Chapter 482 ·East Wind (東風) (2)

Somewhere ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍in Islamic territory, a sprawling military camp sat about a half-day's march from the fortress walls looming on the horizon. 

This ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was the vanguard of the Khalas Empire, the western power currently bulldozing its way into the coalition’s territories.

General ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Harun, the man commanding these forty thousand troops, waited inside his central command tent for news about the detachment.

Up ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍ahead, the enemy was trapped in a desperate siege defense. 

To ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sever the supply lines of those filthy apostates, Harun had employed a particular stratagem.

He ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had sent a cavalry detachment straight to the bridge crossing the Amu River to cut off their supply route and thereby weaken the filthy apostates.

Since cavalry could contribute little during a siege in any case, he had simply assigned them to a more efficient role.

‘They should be returning right about now.’

Right on cue, a commotion erupted outside the tent.

"What is happening!" Harun barked.

A subordinate soon rushed into the tent and answered. "General! The cavalry has r-returned."

"Good. What did they report about the bridge?"

"W-well, the thing is…"

When the subordinate who had come to deliver the report was visibly struggling, the general asked again.

"From the look on your face, I take it they failed."

"It appears so, sir."

"It appears so? Neither success nor failure, but it appears so? Are you trying to play word games with me right now?"

"N-no, General!"

The startled officer scrambled to explain, though his excuse was downright bizarre. "T-the survivors who returned have all lost their minds, so we were unable to properly ascertain the situation."

"They have all lost their minds?"

Harun scowled and rose from his seat.

If he couldn't get a coherent report, he was going to see the mess for himself. 

As the general emerged from the tent, the soldiers parted to clear a path.

Harun reached the outer perimeter of the camp without difficulty and scowled when he looked at those returned.

The number of those who had returned alive was barely over a hundred.

Out of the three thousand elite cavalrymen he had dispatched to the bridge, only these few measly people came back.

They had suffered losses tantamount to near-total annihilation.

But that was not the reason Harun scowled.

"T-the God of Destruction has appeared!!"

"P-please, spare me! P-please, spare me!"

"T-The Evil God's wrath has descended upon us!"

"O-oh Allah, p-please watch over us."

Every last survivor was babbling incoherently, and several of them had dropped to their knees on the ground crying out to God in prayer.

Prayer was a daily matter even for Harun as a devout Muslim, but the unadulterated terror radiating from these men was unnatural. 

Only now did Harun understand why the subordinate who had come to report had looked so troubled.

"Have they really all gone mad?"

Harun slowly turned his head toward the distant Amu River.

‘Just what kind of hell did they walk into out there?’

The thought flashed through his mind for an instant, but Harun quickly shook his head.

They were currently in a state of war, and he was a general commanding tens of thousands of troops.

Above all, he was a faithful servant following the supreme decree of the Sultan, the representative of Allah.

Therefore, it was time for him to do what needed to be done.

Clang.

Before anyone realized it, Harun had drawn the scimitar at his hip and approached the maddened cavalrymen.

He then swung the blade at the nearest horseman.

"I-It's the Evil God! The Evil God is here!"

He brought his blade down upon the man who had been spouting such blasphemy.

Slash.

The hysterical cavalryman's head rolled into the dirt. Without missing a step, Harun moved to cut down the maddened horsemen one after another.

Slash.

They were in the midst of a Holy War decreed by Allah's chosen one.

Slash.

So how dare they spout that some heathen god has appeared here?!

It was a poison that would rot the morale of the entire camp if left unchecked.

Slash.

After severing the neck of the last cavalryman with his blade, Harun wiped the blood that had splattered on his face with the back of his hand and bellowed.

"These men succumbed to the sorcery of the apostates! We shall slay the apostates who dared lay hands on foul sorcery, and thereby set right the will of Allah!!"

Ignited by his blood-soaked speech, the watching soldiers fell to their knees in reverence and shouted.

"Allahu Akbar!!"

***

One day earlier.

As he watched the handful of cavalrymen fleeing alive into the distance, Il-mok clicked his tongue lightly and slid his Ascension Sword back into its scabbard.

The Hong Dynasty’s martial artists in the vicinity likewise began putting away their weapons one by one and settling their Qi.

"Are you sure you need not pursue them further?" Jin Hayeon asked beside him.

At the question from Jin Hayeon, who had approached at some point, Il-mok shrugged.

Il-mok offered a casual shrug. "Not much we can do. All our troops were tied up on the other side of the bridge."

The number of coalition soldiers guarding the bridge had been insufficient, and chasing them down was more trouble than it was worth since the enemies were on horseback

If the cavalry had fled in one neat little group, he could have given chase using lightness skill and killed them. But since the survivors had scattered to the four winds, tracking everyone down was out of the question.

Honestly, the only reason they had managed to massacre so many was that top-tier masters like Jin Hayeon had crossed over to back Il-mok up.

Il-mok turned his head to look at Jong-ri Chu, who had been fighting alongside him.

"Sixth Brother, mind telling the troops to open up a path for us?"

Following Il-mok’s request, Jong-ri Chu approached the coalition soldiers once more.

Shortly after, they cleared the path and the forty-thousand-strong force that had spent their time only singing hymns all this time finally began crossing over.

Looks like the scale of the massacre was still a shock to the coalition’s soldiers.

Even though they had lowered their weapons, the allied soldiers couldn't stop snapping their heads back and forth between the crossing army and Il-mok.

Their eyes were filled with an emotion that could only be called awe mingled with fear.

Watching Il-mok unleash martial arts that defied heaven and earth had thoroughly flipped their common sense.

In the middle of that reverential atmosphere, the forty thousand soldiers crossed the bridge with triumphant strides of a victorious army returning home.

Once the last soldier had crossed, Il-mok resumed the advance southwestward together with them.

As the sun began to set, they made camp for the night and resumed their journey at dawn.

By the afternoon, the walls of a small city called Andkhoy (اندخوى) came into view in the distance.

And with that view came the scent of blood mingled with the sandy wind.

Not just that, it also carried the acrid smell of gunpowder.

A full-scale siege was underway at Andkhoy.

"What’s your command?" Jin Hayeon asked.

Il-mok answered.

"The imperial soldiers must be exhausted from fighting. Looks like we will have some harvest soon,” Il-mok replied.

Between their drained stamina and their disarrayed troops’ formations, this was the perfect time to crush them while taking barely any losses. 

Il-mok gave his order and the sounds of war drums and horn trumpets reverberated from every corner of the Hong forces.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In time with the drumbeats, the soldiers quickened their pace in a rapid yet disciplined cadence.

As for Il-mok and his crew, they were already charging straight toward the enemy's lines.

***

Roughly three hundred meters from the walls of Andkhoy lay the rear line of the Khalas Empire's encampment.

"The enemy is exhausted! Push harder! We’re taking this apostate stronghold today!"

General Harun was bellowing orders to his soldiers with fervor.

Thanks to the heavy cannon fire that had battered the city early in the siege, some sections of Andkhoy's walls were already reduced to rubble, and several valiant warriors had scaled those walls using ladders and were now wreaking havoc within the enemy's ranks.

They were on the verge of victory.

But then, an adjutant standing next to Harun frantically pointed a trembling finger.

"General! A large army is approaching from the northeast!"

The northeast?

That was the direction of the Amu River.

‘No way!’

The ravings of those cavalrymen he had personally killed just the previous evening surfaced in Harun's mind. He whipped his head around, and his eyes took in a massive army that numbered in the tens of thousands at a glance.

"Damn it!!"

Because his dead men had been screaming about the Evil God and divine punishment, he had entirely misread the situation and was entirely caught off guard by the magnitude of the reinforcement.

Harun was plunged into a dilemma.

If the siege had just started, he could just pull out his force and call for a retreat. But they were already halfway into the city, and withdrawing the soldiers now would render all the casualties suffered during the siege pointless.

‘Can I take the city before they arrive and set up a defensive formation in time?’

He considered it for a fraction of a second before furiously shaking his head.

It was realistically impossible.

Harun bellowed as he choked down his frustration.

"All forces, withdraw immediately! Reform the lines and brace for impact!"

Horn trumpets sounded, and Harun's orders were promptly relayed across the battlefield.

Warning horns shrieked through the air as they carried Harun’s orders across the battlefield. But to the soldiers already halfway inside the city, these horns were nothing but a death knell.

They were already inside the city; how were they supposed to make it back alive to their own lines now?

Only the rear guard and those lucky enough to be stationed away from the wall managed to scramble backward in time.

Stranded and abandoned, the men trapped at the base of the wall were butchered to the last man by Andkhoy’s defenders.

Slash.

It was a brutal loss of thousands of men, but the sacrifice bought Harun just enough time to drag his surviving forces back into a defensive line. But no sooner had they formed up than the earth began to shake.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The relentless beating of war drums hammered against the ears of Khalas Empire’s soldiers.

The reinforcements from the northeast had arrived, and they were flying banners never seen before in this land.

“GLO~RY! GLORY! O ’ DIVINE CULT!!”

And they were approaching while singing a bizarre chant in a language none of them had ever heard.

When the enemy vanguard finally drew within arrow range—

"Fire!!"

The Khalas Empire’s army launched a rain of arrows skyward.

Swoosh!

Hundreds of arrows blotted out the sun.

BOOM!!

Seconds later, the heavy artillery unleashed their might.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Yet the drumbeat of the advancing enemy remained unchanged, and in the footsteps of the soldiers charging in time with that rhythm, there was not the slightest trace of hesitation.

Ting! Ting! Ting!

The hundreds of arrows that had filled the sky were deflected by the shields raised by the soldiers at the vanguard, producing nothing but clangs of metal.

Clang!!

Then came the cannonball. 

The massive iron sphere tore through the air, only to be caught barehanded by the hand of a woman at the front.

Harun stared at the sight with a numb expression.

It wasn't just the absurdity of a human catching artillery barehanded.

What caught his sight was what was rapidly spreading from the woman's palm.

"Ice?"

Out here in these blistering lands, ice was a luxury afforded to those in power and most of them could rarely see it with their own eyes.

While Harun was standing there with a stupefied expression, yet another extraordinary sight entered his eyes.

Next to the woman stood a man.

Red and blue energies began to gather in each of the man's hands, and those energies formed a single sphere as he pressed his palms together.

The sphere had a peculiar form with its body divided between two distinct colors of blue and red.

"BEHOLD THE LIGHT!!"

“LET THERE BE LIGHT!”

As soon as the sphere was formed, the army behind that man erupted in frenzy.

The man thrust his hands forward, and the sphere of Qi shot directly toward the Khalas Empire's army.

For some inexplicable reason, the more Harun stared at the sphere, the more the world seemed to slow down.

And before long, that sphere of Qi finally arrived before the imperial lines—

BZZZ! CRACKLE.

An ear-splitting distortion tore through the air, followed instantly by a blinding flash of incandescent light. 

Harun had to jerk his head away from the light.

BOOM!!!

"Ugh."

The ringing in his skull and ears and the sting in his eyes made his senses go white.

When the painful sensations subsided, he rubbed his eyes and whipped his head back around to the place where the sphere had detonated.

Upon seeing it with his own eyes, Harun found that words had failed him.

"…"

Maybe the explosion had blown his eardrums out, or maybe every surviving man was just as paralyzed as he was. 

Either way, not a single sound reached him.

Staring at the apocalyptic devastation before him, a horrifying realization crept into Harun's mind.

‘They were telling the truth...’

An Evil God—a God of Destruction—had descended into the Earth.

And he had come to punish them.

‘N-no! That cannot be! W-we are warriors who follow the will of Allah!!’

But just as Harun desperately clung to his faith to forcefully banish the creeping terror—

Boom! Boom! Boom!

His slowly recovering hearing alerted him to the rumbling drumbeats and the ensuing carnage.

"The Heavenly Demon Descends!!"

"Ten Thousand Demons Obey!!!"

Like a swarm of rabid hounds unleashed by Satan himself, the cultists flooded into the shattered Khalas encampment.

"AAAGGHH!"

"P-please, spare—"

And the soldiers of Khalas began to fall just like grains of sand caught in a tidal wave.