Chapter 60: The Bonds of Kinship

“Howwwwwwwl~”

His massive claws slammed down, capable of crushing a person into a bloody pulp with a mere touch.

His tail, like an astonishingly large steel whip, could shatter an entire formation with a single strike.

Among the myriad demons under Wang, only Little Eagle rivaled his immense strength.

This was Max, who usually appeared as a colossal dog, but now transformed into a Celestial Wolf, ravaging his foes.

The ‘Celestial Wolf’ is a demonic race, much like the Harpies.

They are named for their immense size upon transformation, capable of eclipsing the very sky.

With swords and blades proving largely ineffective, the mages of the Allied Army resorted to their magic in battle.

Elemental fireballs streaked forth, striking Max, the massive canine, eliciting pained howls as his fur was scorched black.

The attack had landed!

Elated, the mages prepared to unleash another volley, only for streaks of sword light to flash towards them.

In an instant, their heads severed from their necks, soaring upwards as crimson fountains erupted from the wounds.

After aiding her loyal canine, Wang observed the battlefield, realizing her forces were nearing their breaking point.

The battle had now transitioned from its initial phase into the mid-stage.

The demon legion, led by Wang, noticeably slowed its advance through the enemy lines.

If before they had been a straight arrow, piercing through with the momentum to shatter the Allied Army’s vanguard, now they moved at a more measured pace, operating within a defined radius, with Wang at their core.

Even so, the Allied Army’s losses continued to mount, becoming increasingly dire!

Typically, in a large-scale war, a battle is deemed ‘brutal’ if either the attacking or defending army suffers more than twenty percent casualties.

The Allied Army’s initial strength, over 490,000 plus 250,000—a total exceeding 740,000—had now plummeted to approximately 310,000.

A moment’s thought revealed that the Allied Army had already lost more than half its forces!

Moreover, this was far from the war’s final stage, with the main act still to come.

From their vantage point in the safe zone, the five Legion Commanders observing the battle could clearly grasp its sheer brutality.

Of the seven nations, two had already seen their entire contingents wiped out.

It was Wang’s personally led demon forces that had inflicted such devastating blows upon these elite soldiers!

The human soldiers and generals on the opposing side had now truly witnessed the formidable combat prowess of the demons!

The current stalemate threatened to drag on. To break it, You launched his counterattack, addressing the four individuals beside him:

“The demon leader’s second weakness is, ironically, her strength. While she excels in close-quarters combat, it inherently means she is not proficient in long-range engagements.”

The soldiers from the two nations had not sacrificed themselves in vain; at this very moment, You had devised a strategy to best restrict Wang’s power.

“Archers in the rear, take your positions!”

Upon hearing the command, the archers each raised their tightly gripped crossbows, dropping to one knee, straightening their backs, and aiming their bolts at their targets.

By the unspoken consent of the others, You had become the de facto commander of the Allied Army; his orders were absolute.

Of course, You’s authority hinged on the volatile Legion Commander continuing to cooperate, just as he was now.

Then, You roared his command:

“Fire!”

Twang! Twang! Twang! Twang! Twang! Twang! Twang! Twang! Twang!

The collective twang of bowstrings filled the air, and in an instant, countless sharp projectiles ascended uniformly into the azure sky.

The fierce shrieks of metal converged into a deafening roar overhead, a sound that thrilled and terrified in equal measure.

When the arrow rain descended, blood immediately mingled with the dust and smoke, obscuring vision like an unyielding morning fog.

The countless lives unable to escape the arrow storm fell like swathes of wheat in a field, struck down and vanishing beneath the descending catastrophe.

This volley was a typical ‘indiscriminate attack,’ sparing neither friend nor foe.

On the demon side, Wang wielded her sword, shielding everyone, thus preventing any deaths or injuries.

Yet, Wang could not guarantee such an outcome every time.

Although this wave of arrows had failed to kill any demons, instead costing his own side several thousand lives, You had no intention of changing his strategy.

He knew that if he continued the volley, the demons would inevitably suffer casualties!

What were a few thousand dead?

As You himself had declared:

“I can afford the attrition! Casualties are casualties for mere demons, but to me, they are nothing more than a small number!”

You was not wrong; the Allied Army boasted over 300,000 troops, while the demon forces numbered only a few thousand.

Compared to the close-quarters fighting, where ten of his own might die without taking down a single demon, You was naturally willing to accept this cost.

Wang, however, was different from You; she could not bear any losses.

You cared nothing for the lives of his subordinates, but Wang cared deeply, for they were her family.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Wang immediately raised her longsword, drawing the demons’ attention with her gesture and issuing a command with her voice:

“Retreat! Whether heavily or lightly wounded, all of you, fall back!”

The order had been given, yet this time, the demons did not obey.

In the several years since Wang became their leader, never had her authority felt so diminished.

“Retreat, I said! All of you, fall back!”

After the second command, a representative among the demons finally responded.

The representative questioned her:

“If we retreat, Boss, what about you?”

Undoubtedly, no living being is truly unafraid of death.

Yet, compared to the terror of death, there are sometimes one or two things that weigh even heavier in the hearts of sentient beings.

Like kinship!

Within the large family formed around Wang, ranks were distinguished by titles, but unity was forged through emotion.

Emotional demons were not uncommon; they had always existed and would continue to do so.

However, demons like these, who would disregard life and death for the sake of a human—an outsider…

Such demons were indeed exceptionally rare!

It seemed that under the influence of Wang, their human leader, the demons were gradually becoming more like humans themselves…

Several seconds had already passed since Wang issued her second command.

The time elapsed was certainly enough for the Allied Army’s archers to prepare for their next volley.

You’s lips were moistened with saliva, and in the blink of an eye, he would issue his command again.

With time rapidly dwindling, Wang had no choice but to issue an unprecedented third command.

However, to call it a ‘command’ might not be entirely accurate; perhaps it was more an expression of pure audacity.

Her resolute cry, laden with responsibility, once again reached the demons’ ears:

“My little ones, who do you take me for? I am your Boss! What does it matter if I go it alone to draw attention?

Do you truly believe such a paltry number of enemies could trouble me?”