Chapter 415: Battle of Menia City
Kingdom of Armenia.
Capital: Menia City.
In the afternoon, the demon army arrived at the gates.
Looking northward beyond the walls, the black mass of demon forces stretched to the horizon.
Facing the invading demon army,
Menia City activated its crystal barrier.
The pale blue shield enveloped the entire city.
Looking at the city walls, armored soldiers stood ready.
They stared in terror at the sea of demons outside.
"Let's begin!"
In the demon army, there was a giant beast-drawn carriage.
Three burly figures sat atop it:
Adelaide, Demon King of the Ghost Beastmen.
Myris, Demon King of the Minotaurs.
Kakada, Demon King of the Demon Mantises.
Gazing at distant Menia City, Adelaide waved his hand.
A horn sounded.
"Hoo!"
The urgent blast echoed across the battlefield.
The demon army stirred restlessly.
At the front, demon mages and catapults began their assault.
Blood-red Hellfire balls rose from the demon army,
like a meteor shower raining down on Menia City.
Thousands of Hellfire balls lit up half the sky.
"The demons are attacking!"
The human soldiers on the walls shouted.
Hellfire balls rained down onto the crystal barrier.
"Boom!"
Explosions echoed through the heavens.
Mushroom clouds of fire blossomed on the barrier.
The shockwaves sent ripples across the crystal shield.
"Fire!"
The demon catapults launched next.
Thousands of siege engines lined up in a row.
Runed stone projectiles ignited midair,
striking the crystal barrier in beautiful arcs.
"It's okay, we have the crystal barrier. The demons can't get in!"
The civilians inside, frightened by the fire overhead,
could only pray the barrier would protect Menia City.
"Damn, how long will it take to break through?"
On the beast carriage,
Myris of the Minotaurs looked impatiently at Menia City.
Since arriving on the Southern Continent, he hadn't fought a real battle.
Humans either collapsed instantly or kept running.
Myris craved an even match.
Adelaide smiled faintly, eyes narrowing.
"Don't underestimate the crystal's power. Breaking it head-on is nearly impossible."
Myris blinked in confusion.
"Then why attack it at all?"
Kakada grinned.
"Hehe, it matters. The crystal barrier isn't fully sealed."
The barrier covered sky and ground,
but not underground.
Myris's eyes lit up and he laughed.
"Haha, I get it now! Adelaide, how long do we wait?"
"Be patient. We'll act once the humans lower their guard."
Myris's face showed excitement.
Finally, a real battle.
Once the demons breached the city from below,
humans would fight to the death.
Menia City would become a battlefield.
Time passed, and the demon bombardment continued.
At first, the soldiers and civilians inside were worried.
But as the crystal barrier held firm,
people relaxed.
"Stupid demons, thinking they can break the crystal!"
On the north wall, several figures stood.
They lined up calmly, exuding such powerful auras
that no ordinary soldier dared approach.
Eleven people, all in fine equipment:
swordsmen, magic archers, mages, priests, and paladins.
"Stay vigilant. The demons won't give up easily."
"Menia City is surrounded. The initiative is theirs."
"We have enough supplies to last three years."
"But we can't stay passive. I say we strike back."
"Then go. No one's stopping you."
"Don't underestimate demon elites. Their god-level warriors outnumber ours. If they gang up, we could die. We are here to guard, not attack recklessly."
"I wish I could unleash a god-tier spell on them!"
"Save your magic. It's vital to kill demon kings."
God-tier spells were powerful but drained immense mana.
Even god-tier mages could cast them only once.
The eleven chatted casually.
"Tch, so boring!"
At a nearby watchtower stood another figure.
He leaned on a golden spear, looking bored at the demon army.
Glancing back at the eleven on the wall,
he sneered.
"Hmph, old women hiding behind young faces!"
Especially that water magic god-tier woman,
he rolled his eyes.
"Some preservation skills they have."
He had no interest in such women.
He preferred truly young women.
"Karis, what are you looking at?"
A soft voice sounded behind him.
Karis turned obsequiously.
"Nothing, just curious about their chatter."
Before him stood a beautiful woman.
She wore a pure white fitted gown.
Her long golden hair flowed to her hips.
A golden longbow rested on her back.
Her flawless face was like polished jade.
"Those people?"
Eula looked toward the wall.
"What were they talking about?"
"Just chatting!"
Karis chuckled.
"Eula, since the demons can't break the barrier soon, how about coffee?"
Eula brushed a strand of hair aside.
She gazed at the demon army.
"Now's not the time for leisure."
Faced with rejection, Karis wasn't discouraged.
He grinned and also looked outside.
"True. But Eula, once this war ends, we must talk."
Eula turned, smiling faintly at Karis.
"Karis, men like you disgust me. Using your hero status to defile women—you tarnish the hero title. Standing beside you is already my limit. If you touch me, I'll join the Shield Hero. Neither the Shield nor Sword Hero tolerate your behavior. Even the Pope wants you dead. If not for your sister, you'd already be executed."
Though smiling, her eyes brimmed with undisguised disgust.
Karis froze, then forced a laugh.
"Eula, men need women, and women need men. I never forced them—I only fulfilled their wishes. It's a hero's duty to protect and satisfy the weak!"
Eula's face turned cold.
She turned back toward the demon army.
"After this war, you should return the Holy Spear. The Seven Sacred Archbishops can't stand you anymore. Without the demons' invasion, your trial would already be underway."
Return the spear?
Karis stretched lazily, unfazed.
"They're so vengeful."
Eula looked at him indifferently.
"If you weren't special, you'd be dead already. Even daring to touch a saint candidate—how shameful."
Karis sighed dramatically.
"It's not my fault! That girl hugged me first. I couldn't refuse. When I realized she had the Saint King's mark, it was too late. I didn't actually defile her. Just some cuddling—then her knights burst in. I'm innocent!"
To become a saint, one had to remain pure.
Losing purity meant losing the Saint King's mark.
Without purity, even kingship was unattainable.
The previous Saint King's downfall had left the kingdom vacant for decades.
"Besides, who cares about being a saint now? The Saint Kingdom is a shadow of its former self. Since being dismantled by the Principality of Irisis, the throne is just a figurehead."
Eula's expression shifted slightly.
Indeed, since the great upheaval two centuries ago,
The Saint Kingdom had been declining.
Even a new king couldn't change things.
Thirty years ago, the Saint candidate was abducted before coronation—
when found, she already had a child.
The throne remained empty for three decades.
Civil wars raged among the knights.
Only ten years ago was order restored.
Eula said nothing more to Karis.
Ignoring him was the best response to his nonsense.
"Eula, don't ignore me! How about this: agree to a date after the war, and I'll return the Holy Spear. I'm tired of being a hero. I'd rather be free, making women happy—my true dream!"
Karis leaned closer, smiling like a dog.
Eula glared at him, disgusted.
She opened her mouth and spat out one word.
"Scram!"
"Eula, even your insults sound sweet!"
"Yell at me more, it's music to my ears!"
The soldiers at the watchtower were speechless.
Truly, the Spear Hero's shamelessness was legendary.
As time passed, the sun set.
Hellfire balls continued to rain down.
By nightfall, the demon army had not withdrawn.
The night sky blazed with fire.
The battlefield outside Menia City's north wall was as bright as day.
"Adelaide, what's the point of this endless bombardment?"
On the beast carriage, Myris asked wearily.
Kakada yawned too.
They both looked at Adelaide.
Despite the seeming futility,
Adelaide was a cunning demon king.
He must have a reason.
Adelaide smiled, sipping red liquid from a wine glass.
"The crystal's power isn't endless. Humans are smart—they won't stay passive. They'll try to sabotage our catapults and kill our mages. Perhaps tonight, they will launch a night raid!"
Night raid?
Myris and Kakada's eyes lit up.
"Excellent! I'll make sure they never return!"
Myris clenched his fists excitedly.
Kakada laughed hideously.
"Myris, Kakada, leave the frontline to me. If humans attack tonight, you two lead your forces through the tunnels into the city. Kakada, your people can fly. Once inside, head straight for the palace. Your mission: destroy the crystal. Once it's gone, victory is ours!"
Myris and Kakada exchanged a glance.
They had no objections.
Slaughtering humans inside the city—
That was something they eagerly looked forward to.