Real Mount and Blade Game

The roar of soul resonance emanating from the depths of the ancestral tomb was like the mournful howls of millions of wronged souls being tormented in a cauldron of boiling oil in the abyss. It shook the stone walls of the passageway, and pebbles rained down on the soldiers' blood-stained shoulder armor and tower shields.

The sound not only assaulted the eardrums but also directly shook the soul. Those with weaker wills instantly turned pale, and the knuckles of their fingers gripping their weapons turned white from excessive force.

Amidst this suffocating roar, the "End Wolf Shadow," which had been hanging over the battlefield like a sword of Damocles, suddenly twisted and shrank, as if sucked back into the darkest depths of the ancestral tomb by an invisible maw.

Immediately following, accompanied by terrifying sounds of bones squeezing, flesh tearing, and carapace growing, the swirling, foul black mist at the end of the tunnel was suddenly ripped apart.

One after another, the ferocious "false divine beasts" stepped into the battlefield with a dull rumble as they trod!
Their bodies were much larger and more twisted than imagined.

The individual formed from the fusion of a dozen or so abyssal undead gnolls was already enormous. What appeared now was more like a deformed product of dozens or even hundreds of gnoll remains being forcibly mixed, induced, and expanded.

Their shapes are bizarre: some resemble bloated mountains of flesh, their surfaces covered with countless, twitching limbs of gnolls and heads howling in pain; others are like centipedes that have been forcibly stretched out, formed by the spines of countless gnolls strung together, with hundreds of limbs made of severed arms churning wildly; still others are like giant multi-legged worms, with huge pustules of flesh and blood bulging on their backs, inside which are the upper bodies of gnolls that have not yet fully fused together and are still struggling and roaring, occasionally spurting out filthy, corrosive pus.

They exuded a terrifying pressure that instilled despair, a mixture of the filth of the abyss, the resentment of the dead, and a fragment of "divinity" twisted to the extreme. The air seemed to be frozen and polluted by this power, and even breathing was accompanied by a burning pain in the lungs.

These massive hordes of pseudo-divine beings, almost blocking the entire passageway, appeared without the slightest hesitation.

Their countless eyes, flashing with a crazed red light, locked onto the human alliance, arrayed in a strict formation under the light of the thorny fortress—especially the tiny yet deadly figure at the heart of the fortress: Shen Mu.

"Roar--!!!"

An indescribable, ferocious roar coalesced into a destructive sonic torrent, crashing towards the human ranks. This was not merely a sonic attack; it also carried a tangible, foul shockwave, violently colliding with the light barrier of the Thorn Garden, producing a piercing, corrosive sizzle. The light barrier rippled violently, its brightness fluctuating wildly. The entire battlefield seemed to tremble under the collective will of the False God Abominations.

Then, they moved!
No longer the scattered, disorganized attacks of before, but a true, massed, destructive charge! The flesh-mountain-type pseudo-godly abominations strode with massive, battering ram-like feet, each step causing the ground to tremble violently, like moving mountains crushing down. The multi-legged giant insects, utilizing their numerous segments, moved with unimaginable agility, skimming along the ground, walls, and even ceilings, flanking and advancing like giant, shadowy, venomous spiders.

Those with pustules on their backs charged forward, spewing out large amounts of foul-smelling, corrosive pus that arced towards the rear of the human ranks. Meanwhile, the "centipedes" formed by countless interconnected spines raised their heads high, their densely packed jackal heads emitting shrieks, their invisible soul-piercing impacts slamming into the human soldiers' defenses like heavy hammers.

Their objective was crystal clear—to crush the obstructing light barrier, tear apart the human ranks, and utterly devour and digest the commander named Shen Mu, along with all the creatures under his command, turning them into the final fuel to nourish the Abyss and the "Shadow of the End"! The swarm of pseudo-divine abominations charged forward like a filthy, raging torrent, carrying an aura of annihilation, launching a final, reckless all-out assault on Shen Mu's steel defenses!

Faced with this terrifying sight that could instantly collapse any mortal army, the ranks behind the thorny ramparts remained unusually calm. The soldiers gritted their teeth, pressing their bodies firmly against their shields, sweat mingling with blood streaming down their foreheads, but the resolute fire burning deep within their eyes never extinguished. Amidst the suffocating pressure and deafening roars, Shen Mu's cold, iron-like voice, transmitted through the [Tallinn] network, was clearly imprinted in the minds of every member of the long-range strike force:
"Target: False God Abomination Cluster Vanguard and Energy Nodes! Coverage—Volley Fire!"

The moment the order was given, the long-brewing destructive power erupted!
Wow!
This was not the sound of raindrops falling to the ground, but a storm woven from steel and death! The first to sound the prelude to destruction was the Rhodok Heavy Radiant Burst Crossbow position, as solid as a rock, located at the rear of the formation.

Nearly a hundred massive ballistae, each requiring several people to operate and gleaming with runes, simultaneously unleashed a dull yet deadly roar! Arm-thick bolts, their bodies inscribed with intricate purification runes, trailed blinding white flames, crashing down like thunderbolts of judgment from the heavens, slamming into the vanguard of the pseudo-god abomination charge and into the largest, most bloated energy core areas!

Boom boom boom——! ! !
The deafening explosions echoed one after another, drowning out the howls of the false god. The violent purifying energy exploded within the filthy flesh and blood, transforming into dazzling white-gold orbs of light.

The false god's abomination, directly struck, let out a shrill, distorted scream. Its massive body melted and disintegrated from the inside out, like a wax figure thrown into a high-temperature furnace! Its filthy flesh rapidly carbonized and disintegrated in the holy flames.

The shockwave from the explosion violently blew away or tore apart smaller pseudo-gods and monsters in the vicinity.

In an instant, a large portion of the charging pseudo-divine abominations seemed to be wiped out, leaving behind huge craters burning with purifying fire and charred remains flying everywhere.

Before the roar of the Radiant Burst Crossbow had even faded, the second wave of death rain had already descended!

"Vegia—release!"

With the commander's sharp command, the soldiers of the Vaegir Icewind Archer phalanx released their taut bowstrings.

In an instant, thousands of arrows with ice-blue magic crystals embedded in their tails soared into the air, like a blue meteor shower flying in reverse, drawing cold arcs in mid-air, precisely covering the area filled with smoke after the explosion and the sky above the cluster of pseudo-divine abominations that were trying to fill the gap.

Chi Chi Chi -!
The sound of arrows piercing flesh was like a sudden storm. But this was far from the end.

As the arrow pierced deep into the twisted, resilient body of the false god abomination, the icy blue magic crystal shattered instantly! A frigid storm erupted! The terrifyingly low temperature instantly froze the filthy flesh and blood around the arrow, and the effect spread rapidly. Those false god abominations that had been severely wounded by the Radiant Burst Crossbow, thrown back by the shockwave, or attempting to charge suddenly became stiff and sluggish.

Thick frost quickly formed on their massive bodies, freezing their joints and stiffening their muscles, abruptly halting their charge. The once surging tide of filth seemed to have crashed into an invisible, extremely cold ice wall, its speed drastically reduced.

The death web woven from icy arrows not only caused physical piercing damage but also inflicted a deadly slowing effect on these abyssal deformities, buying precious time and space for the heavy infantry about to engage the enemy on the front lines!

The baptism of arrows had just ended when, on the other side of the battlefield, covered in ice and filled with smoke, the twisted and enormous shadow of the false god's offspring once again writhed and approached.

They smashed through the ice covering them, trampled over the charred remains of their companions, and charged toward the "steel bulwark" at the forefront of the human ranks—a phalanx of Swadian heavy infantry and veteran Rhodok spearmen—with even greater madness and recklessness!
"Hold your ground! Spears—level them! Shield wall—hold!" The centurions' roars, hoarse and metallic, echoed through the enemy's heavy footsteps and muffled howls.

In an instant, the Swadian heavy infantry at the forefront roared and slammed their heavy tower shields, taller than a man, into the ground, the mortise and tenon joints of the shields embedding themselves deeply into the soil and rubble.

The tower shields, tightly connected, emitted a dull, clanging sound, instantly forming an impenetrable "Wall of Sighs" that gleamed with the cold light of metal in front of the formation.

Through the gaps between the shields, rows of tower shield spears, gleaming with a cold light, silently emerged like venomous snakes, pointing diagonally at the enemies ahead.

Behind and in the gaps of the Swadian shield wall, veteran Rhodok spearmen displayed their renowned "gunfight" skills.

Unlike the spears of Swadia, the spears of Rhodok are longer and tougher, with a bloodletting groove at the tip.

They lacked heavy full armor, but were far more agile. Now, relying on the sturdy barrier provided by the Swadian soldiers, they held their extra-long, heavy spears at near-vertical angles, row upon row, layer upon layer, forming a dense, chilling forest of death!
The spear tip trembled slightly, flashing with a chilling killing intent, awaiting the "visit" of flesh and blood.

Boom! ! !

The first false god abomination—that bloated monster, its front covered with the remains of gnolls—was the first to crash into Swadia's shield wall!
It was like a battering ram striking an iron gate!

The dull thud nearly shattered the eardrums of the surrounding soldiers. The tower shields shook violently, and the burly Swadian men wielding the shields were all thrown back a step by the enormous impact, the rocky ground beneath their feet instantly cracking!
They gritted their teeth, veins bulging on their necks, and growled like wild beasts. Their feet were rooted to the spot, and they used their shoulders and all their strength to hold the shields firmly.

The steel embedded in the shield creaked and groaned under the friction of the filthy flesh and blood of the false gods, leaving behind traces of corrosion.

Just as the False Abomination of Flesh was halted by the Shield Wall and countless limbs were frantically pounding against the shield, the Swadian Tower Shield Spear shot out fiercely from the gaps in the Shield Wall like a venomous snake emerging from its hole!

puff!puff!
The spear tip easily pierced through the seemingly tough but actually weakened flesh and blood from ranged attacks, and deeply embedded itself in its body!
At the same time, the terrifying fangs of the Rhodok Spear Formation were revealed on the sides and below the massive body of the Flesh Mountain False God Abomination!

"Stab!" Commander Rhodok's cold voice rang out.

Like a sophisticated killing machine activated, the Rhodok spearmen in the first, second, and third rows stepped forward in unison, thrusting their extra-long, heavy spears with all their might!

The scene was like a moving jungle of steel thorns sweeping across!
Puff puff puff puff puff—! ! !
The sound of spears piercing flesh so densely that there was almost no gap between them blended together, forming a heart-palpitating, wet, tearing symphony!
The massive body of the False God of Flesh Mountain was instantly pierced through by dozens, even hundreds, of spears from the front and sides!

Like a giant, disgusting "candied hawthorn"!
The spearhead sank deep into his body, and thick, blackened blood flowed down the spear shaft like a stream.

The limbs of the struggling gnolls were impaled by spears, or their skulls were pierced, as they let out their final cries.

The mountain of flesh, a false god of monsters, let out a deafening roar of pain. Its massive body convulsed violently from the agony, but its advance was firmly halted by the shield wall, and it was pierced and pinned to the spot by countless spears, unable to move.

Immediately afterwards, other false divine abominations also crashed into us!

The centipede-like monster tried to squeeze through the gap above the shield wall, but was pierced head-on by more spears thrusting out from behind, piercing its "front" composed of countless heads.

The pseudo-gods that spewed corrosive pus were heavily defended against by Swadian soldiers using specially made iron-clad shields. The scorching pus sizzled and smoked on the shields, but could not melt through them instantly.

For a time, at the forefront of the human ranks, an extremely primitive, bloody, yet highly organized art of killing was unfolding.

The Swadian tower shields withstood the ferocious impacts and slams of the false god abominations, like rocks resisting raging waves. The tower shield spears thrust precisely from the gaps, each strike aimed at relatively vulnerable areas such as joints and eye sockets, attempting to paralyze these monsters.

Rhodok's forest of spears, like greedy, steel maws, relentlessly devoured the flesh and blood of the false god abomination. Each synchronized thrust and retraction sent up plumes of blood and bits of flesh, leaving a terrifying, honeycomb-like network of holes in the abomination's body.

The filthy blood of the false god-like creatures cascaded like a waterfall onto the soldiers' shields, armor, and faces. A pungent stench of rotting entrails filled the battlefield, suffocating the soldiers. The soldiers' feet were quickly covered in thick, black blood and slippery fragments of viscera, making every step incredibly difficult. However, the number of these false god-like creatures was simply too great, and their vitality was unimaginably strong!

They don't care about casualties at all!
Pierced by spears and riddled with holes, as long as their core is not completely destroyed, their flesh and blood, forcibly bound together by the power of the abyss, can continue to drive this broken body to launch a final, frenzied counterattack!

"Hold on! Don't retreat!" the Swadian centurion roared hoarsely. His tower shield was covered with deep claw marks and corroded pits, and his arms were trembling violently from supporting the immense force for so long.

A heavy infantryman beside him had his helmet dented by the force of the False God Abomination's slam, blood seeping from the gaps. Yet he still held on to his shield with his shoulder until the False God Abomination, which had charged from the other side, grabbed him with a huge bone claw that emerged from the gap between the shield walls. With a heartbreaking sound of bones shattering and screams, he was dragged out and instantly torn to pieces!

At that moment, a tiny gap appeared in the shield wall!

"Cover up! Quickly!" The reserve soldiers in the back row, their eyes red, rushed forward without regard for anything else, using their bodies and shields to block the gap.

But in that instant of chaos, a multi-legged giant worm, a pseudo-god, suddenly crashed into the newly repaired but not yet stable joint!
boom!
The violent impact deformed and knocked several tower shields out of their hands! The soldiers holding the shields were sent flying backward, spitting blood!

An even larger gap was smashed open! Although the Rhodok spearmen reacted extremely quickly, their spears thrusting out like a forest, instantly riddling the front of the giant worm pseudo-divine abomination with holes, its massive and out-of-control body still charged into the formation with its inertia! Like a boulder crashing into a wheat field!

"Be careful!!"

"Stop it!"

Screams echoed throughout the room. The giant worm's dozens of segmented limbs thrashed wildly, like a massive flesh-crushing machine!

The soldiers hit by the sweep, whether in Swadian heavy armor or Rhodok leather armor, were torn apart and smashed like rag dolls!
Filthy pus gushed from its body, splashing onto the soldier's exposed skin, immediately emitting bluish smoke and corroding deep, bone-revealing holes! The formation was instantly disrupted.

The Rhodok spearmen were in a similarly difficult situation.

Their extra-long spears are incredibly powerful when piercing and securing the false god abominations, but if a false god abomination charges forward with the spears pointed at it, or if attacked by monsters charging from the side, the excessively long spear shafts become a hindrance. Facing the terrifying, freely swung claws and tooth-filled maws of the false god abominations at close range...

They lack effective close-range defense methods.

"Discard the spear! The short sword!" The Rhodok officer made a decisive decision.

Without hesitation, the spearmen at the forefront released their grip on their spears, letting them pierce the bodies of the false gods, and swiftly drew their broadswords and thick infantry shields from their waists.

With the cover of the Swadian shield wall and the support of their comrades, they engaged in fierce close-quarters combat with the severed limbs of the false god that had charged into the formation!
The short sword viciously slashed at the joints and vital points of the false god, but each attack was accompanied by great risk. Soldiers were constantly being shattered by the false god's dying counterattacks, their shields were broken, their arms were torn off, and some were even swallowed whole and chewed up.

The Rhodok's resilience was on full display at this moment. They filled the gaps in the battle line with their lives and blood, fighting the filthy behemoth with short swords and shields, giving up not an inch of ground.

The entire infantry defensive line, especially the area that suffered the most severe impact, was like steel twisted by immense force under the relentless and relentless attacks of the false gods, caved inward, trembled violently, and emitted a tooth-grinding groan.

The tower shields of the Swadian soldiers are no longer uniform; many are deformed or even broken, and the soldiers rely on their flesh and blood and the backs of their comrades for support.

The Rhodokians were plunged into a brutal melee, their gun formations were broken up, and they could only form small defensive circles in certain areas, relying on close combat for desperate resistance.

Blood pooled and flowed like streams beneath the soldiers' feet. The cries of the wounded, the dying curses, the clang of clashing weapons, and the muffled thuds of tearing flesh mingled together, creating a hellish scene of carnage. Every second, soldiers fell; every advance or defense of every inch of land was soaked in thick blood and shattered lives!

The defense line, twisted and deformed under immense pressure, was on the verge of collapse!
Just as the infantry defense line was under unprecedented pressure, seemingly on the verge of being completely torn apart and swallowed by the filthy tide!
At the core of the Thorn Barrier, a sharp, knife-like glint finally flashed in Shen Mu's eyes, which had been calmly observing every subtle change on the battlefield.

He clearly "saw" that the pseudo-god abominations, under the desperate resistance of the infantry phalanx and continuous ranged attacks, had experienced a brief decline from their peak strength. Their massive bodies, piled up in the narrow passageway, actually restricted their mobility, and their flanks were exposed to the attack routes of the human cavalry.

Although the infantry formation was twisted and concave, it was like tough rubber, which did not break even under extreme stretching, and firmly pinned down these abyssal behemoths!

The time has come!

Shen Mu's voice, like a cold hammer of judgment, slammed into the [Tallinn] network, instantly reaching the very souls of every heavy cavalry commander:

"Holy Tree Knights—Flanking maneuver! Target: The flanks and rear energy nodes of the False God Abomination Cluster! Pierce through them!"

"Swadian Knights, heavy cavalry—follow closely behind! Wedge charge! Crush the gap! Push the lines back!"

The moment the order was given, the heavy cavalry, which had been fully prepared behind the infantry formation and was like a suppressed volcano, suddenly erupted!

First, the two wings!
"For the Holy Light—Judgment!"

"Purify—Charge!"

The warhammer that Commander Kalanzo of the Holy Tree Knights held high, burning with blazing white purifying flames, emitted a dazzling light, like a signal flare!

The Holy Tree Knights, whose spirits were already deeply linked to their warhorses, their companions, and even the entire Thorn Garden's network of rules, simultaneously unleashed a battle roar that shook the heavens! The warhorses beneath them were not ordinary horses, but "Lightforged Steeds" blessed by the Holy Light and adorned with mithril runes, now also enveloped in dense holy light!

boom! boom!
Like two sudden bursts of holy light, they surged out from the rear of the infantry formation on both sides!

Their speed was astonishingly fast under the "Thorn Garden" rule, reaching the peak of their charge almost the instant they started!

The knights leaned forward slightly, their warhammers, flails, or greatswords pointing diagonally at the ground. Brilliant purifying light formed flowing shields of light and flame on them and their mounts, turning them into burning white meteors!
Their chosen route of attack was precise and cunning. A multi-legged giant worm, the False God Abomination, which was frantically tearing apart the Rhodok soldiers' lines, had its flank completely exposed to the charging path of the Holy Tree Knights on the left flank.

It seemed to sense a deadly threat and tried to turn its pus-filled head around, but it was too late!

"Judgment Hammer!" Kalanzo roared, unleashing a hammer strike imbued with all his power and holy light, which slammed into the side of the giant worm pseudo-god abomination like a meteor!
Boom-! ! !
A deafening, heart-stopping roar! A massive crater was instantly smashed into the tough, slimy, bony flank! A violent purifying force, like a high-pressure jet of water, poured in from the point of impact! The giant worm let out a piercing scream, its enormous body convulsing violently! But this was only the beginning!
The Holy Tree Knights, following closely behind Kalanzo, were like precise scalpels, plunging the Purifying Blade deep into the wound Kalanzo had torn open!
The flail spun and flew, smashing limbs with purifying flames; the greatsword cleaved Mount Hua, severing thick limbs; each fall of the warhammer was accompanied by the sound of bones shattering and flesh charring in the holy flames!

Wherever they passed, foul black smoke rose as if ignited, and the flesh and blood of the false gods sizzled in the holy light, quickly disintegrating!
The Holy Tree Knights' charge was not merely a physical impact and cutting, but a "purification and annihilation" of the abyss's corrupt origins!
Like a scalding hot iron cutting into butter, it tore open a huge wound burning with white flames on the left flank of the false god abomination cluster!
Almost at the same time that the Holy Tree Knights launched their attack, an even heavier, earth-pounding roar resounded in the middle lane!
"Swadia—!"

"Knights—Charge!!!"

Bandak raised his blood-stained heavy hammer and roared like a lion! A massive cavalry force, centered around the Swadian Royal Knights and composed of elite Swadian heavy cavalry, was activated!

They didn't possess the dazzling purifying flames of the Holy Tree Knights, but they displayed a different kind of despair-inducing power—pure steel, weight, and the force of a cluster impact!
Every Swadian knight and heavy cavalryman was like a moving iron tower, their bodies and horses covered in thick full-body plate armor, forming an indestructible steel wall!

They maintained a tight, cone-shaped assault formation. The lances of the front-line knights were laid flat, while the heavy lances or armor-piercing hammers of the rear-line knights were raised high. The heavy hooves of the horses pounded the earth like the sound of dense war drums, creating a roar that made the entire passageway tremble!

Their target was the very center of the infantry formation, which was being desperately held up and was being dented and twisted by the impact of the false god's abominations!

A massive, bloated false god-like creature, as large as a mountain, was blocking the way and frantically attacking the shield wall.

"kill--!"

With a deafening roar, the torrent of steel slammed into it!
There are no fancy techniques, only the most primal and brutal power to crush!
Rumble——! ! !
Like a steel tsunami crashing against filthy reefs!
With the added speed of the warhorse, the heavy lance pierced the body of the false god like a heavy crossbow!

Dozens of lances in the front row snapped instantly!
But what followed was an irresistible impact! The massive, fleshy pseudo-god abomination was forced backward by this steel torrent that gathered the full strength of hundreds of heavily armored knights and cavalry. The lances piercing its body acted like fixed stakes, preventing it from dissipating the force!
The cavalry following closely behind rained down heavy armor-piercing hammers, maces, and battle axes! Without stopping, they used their immense momentum to surge past the pseudo-divine abominations that had been knocked aside and through the gaps desperately maintained by the infantry phalanx, like a torrent of steel bursting its banks!

The heavy hooves mercilessly trampled the scattered remains of the false gods and abyssal foes on the ground, crushing them into mud!
Wherever the torrent of steel passed, filth was forcibly washed away and trampled!
The pseudo-divine abominations, torn apart on the flanks by the Holy Tree Knights and then forcibly rammed and trampled through the center of the heavy cavalry, instantly fell into enormous chaos!
Like a giant beast whose spine has been pierced and whose skull has been smashed by a heavy hammer, its massive body begins to twist and collapse uncontrollably!
The pressure on the Swadian and Rhodok infantry suddenly eased!
Watching their own cavalry charge into the enemy ranks like a steel dragon, tearing apart and crushing the arrogant false gods, and seeing the white light symbolizing divine purification carving out a burning path in the filth, a surge of ecstasy at escaping a desperate situation and an even more fervent fighting spirit erupted from the heart of every soldier!
"For Swadia! For Rhodok! For our homeland—Kill!!" The infantry officers seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and issued a deafening order to launch a counterattack!

The previously twisted and sunken infantry defenses, like springs compressed to their limit, burst forth with astonishing rebound force! Swadian soldiers straightened their shields again, and their tower shield spears thrust out like venomous snakes!

The Rhodok spearmen raised their spears once more and, following the footsteps of the steel torrent, launched a desperate counter-charge against the remnants of the false gods who had been scattered by the cavalry!
The entire passageway had been completely transformed into a gigantic meat grinder, driven by steel, flames, holy light, and filthy flesh.

After paying a heavy price, the human alliance, under Shen Mu's precise and ruthless command, finally broke free from the brink of collapse by relying on the perfect coordination of long-range coverage, infantry defense, cavalry flanking attacks, and central breakthroughs. They began to crush the black core deep within the ancestral tomb, which was pulsating more and more violently and seemed to be giving birth to the ultimate terror, with an even more ferocious momentum!

The blade of final judgment is inching closer and closer to the heart of that abyss! (End of Chapter)