Chapter 435: Just Keep Going Like This. (2)
Kaahhhh!
The more stones rained down on the rift zone, the louder the screams of the Riftspawn became.
The zone had become so vast, and the Riftspawn were so numerous, that each shot of arrows and stones would always land on a target.
Ghislain shouted as he observed the encroaching Blue Mist.
“Don’t stop attacking! Keep preparing more stones so they don’t run out!”
Although hundreds of stones had been prepared within the fortress, they were far from enough. A separate unit was tasked with gathering stones from the surrounding areas.
But that wasn’t the only measure taken.
Boom! Crash! Bang!
The soldiers demolished everything within the fortress that could be broken.
If it were consumed by the Rift, it would be lost anyway. Broken structures could be rebuilt later.
Thus, an immense supply of materials for the trebuchets was gathered.
Crash! Boom!
Initially, the attacks were limited to long-range strikes with trebuchets, but after a day, the Blue Mist crept alarmingly close to the fortress.
Ghislain frowned as he observed the scene.
“The speed is truly abnormal. It’s definitely more than 500,000.”
‘It might even approach 1,000,000.’
In his previous life, a Rift had never emerged in such an open plain. After all, the Salvation Church struggled to create Rifts in such locations.
However, once formed, the Rift greedily absorbed the forces of nature, expanding at an astonishing rate. With no obstacles like buildings in its way, the expansion accelerated even further.
“They’ve really done something they can’t handle.”
If Ferdium fell, the barbarians who seized the north would ultimately have to contend with the Rift.
But could they, even if all the barbarian tribes united, withstand such a threat?
Woroqa, blinded by immediate gains, had made a catastrophic mistake.
As the Blue Mist approached, countless dark silhouettes flickered ominously within it.
Kaahhhh!
The soldiers caught sight of Riftspawn writhing, desperate to charge toward them.
“Those… those are Riftspawn…?”
“They’re real monsters.”
“They seem endless.”
Though shrouded in the mist, those with sharp eyes could make out the grotesque forms of the Riftspawn.
Seeing them up close would likely be even more horrifying.
“Archers! Prepare yourselves!”
Ghislain’s shout snapped the soldiers out of their daze. The Riftspawns were now within range of their arrows.
Under the direction of the elf Lumina, the archers raised their bows high.
The Fenris Army trained all its soldiers in archery. This influence extended to Ferdium’s knights and soldiers, who had also learned the skill.
While they weren’t as skilled as the forces of Fenris, they could at least aim and shoot.
“Shoot!”
Thwippp!
Tens of thousands of arrows simultaneously soared toward the Blue Mist.
There was no need to aim precisely. Even if some missed, most would hit their mark.
Unlike trebuchet stones, arrows couldn’t be replenished locally. Once they exhausted the fortress’s stockpile and the supply sent by Claude, that would be it.
But Ghislain did not relent.
“Don’t hold back! Keep shooting!”
Since the number of arrows was finite, they would eventually face the enemy in melee combat. It was better to reduce the enemy’s numbers beforehand.
Thwippp!
Arrows continued raining down on the Blue Mist. The Riftspawn, which disintegrated upon exiting the mist, had no way to counter the assault.
Kaahhhh!
Some Riftspawn, attempting to emerge, had parts of their bodies and limbs disintegrated.
The soldiers took turns attacking, ensuring they had enough rest to conserve their strength for the inevitable clash.
Sssssssssss…
By the second day, the Blue Mist reached the fortress walls, and their arrow supply was nearly depleted.
Fenris had continuously produced arrows in preparation for war and sent every last one to the Northern Fortress.
Yet, within just three days, their reserves were exhausted.
Fenris’s army numbered 20,000, while Ferdium’s forces, bolstered by food supplies and additional recruits, neared 10,000.
With 30,000 soldiers firing arrows without pause, lasting three days was already impressive.
“Stop! From now on, only the elves are to use arrows!”
At Ghislain’s command, the arrow barrage ceased, and the remaining arrows were distributed among the elves.
Ssssss…
Finally, the Blue Mist consumed the fortress walls and brushed against the soldiers’ faces.
It felt like a damp chill, akin to a cold rain falling in the early morning.
“Shields!”
Ghislain’s sudden shout jolted the soldiers atop the walls into lowering their bodies and gripping their shields tightly.
And at that moment
Kaahhhh!
The Riftspawn lunged through the mist, claws slashing viciously.
Banggg!
The sheer force of the Riftspawn’s strikes made the soldiers’ shields tremble.
Fortunately, the Blue Mist hadn’t fully engulfed the walls yet. Some Riftspawn had their claws turn to dust upon venturing too far.
Kaahhh! Kaahhh! Kaahhh!
The shrieks of the Riftspawn grew deafening, reverberating like thunder in the soldiers’ ears.
When the Blue Mist finally enveloped half of the fortress walls
Kaahhhh!
Thud! Crack! Thud-thud-thud!
The Riftspawn began scaling the walls, their claws digging into the stone.
They had hairless gray skin, long arms, bloodshot eyes filled with malice, and gaping mouths lined with razor-sharp teeth.
Gasp!
The soldiers who saw the Riftspawn for the first time gasped. Hearing about them was one thing, but witnessing their grotesque forms firsthand was utterly terrifying.
However, as elite, well-trained soldiers, they firmly gripped their shields and took solid stances.
“Kaaaargh!”
Hundreds of Riftspawn surged up in an instant, wildly swinging their claws and baring their teeth.
Many of them had arrows embedded in their bodies, but unless their heads were completely pierced, a few arrows weren’t enough to bring them down.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The soldiers holding shields at the front managed to hold their ground. The number of Riftspawn climbing up was still manageable at this point.
But soon enough, the sheer number of Riftspawn overwhelmed the shields, with some climbing over their comrades to scale the defenses.
As the Riftspawn landed one by one atop the walls, Ghislain roared loudly.
“Strike them down!”
The soldiers, who had been standing a step back, thrust their spears toward the Riftspawn.
Thuck! Thud! Thuck!
The Riftspawn’s defenses were no different from that of normal humans. Though pierced by the soldiers’ attacks, they did not die easily.
Woosh!
Around Ghislain, hundreds of mana spears materialized.
They zipped through the air, piercing the heads of the Riftspawns on the walls.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ghislain’s close aides and knights also slashed through the Riftspawns. Through their past encounters, they had learned how to conserve their energy in this prolonged battle.
The fight against the Riftspawns was a test of endurance. With their overwhelming numbers, the side that lasted longer would win.
As Ghislain struck down numerous Riftspawns, he shouted.
“Vanessa!”
From the rear, Vanessa, who had been waiting, began her spell.
“Earth Wall.”
Rumble!
A massive wall rose between the Riftspawns climbing up and those following behind them.
The wall was so enormous that it completely blocked the area in front of the fortress.
“Kaaaaargh!”
For a moment, the Riftspawns were split into two groups. Those in the rear frantically scrambled to climb the wall blocking their path.
The isolated Riftspawns were immediately bombarded by the remaining mages.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Flames and lightning crackled, incinerating the Riftspawn that had been swarming the fortress.
The soldiers wielding shields pushed back the Riftspawn climbing the walls, sending them tumbling down. Those that managed to scale the shields were promptly dispatched by the knights and soldiers stationed behind.
Elves positioned in the tall watchtowers scanned the battlefield and provided precise support with their arrows wherever the danger was greatest.
Trebuchets continued hurling stones, smashing the Riftspawn at the rear.
It was a flawless strategy. Vanessa’s barrier had slowed the Riftspawn’s advance, allowing for a gradual and systematic elimination of their numbers.
“Hold your ground! Just keep going like this!”
Encouraged by Ghislain’s rallying cry, everyone found renewed strength. As long as they stuck to their training, the situation remained manageable.
Before long, the area in front of the fortress was heaped with Riftspawn corpses. Unlike ordinary creatures, these did not turn to dust in the Rift’s domain, but began piling up.
Vanessa’s wall had significantly slowed the Riftspawn’s advance.
However, the growing mountain of corpses was becoming a problem. Despite the mages’ efforts to burn them, the sheer volume of bodies formed a hill.
“Kaaaaargh!”
The Riftspawn charged through the flames, undeterred. Even with arrows in their bodies and their flesh ablaze, they pressed on relentlessly.
The soldiers gritted their teeth. They couldn’t afford to falter in the face of this relentless assault.
Their side was far outnumbered. If any section collapsed, the formation would fall apart in an instant. They had to endure.
The earthen wall, initially blocking the path, began to crumble under the overwhelming number of Riftspawns clambering over it.
Vanessa stepped forward once more.
“Fire Pillars.”
Boom!
Massive pillars of fire erupted, obliterating the Riftspawn corpses in front of the fortress.
The Riftspawns had no choice, but to resume scaling the fortress walls.
“Earth Wall.”
Rumble!
Another earthen barrier rose, once again blocking their path.
The same sequence repeated. This strategy of alternating barriers and attacks was their first line of defense.
“Hold the line!”
“Don’t retreat! We can do this!”
“Stay strong!”
The commanders’ shouts rang out across the battlefield. If they could maintain their efforts, the Riftspawn would eventually be defeated, no matter how long it took.
Shh…
However, the Rift had extended its domain beyond the walls, expanding deeper. Soon, Riftspawns began climbing up the fortress walls on the flanks.
“Stop them!”
The trebuchets fell silent. With their limited manpower, everyone had to join the fight.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Knights moved to reinforce both flanks. While this slightly weakened the front line, they could still hold their ground.
“Kaaaaargh!”
“Die, you bastards!”
Both sides pushed with all their might to avoid being overrun. The Riftspawn, driven purely by killing intent, showed no sign of relenting.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Even the walls began to pile up with Riftspawn corpses, making movement increasingly difficult for the soldiers.
Ghislain was the one who resolved the issue.
Vwoo! Vwoo! Vwoo!
Hundreds of mana threads extended from his body, grabbing Riftspawn corpses indiscriminately and hurling them away.
The advancing Riftspawn were smashed to pieces by the flying bodies.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Thanks to Ghislain’s efforts, they managed to maintain this delicate balance.
Whenever a wall crumbled, Vanessa erected another one. True to her status as a 7th-circle mage, she even surrounded the fortress flanks with her earthen barriers.
When the corpses piled into hills, the mages incinerated them.
Despite their actions, they remained mindful of their mana reserves. Equidema still loomed ahead, and the end of this battle was nowhere in sight.
If they continued this pattern, they believed they could eventually handle the Riftspawn. Everyone clung to that hope.
That was, until the day was over.
“My… my arms won’t move.”
“Hold on!”
“Damn it… just how many are there?”
For humans, there’s always a limit to how long they can move.
If this had been a war against other humans, there would have been moments of reprieve as the enemy paused to rest.
But the Riftspawn never stopped coming. None of the soldiers could eat, sleep, or rest.
Only now did the soldiers grasp the true horror of the Rift.
It was a battle that would only end when one side was completely annihilated.
Ghislain bit his lip as he watched the increasingly sluggish movements of the exhausted soldiers.
“As expected, endurance is the problem.”
This was the true terror of a fully expanded Rift. The sheer number of Riftspawn was overwhelming.
By now, hundreds of Riftspawns would be pouring out of the Rift at any given moment. With no opposing forces to intercept them, they had accumulated without a stop.
Retreating for even a brief rest was not an option.
Only a handful could endure such unending combat for days on end. Against a ceaseless enemy, despair was inevitable.
The knights, whenever they could spare a moment, drank water mixed with powder. But for the soldiers holding the frontline, even that was a luxury.
“Kaaaargh!”
Boom!
Standing at the forefront, Ghislain wiped out dozens of Riftspawn in a single blow before shouting.
“Heal them!”
At his command, the priests waiting in reserve released their divine power.
Fwoosh!
Sacred light radiated across the battlefield, enveloping the soldiers. Riftspawn nearby screamed as their bodies were incinerated.
With their strength partially restored, the soldiers resumed their fight.
They needed to prolong this strategy for as long as possible. But even this had its limits.
“They need rest.”
No matter how many priests they had brought, restoring tens of thousands of soldiers was no easy task. Their resources were limited, and they needed to conserve them as much as possible.
Even the priests must have been exhausted after this single effort.
“There’s no other choice.”
When the soldiers recovered, they needed to eat the powder and water and take even brief moments to rest. It was the only way to keep them fighting longer.
Ghislain had already decided he would buy them that time.
“Bestow me with blessings!”
The priests’ divine power enveloped Ghislain’s body.
Soon, his figure began to glow brightly. The goddess’ blessing invigorated the body and reduced the impact of external attacks.
But Ghislain had no intention of using it for mere protection.
Fwoosh!
His eyes, which had been conserving power for sustained combat, now glowed red.
There was no need to activate the Third Stage Core. The second stage would suffice for now.
Ghislain gripped a spear and channeled mana into it.
Vrrrrrrr.
The spear trembled as a dark crimson aura enveloped it, the air around it vibrating. Charged with immense power, the spear shot forward toward the Riftspawn gathered before the fortress.
Boom!
A deafening explosion resounded as the Riftspawn in front of the fortress were obliterated.
And then, Ghislain leaped down into the thick of the battlefield.
Watching this, Skovan recalled a scene from the past.
“He’s at it again.”
The only difference this time was that Ghislain was fighting alone.