Dusk settled, casting a blood-like hue across the sky.
A massive army, numbering in the tens of thousands, moved across the land like a swarm of ants with perfect discipline and synchronization.
At the forefront of the army rode Huang Hui, astride a majestic alicorn. His golden armor gleamed brightly, emanating a powerful aura that kept nearby magical beasts at bay, preventing them from approaching.
However, Huang Hui furrowed his brow as he looked ahead. A disheveled and scattered group of soldiers was returning, led by none other than the legion commander.
Huang Hui's expression turned displeased. "It seems our surprise raid has failed!"
Prior to their departure, Huang Hui had believed that catching the enemy off guard would work in their favor. He had dispatched a squadron of light cavalry to launch a swift, nighttime assault, hoping to seize the fortress while it was least prepared.
Even if they had not managed to conquer the fortress, causing some disruption and confusion would have been advantageous for their main forces, while also serving as a test of strength.
For this reason, the legion commander had personally led the operation, mobilizing nearly ten thousand troops in total.
At this moment, the legion commander's advanced magical armor was shattered into scrap metal, and he had sustained four or five deep wounds. It was evident that the battle had been perilous.
Huang Hui asked, "How is the fortress defense? Approximately how many enemies are there?"
The legion commander, in a disheveled and frightened state, replied, "My Lord, the Bloody Fortress was well-prepared and had a much larger garrison than anticipated."
"This fortress is equipped with long-range surveillance facilities, which detected our army from a considerable distance. It also has several formidable magical assault structures capable of unleashing widespread thunderbolt attacks."
"In addition, within the fortress, there are five to ten thousand beholder creatures. These creatures possess a remarkable attack range of up to a kilometer. Their destructive power is astonishing. Even this humble one would struggle to withstand their concentrated attacks."
"..."
"According to my reconnaissance, the Bloody Fortress is garrisoned by tens of thousands of troops."
"Among them are elves, orcs, ogres, and uncommonly seen draconians. Their warriors are no less formidable than the empire's official forces!"
That many?!
Huang Hui was both shocked and frustrated.
Su Wenhao, that useless fool, had been clashing with the Dragon Demon King for so long and still had not gathered any accurate information about the strength of the Demon King's forces.
No wonder his previous attempt to launch a cavalry attack on the fortress with his family knight order ended in complete disaster.
The legion commander expressed his concern, saying, "The Demon King seems prepared to defend the fortress with all his might. Although our army outnumbers them four or five times, the Demon King's forces have the advantage of defensive terrain. If we launch a full-scale assault, even if we manage to win, the empire soldiers will suffer heavy casualties."
Although the surprise attack ended in a disastrous failure, what worried the legion commander the most was not whether they could defeat the enemy but rather the potential damage it could inflict upon the third legion.
Indeed, while the Demon King's Legion was formidable, the legion commander still believed that the empire army had the upper hand. Over 80% of the empire's official soldiers had reached the rank of elite, and their vast numbers and strength were undeniable.
A complete defeat seemed highly unlikely.
However, capturing the Bloody Fortress would be an arduous task. If they insisted on taking it by force, they would inevitably suffer significant losses.
And the siege outcome would result in a hard-fought victory.
Huang Hui said, "It doesn't matter. Even though the surprise attack failed, it's of no consequence. General, you have gathered enough intelligence on the enemy for me!"
"But now, I'm here!" he continued, "They are not worth worrying about! And they will be of no threat to us!"
The next day, the empire army, like a tidal wave, arrived near the Bloody Fortress. They halted about four or five miles away, out of range of the beholders' attacks.
It was both a secure position and an intimidating display.
A colossal force of nearly two hundred thousand soldiers stood assembled. Clad in standardized armor and wielding uniform weapons, their banners billowing in the wind, the thunderous beat of war drums filled the air. The shimmering glow of magical shields cascaded in a mesmerizing display. The sheer magnitude of their numbers alone created a profound impact and an overwhelming sense of oppression.
Unlike the previous endeavor, this time the empire was committed to taking the Bloody Fortress.
The legion commander proposed, "I suggest deploying a full defensive stance to withstand the onslaught from the onslaught from the beholders and elven mages. Once our main force breaches the barrier and successfully penetrates the fortress, we can effortlessly overwhelm them with our numerical superiority."
However, Huang Hui held a contrasting view.
"Why the rush?" he questioned.
"Capture the leader first."
"As long as we can kill the Demon King."
"Why should we fear these lackeys?"
"You all stay here. I'll head up and give it a try."
He guided his flying steed and descended to a spot 2,000 meters in front of the fortress. As he dismounted from his horse, he immediately began to taunt and provoke.
"Dragon Demon King!" he bellowed.
"Don't hide like a coward!"
"I know you're inside the fortress!"
"Can you see it?"
"This is the empire's official army!"
"Each one of us is an elite unit!"
"Hahaha! Are you starting to feel despair? Are you trembling with fear? That's right! You have no chance of winning!"
"In front of me, in front of the empire, you're nothing but a joke! You're an insignificant, ridiculous clown!"
"For a mere Demon King, you've assembled an impressive army, but its size is nothing compared to the might of the empire!"
With these words, Huang Hui unsheathed his sword.
"A game without suspense isn't any fun!"
"Now, I'll give you all a chance."
"As long as someone can come out and defeat me, the empire's army will temporarily withdraw, granting you some respite!"
The legion commander immediately understood the intentions of the guardian knight. To serve as bait and lure the enemy out of the fortress, should the Demon King truly fall for the ploy, it would cost them their greatest advantage.
The gates swung open.
Thousands of draconians swiftly deployed from within the stronghold to its outskirts.
Magnificent! It actually worked!
The Demon King fell right into the trap!
How foolish.
Could the Demon King truly believe that he, alone, could contend against the guardian knight?
The legion commander had information about the Demon King.
The Demon King's power merely reached Level 4. Within such a short span of time, it was highly unlikely for any significant breakthrough to occur.
Even if their strength did improve, when facing someone of the guardian knights's calibur, the gap in strength would still be insurmountable.
"You boastful fool! Daring to spout such arrogant words! You know nothing of true power, but you won't have another chance to learn."
At that moment, Zhang San activated all of his aura skills and leaped forward.
"Die, fool!"
Zhang San, the Earth Drake Grand Marshal, possessed the pinnacle power of Level 4 overlords.
With the draconian legion buffing auras at full strength, Zhang San was capable of facing even Level 5 overlord units. Furthermore, Li Si's Blood Ritual empowerment nearly made him invincible.
A thunderous roar shook the air.
A colossal, dozens of meters long diamond earth drake emerged.
Zhang San had swiftly transformed into his earth drake form and charged straight at Huang Hui.
"Demon King!"
"It's the Dragon Demon King!"
"What a fearsome presence!"
"Does the Demon King really think he can stand against the guardian knight? How foolish!"
The empire legion generals had witnessed the memory crystal recording of the Bloody Fortress. They recognized this terrifying earth drake, the very same one that had led the charge to breach the fortress. To their astonishment, he had now brought his entire race's forces out of the fortress.
Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to surround and defeat them?
"A golden opportunity!" exclaimed a high-ranking officer. "We must seize this moment and launch an immediate attack!"
All eyes turned to the legion commander, awaiting his decisive command.
The legion commander responded, "There's no need for us to intervene."
A general questioned, "Why? This is a golden opportunity!"
The commander explained, "The moment the Demon King is exposed before the guardian knight, he is doomed to have no chance of survival."
"Is it true?"
"Is the guardian knight truly that terrifying?"
"The Demon King has nearly five thousand draconian warriors with him!"
The commander smirked, "It's useless. Just watch closely. You won't have many chances to witness a guardian knight in action!"
Huang Hui erupted with a radiant aura, the light gathered and coalesced around his body, forming a solid barrier of light.
In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a towering giant, standing ten meters tall.
This giant donned golden runic armor, wielding a colossal nine meters sword. His imposing presence was awe-inspiring, every inch of the giant was formed with his Qi.
"There it is!"
"The Guardian Golden Form!"
"It's the signature skill of the guardian knights!"
The legion commander's face was filled with fervor.
The "Guardian Golden Form" was undoubtedly an immensely powerful A ranked transformation skill. In this state, the guardian knight would temporarily gain advanced magic immunity and a substantial increase in both attack and defense capabilities.
The golden greatsword ruthlessly struck the diamond drake's body.
Boom!
Qi erupted!
Transforming into a ferocious storm!
It tore away a large chunk of the ground.
The diamond earth drake was sent flying, tumbling several times before regaining its footing. Although some scales cracked, it had suffered minimal damage.
"Truly formidable!"
"It barely received a scratch!"
Huang Hui's voice rumbled like thunder, "Not many Level 5 overlords could withstand this blow and survive!"
"No wonder Su Wenhao was left in such a sorry state by your forces. The Divine Sword Heroes are truly outclassed compared to you."
This person!
Too powerful!
Zhang San felt an unprecedented pressure!
Even with the full effect of his command skill, and the archpriest's Blood Ritual diverting a significant portion of the damage, this strike alone...
While it might not have been enough to claim Zhang San's life, it would have certainly inflicted substantial wounds upon this diamond earth drake.
Zhang San realized that, given his current strength, defeating his opponent seemed unlikely. However, the guardian knight also faced significant challenges in trying to defeat Zhang San in his present state.
Transformation skills would usually consume an astonishing amount of energy.
Why not use the advantage of his superior defense to buy time?
Let the opponent's strength gradually wane, and then seize the opportunity to turn the tide.
Of course, even if the worst-case scenario occurred, it would not have mattered. Because even in the worst-case scenario, there was still a true dragon overseeing the Bloody Fortress.
Long Yi, like his master.
He was an Abyssal Dragon.
The ceiling of Level 5 overlord units!
He could hold his own against even a monarch.
Dealing with the guardian knight was well within his capabilities. With the Abyssal dragon stationed at the Bloody Fortress, the likelihood of the empire army before them breaching its defenses was nearly nonexistent.
There was no need for concern.
Zhang San unleashed his ferocity completely.
The diamond earth drake launched another attack.
The golden-armored giant and the diamond earth drake engaged in a fierce battle for twenty or thirty rounds, leaving behind a trail of upturned soil, shattered stones, and a deeply scarred earth.
It was truly terrifying!
The legion commander couldn't believe it. "The Dragon Demon King and the guardian knight are at least one level apart. Even with his command skill to enhance his strength to match an average Level 5 powerhouse, it's still impossible for him to hold on until now!"
"Something's amiss!"
"This doesn't add up!"
"There's definitely something wrong."
Of course, Huang Hui also sensed the anomaly.
He noticed that a significant portion of the damage he inflicted on the diamond earth drake would always be swiftly transferred elsewhere. Moreover, the diamond drake's defense was already absurdly high, which prevented Huang Hui from delivering any decisive blows.
On the contrary...
Huang Hui was astonished to realize that his MP had been depleted by more than half. If he were to maintain his transformation and continue fighting for another thirty to fifty rounds, there was no guarantee that he could kill the earth drake.
In fact, he was starting to feel overwhelmed himself.
"I see! So, that's how it is!"
"There's some form of ritualistic magic at work!"
"It's rendering a large portion of my attacks ineffective!"
Huang Hui finally unraveled the trickery and immediately focused his attention on the archpriest, Li Si.
"Hahaha!"
"No wonder it's been so difficult!"
"But it ends here!"
With a powerful strike, Huang Hui once again forced the diamond earth dragon back, then he plunged his giant sword into the ground. The golden armor that enveloped his body displayed visible cracks, unleashing a brilliant radiance.
"Arcane Shatter!"
Huang Hui detonated the body of the golden-armored giant. A powerful shockwave and intense light instantly enveloped an area of several hundred meters. Although the damage inflicted was not substantial, it had a potent dispelling effect.
"Oh no!"
Zhang San realized it.
In an instant, all the effects of his aura and the ritual enchantments were nullified. The enhancements that had bolstered his strength vanished. At this moment, his strength reverted back to its fundamental state, that of a peak Level 4 overlord.
"Game over!"
"Now, die!"
The golden longsword cleaved through the air, unleashing a ferocious wave of Qi.
Huang Hui had observed that after their intense battle, the diamond drake's scales had weakened considerably, and its HP had been drained by more than a third.
Under the weight of this all-out assault, even if the diamond drake managed to survive, it would undoubtedly be left heavily wounded.
He had to admit it.
This diamond earth drake was incredibly tenacious.
But the gap between them was too vast.
In the end, victory still belonged to him!
After killing the dragon, he would obtain the formidable talents of the Dragon Demon King, and his future strength would undoubtedly skyrocket!
However, at that critical moment.
From the distant Bloody Fortress, located two kilometers away. A malevolent ray of beholder eye beam was suddenly unleashed.
This attack stood in stark contrast to the other beholder's, emanating a deep, purplish-black hue and possessing an amplified potency several hundred times greater.
"Shi..!"
Huang Hui was instantly overcome with dread.
A beholder beam's attack range was about a thousand meters. His current position was clearly outside the range of the eye beam attack.
Huang Hui could not even imagine that there would be an attack coming from the fortress.
Having relinquished his transformation as the golden-armored giant and channeling all his Qi into an attack, Huang Hui was now left defenseless.
Boom!
A loud bang!
Huang Hui was sent hurtling dozens of meters away and his body was almost pierced through.
Even if he did not succumb to death, his wounds were severe enough to render him incapacitated temporarily. This sight left the entire empire army completely flummoxed.
"No!!"
"The knight has been ambushed!"
"Charge! Rescue the lord!"
The legion commander swiftly issued the order, and several high-ranking officers with teleportation abilities rushed to Huang Hui's side to extract him from danger.
Meanwhile, the rest of the troops launched a hasty counterattack to provide cover.
Under the relentless assault of countless beholders' eye beams, the empire army suffered heavy casualties, leaving thousands of bodies strewn on the battlefield. Disheveled and in retreat, they fell back twenty miles to regroup and recover.
And just like that, the initial onslaught of the empire's official army had been dramatically thwarted.
But today, it was not Long Yi, the fortress guardian, who had dealt the crippling blow to Huang Hui.
It was the Demon King's summoned "Hellish Beholder Overlord" , the most powerful entity that could be conjured from the Beholder's Lair.
Despite being a beholder, it was a Level 4 overlord. Its sheer offensive might was capable of swiftly decimating a typical Level 4 overlord unit, and even a Level 5 overlord would likely suffer severe wounds.
This beholder overlord had a range extending over ten thousand meters. It had been biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike unexpectedly.
Caught off guard and defenseless, Huang Hui bore the brunt of the attack. The fact that he managed to cling onto his life was truly a stroke of luck.
Suffice to say, it became evident that the empire army had gravely underestimated the true power and contingency plans of the Demon King entrenched within the Bloody Fortress.
...
That night, inside the empire army camp...
"Damn it!"
"This grudge will not go unanswered!"
"I swear I won't rest until I've avenged this!"
Huang Hui's condition was dire, to say the least.
The attack from the Level 4 overlord beholder had not only inflicted devastating damage, but it also carried a curse and venomous effects, leaving him weak and feeble.
In the midst of this, the guards surrounding him suddenly dispersed.
A figure cloaked in black stepped into the tent.
"Hehehe, look at you, lord knight, in such a pitiful state!"
"Su Wenhao, you dare show your face here? Who do you think you are? Even the likes of you dares to mock me?"
"Open your eyes wide and take a good look!"
With a swift motion, Su Wenhao removed his massive cloak.
Huang Hui's pupils shrank, a look of sheer astonishment on his face. "You... you..."
Su Wenhao, at that moment, was no longer human.
His entire body was covered in blood-red tumors, and his left hand had morphed into a grotesque structure reminiscent of octopus tentacles.
"Guards!!"
Huang Hui realized his impending doom.
The grotesque tendrils, covered in pulsating blood tumors, effortlessly pierced his heart. In a matter of moments, Huang Hui's body withered, drained of its blood, strength, and very soul by the abomination before him.
Simultaneously, this monstrosity known as Su Wenhao experienced a surge in power, as the blood tumors covering his form swelled and grew larger.
"Now, do you comprehend?" Su Wenhao's voice dripped with malice. "I've fused with an ancient deity, and now I am on the path to becoming a new god!"
His tendrils continued their macabre feast, sucking the life essence from the knight's flesh.
"You, insignificant mortal, and that accursed Demon King, are mere nutrients for my ascension!"
"No... No..."
Huang Hui's voice gradually waned.
His soul was consumed in its entirety.
In the end, his entire body shattered and crumbled into dust.
Su Wenhao donned his black cloak once more and stepped out of the army camp.
He announced an imperative message to the entire army, "The revered guardian knight lord has tragically succumbed to his grievous wounds. Henceforth, Count Kolo shall assume direct command of the forces!"