Chapter 43: Victory, Defeat, and Packages
The Rear District of Giant Armor City, First Wizard Legion Garrison.
The Wizard Legion was once very strong. They had fought fiercely against the Ancient King Faction, then repelled the Tribes, and finally pushed the Ice Descendants back to the far northern frozen lands. They were truly glorious.
If the Wizard Legion's system had continued, the current Wizard Legion would undoubtedly have top-tier combat power. The origin of everything began with the Second Generation Moon Witch.
No one expected the First Generation Moon Witch to go into semi-seclusion and then retire at her peak. This caused several witches and wizards who were qualified to become the Second Generation Moon Witch to view each other with hostility. The entire Wizard Faction split into many factions at that time.
Fortunately, all external enemies were either beaten to death or left half-dead. This internal strife within the Wizard Faction did not affect their rule over this world. When the Second Generation Moon Witch barely ascended, multiple Star Wizards, whose status was second only to the Moon Witch, were dissatisfied. This caused the Second Generation Moon Witch's ascension to not result in the expected decisive situation, but instead led to even more chaos.
Under these circumstances, the Second Generation Moon Witch could only try his best to win over the powerful forces within the Wizard Faction. The then-dominant "Wizard Legion" was the top priority. In this situation, the Second Generation Moon Witch made a decision. He transferred the "Wizard Legion," which was stationed in Moon Ring City, to "Giant Armor City" near the northern border, "Ancient King City" near the southern border, and "Silent City," a coastal city in the west.
This seemed like a good border defense layout. However, within a few years, several Grand Generals of the Wizard Legion began to listen to orders but not obey them. They were willing to attack the Ice Descendants, Tribes, or Sea Barbarians, but they refused to allow interference in the Wizard Legion's personnel appointments, and they would not come to the main city, Moon Ring City, to attend the council.
This situation continued until the Northern Border Grand General of Giant Armor City colluded with the Third Generation City Lord of Sky City, sparking a rebellion. At that time, the wizards were at a peak of combat power. The old wizards who had resisted the Abyss invasion were still alive and at their final peak before decline.
Facts proved that the Wizard Legion, built for war, could not defeat these old wizards who had resisted the Abyss. The rebellion was suppressed. To prevent the Wizard Legion from losing control again, the position of Grand General, which could command multiple legions, was abolished. It was replaced by a Commander system. Each Commander could manage at most one Wizard Legion. Furthermore, the position of Commander could only be held by members of Wizard Families.
The result of this was that outsiders were managing insiders. Nine and a half out of ten Commanders from Wizard Families did not understand leading troops and fighting. The remaining half was only good at armchair strategy, feeling their theories were particularly strong, but losing their composure in practice.
Chaotic management, generous logistics supplies, officers embezzling and withholding soldiers' pay, and the infighting among Wizard Families after they became the legion's high command.
Especially the last point. Members of Wizard Families were experts in factional strife from a young age. When they clashed with the legion's mid-level officers, they drove those officers crazy. These officers only knew how to fight and train soldiers; they didn't understand factional struggles.
More fatally, the Wizard Faction had no external enemies during this period. Therefore, this situation of outsiders managing insiders in the Wizard Legion lasted for many years, officially ending only after the Fifth Generation Moon Witch ascended.
When the warlike Fifth Generation Moon Witch prepared to reorganize the Wizard Legion's combat power to invade other worlds and plunder resources, she discovered something was wrong with the Wizard Legion.
It was during this period that a trade conflict between the Wizard Faction and the Ice Descendant Kingdom escalated into armed conflict. Eventually, the border legions of both sides were at odds.
That night, the Old Northern King couldn't sleep. He had never fought the Wizard Faction, but in his grandfather's generation, they had been terrified by the First Generation Moon Witch. Even now, the Old Northern King remembered the witch floating above Eternal Winter City, holding the massive head of the Winter God in her hand.
The problem was that the conflict between the two sides had reached a point where they had to fight. The Ice Descendants had no way to retreat. If they retreated further, they would enter the far northern ice fields. The Old Northern King could only brace himself against his fear of the First Generation Moon Witch and passively engage in battle.
On the night the war started, the Fifth Generation Moon Witch couldn't sleep. If not for some remaining foundation, the Sixth Wizard Legion sent this time might have been completely annihilated.
Just as the Ice Descendants were becoming arrogant due to this victory, the wizards used individual powerhouses to teach the Ice Descendants who the real big daddy of the Witch Realm was. Those old fellows who had resisted the Abyss picked up their old weapons again. The next morning, the heads of the Northern King and all the high officials of Eternal Winter City were lined up on the city wall.
From then on, the Wizard Continent no longer believed in legion tactics. Coupled with the abundant resources here, individual powerhouses became the dominant force in combat.
As for the ambition of the Fifth Generation Moon Witch, it's an interesting story. She developed the Wizard Legion her entire life. Just when the Wizard Legion was starting to improve, this queen-like Moon Witch was betrayed by her beloved disciple. That "Dark Moon Dagger" is still in the museum of Moon Ring City's First District.
Although the Fifth Generation Moon Witch died, the Wizard Legion propped itself up again. The problem was that the subsequent Sixth Generation Moon Witch was a conservative. She was also very wary of the Wizard Legion developed by the Fifth Generation Moon Witch. A new round of suppression began.
With each generation of Moon Witches changing, the Wizard Legion was in a state of propping up one moment and wilting like an eggplant hit by frost the next. In the end, the Wizard Legion itself was confused, feeling like, 'I'm probably still okay, right?'
After Moon Witch Seraphilia ascended, she understood the situation of the Void and the myriad worlds. Although she did not plan to invade others, she vigorously developed the Wizard Legion. After investing massive resources and talent over so many years, Seraphilia also wanted to see how the current Wizard Legion was doing. Therefore, she was not in a hurry to seek help from Su Xiao.
At this moment, in the Rear District of Giant Armor City, at the First Wizard Legion Garrison, inside the Council Hall, over ninety percent of the Wizard Faction's generals were gathered. The temporarily appointed Supreme Commander, Gideous, sat at the head of the council table. This old general had a deep gaze and an unwavering aura, causing all the Commanders and mid-level officers present to remain silent.
"Everyone, let's show our true skills. Lady Moon Witch is waiting for our results. Since the Calamity Legion dares to invade us, let them pay a heavy price."
After Supreme Commander Gideous finished speaking, a group of Commanders echoed him, stating that this battle would surely make the Calamity Legion pay the price.
With this pre-war meeting, the subsequent combat objectives were clear. First, drive the Calamity Legion out of this world. Then, lock onto their world and launch a punitive expedition.
At nine o'clock that night, one military airship after another ascended from the Rear District of Giant Armor City. Given the massive population of the Wizard Continent, the Wizard Legion's 50 million soldiers were not actually that many. At its peak, there were over 200 combat legions. Each crowned legion had 3 to 3.2 million soldiers. Each legion was divided into over 50 combat echelons, then broken down level by level until a squad of 15 soldiers.
Starting from that afternoon, the atmosphere in the city gradually became tense. First, food prices skyrocketed, causing residents to panic buy. Then, the prices of daily necessities also increased. After three wizards from the Hunter Agency visited several wealthy merchants in the city, prices gradually stabilized by evening.
One airship and military aircraft after another headed straight for "Sky City." The Wizard Legion's equipment was very advanced. Their financial resources allowed them to obtain high-tech equipment from the Bana Dwarf Clan and the Star Clan. But don't underestimate the melee combat abilities of the Wizard Legion soldiers. Their armor and spears had mystical properties. Truly, at range, they could bombard with technology; up close, they could fight to the death with supernatural power.
Every soldier's equipment was like this. Besides being equipped with armor and a mystic-patterned spear, each had a kinetic firearm and 2 to 5 magnetic gravity bombs. Each squad also had a soldier with a superconducting weapon for breaching, a soldier with a single-soldier heavy cannon for suppression, a battlefield witch doctor, a perception-type soldier, a soldier with high-defense armor and dual blades for melee, and finally, a sniper using a liquid weapon.
At five o'clock the next morning, the Wizard Legion's fleet had semi-encircled "Sky City's Lower City." This great city could no longer be called Sky City. "City of Death and Defeat" was a more fitting name. Death, ruin, darkness, and faint wails of wraiths drifted out from the black mist.
The black mist shrouded the buildings of the "City of Death and Defeat." Inside the heavily protected giant main ship at the rear of the fleet, Supreme Commander Gideous issued the attack order.
*Whoooom* ~ *Clack, clack, clack* ~!
A massive war machine unfolded above. With a *BOOM*, a kilometer-wide beam of dark purple laser shot down. This caused the black mist over the "City of Death and Defeat" to surge. Accompanied by the crackling sound of energies mutually annihilating, the black mist that shrouded and protected the city rapidly dissipated.
A dark green flame sphere several kilometers in diameter fell from the sky, like a falling dark flame meteor. It crashed into the "City of Death and Defeat." A large patch of black mist dissipated, and the Corrupted Ones inside wailed as they were ignited. The Sunk Ones, transformed from civilians, were even more vulnerable, instantly burned to ashes.
Under the bombardment of technology and mysticism, the Corrupted Ones swarming out of the "City of Death and Defeat" fell like harvested wheat, row after row. Soldiers from several legions, in a semi-encircling formation, began advancing with ranged weapons.
The fierce melee battle that was imagined did not occur. Under the crushing force of technology and wizardry, the outer defenses of the "City of Death and Defeat" collapsed within an hour.
*Pfft!*
A sturdy soldier pierced the head of a Corrupted One with his spear. This soldier, named Geo, lifted the Corrupted One in front of him with his spear. As he activated the mystic patterns on the spear blade, the spear erupted with blazing red light. With a *BOOM*, it blew the Corrupted One's head apart.
Almost simultaneously, Soldier Geo drew a kinetic firearm, shaped like a large pistol, from his lower back.
*Bang, bang, bang!*
Three precise shots killed a Corrupted One that pounced from the black mist a dozen meters away, saving a healing witch from being killed on the spot. The healing witch, splattered with some dark blood, looked at Soldier Geo, deeply imprinting his image in her mind. However, there are no love stories on the battlefield. The two nodded to each other and then threw themselves back into the fight.
The front line was raging. Looking down from above, one could see the soldiers gradually encircling the enemy, causing the area of the City of Death and Defeat to shrink rapidly. Occasional casualties and the miserable wails of severely wounded soldiers were drowned out by the roar of weapons and the joy of advancing step by step towards victory.
Inside the command room of the heavily protected giant main ship, Supreme Commander Gideous's state could be divided into three phases from the start of the battle. First, his expression was serious, but his heart was uneasy. He really couldn't be sure what the outcome would be when the dozen or so Wizard Legions under his command faced the "Calamity Legion."
When the battle began, Supreme Commander Gideous was very puzzled. The combat power of the "Calamity Legion"... why did it seem average? Could it be a trap?
Now that the battle had progressed to this point, Supreme Commander Gideous was still serious. However, the cup of strong tea emitting wisps of steam in his hand represented his current mood. He also somewhat regretted that when he made his promise to Lady Moon Witch earlier, his tone should have been more decisive, and his expectations for the battle results should have been higher. For example, immediately launching a counterattack after driving the enemy out of the Witch Realm?
As the war progressed, the hearts of Supreme Commander Gideous and the other Commanders in the command room grew heavier. It wasn't because the front line was failing, but because it was going too smoothly. By three o'clock in the afternoon, less than one ten-thousandth of the City of Death and Defeat remained. Only the Dark Space Gate and the elite Corrupted Ones stationed around it were left.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
Under the bombardment of kinetic heavy cannons and elemental wizardry, by four o'clock that afternoon, the kilometer-high Dark Space Gate was only half left. The surrounding area was filled with the severed limbs of elite Corrupted Ones and a few severely wounded soldiers crying out in pain. Over ninety percent of the wounded soldiers received treatment from healing witches or battlefield wizards in a short time.
*BOOM!!*
A giant hand formed by elemental wizardry pressed down from above onto the Dark Space Gate. With a roar and the spread of a shockwave, the Dark Space Gate shattered. The impact, affecting an area of over a dozen kilometers, sent many soldiers tumbling. Some soldiers cursed as they got up from the ground, spat out the dirt in their mouths, and saw the gradually collapsing Dark Space Gate.
First, there was a brief silence, followed by thunderous cheers. An alien soldier, over five meters tall and clad in full technological armor, even lifted a massive head with one hand. This was the head of the Death Curse Baron, one of the three attendants under the Corrupted Lord.
Inside the command room, Supreme Commander Gideous, standing before the holographic projection sand table, frowned deeply. This battle was too smooth. He vaguely felt something was wrong. However, the fact that the "Calamity Legion" had been routed and driven out of the Witch Realm was undeniable. Especially since the spatial rift had been completely sealed. This once again declared the powerful combat power of the Wizard Legion and this crushing, glorious victory.
After pondering for a few seconds, Supreme Commander Gideous contacted the Moon Witch. Moments later, a holographic projection of the Moon Witch's upper body appeared. Gideous immediately knelt on one knee and saluted, reporting the details of this campaign one by one.
Upon hearing that the Calamity Legion had already retreated in disgrace, the Moon Witch's expression remained calm, but her heart experienced a brief palpitation. Only after learning that the spatial rift had been sealed did she feel a bit more at ease.
Inside the Moon Witch's office at the Witch Guild Headquarters, after ending the communication, the Moon Witch sat back with her eyes closed. After a while, she let out a long sigh. This victory was too dreamlike. She opened a hidden compartment under her desk. Inside were a [Primordial Core] and one of the eight strongest gems, the [Will Gem]. These were the rewards she had prepared to ask for help from the Insect Race. She hadn't expected this preparation to be unnecessary.
The so-called eight strongest gems are: Will Gem, Holy Gem, Soul Devouring Gem, Nature Gem, Soul Gem, Death Gem, Elemental Gem, and Abyss Gem.
Known holders are:
Soul Gem (Su Xiao, has not obtained the complete Soul Gem, currently has 80%, the remaining 20% of the Soul Gem's source energy is located in Apocalypse Paradise).
Death Gem (Solomon, has not obtained the complete Death Gem).
Nature Gem (Arcane Eternal Star's Nature Maiden, Erukuru).
...
Moon Witch Seraphilia put down the [Will Gem]. She thought carefully. After investing so many resources and talents into the Wizard Legion over the years, she should get some return. This victory was the most satisfying return. Thinking of this, the Moon Witch managed to suppress her palpitations.
At this moment, at the original site of the City of Death and Defeat, which was Sky City's Lower City, soldiers and logistics departments were cleaning up the mess. Soldier Geo was sitting on an ammunition box, chewing on a piece of dried meat as hard as tree bark. Just then, he felt someone pat his left shoulder. Having just been in battle, his nerves were a bit tense. If he hadn't sensed no hostility, he would have counterattacked.
Soldier Geo turned his head and saw the healing witch he had saved earlier. He knew his spring had come. Just as he was about to greet her with somewhat clumsy enthusiasm, he suddenly felt his vision blur. Bloodshot veins appeared in his sight, greatly affecting his vision.
"Cough, cough..."
Soldier Geo covered his mouth and coughed dryly. A slippery, viscous substance surged from between his fingers. He looked at his palm and found it covered in dark purple viscous liquid. This stuff looked... a lot like the bodily fluids of a Corrupted One.
"ROAR!!"
A sharp howl from a Corrupted One came. Layers of black air waves spread due to this howl. Soldier Geo's pupils contracted violently. He was already somewhat familiar with this sound. It was the roar of a Corrupted One. He looked towards the source and found it was his own squad leader.
At this moment, the squad leader was hunched over. With a series of crisp cracking sounds, one bone spur after another burst out from his back. Scaly keratin grew on the squad leader's arms. The blood vessels all over his body looked like flowing magma, showing a blazing red color. His blazing red vertical pupils indicated that this was already a Corrupted One.
Seeing this, Soldier Geo was horrified. He immediately drew the kinetic firearm from his lower back. When he pulled the trigger, the kinetic firearm emitted a *beep beep beep* alarm, indicating unauthorized and illegal use. This stunned him for a moment. He looked at the large-pistol-shaped kinetic firearm and found that a hand claw, with blood vessels as blazing red as magma, was gripping the firearm.
"What is... this?"
*BOOM!*
A large warship behind him fell diagonally, crashing down. From the burning breach, Corrupted Ones swarmed out. They still had fragments of armor hanging on them, clearly the standard armor of Wizard Legion soldiers.
Invisible, even perceptible, corrupted fungi floated in the air. The previously contaminated groundwater began to corrupt the ground from below. The black clouds in the sky were thick, and purple-black raindrops fell. Yes, this was the Calamity Legion's method: deep corruption. Over ninety percent of the Corrupted Ones destroyed by the Wizard Legion were deliberately left as cannon fodder.
With a *BOOM*, the main ship crashed down in flames. The metal hull was breached, and a large number of Corrupted Ones ran out on all fours. Finally, Supreme Commander Gideous limped out. When he was in the purple rain, white flesh tissue grew wildly and clung to his body surface.
In the end, this Supreme Commander of the Wizard Legion, Gideous, transformed into the Death Curse Baron, one of the three attendants under the Corrupted Lord. The earlier beheading of the Death Curse Baron was simply a trap.
...
Inside a quiet bedroom, Su Xiao was in a state of meditation. Suddenly, a corrupt malice spread towards him. It wasn't directed at him, but rather the entire Witch Realm was about to suffer this erosion. Because he was in a meditative state and had a keen perception of the world, he had this feeling.
The Wizard Legion must have been defeated. This was Su Xiao's first guess after perceiving the "Corrupt Malice." Of course, he never believed that the Calamity Legion could defeat the Witch Realm. If both sides fought to the death without regard for cost, the Witch Realm would definitely win in the end. It was a matter of the price paid, not victory or defeat.
Both sides knew this. Therefore, the Corrupted Lord acted with restraint. After destroying Sky City, he didn't let the corruption spread. As for why the Witch Realm wasn't more aggressive, it wasn't that they didn't want to, but that they couldn't. While they could certainly win a bloody fight with the Calamity Legion, if the Doom Star launched a large-scale attack afterwards, it might be the beginning of the Witch Realm's destruction.
The invasion of the Calamity Legion was not a critical major event for Moon Witch Seraphilia. It was a consequence of the Ancient King's death. When this consequence ended, the truly important matters for her would begin.
Therefore, Moon Witch Seraphilia's attitude was to get through this current phase as quickly as possible. The problem was also here. The Wizard Legion suffered a disastrous defeat, losing over seventy percent of its forces in the Battle of Sky City. The Calamity Legion's "Deep Corrosion" ability was one of the ceilings for attrition warfare.
The Moon Witch had previously proposed entrusting the Insect Race to handle this matter, thinking to resolve this phase quickly. The problem was that the Insect Race entering the fray directly would be equivalent to slapping the Wizard Legion in the face. The current situation was completely the opposite. The Wizard Legion had been beaten into a state of self-isolation, hurriedly retreating to Giant Armor City. Supreme Commander Gideous was even too ashamed to face the Moon Witch's trust and was preparing to resign.
It was said that if his adjutant hadn't been quick-witted, this old commander would have quietly piloted a combat aircraft back to the battlefield of Sky City to fight the Calamity Legion alone again.
In fact, this old commander was very capable. Over the years, he had beaten the Tribes of the southern border swamp wetlands until they howled in pain. He had spent most of his life guarding that place and was one of the few people the Moon Witch trusted most. Unfortunately, this was now an enemy in disguise, and his acting skills were explosive. Gideous's command of the Wizard Legion against the Calamity Legion this time could be described in data terms as:
(Level 60 Wizard Legion) VS (Level 97 Calamity Legion).
Losing was normal. Not being completely annihilated showed he had some skill in advancing and retreating. Of course, losing was only temporary. There was a Level 110 monster that hadn't entered the fray yet.
Ending his meditation, Su Xiao checked the recovery of his injuries. He was about eighty percent recovered. It would take about 2 to 3 days to return to his peak state.
Opening his skill list, Su Xiao saw the [Heaven's Wrath: Torrent Slash] ability. At this moment, the edge of this ability was flowing with a golden light, indicating that the sealing permission was about to expire. Currently, this ability was at Lv.50. It had a characteristic: this ability's level would synchronize with the Blade Grandmaster skill and would be enhanced as the Blade Grandmaster skill level increased.
Su Xiao's Blade Grandmaster skill was at Lv.87. He took a deep breath, feeling his physique with Strength, Agility, and Endurance all at 539 points. He estimated that raising [Heaven's Wrath: Torrent Slash] to Lv.87 should be no problem. It wasn't arrogance, but confidence gained from mastering multiple Law-Destruction abilities.
Su Xiao chose to lift the enhancement seal on the [Heaven's Wrath: Torrent Slash] ability. The next second, he felt as if endless world thunder had erupted within his right arm. However, the soul-deep pain was very brief. The good day ended there.
After an unknown amount of time, Su Xiao opened his eyes. As soon as he opened them, he saw Bubu Wang's dog head close by, along with his anxious and worried little eyes, and the hot air he was breathing out.
Su Xiao sat up and patted Bubu Wang's dog head. His right arm still had a slight stinging sensation. He was just about to check the upgraded [Heaven's Wrath: Torrent Slash] ability when Baha, perched on the back of a nearby chair, said, "Boss, the Moon Witch is here."
"Have the three of them arrived?"
"Yes."
"..."
Su Xiao got up and went to the adjacent dining room. There, he saw Kaiser, who had eaten and drunk his fill and packed quite a bit of ingredients; the Toad, picking his teeth with his mouth wide open; and the Violent Rat, holding a bottle of wine. The Three Rascals of the Arbiters were all gathered.
Seeing Su Xiao arrive, the Three Rascals of the Arbiters all stood up and went downstairs with him to the inner hall on the first floor.
In the inner hall on the first floor, the Moon Witch, who had been sitting in a chair with her eyes closed, opened them. Behind her stood the Old President and Silver Lady.
Amu pushed open the door. Su Xiao, Kaiser, the Toad, and the Violent Rat walked into the inner hall. Kaiser sat down in the C position on a high wooden chair. Su Xiao sat on a single sofa. He drew his sheathed long sword from his waist and placed it on the coffee table in front of him. Beside him, the Toad and the Violent Rat sat down on a three-seater sofa.
"This esteemed lady, do you want to hire us to deal with the Calamity Legion? Are you simply looking to repel the Calamity Legion, or would you like to enjoy one of our packages? If you purchase a package, we can give you a twenty percent discount."
Kaiser spoke with a sly smile on his face. After finishing, he pulled out the [Endless Greedy Old POS Machine] from his pants pocket.
"Packages are..."
Silver Lady looked a bit confused. Seeing this, Kaiser immediately explained:
"It depends on how thoroughly you want to deal with the Calamity Legion. For example, the 'Bankrupting Package' guarantees that while we repel the Calamity Legion, we'll also leave them penniless."
"This..."
Silver Lady's expression was momentarily quite interesting.
"This radiant old lady, please trust our professionalism. We are already very skilled at similar schemes... ahem! Similar business."
Kaiser simply pulled out a price list and handed it to Silver Lady, whose expression became even more interesting.
Moon Witch Seraphilia watched Su Xiao, Kaiser, the Toad, and the Violent Rat opposite her without saying a word. For some reason, after seeing these four guys appear just now, she suddenly had a feeling that the Calamity Legion was about to be in big trouble.