Chapter 531: Scheming
Countless wyverns and flame drakes dove down from the sky, carrying an unstoppable momentum as they charged at the abyssal dragon beasts.
The resounding dragon roars brought immense pressure, causing the abyssal dragon beasts to tremble in fear, a terror rooted deep in their bloodline.
The scorching tongues of fire charred the abyssal dragon beasts' skin, while sharp lances mercilessly pierced through their bodies.
In an instant, the previously aggressive abyssal dragon beasts were swallowed by a crimson tide. After a single charge, they fell from the sky one after another, while the Empire's dragon horde raised their heads and let out triumphant cries.
"Boom!"
The thunderous roar of cannon fire drowned out the demons' chaotic screeches.
On the scorched main battlefield, the battle between tanks and demons raged on. After suffering heavy casualties, the demons soon discovered the weaknesses of the steam tanks.
They used Quasi-demons, Flo-demons, Kas-demons, and other agile flying demons to surround and assault the 'iron clumps,' continuously spraying highly corrosive acid onto their tops.
More abyssal dragon beasts descended from the sky, tearing apart the tanks' armor along the gaps and spewing black flames at their hulls.
"Buzz—"
A crimson mist seemed to appear in the sky as countless nauseating black larva-like creatures flitted through the air with their tiny red wings, producing a dizzying hum.
Their buzzing caused excruciating headaches and mental disarray, rendering their victims helpless before they became the creatures' food.
—They were demon wasps, aggressive and bloodthirsty creatures that devoured all life they encountered and desecrated their habitats.
At this moment, the buzzing easily penetrated the armor, reaching the cockpit and causing unbearable agony to the Imperial soldiers inside.
The demon wasps swarmed through the gaps where the armor had been torn, desperately flooding into the interior of the steam tanks.
"Szz—"
The emergency magic conduction system of the steam tanks automatically activated, releasing a powerful electromagnetic pulse that sent countless demon wasps plummeting from the sky.
But those surrounding the tanks were only a fraction of the infestation—compared to the overwhelming swarm covering the battlefield, they were insignificant.
Machine guns atop the steam tanks spat fire, unleashing terrifying firepower, but even after the barrels overheated, they couldn't stop the onslaught of demon wasps.
Soon, with a dense, skittering sound, the ravenous demon wasps gnawed a path through the armor's seams and poured into the cockpit.
"They're inside!"
"No—"
"Shoot! Shoot!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Faced with the invading demon wasps, the soldiers inside the tank fired in panic, but their bullets had no effect on the swarm.
"Damn it, bullets don't work on them!"
"No, stay back—"
They were quickly overwhelmed by the maddened wasps, their bodies reduced to white bones amid the horrific gnawing sounds.
"Monsters."
"I'll fight to the end! For the Empire! For His Majesty Cassius! This is the glory of the Isthalia!"
The human tank commander's eyes were bloodshot. He pounded his chest fiercely and raised his arm in a near-frenzied declaration.
As the wasps closed in to consume him, his face twisted in a savage grin as he slammed the control lever to its lowest position and pressed the red button labeled 'Emergency Self-Destruct.'
The steam tank, like a raging bull, charged directly into the demon horde, its blood-stained metal ram crushing countless demons into pulp.
Immediately, sparks and steam erupted from its top, and the internal high-pressure boiler let out a violent shriek before exploding completely.
"Boom!"
With an unprecedented thunderous roar, the steam tank detonated.
A massive mushroom cloud and a blinding fireball erupted on the ground. The terrifying explosion consumed everything within a hundred meters, sending scalding steam and violent heat waves surging across the battlefield.
As the white smoke cleared, the land was charred black, wisps of blue smoke rising from the ground, and fragments of the steam tank scattered everywhere.
A magma-filled crater, tens of meters in diameter, marked the impact zone.
The pit was littered with the charred remains of cowardly demons, and millions of demon wasps were obliterated, even the queen herself consumed by the devastating explosion.
Yet the battle continued. The annihilated swarm was just a fraction of the infestation. In the distance, the droning buzz returned, as a colossal mother wasp flew forward, surrounded by its attendants.
Third War Zone Command Post.
Dolo frowned as he watched the massive mushroom cloud in the distance.
The dragon-blooded hobgoblin gripped his giant axe tightly, his yellowish eyes narrowing. "This is unexpected. The steam tanks have already started taking losses."
A deep and resonant voice came from behind him. "Dolo, I've told you before. This demonic invasion is no mere skirmish, nor is it a game for you to earn military merit. It is a trial for the entire Ember Empire."
A towering, robust figure slowly emerged from the shadows, his presence nearly enveloping Dolo. The scepter adorned with the Ember insignia gleamed under the dim firelight.
—It was none other than the Empire's Prime Minister, the first legendary vassal, the ogre grand magus, Langpu.
Langpu calmly reminded, "All internal disputes must be put aside for now. This demonic invasion requires the full cooperation of every Imperial member. His Majesty has been planning for this for years."
"As the Empire's Marshal, of course, I understand priorities, dear 'Lord' Langpu."
Dolo slightly nodded, seemingly agreeing with the ogre's words, but he deliberately emphasized the last two words.
He anxiously watched the still-raging battlefield and muttered, "But right now, there are simply too many demons. Bullets and shells are being expended like they cost nothing, and the war's consumption has already far exceeded our expectations."
He lifted his head and stared coldly at Langpu's ugly face. "Langpu, if this stalemate continues, in less than ten days, we'll face severe supply shortages. In less than half a month, the demons may breach your so-called Imperial Wall and invade the Empire's core regions."
Langpu also studied the magical images of the battlefield. Cowardly demons still charged the frontlines, hunter spiders skittered across the land, and giant bull demons stomped forward.
In the skies, Quasi-demons, Flo-demons, and abyssal dragon beasts flew chaotically, while demon wasp swarms spread like a deadly mist.
Compared to a few days ago, the Empire's firepower had significantly weakened, no longer capable of 'scorched-earth' bombardment.
Now, the steam tanks and Imperial soldiers' flesh and blood were the only things holding back the demonic advance.
Fortunately, the number of Ember Empire players had risen sharply—three million endlessly respawning players were no less terrifying than the seemingly infinite demon horde.
After a long silence, Langpu's lips curled into a cold smile. "You're right."
The ogre grand magus raised his staff, and countless light orbs swirled around him, displaying the Crimson Scaled Conquerors, Dragon-Oath Paladins, and various vassal forces—representing the Empire's might.
"Perhaps…the true counteroffensive should begin now. I believe His Majesty has been waiting for this moment."
"Boom!"
Lonely as Snow raised his massive shield, blocking the abyssal fireball descending from the sky and protecting several mage teammates behind him.
Black and red sparks still splattered onto his face, the fire imbued with sinister energy searing dark marks into his skin, causing significant damage—but he had no time to worry about that now.
"Roar—"
Cowardly Demons and Bab Demons shrieked, crazily swarming toward the players' formation, pouncing onto Lonely as Snow.
"Damn it, is this never-ending?!"
"Bang!"
Lonely as Snow swung his massive shield forcefully, then slammed it into the ground, effortlessly smashing more than a dozen demons into pulp.
A Bab Demon behind him lifted its sharp spear, a cruel grin spreading across its gaunt red face as it raised its weapon, attempting to ambush the human before it.
But the paladin didn't even glance at it—he grabbed the Bab Demon like a tiny chick, then ruthlessly slammed it into the ground, crushing it under his foot.
However, the number of these low-tier demons only increased. Hundreds of them surged from all directions, nearly overwhelming him.
"Hurry up, I can't hold out much longer!"
Amidst the intense melee, Lonely as Snow couldn't help but complain, "These damn things are everywhere, and they barely give any experience after dying."
Charlotte hovered in midair, gripping his staff tightly while chanting an incantation.
"Chain Lightning!"
In an instant, with a crackling sound, dazzling arcs of electricity danced through the demon horde, turning every Cowardly Demon in its path into charred corpses.
The demons howled in agony, black smoke rising from their bodies as they collapsed in droves. Hundreds of demons ahead were instantly wiped out.
Lonely as Snow, also scorched black by the electricity, crawled out from the pile of demon corpses, pointing at a dark silhouette in the distance. "Quick, kill that goat-headed freak!"
"That thing keeps casting spells and summoning minions—it's disgusting!"
"I got this!"
The Sky Witch stepped forward, drawing expectant gazes from the others as she cast a beautiful rainbow.
"Swish—"
The rainbow arched beautifully across the sky—but that was all it did.
"."
Everyone fell silent.
In the distance, the so-called 'goat-headed freak' let out a furious roar.
Its skin was pale as a corpse, its fur rough and jet black, and its hooves a hellish shade of red—it was actually a Bloodhoof Demon, a creature created by the 'Undying King' Okus.
The Bloodhoof Demon swung its skull-adorned scepter, and instantly, a poisonous mist spread across the battlefield. One by one, long-dead demons began crawling back to life.
"Careful! It's Death Cloud!"
Charlotte raised his staff, summoning powerful gusts of wind to disperse the toxic mist.
The Sky Witch, fortunately, didn't trigger another Wild Magic Surge this time. She launched a barrage of scorching fireballs, reducing the revived demons to cinders.
Meanwhile, the vice president of Magic Coin—Bright Moon—aimed her staff at the distant Bloodhoof Demon and rapidly chanted a spell.
"Lightning Beam!"
"Boom!"
A blinding beam of lightning shot from the tip of her staff, piercing through the Bloodhoof Demon. The goat-headed monster twitched a few times on the ground before falling silent.
Lonely as Snow kicked away a demon corpse at his feet and muttered, "Is this ever going to end?"
He had been fighting demons on the battlefield for days. Though he racked up substantial experience and contributions daily, the endless battles were beginning to wear on him.
Suddenly, a massive shadow loomed overhead.
"Dodge!"
His teammate hurriedly warned him.
Lonely as Snow instinctively leaped aside as a spear-like giant leg stabbed down, embedding itself deep into the rock.
Looking up, Lonely as Snow first saw four pairs of slender legs, then countless glistening compound eyes flickering ominously.
"Oh, f—"
A gray ray streaked across the air, striking Lonely as Snow directly, turning him into a motionless stone statue.
Charlotte shouted anxiously, "Get out of the way! It's a Demon Hunter Spider!"
"Whatever you do, don't get hit by its magic ray!"
After days of battle, the players had learned about these demons and categorized them based on their threat levels.
The Demon Hunter Spider was among the most dangerous. Without support from steam tanks or Dragon-Scale Monks, escaping its clutches was nearly impossible.
The massive spider lunged at the group of mages, but Charlotte didn't hesitate—he raised his staff, the magic crystal at its tip glowing a faint red.
[Monster Immobilization]
He got lucky—the terrifying creature froze in place.
"Now's our chance—attack!"
The mages unleashed an onslaught of spells—fire, ice, acid, and lightning rained down on the Demon Hunter Spider without restraint.
However, its thick, magic-resistant carapace absorbed most of the attacks with barely any damage.
"Damn, this thing is tough!"
"No choice, we need a tank!"
Charlotte used Phantom Step to teleport in front of Lonely as Snow's petrified form and placed a hand on his stone-cold body.
[Petrification Dispel]
The stone covering Lonely as Snow's body gradually faded, restoring his face first.
Gasping for breath, he cursed, "That Demon Hunter Spider is disgusting—I didn't even see it coming."
Charlotte quickly cut in, "Sorry, but we need you, Lonely as Snow. Help us hold off that spider before it breaks free!"
With a wave of his staff, the still-half-petrified Lonely as Snow was sent flying—straight into the Demon Hunter Spider.
"Are you kidding me…"
Watching the violently struggling spider before him, Lonely as Snow's mouth twitched.
Was he doomed to always be the tank?
Beyond the spider, Lonely as Snow, Charlotte, and the others looked to the distance. Abyssal Dragon Beasts circled in the sky, Giant Bull Demons roamed the land, and Bazuth Demons roared as they advanced.
Clearly, they had stumbled into a major demon offensive.
"Roar—"
Suddenly, a hoarse dragon's roar echoed through the sky, carrying the scent of sand in the air.
"Boom!"
A massive bolt of lightning struck from the sky, instantly piercing the Demon Hunter Spider before them.
"Reinforcements are here!"
"Holy crap, that was brutal!"
Lonely as Snow looked up and saw, high above, massive blue dragons unfurling their wings, spewing cascading lightning and casting immense shadows over the battlefield.
It was the Faria Family's Blue Dragons!
At the forefront was a slightly more slender female blue dragon, yet her lightning attacks were just as ferocious. The bolt that pierced the Demon Hunter Spider had come from her.
—This blue dragon was Christina, the envoy sent by the Faria Family.