Volume 2 chapter 79
When the War Behemoths closed to within 20 kilometers, the knights beneath them began their charge!
Because Picard's City's defensive array was only Eighth-Rank, the charge was led by eight Eighth-Rank Knights commanding 8,000 men. As for the Ninth-Rank Knights—they did not advance with the ground forces, remaining in the air.
Ultimately, they still feared the sudden appearance of the Demon Lord. They had no idea where she was.
Despite possessing Elemental Sight, a Demon Lord could easily mask their presence by hiding near a large mana source. When a massive wave and a smaller wave are too close, the smaller one is swallowed by the larger one, rendering it invisible to magical detection.
For a city, large mana sources were plentiful: the Wall Defensive Array generator, the City Power Core, the Arsenal... If the Demon Lord hid in any of these places, she would be effectively invisible.
As eight Mana Drills condensed beneath the Behemoths, the giants deactivated their shields, allowing the drills to fly out like arrows from a bow string, straight toward Picard's City!
"Target the Charge Formations!" On the wall, Marcus screamed the moment he saw the eight drills form, his soul nearly leaving his body.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM...
The dense array of 152mm Wall Cannons immediately utilized their rapid-fire advantage, unleashing a barrage against the Mana Drills!
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH...
Shells exploded like firecrackers against the mana constructs, but they failed to slow the charge. Even led by Eighth-Rank Knights, these formations were immune to small-caliber fire!
BOOM!!
Suddenly, a Large Fortress Cannon shell arrived, slamming into one of the drills.
The 400mm Armor-Piercing shell penetrated the Mana Drill instantly, plunging into the formation. The subsequent explosion sent the leading Eighth-Rank Knight flying, horse and all. One Charge Formation disintegrated.
But not all shells could land. The War Behemoths angled their tubes toward the sky, sweeping a curtain of Mana Rays across the air. Massive numbers of shells were intercepted in flight, posing no threat to the knights below.
As the Behemoths closed in, the power of their Mana Rays increased. Some giants began to aim their secondary batteries at Picard's City itself!
PEW-PEW-PEW...
Beams of pure white light struck the city walls. Although blocked by the defensive array, they caused violent ripples in the barrier.
"All Shock Troops! Prepare for counter-charge inside the city!!" Lucas, seeing the situation, shouted orders and leaped down from the wall.
Marcus watched him go, then looked back at the rapidly approaching drills. It was clear—the wall would not hold.
"Damn it!!" Marcus punched the stone wall. "All Wall Cannons! Change target—Alliance Main Force! Super-Charge! Rapid Fire!!"
Although the Alliance advanced with Charge Formations and Behemoths, their main body remained 28 kilometers out, not rushing to attack.
They had tested this range; it was safe from standard Wall Cannon fire. But the Alliance didn't know that all Demon cannons had a "Super-Charge" setting. With the help of cooling magic, they could sustain high-pressure firing for a relatively long time—though the risk was immense.
But Marcus didn't care anymore! The Charge Formations were too fast and impervious to his guns. He couldn't scratch the Behemoths. The only option left was to inflict maximum casualties on the main infantry body!
"Yes! All Wall Cannon crews! Use Super-Charges! Target..." The Gun Chief took the order and ran without hesitation to notify every battery.
"FIRE!!"
BOOM!!
The three barrels of the Triple-Mounted 152mm Turret raised high and fired almost simultaneously.
Shells over half a meter long were pushed by massive mana pressure. They traced a high, steep arc across the sky, flying over the Charge Formations, over the War Behemoths, and landing precisely in the Theban main formation!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...
The sudden bombardment threw the military formation into chaos. Everyone was stunned. During the probing attacks, the Wall Cannons couldn't reach this far. Why now? Had the demons upgraded all their guns in such a short time? Impossible! They hadn't seen engineering mages swarming the walls!
"Raise Shields!!"
Although caught off guard, the Theban officers reacted quickly. As soon as the first shells landed, the Magisters united to erect a protective dome.
Sure enough, when multiple Magisters combined their power, the shells—having lost most of their kinetic energy over the extreme distance—couldn't penetrate. They exploded on the surface, weakening the shield slightly, only for more Magisters and Grand Mages to step in and reinforce it.
"Damn it... still not enough?" Marcus gritted his teeth. At 28 kilometers, even if the shell reached the target, its velocity was spent. It was falling by gravity alone. That force couldn't break a shield held by multiple Magisters!
RUMBLE...
Suddenly, another War Behemoth's shield was pierced. A shell flew into its rune array, and the explosion destroyed a critical node. Massive mana ran wild, causing the Behemoth to detonate on the spot!
"Good shot! Gina! F..."
Before Marcus could finish cheering, a deafening blast erupted from behind him. The shockwave slammed into his turret, shaking even the stone beneath his feet.
Marcus turned around slowly, his face frozen.
One of the five 460mm Fortress Cannon Turrets was gone. Only a massive mushroom cloud was rising slowly from its foundation...
"Gina..."
The massive explosion had even affected the nearby fortress cannons, silencing the 460mm battery momentarily.
Only now did Marcus realize—Gina was using Super-Charges too! And she had started much earlier! Likely from the very beginning!
Fortress Cannons were maintained far better than Wall Cannons. Under normal firing conditions, a catastrophic magazine detonation was nearly impossible.
"Sir... we..." The Gun Chief looked at Marcus, his face pale as a ghost.
"CONTINUE!"
Having understood the reality, Marcus turned back, his face expressionless. He ordered: "Continue using Super-Charges! Continue firing!! Do not stop!!"
"This..."
"EXECUTE MY ORDER! SOLDIER!!" Marcus roared. "The brothers in the Fortress Battery can sacrifice themselves! Can you not?!"
"I am standing right here! If it explodes, I die with you! NOW! EXECUTE THE ORDER!!"
"YES!!!" The Gun Chief stood up straight, screaming his response. "YES, SIR!!!"
"GO!!!"
After shouting, Marcus looked at the Charge Formations now right in front of the wall. His face was cold and grim.
"This is war... a war of survival..."
As the Charge Formations closed in, the searing heat from the Mana Drills impacted the wall's defensive array, creating seven circular ripples.
Inside the city, Lucas estimated the time. He waved his lance, and over a thousand demon shock troops began to move down the main avenue toward the gate.
BOOM...
The moment the seven Mana Drills touched the wall's defensive array, Marcus closed his eyes. Then, a tremor like an earthquake shook the stone. Accompanied by several loud cracks, he knew—The Wall was breached!
Immediately after, Lucas's Charge Formation fully formed, rushing toward the exhausted human knights who had just broken through.
Marcus understood—The cruelest moment had arrived.
With the defensive array gone and no Demon Lord appearing, the Alliance's Ninth-Rank Knights would have no more reservations.
He wasn't afraid. Or rather, fear was useless. No demon would be spared. Marcus knew this deep in his bones.
Finally, he walked out of the turret interior and stood on the platform—right under the massive gun barrel!
"All Wall Cannon crews! Fire at will! Target anything you can hit! Anything you can destroy—FULL FIRE!"
Marcus shouted into the wind.
"I will block attacks on the turrets for you! Do not hold back! Before we die, take as many enemies with us as you can!!"
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