Chapter 59

In the overgrown forest, inside a temporary camp, Ska’dur stood next to a table full of dazzling celestial grade equipment. Over the past week, he had slain dozens of demons, accruing multiple sets of celestial grade items. Right now, he was selecting which pieces suited him the best.

As he deliberated, the person guarding his tent entered, bringing with him Annallee’s team. They faced Ska’dur and saluted, and when Ska’dur nodded, Annallee’s captain reported, “Sir, we discovered a celestial grade dungeon about fifty miles eastbound.”

“Oh?” Ska’dur took a moment to recall what a dungeon was. When he did, he rubbed his forehead in annoyance. “How troublesome.”

Unsure of what to do, he shouted, “Alyssia, get over here!”

Seconds after his shout, Major General Alyssia entered the tent. Markus had assigned her to aide Ska’dur during the expedition, knowing the latter wasn’t leadership material. Alyssia glanced over at Annallee’s team before looking at Ska’dur. “What is it?”

“A celestial grade dungeon popped up not far from here. How should we proceed?” Ska’dur asked, ridding himself of all responsibility.

Alyssia was visibly surprised by the news.

Looking at Annallee’s captain, she inquired, “Did you see how much longer it’ll last?”

“377 hours,” the captain answered firmly.

“Hmm,” Alyssia fell silent.

After a brief period, Alyssia said, “Okay, I understand.”

“So? Are we gonna fight for it?” Ska’dur’s face lit up with expectation.

Alyssia nodded, then turned to her assistant. “Pass down an order to recall everyone hunting demons. At the same time, send a messenger to Torg, informing him of the situation.”

Ska’dur was startled. “Why do we have to do that?”

“We’re sandwiched between the Elemental Nation and a pack of ruthless demons,” Alyssia explained calmly. “We can’t afford to offend Torg at this juncture. If we can get reinforcements, all the better.”

A few hours later, Ska’dur stood on a raised platform with his arms crossed, flanked by Major General Alyssia. Below him was an army standing at attention, numbering under one million. As they waited for the remaining teams to return, one of Alyssia’s aides approached and whispered into her ear before leaving.

“Any word?” Ska’dur asked without turning his head.

Alyssia didn’t show any expression as she explained, “Torg’s forces are engaged with the demons as we speak. They can’t send any assistance.”

“I wonder who’ll win?” Ska’dur wondered aloud.

Alyssia looked over the troops below. “It’s better for us the longer their war draws out.”

“True,” Ska’dur smiled, waiting for the day he could face Torg once again.

Alyssia took a moment to gather her thoughts before saying, “I still find it strange that the demons launched such a coordinated assault when they advanced into the Elemental Nation's inner zones. According to the Elemental’s military, they’re supposed to be unaffiliated parties, similar to our adventurer teams.”

“You think someone united them?” Ska’dur’s smile disappeared.

Alyssia sighed. “It’s highly possible. I expect a frontal clash with whoever they are at the dungeon’s location.”

“It’s a fat piece of meat, and everyone wants a bite,” Ska’dur remarked.

A few minutes later, all the soldiers were accounted for. While many of them were confused as to what was happening, they didn’t gossip in hushed tones, instead remaining silent.

At that moment, Major General Alyssia stepped forward, her voice far-reaching, “A highly valuable strategic resource has appeared near our location: a dungeon. To keep it short, know that it grants bountiful rewards to those who enter and complete its challenges. I’m talking celestial grade equipment and skills. We expect heavy resistance from the demons, as they too want to control the dungeon. Prepare yourselves. We move out in two hours. Dismissed.”

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With that said, Alyssia turned and jumped off the platform, leaving behind the million troops who immediately started discussing amongst themselves. Soon, word spread about what exactly a dungeon was and what it entailed, making everyone full of anticipation. Knowing that they were about to engage the demons head-on, they did their best to prepare themselves.

After two hours passed, fifty Silverswift Skyships soared into the sky, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of troops riding on their mounts.

It didn’t take long for the army to near the dungeon’s location, whereupon they slowed their pace and kept an eye out for any demons. However, the forest’s trees towered hundreds of feet high, with their canopies providing excellent cover. They couldn’t see anything.

Major General Alyssia stood on the bow of a Silverswift Skyship.

Looking down, she shouted, “Start the bombardment!”

At her command, the Mana Gathering arrays inside the Silverswift Skyships went into overdrive, producing a low hum. Through hidden pipes, mana poured into the numerous cannons and guns installed on the sides of the Skyship.

After a brief delay, the sky practically glowed with cerulean light as tens of thousands of projectiles rained down from the heavens, unleashing complete devastation upon the forest.

Trunks and branches shattered into bits.

Dust and fire rose from below, clouding the Innate army’s vision, yet they didn’t stop firing. Piercing Mana Bolts, Explosive Fire Bombs, Shrapnel Cannisters – the Silverswift Skyships released everything they had for an entire minute until their mana reserves depleted.

A few teams from the Innate’s army used wind-attribute skills to clear the smoke, revealing a circular clearing around the dungeon. The previously tall trees were nowhere to be found. In addition, thousands upon thousands of sparkling items littered the ground. The bombardment had killed countless demons hidden near the dungeon.

At that moment, Pride flew out of the forest canopy, her expression ashen as she looked down upon the items that once belonged to her subordinates.

Overwhelmed with rage, she pointed her spear toward the fleet of Skyships and screamed, “Attack!”

Following her shout, forty-some thousand demons left their hiding spots and flew into the sky. They were all that remained of Pride’s forces, having been lucky enough to be far enough away from the Silverswift Skyship’s bombardment. Even with half of their companions slain, they showed no fear, their loyalty to Pride unwavering as they swarmed the Innate’s army from all directions.

In response to their advance, Major General Alyssia sent out several commands, “Skyships, retreat to the rear. All troops, get into position. Form a line!”

Like a well-oiled machine, the hundreds of thousands of soldiers moved into position. The tanks took the front, with the long-ranged attackers supporting them from the back. Mana Barriers popped up by the hundreds to form an impenetrable wall just as the demons arrived.

Everyone performed perfectly, but the demon's attack power was far beyond what the Innate’s army could handle. The Mana Barriers shattered after a few clashes, forcing the defensive experts to face the demons head-on.

At the same time, Major General Alyssia hovered at the rear, her eyes like a hawk as she observed the flow of the battle. Under her continuous orders, the tanks retreated, drawing the demons in before two divisions flanked their sides. Now surrounded, the demons suffered severe causalities.

Major General Alyssia sighed in relief - such a simple tactic succeeding proved the demons had no strategy in mind. Whoever united them lacked the ability to lead.

Just then, Alyssia felt a sense of fatal danger envelop her as a sharp whistle came from her side. Retreating hastily, she turned and saw the tip of a spear enlarging before her eyes. Holding the spear was an enraged Pride, her face contorted by anger.

“Die!” Pride spat.

At the last second, a clawed hand appeared and knocked the spear aside, causing it to miss Alyssia’s head by an inch. Ska’dur had arrived in the nick of time. Taking on the form of a scaled leopard, Ska’dur growled as he twisted his body, sending a kick toward Pride’s stomach.

Missing the kill on the enemy commander further enraged Pride, and though her figure was far smaller than Ska’dur’s, she halted his attack by simply gripping his ankle with one hand. Alarmed by her strength, Ska’dur spun around, unleashing a roundhouse kick to Pride’s head with his other leg.

BANG!

Pride’s head tilted to the side from the blow as a trickle of blood ran down her cheek, yet her grip on Ska’dur’s ankle remained firm. A burst of laughter escaped from Pride’s mouth.

Without delay, she thrust her spear at Ska’dur, skewering him through the chest.

Coughed out a mouthful of blood, he gripped the spear shaft with both hands to prevent Pride from retracting it.

Morphing his chest into slime, Ska’dur took on the attributes of a different monster and pushed the spear out of his body. From flesh to slime to back to flesh, it all took less than a second.

Still holding onto the spear, Ska’dur tried tugging it out of Pride’s hands to no avail. Her grip remained firm as she screamed, “Let go!”

Ska’dur promptly changed tactics.

Wrapping his legs around her head, he let go of the spear and coiled himself around her body, strangling her like a python. Pride started panicking now that she could no longer use her spear, the thing she was most skilled at.

As Ska’dur tried to squeeze Pride to death, her higher strength and endurance allowed her to hold on. When she realized Ska’dur’s stats were much lower than hers, she finally calmed down and started retaliating by repeatedly striking Ska’dur’s head with her elbow.

“Get! Off! Me!” Pride shouted, each blow dazing Ska’dur.

Finally, a lapse in consciousness gave Pride the opportunity to break free.

In the moment Ska’dur’s hold weakened, Pride bent over and tossed him away.

She was just about to give chase when a barrage of attacks and spells assailed her from all directions. With a spear in hand, she deflected what she could, but with so many attacks, some got past her defense and struck true.

Pride glanced around and saw hundreds of humans, elves, and dwarves swarming her position. Past them was her army, on the verge of annihilation. The loss of her subjugated subordinates made her stats plummet.

Knowing what her fate would be if she stayed, she decisively fled into the forest below.

Upon entering, she was like a fish entering the water and quickly disappeared within.