Chapter 604

Chapter 604: Seven-Colored Flame Feathers

The glow of fire illuminated the dark city.

Sounds of burning and collapsing structures echoed everywhere, accompanied by choking smoke, flickering sparks, and the roar of battle.

“Fire! Fire! Fire!”

Under the hoarse voices, crystal soldiers continuously fired their magic guns. They were utterly exhausted, with sweat drenching their foreheads, backs, and inner clothes.

As an advanced version of the musket, the crystal gun was incredibly lethal. Its enchanted bullets could easily pierce through most armors and bodies. Even Sequence 5 characters faced significant danger when hit by concentrated fire from crystal guns. However, this came at a great cost in terms of manufacturing and consumption.

In the current situation where resources were scarce within the city, crystal guns lacking magical crystals often required their users to charge the magical arrays and carefully guide them to avoid unstable magic leading to malfunction or explosions.

Only初级法师, at least at the beginning stage of Magic Sequence 2, could perform such delicate operations. Naturally, these soldiers were originally apprentices from the Frost Union.

The Rourna faction, which viewed all things as tools, ultimately saw even mages as part of their tools—a logical conclusion.

With the elimination of substantial combat forces on the front lines, many ungraduated mage apprentices within the nation were mobilized, becoming new soldiers. This was undoubtedly a tremendous waste, depleting the nation’s future talent reserves for nearly ten years.

But now, with the entire nation possibly on the brink of collapse, such wastage was less concerning.

—

As the battle continued, the number of airships in the sky significantly decreased. Many severely injured Bao Kong Lie Jia dragons gradually withdrew from the battlefield, returning to the rear for treatment.

Facing this situation, the focus of the battle shifted to the ground.

On a certain street in the city, three rows of crystal gunners, protected by shield bearers, continuously repelled charging orc warriors. Crimson bullets struck some bodies while others embedded themselves into surrounding walls, creating explosive craters.

On a nearby building, a nimble figure dashed swiftly, leaping and then falling like lightning. Amidst the chaotic gunfire and shouting, they crossed the blockade in just over ten seconds, circling behind the array of crystal gunners.

Three deep red claws slashed through the air, instantly killing several soldiers. The orc’s ambush left the crystal gunners in shock and disarray.

“No! Don’t come closer, I’ll—” A soldier raised his crystal gun at the orc with snow-white leopard ears, but his body was torn apart by a red flash, falling in agony. Around him, cries of panic and fleeing sounds filled the air.

They were not rigorously trained soldiers with steadfast wills. When the formation collapsed and their commander fell, they scattered like sand, only to be killed by the orc warriors who had entered the city.

Watching the fleeing crystal gunners, the orc officer at the rear breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to withstand such losses.

Though trained for only a few months, these orc officers weren’t yet professionals. But they still remembered the words spoken by the military official during their lessons:

“As soldiers, you must unconditionally obey and execute orders. You need to be brave and decisive. But as commanders, you must remain vigilant and keep your heads clear. Ensure victory while bringing back as many soldiers as possible. That is your duty.”

As the battle moved into the complex terrain of the city, crystal gunners, requiring space and distance to form arrays, were severely restricted. A small number of elite orc warriors began using infiltration, ambushes, and thrusts to dismantle the city’s defense forces.

Crack—

After another group of defenders was ambushed by orcs from above, a thick bolt of lightning flashed, turning the two flanking orc assassins into dust.

Looking towards the direction of the lightning, both sides’ soldiers searched, finally spotting a standing figure on a tall building nearby.

He wore a brown cloak, with a wide belt adorned with black-green agates. His black hair fell onto his shoulders, and his eyes glowed with electrifying light in the night, surrounded by sporadic electric sparks.

“Master Badivin! It’s Master Badivin!” a soldier recognized this existence of Magic Sequence 8, who was indeed a renowned great mage from Rourna.

With the arrival of this great mage, a series of lightning bolts flashed in the surrounding sky, piercing through the orc warriors attempting to launch a surprise attack.

The warrior man.

And this was not over. Soon after, a series of slow rotations echoed in the night sky. They were ancient bronze constructs floating and flying, their forms like gyroscopes or star track instruments, with light blue magical energy streaming around them as they spun.

Whenever the magical energy within them was fully charged, they would shoot out a fleeting beam of light, piercing through several orc warriors in the streets.

These ancient bronze alchemical creations numbered in the hundreds, one after another rising to hover and patrol the city, supporting battles everywhere and killing the charging and advancing orcs.

“Is Master Elson here too?” A mid-level mage stood on a certain watchtower, watching this scene, his originally despairing heart beginning to stir with hope.

The battle continued to rage. The orc army that had previously held the upper hand began to falter, while one after another, Magic Sequence 8 masters appeared in the city.

Some stood atop towers like titanic thunder gods, electrocuting enemies; others walked through alleys, silently taking lives; still others manipulated numerous alchemical creations, shattering enemy formations.

These powerful beings were like the eye of a storm of magical energy vortices, summoning wind and rain under the night sky. With Sequence 9 unable to participate in the battle, Extraordinary Sequence 8 beings were almost invincible, turning the tide of the battle that had been tilting, pressing down the scales once more.

—

High above the dark night sky, Touge still confronted Ada with the ‘Iris Book’, but both parties were not in good shape.

Touge’s book in front was shattered, only a dozen torn pages fluttering, barely forming a barrier. Ada’s magitech armor also showed many flaws, the originally shining patterns now flickering, as if they might go out at any moment.

After another round of mutual clash, they finally stopped.

“Your Frost Rose truly went all out this time, moving so many apprentice mages to the front line and even investing many valuable Sequence 8s. You know, some of them may not be suitable for combat,” Touge said with a hint of surprise.

Although Magic Sequence 8 was powerful, deploying them on the front lines was highly risky. Compared to other sequences, the style of Magic Sequence was not suited for direct combat. In the rear, they could play a much larger role in cultivation, manufacturing, integration, and research.

“This is none of your business, you treacherous invader,” Ada replied.

“Though Miss Ada is beautiful, I don’t agree with what you said.”

“You started this war. Now you blame us for it. That’s quite shameful.”

“But do you know how many innocent people in the city you have implicated? How many families have been damaged and how much destruction has occurred?”

“So what?” Touge said slowly.

“Do we retreat, forget the sins we’ve committed, and watch our own family members’ tears and sorrow?”

“Any action comes with a price, blood for blood, tooth for tooth.”

“Now that you’re being beaten and suffering, you realize the pain. When you bombed Hope Lane, why didn’t you stop the army and retreat then?”

“It’s all self-inflicted. You only think about the misfortunes brought by war, but never consider why this happened.”

“But now you’ve occupied much of the land of the Frost Union. Why not just let go? In the end, aren’t you just like us, driven by greed and ignoring the lives and misfortunes of soldiers?” Ada said angrily, looking at Touge.

Touge looked at this woman who kept talking to herself, his anger to argue gradually cooling down.

So this is how they view Clancia and the Starlight Alliance? How laughable. Because their feathers are black, they assume all birds in the world have black feathers.

It’s truly pitiful, thinking everyone is selfish and greedy because they haven’t experienced true warmth and kindness.

At this moment, Touge slowly understood why the old generation of the雏月议法师 disliked the Rourna faction.

The limit of rationality is not warmth, but endless coldness and cruelty.

For numbers, indicators, power, they can forsake many things, treating everything as a tool and an object to be utilized. At the same time, they naturally believe that people in the world are just like them, pursuing power and profit.

This is also why their entire nation can consistently recognize their national formation and plans.

To become stronger, to gain the ability…

Against the mighty Verdant Empire, to preserve the spark left behind by the temporal witch under the empire’s iron hoof, they aimed to unify the Seven Snow Nations and integrate all resources and strength.

Thus, they initiated the war, forcing this wish upon everyone regardless of their thoughts and emotions, everything because—

“This is for your own good. I am right, and your resistance is wrong and ignorant. Now that I have sacrificed so much for this great plan, you don’t even understand. It truly saddens me.”

With this thought, it was as if a key unlocked a lock, everything became clear. Tuge slowly understood the series of actions and behavior patterns of Frost Union.

But unfortunately, after understanding, he felt even more sorrowful, because in such a nation, leaders and people would not accept failure; they would only take more extreme paths, indulging in their own self-indulgence.

“Why can’t you all just sacrifice properly to fulfill my greatness?”

Truly disgusting.

Tuge no longer argued and no longer harbored any hope of reconciliation.

The pages in front of him started to burn, yet the incantations inscribed on them shone even brighter. Shallow blue flames spread like vines across the night sky, weaving together like a net aimed at the airborne opponent.

“Words are futile.”

“Let me show you with action, Eida.” Tuge’s voice was fierce, like iron and flame.

“We, the Crescent Moon Council, are the true successors of Lady Dorothy, while you are nothing but heretics who have strayed onto the wrong path!”

As his words fell, vast heavenly fire descended, like arrows and nets, aiming at the opponent clad in mage armor.

——————–

At the same time, a colorful rainbow bridge seemed to appear in the pitch-black night sky. A bird with five-colored wings let out a clear cry, flapping its soft wings across the night sky.

And in the wake of its wings, a faint rainbow aura remained, akin to a rainbow appearing in the sky on a clear day.

Following closely, numerous radiant figures approached rapidly from the rainbow bridge, like flowing light, with no resistance.

Many figures beneath the dark night sky looked up, gazing at the rainbow bridge streaking across the sky. The radiant figures became clearer within the bridge, finally falling from the sky.

They were the top mages from the Southern Archipelago.

With rainbow paint as eyeshadow, half-cloaks made of feathers, adorned with feathers, branches, shells, flowers, furs, and wooden carvings, these style-diverse magic masters immediately drew the attention of both inside and outside the city as they appeared.

The seven-colored flames, magnificent and splendid, condensed like the scorching sun in the air before smashing down toward the standing figure below.

Master Batewen, standing atop the city’s clock tower, showed a grim expression, extending his arm and pressing it into the void. Then, the clock tower beneath his feet suddenly trembled.

Countless gray dust and bricks collapsed, revealing a blurry yet majestic figure, resembling a giant as tall as a Titan.

War Machine · Mage Silver Golem

As this golem, towering above the surrounding buildings, slowly stood up, the sounds of metal friction and gears turning echoed loudly. Despite its seemingly rigid yet majestic appearance, the golem extended a colossal hand capable of holding hundreds of people, gripping the falling multi-colored flames and crushing them.

The multi-colored flames scattered, like feathers flying and swirling in the sky, making it difficult for the golem below to attack. Then, these feather-like flames spun like wind, rushing toward the towering mage golem and entering every crevice and pattern within it.

No matter how tightly the armor covered the joints, as long as there was the slightest gap, these multi-colored flame feathers would penetrate and burn.

On the majestic giant standing in the sky, colorful lines seemed to be painted, emitting a smoky smell in the darkness and rising in black smoke.

Rip—

A sudden burst of white light, powerful lightning surged through its body, dispersing those strange multi-colored flame feathers. The magnificent golem emitted a silent roar, the wind through the passages cooling its body, and an unusual whistling sound echoed throughout the city.

At the same time, the multi-colored flame feathers gathered again in the sky, condensing into a small burning sun, with what seemed to be a sleeping bird inside.

Two magic masters respectively controlled the Thunder God Golem and the multi-colored flames in mutual combat, while the sounds of spells could be heard echoing from various parts of the city.

The same magic masters, the same Magic Sequence 8, inheriting from Oz Country, had taken different paths.

Now, they would once again argue and fight, continuing the mutual opposition that had lasted nearly a thousand years.

(The End)