Chapter 418 - 288: The Shining Night Sky

"Don’t you understand? If anyone finds out we did this, we’re going to die!" Bodun, having lost all appetite, shot to his feet and roared in fury.

For the first time in a long while, his composure was completely shattered.

"With us here, no one can harm you." Jerome stepped out of the darkness, and the candlelight revealed the face that had been hidden in the shadows of the room.

It was a featureless face!

He had no nose and no eyes. He possessed none of the features a normal person would have. He was like a failed Creation, a deformed child spurned by the Gods.

His horrifying appearance alone was enough to frighten a crying child into silence.

"You have no idea how strong that Lord of High Cliff Castle is! Powerful Stone Giants were no match for him, and thousands of Demons have fallen to his sword!"

The image of that figure—part demon, part god—flashed through Bodun’s mind. No matter the opponent, he cut them down with utter ease.

His mind was now consumed with a single thought: what would he do if that man found out he had let the Demons into the city? The soldiers at Terror Castle probably wouldn’t even be enough for him to kill.

"Sir, you fear him far too much."

"First of all, there’s no way he’ll find out about this. Besides, he’s a man, not a god. He needs to eat, drink, shit, and sleep."

"Right now, I can think of dozens of ways to kill him."

Jerome shook his head, feeling Bodun was being overly dramatic.

The Inverted Men, followers of the Faceless God, had existed since ancient times. In their glory days, they had even slaughtered Giant Dragons and killed Giants.

Although their glory had faded, that human was no Giant Dragon or Giant. Jerome believed that no one was unkillable.

Whether through assassination, poison, or some other method, there was always a way.

It was just that killing him now would attract the attention of all the Debei People, which was why they had not yet made a move.

When the time was right, he would become the stepping stone for the Inverted Men to make their name resound throughout Debei once again.

"Heh. If you’re all so powerful, then why are you now like rats hiding in the gutters, afraid to even show your faces?"

Bodun, having composed himself, was utterly contemptuous of the man’s boasting.

"After we slaughtered that Golden Dragon and the Mountain Giants, we were suppressed by the combined might of the Giant Dragons and Giants."

Jerome spoke nonchalantly, as if he were immensely proud of the fact.

"..."

Bodun was rendered speechless.

’These Inverted Men haven’t just lost their faces,’ he thought. ’They’ve likely lost their minds as well.’

...

Inside White Bone Fortress, the various forces had their own designated encampments. Damon’s army was stationed the farthest from the main gate. That was why the soldier, in his panicked flight, had bypassed the Thorn Corps encampment nearest the gate and run straight to High Cliff Castle’s camp instead.

Levi planned to leave the fortress, so this was a perfect opportunity to check on the Thorn Corps’ situation on the way out.

If they joined his forces, the pressure on High Cliff Castle’s troops would be significantly lessened.

All preparations were complete. At Levi’s command, the barricades in front of the camp were opened from within.

The Jackal Wolfmen, riding their Warg Mounts, charged into the darkness first to clear a path. The night gave them an advantage over the day.

The Beastman Warriors formed up at the front and on the flanks. The Auxiliary Soldiers, Feder Archers, and Casters like Heather remained in the center for support. The Centaurs patrolled the perimeter, watching their rear.

As they entered the main thoroughfare of White Bone Fortress, they could already see scattered Little Demons and Babu Demons in the surrounding alleys and houses, hunting down the routed soldiers of the City Guard Army.

The demons hacked off their victims’ limbs before taking their heads, then excitedly snatched up an arm and began to feast.

To them, these humans were the most delicious of meals.

Then, they spotted the much larger High Cliff Castle contingent. The irresistible scent teased their senses, and they surged forward like a tide.

But they were like moths drawn to a flame. The Curved Sabers of the vanguard Jackal Wolfman Cavalry sliced through their necks with ease, while the Warg Mounts crushed their throats in their jaws.

In a single exchange, the Jackal Wolfmen had killed most of them. The few that remained were picked off one by one by the Feder Archers.

This left the Beastman Warriors, serving as guards, without even a chance to act. The Magic the Zor Priests had only half-finished chanting fizzled into nothing.

The combat effectiveness of these Low Tier Demons was only comparable to a rural Militia. Their only real threat was the deep-seated terror they inspired in people’s hearts.

Unless they formed an overwhelming, unending wave and used their absolute numerical superiority to wear down the troops, they could hardly pose a real threat to the High Cliff Castle forces.

Although breaking through the Demons’ blockade was incredibly easy, more and more Demons were now pouring into White Bone Fortress, forcing Levi’s troops to quicken their pace.

The Thorn Corps’ encampment was not far from High Cliff Castle’s, and at their current pace, they soon spotted its silhouette in the darkness.

"Lord Levi, look!" Heather gasped, covering her mouth.

One couldn’t blame her for losing her composure; the sight before them was simply too staggering.

The area that was once the Thorn Corps’ encampment was now crawling with a dense mass of Demons. To say it was a sea of bodies would not do it justice. It was as if a sack of wheat had been dumped onto the land of Lilliput.

There was no longer any space between the Demons. They were packed together, climbing over their comrades’ heads and forming living piles to frantically scale the stone wall, which stood four to five men high. In the distance, countless more Demons surged toward them.

A fierce battle was raging within the walls. Roars of fury and agonizing screams created a chaotic symphony with the constant clang of steel.

Fujero’s hoarse cry of "Hold the line!" cut through the layers of chaos, reaching the ears of the High Cliff Castle contingent.