Earth's Greatest Magus
chapter-1679

The quickest route to victory often lay in eliminating the leader of the enemy forces, spreading confusion and disarray in their ranks. This method was particularly potent amidst the chaotic tumult of a battle.

Upon seeing the female commander, Seraphina, crumple to the ground, Emery acted instinctively. Closing the distance between them in a few heartbeats, he dropped to his knees beside her. His gaze swept over her injuries - multiple arrow punctures that were bleeding profusely. Every beat of her heart was like a ticking time bomb, pushing her closer to death's embrace.

Without wasting any more time, Emery placed his palm gently on her wounded body, casting [Nature's Blessing]. His fingers tingled as the spell took effect, a wave of soothing, healing energy flowing from him into her.

Just as Emery began administering the spell, another volley of arrows hissed through the air, aiming to finish what the first one started. The surviving Space Knights, however, were quick to respond. Raising their shield high, they provided cover, giving Emery the opportunity to tend to the wounded commander.

She had been hit by three arrows: one lodged in her shoulder, another in her thigh, and the last one had hit her squarely in the chest, smashing through her ribs to bury itself in her heart.

With meticulous care, Emery began to extract the arrows, one by one. His healing magic flowed continuously, mending the damage as soon as the arrowheads were removed. "You're gonna make it!" He reassured her, his voice a low, soothing hum against the din of battle.

Despite the excruciating pain, the commander found the strength to speak. Her voice was raspy, strained, but there was an urgent warning in her tone. "Those... are the Hashisha... be careful"

The name struck a chord of fear in Emery's heart. The Hashisha were notorious dark elf assassins, known for their expertise in the shadow element. They were renowned masters of the shadow elements, capable of blending with the darkness as easily as one would take a breath.

Seraphina's warning was not lost on Emery. He realized the depth of their predicament; fleeing into the shadows of the caverns was no longer an option. With Hashisha on their tail, the darkness would serve as their tomb rather than their refuge.

No sooner had Seraphina's warning left her lips, a sense of foreboding seized Emery. His spirit reading skill detected a ripple in the energy within the shadow behind the Space Knights. He barely had time to shout, "Watch out!" before a deadly figure emerged from the umbral depths.

One dark elf assassin materialized out of the shadow, In his hands, he wielded two crescent sabers that glinted ominously under the flickering light. In a swift, merciless stroke, he decapitated not one, but two of the Space Knights. Blood splattered as the two bodies fell limply onto the ground, an eerie silence following their gruesome end.

Instantly, fury ignited within the surviving knights. They readied themselves, their desire for revenge for their fallen comrades burning brightly in their eyes. But even as they braced for battle, another shower of arrows filled the sky, a lethal rain designed to hinder their retaliation.

In the face of the deadly hail and the formidable assassin, the Space Knights were pushed to their limit. Despite their bravery and tenacity, one more Knight fell under the relentless assault of the Hashisha. Emery watched, realization dawning on him.

It was not that the Space Knights were weak. Far from it. They were warriors of honor, strength, and courage. The problem was the sheer might of their opponent. This particular assassin wielded power that surpassed the standard of his realm. His half-moon power level belied a lethal ability that wreaked havoc among their ranks.

Emery stole a glance at the assassin, his gaze landing on the portion of his face that was not obscured by a leather mask. A large, intimidating scar was carved under his right eye, the brutality of its presence signaling a life lived on the blade's edge. The scar was inflamed with bloodlust, promising a swift and ruthless end to anyone who dared challenge him.

A part of Emery longed to leap into the fray, to bring his own considerable abilities to bear against this brutal enemy. However, he was tethered to the spot by his duty to the commander, who was rapidly fading beneath his hands. With a grimace of frustration, Emery could only watch helplessly as the remaining two Space Knights were left to fend off the assassins.

Just as things seemed at their bleakest, a ray of hope emerged. A human magus donned in a white cloak - the Ancient Magus - rushed forward, his swift, agile movements slicing through the chaotic battlefield. Brandishing a blade of pure light, he engaged the dark elf assassin, managing to push him back.

The situation had become unbearably tense. Not only had a dozen dark elf assassins leaped off the cliff to engage them in close combat, but the ominous sound of the Orc warhorn filled the air once again. The chilling note, a harbinger of imminent danger, added an extra layer of fear and urgency to the already dire circumstances.

TUUUUTTT

The haunting sound heralded a new wave of adversaries. Hundreds of Uruks had overcome the rocky obstacles and successfully climbed the hills. Thousands had evaded Emery's traps, relentlessly pushing forward and crushing his summoned warriors in their wake. Among their ranks, towering figures stood out dozens of - Uruks Champions, distinguishable by their enormous tusks and bulging muscles.

The battlefield became a confluence of two mighty forces - the orcs and the elves, an unlikely alliance united in their shared goal to obliterate the human magus.

In the midst of this pandemonium, Silo's panicked cries echoed throughout the battlefield. "No!! Protect me! Please, save me!" His pleas were underscored with raw terror as he attempted to conceal himself behind the other magi. The contagion of his fear started to gnaw at the resolve of the others, creating a ripple of unease among them.

Despite her grave wounds, the commander somehow found the strength to rise, breaking free from Emery's healing magic prematurely. Emery looked on, both surprised and concerned, as she straightened her battered form and raised a defiant arm. Her voice, raw but resolute, pierced through the chaos, "We cannot run anymore, let's make our last stand and bring as many of them to hell with us!!"

Her rallying cry ignited a flame within the hearts of the beleaguered magi, galvanizing them for the fight ahead. Unfortunately, their renewed vigor was soon extinguished by a dreadful scream. The scarred face assassin had dealt a fatal blow to the Ancient Magus, driving his blade into the latter's chest before severing the man's head from his body in one swift, brutal motion.

With an eerily casual air, the assassin caught the departing soul of the Ancient Magus mid-flight, capturing it within a jar with a satisfied grin.

Refusing to let the gruesome sight quell their spirits, the commander belted out her orders again, "Don't give up!! Fight!!! Fight!!"

It was in this crucial moment that Emery truly acknowledged the commander's unique talent. She possessed a rare quality that breathed courage into the disheartened, spurring them to fight on even when faced with overwhelming odds. She was indeed a natural-born leader.

Unburdened from his healing duty, Emery felt a surge of power run through his veins. It was time for him to join the fight, and so he allowed his true form to unfold.

[Twilight Transformation],

A resonating howl filled the air as his body underwent a mystic transformation. His appearance was as intimidating as his newfound strength, a spectacle that left his allies with wide eyes and filled his enemies with dread.

The group managed to maintain their defensive line, but it was clearly not going to hold for long. Within the span of just ten minutes, their numbers dwindled down to a meager ten.

Hope was beginning to fade from their eyes when Emery's attention was suddenly drawn to a disturbance on the horizon. A cloud of dust was rising in the distance, growing larger with every passing second.

In a matter of moments, a sizable metallic construct burst through the obscuring cloud, barreling towards them at high speed. It plowed through the orc ranks with ruthless efficiency, bodies flying left and right in its wake. As it neared their position, a side door slid open, revealing three magus in rag-tag clothes, clutching a unique artifact. This artifact discharged streams of energy, decimating the advancing hordes and dark elves. From the open door, a shout rang out, "Get inside now!!"

Before Emery could fully process this unexpected development, another figure emerged from the mobile construct flying in the air with his limbs, capable of emitting energy beams shooting down the surrounding orcs and elves.

This flying magus was a unique sight to behold. A human adorned with metallic prosthetics, giving him the appearance of a cyborg. As he took a closer look, realization struck him with an unexpected surprise. He recognized this cyborg. A name slipped from his lips, barely audible amidst the chaos,

"Atlas!!"