Various battles were currently unfolding in the area. Violent energy was erupting every second across the entire landscape. The sky and the earth were engulfed in combat.
It was no longer about S-rank; even the top SS-rank powerhouses had joined the battle, inflicting devastating blows on the land.
Souta was locked in combat with Fendal, while Li Guan faced off against Magred. Genzu was engaging the remaining four Wingless Crow experts, with the assistance of Bezvin and powerhouses from the Large Countries.
These battles were the most attention-grabbing, as combatants went all-out in their efforts to eliminate their foes. The battles felt apocalyptic, as the land crumbled and the sky thundered in anger.
Meanwhile, the angels and others were still assessing the strength of the seven experts from the Army of Gluttony, who stood before them.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Fendal crashed onto the ground, creating a massive crater.
"Damn! This monster!"
He spat out a mouthful of blood before rolling to the side.
In the next moment, an energy blade crashed into his previous position.
Fendal quickly regained his footing and leaped into the air.
Whoosh!
Seven shadows closed in on him, and he swiftly dispatched two of them with his halberd. He disregarded the remaining shadows and charged toward Souta.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Both of their figures collided multiple times, sending sparks of energy flying in all directions.
Suddenly, both of them stopped as they sensed hundreds of energy spikes. Souta and Fendal turned their heads simultaneously.
"What's happening?"
Not only them, but almost everyone on the battlefield felt the energy fluctuations. They paused for a moment as these powerful energy fluctuations were new to them.
"As I expected..." Schine said in a grave tone.
"There's no way the Army of Gluttony would send only seventeen top powerhouses. It's twenty-three powerhouses if we add those six experts," Naruse said as she covered her mouth with a fan.
Schine glanced at the powerhouses from the Large Countries. He said, "I guess we have to act now. The full force of the Army of Gluttony is here."
The forces of the Large Countries nodded, their faces filled with gravity.
Shen Yao took a deep breath and muttered, "Since Li Guan has joined the battle, it's time for me to showcase my prowess too."
In the distance, more than thirty kilometers away from the battlefield, a large group of people wearing black robes were flying at high speed. They didn't bother concealing their energy, so most of the people on the battlefield sensed their aura.
Gluttony's men were divided into two groups. The first was the Army of Gluttony, comprised of individuals cultivated in other dimensions by Gluttony, whom he had brought into the Imperium to bolster his forces.
This group also included smaller organizations secretly controlled by him around the continent, such as the Red Matter Association. They served as Gluttony's private, covert force.
The second group was the force of the Deadly Sins, consisting of the First Circle Officers and the highest-ranking officers of the Seven Deadly Sins. They were experts who only acted upon the orders of their chosen Sin and were primarily active within the Imperium.
Souta narrowed his eyes and spotted a group of people flying several tens of kilometers away.
"The officers are here..." He muttered to himself.
It was a troublesome development, but the Alliance army and the Five Master Clans should still be able to manage it. There were individuals on their side who had not yet moved into action.
A true clash would happen soon.
Suddenly, Souta's eyes widened as a familiar sound rang in his mind.
This...
Boom!!
The Five Circle Officers and Six Circle Officers have arrived, triggering a massive battle between the two sides. All the representatives of the Large Countries had joined the fray.
Only a few individuals remained on the rear side. Adel, Asfrith, Shen Yao, Kasci, Naruse, and the Heads of the Five Master Clans were the sole ones left behind. All of their followers had entered the battle, turning the entire landscape into chaos.
After just a minute of observing, Adel and Shen Yao stepped forward. They rushed quickly to assist the outnumbered experts.
Not even a minute later, another figure stepped forward.
Hoei Methal looked down and declared, "I'm going to aid Bezvin in eliminating his opponent."
With those words, he left the rear position and joined the battle, leaving only three out of five clan heads behind.
Soon, everyone had left the rear position except for Schine Windi. He remained the lone figure standing behind, with his eyes closed, while everyone else was embroiled in combat.
"This is war. I must steel my heart."
Meanwhile, the Spatial Whisperer floated in the sky. Many experts noticed him, though their attention was primarily focused on the officers of the Seven Deadly Sins. He was essentially ignored, but that was part of the plan.
"Open."
He extended both of his hands forward and gripped the fabric of space. His energy surged, and his body tore through the space.
Swoosh!!
In the next instant, he arrived above Selnes Country. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
"The fabric of space has grown stronger, so even with my space attribute, it's hard to move through it."
Spatial Whisperer muttered to himself. He gazed down at the barrier that enveloped the entire country, which even locked the space, preventing him from entering the country via spatial tunneling.
At that moment, the All Filter Barrier flickered.
The barrier vanished.
Ohm!!
This triggered a series of reactions.
The Five Master Clans and the experts from the large factions felt the disappearance of the renowned All Filter Barrier Formation. They turned their heads simultaneously, their expressions gradually changing.
Boom!!
Even the monsters residing in the river grew agitated at his presence. They roared, and their energy burst forth simultaneously, exerting immense pressure on the entire land. The citizens of the country could even feel this pressure.
Spatial Whisperer ignored all the gazes directed at him and stepped forward, brandishing a sword.
Ohm!
The sword emitted a purple light.
"Open for me!!"
His voice resonated, and the light within the sword intensified.
This sword was a one-time red-grade artifact. Once its effect was used, the sword would shatter and could not be repaired anymore. But that was inconsequential; this sword had not been his from the beginning. It had been given to him to initiate this plan.
The plan to invade Selnes Country.
The moment the sword disappeared, a vast purple light spread within Spatial Whisperer's body.
Simultaneously, ten experts from the Army of Gluttony smiled as purple light engulfed their bodies. They vanished from their positions and reappeared beside Spatial Whisperer.
But it wasn't just them. A substantial number of lower-ranked experts stood alongside them, including individuals at Three and Four Shackles.
Swoosh!
Without hesitation, they crashed into Selnes Country immediately.
Schine opened his eyes wide. A powerful energy burst forth from his body as he charged toward Selnes Country.
It wasn't just him. At this point, anyone could guess it. There was a traitor hidden among the Five Master Clans. Even if it wasn't within the Five Master Clans, it was possible that someone from the large factions was involved.
The All Filter Barrier Formation wouldn't disappear like this if there were no traitors.
Everything was unfolding rapidly.
This is it...
Souta grinned devilishly as he observed the situation. Perhaps this was part of the script, right? The war should take place inside Selnes Country, not outside. That's what had happened in the game, with the war occurring within the land of Selnes.
So...
Souta laughed. He had figured it out. He understood what would happen next.
But first...
Souta stared at Fendal coldly. "I have to kill you... The war will continue inside Selnes Country, and I must follow the script until that event occurs. But you, you don't have to take part in that battle."
"You damn monster!" Fendal roared as he launched another attack at Souta.
Souta laughed and swung his weapon.
Boom!!
Naruse looked at the country with a frown in her eyes. She turned her head and said, "I'll go inside. Everyone who can follow me, return immediately! There's something wrong within the barrier!"
Her voice resonated throughout the entire battlefield.
Various warriors retreated, but would the Army of Gluttony let them retreat easily?
There were still soldiers remaining in the country, but their numbers were few. They wouldn't be able to defeat all the enemies that had entered the country. At the very least, they could buy some time.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Souta moved his body as fast as he could, fiercely attacking his opponent.
'Hmm... This development is both good and bad at the same time. I'll slowly defeat this guy and return to Selnes Country. No, I'll only return after taking down six experts of the Wingless Crow. If this follows the game's storyline, then the Tears of Divine Might will appear inside the country. I should go with the flow for now and see if there's more to this.'
Souta thought to himself.
