Chapter 95: Shattered Hope

The soldiers felt this was simply not something a human could contend with. How were they supposed to stop it? It was clearly driving them off a cliff. A large number of soldiers dropped their weapons and frantically rushed toward the castle gates. These soldiers were vastly different from those above.

Their average Level was only around 7, and one could even become a Captain at Level 15—they were merely the most basic soldiers. Unlike the soldiers meticulously trained by the City Lords in the banquet hall, they lacked loyalty; they were just guards working for pay. How could they face such a terrifying Demon Human?

Xiong Batian naturally paid no mind to these fleeing soldiers, but Seta’s attempt to escape would not be so easy.

Seizing the moment while Xiong Batian dealt with the soldiers, Seta threw five smoke bombs in her direction. Thick smoke filled the entire first-floor hall. Taking advantage of the cover, Seta hurriedly dashed toward the gate.

The entrance was already crammed with soldiers trying to flee, but without the proper pass, they couldn’t get out.

“Get out of my way!”

Seta directly struck, cleaving the person in front of him in two. These cowards were not only deserting but also blocking the way.

Xiong Batian naturally wouldn’t let this opportunity slip. How did she track Seta in the first place? So this smoke was no hindrance to her at all. She charged straight toward Seta’s direction.

Seta hadn’t expected Xiong Batian to remain unfazed by the smoke, but then he realized that her ability to pursue him so swiftly must rely on some tracking Skill. He never imagined a Demon Human with such formidable physical prowess would also have ample Skill Points to learn Stealth and tracking—truly terrifying.

Seta dared not delay. From the very beginning, he had activated all his buff Skills while channeling Magic Power into the longsword in his hand. This sword was also bestowed upon their Family by His Majesty the Emperor. Wounds inflicted by this blade could not heal, and it could even directly attack the Soul’s True Body, making it a top-tier Purple Quality weapon.

Xiong Batian’s fist wind parted the smoke as she aimed a blow straight at Seta’s forehead. As a quasi-Demigod, Seta possessed considerable combat prowess, but facing Xiong Batian’s strength of 35,000 points, he felt as weak as a newborn Infant.

Relying on his keen combat instincts, Seta once again raised his longsword to block Xiong Batian’s fist. Sensing the formidable power contained within the blade, Xiong Batian felt a twinge of caution and had to retract her fist at the last moment, switching to a kick aimed at Seta’s abdomen.

Seta’s Purple Quality armor served its purpose. The powerful impact merely sent him flying back to crash against the wall, not killing him. Yet the immense force still made his face twitch. Even Purple Quality armor couldn’t withstand Xiong Batian’s punches for long, and his Magic Power was far from abundant, unable to sustain the armor’s consumption.

Seizing the chance from being kicked away, Seta didn’t wait to hit the ground. Instead, he pushed off the wall with all his might, propelling himself toward the castle gate. The smoke had obscured Xiong Batian’s vision, and that kick had conveniently sent him crashing into the wall near the gate. As long as he could leave the castle, he had a chance to survive. Beneath the Church’s cathedral lay a Teleportation Array connected to other cities. Moreover, there were still many soldiers in the city. Once he gathered them, there might still be a chance to fight.

Seeing himself so close to the castle gate, Seta glimpsed hope amidst his panic. A surge of joy from escaping death welled up in his heart. He shoved aside the soldiers blocking him, hurling them toward Xiong Batian, and dashed out through the castle gate. With his pass token, he passed through the barrier covering the entire castle without any hindrance.

But once outside, he was utterly dumbfounded. Standing outside the castle were not his soldiers but hundreds of magical beasts, or rather, demon humans. Strewn across the ground were numerous human corpses—those were his soldiers.

The leading demon human rode a massive demon wolf, wielding a spiked club identical to Xiong Batian’s. His strength was no weaker than Seta’s. Gazing at his figure, Seta despaired. Although he had never learned Appraisal, based on his years of experience, the demon humans before him generally exceeded Level 45, with many even reaching Level 50—no weaker than his own elite soldiers.

The leading demon human’s strength matched his own, precisely the former Black Bear Race Leader who had reached Level 60 without receiving a Blessing.

“I thought we couldn’t get in, but I never expected such a big catch to deliver itself right to us.”

The former Black Bear Race Leader had grown somewhat weary from fighting outside. These humans kept coming in waves, yet none posed a real challenge. Unable to breach the castle’s barrier, they could only wait outside. Unexpectedly, a big fish had swum right into his mouth. Judging by the equipment and attire, this seemed to be a fairly powerful leader. His luck was truly remarkable—he even got to pick up the spoils.

Just as Seta was about to launch an attack, the former Black Bear Race Clan Leader’s physical prowess proved no inferior to his own. The hard spiked club sent him flying back to the castle entrance.

If he were uninjured, Seta would fear no opponent of the same level. Moreover, the equipment he wore was not something an ordinary Demigod could possess—it represented a Family’s heritage, wealth accumulated over a century. With such gear, killing above one’s level was commonplace. But today, there would likely be no such opportunity.

The numbers and strength were laid bare before him. All the city’s experts had been summoned into the castle, while the bulk of the army remained stationed outside Banwang City, guarding the walls against magical beast attacks. He never expected the magical beasts had already reached the inner city, surrounding his castle completely.

Seta refused to accept this. He had made thorough preparations—even the Church’s Demigods had come to support him. Why hadn’t the four Level 60 experts in the banquet hall dealt with that Elf and Xiong Da yet? Why hadn’t they come to his aid? If five Level 60 humans collaborated, defeating Xiong Batian might have been possible.

At that moment, Xiong Batian punched the castle’s barrier. Only ripples appeared on the barrier’s surface. Seeing no effect from one punch, Xiong Batian began throwing continuous blows, causing the barrier to emit mournful groans. Seta turned back in terror to watch Xiong Batian pummeling the barrier. The joy of his earlier escape plummeted to the depths, leaving only despair in his eyes.

Seta could no longer bear the weight of this defeat in his heart. He fell to his knees with a thud, his longsword cast aside, and gazed despairingly at the sky. A golden pillar of light pierced through the Castle’s barrier, shooting straight toward the distant horizon. Its terrifying power seemed akin to that of a Heavenly God, and the last line of defense in his heart completely crumbled.

From behind him came the sound of the barrier shattering. Seta had already given up all resistance. The fortress barrier his Family had spent over a century building—an incredibly sturdy barrier—had been breached just like that.

Normally, even with Xiong Batian’s strength, it would likely have taken several hours to shatter this barrier barehanded. However, Zhai Guangyi’s attack had torn a hole in it, instantly breaking the delicate balance. Combined with Xiong Batian’s relentless pounding from below, the barrier had completely collapsed, unable to hold any longer.

Xiong Batian looked at Seta kneeling on the ground. Tears streamed from his eyes, and drool seeped from his mouth—he appeared utterly broken. Without hesitation, Xiong Batian delivered a merciless blow, shattering Seta’s skull.

The former Clan Leader of the Black Bear Race, standing nearby, had initially intended to intervene. But upon seeing it was Xiong Batian, he yielded the kill, showing goodwill. After all, the tattered Formal Attire she wore was so alluring it was unforgettable.