Chương 162: B2 - Chapter 71: Fortress

The world twisted, stretching into a chaotic smear of aether before snapping violently back into focus. A wave of oppressive heat hit Seth like a physical blow, and the gritty wind that rushed against his skin offered no real relief. Soon after, Henry, Frederick, and the rest of their squad materialized around him on the cracked, sunbaked ground. Around them stretched a rugged landscape, a desolate basin of arid desert floor broken up by towering, craggy mountains in the distance.

Warfare Rifts were always different from each other, with terrain supposedly altered by the supervising Spirit to prevent any side from having a tactical advantage. This Spirit's taste is annoying, Seth thought.

"This is not great for us," Henry muttered, shielding his eyes as he scanned the wide-open expanse.

"Yeah, we're screwed," someone grumbled from the back. Seth couldn't do anything but agree. Their squad's greatest asset was its high number of Rogues, which enabled them to launch effective ambushes. But here? There was zero cover. Just flat, exposed ground and a few massive, weathered boulders scattered about like pebbles. Hiding completely would be nearly impossible. The only small mercy was the heat haze shimmering off the ground.

The air rippled so violently on the horizon that the distant mountains looked like oil paintings left in the sun. It might make it harder for the enemy to spot the blur of the invisibility spells, but not by much.

"There!" Eddin shouted, pointing toward the foothills to their left. Seth turned. Miles away, hunkered against the base of the mountains, stood a dark, imposing silhouette. A fortress. Its high stone walls seemed to be the only man-made structure in this entire wood-stove Rift. So this is how it's going to be, Seth thought. An open field with defensible points. A battle of attack and siege. In terrain like this, the strategy for the weaker side was painfully obvious: turtling.

His side had to reach that fortress, dig in, and wait for the empire to come to them, then make them bleed for every step they took to get closer. The thought of a long, drawn-out defensive battle left a sour taste in Seth's mouth.

"We need those walls," Henry barked, not waiting for a debate.

"Move out. Double time." The Warrior broke into a sprint, motioning for Seth and the squad to follow. They ran in a tight, nervous formation, their armor and grey uniforms making them painfully visible targets against the ochre sand. Every cluster of rocks, every dip in the terrain, felt like the maw of a trap waiting to snap shut. The members of the squad shouted fragmented plans over the sound of their own boots and heavy breathing—what to do if they were caught in the open, how to circle up. But their luck held.

They reached the fortress without encountering any enemies, the looming shadow of its walls a welcome relief from the relentless sun. Henry, Eddin, and a few others threw their shoulders against the massive timber gates to force them open, then closed them with a heavy thud that echoed in the sudden silence of the place. They stood in a sprawling courtyard, large enough to garrison a small army.

High walls of dark, rough-hewn stone surrounded them, topped with multiple watchtowers—perfect vantage points for Toren's arcane cannons. Seth placed a hand on the gate they'd just sealed; the wood hummed under his palm, indicating it was warded. It'll take more than a few Fireballs to get through that, he thought. They'll need a heavy siege tool. Or a lot of explosive artifacts Henry and Eddin wasted no time. Orders flew across the yard as they split the squad into a defensive formation.

Rogues with bows and the few Elementalists scrambled up the stone stairs to man the ramparts, while the Guardians and Warriors formed a phalanx near the gate, ready to charge at the entrance the moment it was breached. The squad's two Priests requisitioned a sheltered alcove near the rear, turning it into a makeshift aid station where they could heal the wounded and send them back into the fight. Well… those able to do so.

They had already agreed that anyone too grievously injured would use an Escape scroll to leave the Warfare Rift. As people kept preparing, Seth withdrew and sent his consciousness into the teardrop necklace to cast Intermediate Identify on Nightmare. The power of Mantle of Terror on the plains had been absurd—far beyond its theoretical limits. Because of the rush, Henry hadn't asked Seth about it, but the squad's leader would certainly sooner or later.

Nightmare (Tenebrous Young Direwolf) Potential: Silver + Tier Rank: 52 (High-Iron) Affinity: Darkness Bonded to [Seth] [...] Strength: 120 Arcane Power: 148 (129+19) Toughness: 87 Well Capacity: 74 Agility: 128 Regeneration: 75 Spells: - Illusionary Emptiness [Silver〜Epic (Standard)] - Shadow Step [Silver〜Epic (Decent)] - Predator Hunt [Silver〜Epic (Decent)] - Danger Sense [Silver〜Rare (Standard)] - Gloom Fangs [Silver〜Rare (Decent)] -??? [??? 〜???] Royal Road is the home of this novel.

Visit there to read the original and support the author. - Chains of Darkness [Iron〜Epic (Refined)] Mantle of Terror was gone. Just like when Shadow Bite had evolved into Gloom Fangs, the skill had vanished from the list entirely, mutated by the sheer volume of aether and willpower they had poured into it and turned into question marks. But… it wasn't Flawless, Seth thought. Only Refined.' Their arrogance pushed your core to strengthen my spell,'Nightmare said through Link.'

It forced the energy to carve stronger and deeper grooves to handle the output. Won't complain about that.' Seth pressed his lips together. Nightmare was probably right, though the implications were terrifying. Mantle of Terror was the direwolf's spell, not Seth's. He had been using the spell through Share, yet the physical grooves in Nightmare's own Well had been permanently altered. Even if he helped me cast the spell it doesn't make sense, Seth thought. Is this why the spell is named Share? Not Copy. Not Borrow.

The word implied a mutual exchange. A bridge where power—and evolution—could flow back and forth, altering the source just as much as the caster. If that's true... could I do the same for Colossus? Seth wondered as his mind raced. Could I improve his defensive spells by honing the grooves with my knowledge from Eldric's book?' I doubt methods from that human book will work for us,' Nightmare said, reading Seth's thoughts.' But that core is different. It can help.

Well, as long as the spells align with the Path it wants you to follow. Anything driven by bestial ferocity… like Mantle of Terror or Predator Hunt.'' I want help with my spells too!

'Colossus exclaimed, chiming in.' To make them better… and impossible to break!'

'I'll try to find a way,' Seth answered. In the Cave of the Elements, both Nightmare and Colossus had drastically improved their spell quality, but that had required a perfect environment and constant life-or-death pressure. If Seth could learn to alter and refine their grooves through Share, both his partners' spells could also improve outside of their Rift Diving sessions. Before he could push that train of thought further, Henry jogged over.

"Seth," the squad leader said, his eyes scanning the courtyard, "you weren't there during the past month, but Sergeant Tirus and I decided to put you with the Rogues. Do you think you can use that pocket watch of yours to flank their backline?" Henry pointed toward the walls.

"Once the empire commits to the siege, they'll likely leave their Priests and Elementalists exposed. I'd want you and the others to hit them. Hard." Seth nodded. A part of him had hoped to hunt alone, though he understood this strategy was the smarter play. And it meant he could watch over Selena.

"Sure. I'll do it." He moved closer to Henry, unfastening the Endless Pouch Toren had given him earlier.

"Here," Seth said, pressing it into the squad leader's hand.

"This will do more good with you than with me." He handed over the two Shrinking spell-scrolls next.

"These are for the cannons. Use them only to pack the cannons back inside. If you waste them on anything else, the Artificer who made them will skin me alive." Henry frowned in confusion, but took the velvet bag. A few seconds later, his eyes widened, and a massive grin split his face.

"Holy shit."

"What is it?" Eddin asked, stepping closer.

"Arcane cannons," Henry answered, his voice full of awestruck reverence.

"Cannonballs. And... and tons of single-use wands, bombs, artifacts to set wards...."

"What?" Eddin exclaimed, losing his composure as he turned to face Seth.

"The Champions of Chaos just gave you this?" Seth rubbed the side of his neck.

"Yeah."

"Don't you want to keep some of it for yourself?" Henry asked, his gaze still fixed on the purple bag.

"I already did," Seth assured him while tapping his own pouch.

"Don't worry."

"Should we wait before bringing those out?" Eddin asked before looking at Henry.

"Keep them hidden so we can surprise the empire when they breach the gate?" Henry shook his head.

"No. Look at these things. They're huge. Setting them up, figuring out the ammunition, getting them aimed... that's gonna take time. It would be stupid to have them and not be able to use them because we got cute and waited too long."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's get them on the walls," Eddin replied. Henry and Eddin immediately set to work, rallying the strongest Warriors in the squad to haul the massive artillery pieces up the narrow stone stairs to the battlements. The sight of the heavy rune-etched metal barrels sparked a ripple of electric excitement through the courtyard. People paused to stare, whispering and crowding around Henry, asking about range and ammunition.

The squad leader answered what he could while barking out other orders, clearly pleased by the reaction. For the first time since landing in this kill box, the squad looked hopeful. Seth left them to it and joined the Rogue contingent, requesting permission before casting Identify down the line. Selena surprised him—she was Rank 33. Like Devus and Jenna, the looming threat of war had forced her to evolve, pushing herself to break through the Rank 30 wall in barely a month.

The rest of the unit was all Mid-Iron: five more in the 30s, and two already in the 40s. Eight in total. With Seth, Nightmare, and Colossus, it was likely enough striking power to cripple the enemy backline—provided they could get close.

"Flanking is going to be hard," Selena muttered, eyeing the reinforced gate of the fortress.

"There's no cover out there. We'll be spotted before we're within striking distance."

"That's why I'll advance first," Seth said.

"And will stay far ahead of everyone. You will all remain at least a hundred yards behind. If I get spotted, I pull back immediately. Best case, they mistake me for a lone scout or an idiot looking for glory."

"Why would they assume that?" Alfred, one of the Rank-40s, asked, looking at Seth with open skepticism.

"Because of the pre-war skirmishes," Seth answered.

"They already see me as an arrogant savage who prefers to fight alone. And if I get caught, I'll have better odds to get away."

"But that means there's a chance you'll draw all the fire," Selena retorted as her red brow furrowed.

"It's stupid to risk one of our best attackers as bait right at the start."

"That's true, but I also have the highest Toughness among us," Seth replied, his hand unconsciously brushing the teardrop necklace beneath his leathers. And I have an unbreakable fortress waiting to be summoned if things go sideways. Selena pressed her lips together. Before she could say anything, Alfred spoke once more: "I'm fine with following your lead. You're our best chance of winning with your beast, and that... punch... you used on Lucius. We all saw it.

With that, you'll be able to take out an Elementalist or a Priest before they have a chance to react." A few nervous chuckles rippled through the group as Seth smiled. The Rogue had no clue how right he was.

"Good. Let's move then." He turned and headed for the postern gate—a small, reinforced sally port set into the rear wall—rather than the main entrance. The rest of the Rogue squad fell in silently behind him. Seth eased the heavy timber door open just enough to slip through. A wave of furnace-hot air slammed into him when he stepped out onto the cracked earth. The others fanned out, dissolving into the deep, cooling shadows cast by the fortress walls.

Seth advanced fifty yards, then crouched behind a weathered boulder, his eyes sweeping over the vast, sunbaked expanse ahead. Far to the east, a faint cloud of reddish-brown dust was already rising. The empire was on the move. In a fifty-on-fifty clash, it's hard for one person to shift the tide, Seth thought. But in a chaotic skirmish? Nightmare, Colossus, and I can definitely make the difference. Before he could move out again, the sensation of being watched made the hair on his arms stand up. He glanced upward.

High in the sky, the Spirit hovered just below the blinding sun. The formless mass of gray smoke wasn't looking at Seth directly, yet he could still feel its gaze. Why are you really here? Seth wondered, staring up at the smoke-wreathed entity. To judge our achievements for the NEVAK? Or is this just entertainment to you?

The revelation that Kastal was little more than a colony of Volantis, that countless nations lived under similar ownership, and that the NEVAK ignored it all had soured Seth's view of the world even more. His visit to Asethka had also confirmed his hunch. If people were willing to butcher one another to harvest Seeds and Legacies from their bodies, then his parents' decision to walk away from it all made perfect sense. They had tried to shield him from the needless barbarity and violence.

Seth, however, had chosen a different Path. A harsher one. One where he would probably have to fight until the very end. He glanced back at Selena, Alfred, and the others, who were in position, hidden in the shadows of a large stone and waiting for his signal. It was time to lead them. Not just to victory, but to survival. For the first time, thanks to the Champions of Chaos and the resources Reat had found in the Cave of the Elements, Kastal's future no longer felt like a foregone dream.

There was a chance for all of them to reach their full potential. A real one. And that meant they couldn't die here. Not in this pointless war. Not on his watch. Seth took one last look at the dust cloud on the horizon, then turned back to his squad. He raised two fingers and signaled the Rogues forward. It was time to show the empire just how badly they had underestimated them.