Chapter 204 Chapter One Hundred Ninety-Nine Volcano
Four months have passed since a newly born Demon King forced George into a confrontation, leaving him bloodied that night.
After undergoing psychological and physiological treatment, the surface of the wound on his back appeared to have healed. Coupled with the fact that the global situation had dramatically shifted in the past four months, George was kept busy and had little time to dwell on Jima.
He recalled the succubus who had exploited his kindness from the very beginning.
She had always deceived him whenever she wanted to leak secrets.
She manipulated everyone’s goodwill, crying, acting helpless, or misleading them.
She showed no remorse, proudly revealing the cruel truth of her identity as a Demon King, boasting about how perceptive George was, saying, “The quality is excellent” and “I’ve never been with such a high-quality woman.”
There was not a hint of guilt in her heart for deceiving Shuangye and Jenna, exploiting their kindness.
From a certain perspective, he had to be thankful for the invasion of the Destruction Army, as it buried this unbearable memory deep within his heart.
The Destruction Army had indeed invaded.
According to reports from astrologers, based on celestial phenomena, a massive spatial rift had opened at both the North and South Poles, connecting the Demon Realm with the mortal world.
Chaotic tendrils swept southwards, gradually enveloping the entire continent. Settlements near the poles were corroded and abandoned, heretical cults spread through the nations of various order factions, and countless underground sects began to emerge.
Currently, an imposing Destruction Army was charging from the wasteland, and like every previous war of annihilation, it would first attack Kisilif. To breach the heart of Kisilif, they would need to conquer the cursed city of Praggler.
The nations that had signed the Civilization Shield Treaty were extending their support to Kisilif.
The Emperor of the Empire personally led troops to provide assistance, accompanied by Walker, the leader of the Sigma Church, who had arrived at Praggler a week ago to join the frontlines in resisting the Destruction Army.
Meanwhile, the high elves on the remote islands of the vast sea sent their special reinforcements—Tyg.
Tyg, known as the Twin Pillars of Osuan. His brother, the renowned warrior Osuan Guardian, once encountered a Demon King in the outskirts and drove him away in disgrace, swimming across the ocean.
Tyg was also recognized as the strongest mage in the world, the teacher of all battle mages in the Empire. A thousand years ago, he led his magical apprentices to the Empire, assisting the then-Emperor, the “Pious One,” in training mages to establish a magical academy, instructing humanity in spellcraft.
The human mages he trained played a significant role in the battles against the Destruction Army at that time.
The “Pious One” lamented: “Steel, magic, and faith are the foundation of the Empire.”
Now, he arrived riding a phoenix. Not only did he bring a few dragon-riding disciples, but he also brought some magic swordsmen.
With the legendary presence, the morale of the order rose dramatically. If one were to ask who in the old world could destroy the Destruction Army, many would name Tyg.
Tyg’s arrival not only boosted the morale of the order…
After finishing his morning prayers, George kissed the holy sword in his hand, a sword he felt unworthy of.
The holy sword had reached his hands not because the Holy See trusted him again, believing he had become wiser, but because no one in the Holy See was qualified to wield the holy sword anymore.
Too many powerful figures in the Holy See had fallen, and even the cardinal who had firmly opposed George taking the holy sword was now left with only one surviving member.
While George and his party worked hard to obtain fragments of the crown, many comrades in the Holy See were engaged in battles against the demons and the Dark Four Gods. Many of them, due to the Holy See’s allocation of resources towards seizing the fragments of the Demon King, were left with limited resources and perished.
George naturally recovered his title of hero, but deep within, he did not want this title; it should have been earned through excellence, not as a champion of “who could live longer.”
He slung the holy sword over his shoulder and marched out of the tent, pushing apart the tent flap.
The morning light fell on his silver armor, much like it did on Jima as she prepared to board in another world.
Jenna stood outside the tent, dressed in a silver robe with gold trim, smiling at George.
George felt a warmth in his heart and nodded in greeting. Jenna extended her hand and said, “Let’s go together.”
George grasped her hand tightly.
Next to them, a group of imperial greatswordsmen were lining up, while soldiers hurried past them. Further away, under the fluttering military banner, the imperial sword-and-shield soldiers were forming ranks.
The thick ice wall stretched far into the distance, standing in front of the military camp.
George and Jenna walked towards the ice wall, and atop the ice-cast arrow tower stood Eve Shuangye, standing straight as if she were a flagpole.
They approached the ice wall, and Jenna smiled, saying, “Lift me up there.”
George scooped Jenna up into his arms and leaped effortlessly over the fifteen-meter-high ice wall, setting down the laughing Jenna.
George waved at Eve Shuangye on the adjacent tower, saying, “Good morning.”
The spring breeze lifted Eve Shuangye’s long silver hair as she ignored George, truly resembling a flagpole.
George did not mind; he knew Eve Shuangye disliked him and held steadfastly to the dark secret about Jima. Although her attitude had always been poor, her continued presence beside him was the greatest indication of her stance.
The spring wind raised a flurry of sharp snowflakes, shattering against George’s helmet.
He looked out beyond the ice wall at the “ice wall” that occupied the entire horizon. It was incorrect to call it an ice wall.
It should be called a glacier, a glacier spanning over three hundred kilometers across the “narrow pass” in front of Praggler, where two massive mountain ranges met, leaving a wide opening to enter Kisilif.
This was one of the most suitable entrances to the continent, even though Praggler stood prominently here.
But Tyg had arrived, bringing with him his new spells; the glacier before him was one of the results of his magic.
He had also engaged in close cooperation with the Bear God Church in Kisilif, enhancing rituals to summon stronger blizzards, calling forth the “General of Winter,” allowing Kisilif’s winter to freeze the wrath of the demon race in the snow and ice.
A gentle thud sounded, like a swan’s feather landing on the ground, as Eve Shuangye descended beside George, raising her hand with a crystal ball and saying:
“Latest military intel, humph, your pathetic human sorcery pales in comparison to the Eye of the Phoenix.”
George replied casually, “Right.”
He reached out to take the crystal ball, holding it before his eyes.
Before the crystal ball, heavy snow fell like a mudslide, engulfing the land.
Amidst the dense snow, one could glimpse the demon race, armored in blood-red, struggling through the snow.
Even the top-tier army of the demon race had to bow to this blizzard.
In front of this arduous marching army, a blurry figure rode a black horse, leading the forces.
In another flash, his army spread to the horizon, even the mudslide-like blizzard could not obscure the might of the Destruction Army.
They were heading toward the glacier, choosing the most difficult yet fastest marching route.
“Eternal Chosen,” George said, “still unable to unveil the mist cast by the Master of Deception upon him?”
“Yes,” Eve Shuangye replied, “my two noble comrades paid with their lives to test this.”
“There are rumors among the Destruction Army that the Eternal Chosen wears a complete crown, commanding all followers of the Four Gods and demons,” George said. “I believe it is true.”
Beside him, Jenna shook her head and said, “Impossible; we seized fragments of the Demon King’s crown, and Jima took it away from our world.”
“Jenna, emotionally, we all find it hard to accept our sacrifices and those of our comrades as meaningless,” George said. “But from a rational standpoint, why is the Eternal Chosen leading his army directly toward Praggler? He could easily continue south, taking a more arduous yet safer route.”
“Why is he only targeting the glacier? To break through the glacier and engage the coalition forces?”
Jenna replied, “Perhaps they don’t know we are here.”
At that moment, a blaring military horn sounded, followed by more horn blasts, like a tsunami sweeping over from behind them.
George saw the entire army begin to stand guard, each focused on their tasks. In the sky, high-tech mages riding on phoenixes released red flames signifying danger.
A powerful magical wind began to gather, and George felt the magical air, his gaze eventually locking onto Tyg, riding an arcane phoenix in the sky.
The strongest mage in the mortal world; he must be guiding the magic.
Above the glacier, a dark red ominous smoke emerged, appearing as if a thin layer of black was embedded in the glacier.
The blizzard outside the glacier grew fiercer, and George saw for the first time such dense snowfall, as if clouds were crashing to the ground.
Suddenly, the crystal ball shouted, “Run!”
George was momentarily stunned before recognizing it was the language of the high elves, the voice of Tyg, the strongest mage in the mortal realm.
Eve Shuangye’s expression changed as she snatched back the crystal ball and asked, “What happened?”
But the sky darkened, chaotic magical winds interrupted their communication. Almost simultaneously, the entire glacier emitted a tremendous roar, resembling waves crashing against rocks.
“Boom!!!”
Even though the Order coalition was protected by the glacier, when the gigantic soundwave struck, military flags toppled, and soldiers fell into the snow.
In the midst of the roaring sound, George stood firm, staring at the glacier that towered over two hundred meters.
Hot volcanic ash surged from the glacier, with continuous rumbling sounds echoing; George’s helmet buzzed.
It was the sound of a volcanic eruption.
George realized that a group of volcanoes were erupting.
What was happening?
The towering glacier appeared to be splitting open, revealing frightening chasms as wide as gorges, from which flames surged forth.
The Eternal Chosen stood atop the head of a dark dragon, which flew out amid flames, roaring down at the tiny people below like ants.
The Eternal Chosen wielded a glowing red sword, with the complete crown atop his head. As he brandished the sword, the gorge-like cracks rapidly expanded, and nearby glaciers crumbled, sending thousands of ice chunks hurtling down towards the ground.
George was momentarily frozen in place.
The Eternal Chosen looked down upon the entire Order army, and amidst the blizzard spraying volcanic ash into the sky, it gradually quieted down.
