Chapter 390. The Outbreak of War (4)
Chi-Woo managed to go to sleep, but not long after, he had to open his eyes again. It was because Ru Amuh suddenly woke him up with the news that their enemies were almost here. Chi-Woo hurriedly got up when he heard that the coalition was going to reach the last gate soon. It was already busy outside, and people were running everywhere he looked. Chi-Woo led the Seven Stars members up to the walls and looked over the gate.
The Ca.s.siubia League members guarding the walls were already notching arrows onto their bows even though their enemy couldn’t be sighted yet. Veins popped out of the back of their hands as they gripped their bows with full strength. Below the gate, the troops stationed near the entrance were also holding their breath while clutching onto their weapons. Everyone defending the mountain range on the left and right sides of the gate looked incredibly tense as they stared forward.
n.o.body spoke. It was hard for them to even stand properly. Everyone’s breathing was harsh, and even their skin seemed to sting a bit. Under the silver light of the setting moon, a very deep silence and stillness stretched. Then, suddenly, quiet murmurs could be heard on top of the gate. Starting from members of the Garula tribe, who were known to have superb eyesight and archery skills, a stir erupted and spread. Chi-Woo soon realized what was happening when someone declared tartly, “They are coming.”
He began to see a dot under the distant light. The faint black dot moved across the horizon and stretched until it began to flow toward them like a giant ma.s.s of black river. It came at them with tremendous force like it was going to swallow up the gate whole. Their enemies were finally here. They had broken and burned up all the gates except this one, and they came with the intention to erase everything related to Shalyh.
They finally revealed themselves in front of the gate, and black ma.s.ses of waves continued to flow without signs of stopping. Their troops were made up of very diverse groups. Some creatures didn’t even seem to belong to Liber, such as the Abyss’ eerie monsters who boasted sizes comparable to the giant Gigas tribe. The grotesque processions of monsters marched on, painting quite the spectacle. Yet the Demon Empire and the Abyss weren’t alone.
A gigantic shadow enough to encompa.s.s the gate cast over them. Everyone’s mouth dropped open with the entrance of the mighty-looking Sky Castle. It was so large and ma.s.sive that some wondered if it was supposed to be a meteor aiming at crus.h.i.+ng the entire gate at once. And while humanity and the Ca.s.siubia League’s attention was stolen away by the Sky Castle, the Demon Empire’s and the Abyss’ troops stopped marching some distance away from the last gate. With this, all the main characters battling for dominance over Liber had gathered in one area.
***
The three faction coalition—the Demon Empire, the Abyss, and the Sernitas all reached the last gate. Usually, as they had always done, they would’ve crushed the gate so that not even its dust remained and headed straight into Shalyh. Yet they couldn’t do that this time because there were troops resolutely holding their ground on top of the gate, as well as troops lining the pathway leading into the mountain ranges hugging the gate on both sides. But of course, they were greatly outnumbered by the coalition army.
After stopping the troops, Bael looked up at the last gate standing firmly and pridefully in its spot and said, “It’s tall.” Then, she looked at the mountain ranges between which the gate stood and said, “And the terrain is rough.” She bared her teeth. “It wouldn’t have been easy.”
She said ‘it wouldn’t have been easy’ instead of ‘it won’t be easy’. She wasn’t speaking about the present. Originally, it certainly wouldn’t have been an easy battle if the Demon Empire had fought with a similar number of forces as humanity and the Ca.s.siubia League. Fighting in an area under the effects of a holy sanctuary would be like smothering themselves in oil and jumping into a pit of fire. However, that wasn’t the case now.
“I like how they got out instead of hiding inside Shalyh, but…hm, who knows what they will do?” Bael said calmly. There was a reason for Bael’s confidence. With the coalition, their strengths were multiplied, and she could expect other factions to fill up their gaps. In other words…
“?” Bael suddenly glanced beside her. There was a wavering dark haze.
—His Majesty…
It was a gloomy voice carried by the wind. Bael’s eyes narrowed. This unpleasant current was Huk Cheong-Ram, the top member of the newly reorganized Seven Chasms following the Abyss King. Bael remembered Huk Cheong-Ram’s name not only because he was one of the big names in the Abyss, but also because he was responsible for the extinguishment of at least three or four great demons.
—Wants us to go…this way…as planned…secure both sides of the mountain… The Demon Empire…sieges the gate…
Bael didn’t even look at Huk Cheong-Ram properly and simply nodded to show that she understood. But instead of turning around after getting an answer, Huk Cheong-Ram didn’t back down.
—Do you…perhaps…
Bael closed her eyes tightly.
—His Majesty…says…
“Hey.” In the end, she couldn’t bear it any longer. “Do you always talk like that?”
Huk Cheong-Ram flinched.
“Can’t you talk more clearly? I know I shouldn’t fault someone for their manner of speech, but even Shersha doesn’t talk like you.”
Though he had good reason to be offended, Huk Cheong-Ram remained quiet under Bael’s intense glare. Huk Cheong-Ram would’ve laughed at most great demons for daring to act antagonistic toward him, but Bael was an exception. She was a true monster who stood at the top of dozens and dozens of great demons. It seemed tales about her weren’t exaggerations either because Huk Cheong-Ram could feel from her a power equal to that of the Abyss King he served. The destructive force embedded in her bloodl.u.s.t was simply astonis.h.i.+ng. Thus, Huk Cheong-Ram unconsciously fixed his posture and quickly spoke again.
—If you plan on going up the stage. We’ll wait. He says.
‘Should’ve done that from the beginning,’ Bael’s face seemed to say, and she snorted. When going to war under an alliance, it was common for leaders of two armies to discuss who would take the central stage. And considering the larger size of Bael’s army and the past humiliation the Demon Empire had suffered, it seemed the Abyss King was telling her that she could take the first action. Perhaps there were great demons who wanted to do that, and it could raise her soldiers’ morale, but Bael wasn’t the type to indulge in such desire, nor was she interested in petty glory.
The fact that she had brought an army of this size already proved the Demon Empire’s will. Furthermore, she was planning to prove herself through action rather than talk. But above all, she didn’t like how the Abyss King was acting like he was doing her a favor as her superior.
“Tell the Abyss King I’m grateful for the offer, but it’s fine. If his side wants to do it, we will wait.”
—…It’s fine.
Hearing Bael’s cold tone, Huk Cheong-Ram also responded stiffly.
“Then that matter is settled. We will move as planned before, so you can return now,” Bael said.
—Then…
Huk Cheong-Ram was about to say something, but closed his mouth again when Bael turned around and waved her hands at him like she was shooing away a fly. She was telling him to p.i.s.s off since there was nothing else to settle. Though it was an order filled with disregard, Huk Cheong-Ram had to swallow his anger and leave; and as soon as the black haze disappeared without a trace, Bael let out the sigh she had been holding in. Then, she asked, “How much more time is left?”
The question came out of nowhere, but an answer immediately came from behind her. “The first round will come to an end this afternoon.”
Bael nodded. Because dawn hadn’t broken yet, the sky was still dark. There would only be a couple of hours left before the sun shot up to the middle of the sky. It was one way for them to wait here and watch until the right time arrived, but…
“But they went so far with their preparations. We should play with them a bit,” Bael said and murmured to herself, ‘Plus, I have something to confirm,’ and glanced around her.
“With Naverius in the center, Bune and Balaam will take charge of each side,” she gave the orders without hesitation. “Also, tell them this: I will let them take the forefront of what will go down in history as a glorious war.”
The messengers prostrating before her quickly got up, and when they pa.s.sed on Bael’s message, the troops in question burst into a loud cheer. Seeing parts of the Demon Empire’s army move, the Abyss also split their army in half and dispatched them. Meanwhile, the single-digit ranking great demons quietly waited. As beings with strong warlike spirits, they usually would’ve been displeased that they couldn’t take the forefront position of battle, but no one did that this time. They simply smiled to themselves.
“Everyone, look forward to it.” It was the same for Bael. “Before this day is over, you’ll not see even a speck of dust left from that gate over there.” She made a meaningful smile and looked up at the tall gate.
—f.u.c.k…..ing…….
When Huk Cheong-Ram returned to the Abyss’ side, he heaved. He went to talk to Bael in consideration of her, but got treated poorly. Furthermore, he talked faster than usual and was insulted for it. The more he thought about it, the sadder he felt, and soon, he was sniffing and tearing up.
—b.i.t.c.h…….
Unlike how he looked, Huk Cheong-Ram had a very fragile heart.
***
Though the commotion at the gate stopped momentarily with their enemy’s appearance, murmurings could soon be heard from everywhere. This was because they saw the coalition army dividing and dispatching their troops as soon as they reached the gate, as if they were planning to attack soon. This seemed to showcase their enemy’s fierce fighting spirit and made humanity and the Ca.s.siubia League chew their lips anxiously.
Chi-Woo studied the coalition army’s arrangement carefully. Honestly, he had little knowledge about war. He only knew how to go out and fight and was a complete novice in anything regarding war strategy or tactics. He was such a newb that when he heard that they were putting up a defense from the gate, he thought everyone would gather on top of the walls to block the enemy together. Yet that wasn’t what they did. Ismile stationed troops not only on top of the gate, but also below it near the entrance and on both sides where the mountains were. When asked about his reason, Ismile replied that there was nothing more stupid than putting all the troops only at the gate.
First of all, even though the mountains were tough terrain, it wasn’t as if there were no byways or gaps. If their enemies really wanted to, they could climb up the mountains on both sides and attack them from three fronts, which would be catastrophic to them. Second, weapons like spears and swords weren’t the only means of attack on Liber. Magic and flying creatures also existed in this world, and they needed to be taken into consideration. Third, they still didn’t know what exactly their enemy had prepared.
Ismile especially emphasized the third point. For example, there was the Sky Castle. Compared to the Demon Empire or the Abyss, it was as if the Sernitas had sent their leftovers. Yet there would definitely be something formidable about it—a secret weapon great enough to land a decisive blow in this war.
‘If the Sky Castle attacks the gate from above or pa.s.ses over us and heads to Shalyh, Ismile said it would become a difficult fight,’ Chi-Woo recalled what Ismile had told him. Everything Ismile had said seemed to be generally right. It appeared that the Demon Empire was attempting to have the fight at the gate. And seeing the Abyss divide the army in half and move to both sides of the Demon Empire’s army, it seemed they were planning to send their troops to the mountain ranges. And then, there was perhaps the most important force to consider, the Sernitas’ Sky Castle. It remained to be seen whether the Sky Castle would remain in this place and attack the gate with the others, or if it would float higher and head toward Shalyh.
It was then the Sky Castle in the air tilted. Then, it gradually and slowly moved. Chi-Woo eyed it anxiously.
‘What?’ His eyebrows furrowed, and he wasn’t the only one reacting that way.
“…Hm?” Ismile looked a bit taken aback too like he hadn’t expected this turn of events. The Sky Castle was descending to the ground. They weren’t going to fight from the sky, but on the ground. Furthermore, they were trailing behind the Demon Empire’s army, the main body of the coalition army, and the Abyss, which was the wings. The Sernitas were going to fight as the tail of the army.