Chapter 161: The Stand 3

"So this is what their settlements look like? Pretty impressive!" Lapace said, looking toward the enormous fortress standing in the distance.

The Burrow Kingdom’s towering walls stretched across the landscape, while countless goblins could be seen gathering behind its defenses, preparing to face the approaching army.

"It looks like the Salean Kingdom, yet somehow dirtier," Thousand Petal commented, observing the buildings and fortified structures behind the walls. "Although, I suppose we shouldn’t expect much from a race that looks like that."

"Enough talking. Let’s test them," the Magic Swordswoman said.

She raised one hand into the air, and the surrounding temperature immediately began to rise. Magical energy gathered above her palm, condensing into a small sphere of fire that gradually expanded until it resembled a miniature sun.

The flames twisted violently as she continued pouring magical energy into the sphere, causing its size to increase several times over. Soon, the enormous fireball illuminated the surrounding plains, casting an orange glow across the faces of the soldiers marching behind her.

Then, with a casual movement of her wrist, the Magic Swordswoman directed her palm toward the Burrow Kingdom.

The fireball shot forward.

Its tremendous speed caused a deafening roar to erupt across the battlefield, while the air behind it seemed to collapse under the pressure of its movement. The enormous projectile crossed the distance between the two armies in an instant, leaving a blazing trail that stretched across the sky like a falling star.

A wave of energy erupted from the Burrow Kingdom, rising toward the incoming fireball with astonishing speed. The moment the two forces collided, a blinding flash engulfed the sky, followed by an explosion powerful enough to shake the surrounding clouds and send a shockwave sweeping across the plains.

The fireball disappeared before reaching its intended target.

The Magic Swordswoman raised an eyebrow as she watched the remaining flames scatter across the sky. "They repelled it? Impressive."

"That wasn’t impressive. You’re just weak," Lapace immediately replied, wearing a mocking grin as he glanced at her.

"Oh, shut up. If I’m weak, then you’re far weaker than me. Who was it that lost to me again?" she said, chuckling as she turned toward him.

Lapace’s expression instantly darkened.

"FUCK YOU! Once I’m done with them, you’re next!" he shouted, pointing his hammer toward her as though he were already preparing to settle their dispute.

"Enough. Focus."

The moment Onyx Elf spoke, the atmosphere between the two Constellations quieted down. He stood slightly ahead of them, his calm gaze fixed upon the Burrow Kingdom, seemingly uninterested in their childish argument.

Both Lapace and the Magic Swordswoman clicked their tongues before turning their attention back toward the enemy.

Onyx Elf slowly floated into the air, rising above the advancing army until his figure became visible to the soldiers spread across the plains. His clothing fluttered gently as he looked down upon the countless warriors gathered beneath him, including the living, the undead, and the enormous beasts that had accompanied them from Essiel.

For a brief moment, he remained silent.

Then, he opened his mouth.

"There is no point in motivating you with grand speeches or meaningless promises. You already know what you must do, and you understand what awaits you if you fail."

His voice was neither particularly loud nor passionate, yet the magical energy carried within his words allowed everyone to hear him clearly. Thousands of soldiers turned their attention toward the floating elf, waiting for him to continue.

"If you die, then die while slaying them. Those green individuals standing behind those walls are nothing more than obstacles standing between us and our destination."

His dark eyes shifted toward the distant fortress.

"Remember the reward that awaits us from the Creator. Whatever you have sacrificed to reach this point, whatever enemies you have defeated, and whatever strength you have accumulated, everything will become worthwhile once we receive the greatest gift we could ever obtain."

The soldiers remained silent, but the auras surrounding many of them began to intensify. Some tightened their grips around their weapons, while others released quiet growls, their eyes fixed upon the goblin fortress that stood between them and their promised reward.

Onyx Elf slowly raised one hand.

"Now, let’s begin."

The moment his speech ended, the forces that had been subtly advancing toward the Burrow Kingdom suddenly broke into a full charge. The ground trembled beneath their feet as thousands of warriors accelerated across the plains, their movements far faster than ordinary soldiers could ever hope to achieve.

These were not random individuals gathered to form an ordinary army. Every soldier among the invading forces had been carefully selected from different realms, chosen because of their strength, experience, or usefulness in the coming war.

The beasts, the living, and the undead advanced together.

"RAHHHH!"

"I WILL KILL THE MOST!"

"JUST BE CAREFUL WITH THOSE STRONG-LOOKING ONES!"

"BREACH THE WALL!"

Their roars spread across the battlefield as the distance between the two armies rapidly diminished. Enormous beasts charged at the forefront, their massive bodies kicking up clouds of dust, while warriors carrying swords, spears, and various magical weapons followed close behind.

However, not every soldier joined the charge.

Far behind the advancing forces, the magicians remained in their positions, gathering enormous quantities of magical energy between their hands. Various elemental powers began manifesting across the battlefield, from blazing flames and crackling lightning to enormous boulders and streams of concentrated magical force.

"CONTINUE FIRING UNTIL THOSE WALLS ARE GONE!" one of the magicians shouted.

"WE HAVE COUNTLESS MAGICAL STONES WITH US! DON’T WORRY ABOUT YOUR MAGICAL CAPACITY!"

The moment those words were spoken, countless spells shot toward the Burrow Kingdom.

Fireballs streaked through the sky, lightning bolts descended from above, and enormous masses of magical energy surged toward the fortress from every direction. The bombardment was so intense that the surrounding landscape became illuminated by countless flashes, while the thunderous explosions echoed across the plains.

Yet when the spells finally struck the walls, something unexpected happened.

A dark barrier appeared across the fortress, its surface rippling like black water as the incoming attacks collided against it. The spells exploded upon contact, releasing enormous shockwaves, but the barrier remained intact, preventing even the strongest attacks from reaching the structures behind it.

The goblin defenses had repelled the bombardment once again.

The four Constellations watched silently from the front of the army, observing the dark barrier that had protected the Burrow Kingdom from their opening attacks.

"Tsk. That dark energy is so annoying," Onyx Elf muttered, narrowing his eyes as he examined the barrier.

He could recognize the nature of the energy spreading across the fortress, and its presence made the situation considerably more troublesome than he had initially expected. However, rather than showing frustration, he simply raised his head and began floating toward the enemy’s defensive line.

"I’ll fight them using my dark energy as well," he added.

His figure moved through the air, passing above the charging soldiers until he arrived near the front of the Burrow Kingdom’s walls. There, he found the goblin Emperor dressed in dark red robes hovering above the defenses, his enormous body surrounded by magical energy that resembled a swirling purple mist.

Onyx Elf stopped several meters away from him.

"Good day. Please get out of our way," he said politely, his expression remaining completely calm.

The goblin Emperor stared at him.

"EKKEKE KEEKEK EKEKEEKKEKE!"

Onyx Elf remained silent for a moment.

He slowly closed his eyes, and a vein popped subtly on his forehead.

’This guy can’t talk?’

Before he could say anything else, a violent surge of magical energy suddenly rushed toward him. Onyx Elf opened his eyes instantly, his expression returning to its usual composure as he swung his arm from the center toward the right.

A mass of dark energy erupted from his movement, spreading through the air like an enormous shadow before swallowing the incoming attack. The collision produced a deep rumble, but the goblin Emperor’s magic was devoured before it could reach Onyx Elf.

The dark energy continued swirling around the elf’s arm, its surface shifting like a living creature as it absorbed the remnants of the attack.

"Savage as usual!"