At first, people didn’t realize that the white-haired individual was using 8-circle magic because they had never heard of it. Even when the sky was shining, they believed that the Magic Defense layered on the wall would protect them.
Flash.
The sky brightened. In the sky, filled with dark clouds, a single ray of light descended onto the castle wall.
Kwang!
Kwakwakwakng!
And a massive explosion ensued.
The Magic Defense formation materialized, and numerous magic shields took shape in the air. However, the soldiers from Cairo and Dmitry lost their balance, finding themselves sitting on the ground as the lightning exploded.
Gazing at the sky with bewildered expressions, they perceived this as a harbinger of destruction. And the clash between the magic shield and lightning enshrouded the entire sky.
Yet there was a problem This was only the beginning. The sky, turning white, constantly crackled with lightning as anger was vented out.
Rumble.
Kwang!
Kwakwakwang!
It was a truly shocking sight. The mages who had installed the Magic Defense boasted that it could hold out for at least 10 days with 7-circle magic, but each time lightning struck, the magic shield cracked and began to break one after another.
Even those who had no knowledge of magic could comprehend the gravity of the situation. It was evident that the Magic Defense would not endure for more than 30 minutes and would eventually be obliterated.
At that moment, Marquis Vandenberg shouted.
“Enhance the power of the Magic Defense! Even the formidable Kronos mage will struggle to sustain it! If we can gain some time, we may stand a chance!”
It was a precarious endeavor. A glimmer of hope grounded in instinct rather than concrete evidence, and the mages forged ahead.
They created magic and infused it into the defense, but they faced a hopeless reality.
Kwang!
Kwaaang!
“Kuak!”
“Ack!”
The mages went down. Since the magical power they infused was linked to the Magic Defense, the impact was transmitted to the mages, although very weakly.
With that alone, the mages couldn’t withstand it. Some people collapsed, screaming, while others vomited. While mages with lower circles lost consciousness as the impact broke the circle.
This was too overwhelming, and it was beyond their capability to handle it. The power displayed by the gray-haired mage completely shattered Marquis Vandenberg’s understanding of reality.
“…So this is what Count Fabius was referring to?”
The negotiations had reached their conclusion. Count Fabius relayed Duke Bamford’s words to the leaders, and it was certainly an arrogant statement. The statement that he lost interest in the war after learning Kronos’s true strength was seen as a threat to suppress the opponent’s initiative.
However, the scene in front of him was not what he had expected. Cairo and Dmitry’s alliance had no option but to witness the opponent’s attack with helplessness, unable to mount a counter.
In the end, he watched the scene blankly, as if death awaited their conviction, knowing that the Magic Defense would crumble. He gulped at it. Now it seemed like he realized the true magnitude of the war against Kronos.
‘The magic that the gray-haired mage uses is undoubtedly beyond the 7-circles. If he is indeed an 8-circle mage, the Kronos Empire can be considered the most powerful force on the continent without even acknowledging this person’s existence.’
He was gasping for air. The Kronos Empire boasted about conquering the continent with its formidable military might. However, if their undisclosed strength was even greater than what was already known, it would be impossible for them to win this war.
Roman Dmitry was a renowned historical figure. Despite hailing from a weak nation at such a young age, based on the actions he had taken thus far, it could be argued that he was the only person capable of challenging the might of the Kronos Empire.
However, there was a caveat. The history of the Kronos Empire was piled up one after another, with a seemingly insurmountable barrier.
At that moment…
Kwaang!
The Magic Defense shattered. And the lightning that followed immediately exploded against the castle wall, toppling the fortress that was believed to be impenetrable.
Grrrrng!
The wall crumbled. Only 10 minutes into the war, Cairo, Dmitry’s alliance, confronted a grim reality.
At the exact moment the wall fell, Duke Bamford issued a resounding order.
“All troops, charge!”
“Charge!”
“Woahhhh!”
The imperial troops surged forward in perfect harmony. The sheer number of mages in their path was daunting, but ultimately it was the soldiers’ hand-to-hand combat that determined the outcome.
Once the might of the castle walls had been diminished, there was no longer any reason for them to hesitate. Even the formidable Cairo and Dmitry alliance could not withstand the onslaught of these charging soldiers.
Pappaat!
Arrows were unleashed. The soldiers of the empire screamed and fell down as the arrows rained upon them, but that alone didn’t stop the enemies.
There were too many enemies. The archers’ hands were trembling as they fired their arrows, as they were aware that they would soon face their enemies.
And then it happened. Above the castle wall, the mages of the Phoenix Tower shouted,
“Burning.”
Wheik.
Wheeeik.
They were the mages of the Phoenix Tower and Felix. Felix’s presence flared up, and powerful flame magic manifested.
“Fire Storm.”
It was 7-circle magic. Felix had been perfecting his magic all this time, and with the assistance of Burning, he was temporarily able to utilize the 7-circle magic. The storm of fire raged, and it was an unavoidable disaster for the Kronos army.
Rrrrrr!
Kwakwakwang!
“Kuaaakkk!”
“I-it burns!”
The enemies were engulfed by flames. Some were charred upon direct contact, and the others were falling as the realm of fire consumed them, clutching their necks in desperation.
The mages of Phoenix continuously conjured powerful spells. Fiery eruptions surrounded them, causing the opposing troops to disintegrate in a mere instant.
The Phoenix Magic Tower. Certainly, in terms of magic power, they were upper-class mages. The leaders of the Western Front were convinced of their defense because they trusted their perfect preparation and the existence of the Phoenix mages.
Under normal circumstances, their magic would have been sufficient. However, there was a variable in the form of a gray-haired mage. He disrupted the activities of Felix and the other mages with his own magic.
“Wind Storm.”
Wheeing.
Wheeeeing!
The wind blew. The strong wind fiercely blew as it encountered Felix’s fire.
However, the firestorm failed to fulfill its task. The firestorm could engulf the surroundings with flames accompanied by the wind, but the windstorm clung to the firestorm, preventing it from moving.
And that wasn’t all. In the realm of mages, the distinction between circles was absolute, and eventually, the windstorm swallowed the firestorm.
Pat!
The wind blew. As the flames soared, the leaders of the Western Front came to the stark realization that not even magic could thwart the mighty empire.
The sheer presence of the mage with silver-gray hair was awe-inspiring. He demonstrated, right before their very eyes, the caliber of mage he was on the battlefield, illustrating that even an 8-circle mage could single-handedly alter the course of the battle.
The realm of the outside world was unlike anything they had known. He dismantled the Magic Defenses, crumbling the fortress walls and rendering Felix’s magic utterly useless with a single incantation. Finally…
“Enemies are approaching!”
“Stop them!”
The empire’s army rushed in just as they were about to attack the troops on the Western Front with ferocious force, when a lightning-like aura fell from the sky.
Kwang!
Rumble!
“You can’t move any further!”
There was an explosion of aura. The being who was able to sweep away the enemies at once was Count Nicholas.
The man who was once called the best swordsman in Cairo appeared on the battlefield. Blocking the front of the enemies rushing in, he raised his aura and swiftly cut them down.
There was a flash, and blood gushed out like a fountain. But that wasn’t all. Count Nicholas fearlessly charged forward, striking down the enemies, and preventing them from moving any further.
Despite being just a lone soldier, he wasn’t helpless. He possessed a powerful 5-star aura. Known as the best sword in Cairo, he was an excellent swordsman. When he stood in their way, the intruders were blown away.
In his ranking match against Roman Dmitry, Count Nicholas received a deep moral wound. It was a serious injury that forced him to focus on his recovery, but it also provided an opportunity for him to find peace within himself. He had always strived for the title of number one in the rankings.
The weight of this ambition was heavy, even if he didn’t fully realize it. With Daniel Cairo holding all the power, Count Nicholas had the chance to reflect on himself and develop in his own time.
And his body slowly healed just like that. No, it was more than that. Count Nicholas’s skills exploded within him.
“Die!”
There was a thunderous rumble. The knights of Kronos charged forward. There weren’t just one or two of them. There were two in the vanguard and three on each flank. They closed in on Count Nicholas, each emanating an aura of 3 and 4 stars. However, Count Nicholas calmly parried the enemy’s assault with a single stride.
A radiant flash ensued. A tremendous force struck, momentarily showing as if Count Nicholas had been forced back. Yet the impact of his sword could sever their throats.
“…!?”
No one could discern the details with precision. The moment he attempted to launch another attack, he was blocked by Count Nicholas and lost consciousness.
And then another aura swordsman fell. As this continued, Nicholas’s sword technique improved like a fine wine. At the same time,
“Take cover!”
Flash!
The wind stirred above Count Nicholas’s head.
It was Chris. Following Roman Dmitry’s plan, he and the other men swiftly moved to the Western Front.
The only person missing was Roman. Chris aided Count Nicholas in manifesting his aura when the castle wall crumbled. It happened so swiftly.
Then Count Nicholas glanced at Chris’s face.
‘Is Chris really this skilled?’
Disregarding the difference in their auras, the attack was so rapid and precise that even he couldn’t defend against it.
As the rumors suggested, the individuals surrounding Roman Dmitry were no less monstrous than him.
Chris, despite his young age, displayed incredible potential in his sword technique. Following that, one after another, the swordsmen of Dmitry appeared and formed a blockade against the wall.
The castle wall had previously collapsed due to the unexpected variable of the 8-circle mage, but the enemies storming in were not skilled enough to break through. Nevertheless, it was a situation worth fighting for.
Count Nicholas raised his aura and bellowed as he infused mana into his words.
UGHHH!
“Cairo and Dmitry soldiers! Don’t give up! The Western Front will not fall like this!”
Flora Lawrence observed the battlefield above the castle wall.
Tuk. Tuk.
The Kronos Empire army attempted to breach the wall using ladders. In the sky, dark clouds loomed, and lightning intermittently struck, while on the ground, fierce battles raged between enemies attempting to infiltrate the crumbled wall and those struggling to halt them.
The situation was dire. Flora Lawrence skillfully shot arrows as she assessed the situation in her mind.
‘We must secure at least three days to execute our plan, and that’s if we can work fast. I believed it was feasible to hold our ground at the wall, but all our preparations would become meaningless if we lose it on the very first day.’
Moreover, a problem arose. The presence of the 8-circle mage, observing him from a distance, could once again alter the situation drastically, potentially causing them to lose everything to the mage.
Perhaps this mage was not the sole hidden surprise Kronos possessed. This mysterious mage with gray hair possessed abilities that were unknown, and the prospect of encountering more unknown beings had to be taken into account.
The Kronos Empire ruled the top position like Valhalla.
In the absence of Roman Dmitry, if rankers appeared, their chances of winning the melee fight were low.
But there was one thing that raised doubts.
“Is it right for us to hold the Western Front until the end? Roman Dmitry’s goal was to buy enough time to complete his mission, not to defend the Western Front like this. Defending the walls will require sacrifices from our side. We must make a prompt decision.”
In the war with Kronos, Cairo lacked any advantage. Against formidable opponents who relied on cunning strategies, responding in kind would only lead to being trapped. Thus, for Cairo, this situation resembled a horrific plot.
But despite their loss of hope in the face of Kronos, she still believed in the existence of Roman Dmitry.
And that alone could bring about a significant change. That was why they needed to find a way to stall time, even just for three days.
Puak!
She aimed an arrow at the enemy, who was climbing up, and swiftly made her way toward Marquis Vandenberg.
“Commander!”
He was actively engaged in combat. Seeing the bloodstained man, he turned to her in response to the call.
“We don’t stand a chance! Retreat from the front and implement Plan B!”
Plan B. In the event of a worst-case scenario, they would have to make a decision.
