Chapter 460: The Ghostly Frontier (Bonus Chapter)

[A Special Shoutout to Our Power Stone Patrons!]

Behind every line of text and every bloody battle fought in Wilwatikta, there are incredible hands keeping the fire of this story alive. Today, I want to give the highest honor to two main pillars supporting this journey:

My deepest appreciation to:

@Martialmath1702 for the 4 Power Stones!

@ALUCARD for the 3 Power Stones

@Dhamuzs_Jgc for the 3 Power Stones!

This Chapter is dedicated entirely to three of you. Your votes are more than just numbers; they are pure fuel that ignites my creativity to keep weaving the destiny of the Asuras. This genuine support motivates me to push my pen even faster, ensuring we complete the entire saga of TROC this year with the most epic conclusion possible!

To the three of you, and to all my loyal readers who accompany me through every single Chapter—thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support is the reason why TROC stands tall against the storm!

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As they drew closer to the epicenter of the conflict, the pungent scent of sulfur and violent tremors of mana began to assault their senses. On this primary front, 5th Constellation mages were merely frontline grunts, while those of the 4th Constellation were treated as nothing more than cannon fodder. It was no surprise that the mana atmosphere here felt utterly suffocating. Yet, amidst the sulfur, the Asuras caught a scent that left them stunned.

The overwhelming stench of death.

Before long, they reached the edge of the combat zone. From their vantage point, they witnessed the true face of a living hell. The number of corpses strewn across the land surpassed anything they had ever imagined. They were not counted in hundreds or thousands, but in millions. The earth was no longer black; it was a deep, saturated crimson, as if blood had replaced the magma seeping from the world’s womb. The thick, metallic tang of blood dominated the air, challenging the resolve of any creature that dared breathe it in.

"Captain, this..." an Asura whispered, his voice trembling.

"Yes, I know..." Diru replied, his eyes wide. "It is a mountain of treasure!"

There was not a flicker of fear on their faces. On the contrary, one of the Asuras had to wipe away a stray drop of drool. To the Asura race, this heap of corpses was not a horror show; it was a sprawling, fast-food banquet. The sheer volume of fallen Mana Species here could sustain Diru’s unit for years.

However, Diru restrained himself from approaching. He understood the dangers lurking behind a battlefield of this magnitude. He had no desire for his small unit to be crushed in the crossfire of the lingering skirmishes between humans and Demons. That would be suicide; the humans would mince them, while the Demons would watch the slaughter and cheer.

But could he simply leave this "fortune" behind? To Diru, it felt like a criminal waste.

Before the alliance with the Demons was forged, Wilwatikta had enjoyed an abundant supply of Mana Species meat. By working with the humans and Elves, they could harvest Demon carcasses from the field. Diru remembered the taste of Demon flesh—similar to venison seasoned with chili; a bit tough and spicy, but incredibly appetizing.

Once they had attacked Heles City and turned to side with the Demons, the supply of Demon meat had dwindled, replaced by human flesh. While human meat tended to be bland, it was at least sufficient to fill their bellies and replenish their Dragon Prana reserves. Yet, for Diru, the crown jewel of their cuisine remained Elf meat. He would never forget the tender, chewy texture of an Elf, particularly the fat-rich portions of the thigh.

Now, though there were no Elven corpses before him, the sea of Demon and human bodies presented a heavy dilemma. Perhaps it was better to report back to base and bring a larger unit to help transport this massive "logistics" haul. His unit alone certainly couldn’t carry it all.

"We must return and report this find to headquarters immediately," Diru ordered, forcing himself to look away from the pile of bodies.

"Wait a moment, Captain!" one of the Asuras called out.

"What is it?" Diru asked, his eyes still fixed on the field.

"I don’t see a single human soldier... or any Demon troops, for that matter."

"What?" Diru was startled.

He immediately activated his Inner Eye to scan a wider area. Sure enough, he found no active combatants from either side. Normally, even after a battle concluded, there would always be sentry units ensuring the enemy didn’t breach the defensive lines from that point.

Diru glanced at the other Asuras, worried his Inner Eye might have missed something—though he knew that was impossible. His comrades, however, merely shook their heads in confusion. Although they were still considered new recruits, their minds had been filled with strategic theories at the kingdom’s military academy. This situation made no sense at all.

Diru’s brow furrowed as a dark premonition began to crawl through his chest.

"Move in. Spread out and check every corner!"

Diru knew this order was high-risk, but the sheer strangeness of the situation demanded an answer. If his hunch was wrong and there were troops lying in wait, they would be surrounded. And Diru was wise enough to know that in this war, the Demons were not their true friends.

The same intuition seemed to infect the other Asuras. They fanned out with total vigilance, circling the vast battlefield. Utilizing the Padakacarma technique, the twenty-two Asuras blurred with incredible speed, occasionally hovering in the air to gain a broader vantage point.

It didn’t take long for them to reconvene at the center. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Well?" Diru asked bluntly.

They all shook their heads. "We found no humans and no Demons. This entire battlefield has been completely abandoned without any oversight. What is actually happening, Captain?"

"I don’t know. But headquarters needs to hear this news immediately. Let Commander Goku and Swa solve this riddle," Diru’s face grew grimmer. Then, he realized something. "Where is Ralem?"

"Ah, he was supposed to be sweeping the southeast side—"

"CAPTAIN!" a voice shouted from the distance. They turned to see Ralem waving his hands frantically.

Diru and the others bolted toward him. They found Ralem staring intently at the ground just ahead. Diru followed his gaze, and his heart nearly stopped. There were millions of footprints leading deep into the Bog Forest.

"These are Demon footprints!" an Asura concluded quickly.

Every Wilwatikta soldier had been trained to distinguish the tracks of the various Mana Species. Demon tracks were distinct compared to those of humans or Elves, who wore footwear. Most Demons moved on all fours, and the larger ones walked upright without shoes. Their thick, leathery soles allowed them to traverse thorny terrain and extreme weather without protection.

"Where are they headed?"

Diru looked straight along the path of the tracks, and his eyes widened in horror.

"Bitter Maja..."

His bad feeling had transformed into a bone-chilling reality. Ever since he had heard from Nerphyl about who their true enemy was, Diru had often dreamed that one day they would have to fight every Mana Species in the world. And seeing a Demon legion heading toward Bitter Maja—the very heart of their kingdom—was anything but a good sign.

"Hurry! We have to go back and report this right now!" Diru shouted, taking off like a bolt of lightning without waiting for the others.

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Bonus Chapter Event: Let’s Finish TROC This Year!

It looks like sticking to just one Chapter a day won’t be enough to hit my goal of completing TROC by the end of the year. But here is the good news: I currently have a stockpile of over 20 Chapters locked and loaded!

To speed up the releases and show my appreciation for your incredible support, I am officially opening a Bonus Chapter System!

You can unlock additional Chapters instantly by hitting any of these milestones:

- 10 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter

- 5 Golden Tickets = +1 Bonus Chapter

- 1 "Ice Cola" Gift (or any gift worth 10 Coins) = +1 Bonus Chapter

Let’s break the limits and reach the climax of the story together! Drop your stones, tickets, and gifts, and I will unleash the stockpiled Chapters. Thank you for reading and for your massive support!