The situation along the border had deteriorated so badly that the nearby cities had received immediate evacuation orders. No one within the government wanted to discover firsthand what would happen if millions of corrupted creatures reached densely populated areas and began slaughtering civilians. Although many residents volunteered to remain behind and fight, having already gained experience battling goblins during the trail, countless others were neither soldiers nor adventurers. More importantly, children, the elderly, and hospital patients had to be evacuated toward safer regions before the front line collapsed.
The evacuation itself quickly became one of the largest civilian operations in recent European history. Endless convoys of buses, ambulances, and military hand-pulled carriages streamed away from the danger zone while police and local defense forces directed traffic around the clock. Families packed whatever belongings they could carry before leaving homes they weren't certain they would ever see again. Even those determined to stay behind understood why the evacuation had become necessary.
Many civilians hated abandoning their homes. Some argued that they had already survived the goblin attacks and believed they could survive another invasion if given the chance. Others simply refused to leave generations of family history behind because of monsters they barely understood. Unfortunately, the government had no intention of gambling with civilian lives when the scale of the current crisis far exceeded what Europe had expected to handle.
At the same time, military analysts continued gathering information about the Secret Realms. One particular report spread across governments and news organizations with frightening speed after an intelligence analyst published new estimates regarding the number of corrupted creatures hidden within each realm. According to the available data, a typical Secret Realm contained between 400,000 and 700,000 corrupted creatures waiting to emerge. The figures alone were enough to leave many experts speechless.
Even worse was the discovery that smaller Secret Realms were often the most dangerous. Although they contained fewer creatures overall, intelligence suggested they possessed a much higher concentration of Stage One corrupted creatures. In other words, a realm with only four hundred thousand monsters could easily prove deadlier than one containing seven hundred thousand weaker enemies. That realization forced military planners to completely reconsider how they evaluated the threat posed by each Secret Realm.
Using those estimates, analysts calculated the terrifying scale of the battle unfolding along the border. The defensive line was believed to be facing approximately three and a half million corrupted creatures, including nearly fourteen thousand confirmed Stage One monsters. Opposing them were only six hundred thousand soldiers positioned along the defensive line itself. The remaining reinforcements had been diverted elsewhere, leaving the defenders dangerously outnumbered.
That decision, however, wasn't made lightly. Thousands of soldiers had been dispatched behind the main defensive line to assault the untouched Secret Realms before they could empty themselves naturally. If the front ever collapsed, those untouched realms would begin releasing their own armies of corrupted creatures almost immediately, turning a terrible situation into an impossible one. Every creature destroyed inside a Secret Realm today was one less enemy another army would have to face tomorrow.
Military planners understood they were essentially fighting two separate battles at once. One battle was taking place directly on the defensive line against the endless tide of corrupted creatures already roaming free. The second battle occurred behind the front, where specialized forces desperately raced to clear Secret Realms before they could produce additional hordes. Neither objective could be ignored without risking complete disaster.
As if those challenges weren't already enough, another threat continuously undermined the defenders' efforts. Large flocks of corrupted birds completely ignored the carefully constructed defensive line, soaring high above the soldiers before descending toward the untouched Secret Realms behind them. Conventional fortifications offered almost no protection against enemies attacking from the sky. Every successful flight forced commanders to divert valuable manpower away from the front.
Those flying creatures created another disturbing problem. Every corrupted bird that emerged from a Secret Realm was confirmed to be a Stage One creature. That fact alone suggested the airborne variants were considerably stronger than the average corrupted monster encountered on the ground. More troubling still was the implication that if Stage One creatures represented the beginning of the aerial hierarchy, then even stronger flying monsters might eventually appear.
No commander wanted to discover what came after the Stage One birds. The possibility alone was enough to justify every effort spent preventing additional Secret Realms from opening unchecked. As a result, soldiers found themselves performing an exhausting balancing act. They defended the main line against the advancing horde while simultaneously attacking the Secret Realms and protecting themselves from relentless aerial assaults.
Commander Afanasij Valentynovych Yarov knew that reality better than anyone. For nearly a week, his headquarters had been subjected to repeated attacks by those persistent flying creatures. They rarely attempted large-scale assaults against massed infantry formations or heavily defended positions. Instead, they preferred striking isolated soldiers, officers, supply convoys, and command personnel whenever an opportunity presented itself.
Afanasij had barely enjoyed a moment of uninterrupted rest since the battle began. Every report that reached his command tent seemed to contain another emergency requiring his immediate attention. Between directing the defensive line and constantly relocating to avoid becoming a target, even sleeping had become a luxury. The strain was beginning to show on everyone under his command.
"They've started moving again," Afanasij muttered after receiving another update from the scouts. Despite the seriousness of the situation, a relieved sigh escaped his lips. "Those madmen actually made it." The arrival of Legion Twenty-Three couldn't have come at a better time.
He desperately needed those reinforcements because his position was rapidly becoming indefensible. The only reason the defensive line had survived for as long as it had was the favorable terrain chosen for its construction. A massive ridgeline stretched across much of the battlefield, forcing the corrupted creatures to attack uphill while exposing themselves to concentrated defensive fire. Without that natural advantage, the line would likely have collapsed days earlier.
Unfortunately, not every section of the battlefield benefited from such ideal terrain. Near the river, the ridgeline gradually flattened until attackers could approach with far less difficulty. Another vulnerable section existed near what appeared to be an ancient man-made pass cutting directly through the hills. Recognizing its strategic importance, Afanasij had deliberately established his command headquarters behind that location so he could rapidly reinforce whichever section came under the greatest pressure.
Even with those precautions, the pressure continued increasing every hour. Reports of localized breakthroughs arrived more frequently as exhausted soldiers struggled to maintain their positions against overwhelming numbers. Every reserve unit had already been committed somewhere along the line, leaving virtually no margin for error. If one major position finally gave way, the rest of the defense could quickly unravel.
Afanasij studied the latest movement reports before allowing himself a small smile. "Three more hours," he quietly said to himself. It wasn't much longer now. If Legion Twenty-Three maintained its current pace, they would soon arrive where they were needed most.
"Selvijs, you have the route that avoids disturbing the Secret Realms in this region, right?" Eloi asked while studying the tactical map one final time. The last thing he wanted was to accidentally pass close enough to another Secret Realm to trigger it prematurely. Creating yet another battlefield while racing toward the front would be nothing short of catastrophic. Their mission was to reinforce the defenders, not create additional problems for them.
"I do," Selvijs replied confidently as he pointed toward a carefully marked path on the map. "The reconnaissance reports identified every known Secret Realm along our route. If we follow this course exactly, we should reach the defensive line without provoking any of them." Without wasting another second, he began leading the advance.
While the legion resumed its march, Eloi summoned all ten division captains for one final briefing. The officers quickly gathered around the portable tactical table, their expressions serious as they studied the map spread before them. Every commander already understood the general strategy discussed during the five-hour rest period. Now it was simply a matter of assigning responsibilities before they entered the battlefield.
"Just as we discussed earlier," Eloi began, pointing toward the map, "the defensive line stretches for roughly one hundred and fifty kilometers. We have ten divisions, which means each division will initially assume responsibility for approximately fifteen kilometers of the front. Your first priority is to stabilize the exhausted defenders already holding those positions."
He shifted his finger toward the center of the map. "Division Three will deploy here, at the center of the defensive line. Selvijs and I will accompany that division because Commander Afanasij's headquarters are located in this sector. We'll coordinate directly with him and oversee the overall defensive effort once we arrive."
His attention then moved toward the two most vulnerable sections of the battlefield. "Division One will reinforce the western outposts near the river. Division Seven will secure the eastern end of the line where the terrain becomes much easier for the corrupted creatures to cross. Those two sectors are our greatest weaknesses, so I expect your commanders to remain flexible."
Eloi looked directly at the captain of Division Seven and one before continuing. "Your divisions still possess the largest concentration of mages in the entire legion. I want those mages focusing on suppressing enemy advances wherever the terrain favors the corrupted creatures. If those sectors collapse, the entire defensive line risks unraveling."
"The remaining divisions will deploy according to troop strength," Eloi continued. "Support whichever neighboring sectors require assistance, but don't abandon your assigned positions unless ordered to do so. Communication will be critical once the battle begins. I expect every division commander to keep headquarters informed of any major changes."
After finishing the deployment plan, Eloi addressed one final concern. "There's something else I want every commander to remember," he said, his expression becoming noticeably more serious. "Prepare every sharpshooter in your divisions for the flying pests. They've spent years training, and many of them have learned several useful techniques from the Sonnenbergs. It's finally time to see whether that training pays off."
He allowed his gaze to sweep across the gathered officers. "Combined with their recent training, our marksmen should finally be capable of doing honest work against those birds. I don't expect them to eliminate every flying creature, but they must keep them from interfering with our operations. If those pests are free to harass our officers and supply lines, they'll cause far more damage than their numbers suggest."
Eloi folded his arms behind his back. "Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!" the captains answered almost simultaneously.
Without another word, the officers saluted before immediately returning to their respective divisions. Every commander began relaying the updated deployment orders to subordinate officers, ensuring that thousands of soldiers would know exactly where they belonged before reaching the battlefield. The legion continued advancing without losing a single minute.
Watching the officers disappear, Eloi finally allowed himself a small smile. "I'm glad we left that ridiculous suit of armor behind," he said to Selvijs. "There's no way I could have survived carrying that thing all the way here. Even with cultivation, it would have been too much."
Selvijs looked at him with obvious amusement before shaking his head. "You're wrong," he replied. "I ordered the logistics officers to pack it up before we departed. They've been transporting it with the rest of our equipment this entire time." His grin widened as he watched Eloi slowly process those words.
"The soldiers are about to enter one of the hardest battles they've ever faced," Selvijs continued. "Right now, they need confidence almost as much as they need reinforcements. My plan is simple. We'll greet Commander Afanasij, put you into that armor, and then send you charging straight into the middle of the battlefield."
Eloi could only stare at him in complete disbelief. His mouth hung slightly open as he imagined the logistics officers hauling that enormous suit across nearly thirteen hundred kilometers without ever mentioning it. The armor was very heavy and awkward to transport. He genuinely hadn't expected anyone to bring it along.
Then, almost despite himself, a grin slowly spread across his face. The idea sounded absolutely ridiculous, yet it also sounded incredibly satisfying. Wearing that massive suit of armor while charging into the heart of the battle would undoubtedly inspire the defenders who had been fighting for days without relief. More importantly, it would remind both friend and foe that Legion Twenty-Three had finally arrived.
After all, once he was fully encased within that armor, very few of the ordinary corrupted creatures would be capable of harming him. Only the Stage One monsters posed a genuine threat capable of piercing or damaging his defenses. Against everything else, he would become exactly the symbol the exhausted defenders desperately needed—a seemingly unstoppable warrior leading the counterattack from the very front.