Chapter 28: Fools Beneath the Shells

When the shells fell, crouching down did increase survival chances.

But if all the troops did that, they’d just become easy targets.

“Why are we even going like this?”

“Don’t know.”

“The boss said to.”

“I’m running!”

Thud!

An Orc running forward fell to the hand of the Orc Boss.

Choi Kangjoong laughed at the absurd sight and said, “Switch to melee priests.”

An ultra-small Apocalid brain implanted in the mana shells received an electrical signal.

The neural structure, which responded to shocks with explosions, was modified to detonate upon reaching a certain low altitude.

The altered mana shells were loaded.

Kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak kwak thud!

When countless mana shells exploded, they did so at the height with the widest lethal radius.

The Orcs at the center of the blast were completely vaporized, not a single drop of blood left.

Those knocked away by the shock had broken limbs or ruptured organs, vomiting green blood.

With every volley, two thousand Orcs were killed or wounded.

“Boss! It’s hard enough to get close!”

Crunch!

Kuralgal struck the Orc Boss with a fist.

The headless Orc Boss fell backward.

“I’m not wrong! Tell them to keep going!”

“Yes, boss!”

As the Orcs still crawled forward, Choi Kangjoong sent out the Scouts.

Puk! Puk puk! Puk! Puk! Puk!

Even stabbed in the back by the sickle claws, the Orcs didn’t rise.

Those who did were killed by the boss’s hand.

It was exactly like the saying that a foolish commander was scarier than a powerful enemy.

“Why can’t you even do this?! Move faster!”

Kuralgal kicked the Orcs.

The flying Orcs were grabbed by Air Walkers and sent straight to the incinerators.

“You idiots!”

Kuralgal ran forward.

Orcs lying down and trampled made strange noises as they died.

Lutal stepped forward.

Wanting to end it quickly, he wrapped Aura Blades around his sickle claws.

“Don’t kill.”

“Krk?”

Lutal was puzzled.

“If that kind of Orc is the boss, it’ll be easier to prey on them.”

“Krk!”

Lutal turned off the Aura Blades and ran forward.

As Kuralgal approached, he quietly swung the sickle claws.

The sword strike, far beyond the speed of sound, covered Kuralgal.

Klang! Klang! Klang!

Kuralgal smiled.

Though unusual, he was still an Orc.

He felt the greatest pleasure fighting strong enemies.

Forgetting the pain of his skin being torn by the sickle claws, he hacked away with his axe.

“Khahahahaha!”

The Orc’s battle muscles swelled the stronger he fought.

Kuralgal’s strength increased, and his speed improved as well.

He was constantly pushed back, but at some point began fighting Lutal evenly.

Of course, this was only possible because Lutal was not at full power.

While Kuralgal was engrossed in the thrilling fight,

The Orc horde melted away like ice cream in midsummer.

“Boss! If this continues, we’ll all die!”

“Give other orders quickly!”

Despite his subordinates’ pleas, Kuralgal focused only on the fight right before him.

There were no Orcs loyal enough to abandon him as their boss, even in this situation.

A split occurred.

A third ran toward the Apocalid, another third toward the opposite side where the Dimension Ships were scattered.

The rest fought among themselves.

[Evolution Point acquired.]

[Evolution Point acquired.]

[Evolution Point acquired.]

[Evolution Point acquired.]

[Evolution Point acquired.]

[Total Evolution Points: 10,089,344]

“You all go back and destroy the Orc Dimension Ships.”

Choi Kangjoong sent flying Apocalids to block the Orcs’ escape.

Fighter Giants and Fighter Warriors took to the air, but the Skyeye Giant sent a warning.

“The Dimension Ships are approaching?”

Choi Kangjoong turned the Skyeye Giant around.

The fleet was indeed closing in.

Adjusting the Skyeye Giant’s eyes for magnification,

There was a simplified emblem on the outer hull depicting a red horse and a black knight.

“I’ve seen that somewhere…”

A quick search on the internet immediately revealed the fleet’s affiliation.

“The Kingscavalry of the Immortal Legion? Their commander is Count Pabelus, a Death Knight?”

They didn’t seem to be arriving for a good cause.

Choi Kangjoong ordered Kuong and the Titans to attack Count Pabelus’s fleet.

Mana shells flew.

But the distance was too great to penetrate the Dimension Ships’ shields.

The mana storm that formed did damage their mana engines, but only to a few ships.

Count Pabelus’s Kingscavalry landed on the opposite side of the Apocalids.

Choi Kangjoong recalled the flying Apocalids.

Kuralgal halted the fight upon the appearance of the new force and led the Orcs to take a position in the center.

“What are they trying to do?”

“Kiik.”

“You want to check it out? Fine. Be careful.”

Kai Blinked, slipping among the Undead.

Even the Undead’s sensitive life force detection couldn’t pierce through Kai’s stealth cloak.

Passing between Black Knights, Undead a step below the Death Knights in threat level, Kai reached where Count Pabelus waited.

“Hold this place until I return after meeting Dielka.”

“Yes, my count.”

Count Pabelus mounted his Ghost Horse.

At over two meters tall, he looked imposing atop the horse.

“Are those what Duke Akirif spoke of?”

“Only slightly better than Orcs.”

“Don’t be careless. Duke Akirif is wealthy but not one to waste money.”

“Understood.”

“Prepare the Flesh Golems. Attack after collecting the Soul Orbs.”

The Dimension Ship’s side hatch opened.

Grotesquely entangled corpses waddled out.

These monsters, absorbing corpses, could unleash terrifying power on a battlefield filled with countless creatures.

There were not one, but twelve of them.

After deploying the Flesh Golems, Count Pabelus descended underground.

“So Duke Akirif sent them. What’s Dielka’s connection to the Dark Elves? Kai, follow them.”

“Kiik!”

Choi Kangjoong assigned Kai to Count Pabelus.

Long ago, the family Nahrromel existed in the Elf dimension Marsala.

Centered on Dark Elves, it was the only place to control Death Spirits.

Death Spirits were on par with Life Spirits, equally powerful.

Thanks to these Death Spirits, Nahrromel was the shield of Marsala and revered as outstanding warriors.

But that glory didn’t last forever.

The Dark Elves’ communion with Death Spirits suddenly severed.

Like Derrael, Nahrromel lost status and was persecuted and even exiled for handling Death Spirits.

They defended Marsala only to be betrayed.

The Elf Great Council knew it was shameful and erased this from history.

After a long time, only a few Elves and Dark Elves knew the truth.

Among them were Iselin and Dielka, a direct descendant of Nahrromel.

Her goal was to restore past glory and clear the Dark Elves’ name.

To do so, she needed to birth a Death Spirit.

The Death Spirit, equal to the Life Spirit and now considered legendary, was the only hope for reentering Elf society.

“Count Pabelus has invaded!”

In a large chamber, Dielka, communing with the Spirit Tree, turned around.

“There’s little time left until birth.”

“We’ll buy time.”

The Dark Elves charged forward, willing to risk death.

Just a little more…! If only the Death Spirit comes, we can undo everything and save the clan.

Pouring all her strength into concentration, Dielka made the Spirit Tree greedily absorb Orc blood and her mana.

In fact, it was hard to even call it a Spirit Tree — it was a branch stolen by Natasha.

With no roots established, reaching this close to birthing a Death Spirit was a testament to Dielka’s power.

Thud.

“Stop him!”

“Protect Lady Dielka!”

“Ahh!”

The screams drew nearer.

Count Pabelus, riding his Ghost Horse, moved quickly.

One of the Spirit Tree’s flower buds began to open.

Dielka’s face brightened.

If the flower containing the sleeping Death Spirit bloomed, the Dark Elves’ sacrifices would not have been in vain.

Step step step step.

Count Pabelus entered.

Large and radiating dark mana, he seemed to fill the room.

“Success. Your mother failed at this.”

“Shut up! If you weren’t here, she would have succeeded!”

The flower opened.

A translucent black bird fluttered out.

The newborn Death Spirit was plump and fluffy like a baby bird.

Dielka spread her palm, and it perched there, catching its breath.

“Looks delicious. Absorbing that would give strength to even bring down a dragon.”

Count Pabelus’s eyes glittered with greed.

Death Spirits were like a divine elixir to demons.

Dielka wrapped the Death Spirit in both hands.

She could not let the demon steal her only hope.

“Give me the Death Spirit!”

Count Pabelus’s Ghost Horse struck the ground.

Dielka barely dodged by leaping to the side.

The newborn Death Spirit was weak and lacked the strength to face Count Pabelus.

“Protect Lady Dielka!”

“This way, please!”

Dark Elves rushed into the room, shielding Dielka and attacking Count Pabelus.

There was no time to rejoice at the Death Spirit’s birth.

Every time Count Pabelus swung his greatsword, Dark Elves fell like flies.

Thanks to their deaths buying time, Dielka managed to escape in the opposite direction.

Where she passed, trails of tears remained.

“It’s already too late! There’s no way for you to leave this dimension! Hahaha!”

Count Pabelus chased after her, relaxed and confident.

Emerging from underground, Dielka realized he wasn’t bluffing.

“There they are…”

On one side demons, on the other Orcs, and on another unknown monsters.

Even if there were Dimension Ships, escaping here seemed impossible.

“What should I do…?”

She couldn’t go to the demons or Orcs.

The demons would steal the Death Spirit, and the Orcs were an uncommunicative race.

If she tried to pass through the seemingly emotionless monsters, she’d likely be torn apart instantly.

Count Pabelus closed in rapidly.

She had to choose quickly, but no options were visible.

Pok pok.

The Death Spirit pecked Dielka’s finger with its beak.

“You want to go to the monsters? They’ll only see me as meat!”

The Death Spirit took flight, heading toward the Apocalids.

“No! Come back!”

Dielka panicked and chased after it.