Chapter 1106
Episode 257: The Demon Army’s Assault (10)
It had come to the point where sacrificing the superhumans was inevitable.
[Ah, if only we had just come together to the Black Sea from the start, right? Jin. We’re not too late, are we?]
Orgal was the first to spread his wings and step through the dimensional gate. Behind him, Kinzel’s fleet and Runcandel’s Golden Armada revealed their formidable presence.
“Shiron! My grandson, where are you? This old man finally gets to see you!”
Balas’s booming voice echoed across the battlefield. Shiron turned to smile faintly at the grandfather he hadn’t seen in decades. Grandpa’s still the same, he thought.
The combined fleet of Runcandel and Kinzel, numbering over a thousand ships, swiftly emerged from the dimensional gate and took their positions. For now, the alliance no longer needed to sacrifice superhumans to face the enemy’s Changsung.
The enemy gritted their teeth at the sudden appearance of the allied forces. If this continued, the fleet battle would soon turn against them again. The Demon Army had no choice but to deploy reinforcements faster than planned—a decision that would come at a great cost.
Even the two Changsung of the Demon Army who were about to make their move retreated to the rear. Their grim task was to somehow survive the alliance’s fierce assault until the next wave of Changsung could emerge from the dimensional gate.
Kinzel and Runcandel’s fleets held their fire for the moment. They needed to secure the positions of their own forces within enemy lines and coordinate with the existing fleet.
The White Fleet also ceased firing, preparing to regroup. In other words, the bombardment from both the alliance and the Demon Army paused simultaneously, and the battlefield fell into a rare lull.
Over two thousand ships combined, countless troops filling the ground…
It was hard to believe such a fierce battle had just raged moments ago. The only sound was the heavy hum of engines as each fleet reorganized their formations.
Amidst this calm, Jin glanced back at his comrades once, then took a step forward toward the enemy.
“Just now, the alliance’s most loyal servant, Captain Rata Prochi of the Ghost Corps, was stabbed in the back and died. Those of us who loved and cherished him must remember this day. Rata Prochi never spared his life for his own safety—he fought for the alliance’s victory until the very end.”
Jin struck his chest several times in tribute. A deep, resonant sound echoed like a distant drum.
“Today is a day when any one of us could fall in battle. Not just today, but every day from now on, until we tear those bastards apart.”
He raised his sword.
“This is a tiring fight, a sorrowful fight, and a losing fight. To everyone standing here with me, I thank you. If I die on this battlefield, my last words will be that I was proud of all of you.”
[A last will? What nonsense, spit, spit, spit. I spit so it won’t be cursed. The last will should be left by those filthy bastards, not you.]
“That’s true, Orgal. So, Demon Army, I want to ask you something too. What are you fighting for? Why have you become Keliak’s dogs, and why do you endure this brutal battlefield? When you die, what words or feelings do you want to leave behind?”
He was genuinely curious.
How could so many throw their lives away for the desire of one person, one group, to unify all dimensions? How could even the Changsung obey so unconditionally?
No answer came. The Demon Army silently adjusted their formations.
“In my eyes, you have no conviction. Even if you do, it’s just the broken, corrupted remnants left by the tyrant Keliak Ziphl. What will you gain by conquering all dimensions? Is it truly glorious to complete a world manipulated solely for yourselves with the Demon Stones?”
Soldiers stripped of pride, you are mistaken.
Jin continued, pounding his chest once more. Everyone in the alliance followed suit.
“Among the countless worlds across all dimensions, the only true answer is right here—standing in this place. If you still don’t realize that, there is only one future awaiting you: dying in greater numbers than us, and ultimately perishing without a trace!”
Bradamante’s blade pointed at the enemy.
At that moment, the allied fleet advanced and opened fire, while the superhumans descended to the ground, charging toward the enemy.
The battle resumed, unchanged.
The Balmur Alliance, bolstered by reinforcements, held a slight advantage, but the Demon Army was also deploying troops from within the dimensional gate faster than before.
Superhumans roared as they faced off against Elona of the Holy Water Corps and the Demon Army’s elite, while the Changsung infiltrated deep into enemy lines to hunt down their counterparts.
But the atmosphere was different.
After nearly 40 hours of relentless combat, the alliance fighters, weary and battered, heard Jin’s voice and remembered once again who they were.
What they were fighting for, what they were enduring this hell to protect.
It was for life.
Before Jin’s emergence, this world was just “Dimension 677” to the Demon Army. But for those who shared its memories, it was everything.
Not everyone who joined the Balmur Alliance had pure intentions. Some sought advancement, some survival, some simply followed the tide.
Yet now, all had united in one heart. They fought to protect this world and their lives, and because they had benefited from being part of the Balmur Alliance, they had to see it through.
Inside each alliance member was a sense of debt.
It was the same debt Jin had carried as the sole time traveler—the same burden and doubt.
Among those fighting here against the Demon Army, none were free from owing this world.
[Hahaha, grandson! You’re a lucky one! You’ve fought all your life, yet you met such a fine grandfather and have such wonderful children. Did you see how impressive your great-grandchild was just now? One thing’s for sure—he didn’t inherit your gift of gab, haha!]
“Grandpa, don’t overdo it. You can’t die again—you only have one arm left.”
[Alright, Yona! Then we’ll go catch those bastards. Take care, grandson, and you Changsung!]
Following Balas’s hearty voice, Runcandel’s knights drew their swords. Nearby, Dante and Veradin led the alliance’s superhumans gathering together.
“Damn it, what the hell is that? How far do these bastards plan to humiliate Lady Elona?”
“Exactly, Veradin. Hmm, for now, we should try to restrain those Elona-shaped weapons and find a way to support Jin. The enemy has too many Changsung; we need to be ready to join the fight at any moment.”
Dante was a key figure among the superhumans. Just before reinforcements arrived, he and Hedo were the greatest assets when sudden support was needed on the Changsung front.
But Dante saw no clear path forward. With the frontlines as they were, enemy Changsung would surely appear from the rear, making the distance from allied Changsung even greater.
As Dante pondered while cutting down foes, a figure approached. Eltiot, the great Qingming tribesman who had achieved the Changseong of ‘Harmony.’
Though his body was damaged and he couldn’t wield his full martial power, his ability to harmonize still influenced the entire battlefield.
“Tch! You fool, don’t stop cutting down the enemy to waste time worrying. From now on, I will coordinate the rear lines. You and Hedo should be ready to join the Changsung front at any time, and I will arrange the frontlines so the ground troops can fight as safely as possible. From now on, whenever you see me, follow my movements exactly.”
Dante immediately followed Eltiot’s lead. To his surprise, a path that had been invisible before began to reveal itself.
From then on, a breeze of harmony swept across the battlefield. Eltiot moved like the wind, constantly organizing the allied formations, returning near Dante and Hedo to open new paths.
Sometimes, he even entered the Changsung frontlines, driving fleeing enemy Changsung toward their own.
All of this was something only he could do.
“Luna, you’re overusing the Crimson Sword! You won’t last if you keep this up—hold back a little!”
“Yes, Master!”
“And Shiron, you’ve been using your secret techniques too much and are worn out. Rest for five seconds—I’ll hold those bastards down for that long.”
About 80 hours remained until Ameris could lift the curse lingering on Temar’s body.
The Balmur Alliance had poured everything into this war, and its members had resolved their doubts. They reaffirmed why they fought and reflected on their lives.
But as time passed, the enemy—the Demon Army—began to question themselves. They couldn’t ignore what Jin had said.
What am I?
From some point onward, it became a question they could no longer answer.