Chapter 393
The battle raged on for over twenty hours until the following morning.
As the sun rose, its golden rays bathed the land, and the flags of Dawn City fluttered atop the military fortresses.
Blood and snow.
Blades and swords.
The battlefield was a cacophony of gunfire, stone projectiles, and rivers of blood staining the snowy plains, like a beautiful painting marred by fire.
Of the ten military fortresses targeted by Dawn City, five now bore the banners of Dawn City, flying proudly in the wind.
Upon seeing the rising Dawn flag, most players sank to the ground, too exhausted to move.
"I'm mentally drained."
"Yeah, this constant and unending battle is incredibly abnormal. Even if we still have strength, our aim is all over the place."
"Let's retreat, log off, and get some rest."
Many players who hadn't died more than six times decided to log off at this moment.
After all, this war, which allowed no respite, was truly exhausting, and players were more focused on the tasks related to William's Brickmoving task than anything else.
Experience was important, but so were their sanity and well-being.
However, there were still 1.8 million Dawn players and 100000 Liver Emperors who remained active, diligently completing various tasks. They would only log off when their mental fatigue and exhaustion became overwhelming.
William sat at the city's helm, gazing upon the pile of soldiers' bodies. He took a deep breath, raised his head, and knocked it against the wall before staring at the windless, cloudless sky.
At that moment, Nock, his adjutant, approached with a solemn expression. He spoke in a low voice, "Your Highness, the casualties from the battle have been counted."
"The Infantry Corps lost 2145 high-level Professionals and 15390 Intermediate Level Professionals. The six cavalry legions lost 4302 individuals. The Dragon Blood Legion sustained 89 casualties. Additionally, there are 8540 severely wounded soldiers who are no longer capable of fighting."
"21926 people?" William murmured to himself. The death toll hadn't exceeded his estimates, but he couldn't help but sigh, realizing that a quarter of the 100000 people he had brought from Dawn City had perished in a single night of battle.
Especially the 8540 severely wounded soldiers. In this magical era, what did "severely wounded" even mean?
It meant losing limbs to the Point where they couldn't be reattached.
It meant their limbs had been lost to the extent that they couldn't be recovered.
But as long as they had their limbs and could find a few magic instructors, they could use secret techniques to reconnect their severed body parts.
William looked at Nock and said, "Have those severely injured soldiers returned to Dawn City for treatment. Deliver the promise I made to them, and I assure them that they will be resurrected!"
"Yes, Your Highness," Nock replied. But before he could leave, he hesitated and added, "Norton is dead."
William looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Norton was his personal guard, his protector. Norton would greet him every morning as he left his quarters, and Norton would always be there, following behind him.
Norton was a soldier who rarely smiled but remained unfailingly loyal to his prince.
William had patted Norton on the shoulder once, saying, "I remember. Is he your brother?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Nock replied.
"I want you to use this ring to transport the bodies of all the soldiers from Dawn City back home. It's too cold here, and they're not used to it," William said, handing Nock a ring before slowly turning away.
Nock bowed his head and departed.
Generals were often the first to fall in battle.
Very few made it through to the end of the conflict.
Nock and Norton were brothers.
In a pure-blooded Elf family, this was a rarity.
He didn't know how much Nock would grieve, but there was no bringing the dead back to life.
The past had to be left behind.
Was William sad?
Perhaps.
He rubbed his nose, leaned against the cold wall with his hands, and gazed indifferently at the Orc Empire to the north.
There was a glint in his eyes, which narrowed slightly as his gaze pierced through space.
Allowing him to see the Black Great Wall twenty kilometers away.
Arrow towers.
Fortress after fortress.
Orc warriors, ogres, monsters, and the numerous creatures in the enemy's ranks filled his sight.
However, William's thoughts were consumed by the casualties and the burdens he carried. The battlefield stretched out before him, but his mind was somewhere else.
They had successfully deceived the Behemoth and Frost Giant!
"I won't engage in another battle at that great wall," William sighed softly. He was determined to take the lead as a pioneer in capturing the five military fortresses.
But there was a deeper reason behind his decision.
He aimed to accumulate a substantial number of combat achievements to spare his soldiers from being sent to attack the Black Great Wall, where millions of Elves had met their end.
Even though he wasn't directly involved in that perilous task, he knew how to minimize risks for his troops.
The future was uncertain. The legions of the Orc Empire continued their relentless advance. As long as the Elves held onto these 18 fortresses scattered across the northern ice and snow grasslands, there would be relentless, bloody battles.
His Lord had no desire to see his soldiers perish at the Black Great Wall, so William focused on earning enough achievements elsewhere to divert attention from this dangerous assignment.
His battlefield lay within the fortresses and the snow-covered grassland within a 20–kilometer radius. He envisioned his Dragon Blood Legion and Cavalry Legion battling the Orc Legion, striving to earn the Ever Victorious Legion's recognition.
His approach was opportunistic, but it wasn't limited to humans; even as a Half-Elf, he possessed a touch of selfishness.
Around noon, an alliance of the three ethnic groups dispatched 50000 troops from among the five military fortresses to safeguard their hard-won gains.
This was not about claiming credit; it was about stabilizing the situation and ensuring His Royal Highness the prince received the recognition he deserved.
The General Commander of the three ethnic alliance, Charlie Reeve, a Legendary soldier of the Snow Elf family, came to the front line to visit him. Charlie Reeve was widely renowned, and though William had never met him in his previous life, he had heard of the commander's unmatched skills.
Charlie Reeve was a fire Professional with unparalleled saber techniques, known for defeating two Legendary opponents of the same rank.
Legendary figures rarely met their demise unless they actively sought it, suggesting that Charlie Reeve possessed extraordinary talents and strength. In his youth, he was likely considered a genius with the potential to become a Sage.
In a tent hastily erected within a military fortress, William pretended to be injured, wearing an expression of pain as he coughed up blood upon seeing Charlie Reeve approaching.
"Don't worry, Your Highness. You're a great hero now," Charlie Reeve assured him. "Since you're so badly injured, you should rest more. Seeing you, I understand from my heart that the future of the Elves depends on you young people!"
Charlie Reeve's words carried both praise and a message for the young men and women around him to learn from William's example.
As William observed the dozen individuals, his eyes sparkled with excitement. These were not ordinary people; they were all Legendary Rank and Grandmaster Level individuals, representing the cream of the crop among the top three ethnic groups. Some even exuded the aura of Sages.
What was more significant was that they weren't just the youth of the three Elven races today; they were the future backbone of the Elves.
One by one, they displayed insight and talent, and William couldn't help but be impressed. These individuals were the future leaders and powerhouses of their races.
In fact, individuals like William, who were marginal princes not fully integrated into the Elf family, rarely had the opportunity to meet experts of the same caliber within the Elf community. There were rumors that even after the World Tree's destruction, the three Elven races in the Legendary continent still controlled damaged parts of the World Tree's space where they trained top talents.
William noticed that while many of these individuals carried an air of arrogance, they also showed respect in the presence of real military achievements. William, true to his nature, was not arrogant, and he stood up with a smile.
"Commander Charlie Reeve's words are humbling," he said. "We are all peers here. Many of my fellow brothers and sisters have performed better than me, and I look forward to learning from them. It's impossible for you to learn from me. Looking at all of you, I'm confident that with your abilities, our Elves will triumph over the orc empire."
The group exchanged pleasantries and compliments, and William's charismatic presence, combined with his seemingly injured state, garnered him even more favor.
Laughter filled the tent as many praised William, saying, "You're too kind, Your Highness. All of us here are Elves of exceptional talent, but in this war, Prince William shines the brightest. We can hardly catch up to him!"
"Yes, while our personal strength is commendable, we can learn a great deal from Your Highness when it comes to uniting troops and leading as generals."
Such mutual compliments were commonplace throughout history, regardless of the era or background. As long as intelligent races existed, such interactions were bound to occur.
Charlie Reeve, the Legendary figure, gazed at William with satisfaction. He believed that if all Elves were as capable as these young individuals, the future held endless possibilities, even a return to the prosperous center of the Continent.
However, there was one drawback: William was not a Snow Elf. This observation led Charlie Reeve to raise an eyebrow thoughtfully as he remarked, "Modesty is indeed a virtue, but no one can deny your ability to lead troops into battle and your remarkable achievements in just a day."
Charlie Reeve then excused himself, saying, "I won't stay much longer. You young people should chat more."
As the Legendary commander departed, William and the others exchanged uncertain glances. They didn't know what else to say at that moment.
Nevertheless, His Royal Highness decided to inject some levity into the situation. He smiled and suggested, "You've all traveled a long way, braving the wind and snow. The celebration banquet has yet to be held. How about we share a drink?"
His suggestion was met with enthusiasm. One individual chimed in, "Your Highness, that's a generous offer. We didn't expect to arrive in time for the celebration banquet."
Another added, "We've heard that Dawn City has many culinary delights. We're eager to try them."
William's identity, status, and background made it impossible for anyone to refuse such an invitation, even considering his Half-Elf heritage.
Following the group's enjoyable banquet, William turned his attention to the task information that appeared.
It was astonishing.