bookpub Chapter 880: The Decisive Battle
Chapter 880: The Decisive Battle
Chapter 880: The Decisive Battle
The three divine tower badges, black and shaped like a ball of flame, served as temporary proof of Sein and the others’ participation in the Gumo Plane War.
These badges allowed the Divine Tower of Dark Flame to track Sein and his companions on the battlefield and functioned as communication devices, enabling them to contact nearby allies.
Additionally, the badges allowed the Divine Tower of Dark Flame to issue combat missions and receive reports on mission outcomes from Sein and the others.
In short, these fingernail-sized devices were small in size but offered impressive functionality.
Sein had previously disassembled and studied similar badges during his initiate period, and he could attest to their convenience during the war.
After briefing Sein and his group about the situation in the surrounding area, the Rank Two mage escorted them to the mission center within the base.
Bowing respectfully, he then prepared to take his leave.
Having survived numerous battles, this Rank Two mage was experienced and perceptive.
It took only a short interaction for him to discern that Sein’s achievements in the field of magic far surpassed his own.
Moreover, the two Rank Two female knights accompanying him were clearly exceptional talents.
This realization was why the Rank Two mage showed him such respect before departing.
However, Sein was not ready to let him leave just yet. He reached out to stop the mage, then pointed at the darkened sky beyond the mountain wall and curiously asked, “Isn’t Gumo Plane supposed to be a low-level world with three suns? Why is it so gloomy, with hardly any light visible?”
The mage sighed deeply before replying, “It’s been like this for the past seven years. Otherwise, the Divine Tower of Dark Flame might have ended this interplanar war long ago.”
“Most of the thick black smoke blocking out the sunlight is volcanic ash, produced by eruptions from the many volcanoes across Gumo Plane.
“To allow the Goul Groundworms, who are underground creatures, to adapt to the surface environment, the guardian of this world and the other two dominant native species went to extreme lengths to detonate all the volcanoes in this world, artificially transforming the entire environment,” the mage explained.@@@@
Desperate measures existed in every world as every race had its share of fearless madmen.
In the Astral Realm, some foreign planes, like Verdant Wilderness World, wisely aligned themselves with the Magus Civilization early on.
But there were also others who resisted until the bitter end, determined to challenge the Magus World no matter the cost.
To some, the idea of detonating all the volcanoes and reshaping their entire world’s environment might seem unthinkable.
On the surface, there seemed to be no indication that the war would end soon, as neither side showed significant signs of exhaustion.
Yet, the time for a decisive showdown had arrived, driven by the simple fact that no one wanted this conflict to drag on any longer!
Sein could not decide whether his group was lucky or unlucky to have unknowingly signed a five-year participation contract just as the decisive battle of this low-level plane was about to erupt.
Judging by the resources and morale of both sides, it was unlikely that the war would last even five more years.
***
As Sein and his companions approached the Magus World’s main army stationed in the Akre Plains, they encountered numerous remains of creatures strewn along their path.
The vast black plains, which should have been flat and expansive, looked as though they had been tilled by an enormous plow.
Deep gullies carved through the landscape and the ground was riddled with pitch-black holes of varying sizes.
Most of these holes plunged straight into the ground, their destinations a mystery.
Sein, well-versed in the battlefield dynamics of this realm, identified these black holes as the handiwork of the Goul Groundworms—one of the native species of Gumo Plane, known for their natural burrowing abilities.
The gullies scarring the plains, however, were clearly the result of relentless clashes between the opposing legions.
If Sein were to unleash his full power, he could effortlessly flatten a hill hundreds of meters tall. Thus, the boundless destructive might of Rank Four and above creatures was hardly surprising.
Upon reaching the main army on the Akre Plains, Sein’s group found themselves without immediate orders, as the conflict had not yet begun.
However, due to their strength and Rank Two life level, the Divine Tower of Dark Flame assigned them temporary command over a group of two thousand enslaved creatures, which would act as cannon fodder under their directives.
These enslaved creatures varied widely in appearance, and their strength could only be described as subpar.
In addition to the cannon fodder, Sein’s group was also placed in charge of five Rank One mages and thirty-eight Rank One knights.
These mages were not registered members of the Divine Tower of Dark Flame; like the knights, they were hired external combatants.
In addition to commanding this mixed force of low-level knights and mages on the battlefield, Sein and his group were also expected to protect them to the best of their ability.
Having once been Rank One combatants themselves, Sein, Reina, and Natalya were no strangers to this kind of arrangement.
In previous interplanar wars, they too had served under the temporary command of higher-ranking beings.