Chapter 967

Footsteps that sounded like loud drums being beaten rolled over the entire terrain, resonating so deeply that even the evacuated civilians and those located terribly far away from the walls could hear the rhythm.

Fear coursed through their veins upon hearing the sheer volume of boots charging toward their territory.

Some civilians who were still relatively close to the walls glanced at each other, their whispers filled with dread.

— You know, this never happened under Orion’s rule.

— Yes. The moment you fools gave the reins of the faction to a kid, war comes knocking at our doorstep.

— This is bullshit. Can you hear the number of footsteps? I doubt that they are even close by yet.

— We—we are all going to die.

***

Oblivious to the fear and panic spreading through the masses, the Dawn forces looked ahead with seemingly calm gazes.

Outwardly, they appeared composed, but inwardly, they were anything but tranquil.

The massive army continued to reveal itself the more it marched forward, the ranks appearing to increase again and again without end.

From the distance, the soldiers looked like ants scurrying over the earth.

Squinting harder, Thalos’ brows furrowed as he caught sight of something at the far back.

Something was moving like a shifting mountain behind the enormous legion.

Atop that mount, which was almost as large as a small hill, four figures sat with utterly nonchalant expressions, as if they were merely running a mundane errand.

’That must be the leader and vice leaders of the clan,’ Thalos thought, his forehead creasing as he monitored the approaching men.

Three minutes passed, and soon enough, the army halted a hundred meters away from the wall.

The moment they stopped, the mount at the back revealed itself properly.

It resembled the elephants of old but was significantly larger.

Its back was broad, like a road fit for two carriages to pass by side by side.

It possessed thick tusks that curved upward sharply, and its red eyes were brimming with anger.

Its fur was a thick, obsidian coat that looked capable of repelling most damage dealt to it, while its feet were massive enough to split solid stone in half.

Rivock’s gaze sharpened instantly.

"Huh? Is—is that a beast? Is this dude really using a monster as a horse?!"

Gunther’s eyes narrowed into slits as he locked eyes with the creature.

"Not just any beast, but a Primordial-ranked beast."

Gasps echoed along the battlements.

Noelle turned calmly to look at the man.

"Primordial-ranked? Isn’t that quite rare?"

"And incredibly hard to kill, let alone beat into submission to be used as a steed," Leo chimed in, a frown deepening on his wrinkled face.

"Ahh... this is going to be tough. Imagine trying to defeat an army of over five hundred thousand and a man who has the strength to beat a Primordial-ranked beast into compliance," Mada groaned in mental exhaustion while rubbing his face.

Thalos didn’t chime in or say anything; he simply cast a quick look at his greatsword, which reflected his grim expression back at him.

’I had pledged my loyalty to you, Grey. You are now the head of my former master’s faction. For the sake of Sir Armin and you, I will make sure this place doesn’t fall.’ Looking up, he glanced at the army and then the beast once more.

’... No matter what.’

Devan looked at his subordinates for a second before channeling Ki to his throat.

He cleared his throat once, his voice carrying across the chants of war from his men over to the wall dozens of meters away.

"Greetings, Dawn Faction. I’m here to take hold of your wonderful bastion. Why is that? Well, your current leader has done some pretty nasty things to me. For example, massacring hundreds of my men, injuring two of my vice leaders, and challenging my authority."

Devan paused for a second as a sinister smile crossed his face.

"I don’t like using force all the time, so I kindly request you all to stand down and not resist, and we will all be good. Okay? And if you insist on still trying to act tough, prepare to let your blood spill."

Glancing at Pluck, Devan gave a short, commanding nod.

The vice leader channeled a massive amount of Ki into his throat and then thundered his voice across the plains.

"You can send over a few representatives to deliver your reply. We give you exactly five minutes to decide your fate!"

The Dawn forces looked at one another in palpable confusion at the sudden, twisted ’kindness’ being offered.

"We aren’t actually giving in to their demands, right?" Sera questioned, a deep frown etching into her face as she gripped her weapon. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Tak. Tak. Tak.

Alba, Killian, and Brook could be seen rushing over from the West wall, their expressions grim and determined.

"Allow us to go over. We have a plan that we feel might actually work," Alba stated firmly.

Leo and Fenrir looked at them for a few silent seconds before giving a simultaneous, heavy nod.

"Come back alive," Fenrir muttered.

Alba smirked, her eyes flashing with a dangerous light. "We don’t plan on dying just yet."

Casting brief glances at the two warriors beside her, she nodded.

Without hesitation, the trio jumped down from the massive wall that towered thirty meters high.

Swirling Ki around their feet to cushion the impact, they landed smoothly, though the force created deep crevices beneath their boots.

Shaking off the slight numbness in their legs, they began striding toward the sea of men waiting in the distance.

Brook clutched his heavy shield tightly, making sure to position it in front of him.

He was prepared for any sudden treachery, ready to be the first to shield his comrades.

Alba let her twin swords hang loosely at her waist as she took the lead, walking with a confidence that suggested the overwhelming odds weren’t fazing her at all.

Within minutes, she stood a mere five meters away from the frontlines.

Turning to glance back at the wall they had just vacated, her eyes locked on a particular figure atop the battlements.

Then, turning back around, she watched as the sea of soldiers parted, granting her an unrestricted view of the three leaders perched upon their massive mount.

"So tell me, what have you all decided, Alba?" Devan questioned, a wide, expectant beam on his face.

Ortiz shook his head disappointedly, his gaze judgmental.

"Weren’t you the one who fought so hard to be independent? Why are you playing the servant for the Dawn Faction now?"

Alba folded her arms across her chest, a knowing, sharp smirk playing on her lips.

"Want to know what we have decided?"

Calmly, she uncrossed her hands and then lifted one arm high into the air.

The sea of men quickly closed back up, tensing in anticipation of an attack that they expected to come from her—but it never did.

With a defiant smirk, the woman gave the three leaders the middle finger.

"Go to hell."

SWOOOOSH!

All eyes snapped upward only to see more than a thousand arrows hurtling through the air, arching toward the unprepared army like a rain of death.

Alba’s smirk widened as she quickly vaulted backward, Brook and Killian moving in perfect synchronization with her.

The frontlines of the Behemoth army prepared to deflect the incoming projectiles, but when the arrows were only a meter away, they suddenly swelled with volatile energy.

The projectiles detonated simultaneously, causing a massive, cascading explosion to ripple through a thousand men with terrifying ease.

BOOOM—!