Lord of the Sky City-Chapter 856 - 838 Hope Arrives

The Demons’ attack was finally repelled, but Cyril’s losses were considerable.

In the direct confrontation with the Demons, three squads of Tank Armor were destroyed, causing the tank unit’s numbers to dwindle to around two hundred. Meanwhile, the Void Magic Squad lost one team, leaving Cyril’s Void Magic Corps with fewer than two hundred members.

The only silver lining, perhaps, was that the fleet suffered no losses. Since there were no Flying Demons in this battle, the fleet remained intact—this was indeed something worth celebrating. As long as the number of warships remains sufficient, Cyril could still hold on for a while longer.

Looking solely at casualties, the losses from this battle were not only manageable but could even be considered minimal. However, one mustn’t forget that Cyril’s forces were already limited, and even minimal losses still dealt a significant blow.

Cyril and the Elders had discussed the possibility of breaking through multiple times and had even attempted it more than once, but each attempt ended in failure. If Cyril went all out, she might be able to retreat with Machine City, but the other two Sky Cities would inevitably be surrounded by Demons while covering her escape. That would be the best possible outcome, yet it was also one Cyril could not accept.

"Clan Leader, you should leave..."

After the battle ended, Bernardo found Cyril and earnestly tried to persuade her to go.

As the commander of the defensive forces, Bernardo clearly understood just how much longer the family’s troops could hold out. To be blunt, they wouldn’t last half a month. While they had successfully repelled the Demons this time and suffered relatively minor losses, one couldn’t ignore the fact that the Demons’ numbers were endless. Moreover, this had only been a small-scale attack. If the scale of the next assault increased, the losses would be anything but optimistic.

Most crucially, there were no Flying Demons in this attack, and this alone was the primary reason they had come away with such minimal losses.

Without Flying Demons, the warships remained unbothered and could freely bombard from the sky, while the Void Magic Corps didn’t have to focus on escort duties and could direct all their attention to the ground. If Flying Demons had appeared—even as few as a thousand—the entire battle could have changed dramatically.

This was precisely why Bernardo suggested Cyril leave. They still had over a thousand warships, which, though not many, would suffice to ensure Machine City’s breakout. However, if they stayed here, the next Demon attack involving Flying Demons might spell disaster for the fleet. Even if the warships survived, losses would be inevitable, and they would no longer possess the capability to escort Machine City to safety.

"If I can’t lead all the Sky Cities in breaking out, then what’s the point of me leaving?"

Looking at Bernardo, Cyril responded helplessly.

She understood that Bernardo wanted her to take the family’s last remnants of strength and leave, but as Cyril pointed out, what was the point of returning to the rear if she could only retreat with Machine City?

The Mairente Family, now a fading legacy, had only five Sky Cities left: three large Sky Cities and two medium-sized ones. If, this time, only Machine City made it out, the family would be reduced to just three Sky Cities. Talk of revival would be laughable—they wouldn’t even be able to protect themselves.

"Hold out for a month. At the current pace, if we can persist for a month, the Allied Forces will definitely send a rescue force."

As the Clan Leader, Cyril was naturally thinking further ahead and more comprehensively than Bernardo.

According to the intelligence she had gathered, although the Allied Forces were initially caught off guard by the Demons’ surprise attack, they had since regrouped. Not only had they secured all major cities, but they were also beginning to consolidate forces to clear out the Kalhan Plains. So, as long as they held out long enough, reinforcements were a certainty. And once the Allied Forces arrived, the three Sky Cities would be safe.

"Alright..."

Bernardo understood Cyril’s reasons for staying and realized the immense weight she carried. No longer trying to dissuade her, he left the tent and began reorganizing the troops. Since Cyril had resolved to hold out until reinforcements arrived, what Bernardo needed to do was clear—he had to defend Qingyuan City at all costs.

It had to be said that Cyril’s judgment was remarkably accurate, as the Allied Forces brought promising news over the following days.

Marshal Mannstein personally commanded the front lines, stabilizing the situation. Although the Myriad Snakes Region wasn’t fully occupied, all captured cities had been fortified, and the Allied Forces had entered into a drawn-out battle with the Demons.

With the front line stabilizing, the Allied Forces had more time to regroup at the rear. Particularly in the Kalhan Region, they had started assembling large forces to clear the Demons within. They also dispatched reinforcements to units still holding out in various cities at the earliest opportunity!

In other words, Cyril’s predictions had come true. This was matched by verified information from the liaison officer indicating that reinforcements from the Allied Forces would arrive in Qingyuan City within a month!

A month’s time wasn’t short, but neither could the Allied Forces be blamed. Nor was it a sign of neglect toward Cyril. The location of Qingyuan City, positioned at the edge of the Kalhan Plains, was simply too remote. It was far from all major cities occupied by the Allied Forces, and the region was rampant with Demons. The abundance of Flying Demons especially slowed the progress of the Allied Forces significantly. Completing the rescue within a month was already their absolute best effort.

While a month would feel like an eternity for Cyril and the Mairente Family’s troops, it still gave everyone a glimmer of hope—a hope that wasn’t vague or distant, but clear and tangible. Even though holding out for a month would come at a steep price, morale rose across the family’s ranks. Everyone was prepared for the fight to the death.

However, despite the surge in morale and determination to hold out for a month, the Demons’ attacks abruptly stopped...

Since the last assault ended, three consecutive days had passed in absolute silence. Not even a single harassment attempt occurred; it was as if the Demons had vanished entirely.

That didn’t mean the Demons had retreated. In fact, Qingyuan City was still tightly surrounded by them—it was just that their attacks ceased.

In some ways, this was an exceptionally good opportunity for Cyril’s forces. They could take advantage of this rare calm to repair defensive structures and allow their troops, weary from prolonged combat, to rest. From every angle, it was a positive development—at least, that’s how the ordinary soldiers viewed it.

But to Cyril and the family’s upper echelon, something felt off...