Chapter 390
From the moment William struck the city gate, countless players streamed into the military fortress from both sides, engaging the orcs in battle. It was a war of blades and swords, a racial conflict, and a brutal battle where no one could afford to retreat.
In mere minutes, rows of orcs fell before the players, who were resurrected one after another to rejoin the fight. The battle continued relentlessly until a wall of orc corpses formed a makeshift barricade at the city gate.
Inside the city, the battlefield became a gruesome scene with bloodied remains and severed limbs littering the ground. Players struggled to make progress as a group of high-level orcs formed a blockade.
Despite the challenges, no one wavered or retreated; they pushed forward with determination, hoping to inflict even the slightest damage upon their enemies. Overhead, arrows flew through the sky, and the artillery had fallen silent. In this dire situation, the only option was to keep advancing relentlessly.
William, too, was actively participating in the battle. With a long black sword in hand, he pushed past players and joined the fray. Hundreds of high-level orcs had been stationed to block their advance, cutting down players underfoot.
As six of them confronted William, they drew their weapons and unleashed dark, deadly strikes, each extending over ten meters. William did not slow down; he swung his sword swiftly.
Swish.
His sword, aglow with thunder, swept hundreds of meters ahead. The saber Battle Energy in the air split in two, shattering the Battle Energy shields of the six high-level orcs and cleaving their bodies in half.
However, even that was not enough to stop the thunderous sword Battle Energy. William continued advancing, swiftly dealing with other high-level orcs, his murderously intent shining through.
At the same time, a pale orc holding a black iron fist appeared, standing at about 2.34 meters tall and clad in heavy armor. He held two bloodied Heavy-Hammers connected by chains, the Blood Hammer of the Demon Clan.
Upon seeing him, the orc soldiers were filled with awe. They had not anticipated such a formidable warrior hidden within their fortress.
In the vast orc empire, whether epic, master, or high-level Professional…
However, the pale orc and his comrades underestimated William's abilities. NPCs above high-level blood received exceptional treatment. They were equipped with epic gear, Legendary Rank secret scripts, and Legendary Rank weapons of the same level.
Dawn City had always struggled with finances, but this extravagant spending on its Professionals had built a powerful army. Now, high-ranking Dawn City soldiers occupied the city wall and advanced within the fortress, displaying numerous advantages.
The Dawn Corps possessed army buffs, blood bonuses, and top-notch armor. Their shields were impenetrable even for orc warriors. Dawn warriors could cut through armor, and their various enhancements provided unimaginable vitality and self-defense.
Burned Cinder, Lotner, Diablo, Violent Dragon, and Old Leather led other Dawn Corps warriors, spreading chaos throughout the military fortresses. The Dawn Corps poured into the orc fortresses like wolves among sheep, engaging in one-sided battles.
As William confronted an orc Gladiator who charged at him without reservation, the orc soldiers' only goal was to delay time, allowing those unable to fight to withdraw while the capable warriors held the front lines. They knew that holding on would eventually bring reinforcements from the Black Great Wall, even more formidable and ferocious.
However, they underestimated William's capabilities. The treatment for NPCs of high-level blood was extraordinary. With epic gear, Legendary Rank secret scripts, and Legendary Rank weapons of the same level, William was an unstoppable force.
Soon, the high-ranking Dawn soldiers occupied the city wall and
pushed further into the fortress, leaving the orcs in a desperate situation. Facing an invincible Professional like William, no one could stop him for more than a minute.
In the orc empire, there might not be a warrior capable of halting William's advance within such a military fortress.
But at that moment, a burly demon clan master warrior, standing at 2.34 meters tall, clad in heavy armor, and wielding two bloodied Heavy-Hammers connected by chains, approached William. It was the Blood Hammer of the Demon Clan, and it seemed that the orc fortress held a formidable secret.
"There is a ranking in place, and at the top of the masters' hierarchy sits the Blood Hammer, a Super Master who ranks among the top ten.
In this vast orc empire, with a population numbering in the thousands, the demon clan accounts for over three million. Born warriors, the demon clan boasts blood as potent as the Elves, significantly bolstering the orc empire's ranks. Consequently, there are tens of thousands of Grandmaster Level Professionals residing in this northern Orc empire.
Even among these tens of thousands of masters, the top five stand out without question. The strength of the Blood Hammer cannot be underestimated.
William arched an eyebrow upon discovering this fact. It was evident that the Orc Empire had no intention of immediately relinquishing its ten military fortresses; they were prepared to continue the fight. They even deployed numerous experts within the fortresses to ensure that no Grandmaster Level Professionals among them could thwart the defense, allowing the steel fortresses to fall.
At this very moment, the gates of the great ice and snow wall swung open. Like long black serpents, the orc armies, braving the biting winds and snow, surged toward the ten military fortresses. The distance separating the two sides was a mere 20 kilometers, and with the Professionals running at full speed, they would reach the fortresses in no time. This was precisely why there were no portals within the military fortresses.
In other words, William had a mere 30 minutes to secure the military fortresses entirely before the orc reinforcements arrived. Otherwise, all their hard-fought advantages would be in vain.
However, even after William's vanguard gained a significant edge, the Elves weren't foolish. Their cavalry joined forces with the Dawn Cavalry Corps and Griffin Corps to intercept the reinforcements. Nevertheless, in comparison to the continuous flow of orc reinforcements, the Elves were short on support.
It was clear that the Dawn Army, divided into ten routes, wouldn't be able to capture all ten iron and steel fortresses. But even before encountering this Super Grandmaster Level Professional, William had devised a plan: if things went awry, Dawn City would abandon five of its steel fortresses and transfer troops to the nearest military fortress for a joint assault.
It was a reluctant course of action, but as the leader of the Dawn Legion, William needed to assess his troops' strength and numbers. Dividing their forces ten ways might yield victory, but how many would be left standing in the end? Only a handful, it seemed, and the Dragon Blood Legion could be obliterated in a single stroke.
As a pioneer, William had already achieved an impressive feat by capturing five of the ten fortresses in a single day. Was he prepared to sacrifice everything Dawn City had for this decade-long, bloody war? The accomplishments at these five fortresses could silence those who had once scorned him.
War demanded sacrifices and gains. What seemed like capturing half the military fortresses might be considered a great feat by many generals, but William wasn't just any general – he was a Lord. He had transitioned from being a player to an original resident, and his Lordship carried the responsibility of leading soldiers from the southernmost tip of the continent to the far north, engaging in a war unrelated to their homeland. He had the right to bring these living soldiers back as intact as possible.
"War is never without losses. My hope is to minimize them. Even if it means reducing our achievements, I'd rather see fewer lives lost. If you are loyal to me, I will reciprocate that loyalty," declared William as a Lord. He wouldn't blindly sacrifice his men's lives, but he would do everything in his power to enhance their strength through equipment, secrets, magic potions, magic crystal stones, and the wealth he had amassed. His goal was to ensure they sweated more in training and bled less on the battlefield.
William was someone who valued his life but was not stingy with his support. He rewarded those who treated him well and repaid those who wronged him a hundredfold. The enemies in his little book would meet their end sooner or later.