Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree-Chapter 413: Black Oak Town

Vivian was assigned a group of Night Howl Bat-winged Beasts, swift and capable of high-speed flight.

Leonard and Ella received a mixed battalion, primarily composed of thick-skinned Rock Giants, accompanied by a few corrosive hounds capable of spewing acid from a distance.

The four of them led this slave creature army, powerful enough to easily crush a small city, toward the gap already drilled open in the Iron Curtain Wall.

The closer they got to the Iron Curtain Wall, the more harrowing the scars of the war became.

The earth had completely turned into scorched ground, with massive craters visible everywhere. Shattered weapons, twisted metal, and unidentifiable remains of limbs scattered all around.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and burnt flesh, almost solid enough to make one retch.

The huge breach created by the Magic-guided Cannon now resembled a scar leading to Hell.

The once majestic wall abruptly ended here, with its edges being the gruesome and twisted fracture. The high temperature melded it into a glassy substance, glittering under the sunlight with an eerie sheen.

Below the breach, bodies were piled like mountains, forming a road paved with flesh and blood, on which the slave creatures were flooding in.

The massive body of the Magma Giant had already disappeared, evidently taken away for research.

The body of such a Level 3 Life itself was a material of extremely high quality.

When Duke and the others arrived at the breach, they saw golems and the logistics team working urgently, trying to clear a more accessible road.

The area behind the breach, which should have been a relatively open buffer zone and military area, was now completely in ruins.

Broken fortresses, charred tents, wreckage of destroyed ballistae, and more interwoven bodies of soldiers and demons from both sides.

Thick black smoke rose from many places, from fires not yet extinguished.

Farther away, low hills and sparse forestland could be vaguely seen, along with the silhouettes of possible villages and towns in the distance.

Duke took out a map to verify their position and pointed to a barely recognizable road filled with wheel tracks and chaotic footprints:

"Black Oak Town is to the northeast. Follow this road, it’s about half a day’s journey."

Vivian pointed to an area north of Black Oak Town and said, "Here is a mining area that produces a magic metal called Sea Heart Iron. Once we get there, we should pay more attention."

Duke nodded, understanding what Vivian meant.

Black Oak Town itself probably didn’t have many resources; it was the mining area that was crucial.

Duke surveyed the surroundings and gave orders to his Earth Dragon King:

"Have these guys spread out a bit and advance in a guard formation, and keep an eye on the flanks."

Through the Control Talisman, his thoughts could be roughly conveyed to these slave creatures.

Especially as the Earth Dragon King, a Level 2 Life, it had a relatively high intelligence and could easily understand Duke’s directives.

Upon receiving the command, it let out a low growl, and the Earth Dragons under its lead immediately spread out to form a loose search formation. They began to advance, with sharp claws rustling over the scorched ground and ruins.

Vivian issued similar commands, and in an instant, two thousand slave creatures spread out like a tide, extending into the heart of the Toulouse territory.

In the sky, Vivian’s Night Howl Bat-winged Beast flock circled like dark clouds, providing an aerial view.

Leonard and Ella, walking on the right side, didn’t seem interested in joining Duke and Vivian, nor did they initiate any conversation.

Duke didn’t bother with this sibling duo, not thinking that forming a team with them would provide any advantage, and likely would hold them back.

Now that they intentionally kept their distance, Duke was more than pleased.

Duke also noticed that Leonard and his sister seemed to be afraid of him joining in to claim part of the spoils, as they were traveling at a slightly faster pace.

Duke and Vivian walked side by side, staying in the core position of the team, advancing at a slow pace.

He prioritized safety over speed, unlike Leonard and Ella, who were hurrying along.

Crossing the Iron Curtain Great Wall meant they had officially stepped into enemy territory.

Although the main legion had already swept through the frontal resistance, no one could be sure if desperate avengers, scattered soldiers, or die-hard residents unwilling to leave their homes were still hiding among the seemingly dead ruins and wooded hills.

There might even be some formidable opponents lying in ambush, or potential traps set up.

Being overly aggressive in such a situation was not a wise choice. This was the opponent’s home ground, and being cautious was always advisable.

Duke looked forward as the breeze blew from the direction of the territory, bringing with it the smell of gunpowder, blood, and ashes.

When Duke and Vivian, maintaining a relatively cautious pace, led the Earth Dragon and Bat-winged Beast units to the outskirts of Black Oak Town, the sight before them made them stop in their tracks.

Black Oak Town was not a military stronghold, just a slightly larger settlement, with only a simple wooden fence on the outskirts, now violently destroyed, turning the town into a living hell.

Leonard and Ella’s two thousand slave creatures, the raging Rock Giants and corrosive hounds, were rampaging wildly in the streets of the town.

They smashed open house doors and dragged out the civilians hiding inside.

The giant feet of the Hill Giants easily trampled the fleeing townsfolk into pulp, their thick arms swinging primitive clubs to shatter the bones of the few resisting militiamen.

The corrosive hounds spewed acid, making the hit houses emit green smoke as they quickly dissolved. The unfortunate townsfolk hit by the acid let out piercing screams as their flesh visibly decayed and melted.

Crying voices, pleas for mercy, desperate roars, the howling of the slave creatures, and the sound of buildings collapsing blended into a cacophony.

Leonard and Ella did not personally participate in the slaughter; they stood on a slightly elevated platform on the Central Square of the town, coldly observing the scene.

Leonard held a map, seemingly comparing something, occasionally pointing in a direction to command a small group of slave creatures to go and clear it.

Ella appeared somewhat frightened, yet seemed somewhat excited watching the slave creatures massacre these ordinary people.

At this moment, she didn’t seem as scared, likely because she was in a relatively safe position.

Duke and Vivian exchanged glances, seeing a hint of solemnity in each other’s eyes, though neither was greatly surprised or sympathetic.

They were already well aware of the brutal nature of plane wars, where mercy was a luxury and could even be a fatal weakness. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Black Oak Town had essentially been overrun by Leonard and Ella’s slave creatures. In fact, using their squad’s forces here seemed like a bit of a waste.