Chapter 445 Chapter445-War on Two Fronts
Faced with the urging of his subordinates, Duke Arsena knew he had to make a swift decision.
After pondering for a moment, he turned his gaze to John.
"I have decided to send you to the Defend Wall at Sunset Mountain to assist General Yorick in defense. If you can resolve the situation at Sunset Mountain quickly, return to Storm City with utmost speed."
Duke Arsena was not seeking John's opinion.
In fact, the moment he spoke, it was clear that John had to act according to his plan.
Without waiting for any response from John, Duke Arsena immediately shifted his focus to his intelligence advisor.
He needed to organize the quest for the Storm City guards he was about to dispatch to Sunset Mountain.
"This time, I will send four squads of Storm City guards to reinforce Sunset Mountain. Direct the Drill Sergeant to select the four strongest squads. They won't be tasked with dangerous quests; their mission is simply to support John in holding the Defend Wall at Sunset Mountain. I believe that with John's abilities and their own strength, they should be able to do so with relative ease."
The intelligence advisor took note of Duke Arsena's orders with earnest attention and promptly exited the room.
He knew that Arsena needed to have a private conversation with John.
Once the room was left with only Duke Arsena and John, a look of worry finally surfaced on the Duke's face – a contrast to the confidence he displayed in front of his subordinates.
"Do you truly think it's a wise decision for me to assist Sunset Mountain? Aren't you worried about Storm City being attacked while I'm away?"
Despite being aware of Duke Arsena's final decision, John still felt the need to inquire if all preparations were in place.
The safety of Storm City was of paramount importance to him.
Duke Arsena silently shook his head.
Faced with this situation, John refrained from further discussion.
If Duke Arsena himself was not completely certain, then John knew he had to give his all.
John didn't wait for a final response from the Duke.
He briskly walked to the door of the study, opened it, and then turned back to Duke Arsena.
"I'll deal with the threat at Sunset Mountain as quickly as possible! Even if Storm City is attacked simultaneously, I can rush back promptly. You just need to hold out for a while!"
It was then that Duke Arsena looked up towards John.
He had intended to say a few words, but John didn't give him the chance.
After outlining his plan, John swiftly made his way to the grand hall of Duke Arsena's palace, where the captains of the four Storm City guard squads were already waiting for him.
"You must be aware of our next quest. Since you are informed, let's act swiftly. I will wait for you at the teleportation point in Storm City."
John didn't hesitate or dawdle; he saw no need for extensive communication with the captains of the Storm City guard squads.
He trusted they could keep pace with his line of thinking.
His confidence in the Storm City guards was not misplaced.
Handpicked and rigorously trained, they were more than capable of executing their quest with utmost efficiency.
In less than three minutes, all members of the four Storm City guard squads had arrived at the teleportation point.
"I'll head to the Defend Wall at Sunset Mountain first. The four of you, the captains, will take action with me. The rest can slowly teleport there using the teleportation matrix. We're currently unaware of the exact situation at Sunset Mountain. Should it prove to be extremely perilous, I will command you to hasten your pace."
After giving his concise orders and ensuring that all the Storm City guards understood them, John stepped into the teleportation point.
Instantly transported by the Storm City teleportation point, John arrived at a massive castle beneath the Defend Wall at Sunset Mountain.
This castle served as the Order Faction's hub for storing supplies and training soldiers for the Defend Wall.
Under normal circumstances, General Yorick would be stationed in this castle.
However, these were not normal times.
Even from a distance, John could see General Yorick engaged in battle with a figure he knew all too well: Karthus.
"It seems the one causing trouble for me this time is an old acquaintance! My failure to eliminate you when I had the chance was a grave mistake. This time, I must eradicate you completely, to eliminate the threat once and for all!"
The moment John laid eyes on Karthus, his anger flared.
He had always assumed Kingserp posed the greatest threat and was most likely to lead the Dark Faction's vanguard against the Order Faction.
Consequently, John hadn't focused much on Karthus, devoting most of his efforts against Kingserp – efforts that had indeed borne fruit.
John hadn't anticipated that, while he successfully restrained Kingserp, Karthus would boldly lead the demons of the Dark Faction to attack the Order Faction.
Using a Teleport Spell, John appeared directly on the Defend Wall.
He didn't conceal his arrival; he wanted everyone to know he was there.
Following him, the four captains of the Storm City guard squads also arrived at the Defend Wall via the teleportation matrix.
Naturally, they saw Karthus and General Yorick locked in combat.
However, they would never intervene in a battle between such powerful beings.
The captains were acutely aware that their quest was to assist the guards in defending the Wall.
Back in Storm City, at Duke Arsena's palace:
John's departure left Duke Arsena increasingly agitated and anxious.
He was beginning to feel a tinge of regret.
Although a mighty Paladin, who wasn't supposed to easily go back on his decisions, Duke Arsena found himself wishing he could recall John to Storm City.
He had an ominous feeling that an attack on the city was imminent.
Duke Arsena paced back and forth in his room, seemingly deliberating whether to summon John back through the communication channel.
If he sent a message to John now, there was still a chance he could return in time.
However, if he waited any longer, John might already be deeply engaged in the battle at Storm City.
As Duke Arsena hesitated, a mist began to form around his palace, an undoubtedly abnormal occurrence.
Under less stressful circumstances, Arsena might have noticed and recognized the anomaly immediately.
However, he ultimately overlooked the fog gathering around his palace.
Soon after, the mist rapidly transformed into an impenetrable barrier, isolating Duke Arsena's palace from the rest of Storm City.
By the time he sensed the formation of this barrier, it was already too late for any intervention.
Arsena tried to break through, but his efforts were in vain against the unyielding barrier.
Outside the barrier, Storm City was already under attack from the Dark Faction.
Leading the assault were the shadowy figures and Kingserp.
The shadowy figures and Kingserp split their forces for a two-pronged assault.
The primary objective of the shadowy figures was to attack the barracks of Storm City.
Capturing the city's barracks would strip Storm City of its defensive capabilities.
Meanwhile, Kingserp headed straight for the Great Library of Storm City.
The library housed many items coveted by the Dark Faction.
This operation also presented an opportunity for Kingserp to acquire all the spell scrolls he needed.
Desperate for spell scrolls of any level, Kingserp was determined to plunder this trove.
The Dark Faction's actions dealt a significant blow to the Order Faction.
Storm City, when faced with the attack, showed alarming vulnerability.
Both NPCs and players within Storm City were thrown into panic.
Naturally, this chaos sparked heated discussions on gaming forums, as players deliberated over the city's unusual predicament.
John, however, remained oblivious to these developments, as he was wholly focused on his battle with Karthus, whose power surprisingly exceeded John's expectations.
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