Chapter 534: Brutality
"Ashen Dragonflight! Encircle that demon!"
"Roar—"
At the Imperial officer's command, over a hundred wyverns shrieked and flapped their wings furiously, attacking the Balor from all directions.
"Die! You dare insult my master!"
White Dragon Tiniya flew among the wyverns, her frost-white wings spread wide as she pounced with claws bared.
"Foolish reptiles."
Leo merely growled, looking at the encroaching dragons with disdain as he slowly opened his maw, from which white smoke and flames spewed forth.
Twisted whispers, despairing wails, and frenzied screams surged forth simultaneously.
These chaotic voices echoed across the sky, sending shudders down the spines of all who heard them—this was the Abyssal Murmur, the blasphemous whisper of the damned!
Blasphemous Speech!
Instantly, hundreds of wyverns threw their heads back, shaking violently as they howled in agony.
They flailed their wings erratically, desperately trying to stay airborne, but under the influence of this terrifying voice, many lost consciousness and plummeted from the sky.
"Damn it, what… what is this?!"
Tiniya wobbled in the air, her expression twisted in pain, her fangs clenched so tightly they nearly cracked.
Eventually, she too lost control, her massive body crashing into a nearby hillside, sending debris flying in all directions.
"Charge! Dragon Roar Charge!"
Several Crimson Scaled Conquerors spiraled through the sky, cutting through the tempest as they dove toward the Balor.
"Crimson Scaled Conquerors?"
"More annoying flies."
The massive demon merely lifted his gaze slightly before raising his crackling storm greatsword and swinging it casually downward.
"Boom!"
Thick, arm-sized lightning bolts crashed down from the heavens, their blinding radiance consuming the wyvern riders in an instant.
A moment later, charred, smoking husks tumbled from the sky, their forms fused together beyond recognition.
"Monster Immobilization!"
"Purification Arrow!"
"Crown of Stars!"
Dozens of Imperial spellcasters raised their staves simultaneously, unleashing a barrage of anti-demon spells.
Brilliant magical light flooded the sky—globes of light, radiant beams, holy flames, and chains, hundreds of spells streaking toward the Balor.
Simultaneously, magical targeting beacons illuminated the demon's position, allowing the Imperial artillery corps to lock onto him for bombardment.
"Whistle—"
With a shrill cry, armor-piercing shells, high-explosive rounds, and thermobaric bombs rained down in a terrifying volley.
Their trajectories crisscrossed in the sky, forming a lethal convergence point.
"Boom!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Explosions erupted skyward, fire and magical light intertwining into a radiant inferno.
A massive mushroom cloud billowed upward, searing winds scouring the battlefield, while shockwaves shook the earth, thick smoke obscuring the heavens.
Imperial soldiers, officers, and spellcasters gazed upward anxiously at the rolling clouds of smoke.
"Is it dead?"
"Is it over?"
"Yes, it has to be! No creature could survive an explosion like that!"
"By Cassius… a monster like that shouldn't even exist."
Imperial warriors remained shaken, many still feeling their knees weaken beneath them.
After all, the Balor's oppressive presence had been suffocating. The Empire's proud war machines had seemed utterly powerless before this nightmare.
In just a few short minutes, the Balor had inflicted tens of thousands of casualties, destroyed a dozen steam tanks, and slain several land drakes.
Lonely as Snow gazed at the sky-blackening smoke, mumbling, "Something's not right… According to the 'no corpse, no kill' rule…"
Sure enough, a low chuckle echoed from above, growing louder and louder until it became a full-blown manic laugh.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Pathetic spells, laughable toys—is this the best you can do?"
The smoke swirled violently, and a massive black shadow emerged, revealing itself—crimson skin, a towering infernal body, twisted horns—the Balor stood unscathed!
A pitch-black aura coated his form, turbulent Abyssal energy coursing over its surface, effortlessly nullifying all magic and explosions.
Leo continued laughing wildly, his massive wings sending waves of heat rolling across the battlefield as he hovered above, gazing down at the Imperial forces, reveling in his power.
"Do you see?"
"This is the might of the Abyss! And you—are not worthy to stand against me!"
"Death—"
With a thunderous bellow, the Balor flapped his wings and swung his storm greatsword skyward.
"Boom!"
Thunder rumbled across the wasteland as a raging lightning storm consumed the heavens, instantly vaporizing over a hundred wyverns.
"Destruction—"
He roared again, slashing his flaming whip across the battlefield, carving deep, jagged chasms into the earth.
A flood of Abyssal fire erupted across the land, incinerating thousands of Imperial soldiers and Starfall players alike.
The Balor continued his advance, explosions and flames trailing his path, obliterating everything before him.
Raising his weapons high, he entwined his fire whip around his storm greatsword, gathering immense power in the sky.
"Vengeance—"
The Balor roared.
If this devastating strike landed, the Empire's Wall could very well be annihilated.
"Hahahahaha!"
"These mortals are finished!"
"We will slaughter them all!"
The demon horde cheered wildly, eyes filled with either zeal, envy, or resentment as they watched their infernal champion above.
Power—absolute power.
In the Abyss, it was the only thing that mattered.
Demons surged forward relentlessly, launching another all-out assault. They could already see the walls crumbling, the cities reduced to rubble, blood painting the streets.
This was their paradise.
"The Dragon Lord reigns above all!"
"Dragon-Oath Paladins, the time to prove your loyalty is now! Hold back this blasphemous demon!"
A thunderous battle cry rang out, followed by the synchronized marching of disciplined warriors.
Clad in crimson-gold armor, wielding massive shields, the paladins stepped forth to confront the Balor.
Leo looked down at the steadfast paladins, his hoarse voice rasping from his throat.
"Heh heh... Dragon-Oath Paladins, the loyal hounds of that red dragon."
Leo still remembered—years ago, when he was still a mortal, it was these very subordinates of the accursed dragon that annihilated the Lionheart Knights, the foundation of his pride and power.
The Balor's eyes burned with profound hatred, fury erupting from his murky pupils.
"But who gave you the audacity—to stand before me!"
He flapped his massive wings, raising his storm greatsword high, descending with a terrifying, bone-chilling pressure.
Anthony gripped his lance tightly, its banner fluttering, raising his greatshield high as he shouted, "Dragonblood Chains! Hold the line!"
Instantly, blazing Dragonblood Chains linked the hundred Dragon-Oath Paladins together.
Flames imbued with the Red Dragon's power surged through the chains, a fiery aura enveloping them.
In that moment, they stood like a fortress of crimson.
Every Dragon-Oath Paladin raised their greatshields, standing their ground, ready to face the Balor's devastating impact.
"Boom!"
Thunder roared across the battlefield, wrist-thick lightning bolts crashing from the sky, striking the raised greatshields.
Arcs of electricity crackled between them, yet the Dragon-Oath Paladins gritted their teeth and held their ground.
In the next instant, the Balor swung his nearly ten-meter-long storm greatsword downward, unleashing a slash infused with boundless lightning.
"For the Dragon Lord!"
Anthony braced himself at the forefront, his Dragonblood Chains radiating with intense flames.
"Boom!"
The moment the storm slash made contact, Anthony and the elite paladins beside him were sent flying backward.
A ferocious lightning storm erupted around them, blinding arcs dancing across the armor of the Dragon-Oath Paladins, leaving deep scorch marks.
Yet, by sharing the burden of the impact, all one hundred and fifty warriors had miraculously withstood the devastating strike.
"Impossible?"
Even the Balor was momentarily stunned—how could mere mortals withstand his blade?
But Leo quickly sneered, raising his right hand. The fire whip cracked against the ground, its sharp snap echoing through the battlefield.
"Crack!"
"Lucky, but pitiful fools. You survived one strike—can you survive a second?"
Anthony drew the longsword that symbolized the authority of the Dragon-Oath Hall, his voice hoarse with fury as crimson dragon scales emerged on his face.
"With iron will, we uphold order—"
"The Dragon Lord above all—"
"For the Ember King!"
Every Dragon-Oath Paladin raised their weapons high, shouting the vows they once swore.
Beneath their heavy helmets, their eyes gleamed with unwavering faith, bordering on fanaticism.
"Roar—"
A deep, ancient roar echoed across the wasteland, reverberating through the battlefield.
Above the formation, swirling flames gathered, coalescing into the shape of a dragon. Its ethereal wings spread wide, its golden eyes gazing down upon the Balor.
This was the Dragon Lord Descended!
Leo lifted his head, his grotesque face momentarily contorted with fear.
"Cassius..."
No, that wasn't right! It was only an illusion! Did they think a mere projection of that wretched lizard could intimidate him?
"Damnable mortals!"
The Balor shook his head violently, snapping out of it before bellowing in furious rage.
Anthony lifted his flaming greatsword high, channeling the will of the Dragon-Oath Paladins, his voice steady.
"Attack! The Dragon Lord has granted us invincible power!"
The blazing dragon projection let out a deafening roar, flapping its massive wings, surging toward the demon.
"You think—this will stop me?"
"I'll destroy this pathetic mirage first, then I'll slay its true body!"
The Balor roared, charging forward with his storm greatsword and fire whip, unleashing a storm of searing flames and crackling lightning.
But the Red Dragon's projection let out a thunderous bellow, its maw acting like a vortex, absorbing all the fire and lightning into itself, its form growing larger and more solid.
It exhaled black smoke, purging the Abyssal impurities from within.
[Dragon Lord Descended]—the Red Dragon Avatar inherited part of the Ember Emperor's power, functioning as his embodiment.
As the master of the elements, both lightning and fire only strengthened it further.
"Damn it..."
The Balor's face twisted in fury as he shot into the air, swinging his storm greatsword toward the Red Dragon Avatar's throat.
But the Avatar swiftly beat its wings, retreating several meters in an instant, easily evading the strike.
"Roar!"
Then, it dived down, raking its burning claws into the Balor's shoulders, locking into a fierce aerial grapple.
The Balor struggled violently, flapping his wings and swinging his weapons, eventually breaking free from the melee.
"Damnable mortals!"
"I'll slaughter you all!"
This time, Leo changed tactics—he bypassed the Red Dragon Avatar and targeted its summoners directly.
With a roar of thunder, the Balor dove from the skies, storm greatsword raised high, surging toward the Dragon-Oath Paladin formation, its blade gleaming with lethal lightning.
If he could slay these troublesome mortals and destroy the Red Dragon's army, all his obstacles would vanish.
But his ambitions were shattered once more.
"Roar—"
A blast of frost shot toward him, instantly freezing half of his wing solid.
A towering silver dragon soared from the horizon, its massive wings slicing through the sky, its maw exhaling an intensely frigid breath.
The Balor ignited his flames, melting the frost, stabilizing himself midair.
But in the next moment, spatial ripples flared—behind him, a massive ogre mage materialized, gripping a mithril staff, aiming it directly at him.
Langpu wasted no time, casting the spell he had long prepared.
"Greater Demon Binding!"
A crimson ray shot from his staff, striking the Balor, intricate runes forming an imprisoning cage.
Glowing chains erupted from the ground, snaking around the Balor's massive frame, locking him in place.
The Balor was immobilized.
—The Empire's spellcasters had been waiting for this moment.
Langpu urgently shouted, "Now! This demon is too powerful—I can't hold him for long!"
Flames crackled, fire portals ripping open in the sky. Several Dragonbound Sorcerers emerged, their golden eyes gleaming.
Misha locked eyes on the restrained Balor, her golden irises burning with searing hatred.
The Dragonbound Sorcerers chanted in unison, channeling their energies into her.
"Leo Bosk..."
"You serve the Vengeance Demons—then prepare—"
Fiery dragon wings unfurled from Misha's back, her crimson hair dancing wildly.
"To face my vengeance!"
She raised her palm, gathering blinding radiance as brilliant as the sun.
"Boom—"