Chapter 31 – The Battle of the City Gate

Prince William’s army finally arrived beneath the walls of Konola City. With a metallic clang from the enemy soldiers’ light armor, the disciplined troops almost uniformly halted their advance. A path neatly opened at the center of the army, from which a strongman clad in heavily enchanted plate armor strode forth with purposeful steps. He dragged behind him a crimson spiked warhammer, and from the deep trenches it carved into the solid ground, one could easily discern the astonishing weight of the massive weapon! The strongman’s bald, dark head was crisscrossed with scars—one particularly long gash stretched from his forehead down to his chin, twisting grotesquely as he bared his yellowed teeth. An indescribable ferocity emanated from him, and from the aura he deliberately released, it was clear he was a Formal-Level warrior!

“Listen up, you inside! Come out now and surrender nicely. If I’m in a good mood, I might grant you a quick death. Otherwise, when I smash this pile of broken bricks, hmph!”

After speaking what seemed to be the army leader’s words, the strongman suddenly swung his warhammer and slammed it into the ground. A massive cloud of dust erupted, soaring directly onto the walls of Konola City. Gravel and stone fragments scattered everywhere as a light breeze quickly dispersed the haze, revealing a half-meter deep crater freshly punched into the earth.

Watching the ordinary soldiers around him trembling in fear, Punk grew increasingly pessimistic about Konola City’s defenders. Regardless of the vast disparities in equipment and numbers, their psychological readiness alone showed they were already intimidated before the battle had even begun. Apart from the advantage of city walls, Konola City was undoubtedly at a disadvantage in every other aspect.

And moreover… this general, who reeked more of bandit chieftain than military commander—was he truly here to “persuade surrender”? Didn’t he realize that his damnable, no-quarter-given approach would only drive everyone to become desperate fugitives?

Or perhaps… he was so supremely confident that he never intended to persuade surrender at all. Slaughtering the entire city might be his primary objective. After all, in the brutal Faerûn Plane, massacring cities to vent anger was as common as dirt in warfare!

“I need to stay sharp when the fighting starts. If things go south, I’ll make a quick escape,” Punk inwardly heightened his vigilance.

The strongman’s doomed persuasion attempt indeed failed. The soldiers and professionals on the city walls showed no extra reaction beyond their increasingly resolute gazes. Everyone tightly gripped their weapons, ready to plunge into battle at any moment!

Witnessing this scene, the strongman didn’t erupt in anger but instead burst into loud laughter. A crimson battle aura emanated from his body, adhering to the mystically patterned armor he wore. The silver armor instantly turned into a faint red, radiating intense heat. At the joints, battle aura overflowed like flames. His weapon, too, soon transformed under the infusion of battle aura into a deep red, ominous warhammer exuding a dreadful presence.”Hah!!!” Strongman suddenly roared with a voice like thunder, deafening everyone with its resonance. A crimson ring of Battle Aura exploded beneath his feet as a deep red Shield formed from Battle Aura materialized before him. Accelerated by the Battle Aura, his figure erupted with a piercing sonic boom, instantly transforming into a streak of light as he Charged toward the city gate as if to shatter space itself!

“Not good—he’s trying to smash the gate open!”

Punk immediately understood his intention. The earlier high-profile provocation and pointless surrender demands were all a setup for this sudden “battering ram” strike! Once the gate was breached, Konola City would lose its final advantage and face certain defeat!

But Mainaixi, standing by the gate, would not let him succeed. With a slender, emerald-green staff in hand, Mainaixi pointed toward the gate. In an instant, accompanied by the sound of cracking earth, dozens of thick vines over five meters tall, shimmering with pale green light, erupted from the ground. The tangled branches not only blocked the warrior’s charge path but rapidly expanded to over ten meters wide, eliminating any chance for the big man to change direction mid-course!

The Great Han crashed into the vines with a roar. The red, scorching Battle Aura Shield shattered and tore through large sections of the green vines, but even more vines swarmed in, attempting to bind and strangle the now momentum-deprived Strongman!

However, realizing he couldn’t breach the gate in one strike, the big man didn’t press forward recklessly. With agility belying his massive frame, he leaped backward in a nimble retreat, easily evading the pursuing vines!

At that moment, Mainaixi’s second spell was already unleashed. A dark green orb brimming with terrifying energy traced a faint afterimage through the air, aimed directly at the big man’s unarmored head. This was the perfect timing—the Han was mid-retreat in the air, having just expended his Combat Skill, his old strength spent and new force yet to gather, with no leverage to maneuver.

Just as Mainaixi’s attack seemed destined to strike its target, in a flash, the Han roared again, violently twisting mid-air to smash the dark green orb with his warhammer. Punk could sense the explosive magical structure within the orb being shattered and neutralized by the big man’s Battle Aura. The remaining Spell Embers scattered from the hammer’s impact, rendering the once-powerful Formal-Level spell harmless to a Formal-Level expert.

The previously condensed dark green orb splintered under the Han’s heavy blow, dissolving into scattered liquid that corroded the solid ground into pitch-black, pitted holes.

The Han landed effortlessly with a spin, while Mainaixi refrained from further attacks. The two Formal-Level experts stood locked in a tense stare-down. Though the exchange had been complex and perilous, it all unfolded within mere seconds. Those without sufficient strength only saw red and green flashes colliding in the air—only Apprentice-Level professionals could grasp how… spectacular and utterly terrifying the confrontation truly was!”Mainaixi, never thought you’d actually improved a bit since last time, you worthless trash. But you’re still nowhere near my level. It’s not too late to stay out of this mess – get away from that Nasya right now, and I might just pretend I never saw you!” The burly man slung his warhammer over his shoulder, shouting his “advice” at Mainaixi.

“Lunka, your glib tongue has certainly improved since we last met. Too bad you’re not even fit to polish my boots. It’s not too late for you to die – go find a dung pit to bury yourself in. I might just toss two flowers on your grave if I’m feeling generous!” Mainaixi retorted in a low but clear voice, his tone frosty yet laced with mockery.

“In that case, we have nothing more to discuss.” Lunka’s previously carefree expression darkened. He turned and strode step by step into the military formation, leaping up onto the commander’s platform with a single bound. With a casual wave toward a female knight beside him, he gave the order.

“Begin the siege~” As Lunka’s seemingly offhand gesture, horn blasts signaling the siege’s commencement and magically amplified shouts spread across the entire Wilderness.

Behind the main army, siege ladders were carried by professionals rushing toward the walls at speeds surpassing even ordinary warriors’ Charge. The dense arrow volleys from the battlements couldn’t pierce their Battle Aura-protected skin, but soon after, destructive spells descended from the sky following the arrow rain.

Clusters of magical fire streaked across the sky while bursts of Battle Aura flashed upon the ground. Amid deafening war cries and the clashing of armor, a magnificent battle… had begun!

(End of Chapter)