Tommy, one of the leaders of Rody City's elite squad, announced to the world that Rody would negotiate with the fifth marshal under the Lionheart King, Colin, outside the city fifty kilometers away in half a month to rescue a thousand slaves and a thousand women. Although Saint Song Fortress denied exchanging slaves and women for peace, the orcs had already released a dozen slaves, showing the world their real existence and not a mere illusion by the orc shamans.
Having food, the orcs were not in a hurry to attack. They recorded the battle scenes around the outposts and brought them back through the released slaves, showcasing them to the world. The battles at several small forts were extremely fierce. Due to Saint Song's refusal to send reinforcements, the isolated human outposts could not be preserved like Rody City, even though their terrain and structure were more robust, located at each natural stronghold. They didn't have as many human elites as Rody City, nor did they instill the same deep fear in the orcs.
"Brothers, all we can do is hold our ground, stop the orcs' advance..."
"If we fall, we die without regrets! As long as we resist here for one day, Saint Song Alliance will have an extra day to prepare. We will die honorably, our ancestors watching us from above, fight!"
Initially, the orc army met fierce resistance. Thoroski dispatched all the guards loyal only to the Alliance and former Marshal Fondeisman to the first few forts. Despite resenting their abandonment, these battle-hardened warriors fought to the last man, refusing to retreat even in the face of certain death. Rody and Chris repeatedly came on flying magical beasts to evacuate them, but all chose to stay and die honorably.
Fondeisman's guards demonstrated formidable combat power, dealing various degrees of damage to the orc army. Several forts fell with the last man fighting, an extremely tragic scene. But the orc army, numbering over three hundred thousand, overwhelmed any fort in less than a day. They occupied human forts, using them as camps, preparing for a long war with humans, rather than the previous blitzkrieg invasion. Anyone with a strategic eye could see that the orcs aimed to sever Rody City's connection with the human continent. Even with an army, humans couldn't support Rody City without a space-time portal, and vice versa.
Transport through the portal required massive energy, and at most, only about a thousand soldiers could be sent per day, which was insignificant for an impending decisive battle. Especially during intense battles, to prevent spies from sabotaging the teleportation matrix, it would surely be shut down, cutting off the only emergency channel. People could only dispatch more soldiers and transport more food and war supplies to Rody City during peace times. However, using the portal as the sole transportation channel was an extremely inefficient and costly method.
If Saint Song had heeded Rody's warning earlier, dispatched heavy troops to the frontline, and cooperated with Rody City against the enemy, humans wouldn't be in this predicament. Now, as the orc and demon armies pressed on and humans still struggled internally, it was a source of despair.
The last Saint Door Fortress was defended by General Elvis and General Kino, former close followers of Marshal Fondeisman. Despite six magical communications and two personal visits from Rody and Chris for evacuation, they politely refused, choosing to die in battle.
To prevent the soldiers from harboring any hope, the two generals destroyed the only teleportation portal that could have been used for escape and ordered a determined defense. Saint Gate Fortress, besieged by over five thousand elite orcs and an army of more than thirty thousand, fought a bloody battle for a day and a night, yet held firm. Gutried, the Bloodaxe Orc, noticing the high morale of the human soldiers and the heavy losses of the orcs, decided to play the 'Night Visit Gate' video, which shattered the spirits of the valiantly fighting soldiers.
While they fought to the death, not only did the Saint Song Alliance fail to send reinforcements, but they also betrayed them, rendering their efforts fruitless. Despairing soldiers began to commit suicide. The two generals used a magic communicator to publicly denounce: "We were so close to our last victory. When the Grand Marshal died, we thought we could inherit his will and die peacefully on the battlefield. We, the soldiers at the frontlines, didn't find it unfair; we were glad because the Grand Marshal once said 'soldiers should die on the battlefield'. We are soldiers of the Human Justice Alliance, fighting for the safety of all humanity, never thinking of returning, only dying in our beds. But today, we realized our deaths are in vain, our blood wasted..."
"Why were we abandoned? Just because we are old soldiers? Why were we betrayed?" General Kino, in anguish, committed suicide.
"The peace brought by the sacrifice of women, the torment of women, is more unbearable than killing us! We can die, shed blood, and let our bodies be devoured by orcs, but we can't tolerate peace bought at the cost of sacrificing women! No, I am a warrior, I don't need to hide under women's skirts and live in disgrace... Imagining their hopeless eyes, their miserable fate, I feel all my life's honors turned into shame!" General Elvis, with the remaining two hundred blood-soaked warriors, jumped off the fortress cliff.
The last human frontline fortress was lost. For the first time, the orcs didn't consume the human soldiers' bodies, and Gutried, the Bloodaxe Orc, built a grave for them. As usual, the orc shaman recorded everything and sent it to Rody as a gift to crush his morale.
When this tragic battle video was released, the world mourned again. Knowing they would die if they stayed, these soldiers still chose not to leave, even when Rody and Chris came personally for them. They were so loyal, ready to give everything for Saint Song Alliance. But the Alliance's return for their sacrifice was to give food, gold, magic crystals, slaves, and women to the orcs, even their lives and honor.
No wonder the soldiers, upon seeing the 'Night Visit Gate' video, were so aggrieved they committed suicide. What could be more painful than being betrayed by their superiors while fighting valiantly?
Major magical newspapers again furiously condemned the actions, and people took to the streets in protest against the shamelessness of the Saint Song Alliance.
Yet, the Alliance remained calm. There were rumors that Thoroski was willing to resign, but then he changed his mind for some reason. The temple also criticized, saying that this was the time to unite and resist the enemy, not to speculate and doubt the fictional 'Night Visit Gate' event.
The temple suggested putting aside the 'Night Visit Gate' issue, focusing on resisting the invasion. The Force Angels also appeared before the public, promising to open the gates of Heaven, sending tens of thousands of angels from Paradise to easily slay demons and orcs. The human army only needed to hold out for half a month, then victory would surely be theirs. The temple repeatedly showed scenes of tens of thousands of winged beings flying, revealing for the first time that angels not only had white wings but also black, grey, and even red ones, in great numbers, living in a vast sky city beyond estimation...
With these shocking images, many people again believed in the existence of the angel army, feeling assured that humans would inevitably defeat the orcs and demons.
Thoroski might not have done well, but he managed to buy time. Many people fell silent, deeply fearful of the angels despite their dissatisfaction with the Saint Song Alliance. They were unaware of another world known as the Land of the Seven Tribes, or of the Bird People of the Wing Tribe, whose real strength differed greatly from that of the angels. They didn't know these Bird People were the biggest invaders and plunderers of that world...
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
They thought humanity was about to be saved, unaware of the great disaster looming. Magic newspapers in countries like Gale and Redlands praised the angels and the temple, while others like Camaron, though infuriated, had no time for mere words. With an additional twenty thousand reinforcements from the demon tribe, fifty thousand demons besieged Rody City day and night. Despite Rody and his human army repeatedly defeating them, nearly a thousand wounded were sent back to Camaron for treatment daily, and military supplies were constantly transported.
Magic newspapers, tired of the ugliness of the Saint Song Alliance, now focused on Rody's unbroken streak of victories. History had never seen such victories or such frenzied attacks. The demon tribe, hell-bent on capturing Rody City at any cost, relentlessly attacked without respite, determined not to let the human soldiers catch their breath. They wouldn't stop until the perfect hero of humanity, Rody, was defeated.
As for the Saint Song Alliance and the reinforcements from the Wing Tribe, the demons hardly considered them a threat. With the gates of hell open, the demons would swarm out, not even the archangel Rielhardt descending would deter the six demon kings. Now, it was a race to see who could act faster.
The orcs prepared to attack the Saint Song Alliance, while the demons focused on defeating Rody. Without defeating this hero of unbroken human victories, the fear in the hearts of the demons and orcs would never dissipate. If Rody had only his elite squad of a hundred or so, defense would be doomed. The war, a struggle for people and money, saw Rody not falling short in either aspect.
Supported by the empires of Camaron and Mille, with sufficient military supplies, well-trained soldiers, fortified cities, Rody's renowned name deterring enemies, and high morale among the soldiers, victory seemed plausible. With Rody's strategic wisdom, Chris and the elite squad's coordination, and the secret aid from the Seven Tribes, the demon army's attempt to capture Rody City was almost impossible.
Every day, many demons were slain at the city's gates, while many human soldiers were injured or exhausted, constantly replaced by fresh troops from Mille and Camaron. People marveled at the low casualty rates and high exhaustion among Rody City's troops.
The replaced soldiers were treated heroically. Emperor William II met them multiple times, encouraging their swift recovery and return to battle. Now, people could see the battlefield conditions between Rody and his enemies directly on the magic screens in the squares. War reporters shot footage at the city walls, presenting the brutal reality of war unedited, showing the cruelty of conflict.
"Hurry up, we're running out of stones! Move faster, the catapult is broken? Damn it, drag it away and replace it with a new one!" The commanding squad leader on the wall roared incessantly, his voice hoarse, lacking the robustness expected of a 'bronze throat'. However, seeing other squad leaders already voiceless from shouting, one could imagine the intensity of the battle.
"The demons are coming!" A signalman shouted atop the wall, blowing a sharp silver whistle.
"Ah? Wake up, everyone, those damned mixed breeds of demons are coming again..." These war reporters, exhausted to the point of deep sleep on the walls, looked haggard and unshaven. Hearing of the demons' attack, they all rallied their spirits and resumed filming.
"Beat the drums, the elite squad is here! Everyone get ready to follow orders, and stop your nonsense. If you can't keep up, get off the wall right now. In my squad, there's no room for incapability. You're untrained, what are you doing here? Someone, throw these guys down. Ah, the lord of the city is here, everyone get in position, get in position..." Masov, known for his 'bronze throat', kicked the inexperienced soldiers, rushing to the catapult, taking control of the firing lever, and loudly reported back. Each catapult crew had someone to control, load stones, adjust angles, and others holding signal flags waiting for orders.
"Scorpion crossbow team..." Terry raced over from the other side, shouting inquiries.
"Reporting, ready to fire."
"Archers in position, spear throwers ready, mages ready..." A series of commands were issued. If one person had to handle all these, it would be overwhelming, but with everyone working in unison, the efficiency was incredibly high. The elite squad led the command, with soldiers below following the orders of their leaders.
"Enemy attack, enemy attack! Man-faced spiders, zombies, and demonized monsters!" The messenger reported loudly on the main composition of the enemy troops.
"Bring up the flaming oil and fire stones, quick!" Masov yelled at the inexperienced soldiers.
"Where's the fire oil?" The new recruit, pale-faced at the sight of the countless man-faced spiders below, trembled and asked, "So many man-faced spiders?"
"Someone, get this guy out of here!" Masov lost his temper, furious that the untrained man dared to pretend to be a veteran on the frontline.
"Help me with the filming!" A war reporter shoved a magic filming device into the new recruit's hand, then picked up a barrel of oil, poured it over the round stones, ran to get a torch, and even had time to smile at the new recruit, saying, "You'll get used to it. At first, I was worse than you! At least you didn't wet your pants like I did when I first came, becoming a joke among my colleagues..."
"Catapults, launch the fire stones!" Rody, standing at the highest point, oversaw the battlefield below and gestured commandingly.
Thousands of ignited round stones were hurled into the sky, forming a meteor shower of fire raining down on the man-faced spiders below, creating a spectacular and shocking scene, which left the new recruit dumbfounded.
Different attack methods were used for different demon troops. Man-faced spiders were targeted with fire stones, but zombies were not deterred by fire stones or scorpion crossbows, only magic was effective against them. Demonized monsters, highly resistant to magic but fearing lethal projectiles like arrows and scorpion bolts, were effectively halted by the dense arrow showers and powerful crossbows. As Rody issued commands one after another, soldiers on the walls did their utmost to coordinate, as the enemy was constantly moving and even intelligently dodging, necessitating constant adjustments of the various machinery to maximize effectiveness.
After an hour, the new recruit realized that just watching was enough to strain his eyes.
"The squad, attack! The demonized monsters and man-faced spiders are beginning to climb." The signalman waved the flag, and a bolt of lightning shot out among the demon hordes, turning the signalman to charred remains. But immediately, another signalman took his place.
"Hidden dark mages spotted, assassination squad, go! Snipers, take your shot!" Jesse led a team of black-clad assassins, swiftly descending while magically concealing themselves midway. Ten snipers, under Carey's protection, aimed their bows at the dark mages shielded among the demonized monsters. More dark mages emerged, casting spells towards the city walls.
Dozens summoned giant brute giants, hurling huge rocks at the city walls.
The fastest-climbing man-faced spiders had scaled the sloped walls, and despite being pelted by arrows and spears, they continued their relentless climb, desperately spitting venom.
"Fighters with battle aura, attack and slay!" Rody issued another command, and all warriors adept in battle aura rushed out under Stanley's lead.
"A demon general spotted, a demon general spotted!" a thief shrieked, followed by a general stepping forward to confront it.
"Fire oil... fire oil squirt gun squad, fire!" Lopeck, like an arsonist, clamped two flamethrowers under his arms, frantically shooting flames at the man-faced spiders to drive them back.
After more than an hour of intense combat, the demons retreated once again.
They left countless corpses behind as they withdrew under the leadership of the Ghost Eye Demon Marshal. The marshal wanted to charge many times but held back due to Rody and Chris's combined efforts. In the past few days, two demon generals had been captured due to being too forward in command, and in front of Rody, the marshal could only command from behind, unable to exert his full power as he was not just an ordinary human commander but the remarkable Rody.
If Rody ever got a chance, the outcome would be a tragic defeat for the demons.
After the battle, human casualties exceeded a thousand. Although the demons were stronger, their losses were in the thousands after numerous attacks.
The demonic forces were far greater than Rody's city, but they were not concerned, as their strongest soldiers had not yet arrived. Lower-tier demons like man-faced spiders and zombies were plentiful in hell, and could have been used in a human wave attack to overwhelm Rody's city, if only they could be transported through time and space.
Humans were also not worried, for even against the mightiest demons, they could still triumph.
Because humans had the extraordinary Rody.
He turned war into an art, something to be manipulated with ease. No one could match his strategic wisdom, and no one dared to claim they could rival him.
The new recruit realized after the victory that, apart from fresh soldiers like himself, no veteran cheered.
Many silently bandaged their wounds or collapsed on the walls to snatch some sleep.
Some wiped off blood while chewing beef jerky, indifferent to the grotesque corpses of demonized monsters before them. Others proudly read letters from home to their comrades, especially love letters, which were widely boasted about. Most were busy transporting war supplies or distributing food, with only those severely injured being carried down the steps to be replaced by new soldiers.
"Captain, your face is injured!" The new recruit noticed Masov's face was half green with severe burns and cried out in alarm.
"Splashed by a man-faced spider, won't kill me! I've taken the antidote, what's all the fuss about? Don't let others hear, stuff your mouth with a bun! And keep quiet when the patrol guards come, understand?" Masov, unwilling to leave the battlefield, clearly had his face partially ruined.
"Use this to apply," someone tossed a bottle of medicine to Masov before striding away.
"It's him, the lord of the city, Rody!" The new recruit felt faint, realizing that the great hero of humanity had just passed by him...
"Making a fuss over nothing..." Everyone rolled their eyes. Rody appeared on the city walls every day, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the troops. Was such astonishment really necessary?