Chapter 1 The First Day of September

The first day of September in the Solar Calendar 1798.

From this day forward, the world changed a great deal.

The war in the Southern Continent descended.

The Krythean Empire, the overlord of the Southern Continent, which had been plotting and biding its time for years, launched a full-scale war.

Its well-prepared Krythean Imperial Army, advanced Imperial magical engineering, and terrifying Imperial war gods swept across the borders of the Southern Continent's kingdoms with overwhelming force.

At the same time, the Cardinals of the Rebirth Church in the Southern Continent also joined the Krythean Empire's camp. In addition, several large neutral forces that were independent of both the Krythean Empire and the Kingdom Union also chose to help Krythea invade the kingdoms.

The western hub area, the Kingdom of Canberra, where the Kingdom Union Council headquarters was located, was the Krythean Empire's primary target. However, as the strongest kingdom in terms of overall national strength among the member states of the Kingdom Union Council, it was also the most difficult strategic location to capture.

In contrast, the battles in the Central Plains countries, which were easy to attack but difficult to defend, were the most intense.

The mountainous and coastal eastern region was the third front.

The northern shore area had not yet been attacked by the Krythean Empire, but according to the trends, the Krythean Imperial fleet might strike at any time and try to cut off the supply and sea routes of the three major fronts from the rear.

Even so, even in the relatively remote eastern region, tens of thousands of people had died in less than twenty-four hours.

...

The westernmost part of the eastern region of the Southern Continent.

The border of the Kingdom of Yarrowland, the Zelder Heights.

This place was strategically important, with towering peaks, overlapping mountains, and crisscrossing canyons.

The Zelder Heights were bordered by cliffs to the east, dense forests to the west, and narrow mountain passes to the north and south. They had always been an important barrier for the Kingdom of Yarrowland, guarding the vital passage to the heartland.

Since ancient times, whenever war broke out, countless Yarrowland martyrs had shed their blood here to defend their homeland.

Faced with the Krythean Empire's massive war machine, the Zelder Heights had unsurprisingly become the front line of the Shura field (battlefield).

The smoke-filled Zelder Heights were like a living hell. The once lush ancient trees had been shattered by magical artillery, the broken branches were charred black, and the bark was covered with bullet marks.

The lush grassland had been trampled beyond recognition, the green leaves were now a tragic sight, and the soil had been stained a horrifying dark red with blood.

Broken armor and shattered magical weapons were scattered all over the ground. The gloomy sky hung low, as if it would collapse at any moment. Dark clouds obscured the last ray of light, and the entire battlefield was colorless, with grayness covering the fields.

The shadow of death was everywhere, and the sounds of fighting and wailing came from all over the battlefield from time to time, echoing in the mountains, deafening and tearing at everyone's nerves.

In this living hell, the soldiers of the Kingdom of Yarrowland fought bloody battles, building the first line of defense with their flesh and blood.

Defending the Zelder Heights was the Urn Star Table Army Corps, the most elite unit in the western border of the Kingdom of Yarrowland.

The warriors of the Urn Star Table Army Corps were all elites who had emerged from thousands of troops. They were battle-hardened and experienced in combat. The commander of the corps, General Leonard, was known as the "God of War Reborn" as the strongest on the border, and he had also trained Juliana, the strongest person in the current Kingdom of Yarrowland. He was burly, his eyes were like torches, and his lion-like mane made him even more majestic.

"Oh God of Martial Arts and War, as you have decided, I will swear with all sincerity!"

Lieutenant General Cortel was a famous swordsman, whose sword was so fast that ordinary people could not see it clearly. The sword light only left an afterimage in the air.

"Never tired, never lazy, work hard!"

The soldiers of the Urn Star Table Army Corps were all brave and good at fighting. Their silver armor shone in the sun, like heavenly gods descending to earth.

After days of bloody battles, the Urn Star Table Army Corps finally repelled the Krythean Empire's first fierce attack!

The exhausted soldiers were reinvigorated, and their morale rose again.

General Leonard stood on a high ground, looking at the messy battlefield below and the faces of the soldiers after their escape, his loud voice resounded through the battlefield:

"Brave warriors, you are all true heroes! You are not afraid of strong enemies, and you have defended your homeland with blood and life! I am extremely proud of your bravery! Let those Krythean beasts see what Yarrowland cavalry is! Today, you are all the masters of the Zelder Heights!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, rubbing their fists and eager to try, full of murderous intent.

"As expected of General Leonard, the teacher of the Undead Sword Saint, Juliana."

"When Big Sister Juliana returns to Yarrowland from the Kingdom of Hutton, it will be time for our counterattack!"

"I haven't seen her for several years. I didn't expect to have the opportunity to fight alongside her again. Just thinking about it makes me feel excited!"

Thousands of eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit, waiting for the Krythean army to invade again, so that they could taste the power of the indestructible Yarrowland cavalry.

And the pride of their army corps was Juliana, who had already left the border army corps to go to the capital. She had even surpassed General Leonard a few years ago and successfully advanced to the eighth rank.

Just when the soldiers were full of confidence, they suddenly began to look at each other in confusion.

They couldn't say what was wrong.

"What's wrong?"

When Lieutenant General Cortel asked this question, he realized the problem.

He couldn't hear other people's voices.

General Leonard had already placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Abnormal silence.

Too quiet.

Even the howling wind seemed to have stopped, and the birds and beasts were all silent, a strange silence.

An inexplicable fear gripped everyone's minds, a tremor from the depths of their souls.

General Leonard was the first to notice the abnormality. Years of combat intuition told him that something was wrong.

"Cortel, come to my side quickly! Everyone else, form a battle formation on the spot, beware of attacks! Be vigilant and prepare to meet the enemy at any time!"

He subconsciously tightened his grip on his weapon, his bronze face tense, and whispered.

Looking at the shape of his mouth, Cortel immediately came to the commander's side, his sword already out of its sheath, the sword's edge gleaming coldly.

The Urn Star Table Army Corps quickly formed a battle formation. Dense long swords stood like wheat fields, forming a connected sword formation that surrounded the battlefield.

Everyone's nerves were stretched to the limit, every muscle was tense, and they vigilantly scanned their surroundings, holding their weapons tightly, ready to deal with the appearance of a powerful enemy at any time.

However, to their horror, the expected attack did not come.

On the contrary, a mist began to spread silently across the battlefield, enveloping the entire Zelder Heights, and the ground beneath the soldiers' feet became soft and sticky, as if they were stepping on a pool of mud.

"The environment... has changed?"

They looked around in disbelief.

It was as if they were no longer in the Zelder Heights for a moment.

Before they could really panic.

Even the dark sky seemed to be twisted and deformed, turning into a ferocious giant mouth with bared teeth and claws, or like the face of a god, about to devour everyone.

They stared blankly at the sky.

Compared to the giant face in the sky, they were as small as sesame seeds.

Was this really something that could be done with magic?

Or rather, if someone could control the entire sky, were they human or god?

This was beyond their comprehension.

Before the soldiers could react, the mist engulfed everything like a tide.

General Leonard only felt the scene in front of him change, as if he had been thrown into another strange and unpredictable world.

The surroundings were a boundless wasteland of death and silence. The sky and earth were gray, like the deep sea. Everything lost its color, leaving only a deathly silence that was about to suffocate them.

"This is an illusion! Everyone, don't be deceived, concentrate!"

General Leonard shouted loudly, trying to awaken his comrades' minds.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Even though he escaped the illusion by hurting himself to feel severe pain and concentrating his mind, the other army corps members were already deeply trapped in the illusion. The soldiers stood woodenly like puppets, covering their throats, slowly losing their breath in terror.

Only Lieutenant Cortel was barely able to break free from the illusion.

At the same time, an invisible force enveloped the battlefield.

Leonard and Cortel instantly felt suffocated, their movements were hindered, and it was as if a thousand pounds of weight were pressing on their shoulders, making it impossible to move an inch.

They all thought of the same chilling possibility.

"Teacher Leonard! Don't worry about me, run with all your strength! I'll hold him back for you!"

Lieutenant Cortel gritted his teeth, his veins bulging, and tried to break free from the invisible shackles like a madman.

But as a battle-hardened swordsman, he tried his best to resist, but he was gradually losing his strength, and the sword seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, making it impossible to swing it even a little.

Just as Leonard and Cortel were desperately resisting, a tall black shadow slowly emerged from the mist.

He wore a dark black robe and held a mechanical agate staff. The mist that kept floating by vaguely revealed his handsome, cold face and indifferent eyes, but they also flashed with an arrogance that looked down on all living beings.

The magical fluctuations he emitted alone made Cortel stop struggling and tremble.

"The Third War God, Geyate of the Entwined Agate Throne..."

Leonard recognized the enemy at a glance, his voice trembling with a desolate despair.

Compared to Lieutenant Cortel, he was more aware of the gap between himself and the enemy.

He even felt fortunate that his disciple Juliana was not here.

Because even if Juliana was here, she would not be Geyate's opponent.

Geyate did not respond. He simply raised a hand and pointed, and Leonard and Cortel were as if they were being choked by an invisible hand, sealing their ability to move, and they knelt down involuntarily.

The two were like puppets with broken strings, with no ability to resist, and blood gurgled from their mouths.

Minutes later.

When the mist in the Zelder Heights dissipated, all that could be seen was corpses everywhere.

Not a single member of the Urn Star Table Army Corps survived. Even the communication magic equipment left on the ground was still ringing constantly, and the command headquarters in the rear was constantly asking about the situation on the front line, but they could no longer get any response.

...

Hargen Gard Fortress, southwestern border of the Kingdom of Bosen.

This ancient fortress stood majestically, with a continuous mountain range behind it and a vast plain in front of it, guarding the border city-states behind it.

Hargen Gard Fortress was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only a narrow mountain pass to the south, and the central army of the Kingdom of Bosen was stationed there. It was the first line of defense on the southeastern border of the Kingdom of Bosen.

The smoke-filled Hargen Gard Fortress was full of ruins. The thick stone walls had been riddled with holes by magical artillery, and rubble had fallen, stirring up clouds of dust.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder and blood. The fortress was covered with broken limbs and corpses lying in disarray. Blood had stained the soil red, gathering into a foul-smelling pool of blood.

Huge black crows circled and howled, and the scarlet sky was so dark that it seemed to be pressing down on the city. At dusk, even the heavens seemed to be weeping.

The sounds of fighting, wailing, and explosions came from inside and outside the city from time to time, echoing in the valley for a long time, tearing at every soldier's nerves.

In this hell, the soldiers of the Kingdom of Bosen built the last barrier with their flesh and blood.

Defending Hargen Gard Fortress was the central army of the Kingdom of Bosen.

Seven days ago, when the Krythean Empire launched an attack, in order to resist the Krythean Empire's invasion, the Kingdom of Bosen did not mobilize the more crucial garrison in the southern border, but instead sent its central army with all its strength to form a joint army with the garrison in the southwestern border.

This army was known as the "Bosen Iron Cavalry". The units stationed at Hargen Gard Fortress were the First Army Corps and the Fifth Army Corps of the Bosen Iron Cavalry.

Giovanni, the general of the First Army Corps, was known as the "Tiger of the Battlefield". He was majestic, his eyes were like lightning, and his voice was like a bell.

General Giovanni was brave and good at fighting. He had charged into battle many times and was invincible.

Lord Roland, the commander of the Fifth Army Corps, was equally brave and fearless.

He was old, his hair was white, and he was battle-hardened, but he was still energetic, and his battle-worn face was full of vicissitudes.

The Bosen Iron Cavalry were all fierce generals. The soldiers' armor shone with a cold light in the smoke, and their black cloaks fluttered in the wind.

The Bosen royal emblem on their chests was particularly eye-catching in the light of the artillery fire. Although Hargen Gard Fortress was in ruins, the soldiers of the Bosen Iron Cavalry were still full of fighting spirit.

They raised their spears high, lined up neatly on the broken city walls, their determined faces filled with a determination to die.

Once Hargen Gard Fortress fell, the towns behind it would be plundered and massacred, and it would be difficult to retake this important place.

They needed to hold out until reinforcements from the Aquitaine Territory in the southern border arrived.

General Giovanni and Lord Roland, the two commanders, charged into the surging Krythean army, their bodies soaked in blood.

The seventh-level experts were invincible on the battlefield.

Despite being besieged by many sixth-level experts, they were still able to fight their way out.

"Brave Bosen warriors!"

General Giovanni shouted loudly, his voice resounding through the clouds,

"The Krythean invaders are right in front of us! But I want to show them what a Bosen lion is! What it means to never give in! Let them taste our power!"

"Never retreat!"

The soldiers responded in unison, their loud shouts shaking the earth and reverberating in the sky above Hargen Gard.

The Krythean artillery fire became more and more intense, and the city walls were crumbling, but the momentum of the Bosen Iron Cavalry only increased.

They sincerely believed that as long as Hargen Gard Fortress stood tall, they could protect the people of Bosen to the end.

The Krythean Empire's army surged in like a tide, a dark mass that shook the earth.

Spears pierced through the chests of the enemies, blades severed their heads, and magic artillery fired from time to time. Corpses were scattered all over the battlefield. The Bosen warriors swore to coexist with the city and never retreated a step.

They understood that behind them was their home, the fate of countless people.

Even if they spilled their last drop of blood, they would fight to defend their homeland until their last breath.

"?"

Just when the Bosen Iron Cavalry were resisting wave after wave, all the soldiers felt an inexplicable pressure, as if an invisible hand was choking their throats, causing their movements to gradually slow down.

The color of the sky deepened again, turning into an ominous crimson. Thick dark clouds rolled and surged like blood.

The earth began to tremble, and countless cracks appeared on the ground, with blood seeping out from the cracks.

The Bosen warriors looked at each other, instinctively feeling the danger.

"Not good! Krythea's experts!"

Lord Roland's face changed drastically, his voice trembling slightly.

As an experienced veteran, he immediately realized that something was wrong.

General Giovanni tightened his grip on his long sword, gritting his teeth, trembling all over, but unable to do anything to change the situation.

At this moment, a blood-red comet suddenly streaked across the sky.

The comet dragged a long tail, like the fangs of a vicious dog, tearing the sky apart.

A terrifying aura enveloped the battlefield, and everyone felt their souls tremble.

In this suffocating atmosphere, a figure descended from the sky and landed on the walls of Hargen Gard.

The newcomer wore dark red heavy armor, his cloak was like blood, and he was arrogant and unrestrained.

He had short black hair that flew like flames, his eyes were as red as torches, and his gaze was so sharp that it made people palpitate. A scorching heat wave surrounded his body, and the air was distorted and deformed.

The earth was suppressed by his aura, and the air was burning.

And the surrounding soldiers, whether from the Krythean Empire or the Kingdom of Bosen, stopped their movements.

"The Seventh War God of the Krythean Empire, Feli of the Bloodstone Throne."

Giovanni uttered this chilling name with difficulty, his face ashen.

According to rumors, Feli was the most warlike of the Krythean war gods, and he had probably been looking forward to this war for a long time.

Feli grinned cruelly, raised his right hand, and saw scarlet cracks gradually burst out from the ground. The fire rapidly expanded, and in the blink of an eye, it was as blazing as the sun.

"The Border Lord of Aquitaine isn't here. What else can stop my men?"

Feli laughed wildly, with a hint of disappointment,

"Is it you, or you?"

Before he finished speaking, hundreds of pillars of fire dozens of meters wide surged up from under Hargen Gard, reaching to the sky.

Countless soldiers, along with the ruins, were melted, and screams could be heard everywhere.

Feli moved forward. Wherever he went, the warriors of the Bosen Iron Cavalry were like paper dolls in front of him, easily melted.

"Beast!"

General Giovanni roared and slashed at Feli with his sword.

But before his long sword could touch Feli, it was blown away by an invisible force, plunged into the ground, and shattered with a bang.

Before Giovanni could react, Feli's fist had already pierced through his chest, and blood spurted out like a fountain.

"You're not good enough."

Feli released his blood-stained fist and let Giovanni's body fall to the ground.

The seventh-level Lord Roland also failed to stop Feli for long and was turned into a pool of blood, his bones completely dissolved.

Minutes later.

Hargen Gard Fortress was suddenly breached, and the civilians in Hargen Gard City behind it panicked in the face of the sudden disaster.

"Mom, no!"

"Who can save us!"

"Don't kill her!"

Cries and wails were endless. People fled in all directions, but there was nowhere to go.

Fear enveloped everyone's hearts, and the city was turned into a sea of fire. The raging flames devoured everything. Corpses were scattered all over the streets and alleys, blood flowed like rivers, and everything was devastated.

The Krythean cavalry then stormed into the city, like wolves and tigers. They massacred not only the Bosen garrison, but also unarmed civilians. In the flashes of swords and blades, no one, old or young, male or female, was spared.

Amidst the countless dead and wounded bodies, only Feli stood proudly, bathed in blood. He looked around at the tragic scene and let out an enjoyable laugh that was chilling and echoed in the sky above Hargen Gard for a long time.

...

Silverwood Forest, western border of the Kingdom of Hutton.

This dense primeval forest was like a boundless maze, with towering trees that blocked out the sky, vines, and dense undergrowth.

The terrain of Silverwood Forest was complex, and neither the Krythean Empire's army nor the Kingdom of Hutton's forces were willing to go deep into it.

But correspondingly, it also became a secret passage that could bypass the other side's front lines.

The elite squad of the Kingdom of Hutton's special assassination unit marched rapidly through the forest like ghosts, waiting for the opportunity to raid the Krythean Empire's Thirty-second Army's headquarters tonight.

As night fell, Silverwood Forest was shrouded in darkness.

The towering trees cast eerie shadows, like demons with bared teeth and claws. The branches and leaves rustled in the wind, filled with a damp smell.

The ground was covered with rotten leaves and dry branches, and every step made a creaking sound.

The night was like solidified ink, and even the moonlight could not penetrate this darkness.

Flashing through Silverwood Forest was the Shadow Blade Squad of the Seventh Special Operations Brigade of the Kingdom of Hutton, composed of six elites.

They belonged to the Kingdom of Hutton's royal family's secret organization, which brought together top assassins who could not be put on the table under normal circumstances.

The leader of the Shadow Blade Squad was a seventh-level assassin. He was slender and moved like the wind.

Captain Reno's eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, able to see clearly in the dark. He was good at preparing all kinds of strange poisons, and a poisoned silver needle could take a person's life.

Each member of the Shadow Blade Squad had their own skills, which could complement and help each other, making them able to carry out perfect teamwork, coming and going like ghosts, and never failing.

This time, they were ordered to launch a "beheading operation" against the Krythean Empire's troops stationed outside Silverwood Forest.

Reno led his squad members forward in the forest.

"This time, the target is the commander and chief of staff of the Krythean Army's Thirty-second Army Corps, an old man."

Reno said calmly,

"As long as I get within thirty meters of him, he's already dead, but the main difficulty lies in the retreat."

"I'll help you create a retreat route."

Vice-Captain Catherine added softly, her temperament completely unlike an assassin.

"The time to make contributions has come. Usually, we can only carry out some cleanup work and counter-assassination security work. Now, this great war has set off a chaotic world in the Southern Continent. As long as the Kingdom Union wins, we may not have to live a life that can't be seen in the light, and we can get a chance to retire, and even be granted official titles and become famous is not impossible."

"If we retire, will we all go our separate ways?"

"No, we are a family that has grown up together since we were young. I will build a house in a small village and wait for you to come back at any time."

This mission was just a routine for them.

But every next mission might be the most important mission.

Just as the Shadow Blade Squad was rushing and chatting, the wind howled suddenly in Silverwood Forest.

Reno keenly sensed that something was wrong. As an experienced assassin, his intuition told him that danger was approaching.

He suddenly drew his dagger, his eyes scanned his surroundings like an eagle's, and he whispered.

"Be careful, an enemy is approaching."

The other squad members also entered a state of alert, gripping their weapons tightly.

Catherine narrowed her eyes slightly. The Shadow Blade Squad was on high alert, but they could not see any trace of the enemy.

There was definitely a problem.

But as assassins, they could not find the other party's traces.

Until a faint sandalwood fragrance drifted in from somewhere, out of place with the forest's humidity.

At this moment, a gentle voice suddenly rang out behind the Shadow Blade Squad.

"Everyone, there's no need to be so nervous. I don't have any hostility."

Everyone turned around sharply.

They never dreamed that they, these top-notch assassins, would be approached unnoticed.

Even more frightening was that although the person speaking had a gentle tone, everyone felt a chill that went straight to the bone, as if ice water had been poured into their bone marrow.

A young man in a white robe embroidered with intricate and beautiful patterns was already standing beside them.

He had short, light-gold hair and a clear face.

But what was most frightening was his silver eyes that seemed to be able to see through people's hearts.

This person exuded a transcendental temperament that was out of place with the gloom of Silverwood Forest.

"You are...?!"

Reno's face changed drastically, but he did not dare to launch an attack rashly.

Because the other party had taken the initiative to get so close, he could not feel the possibility of assassinating him at all.

"The Eleventh War God of the Krythean Empire, Simon Luo of the Emerald Throne."

The light-gold-haired man in the white robe replied.

"Look how beautiful the moonlight is tonight, it's not suitable for fighting and killing."

Simon Luo said with a smile, his voice as gentle as a sigh,

"What do you think?"

"..."

No one dared to answer.

The air froze, and only the Shadow Blade Squad members' rapid breathing could be heard.

They were all waiting for Reno's order.

"Then if we want to leave, will you let us go?"

Reno said in a deep voice.

"Of course not."

Simon Luo replied as a matter of course,

"I certainly can't let you harm the Krythean Empire. Capturing you is inevitable."

"Do it!"

Reno shouted sharply the moment he heard this.

Being captured by the other party was worse than fighting them to the death!

Before he finished speaking, the dagger in Reno's hand had already been thrown out, heading straight for Simon Luo's throat.

A flash of silver light, and the dagger accurately hit its target.

At such a close distance, Simon Luo did not completely dodge it.

Or rather.

He didn't want to dodge at all.

After the dagger pierced Simon Luo's chest, it turned into specks of light and disappeared.

"Okay, can you calm down? I really don't want to hurt you."

Simon Luo was not disturbed at all. Except for the fact that his white robe was pierced, his skin was quickly healed.

But the members of the Hutton Kingdom's special assassination unit obviously refused to negotiate with Simon Luo.

In their opinion, Simon Luo had given them too many openings.

Those who should attack attacked, and those who should run ran.

But.

All the attacks vanished three feet away from Simon Luo, as if they had hit an invisible wall.

"Since the negotiation has failed, there's nothing I can do."

Simon Luo sighed, his tone finally carrying a trace of determination.

As soon as he finished speaking, Simon Luo raised his right hand and clenched his fist.

A gust of wind suddenly rose, and the members of the Shadow Blade Squad were instantly blown away, like kites with broken strings.

Countless trees in the entire forest were uprooted, losing their gravity at this moment!

The piercing wind cut through their bodies like sharp blades, and blood splattered in the air.

In just an instant.

Several Shadow Blade members who had escaped fell to the ground or were hung on trees, their bodies were cut beyond recognition, and shattered into countless pieces.

Reno, who had avoided the fatal wound, barely managed to stand up, but he was covered in blood and tottering.

"Monster! You monster!"

Reno roared, his eyes were about to burst.

But as a Hutton soldier, he would never submit to a powerful enemy!

"What's the point."

Simon Luo murmured with pity.

The corners of his mouth had a slight smile, and his fingertip pointed at Reno.

Just when Reno was focusing all his attention, preparing to avoid the wind blade, pretending to attack but actually looking for a chance to retreat.

He felt that he was shrouded in a shallow light, and the injuries on his body were completely healed.

And Simon Luo was still smiling at him.

It was as if he was telling him - even if I completely heal you several more times, what can you do?

"..."

At this moment, Reno felt a real sense of powerlessness.

The birds and crows in Silverwood Forest were startled several times, and finally, the sounds calmed down.

...

Several hours later in the Kingdom of Bosen.

As a hub in the eastern region connecting the Kingdom of Yarrowland on the left and the Kingdom of Hutton on the right, the high-level officials were in chaos at this moment.

In the central area of Bosen's capital, the magnificent King's Ministry of National Defense Building was located.

This building was made of gray-white marble, with six ancient Pariyue-style columns supporting a triangular gable.

Walking into the building, what came into view was a spacious hall, with a statue of the Bosen Kingdom's national emblem erected in the hall. A spiral staircase in the depths of the hall led to the core area of the Ministry of National Defense.

Located on the third floor of the Ministry of National Defense Building was the dispatch center.

People wearing military uniforms and Bosen Kingdom's senior civil service uniforms were constantly walking back and forth.

They used communication magic to contact each other, surrounded a smart touch table, and communicated with solemn expressions.

The surface of the touch table displayed a real-time military deployment map of the Kingdom of Bosen's border defense lines, and different-colored light spots represented different arms and numbers of troops.

"Now, not only us, but even the defense lines of the Kingdom of Yarrowland and the Kingdom of Hutton are suffering heavy losses, and we can basically not expect to ask for help."

The intelligence officer circled a few flashing red dots on the screen with a magic mechanical pen, and his tone revealed a solemn tone. Now, everything depended on the strongest western hub area to attract firepower, otherwise the eastern area would be even worse.

"Nearly a third of our army's dispatched army in the southwest has been lost, and the surviving troops are retreating south. At this rate, even if we can strengthen the defense of the Southern Aquitaine Territory, we can basically prepare to give up the southwest."

He looked at the constantly changing data on the screen and said with a gloomy expression.

While the noisy voices continued.

Footsteps sounded, and a figure came to the third floor along the stairs, and immediately many figures surrounded him.

"Lieutenant General, the border is asking for help, are we going to continue to send our central army?"

They hurriedly asked Nigel, who was now a lieutenant general.

"...Let the Senate decide, I think it's not very meaningful to continue to send reinforcements to the southwest."

Nigel shook his head with a tired look, seeming not to know what to do.

There were constant disturbances before and after. Although Nigel was not a general who would easily go to the front lines to fight, if he was really attacked in the capital, he would be the commander of the last line of defense to protect the capital.

His responsibility was equally important.

What's more, even if he went, he probably wouldn't be able to reverse the situation.

At this time, he couldn't help but think of his deceased teacher. If he had the powerful strength of Pearlman, perhaps he could really play a vital role on the front lines.

After the battle in the capital that night, he once again understood the phrase "the realm of life and death will make the demons' warriors stronger." If the long-lived species didn't abandon their view of life and death and learn to bloom finite fireworks like short-lived creatures, it would be difficult for them to become stronger quickly.

The Shard of Paloni's Grudge Record that Pearlman had forcibly implanted in him was about to become one with him. After recovering his self, he did not choose to separate it, but instead worked hard to suppress and control its power with his own strength.

If one day he had to face an eighth-level strong enemy again, perhaps he would still need to rely on this berserk ability, which could barely be considered legendary, to have the possibility of fighting against it.

Nigel simply dealt with the surrounding officers and civil servants and walked straight to the rear.

On one side of the third floor, there was also a rest area.

Lange and Talia were drinking tea.

"Nigel, you're here."

Lange noticed Nigel and immediately smiled.

He and Talia had stayed in the Kingdom of Bosen for nearly a week because of transportation, and now they were paying attention to the battle situation and transportation information every day. The person in the Kingdom of Bosen who was responsible for taking care of them had gradually changed from Countess Rosalinda to Nigel.

Now that the war had started, Countess Rosalinda, as a platinum-level card master and magical engineering expert, had been conscripted into the military industry department at the first time and was extremely busy every day.

"Lange, Tata, I'm very sorry, the battle situation has become even worse. We can't send you back to the Kingdom of Hutton for the time being. Except for large city-states like the capital that have core city defense systems, any other place where the magic energy rail train passes may be very dangerous."

Nigel took off his military cap, sat opposite them, and bowed his head to them.

What he brought today was still not good news, but bad news that they had to stay for an unknown period.

Transnational transportation was frequently attacked, and there were fewer and fewer available stations and routes. No one knew where they would be captured together with the city-state.

Now, if they wanted to return to the Kingdom of Hutton, there were many uncertainties in using the only magic energy rail train.

The safest plan at present was to go east all the way in the country now, and then transfer to a small vehicle after leaving the country, cross several small countries in the eastern region, and arrive at the Kingdom of Hutton on the easternmost side of the Southern Continent.

Even so, it would take a long time and be extremely risky.

"Your status as a scientific researcher is enough for the Krythean Empire to send enough forces to hijack you. In the worst case, if your travel information is leaked, you will face a situation with no chance of survival."

Nigel added.

Although the main force of the Krythean Empire would not directly attack the Kingdom of Bosen, the high-level assassins of the Krythean Empire could carry out surprise attacks, and once they left the border, there might even be war gods.

"It's okay, we knew and prepared ourselves when the war started, and we even felt lucky that we didn't rush to set off as soon as we woke up, otherwise we might have been blocked on the way."

Lange shook his head and patted Nigel's shoulder comfortingly.

Last time, he was already sweating profusely when he fought an eighth-level Pearlman. He had to rely on him and Talia's Demon King special attack and trick Pearlman twice to win. If they encountered any Imperial War God, something might happen.

Moreover, even if the difference in hard power was not big, if there was an attribute restraint, it would also become a situation where one side was pressing the other side to fight.

For example, Talia's mental magic was ineffective against alchemical creatures, so if she saw Bishop Farmer of Decay, she would have no chance of winning at all.

"Lange, Tata..."

Nigel's expression became a little bitter, as if he had something he couldn't say.

It would be safest to arrange for Lange to go back when there was a good time.

At least during this most turbulent period, the Kingdom of Bosen itself was a bit overwhelmed.

"Can I entrust you to serve as our magic engineer in the near future?"

Nigel looked at the two and finally said it.

He already owed Lange and Tata favors. Now the Kingdom of Bosen did not have the ability to send them back safely, but instead had to ask them to help with work, which was a bit like "biting the hand that feeds him", which really made him feel guilty.

"No problem."

Lange looked at Talia and then nodded, agreeing decisively.

Nigel was their friend who had gone through life and death with them, there was nothing to say.

"Thank you, you've helped me a lot."

Nigel breathed a sigh of relief.

Not only would the two platinum-level card masters help as magic craftsmen, but now the Kingdom of Bosen lacked top combat power. With them here, Nigel could also feel a little more at ease.

Suddenly.

The communication magic device on Nigel's ear rang.

"Lieutenant General Nigel, we have received intelligence that the second line of defense on the southwestern border is also on the verge of collapse."

The voice was accompanied by a buzzing noise.

"How can it be