Chapter 253: War Beasts

Near the eastern barracks, a soldier was checking the collar around a large war-beast’s neck.

The creature resembled an armored wolf, although its shoulders stood nearly as high as the man beside it.

Thick plates covered its back, and sharp teeth protruded from its powerful jaws.

Normally, the beast remained obedient because of the enchanted collar controlling its movements.

But as the War-Breaker Pulse swept through the mountain, the magical connection inside the collar suddenly disappeared.

The beast raised its head.

Its ears twitched.

Then it looked toward the soldier standing beside it.

The man frowned.

"Easy, boy."

The creature growled.

The soldier reached for the collar’s control crystal.

"Hey, calm down."

He pressed it.

Nothing happened.

The beast’s growl grew louder.

Before the man could move away, the enormous creature lunged forward.

ROOOAR!

The soldier barely managed to jump aside as the beast smashed into the wooden fence surrounding its pen.

CRASH!

The barrier shattered.

The creature charged into the open yard, sending nearby soldiers scrambling for cover.

And it wasn’t alone.

Across the barracks, more war-beasts began breaking free.

Their magical collars had stopped working, and the creatures were no longer responding to their handlers’ commands.

Some immediately attacked the soldiers standing nearby.

Others rushed out of their pens, smashing through fences and knocking over supplies as they searched for an escape.

Within minutes, the eastern barracks had descended into chaos.

"THE BEASTS ARE LOOSE!"

"GET BACK!"

"SOMEONE CALL COMMAND!"

"THE COMMUNICATION CRYSTALS ARE DEAD!"

Soldiers ran in different directions, desperately trying to control the animals.

Officers shouted orders, but the noise made it difficult for anyone to hear.

And without the magical communication network, the surrounding defensive positions had no idea what was happening.

Several units continued waiting for orders that would never arrive.

Others abandoned their posts to help contain the escaping beasts.

The carefully organized mountain fortress was falling apart.

All because of one small cube.

On the balcony of the central command structure, Commander Zahn stared at the empty space where his Rank 4 shield had been.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he turned sharply toward his aide.

"Report."

The officer looked pale.

"Sir, we’ve lost communication with the outer and middle rings."

"Use the backup network."

"We tried. It’s down too."

Zahn frowned.

"Then switch to the emergency crystals."

"They aren’t working, Commander."

The older man’s expression hardened.

"What about the artillery?"

The officer hesitated.

"All twenty-eight enchanted cannons have stopped responding."

For the first time, Zahn looked genuinely shocked.

"All of them?"

"Yes, sir."

"That’s impossible. They don’t all share the same power source!"

"I know, sir, but the crews can’t activate their enchantments. We’re receiving reports from runners that the anti-air wards are also down."

Zahn looked toward the sky.

The familiar energy surrounding the command structure was gone.

He turned back to his aide.

"And the shield?"

"The generators are still there, but the enchanted network has been destroyed. The technicians say they can’t restore it."

Zahn’s jaw tightened.

For twenty years, he had studied military defenses.

He had designed systems with multiple backups, separate command posts, and enough protection to keep his forces fighting even if one section was destroyed.

A single failure wasn’t supposed to bring down Eagle Peak.

Even losing an entire defensive ring shouldn’t have crippled the others.

Yet somehow, every important magical system had failed at once.

There was only one explanation.

This wasn’t an ordinary equipment failure.

Someone had attacked the fortress with a powerful disruption artifact.

Zahn hurried toward the edge of the balcony.

His eyes searched the approach road.

And there, near the base of the mountain, he saw the same young man who had appeared moments earlier.

Only now, the intruder was walking forward.

Calmly.

As though he had just removed the most dangerous obstacle standing between him and the summit.

Zahn’s expression darkened.

"So it was you."

The aide approached.

"Commander?"

Zahn pointed toward the road.

"That boy. Whatever happened to our defenses, he’s responsible."

"Should I send the reserve battalion?"

"No. Gather the officers in the inner ring and prepare a defense around the command building."

Zahn turned toward the balcony doors.

"And send runners to the other rings. Tell the commanders to hold their positions and restore order. Our weapons may have failed, but we still have five thousand soldiers."

"Understood, sir!"

The officer hurried away.

Zahn looked down the mountain one last time.

His carefully prepared defenses had been crippled.

But he wasn’t defeated yet.

If the intruder thought destroying his magical systems would be enough to conquer Eagle Peak, he was about to learn why Zahn had remained a commander for so many years.

At the base of the mountain, Holden watched the last traces of blue light disappear from the upper defensive positions.

The shield surrounding the summit was gone.

The cannon barrels had stopped glowing.

Even the strange energy he’d sensed from the anti-air formations had vanished.

The War-Breaker Array had worked.

Holden smiled.

"Now that’s what I call a useful artifact."

He retrieved the Eclipse-Sun Sword from his Inventory.

The dark blade appeared in his right hand, its crimson flames burning gently along the edge.

Then he began walking up the approach road.

The first cannon crew noticed him almost immediately.

Both soldiers turned toward the young man approaching their position.

One reached for his sword.

The other looked desperately toward the dead cannon.

"What do we do?"

"I don’t know!"

"He’s coming this way!"

The first soldier drew his weapon, but his companion grabbed his arm.

"Are you mad? Look at that sword!"

The two men stared as Holden approached.

His expression was calm, and the black and crimson flames surrounding his weapon made it clear that he wasn’t someone they wanted to fight.

"Move aside," Holden told them.

Neither soldier argued.

They quickly stepped away from the road.

Holden passed without another word.

He had no reason to attack men who weren’t trying to stop him.

At the next position, several soldiers were gathered around another disabled cannon.

They looked up when he approached.

One began raising his spear.

But before he could attack, the older soldier beside him pulled him back.

"Don’t be stupid! Let him pass!"

Holden continued walking.

Farther up the mountain, the sounds of shouting and breaking wood echoed across the slopes.

The escaped war-beasts were causing havoc near the eastern barracks.

Several soldiers hurried down the road, trying to reach the affected area.

Others ran toward the summit, carrying messages from officers who could no longer use their communication crystals.

The once-organized fortress had become a confusing mess of conflicting orders and frightened soldiers.

Holden watched the activity as he climbed.

Zahn must be having a terrible morning.

He almost laughed.

The commander had spent years preparing Eagle Peak to withstand a military assault.

Yet a single artifact had managed to destroy the magical networks supporting those preparations.

Of course, Holden knew the battle wasn’t over.

The soldiers still had their weapons.

The officers could still give orders in person.

And Zahn was still a Rank 4, 2-Star cultivator.

But the overwhelming advantage the fortress had possessed was gone.

And that was exactly what Team Soup needed.

Holden reached the third switchback when his ordinary radio crackled.

"Holden, can you hear me?"

Emric.

"Loud and clear."

"We’ve reached the base of the mountain. The magical defenses are down, just as planned."

"Good. I’m already at the third turn."

"That fast?"

"The cannons aren’t working. Makes the climb much easier."

Emric gave a short laugh.

"Fair enough. We’re moving toward the outer ring now. There are soldiers everywhere, but most seem more concerned about their equipment failing."

"Don’t underestimate them. Zahn will start reorganizing his forces soon."

"Understood."

Holden glanced toward the eastern barracks.

"Watch out for the war-beasts. Their control collars stopped working, and some have escaped."

"Already spotted them. Lyra’s preparing to block the road."

"Good. Stick to the plan and don’t take unnecessary risks."

"Got it."

The communication ended.

Holden continued upward.

Farther down the mountain, Emric led the rest of Team Soup toward the first defensive ring.

His shield was raised, protecting the others as they approached a group of soldiers blocking the road.

The men were armed with swords and spears, although their formation was far less organized than the one Holden had encountered earlier.

Without working communication crystals, they had no idea how many enemies were approaching or where the attack was coming from.

Their officer raised his weapon.

"STOP RIGHT THERE! IDENTIFY YOURSELVES!"

Emric stepped forward.

"Stand aside. We don’t want to fight you."

The officer frowned.

"You’re attacking a Royal military position!"

"Then you should know your defenses are already down," Emric replied. "There’s no reason to make this worse."

The officer glanced toward the disabled cannon behind him.

For a moment, he hesitated.

Then he raised his sword.

"Men, attack!"

Emric sighed.

"Well, I tried."

The soldiers charged.

Emric moved forward to meet them.

BANG!

His shield struck the first attacker, knocking the man’s sword aside before sending him stumbling backward.

Another soldier lunged with a spear.

Emric turned his shield, deflecting the weapon before pushing forward and knocking the man onto the road.

The remaining soldiers tried to surround him.

But Renna was already moving.

"Emric, left!"

THWACK!

An arrow struck the shoulder armor of a soldier approaching from the side.

A burst of lightning spread across the man’s body, stunning him and forcing him to drop his weapon.

Renna immediately drew another arrow.

"Anyone else?"

The remaining soldiers looked toward their fallen companions.

Then at Emric’s raised shield.

Then at the bow in Renna’s hands.

Several slowly lowered their weapons.

"Good choice," Renna said.

Emric pointed toward the side of the road.

"Drop your weapons and stay there. Nobody needs to get hurt."

The men obeyed.

With the first position secured, the team continued climbing.