Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 605 The Final Battle Erupts!

——Boom! ! !

The earth trembled, and the sky hissed.

In Luo Xiu's view, he saw a colossal object rise from the ground of the "Sage's Tower" not far away and slowly ascend into the sky.

Those were the three enormous fortresses—the ultimate weapon of the "Sage's Tower," the floating city, which appeared amidst a tremendous roar.

They slowly rose into the sky, cascading down fragments of rock and broken rock pillars, leaving several huge, abyss-like craters on the ground, teeming with molten lava from the massive energy eruption.
Until the three floating cities rose to a certain height and pierced through the clouds, they were suspended in the vast sky.

Luo Xiu looked up.

They resembled inverted spires, with deep blue light surging like waves on the outer walls; flying puppets also swarmed out of the floating city like bees, forming arrays outside the floating city, creating a network of dots that formed shimmering lake-like curtains.

A colossal runic monument, resembling a prism tower, is embedded in the very center of the floating city—its very core. From this central point, a ring-shaped network extends outwards, giving the floating city's architecture more than a dozen different levels.

On the network of buildings, half of the runic siege weapons have been activated. The magic crystals in the energy center are flashing with a scarlet light, filled with an aura of extreme danger; on the towers, bastions, and steel walls, the runes used to control the weapons are already flashing, looking like a starry sky from afar.

At the base of several floating cities are countless enormous magic crystals, with engraved rune circuits that are shimmering with light, providing the power that allows the floating cities to levitate; surrounding them are dozens of overlapping halos, on which most of the spiritual energy of the floating cities is concentrated.

As the halo spewed forth waves of heat, the floating city moved forward; as it began to rotate around a central axis, it caused the floating city to turn.

The massive, fortress-like floating city was filled with sorcerers of [Intelligence], who used their spiritual power to keep the floating city running. The three colossal structures moved with a roar towards the dark capital.

The three floating cities are the "Sky Tower," the "Starry Sky Tower," and the "Secret Lake Tower," with the latter two towers each guarded by two "Great Sages."

The "Sky Tower" is personally overseen by the "Great Sage Chief," and it is the largest floating city. In an instant, the three floating cities have moved to a position only about ten miles away from the dark city wall of the capital.

Almost instantly, the rune matrices above the three floating cities, which had been shimmering with deep blue light, turned crimson.

Terrifying shockwaves erupted in bursts, and after a brief build-up, they were suddenly completely enveloped in a pale white light in everyone's field of vision.

boom! ! ! ! ! ! !
—BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!
A tremendous explosion roared and resounded, and the paleness that spread due to the terrifying explosion lasted for a moment. Luo Xiu could already see that in the far distance of his vision, in a corner of the dark capital, a raging fire had broken out.

The thousands of city-level rune cannons mounted on the floating city have begun to bombard the walls of the dark capital city continuously.

Meanwhile, the thousands of magic crystal cores, shimmering with crimson light, simultaneously emitted pale lightning—a force field expanded out around the three floating cities. The spirituality surrounding them was rapidly drawn in by the cores of the floating cities, making the cores increasingly abundant while the surrounding spirituality increasingly withered.

This is the beginning of the "decisive battle"—

This was also a plan that Luo Xiu knew about, which the Empire had decided on at the beginning of the engineering decision.

Let the Grand Sage Chief of the "Sage's Tower" of Wisdom, Thorin, one of the three great demigods of the Empire, activate the three floating cities to lead the charge.

This is the Empire's most fortified fortress on the battlefield, and also its greatest firepower at its disposal. As long as the three floating cities remain high in the sky, endlessly pouring cannon fire upon the Dark Capital, the Empire will never be defeated in this decisive battle, thus completely exhausting the remaining manpower of the Dark Capital.

--boom!!!!!

—BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!
The intense bombardment of the dark capital continued, the billowing light mist grew thicker, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder.

Luo Xiu was still waiting—he, Daveld, and the other fully prepared clergy were all waiting for the moment when the Dark Capital would make any response.

With three floating cities perched atop the Dark Capital, the Dark Capital could not possibly remain silent—otherwise, the three floating cities alone would be enough to destroy the Dark Capital's walls, and the Imperial Expeditionary Force could then march out and conquer the city in an instant.

Until the intense, terrifying artillery fire bombarded three rounds in succession—

Boom! ! ! ! !
A terrifying shockwave erupted—but it originated from the direction of the dark capital.

Thick, black flames erupted from the wide, high walls, and several city gates opened immediately, while deafening roars, like tsunamis, echoed from the walls.

That was the roar of dragons—then, countless black dragons, blotting out the sky, surged out of the dark city, thousands of them rushing toward the three floating cities!

Amidst the dense mass of black dragons, two shadowy figures stood out—the two "Pillars of Black"! All the black dragons were theirs to keep, and they charged straight toward the floating city.

The dark forces have launched a counterattack!
They accepted the challenge—from the several wide-open city gates, a dense, dark army surged forth. Among them, the executioners of the "Fivefold Fate" and the chief executioners of the "Sixfold Fate" were already sweeping towards the expeditionary force's position under the intense bombardment of the floating city.

A pitch-black curtain of light enveloped the dark army, which surged like a black tide, like a thick veil. Dense artillery fire bombarded the black veil, causing ripples to spread like water before disappearing without a trace, like stones sinking into water.

It was a means of neutralizing a force—a force derived from a "divine object." It was wielded by a "Pillar of Darkness," who protected the Dark Army pouring out of the Dark Capital from the dense artillery fire from the floating city overhead.

……

Luo Xiu watched this scene unfold.

He knew the time had come, and at the same time, he received the order to attack—

On the command towers that everyone could see, standing tall amidst the empire's various outposts, the flames burning in the huge torches suddenly surged higher and turned a deep red.

At the neighboring [Supreme] stronghold—"Sky Knight" Stuart and Lord Gawain—they had already mounted their mounts, shouting battle cries as they charged toward the direction from which the Black Army was spreading.

Behind them were Stuart's "Dragonfly" knights, Albert, Lansas, and the Throne Knights and Royal Guard Knights, already mounted on armored warhorses and wielding terrifying weapons.

"The Sage of Mystery" Dukler also set out—his puppet army erupted with sharp hissing sounds, and the bionic giants, wielding giant wooden clubs, rushed towards the distant black tide.

The earth erupted with a series of rumbling sounds, as the giant golems trampled the ground. Under the protection of the golem legion, the sorcerers of [Intelligence] began to compose complex spells.

The Songyuan Expeditionary Force, comprised entirely of [Supreme] and [Wisdom], has been mobilized!

Further afield, neighboring expeditionary forces—the Kumar Expeditionary Force and the Winston Expeditionary Force—commanded by two Sky Knights, have also led their respective armies in a charge toward the Black Army.

It's the turn of the Church of Radiance, it's Luo Xiu and his group's turn—

He raised the dragon's breath scepter high in his hand.

Pegasus, the "Golden Pegasus," raised its long neck and neighed. Luo Xiu, along with his priests and the "Heavenly Ring Paladin" Daveld, charged towards the Black Army.

……

Before the two surging peaks, piercing through the opposing military formations, the entire battlefield was filled with an eerie silence, marked only by the constant bombardment from the floating city.

The Imperial Expeditionary Force, whose military strength far surpasses that of the Dark Army and whose number of powerful Saints far exceeds that of the Dark Army, has now mobilized its entire force.

Based on the war sand table of the "Sage's Tower" and countless simulations of this decisive battle before the war, the Imperial Expeditionary Force only suffered four defeats in hundreds of simulations of the decisive battle against the Dark Duchy.

In response to these four failures, the Empire's high command has devoted all its efforts to researching and formulating countermeasures. Completely eradicating the "Dark Duchy," this malignant tumor on the continent of Fanor, from its territory has been the Empire's long-cherished wish. And this time, the Empire's high command is determined to succeed; they are prepared to witness firsthand the Dark Duchy's inevitable demise—

now.

Besides Thorin, the "Great Sage Chief" atop the floating city, the Empire's other two demigods—Emperor Augustusville and Pope Lord, the "Holy Crown"—appeared at the rear of the surging expeditionary force, in the center of the two flanks of the army.

……

A massive, sun-like crimson throne hung high in the air.

Emperor Augustus was wearing a crimson cloak and sat on his throne.

He wore a crimson crown and beneath his crimson cloak was armor shimmering with crimson light. This "Supreme Emperor" of the Nolan Empire, Augustusville Nolan the Great, showed no emotion on his awe-inspiring and solemn face.

His eyes, burning like fire in a cave, were fixed on the direction of the dark capital—he was waiting. Waiting for the ruler of the Dark Duchy, waiting for the "Duke of Darkness" to appear.

Another demigod of the "Supreme" is the opposite of the "order" symbolized by Emperor Augustus, a demigod symbolizing "order annihilation".

The destiny of the "Supreme" is only that of two demigods.

The Dark Grand Duke, the pinnacle of the "Order of Slaughter." He was also the only stain on the Nolan family, who had served the "Supreme" for a thousand years.

Montville Nolan, the younger brother of Emperor Augustusville, also known as the "Black Duke".

Augustusville was determined to shoot it down.

He must witness its demise with his own eyes.

……

The "sun," pure and flawless, radiating warm light, emanates from a solemn and sacred figure.

Pope Laurent, the "Holy Crown," wore a crown of shimmering light atop his head, and a halo as bright as the sun had gathered behind him. At this moment, he floated in the air without any support, his papal scepter pointing towards the ever-spreading black tide in the distance.

"I swear by my divine crown."

His lips moved, his expression so serene. He gently waved his scepter, offering a sacred prayer—

"May all the gods bestow upon me my body."

"May all blasphemers hate me."

"I will appear here—"

"—May the First Luminary Descend Upon the World!"

"..."

——Boom! ! !

As Pope Laurent finished reciting his prayer, a thunderous roar, like an earthquake, came from the heavens.

Sunlight streamed through gaps in the layers of thick clouds. The clouds were illuminated as if they were made of crystal, and a huge hole slowly widened within them.

The sun's light—incomparably dazzling and intensely blazing—pierced through the hole. It shone straight down on the earth, enveloping the entire dark region in its radiance.

next moment--

boom! ! ! ! ! ! !
From bottom to top, within the area illuminated by the blazing sunlight, a beam of pure light suddenly rose and then vanished.

The dark army there was completely evaporated—leaving only the illuminated land flowing with lava, like a volcanic lake about to burn out.

Pope Laurent gazed upon the scorched earth, illuminated by the intense light of the "First Sun," and brandished his scepter, the halo behind him shining ever brighter—

"May all the gods bestow upon me my body."

"May all blasphemers hate me."

"I will appear here—"

"—May the Second Sun descend upon the world!"

He finished another round of prayer, and pointed the scepter in his hand at the bright, crystal-like sky, drawing down brilliant light from that giant cave!
--boom!!!!!!!

The same scene, illuminated by the blazing sun of the "First Sun," was etched onto the location of another pitch-black army.

After the "annihilation," only cratered pits filled with lava remained; nothing else was left.

This is the power of a "demigod"—the Seven Luminaries of Revelation, the authority held by the Pope of Lorend, a "divine authority" that surpasses even Level V authority.

He gazed compassionately at the second scorched pit, and then raised his scepter once more.

"I will appear here—"

"—May the Third Luminary Descend Upon the World!"

……

--boom!!!!!!!

As the blazing sun of the third day descended upon the earth from the already burning sky, the tide of the expeditionary force merged with the black tide of the Dark Army.

The screams were deafening, the sounds of swords clashing inch by inch. Luo Xiu could already smell the blood that erupted from the very front of the battle, the loss of tens of thousands of lives that, from that moment on, would not cease.

And in the black tide that Luo Xiu could see, right in front of him, was surging forward.

A deep red mist of blood was enveloping a ferocious figure.

Chief Executioner, [Crimson Lotus], sixth level of destiny, "Lord of Destruction" Baltat, his bloodthirsty gaze fixed intently on Luo Xiu.
That was the first enemy Luo Xiu would face.

……

(End of this chapter)