Chapter 232: Unavoidable High-Level Slaughter

The appearance of the mass of light made the four Eighth-order Practitioners fighting in the air pause slightly, but then they resumed their fierce attacks. Spells were unleashed without regard for cost, while the Eighth Tier Mage of the Blizzard Legion struggled to fend off the attacks of two opposing Eighth-order Practitioners. Fortunately, the mages' Blink ability was not easily intercepted by ordinary mages of the same rank, allowing him to barely survive. Meanwhile, the other mage attacking Shaoke and his companions did not cease his spell attacks, rapidly casting one spell after another. Under these attacks, casualties among Low-rank Mages were severe. Within the short time after the Sleazy Officer's death, over a dozen mages had perished. It was only when the Low-rank Mages launched a frenzied counterattack that the mage was forced to focus on Blinking and dispelling spells, leaving him no time to prepare another area-of-effect spell.

Injured, Shaoke was helped up by Mage Yisier, who was beside him. However, Yisier's condition made Shaoke realize the situation was not good. Mage Yisier, who was about to advance to Sixth Tier Mage, was pale as she supported Shaoke, protected only by a single layer of a fifth-tier Defensive Spell. Her staff had shattered, and the fist-sized blue sapphire that the Female Mage Yisier had cherished was gone, along with the magic script carved on it. Clearly, during the mage's area attack, the female mage promptly released the defensive spell stored in her staff. Though she lost a fifth-tier staff, she avoided injury or death. After all, a sixth-tier defensive spell, combined with three layers of fifth-tier defensive spells, could still withstand the attack of that beam of light.

After forcing a pained smile at Mage Yisier, Shaoke attempted to prepare a spell for attack. However, due to the mage's fast movement speed and his use of high-level Support Spells, it was almost impossible for the mages to lock onto him. At that moment, the Blizzard Warriors who had been slaughtering wildly in the manor also retreated, desperately unleashing crude long-range Aura attacks. They had already discovered the death of their commander and the slowly dissipating golden mass of light.

A silver streak of light suddenly struck the Eighth Tier Mage attacking Shaoke and his group. The mage, who had just Blinked to a stop, never expected to be attacked under such circumstances. Two layers of eighth-tier defensive spells were pierced like paper, and a pale silver arrow was lodged in his throat. Just as the death of this Eighth Tier Mage drew the attention of the other three combatants, a black short blade appeared behind the Eighth Tier Mage from the capital. After the short blade emitted a black flash, the defensive spell was breached, and a head flew off. The precious staff fell, hitting an injured mage before the corpse also dropped.

The warrior from the capital who had been fighting alongside the Blizzard Legion's mage began to flee without hesitation under these circumstances. The escape of an Eighth-order Practitioner was rarely intercepted. The silver streak of light appeared a few more times but was blocked by the warrior, who used the arrows' force to retreat quickly.

The delayed reinforcements caused heavy losses among Low-rank Mages like Shaoke. Although fighting continued in the manor, the enemy ceased resistance after the Eighth-order Practitioners fled or died. Though the mages stopped attacking, the frenzied Blizzard Warriors continued their assault without hesitation.

"Stop." A hoarse voice rang out. Seven or eight scattered points of light flew over quickly and landed at the site of the recent battle. A young officer produced a token to halt the warriors' frenzied attacks. He then surveyed the entire battlefield, finally fixing his gaze on the spot where the Sleazy Officer had self-destructed before descending from the air. The other points of light also landed, revealing several Legion Commanders of the Blizzard Legion and other officers commanding the Blizzard Warriors. However, one was missing—the oldest legion commander was not present. The newcomers all looked battered. The legion commander of the 33rd Corps was trembling more violently, his left arm gone, leaving only a bare shoulder.

The bloodshot-eyed warriors ceased their attacks. By then, most of the flames in the manor had been extinguished by the fighting, with only a few remote areas still burning.

Seventy to eighty people emerged from the ruined manor, led by a young officer in military uniform. Smiling, he saluted the crowd and introduced himself, along with the identities of some important figures behind him. However, Shaoke paid little attention, focusing instead on the constantly flickering magic items on the merchants and nobles. This filled him with deep envy. The fact that these items had ensured their safety under such circumstances indicated they were of high quality—at least, he had never seen Eighth-order Practitioners use such items in battle, perhaps because they didn't need them.

"Everyone, I think we can have a good talk. There's no need for such conflict over a small misunderstanding." The officer produced a scroll, standard military-issue paper with a clear military seal. But the one-armed legion commander just sighed softly.

"That name up there, we don't recognize it." He glanced at the heavily damaged Low-rank Mages, then laughed loudly. "Over a hundred mages have died in this conflict. My Blizzard warrior commander is dead, and I've lost an arm. Is this what you call a small misunderstanding?" He shook the javelin in his hand. "I want to know, did you come on this mission of your own accord, or were you sent by those people?"

"That's not important." The officer continued smiling. "I'm just a messenger. But unfortunately, in over a month here, you never received us. Perhaps that's why the military is angry." He then looked at the legion commander's missing arm.

"I think the Blizzard Legion shouldn't have disobeyed orders." A merchant enveloped in a layer of cyan light stepped forward from the crowd, twisting a peculiar ring on his finger. "After all, we provided all the supplies for this war. We only asked you to fight the soldiers of the Esuoer Empire, but you refused. How heartbroken we merchants, who help the empire in war, are!" The merchant chuckled, looking at the surrounding mages. "If it weren't for some rude mages insulting a friend's son, I think this misunderstanding wouldn't have happened." He continued to smile, only speeding up his gaze when it fell on the legion commanders.

"In this conflict, we lost an Eighth Tier Warrior, over two hundred fourth- and fifth-tier mages, a fifth-tier Cleric, and a Seventh Tier Mage." A pale Seventh Tier Mage stepped forward. He had been specifically targeted by the Eighth Tier Mage earlier and would have been killed quickly without the cooperation of his companions.

Although the legion commanders knew there were losses, they hadn't expected them to be so severe. But before they could speak, a noble from the other side stepped forward. "It's just one Eighth Tier Mage. Our Mist Trade Guild also lost an Eighth Tier Warrior! Weren't the other two mages also eighth-tier?" He sneered at the Seventh Tier Mage. "Let the dead be dead. Those of us still alive don't need to fight over the dead. Our lives are precious."

"Are the lives of the Blizzard Legion's commanders not precious?" The officer temporarily commanding the Blizzard Warriors sneered at the merchant claiming to be from the Mist Trade Guild. "You will all die here today. From now on, your families or trade guilds will be continuously attacked by the Blizzard Legion until one side disappears." With that, he gestured for the warriors to resume their attack.

"It was the military that blocked you, not us." A noble shouted, waving a crystal scepter representing a marquis, which was strikingly conspicuous. "If you kill us, no merchant caravans will supply you, and you'll face even harsher sanctions from the military." He reactivated the magic item that had just protected him, clearly still worried.

The seventy to eighty merchants, officers, nobles, and their protecting mages and warriors were swiftly slaughtered. Their heads were personally cut off by the legion commander of the 33rd Corps, who then signaled the resting Eighth Tier Mage to outline a magic array.

The mage casually used his staff to sketch a simple-looking array, sprinkling special crystal powder into the lines. The legion commander then took a complex-looking disc from his pocket and placed it in the center of the array. Another officer placed several fist-sized purple-gold stones on the disc. The legion commander then picked up some heads and, from a magic bag, took out two more heads to place on the array. Finally, he produced a broken arm and placed it on top. Clearly, this arm belonged to the legion commander of the Blizzard 33rd Corps.

"Sir, this arm could still be reattached." The officer commanding the Blizzard Warriors quietly tried to stop the legion commander's action.

"Losing something to show our resolve—I see no harm in that." He then waved his javelin, signaling the mage to activate the array. (To be continued. For more details, please visit m. More chapters, support the author.)