Chapter 90: The Battlefield's Crucible
In a specific battle zone, White Star Radiance, alongside various other troops under the Nightbloom Division, two other divisions under the 4th Corps, and allied forces, were embroiled in a chaotic, brutal battle. Ramiro swung his spear, knocking away three foes, his cracked mask smeared with blood, his armor and clothing torn. A Ki-embedded arrow suddenly hurtled towards him, but Joe-Pine, with Nature Magic wrapped around his rapier, swiftly deflected it.
"Thank you, Joe..! Kuh!" Ramiro grunted, gratitude and exhaustion mixing in his voice.
"Yes, yes, of course. We have each other's backs, and that's all that matters," Joe-Pine replied, his own clothes tattered and bloody.
Further in the rear, various Fanged Elves and experts such as Shayleaf, Shirleaf, Erica, Amberleaf, and others were constantly casting support magic, defensive spells, and offensive magics. They were defended and even aided in accuracy by certain experts like Christy, who had proven herself to be quite a devastating asset on the battlefield, whether in hand-to-hand combat using Ki or employing powerful ranged magical skills. Not to mention her Aka Boshi no Tengan, which was far more powerful than that of average clan members.
But what truly fueled the intense ire directed towards White Star Radiance on this devastating battlefield were its two most powerful experts, who seemed incredibly difficult to take down and exhaust, no matter how much time passed. They had become notorious, even slightly feared by those in Gold Tier 4, seeing that their level of combat abilities was incomprehensible for two young Gold Tier 2 cultivators. They were none other than Daoist Blue Heavens Sword and Daoist Black Devil Blades. Their real names were known only to a select few: Elton and Zoro.
|Two Sword Style: Black Spiraling Cutter|
|2nd Bright Brilliance Sword: Dazzling Horizon Cut|
Both of their attacks crashed into the opponents before them. Elton's movements carried a clean, heroic feel, while Zoro's exuded a demonic, deathly aura. These two stark contrasts, combined with their excellent teamwork, made their impact all the more frightening to their enemies. This was further amplified by the other White Star Radiance members and their precise follow-up attacks.
"I will kill you, Daoist Blue Heavens Sword!" Ramorous angrily shouted, many of the scars from Elton's White Star Smash still visible on his body.
Ramorous and a group around him tried to smash through and violently attack Elton, but they were intercepted by Jewleaf and various other troops.
"Hahaha, why don't we continue our own exchange, sir?" Jewleaf laughed, displaying his own numerous wounds.
"Get out of my way, trash! Grahhh!!!"
"Heh, why don't you make me move then? I won't let you touch my excellent son! Hahahaha!!!"
Jewleaf and Ramorous were once more locked in an explosive exchange of combat, one furious with wild, unrestrained attacks, and the other excited with smooth, deadly precise strikes.
In another area of the battlefield, Christy's parents, Christina and Jonovan, were also working together with a troop, taking on the more powerful experts ranging from Gold Tier 4 to even Early Stage Mortal Shedding Realm Experts. Christina was at the Gold Tier 4 stage, and Jonovan was a Peak Gold Tier 5 Golden Lord with power capable of contending against weaker early stage Mortal Lords (Mortal Shedding Realm experts are called Mortal Lords).
Jonovan also wielded a special treasured sword given to him by his family, which increased his battle power to the point of contending with even more powerful early stage Mortal Lords.
"Jonny, to the left! I will lock on to them!" Christina called out.
"Thanks, Chris!"
With explosive movements, Jonovan appeared beside a Gold Tier 4 expert who could barely react in time, cutting him down and sending him flying. His fate, whether alive or dead, remained unknown. Afterward, he swiftly leaped back, and a shield made of chaos essence appeared before him, perfectly timed by Christina, blocking a rapid string of attacks aimed at him.
"Alright, Chris, let's continue to do our best! Heh, I refuse to be outdone by our juniors," Jonovan said, a tired yet ecstatic expression on his face as he watched Christy and the others in the distance, holding their own in battle.
"Oh, Jonny… Hehe, I will follow you always, love," Christina replied, her smile full of affection.
Although everyone was pretty much doing their best, holding on with tenacious resolve, it wasn't as if tragedies never happened on their side.
"Damn theeem!! I will make you pay for what you did to my brothers in arms!!" a Fanged Elf cried, watching in anguish as so many of his dead comrades were torn to pieces by powerful enemy attacks.
"Come and accept your death too then, Elf!" yelled an enemy from a sect, along with various others behind him.
Back on Elton's side, Elton once again managed to defeat a Gold Tier 3 expert who attempted to flee but was barraged by magical attacks from various sides, leaving him and some of his comrades caught in the crossfire with uncertain fates. Elton stood there in the middle of the battlefield, his face filled with exhaustion, as he looked at all the raw ire directed towards him, along with so many dead on both sides. He felt a very discomforting feeling as he sighed in his heart.
"Tiresome, isn't it? Hahahaha! You should just let me take over so you won't have to continuously deal with such despairing scenarios, boy," a familiar voice, his own inner voice, spoke to Elton.
"Haaah… Certainly, I'm exhausted from all of this, but—" Elton paused for a moment as he looked around and glimpsed all of his comrades. "I'm not alone, and I have comrades that need me."
"Hahahaha!!! Oh, cut it out with this protagonist talk! Your lack of killing intent is weighing down on some of your comrades too. Why did you not kill that insect just then but instead harmed him enough just for him to be bombarded by attacks from others?" the inner voice laughed with arrogant amusement.
"Huh, what are you talking about? You know as well as I do that those who are severely injured to the point of near death are not much of a threat unless they swiftly recover at a rapid rate past the point of my ability with the Blue Heavenly Star Destroyer. An explosion of my magic and Ki lingering in their bodies could probably finish them."
The inner voice was slightly taken aback upon hearing this before he said, "Is that how it is for you? Hmm, interesting. Perhaps it depends on the innate will of the user?"
Elton continued his attacks under the cover of his comrades, curious about what the inner voice was thinking about, but he left it alone for now.
Boooomm!!!
A mighty attack came crashing down, injuring and knocking many people away.
"Get over here. I will take care of these guys. Ramorous, you handle them!" shouted a Demon whose power was newly solidified as a Golden Lord. He clashed with Jewleaf and the others, causing them to slightly panic and direct their attacks towards the new threat.
"Damn it! You guys, be careful!" Jewleaf shouted towards Elton and Zoro.
"You bastards! It's time for you to finally accept your death!!" Ramorous screamed as he charged towards where Elton and Zoro were. The two of them swiftly ran back towards their group's location. Then the terrifying three-way clash happened. Elton and Zoro unleashed the full might of their power, aided by the buffs from their comrades, as Ramorous's powerful attack shook them, and a massive explosive force rippled through the area.