Chapter 270: The Skyfall Army’s Attack
The target was Plane B, the former holy temple of the Dragon God Cult.
Only pure-blooded dragons and other races recognized by dragons for their outstanding contributions to these great reptiles were eligible to enter.
Compared to nations and churches established by humans and other humanoid intelligent races, the dragon churches treated the lower classes more cruelly.
Due to differences in appearance and the cruelty of their living habits, cannibalism and torture for mere entertainment were common sights on this plane.
Biological instincts would elicit more sympathy towards creatures that resembled oneself, and even view young ones as treasures, much like cat lovers.
However, when the gap was too vast and there were no additional cute features, even members of the same race could exploit each other mercilessly. Faced with an alien race, they showed no mercy.
Therefore, when the Skyfall Army learned that their suppressed wait had ended and they could finally open fire on targets other than the War Goddess’s church, their first choice was to eliminate the Dragon God Cult.
Due to their numerous atrocities and the most accumulated hatred, multiple combined legions of the Skyfall Army immediately launched their operation.
Not to mention the rigorous training conducted under strict discipline, new technologies supported by the empire were also employed for this operation. The widely popularized simplified virtual god project debuted, allowing even commoners to possess considerable combat power in a very short time, equip themselves, and form newly organized legions.
The Skyfall Army was now operating in this mode, with elite corps planning to train and deploy more combat power, taking on roles as commanders and instructors, then quickly training more combat power with the old leading the new.
This was a combat model with immense sacrifices, requiring constant replenishment of fresh blood. In terms of death toll, the Skyfall Army’s choice was truly brutal. Countless youths and ordinary people embarked on the battlefield because of it.
However, they were fully aware of the consequences and had no regrets; they had joined this battle entirely voluntarily.
Their goal was to forge a world without gods, to release the pent-up rage that had been suppressed for so long.
“Report, First Platoon has completed basic summoner training for all members.” The platoon leader, a man with a prosthetic arm where a dragon had bitten off his original one, loudly requested the company commander to verify the results of their arduous training.
“Ten consecutive magic tests, commence now!”
The company commander took out a stopwatch and watched as the unevenly skilled soldiers of the First Platoon immediately sprang into action.
They came from different regions, had low levels of education, and many were short due to long-term malnutrition.
Even so, upon hearing they would fight dragons, not a single one retreated. Instead, they rushed to volunteer, with no unit willing to be a reserve force.
This put the higher-ups in a difficult position; with the soldiers’ battle intent being so high, it felt inappropriate to choose some to go and not others. Eventually, they devised a selection system.
The best of the best would be chosen; capability would dictate deployment, making it relatively fair and saving him from having to make the choice.
The selection test was the trade version of the virtual god supported by the empire. Of course, the Skyfall Army would not use a name as derogatory as “virtual god youth edition”; it was called the Summoner Combat System.
Masters of Summoner Magic!
This way, their prestige was maintained, and it perfectly matched their combat style.
The Summoner Combat System was essentially a virtual god with fixed cards. Because it was specifically designed for card-based combat, the difficulty of system construction and processing decreased exponentially. The number of people responsible for the same amount of energy increased, which in turn meant a substantial decrease in the learning cost for soldiers, allowing commanders to quickly leverage the combat power of their troops.
This was a combat system that essentially capped the upper limits but guaranteed a sufficient lower limit.
The appropriate combat method for summoners was to summon cards embodying water, fire, and wind elemental abilities.
The single elemental cards could increase attack power, recovery ability, and movement speed with passive effects, while combinations of cards could produce different magical effects.
Through different combinations of the three elements, ten extremely useful spells could eventually be achieved.
This might seem limited, but by relying on passive buffs and skillfully utilizing the inherent magic, soldiers formed this way could adapt to many battlefields and exhibit formidable combat power.
The selection assessment required soldiers to master the ten spells, understand their effects and timing of release, and quickly switch between them for optimal attack effects.
This was somewhat like modern artillery units switching different types of ammunition to deal with different enemies.
Except now, they were casting spells, and their ammunition was wirelessly supplied by magical energy relay devices.
Regiments filled with high morale and exceptional training were selected. Knowing full well their enemies were formidable, they charged to the forefront of the battle, launching the final decisive battle against the Dragon God Cult.
The battle certainly involved heavy casualties, but the Dragon God’s power in this world was not strong to begin with, and there were many informants within the church who had long been working for the Skyfall Army and could provide intelligence. Thus, the Skyfall Army ultimately achieved victory.
When the Dragon God’s holy temple was conquered and set ablaze, its sinful sanctuary and the blood and darkness left behind by countless mortal corpses in the lowest levels, many could not help but weep.
This was the end of an era, a remembrance of the suffering of the past.
Although the Skyfall Army’s endeavors would not be smooth sailing, the veteran soldiers of the Skyfall Army knew that the strongholds they reclaimed today might be retaken by the church tomorrow.
At every moment, they faced encirclement by churches and nobles, surviving only by their will, pressed between the cracks. The old era was ending, but their era had not yet begun.
Just like their comrades who fell on the path to the holy temple, not every soldier celebrating victory here today would live to see the world truly bathed in light and all gods banished.
But they contributed to that most sacred victory, to a scene that was once considered impossible. They strove and fought, did they not?
The army’s formation parted like a tide as Shana, clad in military attire, appeared before the Skyfall Army soldiers, beauty and valor perfectly blended upon her.
She walked onto the platform where the bloodstains had yet to fully dry, a place once occupied only by the Pope, and declared loudly:
“The Dragon God Cult is annihilated, but our enemies are many.”
“Defeat them!”
“Those nobles, who once commanded us from on high, exploited us—those nobles are still there!”
“Take them down!”
“Those churches, lackeys of the gods, who grovel before powerful beings yet raise their blades against their own kin—those beasts are still there!”
“Take them down!”
“At this very moment, across countless vast planes, countless soldiers like you are engaging the oldest, most traditional, and most powerful forces in this universe head-on. This will be a very long and arduous battle. If it continues, not only you, but likely your sons and grandsons will have to participate in this war… Are you afraid?”
A young voice, not yet fully deepened, shouted:
“We only ask, where are more enemies?”
“Where are the enemies?”
The Skyfall Army soldiers roared in unison. They had been suppressed for too long. Day after day of repetitive labor had destroyed countless generations. The accumulated resentment had now become an unquiescent flame.
Either all mortals would perish, or all gods would perish; otherwise, this war would never end.
Shana felt the surging battle intent in the air and gently closed her eyes, sensing the heavy pressure on her shoulders.
This war had begun, and death would be omnipresent. It was possible that not a single one of these outstanding and passionate young people before her would live to see the era truly belonging to them.
But since they were going forward without hesitation, she should not falter but exert her utmost effort to guide them more smoothly toward victory.
She opened her eyes again, her beautiful irises flashing with golden light. She surveyed her surroundings, then looked up at the sky, and said in a deep voice:
“They are everywhere, in vast numbers, but we will form an ocean a hundred, a thousand, times their size, and with unstoppable force, we will forge an era that belongs to us!”
“End the tyranny of the gods, the world belongs to mortals!”
The Skyfall Army’s slogan echoed across the former Dragon God’s plaza, across the Song Plane, across the God-Slaying Fortress, across the planes the gods wished to conquer, and on battlefields where mortals drew their swords against the gods.
From this moment on, mortals would no longer hide, but would officially challenge the ancient beings who governed the cosmic order and rules.
The inequalities of the past would soon cease to exist in this world.
Gods, are you ready?
…
…
The Void of All Worlds, the Divine Kingdom of the God of Knowledge, the Six Gods gathered.
This divine kingdom, seemingly tiny and humble, had no supplicants or holy spirits. It was empty, even appearing desolate, yet no god would lightly disregard its existence.
Especially after Tyberas was betrayed and fell, her divine kingdom becoming the God-Slaying Fortress of the Azurevine Empire, the first line of defense against divine invasion of mortal realms. The gods suddenly discovered the benefit of a small divine kingdom…
That was safety!
In comparison, their own divine kingdoms could become targets for mortals. Even though they had all strengthened their defenses and deployed forces to prevent surprise attacks, preventing a repeat of Tyberas’s tragedy, no one wanted their divine kingdoms to be engulfed in war.
Wars fought on other people’s territory were good wars. Otherwise, even if they won, if their own lands were left in ruins, the victory would come at a heavy cost.
In contrast, the Void of All Worlds had the advantages of being small and hidden. As long as their divine kingdom existed, it would act as a shield, allowing the God of Knowledge to control the overall situation from afar and continue to play games like “Faith Power Loans.”
He had been doing this for so many years, leading the “Seven Gods Edition” war while always maintaining a considerable distance from them.
Earlier, they had felt their leader was too passive. Now, they understood that the leader’s strategy was truly far-sighted.
“The upcoming battle will be long and arduous. Mortals are now no less than any ancient god, even more dangerous than they are.”
The God of Knowledge set the tone for the meeting, making it clear how he viewed the Azurevine Empire and the potential actions of mortals wielding god-slaying techniques.
Sylvie concurred, “These mortals are indeed troublesome. They do not need faith, which allows them to destroy faith wantonly, resulting in heavy losses to our Faith Power sources.”
Her expression was quite solemn. Her best-managed and most beautifully developed Song Plane was now under harassment from the Skyfall Army.
She could accept the loss of Faith Power, but with churches and nobles busy suppressing rebel forces, she had no fresh and beautiful music to listen to, greatly diminishing her divine pleasure.
She knew very well how deeply rooted the faith was in the Song Plane, having managed it for tens of thousands of years. Yet, it had been easily infiltrated by mortals, who had temporarily gained the upper hand. This was enough for her to recognize the threat these mortals posed.
“In the planes we control, armed forces called the Skyfall Army have also appeared. They are establishing strongholds, gathering rebellious believers, and shaking the foundations of our existence.”
Other gods also complained about the troubles they encountered.
They had blockaded the God-Slaying Fortress and the surrounding planes, successfully suppressing the Azurevine Empire from using it as a base to continue their destruction of the worlds they controlled or to attack the next god.
As a result, the Azurevine Empire was making various defensive arrangements at the God-Slaying Fortress, rather than using it as a springboard for further offensives.
The actual attack operations were carried out by the Skyfall Army. The “stars of fire” they had scattered had stopped suppressing their existence and began to radiate their brilliance wantonly, significantly hindering the Six Gods’ efforts to muster their forces for a counterattack.
Other divine senses met in the air as the Six Gods exchanged recent intelligence. The chain reactions across all fronts meant they could no longer maintain their original strategy of conquering the entire universe.
After listening to everyone’s reports, the God of Knowledge showed no surprise. He stated calmly yet firmly, “Therefore, we must be prepared to pay a heavy price to achieve victory.”
The expressions of the other gods gradually turned serious. Although some were unwilling, the problems they raised were indeed grave.
They controlled the vast majority of the universe’s resources, but as the Six Gods had grown to this point, under a unified banner, each harbored their own reservations. None wanted to suffer too much personal loss, allowing others to benefit.
However, with this mindset, the resources they controlled could not be fully mobilized, and their coordination would have flaws. If mortals found an opportunity, their so-called eternity and immortality would truly become a joke.
Tyberas’s fall was a heavy blow to their strength and a warning to the Six Gods to recognize their enemy.
“Leader, just tell us what to do,” said the God of Hope indifferently.
After all, his entire accumulation had been taken by Nalliner. Unlike the other gods, he had a carefree attitude, like someone with nothing to lose.
After his declaration, the other four gods seemed to have come to a realization and nodded. “We second that. We will absolutely obey command for this operation.”
The God of Knowledge looked at his companions, who appeared heavy-hearted, as if mourning the deceased. He knew this was an inevitable reaction after such a long time without encountering an enemy of equal footing. He did not blame them but pretended to be relaxed, saying:
“Everyone, don’t look so glum. This time, the Father God is with us. He will spare no resources to support us in this war against mortals—after all, they are the last beings in this universe who can be considered our enemies.”
“The Father God… he’s actually making a move for a group of mortals?”
The Five Gods were shocked. Powerful divine senses rippled through the Void of All Worlds, their emotions more agitated than the God of Knowledge’s when he first heard the God King’s decision.
Now that’s what you call having clout!
