Chapter 256

"Prepare yourselves, knights! We are approaching the range of Wyvern's Breath! Ready yourselves!"

Responding to Philford's urgent directives, the knights swiftly adorned their Chevalier Armor and raised substantial shields to chest height. These shields were meticulously crafted, designed specifically to withstand the formidable impact of a Wyvern's Breath.

In the meantime, the Yupir Church’s priests buffed the paladins with Yupir’s Authority. The effect of Yupir’s Authority greatly buffed the attack and defensive capabilities of the paladins.

"Paladins, as soon as the Wyverns are within range, unleash Yupir's Heavenly Thunder without hesitation," Philford instructed Rood and the rest of the paladins.

“Noted.”

"Wind Elves, please disrupt the Wyverns' flight as much as you can with the power of the wind spirits."

“We will try our best.”

Given the limited number of Wind Elves present—only six from their tribe—who arrived in the Valencia Kingdom, the prospect of single-handedly grounding over a hundred Wyverns seemed insurmountable. Their role could, at best, amount to a modest disruption amidst the looming threat.

Neither Philford nor Alicia were oblivious to that. Still, they couldn’t sit by doing nothing. They had to give it their all.

Simultaneously, the Magic Corps of the Valencia Kingdom was gearing up for a magical assault on another front. Comprising wizards all of the Fifth Circle or higher, with Bellion at the helm as a Seventh Circle Mage, their magical prowess was comparable to the rank of a Master Knight among the knights.

Wyverns stood as the highest-ranked monsters, proving to be a formidable challenge even for Grand Masters. Given the firepower of Seventh Circle magic, dealing significant damage to the Wyverns seemed practically implausible. The prospect was even more elusive for Fifth and Sixth Circle Mages, whose magical abilities fell short in comparison.

There was little the magic Corps could do against the Wyverns. Bellion was also well aware of it. Despite this, his decision to lead the Magic Corps into battle stemmed from the solemn duty they bore as defenders of the Valencia Kingdom's capital. Alongside the Green Dragon Order, the Knight Order of the Valencia Kingdom, they held the obligation to defend their realm. Even in the face of overwhelming odds, giving their utmost effort remained an unyielding imperative.

As the Wyvern horde approached within their firing range of five hundred meters, they wasted no time and unleashed a barrage of Flame Breaths. A concentrated torrent of intense flames surged toward the outer walls of the Valencia Kingdom's capital, resembling a cascade of luminous rays.

“Shields!”

Responding to Philford's urgent cry, the knights clad in Chevalier Armor synchronized their movements, hoisting their massive shields in unison. The Flame Breaths collided with the knights' formidable Chevalier Shields, resulting in a fiery explosion. Remarkably, the knights successfully thwarted the Flame Breaths, their sturdy shields proving resilient in the face of the fiery onslaught.

Despite their valiant efforts, the knights proved unable to fully withstand the formidable force behind the Flame Breath. The impact of the fiery onslaught sent them hurtling backward, crashing into both the outer walls and the ground. Even the Master Knights, formidable as they were, succumbed to the force of the attack. Only the Grand Master Knights, while managing to stand their ground, felt the formidable impact and narrowly avoided being forcefully pushed back.

As the Wyverns roared, preparing to unleash another round of Flame Breaths, Rood and two fellow paladins promptly countered. They unleashed the formidable power of Yupir's Heavenly Thunder, directing it toward the approaching Wyverns.

Caught off guard, the Wyverns found themselves under a sudden deluge of golden Thunderbolt Swords, descending from above the approaching quiver that had drawn within a mere three hundred meters. Frantically attempting to evade the unforeseen assault, the Wyverns struggled, but the proximity left them with little chance of escape.

As many as three thousand Thunderbolt Swords mercilessly impaled the colossal bodies of the Wyverns without discrimination. Pierced by the electrified blades, the Wyverns became ensconced in a tempest of lightning, their massive forms plummeting towards the ground. Despite the onslaught, the Wyverns, resilient creatures, expelled magic through their colossal wings, attempting to shake off the lightning's embrace and ascend once more into the sky.

At that critical moment, a colossal windstorm surged through the Wyvern quiver. This tempestuous attack was orchestrated by the wind spirits, conjured by the Wind High Elves. Approximately half of the Wyvern horde succumbed to the force of the windstorm, losing their equilibrium and plummeting towards the ground. Unable to recover control, they crashed into the unforgiving terrain below.

Approximately fifty Wyverns crashed into the ground, creating a seismic impact that reverberated through the area. The land bore the brunt of their colossal descent, forming a pit several meters deep. A billowing dust cloud, exceeding ten meters in height, enveloped the aftermath. The Wyverns, having endured the immense damage from their fall, lay sprawled on the ground, their formidable forms now diminished.

Primarily, the majority of the Wyverns that crashed bore broken and bent wings. Scattered across the ground, they lay in a state of disarray, seemingly lifeless and unable to recover from the tremendous shock. Yet, it was crucial to note that, despite their appearance, the Wyverns were not deceased. The overwhelming impact had rendered them unconscious momentarily, but life still pulsed within their formidable frames.

In their current state, the knights could easily kill the incapacitated Wyverns. However, the defenders stationed along the outer walls lacked the immediate means to engage the Wyverns directly. Moreover, even if they possessed the means, it was not a viable option to initiate an attack at this moment.

The respite proved short-lived as the remaining Wyverns, having shrugged off the effects of the golden lightning and evaded the windstorm, unleashed another round of Flame Breath toward the outer walls. The knights, still recovering from the initial Breath attack, struggled to reassemble their formations in time to repel the renewed assault.

With no one left to intercept the Wyverns' Breaths head-on, the responsibility fell on the shoulders of the Yupir Church's paladins. Unleashing Yupir's Hundred Lightning, the paladins became encircled by a massive golden wheel that gradually transformed into an array of innumerable Thunderbolt Swords. These radiant blades soared toward the oncoming Flame Breaths, standing as the final line of defense.

The barrage of three hundred Thunderbolt Swords, launched by the trio of paladins, soared towards the oncoming Flame Breaths. Intercepting the trajectory of the fiery onslaught, the Thunderbolt Swords collided with the Flame Breaths. However, the Thunderbolt Swords succumbed to the formidable heat and force of the Flame Breaths, disintegrating into scattered bolts of lightning.

Ultimately, the three hundred Thunderbolt Swords proved insufficient to entirely halt the advance of the Flame Breaths. Nevertheless, the Flame Breaths, having expended a considerable amount of firepower in breaking through the Thunderbolt Swords, suffered a notable reduction in their overall intensity.

Having clashed with the golden Thunderbolt Swords, the Flame Breaths, once resembling a formidable river, now dwindled to the strength of an inconspicuous, no-name brook. The diminished firepower rendered the subsequent Fire Breaths far less menacing.

The wind spirits, summoned by the Wind Elves, once again manifested a huge windstorm, scattering the weakened Flame Breaths. In the meantime, the knights who were knocked down by the Breath attack quickly regained their composure and raised their Chevalier Swords.

Before they knew it, the Wyverns were flying just above the outer walls and slashed with their razor-sharp claws as they descended. The red aura emanating from their sharp claws struck the knights who had not yet been able to re-establish their battle formation.

Fortunately, the knights who had successfully maintained their formation retaliated by swinging their Chevalier Swords, releasing a wave of aura in response. Nevertheless, unless they held the esteemed rank of Master Knights, they lacked the necessary strength to entirely thwart the red aura emanating from the Wyverns' claws.

The knights' auras, intersecting with the Wyverns' claws, were torn apart and shattered. Following the destruction of the knights' protective aura, the Wyverns' claws ruthlessly targeted the knights adorned in Chevalier Armor. The formidable armor meant to shield its wearer, proved no match as it was brutally crushed and torn apart by the ferocious assault.

Even the knights donned in Chevalier Armor did not emerge unscathed. Over ten knights succumbed, collapsing to the ground while still encased in their armor, blood staining their bodies. The merciless assault had taken a severe toll on their ranks.

“You monstrous bastards!”

“Die!”

Fueled by rage, the knights unleashed Aura Blades towards the Wyverns. Responding swiftly, the Wyverns kicked the ground and ascended, generating formidable gusts with the powerful strokes of their wings. Unable to withstand the intense pressure, the Aura Blades were repelled, redirecting their force back towards the knights. The knights, quick on their feet, evaded to the side, skillfully avoiding the backlash from their own Aura Blades.

Regrettably, the knights who couldn't react in time found themselves struck by their own Aura Blades, plummeting to the ground. The Wyverns, having soared into the sky amid potent wind pressure, descended once more, slashing with their claws at the knights who lay vulnerable on the ground. The relentless assault continued.

Nevertheless, the Wyverns were compelled to ascend once more. The Wind Elves conjured a formidable windstorm, while the paladins unleashed Yupir's Hundred Lightning, assaulting the Wyverns. In an attempt to evade the windstorm and the onslaught of golden Thunderbolt Swords, the Wyverns soared high into the sky.

Subsequently, the Wyverns directed a Flame Breath towards both the knights and elves. Swiftly, the knights and elves leaped away from the fiery onslaught. Nevertheless, the Flame Breaths unleashed by nearly fifty Wyverns boasted an extensive range. While the Wind Elves managed to adeptly evade using the aid of the wind spirits, the knights found it challenging to avoid the all-encompassing flames.

A significant portion of the knights found themselves unable to evade the Flame Breaths, succumbing to the engulfing flames. The intense heat of the Flame Breath melted the Chevalier Armor worn by the knights, leaving no trace behind. Those who managed to dodge the fiery onslaught—both knights and elves—gazed in stunned disbelief at the Wyverns and their unfortunate comrades who had melted away.

In their moments with Mu-Gun, they momentarily overlooked the overwhelming might of the Wyverns. It became apparent that halting the Wyverns on their own was an insurmountable challenge. The realization dawned that Mu-Gun's presence was imperative in this dire situation.

Once again, the surviving knights and elves faced the imminent threat of another round of Flame Breaths from the Wyverns. However, to their surprise, no fiery onslaught emerged from the Wyverns' mouths. Instead, colossal ice spears thrust forth, piercing the Wyverns' mouths.

The Wyverns, their mouths impaled by the ice spears, descended with agonizing screams. In response to this abrupt turn of events, the knights and elves shifted their attention towards the capital.

Swiftly approaching, Mu-Gun soared through the air, flanked by a wind giant on the left and an ice giant on the right.

“Lord Argon is here!”

“Yupir’s representative has come!”

The knights confirmed Mu-Gun’s appearance and cheered.

“Will you two Spirit Kings take care of the Wyverns?” Mu-Gun asked the Wind Spirit King Nervatum and the Ice Spirit King Eladium to attack the Wyverns.

-Leave it to me.

-That’s what I wanted to do.

Acknowledging with a nod, Nervatum and Eladium charged headlong towards the Wyverns. Initiating their assault, they unleashed a potent combination of a fierce windstorm and an icy tempest. The incapacitated Wyverns on the ground, still writhing in pain, bore the brunt of the onslaught as the windstorm and ice storm descended upon them.

The windstorm tore apart the colossal bodies of the Wyverns, while the ice storm encased them in a frozen embrace. Unable to mount a proper defense against Nervatum and Eladium's relentless assault, the Wyverns succumbed to their demise, their lives extinguished without a chance to retaliate.

Yet, there remained a few surviving Wyverns—the ones whose wings had been rendered useless by the Wind Elves' windstorm and Yupir's Heavenly Thunder. Although they had momentarily lost consciousness upon crashing, they had since regained their senses.

Despite their broken wings, the surviving Wyverns remained formidable in other aspects. They retaliated by unleashing a Flame Breath towards Nervatum and Eladium. Reacting swiftly, the two Spirit Kings conjured a defensive barrier comprised of wind and ice, successfully thwarting the Wyverns' fiery assault.

The relentless onslaught of Flame Breaths persisted, each attempt thwarted by the steadfast wind and ice wall. Undeterred, the Wyverns persisted in their fiery assault, the repetition of an attack that had proven ineffective. In their grounded state, with wings rendered useless and flight denied, the Flame Breath remained their sole means of offense.

Nervatum and Eladium continued to form an impervious barrier of wind and ice, successfully neutralizing each successive Flame Breath. While preoccupied with the defense against the Wyverns' relentless assault, the Spirit Kings showed no signs of haste, patiently awaiting the opportune moment to turn the tide.

The Flame Breath, the Wyverns' most potent offensive, exacted a substantial toll on their magical energy reserves. In the ongoing confrontation, it became evident that the Wyverns would inevitably deplete their magical energy. Therefore, there was no need for Nervatum and Eladium to overdo it.