novelnext Chapter 119 Captain 4 VS Thorn Demon
Chapter 119 Captain 4 VS Thorn Demon
Chapter 119 Fourth Captain VS Thorn Demon
The 11th Regiment's all-out attack swept across the battlefield like a tidal wave.
On the left flank, Captain Cade's Squad 31, like a heavy hammer, with shield bearers as the tip, warriors as the spine, and wanderers as the blades, smashed into the densest area of the demon horde.
The dull thud of shields colliding, the cracking of maces shattering bones, and the splattering sound of short swords piercing flesh intertwined in Cade's ears, creating a rugged and stirring war song.
Cade's shield was stained with black and dark red blood, and there were several obvious signs of corrosion on the iron plate edge, but he didn't care.
Twenty years have passed.
For the first time, he felt that he was not trying to survive, but fighting.
The real battle.
"Maintain formation!" Cade roared. "Don't stray! Keep up!"
Blake's greatsword drew a silver arc through the air, cleaving a Primal Demon attempting to flank him in two. The greatsword warrior's face was stained with demonic blood, yet his eyes shone brighter than ever before.
Lynn moved like a ghost along the edge of the formation, alternating between his crossbow and short sword. He specifically targeted lone cowards, slitting their throats before they could spew their poison mist.
On the right wing, Captain Allen's command was more precise.
As a ranger, his battlefield instincts were even sharper than Cade's. He could pinpoint the weaknesses of the demon horde in the ever-changing battle and then use his arrows to guide the warriors of Squad 32.
"Thirty paces ahead, two lesser demons are casting a spell!" Allen's voice was calm and clear. "Sword and shield cover, battleaxe charge!"
The sword-and-shield warrior raised his iron shield, deflecting two small fireballs hurtling towards him. The shield was charred black, and the edges of the iron were slightly deformed, but he did not retreat an inch.
The tomahawk warriors seized the opportunity and launched a charge.
The heavy two-handed battle axe whistled through the air as it cleaved one of the two lesser demons in two. The second demon retreated in terror, only to be shot through the throat by an arrow from Allen, who was close behind.
Under the pincer attack from the left and right by squads 31 and 32, the demon horde's formation began to crumble.
Those lower-ranking demons who had barely managed to maintain their organization under the command of the Thorn Demons finally revealed their true nature—chaos, cowardice, and selfishness—after losing all their elite leaders.
The Primal Demons began to wander aimlessly, some even knocking over the Fear Demons behind them.
The demon's poisonous mist no longer aimed at the enemy, but sprayed randomly in all directions, and three of its companions who couldn't dodge in time were affected by the poisonous mist.
The lesser demons completely abandoned spellcasting; some tried to escape, while others frantically attacked everything around them, including their own kind.
In the center of this chaotic battlefield, Squad 33 stood like a pillar of strength, steadily suppressing the rear lines.
Addo has stopped his offensive charge.
The ogre's enormous body stood like a silent statue, ten steps away from Xiuqi.
But whenever a demon tries to bypass the defenses from the flanks or rear, Ado's mace will swing without hesitation, smashing it into a pile of minced meat.
The movements were concise, precise, and deadly, with not a single unnecessary action.
Max adjusted his position, moving from Addo's flank to a slightly more distant location to better cover a larger area of the battlefield.
The goblin warrior's breathing remained steady, and the wound on his left shoulder had mostly healed under Selena's treatment.
Its crimson eyes continuously scanned the battlefield, while its brain, enhanced by the [Clan Leader] talent, rapidly analyzed the battle situation.
Xiuqi remained in the core position.
"Bavarian Moonlight" seemed to come alive in his hands; every thrust and every slash was precise and deadly.
But his gaze remained fixed on the distant high ground where the 12th Regiment was located.
Nearly fifteen minutes have passed since they launched their attack.
The battle on the high ground continued, and judging from the faint sounds of clashing weapons and the howls of demons, the 12th Regiment was still holding on.
But how long can they hold on?
Xiuqi squinted and spotted a familiar figure at the edge of the highlands—it was Frostfang, the Winter Wolf, whose silvery-white fur was striking even in the morning mist.
It lay beside an unconscious man in black robes, its body covered in wounds, its icy blue eyes still fixed on the battlefield.
Silves.....
Xiuqi remembered the name.
The chief of the Necromancer School, a genius mage of the Star Moon Class, and the master of that winter wolf.
I also remember the black-robed mage looking at me in the Summer Town square the day before yesterday, and the fleeting scrutiny and interest in his deep purple eyes.
The genius necromancer is now unconscious and his life is in grave danger.
Within my power, I will repay the debt of gratitude to save a rising star from a northern mage family...
Xiuqi made a quick judgment.
"Ador, Max," he spoke, his voice calm yet clear, "prepare to move forward."
"Link, you stay behind and cooperate with squads 31 and 32 to clean up the remaining demons."
"Princess."
The silver-gray goblin immediately raised its head, its clear eyes fixed intently on him.
"Follow me to the high ground."
Edge of the highlands.
Alfred knelt on one knee, barely supporting his body with his nicked longsword.
The paladin captain's chainmail was tattered, and his left shoulder guard was completely shattered, revealing a deep wound that exposed bone. Blood dripped from the gaps in the steel gauntlets, pooling on the ground.
But he still stood in front of Glenn.
The dwarf captain was in even worse shape.
His left arm was completely numb, and the charred skin had begun to necrotize. He gripped the warhammer with his only movable right hand, but his arm was trembling uncontrollably.
The archer lay in a pool of blood ten paces away.
The taciturn old archer, after firing his last silver-plated arrow, was struck head-on by a small fireball from a lesser demon. He was still alive, but no longer able to fight.
Lily leaned against the rock wall, the female wanderer's face as pale as paper. Although her abdominal wound had been bandaged, excessive blood loss had left her delirious.
The silent sword-and-shield warrior stood at the forefront, using his last, tattered shield to block the demon's attack.
His weapon was long gone; now he held an iron fork he had snatched from the dead demon.
The demons continue to pour in.
Primal demons, cowardly demons, lesser demons... they surged like a black tide, wave after wave crashing against this precarious high ground.
The Thorn Demon went even more berserk after its companion on the flank disappeared.
It no longer commands from the rear, but personally rushes to the front line.
Each swing of the bone blade leaves a deep slash on the sword and shield warrior's shield.
Each time the tail spike lashed out, it forced Alfred and Glenn to dodge awkwardly.
"We...can't hold on any longer," Glenn said hoarsely.
The dwarf captain's voice contained no fear, only a calm that bordered on resignation.
Alfred did not answer.
The paladin captain simply gripped the already dulled longsword in his hand, his gaze remaining resolute.
He remembered the teachings of the God of Justice.
Even in the darkest of times, believe that the light will eventually come.
But the teachings did not say when the light would come.
At that very moment—
Suddenly, Thorn Demon abandoned its fight with the sword and shield warrior, turned around, and pounced on Alfred like a venomous snake!
The paladin captain managed to raise his sword to parry, but his exhaustion slowed his reaction by half a beat.
The bone blade grazed the longsword, leaving a bloody gash on his chest.
Its tail spike rose, aiming at his heart.
Alfred saw the tail stinger, gleaming with a ghostly green poisonous light, magnify before his eyes.
He wanted to hide, but his body wouldn't obey him.
He tried to parry, but his longsword was suppressed by the bone blade and could not move an inch.
He closed his eyes.
Then whew!
A heavy oak shield wrapped in iron whistled through the air, covering a distance of fifty feet, and struck the Thorn Demon with the precision of a flying city wall!
The Thorn Demon sensed danger, turned its tail spikes, and stabbed at the incoming shield.
puff!
The tail spikes embedded themselves in the metal plates along the edge of the shield, producing a sickening metallic scraping sound.
But the shield's impact was too great.
The Thorn Demon was knocked sideways and staggered, its fatal blow to Alfred going completely off course, leaving only a shallow scratch on the paladin's breastplate.
Alfred suddenly opened his eyes.
He saw it.
Behind the flying shield, a burly middle-aged warrior was striding forward.
He wore grey slat armor, an oak shield, and the mace in his right hand was stained with demon blood.
That's... Captain Cade.
Twenty paces behind Cade, a tall, slender figure had already drawn a longbow.
The bowstring was taut, and the arrow gleamed with a deadly cold light in the sunlight.
Allen the Ranger.
Alfred's throat bobbed.
He wanted to say thank you.
But those two words are too light.
So he simply nodded.
Cade didn't say anything either.
Captain Shield rushed to Alfred and bent down to pick up the shield that had been pierced by the tail spike.
The thorns of the Thorn Demon were still embedded in it, and the eerie green venom was corroding the iron edging.
Cade didn't care. He yanked hard, pulling the tail spike off the shield and tossing it away.
Then he raised his shield and stood in front of Alfred and Glenn.
"Captain of Squad 31, 11th Regiment, Cade." His voice was calm and steady. "Sorry I'm late."
Alfred took a deep breath and stood up straight.
"Squad Leader 35, Alfred." The paladin's voice was still weak, but his eyes had rekindled their fighting spirit. "Not too late. Just right."
Glenn supported himself with his warhammer, while the dwarf captain looked at Cade with his cloudy blue eyes and a grotesque smile on his lips.
"Squad 34, Glenn. Your shield-throwing technique... is quite accurate."
"I've been training for twenty years," Cade replied briefly.
He turned his head and looked behind him.
Allen was in position, his longbow half-drawn, his arrow locked onto the Thorn Demon.
The captain of the rangers' eyes were as calm as ice, and the sharpness of someone who had been through many battles was fully revealed at this moment.
The Thorn Demon let out an angry howl.
It recognized these people as fresh troops, not the dying remnants.
His dark red eyes swept over the four captains, assessing their strength.
A shield bearer, a ranger, a heavily wounded paladin, and a half-crippled dwarven hammer-wielding hero.
Thorn Demon's lips curled into a ferocious grin.
Four human professionals, and not even at their peak.
It can win.
The battle erupted in the next second.
The Thorn Demon launched the first attack.
Its speed was extremely fast, its six-foot-tall body leaving a dark red afterimage in the air. The bone blade slashed out from an uncanny angle, targeting the blind spot of the Cad's shield defense—its left rib.
Cade did not back down.
The essence of the shield user is not dodging, but blocking.
The shields were raised simultaneously, blocking all of the Thorn Demon's attack routes.
clang!
Sparks flew as the bone blade clashed with the shield.
Cade grunted and took a half step back. The Thorn Demon's power far exceeded his expectations; the impact sent numbness through his shield.
But he did not back down an inch.
Because there were wounded people behind him.
Because he is a shield user.
Glenn seized the opportunity and slammed his warhammer into Thorn Demon's left knee from the side.
The dwarves' fighting style is simple and brutal; they don't pursue flashy techniques, but only effective damage. This hammer strike was angled sharply and timed perfectly, catching the Thorn Demon off guard as its old strength was exhausted and its new strength had not yet been generated.
Thorn Demon dodged to the side, but was still grazed by the hammerhead.
Click—
The sound of a leg bone cracking.
The Thorn Demon let out a painful roar and staggered backward.
Alfred followed closely behind.
Although the paladin captain was severely wounded, his fighting instincts remained. Instead of rushing to attack, he used his broken longsword to block the Thorn Demon's retreat, preventing it from creating distance.
Three people and one demon clashed fiercely in a small open space.
Cade stood at the forefront, his shield like a fortress, repeatedly deflecting the Thorn Demon's bone blades and tail spikes. His arms were already numb, and the corrosion marks on the edge of the shield were deepening, but he gritted his teeth and persevered.
Glenn harassed from the flank, each swing of his warhammer aimed at Thorn Demon's already injured left leg. The dwarf captain could only move one hand, but he concentrated all his strength in each attack.
Alfred is responsible for blocking enemy positions and finishing off enemies.
While a paladin's swordsmanship may not be as sturdy as a shieldbearer's, nor as ferocious as a dwarf's, he possesses an almost instinctive battlefield intuition—
He could always predict the Thorn Demon's movement direction in advance and strike at the most critical moment, forcing it to give up its attack.
However, the Thorn Demon is, after all, a low-ranking elite demon of Challenge Level 2.
Its strength, speed, and reaction all surpass the limits of a level 1 professional.
Moreover, it possesses the most combat experience among the three elite demons.
After a feint attack, the Thorn Demon suddenly changed tactics.
Instead of directly confronting Cade, it used its agility to move like a ghost among the three.
Bone blades stabbed from all directions, while the tail spikes lurked like venomous snakes.
Cade's shield started to fall behind.
Glenn's hammer blows repeatedly missed their mark.
Alfred's chest wound reopened, and blood stained half of his body.
Although Allen's arrows from the rear were accurate, he had to be distracted by controlling the entire battlefield.
Squads 31 and 32 were still fighting the remaining demons, with Link's arrows occasionally piercing the air, and Selena's healing spells had to prioritize those of the more seriously injured members.
He couldn't fully commit to this match.
This gave the Thorn Demon an opportunity.
After a fierce exchange, the Thorn Demon suddenly feinted, deceiving Cade's parry, and its tail spike pierced Glenn like lightning!
The dwarf captain managed to turn sideways, and the tail spikes grazed his right arm, tearing a half-foot-long gash.
The warhammer slipped from his hand.
"Glen!" Alfred exclaimed.
Thorn Demon gave no one a chance to breathe.
It turned around and swept its bone blade across, forcing Cade back.
The tail spike rose again, this time targeting Alfred's throat.
The paladin captain raised his sword to parry, but the bone blade was too powerful, causing him to stagger backward and expose his defenseless chest.
The tail spike protrudes.
Alfred closed his eyes.
He heard Glenn's roar.
He heard Cade roar.
He heard Allen's arrow pierce the air.
Then, a blast!
A dark red fireball roared in from the side and struck the Thorn Demon precisely in the side!
That fireball was a full size larger than the one cast by a normal lesser demon, and its color was much deeper, almost like solidified lava.
The Thorn Demon's tail spike stopped three inches from Alfred's throat.
It looked down at the still-burning flame on its side.
It's not an ordinary fireball.
Flames clung to the Thorn Demon's skin, burrowing deep into its flesh as if they were alive.
That's not burning, it's corrosion—like being drenched in lava, leaving the skin charred, ulcerated, and carbonized.
"ah!!!"
The Thorn Demon let out an extremely shrill scream.
It frantically pounded at the flames on its side, but the fire seemed to be drawn from the depths of the abyss, and ordinary methods could not extinguish it.
The four captains turned their heads at the same time. About thirty steps away, Captain Xiuqi stood quietly.
The grey robe swayed gently in the morning breeze, and "Bavarian Moonlight" was already unsheathed.
Beside him stood a figure that stood out from the crowd.
That was a little devil.