Before the defenders on the wall could organize their next counterattack, Chen Yu suddenly made his move.
[Pea Shot]
[Magic Burst]
He rapidly shot out several deep purple Gel Balls, each a full two meters in diameter. Like boulders launched from a catapult, they traced high arcs through the air, soaring over the city wall and plummeting toward the fortress.
"Quick! Raise all Magic Shields! Intercept them!" Dominic roared.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
The Gel Balls, infused with terrifying Magic Power, exploded violently upon contact with the rising Magic Barriers.
The violent explosions not only shattered the fragile, temporary shields in an instant, but the resulting shockwaves and magical reverberations also caused the entire section of the wall to shake violently. The soldiers on the ramparts were thrown off balance, and many screamed as they fell from the crenellations.
The light from the Magic Arrays flickered erratically, their key nodes damaged in the blasts.
When the survivors struggled back to their feet, they saw that the massive purple behemoth was already upon them, its colossal shadow nearly engulfing the bunker below.
"Boss! Boss!"
"We’re over here!"
Just then, from the shadows where the fortress met the cliff face, dozens of small Earth Elements, looking like little soot sprites, popped out and waved excitedly at Chen Yu.
He had originally sent these little Earth Elements to lie in wait beneath the walls, ready to bombard Storm Fortress at a moment’s notice.
Now, it seemed that wouldn’t be necessary.
Chen Yu continued to advance, his massive body easily crushing the faltering Magic Barrier on the wall.
Without the protection of Magic, the ancient stone wall seemed incredibly fragile before such pure mass and power.
Amidst a deafening roar, the wall of Storm Fortress facing the battlefield began to tremble violently as stones cracked and broke away.
Then, before the horrified eyes of the soldiers, the giant Slime leaned its full weight against the wall. The sturdy fortification was brutally smashed open, leaving a massive breach over twenty meters in diameter.
Rubble cascaded down like a waterfall, and dust plumed into the sky.
Storm Fortress had been breached from the front!
Alice steadied herself on the violently shaking wall. Seeing the massive breach below and the vanguard of monsters pouring in, she immediately raised her sword and cried out, "Storm Fortress has fallen! Knights of Arevalo, charge with me! Capture these Demon’s Claws! For the Kingdom! For justice!"
"Yes, Lady Alice!!"
The Knights of the Arevalo Clan, clad in silver-emblazoned armor, surged with high morale. They poured out from all directions like a tide, pressing in on the defending soldiers whose spirits had been broken by the breach.
However, despite this easily won victory, Alice’s mind was not entirely on the battle.
Her gaze drifted involuntarily to the northeast, in the direction of Shield River City.
She silently prayed to Cadus, hoping the Knights of the Fifth Legion would receive the news in time to return and defend the fortress, giving Arthur and the others a chance to escape.
It was impossible to know if her prayers had been answered or if it was a coincidence.
Outside the Fortress Legion’s garrison, on the wide road leading to the Golden Grain Plain, the lush trees on either side could not hide the glow of Magic gradually illuminating the horizon.
A throng of Knights appeared at the far end of the road, a silver torrent of steel.
Judging by their direction and speed, they appeared to be reinforcements arriving from Shield River City.
A flicker of hope had just sparked in Alice’s heart when her father, Levin, clutching his injured arm, hurried to her side. He joined her in staring at the approaching legion of Knights.
Levin’s expression grew even graver than when he had been wounded.
"It’s not the Fifth Legion!" he said grimly.
"Look at their banners and the style of their armor. They’re Knights from the Sixth Legion, and there are two Extraordinarys with them!"
"What?!" A tremor shot through Alice, as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head.
’The Sixth Legion is permanently stationed in the center of the Kingdom, responsible for guarding the Royal Capital. Why would they suddenly appear at the border?’
’And the Fifth Legion hasn’t returned to defend us, which means Lid... is still in Shield River City?!’
’Arthur and the others...’
The worst-case scenario had come to pass.
Her thoughts in turmoil, Alice gritted her teeth and said, "Father, please let me return to Shield River City. I have to check on Arthur. I... I’ll be back soon!"
Levin refused instantly, his tone resolute. "No. You can’t help them by going back. If Lid dared to let the Sixth Legion come here, it means he was already prepared. He might have even taken control of Shield River City by now."
"If you go back, you’ll just be giving those Demon’s Claws another hostage and strengthening their hand."
He placed a hand on Alice’s shoulder. "First, we deal with the situation here. Defend this breach, support the army of the Slime Kingdom, and completely eliminate the enemies inside the fortress."
"Otherwise, it won’t just be Arthur; the entire Arevalo Clan will be annihilated right here!"
Her father’s words snapped Alice back to reality. She forcefully suppressed her panic and worry, took a deep breath, and nodded, her eyes hardening with resolve once more.
As for Arthur... all she could do was clutch the silver pendant around her neck and silently pray to every god she knew.
...
「Shield River City, Fifth Legion Garrison」
The atmosphere inside the wooden cabin was oppressive.
Glen was stealthily pressing his ear against the wooden wall, listening intently for any sound from outside.
Meanwhile, Arthur and Calvin sat silently by the bonfire, repeatedly polishing their cold Knight’s Swords in preparation for whatever might happen next.
After an unknown amount of time, Glen’s ear twitched.
"I think I hear something," he whispered. "It’s chaotic... a lot of footsteps... Could a large number of Knights be leaving the camp?"
Calvin stood up, sheathed his polished sword, and started heading outside. "I’ll go check on the situation."
"Hey, wait! Let me do it. You’ll be too conspicuous with that aura of yours," Glen said, afraid Calvin would just swagger out and alert the guards. He blocked Calvin with a nervous grin, then peeked his own head out and furtively glanced left and right.
"Huh?" Glen paused. "There’s... no one outside? It’s completely quiet."
’Could it be that the fighting on the front line is so intense that everyone was sent to Storm Fortress?’ He suddenly sensed an opportunity, his heart pounding. He waved for Arthur and Calvin to follow him.
The three of them crouched down and moved cautiously through the shadows along the edge of the training grounds, following the escape route Glen had planned earlier.
It was indeed silent outside, unlike usual when there were always the sounds of patrolling footsteps and low whispers.
This unnatural silence, however, made the three of them feel a growing sense of unease.
"Something’s strange," Arthur said simply, his soul-fire flickering slightly.
"Indeed." Calvin tightened his grip on his sword hilt, his sharp gaze scanning their surroundings. "No matter how desperate the fighting on the front line is, Lid wouldn’t have moved every single Knight guarding us. It doesn’t make sense."
This feeling, as if the area had been deliberately emptied, intensified their unease.
Finally, just as they were approaching the hidden exit at the edge of the camp, the Communication Gel in Glen’s pocket suddenly relayed an urgent report from the front line.
Glen focused on receiving the information, and his face instantly turned pale. "This is bad! The Fourth Legion never went to reinforce Storm Fortress..."
"Get behind me!"
Calvin reacted even faster. He whipped out his Knight’s Sword, its tip aimed at the center of the gray, mist-filled road ahead. His muscles tensed as he entered a battle stance.
Arthur also took a silent step forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Calvin, his eerie blue soul-fire locked on the path ahead.
Just then, a figure slowly emerged from the dissipating gray mist. His calm gaze landed on the three of them, carrying with it an invisible pressure.
The newcomer was none other than Lid.
He seemed to have anticipated their escape and had been waiting here for a long time.
"Now... we’re done for," Glen muttered, clutching his head.