The next day, on the fortress walls, Zhang San and Li Si watched as the Imperial Army regrouped and launched a renewed assault.
Under the command of the legion commander and various officers, the empire's forces formed multiple attack formations, advancing steadily and methodically.
"Hah."
"No more tricks this time."
"They're attempting to overpower us with sheer numerical advantage."
Li Si chuckled, "There are quite a number of them this time. The pressure on us is fairly immense!"
Zhang San sneered, "Do they really think they can seize the fortress? They're just here to die!"
Zhang San was bold and arrogant by nature.
However, that didn't mean he would be careless or complacent. To him, the task entrusted by his master was sacred. He would fulfill it even at the cost of his life. Zhang San would not slack in the defense of the fortress.
He held unwavering confidence in the fortress legion.
That was why he maintained his composure even when faced with enemies outnumbering them several times over.
The current composition of the fortress legion consisted of 10,000 draconian soldiers, 6,000 orcs, 6,000 elves, 8,000 beholders, and 10,000 ogres!
In terms of total numbers, they had a force of merely 40,000 battle units.
The empire's army, despite their previous defeat, still possessed a fighting force of 180,000. The difference between the two sides was more than fourfold, clearly not on the same scale.
Nonetheless, quantity alone is not the sole factor to consider. Without comparing the quality, numbers would be meaningless.
Although the empire's official forces were elites, over 90 percent of them were merely Level 1 units, with a minimal proportion of officers in Level 2 and 3.
In contrast, to address the crisis at the fortress, Zhang San and Li Si temporarily reassigned a significant number of Level 2 and 3 combat units to reinforce the fortress. Just the number of Draconian Super Soldiers alone exceeded a thousand.
Moreover, they brought in High Orc Berserkers, Elven Dragonhawk Mages, a variety of powerful high-level beholders, and even a Level 4 overlord Hellish Beholder Overlord.
The strength of the fortress legion was much stronger than it appeared.
It was already not inferior to the empire's official army while also possessing the defensive advantage of using static defense tactics.
In terms of commanders, apart from Zhang San and Li Si, there were three Dragon Marshals, two High Priests, twenty Draconian Generals, five Draconian Priests, and the most formidable of them all, an Abyssal Dragon, Long Yi.
Whether in terms of soldier quality or the strength of the commanders, there existed a significant disparity between the two sides.
That was why Zhang San was filled with absolute confidence.
Despite both being subordinates summoned by the Demon King, Zhang San and Li Si possessed distinct and vibrant personalities.
Zhang San exuded a reckless and audacious nature, while Li Si embodied a calm, reserved demeanor coupled with a keen intellect, likely influenced by his priestly background.
He gazed at the steadily advancing empire's forces and stated, "They are about to enter the range of the beholders units. Prepare the beholders for an attack. Ignore the infantry formations in front and prioritize targeting the healers, mage units, and aerial troops."
The beholders stood poised, ready for action.
The imminent clash of battle was on the horizon.
Suddenly, a faint red mist drifted from the empire's formation.
This inconspicuous red mist actually permeated through the protective barriers of the fortress, spreading into a large portion of the Bloody Fortress, and soon enough, it had caused strange phenomena to occur.
"Ah!"
"Something's not right!"
"My mana is malfunctioning."
"I can't seem to cast my magic!"
The first to detect the anomaly was an elven mage. After inhaling the peculiar red mist, she found her MP tainted and temporarily unusable.
And she was not alone. The second, the third, the fourth...
This peculiar phenomenon rapidly spread among the people, affecting hundreds and thousands of fortress guards.
The impact on warriors was relatively minimal, while the mages bore the brunt of the effect. Among them, the lower-level mages, especially the Level 1's and 2's, were severely affected. Their MP became disrupted by a highly contaminating aura, rendering them incapable of wielding any form of magic.
However, the likes of Li Si and other high-level mages remained unaffected. They attempted to mitigate the issue by employing purification magic, only to discover that its effectiveness was far from satisfactory.
"The enemy is within range!"
"Why aren't the beholders attacking?"
"Damn it, even the beholders have been tainted! They are unable to attack!"
This revelation startled everyone. The beholders were a crucial defensive force.
At such a critical juncture of the decisive battle, the collective failure of the beholders and mage units would leave the fortress defenseless, allowing the enemy to advance unhindered.
"Fire the arrows!"
"We can't hold them back!"
"The enemies are approaching the barrier!"
The situation in the blood-soaked fortress became perilous. Zhang San had not anticipated such a bizarre turn of events.
The pale red mist possessed an enigmatic power that defied known magical energies. Dispel magic and purification spells proved ineffective.
"Who the hell is it! Who's responsible?!"
Zhang San's expression twisted into a ferocious glare as he quickly surveyed the area.
Eventually, his gaze settled upon a peculiar figure draped in a black cloak, standing at the heart of the enemy formation.
The red mist continued to emanate relentlessly from the figure's robe.
Zhang San bellowed, "Target acquired! Take him down now!"
Li Si immediately telepathically commanded the towering presence of the Hellish Beholder Overlord, the Level 4 overlord of beholders. The colossal orb swiftly pivoted its massive iris towards the enigmatic figure.
Zwoosh!
A formidable beam of power surged forth, traversing vast distances in an instant, aimed unerringly at the cloaked individual.
The empire's legion, forewarned and prepared, acted swiftly. Thousands of mages harmonized their incantations, conjuring forth a monumental magical shield that intercepted the Beholder Overlord's assault.
In the midst of this intense clash, the empire's forces breached the fortress's protective barrier, their forces surging forward.
Reacting swiftly to the breach, the defenders within the fortress mobilized their defenses.
They immediately dispatched an army of ogres to counter the assault. These towering creatures, with their immense size, brutish ferocity, and tough hides, charged out of the fortress. With each swing of their colossal hammers, Imperial soldiers were sent sprawling through the air.
The ogres displayed immense strength and resilience. However, they lacked the support and cover provided by the mage units. In contrast, the Imperial army swiftly engaged their mage forces in the battle. The mages skillfully employed magic to control and restrain the ogres, providing vital healing spells to tend to the wounded and unleashing devastating offensive magic to aid the assault.
"Bloody hell!"
"Our situation grows dire!"
"We need to stop that man!"
Zhang San and Li Si simultaneously assumed their drake forms.
Zhang San transformed into a Diamond Earth Drake, leading a group of several Golden Earth Drakes and nearly twenty Black Iron Earth Drakes, charging recklessly into the enemy formation, causing chaos and destruction.
Li Si transformed into a Three-Headed Drake, leading a squadron of Winged Drakes to launch relentless assaults on the black-robed figure. The ferocious dragon flame they unleashed incinerated hundreds of soldiers in its path.
However, Zhang San quickly found himself surrounded and trapped, unable to break free from the encirclement. Meanwhile, Li Si struggled to approach the black-robed figure due to the formidable defense formed by Su Wenhao's mage corps and archer corps.
The mages demonstrated their mastery by effectively defending against the attacks of the ogre and the beholder overlord, while simultaneously launching counter attacks against the approaching winged drakes.
"Hehehe!"
"Hahaha!"
"Do you see it now? This is the extent of my power!"
Su Wenhao laughed maniacally, raising his hands high. Crimson blood mist emanated from his body, carrying the corrupting essence of an Evil God. The mist effortlessly tainted the MP of the lower-level units, rendering them vulnerable.
"Demon King!"
"This time, you're doomed!"
"Let's see how you can turn the tide now!"
Zhang San, as the Diamond Earth Dragon, found himself besieged by thousands of mounted infantry. Even with his formidable strength, he struggled to make any progress, enduring relentless attacks.
Su Wenhao reveled in his triumph, feeling an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.
With his own power, he single-handedly weakened at least 70% of the defenses of the Bloody Fortress, a feat that had been unimaginable to him before. The power of the ancient god was undeniably immense.
Just by assimilating a single fragment of the Evil God, he had gained such horrifying strength.
But what if he were to assimilate two, three, or even more shards of the Evil God? Su Wenhao caught a glimpse of an extraordinary path of unparalleled power, unlike any other.
However, at that moment, Su Wenhao felt perplexed.
Was the Diamond Earth Dragon truly the Dragon Demon King?
He lifted his gaze towards the sky, where the crimson Inferno Three-Headed Drake wreaked havoc with its three heads, spewing flames that caused countless casualties. Its destructive power far exceeded that of the Diamond Earth Dragon.
What was going on?
The mutated Three-Headed Drake seemed to possess strength surpassing that of the Diamond Earth Dragon.
Was it possible for the Demon King to summon subordinates of equal power?
But it no longer mattered. Today, they would all meet their demise!
The empire army's advantage grew stronger and stronger, and just as they were on the verge of breaching the fortress, a terrifying dragon fear swept through.
The empire soldiers were thrown into dizziness, the incantation of the mages was also disrupted. Simultaneously, a blood-red abyssal lightning tore through the sky, striking the earth with devastating force.
Su Wenhao was directly hit.
The mages surrounding him were caught in the aftermath. They let out anguished cries before falling lifeless, instantly obliterated.
"What's going on?"
"What is this!"
It was a dragon unlike any they had seen before.
Enormous in size, it stretched over eighty meters long, its entire body adorned with jet-black scales, exuding an aura of dominance over darkness and death.
[Abyssal Dragon] Level 5 overlord.
Su Wenhao, utilizing his appraising skill, discerned the opponent's strength. His expression shifted, transformed, and eventually twisted into a state bordering on madness.
"Hahaha!"
"So, that's how it is."
"I understand now! I understand it all!"
"You are the true mastermind behind everything, the real Demon King!"
"No wonder there were always unexplained events and misinformation in the past. Now it all makes sense... You've been hiding so well!"
"No wonder we suffered such devastating defeats in the past!"
"Who could have imagined that there was a Level 5 Demon King lurking in the Chaos Forest?"
"But what does it matter? I have forced you out of hiding. It seems even the formidable Dragon Demon King finds himself in a desperate situation today!"
The dragon emitted a voice of authority, "All I see is an arrogant insect. I shall end your pitiful, insignificant life!"
"Kill me? Are you capable of killing me?!"
Su Wenhao commanded loudly, "Forget about the fortress for now, dispose of this dragon!"
The mages by his side immediately sprang into action, unleashing a torrent of magical attacks like rainfall.
-0!
-0!
-0!
The Abyssal Dragon possessed advanced magic resistance. This level of magical assault, unless concentrated to a single point, posed no threat no matter how abundant it was.
"Black Hole of Death!"
The dragon summoned a colossal black hole, an ethereal void that had no impact on physical matter, but radiated an overwhelming aura of necrotic energy. In an instant, it enshrouded a vast area with a diameter of hundreds of meters.
[You've been struck by the Black Hole of Death. -80 HP!]
[You've been struck by the Black Hole of Death. -80 HP!]
[You've been struck by the Black Hole of Death. -80 HP!]
[...]
Su Wenhao felt his life force rapidly depleting, while the surrounding mages succumbed one after another. Within moments, hundreds, even thousands of them had fallen, showcasing a chilling efficiency...
"What fearsome magical defense!"
"What formidable magical power!"
"You are truly ten times stronger than the Diamond Earth Drake!"
Despite losing over half of his remaining HP within a brief span, Su Wenhao wore an increasingly deranged expression, seemingly devoid of fear or concern.
"Undead Creation!"
Long Yi unleashed yet another spell, as an Abyssal Dragon of darkness and death, he excelled in both dark and necromantic magic. With his innate talent for Dragonic Tongue Magic and the immense MP reservoir of a dragon, his effects surpassed those of mages at the same level.
In the blink of an eye, the mages and soldiers drained of life by the Black Hole of Death rose from the ground, transformed into controlled zombies, and launched an attack towards Su Wenhao in the center.
In an instant, under the swarming horde, he found himself surrounded by a zombie tower of bodies.
Su Wenhao laughed heartily, "Come, all of you, come! It's time for you to witness the full extent of my power!"
Suddenly, Su Wenhao's body bursted.
He morphed into countless tentacles that interconnected the zombies, voraciously sucking the flesh and blood from their bodies at an astonishing speed. From this mass of corpses, a monstrous entity emerged, towering like a small hill.
This abomination stood fifteen meters tall, composed of putrid flesh, bloody tumors, and gnashing tendrils. Though resembling a human form, its features were twisted and grotesque.
From the creature emanated the ominous aura of an Evil God. This highly corrupting energy affected a multitude of imperial soldiers, causing many to shriek in pain and collapse, blood streaming from all of their orifices.
Su Wenhao could not afford to care about them anymore.
Once transformed into this monstrosity, his sanity all but vanished.
He only desired to confront the Abyssal Dragon before him.
Long Yi was taken aback, "Is this the result of devouring the fragments of the Evil God? I never expected it to be this severe!"
Since Su Wenhao had transformed into the Evil God monstrosity, his power had experienced an enormous surge, surpassing even the formidable Golden form of Huang Hui, the guardian knight.
"Die!"
The Evil God monstrosity unleashed numerous tentacles, attempting to capture the Abyssal Dragon hovering in mid-air.
Long Yi countered with a barrage of Abyssal lightning, effortlessly repelling the tentacles.
"I must end this swiftly!"
Long Yi released a powerful surge of dragon fear, first subduing the nearby empire soldiers.
He then swiftly descended, unleashing a scorching torrent of Abyssal Dragon Flame upon the Evil God monstrosity, instantly carbonizing a significant portion of its body.
The monstrous shrieks echoed madly from within the Evil God abomination.
These ear-piercing cries carried an intense psychic assault, causing unfortunate empire soldiers to collapse like mowed wheat.
Long Yi, too, suffered significant injuries, blood dripping from his draconic eyes.
Yet, he dared not relent, unleashing a relentless torrent of Dragon Flame until the flames consumed the entire body of the Evil God monstrosity, reducing it to charred remains from head to toe.
With a mighty sweep of his tail, a devastating force crashed upon the scene. The Evil God monster was shattered, reduced to scattered ashes.
At the same time, hundreds of Thunderclap City giants were teleported to the rear of the battlefield.
"Kill, kill, kill!"
"For the Majesty of the Demon King!"
"These damned humans shall perish!"
Jin Kui, the giant chieftain with the strength of a Level 5 overlord, wielded a golden thunderous spear and charged into the empire forces, inflicting dozens, if not hundreds, of casualties in an instant.
Simultaneously, as Su Wenhao met his demise, the fortress mages and the beholders, who were under the influence of the Evil God, immediately regained their senses.
Beams of beholder rays and torrents of magical attacks rained down upon the disoriented empire soldiers, much like a relentless downpour.
The legion commander's face turned ashen, realizing the gravity of the situation. "It's over."
In the blink of an eye, the Dragon Flame swept forth, reducing him to mere ashes amidst the sea of flames.
...
Meanwhile, within the confines of the Darkness City's castle, Zhang Nu lounged comfortably, attended to by his fox-kin servants. He leisurely savored the exquisite elven wine, holding a book in his hand, reveling in a carefree lifestyle.
At that moment, his player interface abruptly exploded with notifications. He casually glanced at them but was taken aback.
[You've slain an Empire Soldier. Gold +70!]
[You've slain an Empire Soldier. Gold +70!]
[You've slain an Empire Mage. Gold +100!]
[You've slain an Empire Knight. Gold +150!]
[...]
[You've slain an Empire Soldier Captain. Gold +200!]
[You've slain an Empire Mage Captain. Gold +500!]
[You've slain an Empire High-Ranking General. Gold +20,000!]
[...]
[You've slain a Level 5 Hero. Hero's soul +2, Evil God's fragment +1!]
[...]
[You've slain the Legion Commander of the Third Legion of the Southern Border. Gold +350,000!]
[You've slain a Level 3 Hero. Hero's soul +1! Skill stone +1!]
[You've slain a Level 3 Hero. Hero's soul +1! Skill stone +1!]
[...]
Zhang Nu was dumbfounded.
Especially by this particular notification: [You've slain a Level 5 Hero. Hero's soul +2, Evil God's fragment +1!]
Level 5 Heroes? There were Level 5 Heroes in that siege?
And what in the world were those two souls?
Moreover, he did not obtain skill stones from the kill; instead, he obtained an Evil God's fragment!