Chapter 622: The Grand Opening
“Boom!” The Iron Beast roared, its cannons bellowing across the Chaos battlefield, charging forward like a wrathful giant, rending through several Allied Forces units with devastating shellfire. ——This was a "Great Red Dragon"-class Tank, the largest Steam Tank in the Empire of Ashen, having shone brilliantly in the war against Northern Aether.
Behind the Steam Tank, George led his Infantry Regiment in rapid advancement. They surged through the breach created by the tank’s breakthrough, eradicating the remnants of the Allied frontline forces and covering the tank’s charge.
“Regiment Commander! Look over there!” The Adjutant shouted in alarm. George turned sharply toward the direction he pointed, his expression instantly darkening.
There, on the ground, a Celestial Warrior knelt, struggling to rise with his sword as a crutch. His face—once pristine and refined—was now deathly pale, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His armor was shattered, riddled with shrapnel. The once immaculate white wings, now stained with dust and blood, hung limp at his sides.
Sensing their presence, the Celestial Warrior lifted his head. His golden eyes blazed with fury, a storm of divine wrath.
“Mortal… leave now. I’ll spare your life.”
Instantly, a suffocating aura of intimidation descended upon the battlefield, a scorching pressure wave crashing forward.
“Angel,” George realized in an instant. This was a fallen Celestial Warrior—undoubtedly a powerful existence.
Years ago, George would have never dreamed he’d encounter such a being—something only whispered about by the clergy. He never imagined he’d stand here, facing one in battle.
Now, however, his grip on his rifle trembled—not from fear, but from sheer tension and euphoric anticipation.
Before him lay a Celestial Warrior of immense status within the Celestial Legion. To lead his men in killing him would be a legendary feat—glory beyond measure.
The Angel seemed to sense George’s thoughts. His voice, laced with sorrow and fury, rang out:
“Foolish mortal… you’re all corrupted by the Evil Dragon’s taint! Do you even know who you face? I am Captain of the Guard of Silver Heaven, the Righteous Enforcer—Barney!”
“Soldiers! Don’t let his bluff intimidate you! He is the Empire’s enemy!” George drew his rifle, cutting off the Angel’s words coldly.
Then, deliberately, he stretched his voice: “Do you know… what it means to kill a Celestial Warrior of such high status?”
A wave of fire surged through every Imperial soldier’s heart. Their breaths grew sharp, their bodies tense. They all knew the answer—glory, honor, status.
Their own Regiment Commander, George—Dragonblood Baron—had risen to noble rank by slaying an enemy commander. If he could do it… why not them?
“For the Empire!”
“Kill him!”
The soldiers screamed in frenzy, yet held their ground. Discipline was ingrained. Under George’s orders, they slowly retreated, forming a vast semicircular encirclement, advancing steadily toward the fallen Angel.
Barney lowered his head, his voice hoarse.
“You… will regret this.”
Swish—
His broad wings snapped open with a thunderous sound. Dozens of blood-stained golden feathers shot forth like arrows, streaking toward the Imperial ranks.
George reacted instantly—dropping to the ground with lightning speed, bellowing: “Danger! Down!”
In a split second, the entire Imperial force hit the dirt—conditioned reflexes taking over. But dozens were too slow.
The feather barrage tore through them like a storm of blades. Bodies were pierced through and through, riddled with bleeding holes, collapsing like broken puppets.
“Damn… that’s terrifying,” George muttered, eyes wide, watching the fallen soldiers. This Angel was far stronger than he’d anticipated. If they weren’t careful, they’d face total annihilation.
He reached for his walkie-talkie, whispering urgently:
“Enemy is powerful. Requesting cannon support. Coordinates—”
Far away, Barney, still gripping his sword, struggled to his feet, breathing heavily.
“I do not like harming mortals. I’ve forgiven your ignorance, your blindness. I’ve given you mercy again and again.
But now… I see the truth.
Evil Dragon’s followers… you are beyond redemption.”
Clang—
With a sharp, ringing sound, Barney drew his longsword from the earth, raising it toward the sky.
A blinding light erupted from the blade—like the sun itself—illuminating the entire battlefield. A grand, operatic melody echoed through the air, a divine judgment descending upon sinners.
Whoosh—
At that moment, a shell screamed through the air, a high-pitched whine slicing the sky. It struck with perfect precision—directly at the Angel.
Barney’s eyes widened. He swung his sword horizontally, cutting through the air with a flash of golden light. The shell exploded mid-air, torn apart by the blade.
Boom!
But then—more shells came. Dozens. Hundreds. Like a relentless rain of fire, they poured down in a continuous barrage of explosions.
Barney knew the power of these weapons. With his wounded body, he darted across the ground, weaving desperately, avoiding the falling fire. His wings flapped wildly, launching golden feathers into the sky—each one a blade, slicing through the air to disrupt the incoming shells.
George seized the moment. He raised his hand, barking orders:
“Open fire!”
He raised his pistol, closed one eye, and squeezed the trigger. The bullet flew—straight toward the Angel’s head.
The other Imperial soldiers, unable to contain their eagerness, unleashed a storm of fire. Semi-automatic rifles roared. Grenades flew like meteors. Machine gunners knelt, their rifles spitting flame, bullets pouring forth like a flood. Hot casings clattered onto the ground.
“Damn evil Dragon lackeys!” Barney roared. He raised his sword, golden light flaring into a shield. The bullets clanged against it, deflected like rain.
But the shells from the sky were relentless—like eyes with purpose. Meanwhile, the Steam Tank, responding to George’s call, charged forward, blasting the Angel with sustained fire.
Barney had no choice. Abandoning defense, he ignored the barrage of bullets and, with a final surge of strength, tore his damaged wings open and leapt into the air.
The moment he left the ground, the spot where he stood exploded—flames, shrapnel, dust, and debris erupting in all directions.
Under the relentless fire of the Imperial infantry, wounds blossomed across Barney’s body. The specialized fragmentation shells tore through flesh and skin, carving open horrific gashes.
“Aaaah—!” Barney screamed, his voice raw, his face twisted in agony—like a wounded beast in the final moments of a hunt.
In mere seconds, hundreds of bullets pierced him. Heavenly light—glorious, radiant—surrounded him, healing his wounds. But the rate of destruction far outpaced the healing.
Barney, battered and bleeding, raised his longsword high, roaring:
“The guilty shall be punished!”
The blade descended. A golden blade of light, stretching over ten meters, cleaved through the air with overwhelming force—cutting down a dozen Imperial soldiers in an instant. The ground split open, a deep fissure cracking the earth. The soldiers were vaporized before they could even scream.
Only George’s Dragon-blood-enhanced reflexes saved him. He rolled sideways at the last moment, barely escaping the slash.
Barney looked down at the carnage, his single hand gripping the sword, golden flames blazing from its tip.
But George didn’t flinch. Instead, his breath grew sharper, his eyes alight with euphoria.
“Fear not, my soldiers! He’s spent! Kill him! The invincible King Kai Xiusu watches over us!”
He grabbed a heavy machine gun from the ground, his Dragon-blood-empowered arm lifting it effortlessly. He braced his body against the recoil, leaning back, and opened fire—firing directly at the sky.
The rifle roared, spitting a torrent of bullets into the heavens. One casing after another flew out, the bullets like a floodgate unleashed.
Around him, the other soldiers, inspired by their commander, rose to their feet and poured fire into the sky.
The wind howled. A crushing aura of intimidation swept over the battlefield, forcing even the strongest soldiers to tremble—some even dropped to their knees.
Barney’s gaze hardened. His voice was ice.
“I shall grant you… a just Judgment. Death.”
Swish—
With a flash of light, the Angel spread his wings and dove from the heavens. He tore through the air, a blazing streak of divine fury, a living storm of judgment.
The sheer majesty of his descent caused many Imperial soldiers to collapse—knees buckling, hearts faltering, overwhelmed by the weight of his presence.
But George stood firm. The pressure wave hit him like a wall—but he did not fall.
“Come on!” He grinned wildly, his forehead and cheeks now streaked with crimson scales. This was not just a death charge—it was the perfect chance to kill the Angel.
He kept firing—his rifle growing hot, the barrel glowing red—but he didn’t stop. Bullets raked through the air, tearing at the Angel’s form.
Some were blocked by his protective aura. But the sheer volume of fire shattered it.
Then—Barney’s body erupted in crimson blossoms. His neck, abdomen, limbs, even his forehead—riddled with bullets. His organs torn apart. Even Heaven’s power could not save him from such wounds.
“Judgment…” Barney gritted his teeth, each word forced from between clenched jaws. He strained with his last strength, aiming to slay the one he deemed most evil—the Dragon’s follower.
But his vision blurred. His sword arm trembled. His wings sagged, lifeless.
Boom!
Finally, with barely five meters between him and George, the Angel crashed to the ground. Dust exploded into the air. His pure white wings scattered like snow.
His body—already a sieve of bullet holes—gushed blood. His wings twitched once, then fell still.
The sacred silver longsword, fallen from the sky, plunged deep into the earth.
The once-arrogant, supreme Angel—Judge of Silver Heaven—had fallen. Killed by a band of mortal infantry. The most common soldiers of the Empire of Ashen.
“Finally… dead.” George stepped forward, pulled the heavenly blade from the ground, and raised it high.
“Remember! King Kai Xiusu is watching. As long as you fight bravely, you will earn eternal glory! For the Empire!”
“For the Empire!” The soldiers roared in unison, their hearts ablaze with triumph. Having slain a true Angel, they now knew no fear.
On the distant city walls, Zalan, a high-level mage, watched in stunned silence as the battle unfolded.
“Lord Farne…” He stared at the ecstatic mortals below, disbelief turning into a crushing sense of absurdity. How could mere mortals kill a Judge of Heaven?
A wave of despair washed over him. This army—this force—was no mere Allied coalition. It could not be defeated by makeshift resistance.
All he could do was stand with his comrades in the City of All Arts, offering what little spell support they could. But he knew—the Allied Forces were already doomed.
Zalan turned his gaze to the horizon. A massive ogre floated in midair, draped in a short robe of arcane power, its cold eyes fixed on the human mage.
A chill ran through his spine. His hair stood on end. His mind froze. His heart sank.
“Legendary Mage.”
“What a magnificent battle.”
Kai Xiusu stood atop the hill, surveying the battlefield with a satisfied smirk. He clapped his massive claws together.
The old Ember Army had only dared to terrorize under his shadow. They could never have resisted a being of legendary level.
But now—after countless transformations—his Ember Army moved with flawless coordination, wielded terrifying power. Even across the entire Feanso Continent, they were a force not to be ignored.
Artillery thundered. Iron Beasts raced across the wasteland. Corpses of Celestial Beings and Wyverns rained from the sky.
The Ember Army pressed forward, driving the frontline within a few hundred meters of Collins City. The remaining tens of thousands of Allied Forces were forced to retreat, trapped in a narrow, desperate position beyond the river.
Olivia looked upon the scarred, blood-soaked land. She shook her head, letting out a sorrowful sigh.
“Kai Xiusu… this war is too cruel. Even if fought in the name of justice. For the people of Northern Aether… for this land suffering under war… grant them a merciful end. End this.”
The silver-haired girl lifted her face, staring into the pale golden eyes of the Red Dragon. Her voice was pure, sincere.
“Kai Xiusu… you’re right,” he replied, nodding slightly. “The Empire needs a wealthy, stable Northern Aether—to serve as the foundation for establishing justice across the Feanso Continent. Not a land of ruins.”
He turned, his voice soft but resolute.
“It’s time… to end this.”
With a sweeping motion of his vast wings, Kai Xiusu summoned a hurricane that tore across the earth. He ascended, soaring into the sky, reaching hundreds of meters above the battlefield.
The colossal Red Dragon raised his head. From deep within his throat came a roar—loud, thunderous, echoing across Northern Aether, as if the world itself were being torn apart.
“Roar—!”
In an instant, every sound—artillery fire, engine roars, soldiers’ screams—was swallowed whole by the dragon’s deafening cry.
For a single, eternal moment, every living being on the battlefield turned their gaze toward the north… to the sky.
(End of Chapter)
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