Rhine Plateau, Twilight Plain, South Side.
Lothorn's Frontline Position.
Soil and rock undulated like water amidst a low hum, as engineers and accompanying mages moved through the gradually forming bulwarks.
They didn't need to wield tools or chant lengthy incantations; most basic labor was replaced by the towering metal construct in the center of the position.
It resembled a giant spider crouching on the ground, its torso over three hundred meters in diameter.
Eight long metal limbs inscribed with runes plunged deep into the earth. With rhythmic tremors, the ground leveled, compacted, and rose on its own, forming breastworks dozens of meters high, sharply angled turret platforms, and even directly etching shimmering protective runes onto the surface of the wall fortifications.
In just a few days, the prototype of a fortress with a basic defensive system had risen from the ground.
This was not a project that ordinary Casters or Alchemist teams could complete in such a short time.
Its origin was precisely that war machine known as the Earth Manipulator; in the Lothorn army, it had a more evocative name.
—Earth-Shaping Spider.
It was one of the technological Legacy of the Aura Kingdom's millennium, capable of transforming any land into a copper-walled, iron-fortified position in an extremely short time, making attackers pay a price in blood yet unable to shake it even slightly.
South of the position, the command center of the Lothorn Northern Expeditionary Army was located in a temporary fortress backed by a low hill.
In the center of the command hall, a huge magical sand table floated in mid-air.
On the miniature terrain formed by light and shadow, there were two main colors.
Blue light points, scattered like stars, steadily spread northward, constructing layer upon layer of defense lines; while on the northern side of the plain, the red light points representing the Aura Legion had converged into a surging crimson sea, silent but full of oppressive power.
Beside the sand table, a middle-aged general in silver-gray heavy plate armor stood with his hands behind his back.
His face was resolute, his cheekbones distinct, and his gray-blue eyes were like tempered blades. When his gaze swept over the sand table, it seemed to cut through the illusory light and shadow, directly perceiving the essence of the battlefield.
General Valesia Aseph, Commander-in-Chief of the Lothorn Northern Expeditionary Army.
Unlike Rodrigo Crown, the Shield of Xio, Valesia specialized in the overall planning of large-scale operations and overwhelming advances. His style was tough and decisive, enjoying extremely high prestige in the army, and was known as the "Iron-Fisted General."
Moreover, he was not only an excellent commander.
The Iron-Fisted General himself was also a warrior who had entered the Legendary Domain many years ago, an Advanced Legendary, whose sword had been stained with the blood of countless powerful enemies.
"Father... General."
A young staff officer hurried forward, reporting in a low voice.
His eyebrows and eyes bore a six or seven-tenths resemblance to Valesia, but his features were still somewhat youthful.
At this moment, he stood ramrod straight, his tone carrying unconcealed excitement.
"According to the current progress, in two more days at most, the frontline position will be fully formed. Fortresses, strongholds, Golem platforms, rune artillery... all fortifications will be complete. By then, our army can advance or defend."
He paused, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Those barbarian monster legions haven't even dug a few decent trenches. Facing our cluster of fortresses, they will only be like waves crashing against a cliff; there will be no other outcome than being shattered to pieces."
Valesia did not respond immediately.
He slowly turned his head, his cold gaze fixed on the staff officer's face, devoid of approval.
"Barbarian? Stupid?"
Valesia slowly spoke, "Is this your evaluation of the Aura Kingdom?"
The young staff officer trembled slightly under the pressure of that gaze but still insisted, "Reporting, General! Yes! Before Lothorn's steel and Spell, they are nothing more than a group of beasts acting on instinct. Our army will surely win this battle!"
"Surely win?"
Valesia repeated these two words, then suddenly took a step forward, his armor clanking.
"Then I ask you: if Aura is truly so incompetent, how did they develop to this extent in over a hundred years? How did they manage to make Xio submit? And why are they now able to confront us, Lothorn, on this plain?"
The staff officer opened his mouth, his face beginning to turn pale.
"Every victory for Aura has been built upon the bones of their enemies; not a single one was purely by luck," Valesia's voice grew increasingly stern.
"Lower-ranking soldiers can believe propaganda, can underestimate the enemy to bolster their courage."
"But you are a staff officer; your judgment will influence military orders! If even you believe the enemy is foolish and weak, then who is truly foolish?"
He stared at his son, the young officer he was diligently training.
"Our Lothorn has stood for a thousand years, never by arrogantly despising our opponents."
"On the contrary, we study every enemy, respect all their advantages, and then find a way to break them, to crush them. My father, your grandfather, once told me something in military school that I still remember."
"Now, I give it to you."
"The most fatal mistake on the battlefield is not numerical inferiority, not equipment disparity, but underestimating your enemy."
Fine beads of sweat appeared on the young staff officer's forehead, his lips pressed white. Finally, he bowed his head deeply: "General... I was wrong. Your subordinate... will never make this mistake again."
"Remember this mistake."
Valesia withdrew his gaze, reprimanding him expressionlessly, "If you stand in a command position in the future, the price of every mistake you make will be the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers."
He no longer looked at his son, turning back to face the sand table, his finger pointing at the crimson expanse.
"Aura doesn't build fortifications, not because they don't understand, but because they clearly know where our advantages lie."
Valesia's eyes were sharp as he said, "I am ninety percent certain that the Aura Legion will not wait for our positions to fully form. Even facing our ancient kingdom, they will still choose to attack proactively, regardless of the cost, to disrupt our rhythm."
He had thoroughly studied almost all important battles on Aura's path to rise.
Especially the command style of the Iron Prince.
That was a cold and astute Dragon, full of wisdom.
He must understand that once Lothorn's war machine and defense system were fully deployed, forming an endless chain of fortresses and a network of firepower, Aura would have little chance.
Therefore, preemptive strike, disrupting Lothorn's rhythm with an attack, became the inevitable choice.
Just then, as if to confirm his judgment.
"Report!"
A messenger stumbled into the hall, his voice urgent.
"General! The Aura Legion has moved! The vanguard consists of a large number of lightly armed monsters, Ogre and Troll heavy units have appeared in the center, large-scale cavalry has deployed on both flanks, and aerial units have simultaneously taken to the sky!"
"Their target is clear: they are heading straight for our frontline position! Their speed is extremely fast!"
The air in the command hall grew heavy, and all officers' gazes instantly focused on Valesia.
The Iron-Fisted General showed no surprise on his face, merely nodded, then issued orders.
"Pass on the order."
"All frontline troops, immediately cease unfinished construction work. Rely on existing cover and immediately transition to a defensive state!"
"Order the heavy artillery positions to concentrate fire on the enemy's charge path, prioritizing Ogre, Troll, and other heavy units!"
"All combat Golems move forward to fill gaps in the defense line! The Mage Corps prepare area-of-effect Spells, awaiting the command to release!"
"Notify all Legendary units to take their predetermined positions and prepare to engage the enemy! Pay special attention to areas where Aura Dragons might appear!"
A series of commands were issued like a sudden storm, without the slightest hesitation.
Finally, he took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming.
"Want to disrupt my rhythm? Then come and try, and let's see who can truly stand until the end."
Central Twilight Plain, open area.
On the horizon, a grayish-brown tide first surged forth.
These were countless Gnoll, Lizardfolk, Kobolds... they let out piercing howls, waving weapons or sharp claws as they launched the first wave of assault against Lothorn's newly formed frontline position.
These low-Rank monsters were the most expendable assets in the Aura Legion.
Their mission was simple: to draw fire with their lives, identify weaknesses in the defense line, and create opportunities for the true main force behind them.
Lothorn's position remained silent, like a sleeping behemoth.
Until the charging wave gradually approached, reaching a certain range.
Bang! Boom! Bang! Boom!
Dull, thunderous roars suddenly erupted.
Behind the position, the muzzles of heavy magical cannons spewed out blazing light.
Alchemical shells, trailing exhaust flames, arced through the sky and slammed into the charging monster horde, instantly throwing earth and flesh skyward. Immediately after, rapid-fire ballistas and rune towers positioned behind the breastworks began to shriek, a storm of metal and arcane rays intertwining into a net of death, harvesting lives in swathes.
The chants of the accompanying Mage Corps also converged.
Area-of-effect Spells such as Flame Storm, Chain Lightning, and Rain of Ice Blades were successively constructed, blooming with dazzling and deadly light along the charge path.
Aura's vanguard suffered astonishing casualties, bodies piling up in layers.
However, the living monsters seemed oblivious, charging over the mangled remains of their comrades, their roars even more frenzied.
This scene made many new recruits, fighting Aura for the first time, turn pale, cold sweat seeping down their backs.
But this was merely the prelude.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Low, desolate horn blasts came from deep within the Aura military formation, briefly overpowering the battlefield's din.
The earth began to truly tremble.
Footsteps many times heavier than before shook the plain's soil.
Ogre appeared, these giants averaging over four meters tall, clad in heavy armor, like moving mini-fortresses.
Wielding massive spiked maces, battle axes, or bludgeons comparable to battering rams, they let out deafening war cries and accelerated their pace, their steps cracking the ground. Close behind were nearly equally tall Trolls, whose regenerative abilities were astonishing; they charged through attacks, and even if limbs were severed, as long as they weren't continuously damaged by fire or strong acid, their wounds would quickly heal.
On both flanks, the sound of Iron Hooves approached like rolling thunder.
Centaur cavalry clusters began to charge, their upper bodies armored, their lower bodies' muscular four hooves kicking up clouds of dust; mixed among them were various lion-beasts and giant wolves, forming a torrent.
The sky darkened accordingly.
The sharp shrieks of Griffins pierced the sky, and a dark cloud formed by various flying magical beasts swept towards the sky above Lothorn's position.
The vast army pressed forward, but Lothorn's defense line responded in an orderly fashion.
Long-range firepower began to pour into the sky, dense anti-air arrows and anti-air Spells illuminating the firmament.
The engines of War Golems lit up one by one, ready to meet the impact of heavy units, and deep within the position, the hum of the Earth-Shaping Spider suddenly rose a frequency.
Rumble!
The battlefield topography suddenly changed dramatically!
In front and on the flanks of the Aura Legion's charge path, the earth suddenly tore open into chasms dozens of meters wide and bottomless!
The leading Gnoll, unable to stop in time, screamed as they plummeted.
Those who reacted quickly tried to cling to the rock walls or leap across, but as soon as the fissures appeared, they rapidly closed, crushing and devouring those who couldn't escape in time.
It wasn't just fissures.
Clusters of sharp stone spikes erupted from the ground, piercing the feet of charging Ogre; flat ground suddenly rose, forming steep hillsides covered with jagged rock blades, like natural chevaux de frise, cutting and delaying the Troll formation; the previously hard ground instantly turned to sand, trapping the Centaur cavalry's Iron Hooves and greatly reducing their speed... the earth seemed to be imbued with life, fiercely attacking all Aura warriors who stepped upon it.
Golems waiting in ambush rushed out from behind cover, taking advantage of the terrain changes to launch a counter-charge against the chaotic Aura Legion.
For a time, Aura's vanguard and central army suffered heavy losses, and their charging momentum stalled.
However, this suppression did not last too long.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
Beams of light descended, shining on key nodes of Lothorn's frontline position.
Artillery positions, command posts, and other areas received focused attention.
As the light beams dissipated, figures clad in translucent spiritual armor and wielding illusory weapons solidified into existence.
They ignored physical obstacles, flickering erratically, and immediately launched fierce attacks on the surrounding Lothorn soldiers and machinery upon appearing.
Aura Sanctuary, Heroic Spirits Descend!
At the same time, throughout the battlefield, faint, almost invisible streams of light quietly rose from the corpses of the recently fallen Aura soldiers, converging upwards.
Those were the Souls of the fallen, being recovered by the Sanctuary, awaiting Rebirth as new Heroic Spirits.
"It's Aura's Sanctuary Legion! Mage Corps, concentrate your focus and interfere with them! Don't let them gain a foothold!"
The frontline commander shrieked, his face grim.
Lothorn's magical satellite also possessed teleportation capabilities, but each teleportation of a flesh-and-blood body required enormous energy and stringent protection, consuming a huge amount. It was usually only used for critical tactical strikes and could never be deployed almost infinitely on the front lines like Aura.
The Sanctuary was not an ordinary magical satellite, but Aura's strategic heavy asset.
Its existence meant that the Aura Kingdom could recover troops almost infinitely.
The morale of both sides would be severely affected.
Imagine, when you desperately kill an enemy, only to see it charge at you again in another form shortly after—how severe is the morale devastation from that?
Conversely, when Aura soldiers saw their comrades reborn after death and reappear, their battle frenzy was unimaginable.
As the Sanctuary Heroic Spirits created chaos within the defense line, the Aura Legion's offensive, which had been disrupted by the Earth Manipulator, gradually stabilized and even became more ferocious, pushing forward across the land despite heavy casualties.
It was as if for these soldiers, death was merely a transition, a return to the Sanctuary for a brief rest before rejoining the fight.
"For the Great Red Emperor!!!"
A furious roar exploded from high in the sky.
Everyone looked up to see a meteor burning with dark red flames streaking across the sky, plummeting towards the center of the battlefield.
Boom!
With a deafening crash, it slammed into a recently risen hill of rock spikes!
Shattered rocks rained down, and dust shot into the sky.
In the deep crater, a figure as majestic as a mountain slowly stood upright.
His body was like an iron tower, with a pair of curved giant horns on his forehead, covered in red Dragon scales, dark red flames flowing and burning over his body, and a pair of broad Dragon wings suddenly spread behind him, raising a scorching heatwave.
fang of aura, Great Gluttony Demon, one of the sharpest fangs under the Red Emperor.
The moment he landed, his burning giant eyes locked onto the Earth Manipulator, still humming and continuously altering the terrain in the distance.
Without any superfluous movements, the Gluttony Demon stomped the ground and charged forward explosively.
Wherever he passed, the ground cracked and flames surged.
The Earth Manipulator also sensed this uninvited guest.
Along the Gluttony Demon's charge path, the ground surged like a living thing, countless layers of earth and rock closing in, instantly forming a thick hill dozens of meters high, intending to Seal him within.
But as soon as the hill formed, a dull, thunderous impact came from within, and spiderweb-like cracks quickly appeared on its surface.
Collapse!
The mountain exploded, and amidst the flying rocks and rain, the Gluttony Demon's figure charged out again. Several of his dragon scales were shattered, but the flames on him burned even fiercer.
He was getting closer and closer to the Earth Manipulator.
"Stop him!"
Several Lothorn Legendary responded, sweeping out from different directions, their Domains expanding as they jointly intercepted him.
The number of Legendary gathered by Lothorn here already held an advantage, and now they formed an encirclement.
At the same time, in the Lothorn position, a faint golden glow rose from every soldier, converging in countless strands towards their own Legendary.
The Oath of Ten Thousand Armies Command took effect, solidifying the morale of the entire army and empowering the strong!
With the military formation's boost, the Lothorn Legendary's Aura surged. Their attack power and Domain intensity visibly increased, immediately putting immense pressure on the Gluttony Demon, who roared repeatedly as new wounds constantly appeared on his body.
However, the Aura Legion also possessed the might of a military formation.
Amidst the battle roars of countless Aura warriors, a fierce Aura shot into the sky, condensing and swirling in mid-air, finally transforming into a phantom War Soul tens of meters tall.
This was a military formation from Rippos, transforming morale into an independently existing War Soul.
Its effect differed from the Lothorn military formation, but both primarily relied on morale.
The War Soul had no fixed form.
At times it appeared as a muscular Ogre, at times it transformed into a Centaur with four hooves treading air, and at times it became a Giant Wolf with a wolf's head and a human body... but all forms carried distinct Dragon characteristics.
The Aura War Soul roared towards the sky, then fiercely pounced on the Lothorn Legendary besieging the Gluttony Demon.
Giant claws swung, sharp teeth bit, and though it had no physical form, each attack shook the Domain.
Almost simultaneously with the War Soul's formation, a golden light suddenly brightened high in the sky.
A valiant Centaur warrior stood proudly, her four hooves suspended in the air.
She had healthy, wheat-colored skin, with golden patterns flowing over her agile body. In her hands, a giant longbow, almost as tall as herself, was drawn to a full moon, and on the bowstring, an arrow purely condensed from energy was spitting dazzling golden light.
blade of aura, Elvie.
Her gaze pierced through the chaotic battlefield, firmly locking onto the metallic giant spider.
The surrounding airflow stilled, all clamor seemed to fade, leaving only the target continuously enlarging in her pupils.
"Pierce it."
A whispered sound escaped her lips.
The arrow left the string, silently.
The next instant, the air in the arrow's path was torn apart, leaving a straight vacuum vortex, shooting directly towards the Earth Manipulator at supersonic speed.
The timing of this arrow was extremely cunning.
The Lothorn Legendary besieging the Gluttony Demon had no time to spare, and although the Legendary remaining to defend were alerted, they couldn't intercept this incredibly fast arrow in time.
However, the generals in the command center were not alarmed.
They had confidence in the Earth Manipulator's defense.
Indeed, just as the arrow was about to hit, the Earth Manipulator's surface lit up with a solid, amber-like yellow light shield. Countless runes flowed on the shield, making it heavy and stable.
Boom!!!
Golden and earthy-yellow light clashed, erupting in a visible circular shockwave that made the surrounding ground sink uniformly. Stray lightning-like energy darted about, and the air was hot and distorted.
The light dissipated, and the Earth Manipulator was unscathed.
The earthy-yellow light shield rippled slightly, then returned to its original state.
Elvie frowned slightly.
This arrow of hers condensed a considerable amount of her power, and possessed multiple effects such as physical penetration, energy defense-breaking, and rune disintegration. Yet, it couldn't even break through the outermost shield?
This defensive strength far exceeded her estimation.
But before she could ponder a countermeasure, a calm, deep voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
"Gaze upon it."
Elvie was slightly startled, then obeyed without hesitation.
Her eyes changed in an instant.
Her pupils contracted and elongated, turning into indifferent vertical slits. The world in her vision seemed stripped of color and noise, leaving only the metallic construct and the constantly flowing earthy-yellow light shield on its surface.
And on that light shield, several red dots, constantly flashing and moving, abruptly appeared.
Weaknesses? Intermittent weak points in the energy nodes?
Elvie instantly understood.
It was Your Majesty!
The great Red Emperor was observing the battlefield through her eyes and providing crucial hints.
There was no time to hesitate.
Elvie took a deep breath, energy surging through her body again. Her four hooves traced a swift arc in the air, her figure spun sharply, and the giant bow was drawn once more.
This time, the golden light on the bowstring was compressed to its extreme, and the golden tip of the arrow was condensed like a solid, as if it could pierce through anything.
At the other end of the battlefield, the Gluttony Demon roared upwards, blood-red flames soaring around him.
He punched a Lothorn Legendary's Domain, shattering it with cracks, sending the person flying back like a meteor, collapsing half a breastwork.
The Gluttony Demon's immense power attracted the attention of the Lothorn Legendary.
Now is the moment!
"For Your Majesty!"
Elvie whispered in her heart, and the bowstring vibrated.
The golden light was faster, thinner, and sharper than before, almost vanishing the instant it left the string. Only an empty trajectory remained in the air, revealing its path.
Pfft.
The earthy-yellow light shield on the Earth Manipulator's surface trembled violently, and a thumb-sized hole appeared at the location of a flashing red dot.
The energy of the light shield around the hole became violently chaotic, spewing out dense energy turbulence in all directions.
Chichichichi!
Elvie moved like lightning, rapidly changing direction in the air, drawing her bow, and firing arrows, all in one fluid motion.
Nine golden streaks of light, almost end to end, pierced into the newly broken hole with extreme precision, or shot towards the other flashing red dots around it.
The humming sound of the Earth Manipulator suddenly became shrill, its light shield flickered violently, and spiderweb cracks appeared in multiple places.
Its main body armor also showed penetration marks, and simultaneously, one of its mechanical long limbs became stiff, a closing fissure in the ground froze halfway, slowly stopping.
"It worked!"
Elvie's spirits soared, her gaze locked onto the Earth Manipulator.
"Retreat!"
The incredibly valuable war machine no longer attempted to maintain battlefield control. Its eight long limbs retracted sharply, and the earth beneath its torso surged as the massive metallic body began to sink, intending to escape into the deep earth veins.
At the same time, without the Earth Manipulator's continuous intervention, the drastic changes in the battlefield's terrain ceased abruptly.
The surging rifts stopped expanding, the rising rock spikes no longer grew, and the desertified ground gradually regained its firmness.
"Charge!!! For Aura! For Your Majesty!!!"
A landslide-like roar erupted from the Aura Legion.
The gigantic beast War Soul roared towards the sky, its form expanding again, becoming even more solid.
The main force, which had been severely delayed by the terrain, crashed like a torrent into Lothorn's frontline position, now deprived of earth's protection!
Ogres' giant hammers shattered rune walls, Trolls braved arrow rain to climb over obstacles, Centaur cavalry cut into gaps in the defense like hot knives, and flying units in the sky seized the opportunity to dive, coordinating with the Heroic Spirit... Lothorn soldiers were well-trained, Golems were powerful, and the Legendary powerhouses still held an advantage.
But the Aura Legion, completely disregarding casualties, launched wave after wave of frenzied attacks, putting every fortress and gun emplacement under terrifying pressure.
Bodies piled up into new steps, and blood soaked the soil.
Aura warriors climbed these blood and flesh stairs, engulfing Lothorn's defenses layer by layer.
The battle entered its most brutal phase.
The Phoenix and Amethyst Dragon Lion appeared one after another. The former unleashed the fire of Nirvana that incinerated all things, while the latter roared and rampaged across the positions, smashing Golems.
But more Lothorn Legendary also entered the fray.
For every Aura Legendary that appeared, at least three Lothorn Legendary would emerge, all well-equipped, maintaining an advantage in numbers and Rank.
The Aura Legendary, however, were all wounded and their Auras unstable, yet they displayed astonishing resilience, never truly suffering critical damage.
The casualty figures for both sides climbed at an alarming rate, especially for Aura, where the corpses of low-Rank monsters almost covered every inch of land in front of the position.
The setting sun dyed the clouds on the horizon and the vast plain a shocking blood-red.
When the last resisting Lothorn artillery emplacement was smashed by an Ogre's body, the Aura Legion finally completely leveled this frontline position.
Ruins, scorched earth, wreckage.
The half-finished fortress collapsed, immersed in dark red, viscous blood.
The bodies of Aura soldiers piled up like mountains, especially the Gnoll and Lizardfolk who charged at the forefront, suffering heavy casualties.
Lothorn's losses were relatively smaller, but a large number of expensive Golems, heavy artillery, and unfinished fortifications were reduced to nothing.
The Legendary-level combat also gradually ceased.
On Aura's side, the Gluttony Demon was covered in blood, with many shattered scales, and his breathing was heavy; Elvie's face was pale, and her bow-holding hand trembled slightly; the Phoenix had undergone Nirvana once, its size reduced; the Amethyst Dragon Lion had several deep, bone-visible wounds on its body.
The Lothorn Legendary were in relatively better condition, but their expressions were all solemn, and no one showed joy.
They had besieged for a long time, yet failed to kill or truly critically wound any Aura Legendary.
These monsters had excessively high life strength.
Whoosh!
A low horn sound came again from behind the Aura military formation.
After fighting until now, the Aura Legion was also at the end of its strength, unable to continue advancing.
Upon receiving the signal, the Aura warriors began to cover each other and retreat, leaving behind countless corpses and ruins. Lothorn's remaining troops were equally exhausted and did not rashly pursue, instead seizing the time to reorganize, rescue the wounded, and guard against a counterattack.
When twilight completely engulfed the plain, this brutal first direct engagement temporarily came to an end.
Late at night, Northern Expeditionary Army Command.
Magical lamps provided a halo, illuminating Valesia's stern facial features.
He stood before an unfolded latest battle report, his gaze heavy.
"Preliminary statistics show that our army suffered approximately 8,200 dead and severely wounded combat ineffective personnel, with professionals accounting for about 30%. Nineteen Advanced Golems were lost, thirty-eight Hurricane Heavy Cannons were destroyed, and over half of various engineering equipment was lost..."
"All fortifications at the frontline position are destroyed, and magical Materials reserves are severely depleted."
"The Earth Manipulator's surface shield is damaged, and parts of its energy circuit are overloaded, but its core structure is intact. It has retreated deep into the earth veins for repairs and is expected to restore basic functions and be redeployed within three days."
"As for Aura..."
The reporting officer paused, then continued, "Based on battlefield traces and Spell estimations, their total casualties... should be between 120,000 and 150,000, with over 90% being low-Rank monsters such as Gnoll, Lizardfolk, and Kobolds. Casualties for important units like Ogre, Troll, and Centaur are approximately 6,000."
"Among their lord units, one Rank 20 Peak Snake Leopard Lord is confirmed dead, its Soul taken by the Sanctuary."
"All their Legendary units are confirmed wounded, but none are dead or combat ineffective."
"One of our army's Legendary was heavily wounded by the Gluttony Demon, his Domain severely damaged, requiring time to recover; the rest sustained minor injuries, and their condition is stable."
From the exchange ratio, Lothorn undoubtedly achieved a significant advantage, inflicting astonishing casualties on Aura at a smaller cost.
But there was no smile on Valesia's face.
He turned and walked to the observation window, looking out at the plain shrouded in night. A cold wind blew in from the window, carrying the smell of char and blood.
"120,000... most of whom, in Aura's eyes, are just regenerative consumables."
The Iron-Fisted General's voice was low as he slowly said, "Moreover, they have the Sanctuary. Some of the Souls of these monsters who died in battle today will be recovered and reshaped into Heroic Spirit, to be thrown back into battle again."
"Every casualty of ours, however, is real."
He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the generals with their varied expressions.
"The Aura Legion retreated, but we did not win. This was a mutually destructive probing."
"Order the entire army to strengthen vigilance and repair the frontline positions."
"Aura wants to fill the gap with lives? So be it."
Valesia's eyes gleamed sharply as he said, "I want to see how many lives they can throw into this meat grinder. Let them come, again and again, until their last drop of blood is shed."
At this moment, an officer couldn't help but speak, his tone tinged with worry.
"General, if the Earth Manipulator is frequently used at the front line, won't it... attract too much attention and incur the personal interest of the Red Emperor?"
As his words fell, the atmosphere in the command room subtly tensed.
Decades ago, the Red Emperor's feat of descending from the heavens with a satellite still circulated in the Romanian Plain and was even widely spread throughout the entire Atlantis Continent.
Valesia was silent for a moment, then let out a short, cold laugh.
"Attention? I can confirm that after today's battle, whether we use it frequently or not, the Lord of Aura has already noticed the Earth Manipulator."
"But what then?"
He looked around at everyone and said, "If he wants to destroy it, if he wants to seize it, let him come. What we've set up is more than just machines on the battlefield."
He had long considered the possibility of the Red Emperor's intervention and had prepared corresponding countermeasures.
The following days, as Valesia predicted, turned into a brutal tug-of-war and attrition.
After being repaired, the Earth Manipulator reappeared, and Lothorn's defenses were rebuilt, reinforced, and even pushed forward at a faster pace.
The Aura Legion, meanwhile, launched furious offensives again and again—sometimes a frontal assault, sometimes a flanking maneuver, sometimes a night raid... each time leaving countless bodies behind.
They occasionally managed to destroy some newly built fortifications and briefly push back Lothorn.
However, they were consistently unable to fundamentally stop Lothorn's defensive line, which was advancing inch by inch into Aura's controlled territory.
Lothorn's war machine and deep reserves gradually revealed their power.
They held the advantage but were not impatient, accumulating small gains like a snowball, gradually drawing Aura into their most favored rhythm. The Aura Legion was forced to retreat again and again.
This hegemonic kingdom was advancing step by step, with an unstoppable momentum.
At the same time.
On a steep mountain Peak at the edge of the Rhine Plateau.
"My eyes, after evolving, can cooperate with Below the Dragon Throne."
The Red Iron Dragon gazed in the direction of the Rhine Plateau.
In previous battles, he discovered that while sharing the Dependents' vision through Below the Dragon Throne, he could also exert some effects of his Eye of Truth.
Insight into the target's weaknesses was just a small attempt.
As for the Earth Manipulator.
He had no doubt that Lothorn was waiting for him to lose patience and had set up traps for it. However, he also had a surprise in store for Lothorn.