Returning, Reconquering

In the middle of a battle inside the central City, thousands of cultivators and student troops were fighting to the death, forming a short line backed by several more. From each line's back, several Power Energy attacks overflew everyone's head before coming down at the other side's rear. Whenever an attack was targeted at a frontline, the other side would readily neutralize it and continue attacking. There was no end to this battle where Spirit Rebirth realm cultivators made smallish circles in the ground before soaring and continuing their fight.

Pum, pam- pam, pshift, boom. Heian Ciemnosc was fighting with his Concealed Ornament Team behind him. His strong-3 were on his back and using a polearm each to send vastly emphatic Power Energy bouts as they took the vanguard and a spot in the frontlines. Heian Ciemnosc was all alone at the front, using his overly durable body and Claws Out, annihilating anything that came his way. Due to his low cultivation base, only the Crabstynian realm and some Spirit Formation realm cultivators were sent to face him.

Otherwise, if they tried to overrule Heian Ciemnosc’s cultivation and battle prowess, the Spirit Rebirth realm student troops would come in and once again make a pass and directly destroy many enemy cultivators' lives.

After the previous bombardment, the Academy’s army took as much advantage of the situation as possible. All the few thousand Spirit Rebirth realm cultivators flew into the enemy City, killing off the enemy cultivators in the same realm. After being struck with this shameless yet honorable way of fighting, different from before when dealing with the student troops, the enemy had no idea how to react.

They kept sending cultivators towards Heian Ciemnosc and others of that level even when they were below Heian Ciemnosc’s battle prowess, which was already evident after several minutes of fighting and of Heian Ciemnosc breaking any body shoved in front of him. But even as they understood this and knew the whys. They kept coming. The cultivators at the Crabstynian realm facing Heian Ciemnosc knew this was just death hidden in human skin. But they still stood up and confronted him.

Why? Because they had to do it. If they didn’t, then they would be killed with desertion on the spot. The defection was the most absurd and nonsensical in a cultivator’s life. Because going against war, fleeing from it, and choosing not to fight when becoming part of an organization was the same as going against cultivation. There was nothing more ridiculous than that.

“Over there! Some more are coming!!” The sub-commander fighting with his life on the line against several Spirit Rebirth realm cultivators in the air below his cultivation base shouted with a rough voice. He couldn’t send messages through his medallion. But his shout could reach far away to the second-in-commands who did have spare fractions of seconds to send their Spirit Sense into it.

Immediately, Heian Ciemnosc, who was already looking in the distance where 60,000 enemy cultivators were rushing on the ground with Power Energy shouldering their bodies and an array formation surrounding the running cultivators’ bodies, wearing grave and furious expressions as they headed towards the City to defend it. They had barely entered Heian Ciemnosc’s Spirit Sense range, so he started scanning them.

“Who is willing to lead the fight? More troops from other sub-commanders will go, as well. Who is willing?!” The rough-voiced sub-commander shouted again while killing 2 enemy cultivators, their bodies falling from the sky after being cleaved into two. Heian Ciemnosc kept silent, but he started pondering. His team and his dark claws continued destroying bodies, and Power Energy attacks one after the other.

“Let me!” Finally, Heian Ciemnosc thought it over and shouted since there was still no change from the sub-commander’s ugly expression. Right away, the sub-commander’s face lightened up, and he stared down at Heian Ciemnosc for a moment before returning to killing enemies. His voice traveled to his ears, courtesy of a soul’s mental message. “Go ahead, kid. It will be up to you. Try to at least detain them for 3 hours before reuniting with us or dying. Go!”

“...” - “...” Heian Ciemnosc lashed his whip forwards several times in quick succession as it was powered by dark Power Energy, then condensed a fully-dark, thin barrier before looking back and nodding to his COs and the rest of the team. As they nodded back at him, Heian Ciemnosc dashed to the rear with his Concealed Ornament Team following him. The dark, thin barrier he left behind resisted several dozen attacks before cracking and breaking. But by then, another student troop in the Spirit Formation realm 1ststage took the reins and began defending instead.

Step, step, step, step~. The Concealed Ornament Team turned around and rushed outside the student troops’ formation. After that, they hurried outside the enemy City through the holes they had made an hour ago. They were already several kilometers into the enemy City, so it took them a couple minutes to come out. The enemy’s 60,000 force was still about 10 minutes from arriving near the City walls. Along the way, Heian Ciemnosc saw other cliques running as fast as possible to the meeting point outside.

Tap, tap- dash, crrkk, step. After a little more than 15,000 student troops reunited outside the enemy City walls, they looked at each other before finding Heian Ciemnosc, their temporary sub-commander, so to speak. They turned their heads to stare at the enemy approaching from the distance, slowly evaluating them with their naked eye. And as they did so, Heian Ciemnosc estimated them instead.

About 2,000 of these student troops were injured, but he could see the same battle-hardened glint in their eyes as the elite student troops from his army had. The rest were more or less uninjured. No one was trembling or having second thoughts and nervous. After going through their bodies and inspecting them, Heian Ciemnosc sensed another 300 student troops flying over the City wall towards them.

‘Goodness that this army isn’t shabby in their decision,’ Heian Ciemnosc thought, as he was especially concerned about the enemy side having more Spirit Rebirth realm cultivators in their ranks than his. And now, with these extra 300, Heian Ciemnosc could opt for a defensive measure for at least most of the battlefield. Nodding towards his COs, Heian Ciemnosc stepped forth and before the others. His back was facing them as he opened his mouth to speak.

“I will send your medallions a simple alarm whenever I want you to do something. It will be quite simple. First, we form a thin square, with the rear having…” Heian Ciemnosc began giving instructions. He knew these weren’t some mercenaries who only listened to one thing or another, so he put on a little show and expressed concern and worry with his facial expressions as he turned back to look at them.

The student troops became quiet after hearing Heian Ciemnosc’s words, and, not finding something to refute him with, they began to obey as Heian Ciemnosc commanded. While they stood in formation, Heian Ciemnosc took several devices from his Covert Space bags and placed them around them. These were similar devices to those he created to trap and end up massacring a large number of enemy cultivators from various organizations.

However, these weren’t for creating and enhancing a light green protective array formation. These devices were fruit from many months under investigation and with Lady Calisneia’s guidance. They weren’t for creating a layer of protection in a specified area, but people! Only Heian Ciemnosc had to use a lot of his dark Power Energy to activate it. Afterwards, it could be kept ‘on’ like any other array formation. But it was nowhere near impregnable or top-notch in the First Step. It mainly relied on his cultivation base and Power Energy.

After they formed, they waited another 3 minutes until the enemy finally approached. The 15,000 formation was completed, but it looked somewhat strange. It had a square shape, almost rectangular, from how thin it was, but that wasn’t everything. At the rear, 2 hooks were additionally formed, one for each side. These consisted of half the strongest student troops in the group and the most potent Spirit Rebirth realm fellow soldier units.

The rest was incorporated into the thin square, with Crabstynian realm student troops at the front standing abreast of Heian Ciemnosc and his COs. The rest of the team was in the middle. They were ready to receive the enemy.

Step, step- stomp, stomp. Step, step.

The enemy cultivators quickly came before the student troops in formation. They ignored the unusual shape of the latter as their rapid pace became a charge, and their feet landed heavily on the ground. And suddenly, 60,000 enemy cultivators were about to crash into the formation as their bodies were quickly covered in pure energy armor. Their weapons were imbued with Power Energy.

Ssuupp… pshift- CRASH, THUUUD, PANK- FWUOP. SSSSAP CLANK CLANK, clink clank, pshift~~. Pom pom, phhshk phhshk phhshk, ckrsheerr- bugsh, bugsh.

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The enemy’s eyes changed and became momentarily shocked just before they clashed. They watched the enemy’s armor and bodies colored with a strange black. Right after, they crashed into those bodies and armor with all their might and speed. They couldn’t analyze anything before the first few bounced from the student troops’ tight formation. Those cultivators immediately, rebounded backwards, crashed against their fellow cultivators, and were crushed in between, becoming paste and blood that startled the others.

But the student troops had a steeled mind. Their eyes, covered by the dark array formation, looked into their enemies, and it showed no mercy. The enemy had a momentary distraction, and it served well for the student troops, who let them barge against them for several seconds without receiving any actual damage before slowly advancing and pushing the enemy back. Each step they took was followed by the 2 ‘hooks’ from behind.

“Aah!” - “Ag-kaaah!” - “Haaagrrll…” The enemy had suffered too many losses in the first contact, losing their momentum and strength. Trying to recuperate themselves, standing up and fighting back, they were stomped and kicked back down before being impaled by the slowly advancing student troops. In less than 30 steps, over 2,000 enemies fell to the Mortal grade polearms and blades, and a few from dark claws slashed off their necks and stabbed their bodies to death with one smooth motion.

Heian Ciemnosc enjoyed the process as his feet dark claws went through several hearts and heads, absorbing some of that juiciness through them as he kept advancing. His dark Power Energy storage was already in the middle before this battle started. But the rest of his team had more than 70% Power Energy left in their bodies. But now, after activating this array formation, he had quite a bit less than before, so he had to do what he could to restore some of that again.

Heian Ciemnosc faced the enemy in the vanguard like a madman, and his bodily strength surprised many. Though they could read his ‘lesser’ Ashes Soul realm cultivation in the 9th stage, they couldn’t see through his body and understand his mighty body tempering Art. Many a time, those in the Spirit Formation realm 10th stage were about to smash Heian Ciemnosc into a pulp with some Power Energy, only to be struck down before being impaled and instantly killed by his COs.

At this moment, the enemy recomposed themselves. Their group stood firmly and in line and looked at the student troops. A small division was made between both groups as they stared at each other. Only the blood of enemy cultivators ran through the desertic ground. In this silence, the enemy was the first to shout out loud in rage as they resumed their attack, wanting to stomp on this small group before rushing inside the City to save the day.

Step, step, step. Stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp…

The student troops felt their medallion heat up, remaining in their positions before slowly taking a defensive stance in preparation. The enemy heavily stomped again as they closed into the former. The scene seemed to repeat itself, but a fraction of the enemy’s rear was left behind to send Power Energy attacks. There was not one conversation word among the enemy. It was all done by medallion commands!

PAM PLANK, CRASSSHHH, pshift, pshift, pshift. Both sides clashed again, leaving no place around them and within without the flames of war, with blood and Power Energy! Heian Ciemnosc kept punching and pushing down his enemies. Those sent toward him were also some of the enemy’s weakest. They seemingly received information about the battle from the enemy’s leadership.

While he took and tackled some cultivators down, his COs would finish them off, impaling them on the ground as a group in just a few seconds. Whenever Heian Ciemnosc was defending or waiting for an opportunity to strike down another one with a more or less powerful cultivation base compared to his battle prowess, his team became crazed, launching several Power Energy attacks as if they were tireless.

The rest of the thin square formation was doing their best, and the rear hooks kept attacking at a mid-distance at the enemy without qualms.

“!...” At this moment, Heian Ciemnosc noticed the right square thin’s right flank starting to falter. He didn’t make any commands and continued attacking, being attacked, and helping others kill the enemy. He could barely make any killing as he was focused on defending himself, but he still broke through some cultivators’ chests and crushed some skulls. Thus, after a minute, the right flank became fragile, and the enemy made a breakout!

“Gooo!” - “Aaah, take this, bastards!” - “There’s a gap, an aperture! Take it, take it, TAKE IT!!”

The enemy was already riled up upon knowing they were being sneak attacked. While the rest of their cultivator army did their best to resist in the other Cities, their central City was being sneak-besieged. They went into a frenzy when they watched the thin square formation revealed a weakness. And in but a few seconds, thousands of enemies were stomping hard on the ground and rushing past the thin square formation. That was when Heian Ciemnosc made everyone’s medallion heat up.

Step- step- step- step, step, step, step- STOMP. Pshift, pshift, pshift, pshift, pshift, pshift, pshift.

With a simple series of motions, the thin square formation retreated at a rapid, visible speed. They thinned even more, forming a likish poniard shape without a handle. The hook was thickened up by those previously in the thin square formation, and as the enemy was still on the run… they sent a multitude of Power Energy attacks while the poniard formation’s blade kept holding their ground. At the very front was Heian Ciemnosc’s CO Team.

“Oh no!” - “W-w-w-wait!!” - “No- aAAAHHH!” The enemy’s side had its numbers dwindling faster than ever. This battle had started less than half an hour ago, but thousands of enemies had already been felled, and only some hundred student troops had been killed.

Heian Ciemnosc watched as several thousand, including all Spirit Rebirth realm student troops, mowed down the enemy’s ranks quickly and formed a 20-meter space between him and the enemy’s frontline. He saw with his very own eyes as thousands of Power Energy attacks flew beside him without letting the enemy have the chance to counterattack. This decisive move, but the first of many, already overwhelmed these cultivators!

After finally 2 minutes, the enemy could recompose themselves with more than 10,000 of their numbers gone, trying to slip by and aid their friends in the City. However, even as the enemy attempted to defend themselves with Power Energy attacks, they were killed with the intention of sending anything. Only those forming their pure energy armor and condensing Power Energy before them into a screen could block a couple Power Energy attacks. But they were too few and the glowing lights far too many.

As Power Energy weapons’ images flew towards them, they were decimated in a few seconds. Without support from each other, the enemy cultivators took a long time to recover before finally finding their way. Thus, as soon as they recovered and formed a Power Energy screen barrier before them, and after thinning their formation, they began counterattacking with their Power Energy attacks.

After 2 minutes, with only a few hundred more deaths on the enemy side and a dozen more in this massive Power Energy attack face-off, both sides finally stopped as they became stuck in a stalemate.

“Huff, hhaaah… huff…” - “Hmf… hoooh… hmff…” The enemy’s side was tired, impacted, and recuperating their bearing. On the other hand, the student troops weren’t nearly as tired. But some had almost exhausted themselves in the previous process. Heian Ciemnosc let this sudden stop last for 20 seconds before jumping in the air and making their medallions heat up. In a swift move, he was backed by his team again as another batch of student troops rushed to the front and charged at the enemy!

More than 12,000 casualties from this initial exchange. Even if the enemy was more prepared next time and didn’t even suffer a fourth from their record, the student troops believed not only that they could fend off this 60,000-strong enemy group. But that they could also kill them all off!!

Naturally, it couldn’t be without casualties, but fighting for the Academy in their first war, how could they think about stepping backwards?! Beyond that, Heian Ciemnosc, their temporary sub-commander, had a lower cultivation base than preferable but was always at the front. How could they dare not face the enemy without the intention of, perhaps, dying?! They charged! They looked to their side and watched their dark layer-covered temporary sub-commander only looking at the enemy, and they moved faster than before! With an increasing momentum and a steeled heart… they charged!!

… Over and over again, the two sides faced each other. Both sides knew the other’s intention and what they could do. Instead of taking a look behind, ahead, or to the side, they kept their eyes on their enemy and looked elsewhere no more. Their only enemy, objective, and killing goal was right in front of them, dancing and moving before them, asking to be killed. This was their war.

… whiiistleee- phhshk-. All of a sudden, in one of many clashes after fending off against one another via Power Energy attacks, where both sides took cover and went all out to exterminate as many on the other side as possible. Heian Ciemnosc was suddenly targeted by 3 Spirit Rebirth realm cultivators. He was too slow to react and could only fearlessly spread his right arm to the one on his right, but those on his left sent their blade and polearm towards him.

“Aaaaaaaggh!” At the last moment, Aleksander’s dual daggers flashed with a blinding moonlight, bedazzling the one with a blade as Victor threw as many hidden tools and small weapons as he currently had to remain. But the other polearm-wielding Spirit Rebirth realm cultivator managed to go through both blocking motions and arrived before Heian Ciemnosc with flying momentum and above him.

This cultivator had his legs thrown backwards and folded, his left palm open and sent forth to direct his body and improve his body movement. His right arm held and moved the pike that was now crashing down, aiming at Heian Ciemnosc’s throat to impale his sternum utterly to come out his rear. But at the last second, Violet pulled him towards her, and she pushed herself forwards!

Heian Ciemnosc only heard her stirring, pained, and semi-choked holler with blood. But it immediately gave rise to a numbing sensation spreading throughout his body. Afterwards, he saw her to his left. Her face looked up ferociously and in pain. Her left shoulder was severely pierced by the pike instead. The cultivator frowned but continued to penetrate her body downwards after a second.

‘!!!’

Heian Ciemnosc felt his head exploding before he sensed the pike’s head about to touch Violet’s heart… he, those around him, in front and behind… Everyone… could only see the dark at noon.

…