Chapter 1218: Adamant Thunder Annihilation Campaign (9)
KRA-BOOM!!!
An old, dilapidated building buckled at its waist and crumbled down.
Rebar and concrete shattered, erupting in a cloud of dust. A colossal black-iron mobile fortress crushed the building, soaring up to reveal its magnificent form.
RUMBLE!!!!
A sleek, vast, and sharp flagship, like a massive battleship cruising across the land.
Hundreds of cannon barrels and gunports lined its hull-shaped flanks, glowing ominously.
A tyrannical act, traversing and piercing through the satellite city of Bailuts without a single wheel or propulsion system, crushing and demolishing facilities whole.
The Deadrise 7th Legion, boasting the fastest advance speed on the Central Front.
Deimus turned from the mobile fortress, which was nothing less than the symbol of the 7th Legion, specializing in mobile warfare even within the corps itself.
“Follow me. The briefing will be conducted inside.”
“Oh, so this is the 7th Legion’s mobile fortress…”
Ermont, standing beside Lennok, coughed in the dust cloud and mumbled.
“It looks much bigger than I heard in rumors, doesn’t it?”
“Why ask me?”
“Well, you and Freya are the only ones Deimus personally requested cooperation from for the annihilation campaign.”
Ermont grinned.
“Freya is busy with concerts and such on another continent right now, so you’re practically the only guest Deimus wanted. Don’t you have any thoughts on the legion’s combat power?”
“…”
As Lennok ignored him and continued walking, Ermont chattered beside him.
“The 7th Legion is famous for being the fastest combat unit even among the central forces. They’re probably the first of the participating legions to arrive for the annihilation campaign, no doubt rushing to scout the battlefield and establish the front lines.”
“It’s relatively well-known that the legions under Deadrise each have different specialties.”
The Doctor said in a leisurely voice.
“However, I’m not sure which legions participated in the annihilation campaign after the parade. One could predict the 3rd Legion, specializing in assault.”
“The 2nd Legion, skilled in sieges. The 5th Legion, specialized in artillery. The 6th Legion, adept at close-quarters combat, would also be good. The 8th Legion, strong in special operations, would surely be helpful, wouldn’t they?”
“Ermont. You know a lot about the legion’s combat power.”
The Doctor glanced over and chuckled.
“I heard you’ve been active in ‘communities’ lately; it seems you’ve become quite knowledgeable about worldly information.”
“…Ahem. Can’t you just pretend you don’t know?”
Ermont scratched his cheek.
“Even without that, I’ve drawn so much aggro with Adamant Thunder and Cheonbeon on the Deepweb that my sleep has been restless. That’s why I didn’t want to participate in this…”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You are a very valuable asset to Pandemonium.”
The Doctor gave a chilling smile.
“Now that the Nether King is gone, you’re the only black wizard in Pandemonium, and you’re a talent who survived against Adamant Thunder. How could we leave you out of the annihilation campaign?”
“Doctor. Do you think a few empty compliments like that will win me over?”
Yet, an uncontainable smile played on Ermont’s lips as he spoke.
“Ahem. Well, while my achievements in black magic may not compare to his, I certainly don’t fall short in life experience…”
“…”
“And who knows? If I had clashed with Jinwa, I might have begged for my life and escaped… Hahahaha! Just kidding…”
Ermont burst out laughing, then discreetly checked the room when no one laughed along.
“Ermont.”
Hylaea sighed softly, unable to hide her exasperation.
“Watch your words. Do you not remember who Victor joined Pandemonium because of?”
“…Ah, no. I didn’t mean it like that…”
Only then did Ermont notice Lennok’s extremely ominous presence, and cold sweat streamed down his face.
He must have just remembered that Victor was a member who joined Pandemonium on Myeong’s recommendation.
His eyes darted about, then he scratched his head profusely, rambling out excuses.
“W-well, from the perspective of black magic, death isn’t an end but a rest granted to the soul. Myeong might even be watching us do well, feeling at peace, melting in hellfire and screaming with joy–”
“Master Black Wizard.”
At that moment, the red-eyed woman walking ahead abruptly turned her head.
The newly joined high-ranking vampire of Pandemonium. Sarin Tribiyer of the Crimson Star Clan.
The woman, smiling so brightly that her blood-red eyes were almost invisible, asked.
“If you keep spouting useless nonsense, I’ll rip your mouth open.”
“…Y-yes.”
The Doctor chuckled, leaving Ermont, who had instantly clamped his mouth shut.
“Vampires certainly have straightforward personalities, don’t they?”
“…”
Lennok shared a similar sentiment, so he didn’t bother adding anything.
Instead, he merely looked at the two new members who had joined Pandemonium with Sarin.
Two individuals who had immediately caught Lennok’s attention the moment they revealed their names.
A mysterious young man with his face covered by cloth, Ezekiel Ron Maize.
A black-haired man who introduced himself as Kundara’s Dragon King, Iron Chain.
All of them were members Lennok had never expected, their names alone forcibly drawing his gaze.
Especially the Iron Chain Dragon King, who surely—
‘I met him once in Kundara.’
At the time when Lennok, after drinking the Elixir of Ascension, was heading to the Ninth Tribulation once more to save Olivera.
Among the Eight Great Dragon Kings who blocked his path and questioned him, he was the one who took Lennok’s side.
He had respected Lennok’s will to confront Maleon and shown the pride of a warrior, which had been so impressive that Lennok remembered his name.
He never imagined they would meet again in a place like this.
Though he wasn’t in the form of the overwhelmingly gigantic dragon Lennok had seen among the Eight Great Dragon Kings in Kundara.
Seeing his human guise and sensing his presence, Lennok instinctively knew he was the Iron Chain Dragon King himself.
What was incomprehensible was the very reason the Iron Chain Dragon King had disguised himself in human form and joined Pandemonium.
Moreover, Iron Chain was a Transcendent who had openly sided with Adamant Thunder among the dragon kings, holding a very friendly position towards him.
Why would such a dragon-kind participate in the Adamant Thunder Annihilation Campaign, let alone be on the side of the legion opposing Lennok right now?
He wanted to press for answers immediately, but it was impossible given his identity as Victor.
Even at this moment, too many eyes were watching Lennok and the new members.
It was difficult to even speak to Iron Chain here, let alone prompt him to explain why he joined Pandemonium.
Furthermore, Ezekiel ‘Ron Maize,’ who had joined Pandemonium with Iron Chain—
“…”
The young man walked silently, without a word, aware of the gazes pouring in from all sides.
Even with his face veiled, it was palpable that he felt no emotion towards the situation.
As if accustomed to the stares that followed his name, as if such reactions were only natural.
Would it be a mistake to assume that the distinctive, aloof, and arrogant aura about him hinted at his true nature?
“Ezekiel, Ron, Maize…”
Other members seemed to share similar sentiments, as Chebien mumbled in a gloomy voice.
The Puppet Master moved his creaking puppet to turn its head, then spoke, looking at the young man.
“That name, I’m sure I’ve heard it somewhere before…”
“…”
Ezekiel didn’t answer.
He simply walked on, without even a footstep, as if Chebien’s words hadn’t reached him at all.
Watching Ezekiel, ghost-like and devoid of presence, Chebien smiled eerily.
“It seems a noble bloodline has graced Pandemonium with their presence… I wonder what promise they made with the Nether King to get involved…”
“Transactions and promises are…”
At that moment, Ezekiel spoke as if in passing.
Without looking at Chebien, he said softly.
“They are necessary for those who were not born with rights.”
“…”
“I have not had any special discussions with those who have mastered the Black Edict.”
The atmosphere around them instantly fell silent.
Ezekiel offered no further reply after those words, but that single statement allowed everyone to intuitively grasp what kind of being he was.
A being born with rights and authority that required no promises or transactions.
Everyone in this world knew what such beings were called.
‘Things are getting complicated…’
Lennok had assumed the identity of Victor because he needed to intervene in the Adamant Thunder Annihilation Campaign on the legion’s side.
He hadn’t been particularly concerned with Pandemonium itself, but there were unexpected variables within the organization.
The high-ranking vampire of the Crimson Star Clan, Kundara’s Eight Great Dragon Kings, and Ron Maize.
It was impossible to predict how their presence would influence the war.
CLUNK!!
While he was lost in thought, the mobile fortress’s outer wall opened, and a guardrail lowered.
As the fortress’s rear hangar passage opened, soldiers standing with rifles all saluted.
Deimus immediately led the members towards the command center located in the heart of the mobile fortress.
FLASH-FLASH-FLASH!!!!
Hundreds of holograms and monitoring screens flickered to life all around the command center.
Hundreds of cameras were, even now, projecting the advancing Deadrise legions.
The sight of the military forces traversing the entire Eastern Continent, paving a path and approaching Vulcan.
Communication devices were connected on the screens, displaying the faces of the commanders leading each force.
“Communication channel open. Operation System activated.”
CLACK!!
Simultaneously with tapping his wrist, the command center’s cameras and communication channels swiftly moved and aligned.
Transforming into a gigantic round table, it arrayed the various factions and organizational charts, bringing up screens.
WHIRRRR…!!
“Category division. Catalog insertion. Cartridge open. Mapping designated.”
Deimus, who had brought up a 3D map of the terrain near Vulcan, stepped forward.
“Beacons installed. Waypoints designated. Default settings shared with all legions. We will now begin the final strategy meeting before entering Vulcan.”
[7th Legion Commander. I have one question before we begin.]
FLASH!!
As the camera screen opened, a middle-aged man wreathed in roaring flames appeared.
The wizard spoke, looking at Deimus with an expressionless face.
[The Blaiver Tower has deployed from the Central Front and is currently moving, leading the ‘Flame Majesty Temple.’ The Mechanized Legion’s ‘Enginium Fortress’ and the Ability Awakening Warband’s ‘Ability Bloom’ will also arrive soon.]
“…”
[Strategic weapons and fortresses comparable to Primo Alert, leading the main legion force, will gather on the battlefield. Can this be resolved with a single meeting?]
“This annihilation campaign is a war where forces assembled from across the continent converge on the outskirts of the mega-city, and it is the work of paving the way for the Marshal’s arrival.”
Deimus replied calmly.
“The shared direction should be short and concise; the longer and more complex it is, the more tangled things will become. This is especially true because each participating faction has different specialties and abilities.”
[…Hm.]
“The information to be conveyed in this meeting will be the allocation of front lines so that the participating forces can utilize their abilities with maximum efficiency, and points to be cautious about when dealing with Adamant Thunder.”
Deimus looked around at the countless camera screens and asked in return.
“Or is there any faction here that requires further explanation on what kind of Transcendent Adamant Thunder is? If by any chance such a party exists, it would be advisable to reconsider their participation immediately.”
[…]
Even under the gazes pouring in from legion commanders, warband ability users, Pandemonium members, and Magic Tower wizards, Deimus remained completely unfazed.
Instead, he merely stated the facts in a businesslike tone, as if speaking directly to the factions and superhumans participating in the meeting.
“Before we officially begin the meeting, let me state this: the compression and efficiency of the front lines will be the most critical issue in this annihilation campaign.”
Deimus spoke calmly.
“Be advised that if any force fails to understand the situation and needlessly occupies a front line, we may proceed with the exclusion of that faction itself, in the worst-case scenario.”
[Mechanized Legion 4th Corps. Question.]
CRACKLE-!!
Beyond the noisy camera, a man whose face was covered in mechanical parts appeared.
A bizarre sight, with wires and components filling not only his skin but also his internal skeleton and the inside of his skull.
The man, whose eyes were not pupils but flashing red warning lights, raised the screen and asked.
[Why are we not, expanding, the front, lines, more, than they are now? Move, the front lines, now, and spread, the encirclement, wide.]
“No, the City Council’s non-intervention in this situation is because the legion command has limited the objective of the annihilation campaign to the Vulcan outskirts where Adamant Thunder’s Magic Tower is located.”
Deimus answered sharply.
“The mid-to-late 50s outer districts centered around District 49. From the City Council’s perspective, these are areas that can be abandoned at any time without loss, so they are merely maintaining neutrality. If we encroach upon other districts, the old men of the Elder Council will intervene.”
[Unnecessary, worry, before, war. This, Mechanized Legion, is, prepared, to, wage, war, with, Vulcan, and, has, joined, the campaign.]
“It seems the Mechanized Legion’s logic circuits still don’t quite grasp it. Then I’ll explain another reason.”
Deimus said calmly.
“The mega-city of Vulcan is the largest city in the continent’s history. Even if we mobilize all forces under the legion, an all-out encirclement of Vulcan is impossible. Do you still not understand?”
[…]
“Even if we move our forces to expand the front lines, it would at best only encircle the western undeveloped desert regions… And we would have to bear the risk of the City Council or the Elder Council intervening. It’s merely a hypothesis not even worth debating.”
Deimus’s explanation echoed sharply through the quiet command center.
“Therefore, what we must do is not expand the front lines, but rather limit the battlefield and draw Adamant Thunder onto a pre-determined stage… In other words, it is closer to narrowing the scope of Adamant Thunder’s own authority.”
His voice, not particularly loud, was clearly and distinctly heard even on the opposite side of the vast command center.
Dozens of operators and hundreds of officers in the command center all listened to his explanation with bated breath.
The Pandemonium members, seated in places of honor, also watched Deimus leading the meeting with various reactions.
“The front-line allocation and unit organization I will now explain are methodologies that divide forces into vanguard and rearguard, considering each faction’s specialties and abilities, and simultaneously operate three or more strategic weapons.”
FLASH!!
Deimus said, manipulating the system to display each faction’s emblem and name on the 3D map.
“Detailed operations and field directives will all be spearheaded by command in real-time. The annihilation campaign will conclude the moment Adamant Thunder himself is killed or incapacitated. The handling of Magic Tower personnel will be left to the on-site forces.”
[…]
“Upon victory in the annihilation campaign, all infrastructure and assets Adamant Thunder built in Vulcan will be distributed differentially according to each faction’s contribution. His transcendent talent, his artifacts, or even parts of his corpse will not be permitted, even if requested.”
Instantly, the atmosphere among the various faction commanders beyond the command center subtly shifted.
A peculiar reaction, as if Deimus had voiced what they had been unable to express until now.
[Hmm…]
[The Blaiver Tower does not officially permit human sacrifice.]
[Adamant Thunder. Excellent specimen. Research subject. Proposal positive.]
[Among everything said in the meeting so far, this is what I like the most.]
“This is an operation to subdue a wizard who might be the strongest in the Eastern Continent’s history. It’s not strange to want his talent or parts of his corpse.”
Deimus spoke casually, as if understanding such reactions.
“However, everything is possible only under the premise of obeying this legion’s command structure during the annihilation campaign. Is that understood?”
[…Understood.]
[Access granted.]
[We obey the commander’s orders.]
[In the name of the Almighty Zero Seat…]
Deimus’s briefing continued like a storm.
Yet, no one was confused or missed any of the information pouring out in real-time.
The commander’s explanation was incredibly skilled, as if he had conducted thousands, even tens of thousands, of such strategy meetings.
Cruel and cold premises and answers, plain yet somehow stirring emotions.
All of it proved that the legion commander before them was an utterly outstanding leader.
As commanders responded one by one beyond the camera screens, the 3D map in the command center dramatically changed.
Simultaneously with the meeting’s conclusion, legions participating in the annihilation campaign arrived one after another from across the Eastern Continent.
They began to converge around the satellite city of Bailuts, and in real-time, started to encircle Vulcan.
RUMBLE!!!!
The massive mobile fortress, weighing tens of thousands of tons, shook violently, churning as if the ground itself would collapse.
A tremendous roar, shaking the earth and erupting from the horizon, unleashed a surging wave of metal.
KRA-BOOM!!!!
From the command center, whose front was made of glass, the surrounding landscape came into full view.
The 7th Legion’s mobile fortress. The 3rd Legion’s assault battleship. The 2nd Legion’s siege tank.
Hundreds of meters-long strategic weapons charged across the sky and ground, drawing forth their magic.
Thousands of tanks and armored vehicles uniformly accelerated, forming their ranks.
Launchers and self-propelled artillery, muzzles raised high and reloaded. Behind them, an endless line of soldiers.
At the apex of all these forces, the colossal aerial fortress emerged.
RUMBLE!!!!
Deadrise’s 3rd Command, Primo Alert, entered Vulcan’s airspace, scattering a heavy and profound presence.
The moment Deadrise’s forces crossed the outer district’s boundary, trampling and demolishing the city.
“Everything for the great unification of the legions.”
Deimus, holding his baton, raised his gaze with a tense expression.
“From this moment, simultaneously with the complete collapse of Vulcan’s outer districts… we commence the Adamant Thunder Annihilation Campaign.”