In the distance, lines of blood and sharp rose petals clashed in midair, every collision erupting in blinding crimson light.
Even with Pujis aiding her, Louisa was still hard-pressed under Uniel’s stormlike assault.
Several times Uniel broke through Louisa’s defense, and only the Pujis’ [Mana Shield] gave her enough time to react.
It wasn’t until Xinghuo emerged from a tunnel to provide magical support—along with the occasional strike from the Resonance Cannons—that Louisa barely managed to hang on, preventing Uniel from swiftly finishing her.
Seeing Uniel temporarily occupied, Paine swung his staff, hurling a blazing fireball into the seemingly endless sea of Pujis below, blasting a charred crater.
He pressed again on the half-demon chief beside him: “Bastardos! What are you waiting for?! Will you watch your kin die to the last, and return home empty-handed?!”
Hearing this, the struggle in Bastardos’s eyes faded, replaced by grim resolve.
The air around him distorted, two ghostly purple flames ignited deep in his pupils, his vast power beginning to surge!
But just as he stepped forward—
“Chieftain!! Chieftain—!!!” A voice of grief and desperation rang out through the snow behind him!Bastardos spun in shock, pupils contracting, his voice shaking with disbelief: “Sergio?! You… weren’t you left to guard the tribe?! Why are you here?!”
“Chieftain! The tribe is gone!” The half-demon warrior Sergio collapsed to the ground, his face scarred with frostbite, tears, and terror as he wailed, “You left only three days! A huge swarm of monsters burst from the river! They could turn invisible, and there were too many! We couldn’t stop them!”
He pounded the frozen earth, his voice breaking: “My brother… he and the others held them off with their lives! Just to buy us a way to escape! The clansmen have all fled into the snow! I barely made it to you!”
“W-what?!” Bastardos reeled as if struck by lightning, his massive frame swaying, the purple flames in his eyes guttering out at once.
“Chieftain! Hurry! Save them! Any later and they’ll freeze or starve on the tundra!” Sergio cried, his voice hoarse with blood and tears.
But Paine spoke coldly: “Go back now? Too late. The dead are long dead. Those who can live will endure a few more days. Destroy the Demonkin here, bring your survivors, and follow me to the Empire to recover. That is your only path forward, half-demon chieftain.”
Bastardos’s eyes widened in fury, glaring at the Marshal Puji on the fortress wall.
And then—on the battlefield, with Uniel entangled, warriors clashing, and Paine’s fireballs, a strange “gap” opened amidst the chaos, leading straight toward the fortress walls.
It stood exposed at the center of the battle, like a shortcut to victory.
Hearing Lin Jun trying to bait them closer…
The gap was so tempting that Bastardos almost charged.
But his instincts screamed danger.
Looking closely, he realized—at some point, all the Demonkin on the wall had vanished. Only Pujis remained.
“Retreat!”
A shrill, piercing whistle tore from Bastardos’s lips, cutting across the battlefield!
The half-demons still locked in desperate combat froze, their faces etched with shock, frustration, unwillingness. Yet they obeyed, straining to disengage and fall back.
Some half-demons were already surrounded by swarming Pujis, moments from being overwhelmed.
Bastardos flashed across the battlefield like a phantom. His claws ripped through the air, shredding the Pujis into clouds of fungal debris!
Without hesitation, he darted through the chaos, tearing gaps in the encirclement, covering and guiding his people’s retreat.
Paine watched coldly, saying nothing. Since Bastardos had abandoned the Empire’s “gift,” he had lost all leverage over him—there was no point in speaking further.
The battle shifted in an instant. The half-demon army withdrew under their chief’s command, and the pressure slammed wholly onto the Lizardmen, now leaderless!
The Pujis clearly noticed this, deliberately letting some half-demons go while swarming toward the Lizardmen.
At the level of peak power, Paine and Uniel remained. Whether the enemy had hidden Hall-rankers was still unknown.
Even if not, facing thousands of foes with just the two of them…
Victory wasn’t impossible, but the risk was needless.
Grey’s intelligence had been a joke! The enemy’s strength far exceeded expectations. Simply bringing back this knowledge was enough to answer to the Empire.
That was why Paine had pushed Bastardos forward without going himself—there was no need to risk his own life.
Even without conquering the Demonkin, the Empire lost nothing.
If the tribes succeeded, the Empire would honor its word.
But failing the mission meant no reward. The Empire only cared about results.
So… Paine’s gaze swept the battlefield, falling on Grey, locked in combat with several Gida. It was time for them to withdraw too.
…
Flames engulfed her body, but Grey’s fighting spirit only blazed hotter! Each punch carried searing heat, shattering bio-armor in bursts of molten ruin.
Fire was his innate gift. It was this power that let him fight freely in the frozen north without [Frost Resistance].
He drove a flaming fist through a Gida’s chest plate, immolating the Demonkin within, hurling them away with a scream.
Just as he raised his foot to finish them, a mana shell shrieked past!
Grey twisted, the projectile grazing his shoulder before exploding in the tundra, gouging a crater.
Another bio-armor suit… though its design looked different this time.
It didn’t matter.
Their weapons were powerful, yes—but their pilots were far too slow. Against him, their firepower was wasted.
Grey lunged again, dodging two more mana blasts, closing the distance with a burning punch—
But this time, his blow halted, stopped by a dull yellow chest plate.
The impact numbed his arm, while the target only staggered half a step before steadying.
“What the hell is this?!”
Inside, Norris seized the chance.
“Eat my drill!”
An elite Driller Puji burst forward, ignoring Grey’s heat, its sharp drill tipped with raw physical power, boring into his abdomen!
Squelch!
Flesh tore, pain flared. But Grey gritted his teeth, clamping down on the Puji’s body with iron hands.
He twisted, his burning leg sweeping out, smashing the Gida’s head in an explosion of gore!
Norris’s vision collapsed into black.
Grey smashed the Puji embedded in his belly with brutal elbows until it crumpled.
But before he could follow up, a spear shot from the side, aimed at his ribs!
Caught off guard, he tried to dodge—but the spear pursued, forcing him to block with his arm, which was pierced through.
“You!” Grey recognized his attacker.
“We meet again, Imperial envoy!” Shou’s voice was ice-cold, devoid of greeting.
At once, the two blurred together in furious battle, fists and spear clashing in a storm!
Before a victor emerged, razor wind blades slashed into their fight, disrupting Shou’s rhythm. Grey seized the instant and smashed his blazing fist into Shou’s face!
Shou crashed back, carving a trench across the Mycelium Carpet.
Paine descended beside Grey, seizing his shoulder. “Time to withdraw!”
Before leaving, Paine flicked his staff, sending a honed wind blade slicing toward Norris, just climbing from the wrecked Gida!
Faced with a Hall-ranker’s casual strike, Norris’s eyes shrank!
Too late to dodge, he crossed his arms desperately in defense—
Clang—!!!
The impact rang like steel, unnatural and jarring. The blade struck black scales, leaving not even a scratch!
Paine’s eyes hardened, turning to the small figure who had suddenly appeared before Norris. “Dragonkin…”
Seeing the enemy refuse to step into his booby-trapped fortress, instead choosing to withdraw, Lin Jun finally revealed his trump card—unleashing Gray.