Chapter 859

Aplath Empire’s Emperor Elise felt his vision turn dark when he saw Six Monster Gods’ Dark Elf Jack and his Dark Elven Army appear. They had already taken down two kingdoms and were already marching toward the Aplath Empire.

The Aplath Empire might be lagging quite behind the Ardo Empire, but they were still one of the top ten empires in the entire continent. But even the emperor of such a strong empire was left flabbergasted and speechless when he saw the devastation and slaughter that was unfolding in front of him.

“My- my god...”

A few days ago, the nine million troops of the coalition army, established by the kings and emperors, were annihilated by the Dark Elven Army all at once. There were around forty kings and emperors that had gathered back then. That was why they could assemble a massive army despite only sending a few troops. However, each kingdom and empire had different thoughts when they faced that devastating situation.

‘The chance of all kingdoms and empires collapsing is very high.’

The number of the enemies was around five million at most. However, the dark elves were inherently stronger than humans, thus quickly destroying two of the kingdoms and the coalition army.

‘Even the most elite of our knights can only deal with one dark elf.’

However, the surprise did not end there. Not only were the dark elves’ close combat abilities as excellent as their knights, but they could also cast magic by borrowing the power of spirits through

spirit magic.

Because of that, the Aplath Empire's knights were having a hard time.

The average level of the soldiers was around 440. In comparison, the average level of the dark elves was around 530, which made it harder for them to fight back. Simply put, there was a considerable gap between their powers and abilities.

In the beginning, they had convened with a strategy.

–

How about gathering the mighty powerhouses of our kingdoms and empires?

However, they soon realized how foolish this thought was.

–

What if they get wiped out, too?

–Then, what would happen to us?

That was right. If they did that, there was a high chance that the pillars of their kingdoms and empires would die on the battlefield.

A fierce battle was currently underway in front of the Aplath Empire. It was a battle between the fifteen million troops gathered by the kingdoms and empires and the ten million troops sent out by the Aplath Empire and the dark elves. However, only the coalition army was decreasing in number.

All of the kings and emperors were standing atop the walls of the Aplath Empire and watching this massacre unfold.

“...What- what should we do?”

“Tell us! What should we do?!”

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

All of the kings and emperors felt their visions go dark after seeing the Dark Elven Army speed up their march.

***

The screams of the soldiers and the clanging of weapons rang non-stop on the battlefield, where the fight between the dark elves and the coalition army led by the Aplath Empire was happening. The strongest and most elite knights of each empire and kingdom could not believe what was happening right in front of them.

Clang– Clang, clang, clang, clang– Clang, clang, clang!

The force behind the thin rapiers wielded by the dark elves was far too heavy and strong. On top of that, there was a small sphere releasing dark energy above the heads of the dark elves. These spheres were none other than the Spirit of Darkness.

Shwaaaaaaaaaaaa–

The spirits of darkness used their power and cast temporary debuffs on the knights that their dark elves were fighting against. It was an extremely terrible debuff that forced a 15% drop in their attack and a 20% drop in their attack speed. But that was not all. The spirits of darkness would also cast debuffs on the knights and soldiers in their vicinity.

“Kghk– keuaaaaaaaaaaack!” One of the knights screamed as blood spurted out of his neck.

The skilled dark elves completely controlled the tide of war with their rapiers in hand. However, they did not only rely on their rapiers. They would also shoot arrows from the crossbows hanging on their backs from time to time. Crossbows were weapons that generally had lower accuracy. However, in the hands of the dark elves, the crossbows could accurately fire arrows at the necks and other vital points of the coalition army troops.

“Hiiiiiiiiiik!”

“Don’t- Don’t come near me!”

“Don’t come here!”

“They- they’re too strong!”

“Commander! The enemies are too strong!”

The coalition army built around the Aplath Empire had the advantage in numbers. However, it was still challenging for them to kill the dark elves. When they saw the hundreds of thousands of spirits of darkness flying to the sky, the coalition army could tell that something unusual was about to happen.

Then, the spirits of darkness in the form of spheres shot down toward the coalition army.

“Ahihihihi!”

“Hehehehe!”

“Ehe! Ehe!”

“Die! Heeheehee!”

Baaaaaaaang–

Boooooooom–

Baaaaaaaaaam–

Baaaaaaaaaaaaang–

Boooooooooooom–

As these spirits of darkness fell, it was as if someone cast several Explosion Magic all at once, as several explosions erupted all over the battlefield and reaped the lives of many. This single attack raised the number of casualties to 1.5 million out of the twenty-five million troops of the coalition army. Alas, their nightmares were just beginning.

Six Monster Gods’ Jack, sitting on the sidelines until this moment, suddenly made a move. With his black skin and white hair, a beauty and grace that anyone could admire, Jack flew to the sky, his black cape fluttering behind him. In his hand was a black longsword, a weapon utterly different from those the other dark elves wielded.

All eyes were fixed on Jack as he floated in the sky above them.

[The Great Spirit of Darkness Pero has been summoned!]

Great Spirits had not made an appearance in Athenae at all. The highest level of spirit that a player had encountered was only a high-ranking spirit.

[The Great Spirit of Darkness Pero has descended!]

[The Great Spirit of Darkness Pero is the most powerful among the Five Great Spirits!]

The great spirit that appeared was the strongest among all of the great spirits who had not yet made an appearance.

Shwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa–

The three-meter-tall Great Spirit Pero, whose body was engulfed with black flames, looked very similar to Ifrit. He was stuck behind the flying Jack.

[The Great Spirit of Darkness Pero has lent you his strength!]

The black streams of energy that flew out of Pero’s hand were sucked into the black longsword in the hands of Dark Elf Jack.

“Thieves.”

In the eyes of the dark elves, the humans who took the land away from the elves were nothing but thieves and plunderers. Dark Elf Jack had been waiting for this moment for a very long time. He even went so far as to hide himself and the other dark elves in the darkness, while drinking the Water of Life to prevent themselves from aging.

“Your judgment day has arrived.”

Crackleeeeeeee–

A crescent sword light shot out of Dark Elf Jack’s black longsword when he swung it. The mages hurriedly cast shields, and even high-leveled mages tried to erect barriers to block the attack, but it was of no use. Dark Elf Jack’s power completely ignored the defenses that they tried so hard to cast.

Shwaaaaaaaaaaaa–

The crescent sword light that was tens of meters in length cut the coalition army’s troops into two. In a single swing of Dark Elf Jack’s sword, 40,000 of the troops died.

[Dark Elf Jack. Level 747.]

Dark Elf Jack was one of the Six Monster Gods. Not much was known about him since he had been hiding in the darkness for a very long time. This very same Dark Elf Jack landed on the ground and began to cut down the coalition army’s troops.

Slaaaaaaaaash–

Dozens of knights died in his hands with every swing of his sword. And whenever he borrowed the power of the Great Spirit of Darkness Pero, thousands more would die. With him entering the battlefield, the dark elves began to push back the coalition army at a crazy pace.

It only took half a day to kill more than seven million of the coalition army’s troops.

“A- aaaaaaaack!”

“Keuaaaaaaaaack!”

“Hiiiiiiiik!”

The coalition army, who fought as far away from the empire as possible, were now pushed back with their backs against the walls of the Aplath Empire.

Then, at that moment, Dark Elf Jack raised his fingers to his mouth and whistled. “

Fweeeeeeeet–!

”

At his call, huge werewolves appeared in front of the dark elves. These were not ordinary werewolves either. They were the werewolves that Jack had nurtured alongside the dark elves for a long time. They had black manes, were the size of a lion, and all had high levels.

[Dark Werewolf. Level 580.]

Around a million of them appeared. The dark elves, who immediately mounted on the backs of the dark werewolves, started to charge forward.

All of the soldiers and knights on their path had been knocked down.

“Grrrrrr!”

“Keuaaaaaaack!”

“Keoooook!”

“Keuhaaaaaack!”

The dark werewolves were strong. Their teeth could easily tear off the limbs of the soldiers and knights that blocked their paths, while their feet could easily crush the bones of their enemies into powder. But that was not all. The dark elves that rode on their backs would also attack and stab the troops in their necks.

Just like that, the coalition army was pushed back, like a tidal wave receding back into the sea.

“Your Majesty! You have to order an evacuation!”

“We must evacuate our people now!”

Emperor Elise’s face grew ugly. However, even the other kings and emperors agreed to those words.

“Emperor Elise, we will assist in the evacuation of your people as much as we can.”

“Let us disperse and allow the people to seek refuge in other kingdoms and empires. Our kingdom will open our doors wide for your people.”

Elise knew that this was the best decision at the moment. The Aplath Empire, one of the top ten empires, might possibly have to depend on other kingdoms and empires for their survival now.

However, the other kings and emperors also knew.

‘We’re going to be next.’

‘How long can we retreat like this?’

‘Will the entire continent be taken away from us like this?’

At that moment, Emperor Elise asked Tactician Farrow, “Is there a way for us to get through this disaster?”

“Ten soldiers cannot beat a single knight. Ten knights cannot beat a single hero or legend.”

That was right. The advantage in number would only work if the gap in power was not that large.

“Right now, the dark elves are the knights. And us? We’re just soldiers. If there’s someone that can match them or even overpower them, then there is a possibility for a breakthrough.”

If there truly was someone like that, then they would be able to make a breakthrough somehow.

“I’m sorry to say this, but our story is already over. All of the other kingdoms and empires do not wish to lose their talents.”

“...I see.”

If they lost their talents, then they would also lose their nation’s pillars. At this moment, the kingdoms and empires felt how it was such a waste for them to lose their talents to the Beyond the Heavens Empire.

Baaaaaaaang–

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang–

At that moment, the werewolves began to smash the gates. They had somehow reached the walls by charging through the gaps in the coalition army.

Emperor Elise looked back at his empire.

‘Where will we go if we leave this place?’

Was the Luvien Empire really not coming to their aid? If the Swords of the Gods appeared, then they could probably take down and drive away those dark elves. Of course, all of the kings and emperors present were of the same mind.

Now that they were reduced to becoming the

ten soldiers fighting desperately against a single knight

, the only way for them to survive was the appearance of a

hero or a legend that could overwhelm ten knights

. Otherwise, their kingdoms and empires would collapse.

With a melancholy look, Emperor Elise ordered, “Heed my orders, evacuate all of the people...”

Then, at that moment, a notification rang.

[One of the Absolute Gods, the God that Lives for Someone, Leads Someone on the Right Path, and Protects Someone, is looking at you.]

***

At the same time.

Minhyuk looked at his men lined up in front of him. His knights and soldiers had all grown sharper and more potent. As for the heroes and legends they recruited from the other kingdoms and empires? All of them had also grown stronger.

“Do any of you regret coming to this emperor’s empire?”

“We do not have any regrets, Your Majesty!!!”

“We do not have any regrets, Your Majesty!!!”

A smile of satisfaction bloomed on Minhyuk’s face when he heard their loud cries.

He would turn them into heroes and legends who could take on hundreds of soldiers alone. And what did he need to achieve that?

First, the Food God’s dishes.

Second, the Guardian God, Obren.

The Beyond the Heavens Empire had now started their preparations for war.