CHAPTER 39: THE BLOODIED VALLEY
King Task stared, unable to believe his eyes. His gaze finally met Arthur's across the divide. At last, the two kings, the two armies, stood face to face. King Task was still in a state of profound shock.
Flower: "My King!" she called out, urgency sharpening her voice. "We must take position immediately, or we will all be dead within minutes!"
Her words snapped him back. Task shook his head and regained his composure.
Task: "Everyone, assume defensive positions! Shields up! Everyone, fall into line NOW!"
On the opposite ridge, King Arthur, calm yet seething with fury, gave his order.
Arthur: "Archers... FIRE!!!"
Simultaneously, ten thousand Ashura archers released their arrows. A literal rain of arrows began to fall upon the Ice Kingdom soldiers. So many arrows poured down that the shields could no longer deflect them all, and the first blood began to spill.
Task was shocked for the first time, unsure what to do. Seeing Task in this state, Flower made a move to change the situation. She instantly used Glacial Death. In a flash, she appeared amidst the Ashura archers and began slaughtering them in a swift, deadly series.
Dragon, witnessing this, tried to intervene but was too late. At that very moment, a voice roared:
Task: "ATTACK!!!"
Task had finally regained his senses and given the command. But during the defensive scramble, five thousand of his soldiers had already perished, with another thousand wounded. He thought to himself, This was supposed to be a show-war. Where are the Hunters? I've lost too many soldiers already. If not for Flower, we would have lost this war already.
Upon this, Arthur immediately issued another command.
Arthur: "Cavalry... FORWARD!!!"
The Ashura Kingdom's cavalry was about to clash with the Ice Kingdom's infantry. The Layern Valley was on the verge of becoming a sea of blood. Many battles had been fought here before, all ending inconclusively. The reason was the valley's unique nature: its right side was desert, while its left side carried the full cold of the Ice Realm. Thus, armies could never achieve a decisive result.
Just then, the cavalry and infantry collided. The situation was clearly in the Ashura Kingdom's favor. The cavalry trampled and cut through the infantry. Across the valley, cries of pain and the stench of death rose.
One of the Ice Kingdom's commanders, Tamps, launched his attack. Swinging his massive mace, he took the lives of ten soldiers with a single blow. With each swing, that number grew. Task and Arthur watched the unfolding carnage. The Layern Valley had turned into a sea of blood in a short time. The valley was witnessing a bloodshed unlike any it had seen before.
Seeing Tamps slaughtering his brigade's soldiers, Amexp immediately charged. The two commanders met face-to-face in the very center of the valley. Amexp made the first move.
Amexp: "Sand Whip!" he roared.
Being on the valley's right side, his power doubled. He created a colossal whip of sand and launched a series of rapid strikes at Tamps.
Tamps's response was direct.
Tamps: "Glacial Mace!" he bellowed.
He shattered every incoming whip strike with his mace.
Meanwhile, Dragon and Flower were also locked in combat. Dragon was a commander known for his rage, and he attacked immediately.
Dragon: "Dragon Claw!" he shouted, charging.
His hand transformed into a claw of hardened sand. He swung it at Flower with all his might.
Flower's counter was simple. She used Glacial Dream. Just as the Dragon Claw and Flower's dagger were about to meet in the middle, Dragon's arm suddenly went limp. Flower instantly thrust her left-hand dagger toward Dragon's liver.
But Dragon was a highly experienced commander. He reacted instantly.
Dragon: "Dragon Arms!"
Two additional arms of sand erupted from his torso, blocking Flower's attack. Seeing this, Flower immediately retreated using Glacial Step.
By now, catapults had also joined the fray, but only on one side. Arthur gave the order, and Sand Mages appeared from the rear. Using all their power, they targeted and destroyed the Ice Kingdom's idle catapults on the left side of the valley. No one could intervene, as everyone was fighting.
King Task saw this and nearly went mad with rage, wanting to charge in himself, but another commander beside him, Flem, stopped him.
Flem: "My King, stop! You are the King. Entering the battlefield is too dangerous for you."
King Task was furious but powerless. King Arthur issued his next command.
Arthur: "Fire the catapults!"
Balls of lava-fused sand, hard as rock, were carefully launched onto the battlefield. Whatever they hit was completely crushed and obliterated. The Ice Kingdom began to suffer heavy losses.
During this, Tamps and Amexp continued their duel. Being on the valley's right side gave Amexp a significant advantage. He pressed his attack.
Amexp: "Multiple Sand Whip Assault!"
Instantly, five three-meter-long sand whips materialized and began coordinated, rapid strikes. The attack was so swift that it accidentally killed several nearby soldiers—even some of his own. Amexp saw this but did not stop. This is war. Soldiers die in war. Sometimes, for the greater good, some lives must be sacrificed.
Tamps couldn't keep up with the speed of these attacks. Reflexively, he swung his mace left and right. By chance, he blocked a few, but the other whip strikes found their mark. Tamps was suddenly subjected to a furious barrage of lashes, his body jerking violently from the impacts.
Amexp abruptly halted his attacks and used another technique.
Amexp: "The Final Lash of the Sands!" he roared.
The whips he had created merged, giving birth to a single, colossal fifteen-meter lash. The other soldiers froze for a moment, watching this attack. Tamps's body seemed to have collapsed; he could offer no response.
Amexp unleashed the attack. A massive shadow seemed to fall over the battlefield, plunging the area into momentary darkness. The gigantic lash descended upon Tamps's location with immense speed.
CRAAAAACK!
A tremendous collision sound echoed, and a huge dust cloud erupted. When the dust cleared a moment later, everyone was shocked. Tamps's body was shattered into pieces.
The Ice Kingdom soldiers were horrified by this sight.
Amexp roared: "Why are you watching??? ATTACK! Show them no mercy!"
Emboldened by this, the Ashura Kingdom soldiers began fighting with twice the fervor. King Task watched everything unfold in utter horror. No trace remained of his earlier, relaxed demeanor.
Seeing Tamps killed, Flower screamed:
Flower: "TAMMPSSS!!!"
She abandoned her fight with Dragon and immediately headed toward Amexp's location. Dragon pursued her. This mock war had now transformed into a real one.
The Layern Valley had become a sea of blood. Only an hour had passed since the battle began, but already over twenty thousand casualties littered the ground. Yet King Arthur, consumed by fury, did not stop.
Arthur: "Fire the catapults again!"
Instantly, ten more balls of lava and sand rained down on the battlefield, shattering everything in their path—including soldiers. Some soldiers, now terrified, decided to flee, but no one could escape. The Ashura Kingdom's second commander, Poirer, caught anyone trying to run and slaughtered them all mercilessly.
This war had become the bloodiest battle in recent years. The entire battlefield was a field of fire. The lava-sand balls began to annihilate the entire combat zone. Cries of agony, the sounds of clashing soldiers and commanders filled the air everywhere.
Flower finally reached Amexp, but Dragon had followed her. Flower crossed to the left side of the valley, while Dragon and Amexp stood facing her, a duo against one.
Flower gave a psychopathic grin.
Flower: "Two against one, you say? It doesn't matter. I'll still win."
Dragon ordered Amexp to leave the area. Flower tried to pursue, but Dragon wouldn't allow it.
Dragon: "Your account is with me, not him. Now come... and die."
Looking down on the battlefield from above, everyone was fighting for their lives. The ground was so littered with corpses that towers of bodies had begun to form. In some places, it was difficult to even take a step.
How would this war end?
The two kings locked eyes once more. Arthur's gaze was pure, unadulterated fury. Task's face and eyes were filled with fear and anxiety, explaining the entire situation. The Ashura Kingdom had nearly won this war.
But the war wasn't over yet.
Flem spoke with fear and worry.
Flem: "My King, let's retreat. They caught us completely off guard. We can no longer win this battle."
King Task, filled with fear and anxiety, replied:
Task: "Not yet. The World Government will definitely stop this war. We cannot leave until then, or we will have fought for nothing and lost the war. We must hold out a little longer. You go down to the battlefield. Go help my army. Now!"
Flem: "As you command, My King." Flem departed.
At that precise moment, three figures appeared on the ridge above the valley.
They were the Hunters sent by the World Government.
They had finally arrived...