s a death sentence. But clearly, we’re not at that point yet. You can’t expect us to risk our lives for nothing, right?"
Suddenly, tears seemed to well up in Ruri’s eyes. "Pouzek, we all have our problems, but we are brothers! I’m sorry! But don’t worry: when you die, we’ll make sure you get a proper burial, and your name will be remembered!"
"Rest in peace," came the synchronized chorus from the ninth legion.
The vein in Pouzek’s forehead seemed ready to burst. He couldn’t even cough up blood anymore, suffocated by the deadly pressure on his head. Faced with the impending death, his body entered a forced state of stability.
A short time later...
His defenses were becoming more fragile, with more and more soldiers dying. The morale of his troops had collapsed, and their defenses could crumble at any moment.
"What do you want in order to save us?" Pouzek finally admitted defeat.
He knew that those hateful figures had the power to save them, but they didn’t want to. Worse still, it seemed they were willing to face the consequences. This idea terrified him.
"These demon beasts were drawn by you to harm us, and now you’re trapped in the very trap you set. No one would blame us for not wanting to save you. But I’m not so petty; I can give you a chance to live. I don’t have much to offer. If we save you, all the bodies of the demon beasts on this battlefield will be ours," Bruno said calmly.
"Impossible! We paid a heavy price, and many of ours have died. What will we do if we give everything to you?!" Pouzek screamed, desperate.
Bruno ignored him and shouted, "Brothers, are the weapons repaired?"
"We’re doing our best! In an hour, we’ll be ready to fight!"
Bruno nodded. "Not bad, keep working hard." Turning to Pouzek, he announced, "Although you refused, I still want to help you. Don’t worry: if you can hold out for one more hour, we’ll activate the formation to save you. Hang in there. I believe in you."
The members of the third legion swallowed nervously. Even five more minutes seemed impossible to endure; they were like a flickering candle in the wind.
"You’ve won. Everything will belong to you." Pouzek finally gave in.
Suddenly, Ruri’s voice echoed: "Brothers, how’s the repair going now?"
"Heavens! It’s a miracle! We found that our initial setup wasn’t wrong. After a few small adjustments, everything’s fixed! The formation can be activated!" Jilina said, ecstatic.
"Haha, excellent! Our allies are in danger! Can we just watch while these merciless demon beasts massacre them?! Activate the killing formation and end them!" Ruri shouted, full of energy.
Pouzek heard that and felt that he would rather die than keep enduring this. These two were worse than the most malicious demon, and they did everything with a smile on their faces, savoring watching him despair.
The ground began to glow, and arrows shot through the air toward the distant battlefield.
At the same time, a specific arrow exploded in the sky, spreading a purple powder across the entire battlefield.
The demon beasts, once fierce, suddenly weakened. Their attacks became slower.
"What’s going on?" Carod asked. "How can a single arrow affect millions of demon beasts?"
"What’s so surprising? It’s the antidote. It’s like someone who took a medicine to push themselves beyond their limits and then collapses instantly when the effect wears off," Bruno explained calmly.
These demon beasts had exhausted their energy with fierce attacks, which pushed the third legion to its limits. After such a long battle, they were exhausted. With the antidote removing the stimulating effects, they could barely stand.
Arrows continued to rain down on the battlefield. Gradually, they turned into pillars that sealed the area.
Bruno shouted, "You’re safe, Pouzek. Take your people and go."
The ship and the three war chariots roared. The demon beasts were thrown out of the way, unable to stop them. And so, they escaped easily.
However, the third legion lost thousands of warriors. That was a huge loss.
More arrows fell, while the demon beasts, now powerless, could hardly escape. Pouzek’s eyes glinted with rage. All those demon beasts would belong to the enemy.
At that moment, a luxurious ship appeared in the void, moving forward quickly. Suddenly, Pouzek looked up and his eyes widened. An ecstatic smile appeared on his face.
"Hahaha! Now you’ll pay!"