"Reporting, Aide Tharlic." A soldier, tasked with delivering messages, ran exhaustedly to Tharlic to deliver his report. "Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4 are nearing 40 percent destruction. Districts 5, 6, and 7 are still secure. Districts 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 have become full-fledged battlegrounds."
When the Emperor is absent, his personal aide holds the authority.
"What are our civilian casualties?"
"10,000 dead, 12,000 severely wounded, 5,000 with minor injuries. The total population of our Empire was previously 50,000 lives; it now stands at 23,000."
"What is the condition of the monsters?" Tharlic asked the soldier.
"The Adult Dragon, Elder Lich, and Primordial Elemental have been killed. The remaining SS-rank monsters are the Elder Dragon and the Celestial Fallen," the soldier replied.
"And what about our own losses?" Tharlic asked.
"At the start of the battle, we had 20 Sages and 40 Archmages. For Swordsmen, we had 15 Grandmasters and 35 Masters. Now, 10 Sages are dead, and the other 10 are being treated."
"20 Archmages are dead, 15 are being treated, and 5 are combat-ready. 5 Grandmasters have died, the rest are being treated. 15 Masters are dead, another 15 are being treated, and 5 are combat-ready. And the one remaining Transcendent is the Emperor himself," the soldier explained.
"Then how many knights do we have left?" Tharlic asked.
"4,000 knights are still able to fight, 3,000 are dead, and 3,000 are being treated," the knight answered.
"Good information, Devan," Tharlic praised, stepping forward.
"Thank you, Aide... umm, may I ask a question, Aide?" Devan asked hesitantly.
"You may."
"Where did all these monsters come from?"
"I don't know for sure, but it seems there is an alliance among the other kingdoms."
"So our Empire is being attacked by them?"
"Yes."
"May I ask another question?"
"You may."
"Where are the nobles? And where is Kaizer Alexander?"
"Do you think only the capital is being attacked?"
"You mean... other cities are also under attack?"
"Yes. The Duke of the North is currently at war in his territory, as are Duke Veltharis and the other nobles. All the nobles are defending their respective territories. As for Kaizer, I don't know exactly where he is, but I'm certain that somewhere, he is also fighting to defend this continent."
I thought it was just an attack on the capital, Devan monologued. It turns out it's not just the capital, but the entire continent that's under attack.
"Devan, give this message to all the knights who can still fight: remain in Districts 5, 6, and 7. Order the knights in Districts 1 through 4 to retreat. Our main focus is to protect the civilians in Districts 5 through 7."
The reason only the knights in Districts 1 through 4 were ordered to retreat was that Districts 8 through 12 had no inhabitants other than the Emperor and their enemies.
"I understand, Aide."
Tharlic faced Devan and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I will not hope for victory in this war. No wish truly comes true in this cruel world. We are all going to die, including our Emperor."
Devan could only swallow hard upon hearing that, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"So, will you fight for our dying nation?"
Devan wiped the sweat from his brow, but for some reason, it wouldn't stop; it just kept streaming down. He clenched his fists and said firmly, "Perhaps today is the final night of the Stellaris Empire, but that doesn't mean I should stop fighting. I must fight for our people."
"We as adults must fight for the children of the next generation. We must fight for our beloved homeland. Whatever happens, it is better to die with honor than to die without fighting for something."
Tharlic smiled with pride upon hearing this. He gently patted Devan's shoulder.
"I am proud of you, Devan. I'm entrusting this command to you, starting now."
"Wh-what, wait... where are you going?"
"I'm going to join the Emperor on the front lines."
Tharlic handed Devan a radio-like device for communicating with the others. The aide's radio was different; when you spoke into it, all the knights would hear it directly from their own radios.
Tharlic then flew off into the distance, toward where Emperor Arthur was.
Tharlic saw Arthur fighting the two monsters alone. Arthur's body was covered in blood, yet he still stood tall. In his hand was the legendary sword, Excalibur.
If you're wondering where Carsel is, he is still in the same place: the Stellaris Palace. But where is the palace? It's in District 8. Even though District 8 has been utterly destroyed, the palace still stands firm. The reason is the protection magic from Arthur himself. So who is in the palace? There are only two people: the head butler and the maid who was nursing Carsel. Yes, two humans. The rest are of the Obbsurian race, a race tasked with protecting the members of the royal family.
If you're asking why Arthur didn't protect the capital with the same magic, the reason is that Arthur... he is not a normal person; he is mentally ill. What you see is just a mask to hide his madness.
A short while ago (when Althair was fighting the Titan) - elsewhere
Arthur von Stellaris had defeated the Elder Dragon on the island. He immediately returned to the capital, to District 7, the park where the dragon had first appeared. Arthur returned with his right arm missing and several scratches on his face, but his wounds healed quickly, and his arm grew back. His personal aide, Tharlic, approached him.
But before Tharlic could speak, Arthur spoke first. "Prepare the knights, and inform the elders. We are going to war."
"How great is the threat?" Tharlic asked.
"The potential to destroy the capital," Arthur answered with a flat expression.
"Handle this part. I have some business to attend to," Arthur said, not giving Tharlic a chance to reply.
Arthur went to the palace. He ordered all the servants to go to District 6, except for the head butler and the maid named Aria. He completely sealed the palace and cast an incredibly strong protection spell on it.
Arthur now stood before a basement door. Pitch-black creatures emerged from the ground, not just one but dozens. They all had no faces and covered their bodies with full black robes that added to their mysterious aura.
Yes, they were all of the Obbsurian race. They served as the Emperor's subordinates, carrying out any order, be it killing, destroying, spying, or protecting.
Without turning, Arthur said in a cold tone, "Kill any creature that dares to approach the palace." It was an absolute command, to be carried out indiscriminately, even if it meant his own people or other subordinates.
The Obbsurians nodded without a word and then vanished.
Arthur opened the door and went inside.
Several tens of minutes later (while Althair was fighting the Dragin elsewhere)
On the front lines, a fierce battle was raging. The Archmages were fighting the S-rank monsters, while the Sages were united against the SS-rank ones.
The Archmage forces were led by Archmage Theron. Before them stood an Adult Dragon, an Elder Lich, and a Primordial Elemental.
The Adult Dragon's body was adorned with gleaming gray scales, its horns were long and swept back, and it had large wings on its back. Its teeth were so sharp they looked as if they could tear through anything. Its eyes were green with vertical pupils, and it stood 20 meters tall.
The Elder Lich wore long, dark purple robes. On its head was a skull wearing a crown. Its eyes glowed yellow, and in its hands, it held a magic book.
The Primordial Elemental was a monster that was the embodiment of the element itself. The one the Archmages were fighting was a Primordial Water Elemental. Its body was human-like, 70 meters tall, and a manifestation of water itself. It had horns that curved upwards, and its eyes shone with a white light.
Archmage Theron gave the order, "We must fight them separately! Do not let the three of them unite! It will be extremely dangerous if they join forces."
Thirteen Archmages flew into the sky. The Adult Dragon, seeing this, pursued them.
The Elder Lich cast a spell, "Excitare," a necromancy spell. A massive army of undead knights appeared, possibly a thousand of them, wielding swords in their right hands and shields in their left.
Archmage Valerius, seeing this, shouted to his comrades, "Don't let the Elder Lich keep summoning its army! You focus on the undead army, I will face the Elder Lich directly!" The other 12 Archmages nodded and began casting large area-of-effect spells. Since there were 40 Archmages, the forces were divided into groups of 13, 13, and 14, each fighting an S-rank monster.
"Inferno Storm!" Archmage Layla hurled a giant fireball that exploded in the middle of the undead horde.
"Lightning Field!" Archmage Marcus created an electric field that zapped hundreds of undead at once.
"Frost Nova!" Archmage Lydia froze dozens of undead in solid ice.
But the Elder Lich was not idle. It continued to cast even more powerful necromancy spells. "Mortuus Resurget!" - more undead rose from the ground, and even those that had been destroyed rose again with stronger bodies.
Meanwhile, the remaining Primordial Water Elemental did not stand still. The 70-meter-tall monster began to expand, its body of pure water transforming into a massive, fast-moving tsunami.
"Tsunami Wave!" The primordial elemental created a 30-meter-high wave of water that swept across the battlefield. The remaining 14 Archmages immediately moved to stop the tsunami so that their comrades would not be disturbed.
Adult Dragon vs. 13 Archmages.
Elder Lich vs. 13 Archmages.
Primordial Elemental vs. 14 Archmages.
"Barrier of Wind!" Archmage Theron created a wall of wind to block the tsunami.
"Earth Wall!" Archmage Gareth raised the earth to form a wall to protect his comrades.
Meanwhile, in the sky, the battle between the 13 Archmages and the Adult Dragon intensified. The Adult Dragon spewed scorching hot dragon breath in all directions.
"Fire Breath!" Flames as hot as magma swept the sky.
The Archmages scattered, avoiding the deadly attack. Several of them counter-attacked.
"Ice Lance Formation!" Five Archmages simultaneously fired giant ice lances from various directions. The Adult Dragon used its wings to block several attacks, but two ice lances managed to pierce its scales, drawing blackish-blue blood. The dragon roared in pain and grew even angrier. Its eyes turned redder, signaling it was about to use its deepest power.
"Dragon's Wrath!" The Adult Dragon's entire body was enveloped in blue flames, its deathly aura increasing drastically. Now, every flap of its wings or slash of its claws created a fiery explosion. The Archmages facing the Adult Dragon began to feel the searing heat. Even from tens of meters away, their skin felt like it was being burned by the heat radiating from the dragon.
"Defensive formation! Don't let it attack us all at once!" shouted Archmage Elias, who was leading this group. The 13 Archmages immediately formed a circle around the Adult Dragon and began to cast coordinated spells.
"Glacial Prison!" Five Archmages simultaneously created giant ice walls surrounding the dragon from all sides. The trapped Adult Dragon immediately went berserk, slamming its massive claws against the ice walls, creating large cracks.
"Now! Wind Blade Barrage!" Six Archmages launched hundreds of sharp wind blades from above, trying to penetrate the dragon's scaly defense. But the Adult Dragon was not an S-rank monster to be underestimated. It opened its mouth wide and let out a deafening roar.
"ROAR!"
The sound wave that erupted from its mouth not only shattered the ice prison in an instant but also caused several Archmages to lose their balance and fall from the sky. Archmage Elias, seeing his comrades in danger, immediately cast a rescue spell.
"Levitation Field!" A gravitational field formed beneath the falling Archmages, slowing their descent. Meanwhile, the Adult Dragon did not waste the opportunity. It immediately dove down at full speed, its glowing blue claws ready to tear apart the off-balance Archmages.
"No!" Archmage Elias reflexively summoned his strongest barrier.
"Diamond Barrier!"
The dragon's claws collided with the transparent diamond shield, creating a thunderous explosion. Archmage Elias's shield cracked but managed to block the fatal attack.
On another side of the battle, the 13 Archmages facing the Elder Lich were being overwhelmed by the ever-increasing undead army. The Elder Lich stood atop a bone tower it had created, endlessly casting necromancy spells.
"Bone Spear!" Hundreds of bone spears shot from the ground towards the Archmages.
"Mana Shield!" The Archmages formed magic shields to protect themselves.
Archmage Valerius, tasked with facing the Elder Lich directly, was growing frustrated. Every time he attacked, the Elder Lich would simply hide behind its undead army.
"We have to stop the source of its army!" Valerius shouted to his comrades.
"Burning in Hellfire!" Archmage Celestine, who had a fire affinity, tried to scorch the area around them. The fire spread quickly, burning some undead to ash. But the Elder Lich only laughed sinisterly.
"Foolish humans! Shadow Domain!"
An area one kilometer wide was suddenly shrouded in thick darkness. Within this darkness, the Elder Lich's necromantic power increased drastically.
"Excitare!"
From the ground emerged the skeleton of a giant dragon, rising as an undead. Its eyes glowed green, and poisonous smoke billowed from its mouth.
"This is getting more complicated!" Archmage Marcus wiped away a cold sweat.
Meanwhile, the 14 Archmages facing the Primordial Water Elemental faced a different challenge. The 70-meter-tall monster kept changing its form, sometimes becoming a tsunami, sometimes an acid rain, sometimes a poisonous fog.
"Water Manipulation!" The Primordial Elemental lifted all the water in the battle area, creating a giant water sphere above its head.
"Everyone, fall back!" Archmage Theron shouted in panic.
The water sphere, the size of a football field, was hurled down with the speed of a meteor. The Archmages scattered in all directions.
"Earth Dome!" Several Archmages with an earth affinity created a protective dome.
"Wind Barrier!" Others created a wall of wind to divert the water's direction.
BOOM!
The water slammed into the ground with devastating force, creating a crater 50 meters deep. The entire battle area was flooded with rushing water.
"Now it has a favorable field," Archmage Gareth muttered, looking at the area now filled with water.
The Primordial Elemental, now in its habitat, began to move more aggressively. Its previously solid body was now semi-liquid, making it difficult to attack.
"Hydro Cannon!" From its watery body, it fired high-pressure water jets at the Archmages.
"Lightning Storm!" Archmage Marcus tried to attack with electricity, but the attack only made the surrounding water a dangerous electrical conductor.
"Idiot! Don't use electricity!" shouted Archmage Lydia.
"Ice Age!" Lydia began to freeze the entire area with her most powerful ice magic. The water around them started to freeze, restricting the Primordial Elemental's movement. But the monster was not easily defeated.
"Steam Explosion!" It turned its body into boiling hot steam, creating a massive steam explosion. The Archmages were forced to retreat further, their skin blistering from the hot steam.
In the midst of these three fierce battles, the situation began to look unfavorable for the Archmages. They had been fighting for nearly an hour, their mana was starting to run low, while the S-rank monsters still seemed to have plenty of stamina.
The Archmages quickly regrouped, no longer separated as before.
"We have to end this battle as soon as possible!" shouted Archmage Elias while dodging a blast of fire from the Adult Dragon.
"But how? They're too strong!" replied Archmage Valerius, who was being overwhelmed by the ever-growing undead army.
"There is one way," Archmage Theron said in a serious tone. "But the risk is enormous."
"What is it?" several Archmages asked at once.
"Forbidden Magic: Trinity Fusion," Theron answered gravely.
Hearing the name of that forbidden magic, all the Archmages fell silent for a moment. Trinity Fusion was a technique that combined the power of the three Archmage groups to create a single, devastating attack. However, the risk was that half of them could lose their lives due to the extreme mana drain.
"We have no other choice," Archmage Elias said with firm resolve.
"Alright, let's do it," Archmage Valerius agreed.
"All Archmages, form the Trinity formation!" shouted Archmage Theron.
The 40 Archmages began to form a giant triangular formation. They abandoned their individual fights and gathered at a single point. The Adult Dragon, Elder Lich, and Primordial Water Elemental sensed the suspicious change in energy. The three of them instinctively gathered together as well, ready to face the combined attack of the Archmages.
"This will decide everything," whispered Archmage Marcus as he prepared all the remaining mana in his body.
The sky above the battle area began to change color, signaling that a high-level spell was being prepared. The wind blew fiercely, the ground trembled, and the air was filled with an incredibly dense magical field.