Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 271 - 249: The Crown of the Era (Editor’s Task: 2/6)
Frey arrived outside the city walls with the emerging troops, standing in front of a glittering array of Guardians. Behind them, a tide of black shadows, composed of the beast horde, tried to assail the sanctity of Lokarot.
At the very front were the sprinting black beasts. Within the vast black horde, it was hard to distinguish between monsters and Witches. But in reality, just like a flock, each group would have a shepherd hidden among them. Compared to the densely packed beasts that seemed as vast as the sea, the limited number of Guardians formed but a thin line that appeared almost as laughable as the city walls behind them.
Yet the wall of a glass filled with water is only a thin layer too.
Frey looked around at the men beside him. He adopted a mix of veterans and recruits in his troop, here for training, but the first wave of attack would still have to be borne by the veterans. The calm hidden under the veterans’ seemingly indifferent eyes, the excitement and anxiety in the hearts of the recruits—Frey saw it all.
He looked at his Messenger.
"How are the priests prepared?"
"They have established the Firm Barricade of Holy Light on the walls which, while protecting Lokarot, can provide us with healing." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
Frey nodded, and as he looked forward, his roar, empowered by the shining Holy Light, reached every corner of the army.
"We are the pursuers of the Holy Light, the Guardians of mankind! Justice is with us!"
"Praise the Holy Light!" The spirited response, booming like a boiling tide, set every Paladin’s blood ablaze as if on fire.
Frey issued his first command.
"Enhance yourselves! Guardians!"
Steadfast Will, Holy Incarnation, King’s Blessing, Inexhaustible Spring, Weapon Blessing, Firm Barricade...
Aura after aura manifested on each Paladin, turning this largest race of average Fifth Tier on the planet into something even more formidable. A variety of enhancements shrouded the Guardians, making them shine like invincible warriors of kryptonite. Yet, before the beast horde arrived, the Witches, watching with heavy gazes, saw their enemy grow stronger before their eyes, overpoweringly so.
Frey extended his palm, the power of his talent began to act upon the Legion.
Fourth Tier talent, Beehive Consciousness. This was a supportive talent, which would make its user more united within a group, nimbly taking on any role within the collective, also gaining a boost from the collective strength, although the enhancement was very slight. Normally, this would be a talent that required accumulation. Especially after reaching the Fourth Tier within the race, the talent didn’t seem so powerful.
Following Frey’s motion, all the Guardians also displayed their talents.
Fourth Tier talent, Beehive Consciousness. All talents overlapped, sourced from one. The collective power boost became terrifying and under the collective’s influence. The Guardians heard each other’s voices in their hearts. Nelson marveled at the pride swelling in his heart, looking at Pierre, feeling the pride emerging from his own mind.
I’ve said it, Guardians are a whole, a whole that can’t be more complete.
The Legion of Guardians birthed a Beehive Consciousness, their links to each other surpassing speech, transcending blood ties. This was very frightful: a military force where orders were implicitly obeyed, no, passing down commands still needed channels, yet their actions were as seamless as controlling one’s limbs.
Feeling the battle will rising from within him, owned by others, Nelson never felt so exuberant. His Holy Light emitted a joyful and uplifting cry, merging with everyone’s Holy Light into a golden sky, tearing apart the shadows above.
Nelson’s ecstatic roar melded with Pierre’s, echoing in his own mind.
Welcome to the Guardians, Nelson, welcome to our entirety.
"All recruits, Third Order Divine Skill, Holy Light Spear, launch!"
Nelson moved faster than Frey’s command, for he had long known what to do. A holy spear, forged of light in the palm of his hand, followed the practiced movements stored in the memories of seasoned soldiers in his mind; he swayed his body skillfully, his standard motions sculpture-like.
He missed. The Holy Light spear’s radiant barrage rained down upon the Shadow Beast’s head, his own spear veering off from its intended target by twenty meters, skewering two Shadow Beasts together into a kebab, consumed by the Holy Flame.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Perhaps this was the downside of a hive mind. Nelson could clearly feel his predecessors mocking him. Just now, five hundred and twenty-one fellow Guardians openly laughed at him. Nelson could easily identify every single one of them, unabashed, and this sort of behavior went unpunished. Fortunately, he wasn’t the only rookie who made a mistake. As more people laughed at him, Nelson quickly turned to mock others, ha ha ha ha.
"Rookies need to adapt, it’s understandable," Frey said in an understanding tone. However, his actual thoughts appeared in everyone’s mind.
MD, I’ve taught you how to operate it, I’ve taught you hand by hand, and yet you kids still screw up, do you have underdeveloped brains?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Luckily, Frey’s issuance of new orders prevented the Guardians from falling apart because of their laughter.
After three rounds of purification from the Holy Light spears, the beast horde at the vanguard had all but vanished and allowed the rookie Guardians to fully adapt to the teaching style of their superiors. In the midst of the Guardians, all the rookies disappeared, replaced by veterans without actual practice but with practical experience.
There were just too many Shadow Beasts, pouring down from the mountain inexhaustibly as if there was no end. The three volleys of distant spear throws were like a drizzle, forcing the beasts closer to the Guardians’ position.
At the forefront, the Guardians raised their shields, glittering and splendid, like diamonds.
The roaring monsters came before them, their clawed arms raised high, crashing down fiercely along with their gaping maws.
In that moment, Frey issued a new command.
"Guardians, all forces, charge!"
At a moment meant to resist a charge, the entire army of Guardians launched a countercharge instead. Logically speaking, this was an extremely foolish move. The enemy had accelerated for a long time, possessing strong kinetic energy, while you began to charge from a standstill, initiating in front of them. This was akin to colliding head-on with a speeding train.
Thankfully, Holy Light was not so unforgiving. The Guardians’ shields collided with the diving Shadow Beasts, and the result was that the beasts, in the brilliance of the Holy Light, crumbled like paper mâché. The racing speed of the Guardians was not even reduced. They were like salmon swimming upstream, forcefully tearing the tide of beasts in two.
The Guardians needed to be on guard on all sides, seemingly trapped in danger. However, the onslaught of the Shadow Beasts was easily parried by the clustered Guardians, while the Guardians’ counterattacks burst the beasts like balloons, one crush at a time. Amidst the incessant assaults of the Shadow Beasts, not a single Guardian fell behind; in the blink of an eye, the Legion of Holy Light had charged to the foot of the mountain.
"They’re aiming for the sanctuary!" Sesela watched the Legion of Holy Light, now surrounded by the horde and having reached the mountain’s base. They still had a desperate journey to the summit, but Sesela had the premonition that they would turn their desperation into the witches’ despair.
"Why, these beasts have the strength of the Fourth Tier! Why can’t they slice through their armor! Why can’t withstand their attacks! Why are they so powerful!"
An anxious Lily came to her side. "This is what I wanted to tell you, Sesela."
"Through our deaths, we’ve confirmed a rumor."
"Above the clans, this world harbors a unique crown, the Crown of the Ages. It favors those who lead the times, making all those with such power stronger. They can easily crush Mystics of the same tier. Sesela, it’s the age of Holy Light; we are but pathetic creatures cowering in a corner, avoiding the brilliance."
Lily looked at the horrified expression on Sesela’s face, bitterness in her heart. If you hadn’t seen it with your own eyes, you wouldn’t believe it either, would you?
