Chapter 358: The Chaotic Battlefield
"Prepare to launch!"
A group of players eagerly set up a massive trebuchet, but their ammunition wasn't rocks—it was a living person.
And not just any person, but one completely naked—known to the community as "Holy Light Bro," the esteemed Freedom no Tsubasa.
Some spectators questioned this approach:
"Is this really okay? Won't he die from the impact?"
"Of course not."
"We even had a Cult of the Machine God expert inspect this setup. It's totally fine."
"Relax, we ran all the calculations. Once Holy Light Bro transforms into a bear, his thick skin and high HP will ensure he survives with just a sliver of health."
The players manning the trebuchet confidently pounded their chests, making bold proclamations.
"Launch!"
They turned the winch with all their strength, tightening the ropes and building up the trebuchet's power to its maximum.
The long arm tilted downward while the weighted end rose upward, poised like a beast ready to strike.
Holy Light Bro, curled up naked in the bowl-like sling, muttered quietly:
"For freedom."
"For freedom!"
The players operating the trebuchet and the onlookers cheered excitedly in unison.
Meanwhile, the BGM "aLIEz" hit its climax, the melody swelling with grandeur.
With a roar, the players released the ropes, and the weighted end of the trebuchet dropped under gravity, launching the long arm and Holy Light Bro upward with immense speed.
Reaching the apex, he was hurled into the air at incredible velocity.
He was airborne!
Holy Light Bro traced a graceful parabola through the sky, heading straight for the castle.
The players all looked up, watching as the holy light covering his most private areas left a radiant streak across the blue sky.
"Honey, come out and look at God!"
"Look, a rainbow!"
"Holy crap, it's a holy meteor!"
"Roar—"
Holy Light Bro let out a feral roar, transforming mid-air into a massive, muscular bear.
"What is that?"
"Oh, gods—don't tell me that's a flying bear?"
"Damn it, you've got to be kidding!"
"It—it's coming down!"
The soldiers on the castle towers looked up in fear, shadows falling across their faces.
But it was too late—they could only watch helplessly as the bear plummeted from the sky, the growing shadow descending directly onto them.
"Boom!"
The entire Bellon Castle shook violently.
Dust flew, and stones scattered everywhere.
The tower collapsed in an instant, crushing a dozen soldiers beneath it, with many more buried in the rubble.
"Roar!"
A dark figure burst out of the dust—it was Holy Light Bro in his bear form.
This enormous beast rampaged along the castle walls, crushing soldiers into pulp. His immense strength allowed him to send multiple enemies flying with a single swipe of his claws.
Just Holy Light Bro and Dawei Tianlong alone had already plunged Bellon Castle's defenses into chaos.
Several towers and turrets were destroyed, and hundreds of soldiers were injured or killed.
And this was only the beginning. Dozens of players charged forward, casting spells and throwing bombs into the castle, leaving the defending soldiers in utter despair.
They had never encountered such unpredictable enemies before.
"From the skies!"
"Get down!"
Knight Jan Bende spotted the aerial assault and shouted a warning.
"Whoosh—"
Moments later, several wyverns swooped down, breathing scorching flames that engulfed a line of soldiers on the walls.
"Fire! We're on fire!"
"Help!"
The soldiers screamed in agony as they burned, rolling desperately on the walls.
Jan mercifully decapitated one of the soldiers to end his suffering, his face grim. "Everyone, watch the skies—"
Before he could finish, a burly player suddenly leaped out from behind him, smashing his skull with a hammer.
"Bang!"
"Eighty!"
Blood and brains splattered everywhere.
The knight hadn't even had time to defend himself before his head was crushed, and he fell lifelessly to the ground.
"No—"
"Sir Jan!"
The guards, their eyes filled with rage, rushed to avenge him.
But the player swung his hammer again, reducing another soldier's head to pulp. More players shrieked and clambered onto the walls, overwhelming the terrified defenders.
"Your daddy's here!"
"Hi hi hi!"
"I cower before bosses, but I'm a wrecking ball in mob fights!"
Flames, frost, and acid rained down on the soldiers, and one player even used a kobold's stinking leather pants as a weapon, much to the disgust of nearby players.
There was no strategy, no tactics to speak of.
Yet even so, the soldiers of Bellon Castle struggled to defend themselves.
They were used to fortifying their position, shooting arrows and hurling stones from above, making attackers pay dearly for every advance.
But these players employed a chaotic mix of methods—some dropped from the sky, others teleported in, and still others dug tunnels to emerge from underground. The defenders couldn't cope and were losing their will to fight.
"How could this happen..."
Knight Mitra surveyed the chaotic "battlefield," finding it utterly absurd.
He and his soldiers fought bravely, shedding blood and losing lives, but their enemies felt no reverence for this. Instead, they seemed to be having fun.
A surge of uncontrollable rage filled Mitra's heart.
How dare these people treat war like this!
How dare they treat a noble knight like this!
His noble upbringing as a knight had taught him that even in the face of an unbeatable enemy, one must charge with courage and die carrying the honor of one's family.
And such knights deserved respect from their foes.
But now, these soldiers of the Ember Kingdom had completely shattered his beliefs.
They treated the battlefield like a playground, ignoring all tactics and acting recklessly. They didn't care about their enemies, or even their own deaths.
To them, chivalry was a joke.
Knight Mitra raised his sword, his voice ringing out like an opera singer's aria as he cursed from above.
"Monsters, you monsters!"
"You Ember Kingdom scum, cloaked in human skin—what kind of hearts beat beneath? Festering demon hearts or fiery dragon hearts?"
Unbeknownst to him, Born Battle Maniac had already locked onto him, eyes brimming with excitement.
"Another mini-boss..."
"Tsk, with gear that flashy, it's bound to drop some good reputation points."
Born Battle Maniac thought, licking the blood off his lips with glee.