Chapter 357 – The Brutal Battle

It proved true that the biochemical forces, this “extermination machine,” possessed extraordinary deterrence in any world. When a horde of “infected” carrying lethal viruses stood at one’s doorstep, even the most composed monarch would grow restless.

As the founder and protector of the Dragon Roar Kingdom, Ovakain was no exception.

Just as Mila had risen one-third above the horizon, Punk, who had remained vigilant, keenly sensed an overwhelmingly oppressive aura approaching the battlefield at unimaginable speed.

“Attention, it’s coming”!

With a low warning, Punk tightened his grip on the Emerald Staff and began layering defensive spells upon himself—”Kinetic Shield,” “Vital Body,” “Steel Bones”—all cast in rapid succession. Facing an enemy of Ovakain’s caliber, every layer of defense could prove lifesaving at a critical moment.

Heeding Punk’s alert, Jiaoni eagerly began executing the prearranged plan.

Bathed in Mila’s radiance, Jiaoni, clad in gleaming golden armor, strode with a cold, sharp gaze to the highest point of the hill. His cloak, fashioned from the Maple Leaf Kingdom’s flag, fluttered in the chilly wind.

Planting his Greatsword firmly into the ground, Jiaoni opened his mouth and, using his Battle Aura, projected his voice across the entire battlefield:

“Soldiers of the Maple Leaf Kingdom, today is a glorious moment! For today, we shall reclaim the sacred land that rightfully belongs to us, seize back the food and possessions that are ours by right! All foreign races will weep in regret for their shameless invasion! When the gaze of Tyr, the God of Justice, once again converges upon our banner, I swear—I, Jiaoni Zordas, loyal follower of Tyr and Grand General of the Maple Leaf Kingdom—will use the evil black dragon’s blood to prove the untainted honor of us all”!

Jiaoni’s declaration was unprecedentedly fervent and resounding, his powerful oath echoing between heaven and earth. Without a doubt, every person on the battlefield—whether the starving citizens of the Maple Leaf Kingdom or the Mad Dragon Legion of the Dragon Roar Kingdom—heard Jiaoni’s proclamation.

“All forces, Charge, for glory”!

This was the roar of Oaks, leading the Holy Warrior army. At his command, the six hundred Holy Warriors behind him, already poised and ready, erupted with Battle Aura, propelling themselves toward the enemy. Streaks of golden light pierced through the gloom like lightning bolts. In less than a second, Zordas’s Holy Warrior army collided fiercely with the Dragon Roar Kingdom’s professional troops!

“Boom”!!

The earth trembled, the air tore, and blinding Battle Aura flared instantly. The rock layer at the epicenter of the professionals’ clash completely collapsed into a massive crater, with dust soaring hundreds of meters into the sky.

This clash of professionals officially marked the beginning of the “War of Glory.” On the Maple Leaf Kingdom’s side, amid intermittent deafening roars, the madness in the eyes of the previously listless, starving citizens grew increasingly evident. Driven by hunger and the threat of death, these “volunteers,” who had likely starved for untold durations, unleashed unimaginable momentum.At this very moment, someone among the starving masses roared at the top of their lungs: “Charge! Food, we want food! The Dragon Roar Kingdom has endless food”!

Hunger is a tormenting affliction. When the pangs of hunger strike, you feel every cell in your body desperately craving nourishment. That burning desire to eat scorches every nerve in your mind, and in such moments, you might even entertain the mad notion of devouring yourself.

Now, the impoverished people of the Maple Leaf Kingdom are trapped in a hellish torment of starvation. To them, food represents nothing less than a sacred paradise that could end all their suffering.

Thus, upon hearing the word “food,” bloodthirsty flames ignited one after another in the turbid pupils of the starving masses. Their shrunken stomachs, barely filled with a few strands of weeds, frantically transmitted desperate signals of hunger to their brains.

“Eat! Food, food! Aaaaaah”!

“Save me! Give me food! I need to eat”!

Driven mad by hunger, these refugees were not zombies but worse than zombies. Mustering their last vestiges of strength, they ignored the dense rain of arrows shot by the Mad Dragon Legion, disregarded companions around them being shredded into mincemeat by heavy crossbows on the battlefield, and paid no heed to the repeated tremors caused by clashes between professional warriors. Fearlessly, they charged toward the Dragon Roar Kingdom.

In the eyes of these starving people who had transformed into hungry ghosts, there was only food, only survival, only the paradise lying beyond the Mad Dragon Legion… To live—that was all that mattered…

“Hold the line! Behind you lies our inviolable homeland. Your loved ones, family, and children await the horn signaling safety. We must never let the enemy harm our kin! For the Dragon Roar Kingdom, we… have no regrets, even in death”!

Facing these “demons” who outnumbered his troops dozens of times over, the commander of the Mad Dragon Legion displayed exceptional military discipline. Without flinching, he ordered his soldiers to form a defensive line, simultaneously adjusting their formation to avoid the terrifying aftershocks from the professional warriors’ battlefield.

“For the Dragon Roar Kingdom, no regrets, even in death”!

The soldiers of the Mad Dragon Legion lived up to their fierce name. Not a single half-dragon or dragon-kin retreated half a step. Even though their enemies were terrifying pathogens that could infect upon contact, these resolute warriors gripped their weapons firmly and stood unwavering at the forefront of the battlefield.

Just as their commander had declared, they were determined to protect their families, their loved ones, and their shared homeland—the Dragon Roar Kingdom. None showed the slightest hesitation, even if it meant paying the ultimate price.

The brutal war erupted. The thunderous clashes from the professional warriors’ battlefield never ceased. Through fearless, sacrificial combat, the Holy Warrior army stubbornly held back an enemy three times their size. Scattered fragments of rubble were pulverized into dust by the pervasive residual waves of Battle Aura before they could even touch the ground.On the common battlefield, the fighting was even more brutal. Every half-dragon warrior seemed to transform into a massive meat grinder, their battle axes even developing cracks from shattering too many bones. Most terrifying was that no matter how desperately the Mad Dragon Legion swung their blades, the onslaught of “starving ghosts” showed no sign of diminishing—the Maple Leaf Kingdom simply had too many starving civilians.

This was a cruel war, an unwinnable battle for survival where death was as commonplace as daily bread, and mournful cries drowned out even the howling winds. Crimson blood soon turned the battlefield into a muddy quagmire, while shattered corpses were trampled into bloody pools by advancing enemies and allies alike.

Amid this carnage raging at its peak, a terrifying roar filled with sorrow and fury suddenly erupted from the horizon. The terrifying shockwave of this roar alone sent hundreds of soldiers flying, crushing them into pulp:

“Joni Zordas, Punk Cyan, Benlajie Nokani! You… shall pay for this!”

(End of Chapter)