Chapter 1021 - 491: Second-Stage Enhancement and Severed Limb Regeneration

BOOM!

The air vibrated violently, as if countless artillery shells were continuously detonating in the sky.

Yet, looking toward the source of the noise revealed nothing unusual in the sky, save for occasional flashes of blinding light and echoing roars.

Across the battlefield that spanned dozens of miles, the slaughter raged on.

At the rear of the Monster Legion, massive siege weapons like long-range trebuchets had already been assembled. On ground that had been deliberately leveled and compacted, the trebuchets—dozens of meters tall—were anchored into the earth with numerous ropes and wedge-shaped stakes nearly a meter long.

The most striking feature was the core component: the long throwing arm. Its surface was densely covered with a complex assortment of Magic runes. Anyone well-versed in the craft might have recognized the effects of some of these inscriptions—the Power Rune, the Fortitude Rune, the Air Flow Resistance Rune...

These rune enchantments amplified the trebuchets’ range by tenfold or more, allowing weapons that normally only reached a few hundred meters to launch sustained bombardments on sturdy enemy fortifications from extreme distances.

Furthermore, Giant-type creatures like Giants and ogres turned the winches, drastically increasing the efficiency of cranking down the throwing arms.

"Move faster, you scum!"

As the Giants pulled the throwing arms all the way to the ground, a Jackal-Wolf People officer on a high platform harshly barked orders, forcing the other monsters below to haul and load the ammunition.

Incredibly dense granite boulders were loaded into massive, sturdy leather slings. The monsters moved with extreme speed. Working in tandem, they quickly filled the slings with dozens of hard rocks of varying sizes.

"Get out of the way!"

The commanding Jackal-Wolf People officer roared again, and the monsters below scattered in a swarm.

A Giant swung a heavy hammer several meters long, violently striking the locking pin trigger. The hook released, the massive counterweight box plummeted, and the colossal throwing arm—dozens of meters long—whipped upward at blinding speed.

The sling was first dragged low across the ground for a short distance before carving a massive arc through the air, launching its payload of stone projectiles at peak velocity.

These falling rocks—both magical and primal—created a breathtakingly spectacular sight as they sailed through the sky. They crossed thousands of meters before finally striking their designated targets, trailing showers of sparks.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The originally sturdy, enchanted city walls shuddered relentlessly under the bombardment of these falling rocks and their tremendous kinetic energy. Although the Magic Array could project a significant defensive barrier to neutralize these meteor-like strikes, the enchanted walls were ironically less effective against such primal kinetic impacts than they were against pure Magic.

On the walls, some defenders had no time to react before massive boulders descended from above, instantly crushing them and their comrades into a bloody pulp.

Those who were incredibly lucky—survivors who stood within the strike zone yet managed to avoid the stone projectiles—could only turn their heads blankly. Staring at the straight, bloody smears nearby, their bodies were locked in place as if they had been hit by an Immobilization Skill, their hands and feet turning icy cold.

In most situations, Magic could produce miraculous results. It could summon wind, fire, and lightning out of thin air. It could allow someone to pass seamlessly through physical barriers or take flight high into the sky, achieving feats of supreme power that ordinary people could never accomplish in a lifetime.

However, Magic did not stand above all other forces; it was merely one of the world’s mainstream powers.

A Warrior’s sword could cleave through a fireball, and an elusive Wanderer could easily dodge before a Spell struck, ultimately dragging their dagger across a Caster’s throat.

Even setting aside the powers of other Profession paths, the world itself harbored many natural forces that Magic could not rival. Earthquakes, avalanches, lightning strikes, tsunamis, and hurricanes all wielded destructive might surpassing many 9th-circle Spells.

Thus, for the vast majority of low-level Professionals, the destructive power of a trebuchet remained utterly terrifying. Most crucially, its strike range was extremely long, and its area of effect was remarkably wide.

"Get out of the way!"

"Find cover! Find—"

As the apocalyptic, meteor-like bombardment descended, the crowds within the strike zone dissolved into chaos, scattering like panicked ants. Against this kind of attack, seeking cover actually offered little help. One could only gamble on having good enough luck.

"Shielding Skill!"

Some Casters deployed defensive measures to protect themselves and their teammates.

Master Level Professionals, on the other hand, handled the falling rocks with relative ease.

Just before a few massive, spark-trailing boulders could crush the crowd below, a figure flashed swiftly past.

"Moon Cross Slash!"

The Longsword in his hands carved a cross, and Sword Qi surged outward from his body.

A brilliant white light suddenly illuminated the pitch-black moonlight. Moments later, the boulders—plummeting at terrifying speeds—were cleanly and efficiently shattered into gravel in midair.

"It’s Commander Colin!"

Behind him, someone recognized the officer stationed in their area. Amidst their relief, they couldn’t help but cast grateful gazes in his direction.

"Save your thanks. Pick up your weapons and prepare for battle."

Colin, the man they spoke of, showed no intention of stopping. Leaving only those words hanging in the air, he tapped his feet lightly against the ground, his lean figure sprinting along the city wall toward the next sector.

As a Master Level Professional, he was responsible for guarding a wide expanse of territory.

Along the long, narrow frontline, similar scenes played out frequently.

Starting from Level 6, Master Level Professionals possessed a qualitative difference in combat power compared to Elite Professionals. Although a few exceptionally skilled Elite Professionals could manage to defend against attacks of comparable power, they could never do so with the effortless grace of a Master Level Professional.

Behind the city walls, the human faction’s trebuchets and numerous heavy ballistae also began to unleash their might. They fired upon the monster ranks advancing rapidly across the vast battlefield, quickly inflicting massive casualties.