Chapter 392: The First Wave

[Ruvian’s POV]

Following Commander Fajarn’s morale-lifting speech, Ruvian turned his attention toward inspecting his [Runeheart].

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{}---『RUNEHEART』---{}

◇ Name: Ruvian Castelor

◇ Age: 17

◇ Spellcore: Tier 3

◇ Rank: Second-Class Magus

◇ Magic Affinity: None

◇ Relevance Tier: Stage IV – Pivotal Canon

◇ Plot Points: 297,500 (PPs)

◇ Current Arc: Arc 3 – The Vazrun Island

[Mana Resonance: (110/1,000)]

==[General Attributes]==

Strength: C+

Agility: C+

Endurance: C+

Vitality: C+

Perception: C+

==[Mage Attributes]==

Mana Control: B-

Casting Speed: C+

Magic Power: B-

Mental Strength: S

Mana Sensitivity: C+

Mana Essence: [15,000/15,000]

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==[Innate Blessings]==

- [Blessing of Indomitable Will]

==[Affinity Mastery]==

- [Pure Mana, Wind, Darkness (Advanced)]

- [Water, (Intermediate)]

- [Dark Mana (Basic)]

===============

Based on his current stats, it still wouldn’t be enough for the stampede tonight. At the very least, he needed to push himself into the realm of a First-Class Magus.

’Hmm... I have seven C+ Attributes. Each upgrade to B- costs 4,900 PP, so that makes it 34,300 PP in total.’

With how much PP he had already piled up, though, that amount was basically pocket change to him now.

Without hesitation, Ruvian activated [Power Scaling] and upgraded every C+ Attribute to B-, the highest rank he could currently push them to.

The effect hit before he could even properly think about it.

His body suddenly felt unfairly light, like someone had quietly removed half the resistance from every movement, while his senses snapped into focus hard.

His mind changed with it too, thoughts coming cleaner and faster, mana responding almost the instant he reached for it.

While at it, he also decided to upgrade his Mana Essence as well.

[Mana Essence: 15,000 → 20,000]

[30,000PP has been deducted]

[Remaining Plot Points: 233,200]

With his current build, plus the boost from [Endseeker], Ruvian was pretty damn confident he could take on a few Malice-Rank Voidspawns by himself now.

"All units, move into position! Nightfall is upon us!"

Commander Fajarn’s barked command tore across the field.

Ruvian lifted his gaze toward the bruised crimson sky. The last strips of daylight were already being swallowed along the horizon.

Breathing out a slow sigh of anticipation, Ruvian flicked his wrist. A faint shimmer flashed around his hand before the dark blade slipped free from his storage ring.

A few minutes later, night fully took the sky.

The moon emerged cold and pallid above Frostgrave.

Beneath its ghostly light, the thirteen towering plants in the distance somehow looked even more sinister, their warped silhouettes resembling more a field of monstrous flora that had simply been waiting for darkness to wake.

The moment moonlight touched them, the thirteen plants began to move.

Something bulged beneath their roots, then crawled upward through the massive stalks like a throat forcing down a meal.

Their gaping crowns slowly distended, stretching wider and wider until the thick flesh around them looked ready to rupture.

Then came the first drop.

A massive, seed-like pod slipped from one of the yawning maws and plummeted from nearly a hundred meters above.

BOOM!

The seed-like pod slammed into the earth with a wet, brutal thud.

Bloated and slick with black sap, the pod began to convulse.

Something clawed from within, ripping through the husk in violent jerks and tearing strips of its flesh-like shell apart from the inside.

A moment later, a wet crack followed, then came a shriek so sharp and inhuman that it carried across the entire plain.

The sight of countless voidspawns crawling out from the ruptured pod was horrifying.

And that was only the first.

Moments later, more seed-like pods began raining from the towering crowns, crashing into the plains one after another.

And just like that, the night onslaught had begun.

*****

Once enough Voidspawns had gathered beneath the towering plants, the horde finally began to move.

With snarls and shrieks bleeding together, nearly three hundred of them surged across the plains toward Frostgrave.

The plan they had discussed was simple. Kill as many as possible before they ever reached the fortress.

From the walls, the artillery would tear into their numbers first, while Magus capable of powerful long-range spells supported each volley.

Beyond the walls, an invisible barrier array waited to halt whatever managed to survive the bombardment.

Only once that barrier collapsed would the melee units finally move in.

Narrowing his eyes, Ruvian quickly scanned the approaching horde. Most were Lesser-Rank and Wretched-Rank Voidspawns, with nothing truly dangerous mixed among them yet.

Against Frostgrave’s seven hundred and fifty soldiers, the numbers were still manageable.

’Looks like the Nightbloom Spawners only just started absorbing the night energy, so the Voidspawns they’re producing are still pretty low quality...’

Still, Ruvian’s grip around [The Endseeker] tightened.

If this battle dragged on for too long, there was no telling what higher-ranked monsters those things might eventually start producing.

In other words, if they wanted to raise their chances of holding Frostgrave, they would have to bring down the Nightbloom Spawners as well.

However, that would have to wait until Silvena’s reinforcements arrived.

The moment the front line of Voidspawns entered artillery range, the walls of Frostgrave erupted.

BOOM!

Ruvian felt the stone beneath his boots tremble as one cannon after another thundered behind him, hurling heavy blasts of mana straight into the charging horde.

The first shot landed right in the middle of them.

Several Voidspawns disappeared beneath the explosion, their bodies ripped apart so violently that mangled limbs and black blood scattered across the dirt.

Ruvian couldn’t help but let a faint grin creep across his face.

’Damn, getting hit by that would be a terrible way to die.’

Against Lesser-Rank Voidspawns, the artillery was almost overkill. Most were blown apart the instant a shot landed near them, while even the tougher Wretched-Rank ones were hurled off their feet or crushed beneath the sheer force.

But the ones behind them did not care.

They simply kept charging, trampling over the corpses of their own kind as if nothing had happened.

At the same time, the Magus stationed along the walls raised their staffs and weapons.

A moment later, mana flared all around Ruvian as one of the Magus was raising his staff.

"Flames of the burning sky, gather before me and consume everything in your path, [Crimson Burst]!"

A massive sphere of fire formed above his head.

The heat washed over Ruvian even from where he stood before the spell suddenly shot forward and crashed into the horde.

BOOM!

Flames swallowed nearly an entire section of the battlefield.

Not far away, another Magus slammed both hands together.

"Winds that cut through steel, answer my call and tear through my enemies, [Gale Crescent]!"

A crescent of compressed wind screamed across the plains, slicing through several Voidspawns before vanishing into the darkness.

Soon, despite the relentless bombardment, the surviving horde finally reached the invisible barrier array.

The first Voidspawn hurled itself straight into the unseen wall, sending a pale ripple across the empty air. Seconds later, dozens more crashed against it from every direction.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Claws screeched across the barrier while the heavier Voidspawns repeatedly threw their entire weight against it.

Even then, the artillery continued roaring over their heads.

"Keep firing! Don’t give them a chance to gather!" Commander Fajarn shouted, his sword already drawn.

Behind him, the melee companies tightened their formation.

Meanwhile, standing at the head of the formation were Commander Fajarn, Captain Zarrick, and Scoutmaster Givard Best.

Ruvian stood only a short distance behind them.

Having no intention of being caught flat-footed once the barrier gave way, he prepared himself as well, wrapping his entire body in [Body Enhancement].

Another heavy creature slammed both fists against the barrier.

CRACK!

A broad fracture flashed across the invisible wall, and Commander Fajarn’s expression immediately hardened.

"Get ready! It’s coming down!"

One more brutal impact struck the center.

SHATTER!

The barrier burst apart in a storm of fading mana. Within seconds, Voidspawns poured through the breach.

Commander Fajarn raised his sword.

"First Defense Company, with me!"

Zarrick and Givard followed without hesitation, and hundreds of soldiers surged forward behind them. With [The Endseeker] already in hand, Ruvian kicked off the ground and plunged straight into the oncoming horde.

Even though charging headfirst into hundreds of Voidspawns was hardly something any sane person would welcome, Ruvian still saw this as an opportunity.

An opportunity to let [The Endseeker] devour even more souls.

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[Chapter 392: The First Wave]

Plot Points = 233,200