Chapter 690 Fighting side by side, Killing side by side
The firmament thunders with one of the most tempestuous storms that the Blue Star has ever been a spectator to, the sea convulses with t.i.tanic waves as legions upon legions of Nagas and Mermaids engage in a colossal, otherworldly clash.
Yet, nestled amidst this somber tableau, the incandescent glow of Lucien"s naginata serves as a guiding lighthouse to the Mermaids, radiating power and determination that far surpa.s.ses their adversaries.
Nonetheless, the overall scene remains bleak for Lucien and his entourage. The Naga force outnumbers them tenfold and is systematically encircling the majestic Crystal City from all directions.
Despite the dire situation, Lucien deftly maneuvers against Tyrion"s primary battalion on the frontlines, while concurrently dispatching Mira to the city"s rear, where the Nagas still pledged to her reside.
This proves to be a tactical masterstroke, for the Nagas on the opposite flank of the city remain disloyally inclined towards Tyrion. Indeed, Mira"s clandestine operatives incessantly strive to sway their kinsfolk, arguing that Tyrion"s leaders.h.i.+p portends no auspicious end.
Such a stratagem enables Lucien to concentrate on the antagonists at the vanguard, while Mira works to exterminate the Nagas staunchly loyal to Tyrion, simultaneously regaining authority over the remaining units that threaten the city from the rear.
Swiftly grasping the situation, Nea dispatches Saria and a detachment of the Mermaid militia to the other side, thus guaranteeing a 360-degree defense of their populace.
All of this unfolds as Lucien and Oya spearhead the frontal a.s.sault; he radiates like a supernova, invigorating his legions and sowing seeds of dread within the hearts of his adversaries.
However, formidable foes lie within Tyrion"s ranks, advancing in regimented rows both above and beneath the sea"s surface, their motivations fueled by insatiable avarice.
The audacious among them see a golden chance in Lucien"s compromised state, an opportunity to achieve eternal glory by vanquis.h.i.+ng the beloved Handsome Devil.
Lucien"s sisters and the Sins hastily trail behind him, yet Oya"s velocity is phenomenal, and she outstrips them, reaching the enemy"s front ranks before any of her comrades.
"HAAAAA!!!!"
"PERISH, FIEND!!!"
An aggressive brigade of Immortal Realm Nagas, imposing and deadly, initiates an onslaught on Lucien, a maelstrom of incantations and potent ranged attacks hurtling towards him. Meanwhile, their most formidable warriors charge directly towards him, teeth bared.
"ROAAAARRR!!!"
Yet, Oya, with an animalistic ferocity, brutally eviscerates the initial aggressors that dare to confront her with her lethal fangs, her magical armor deflecting the majority of the distant onslaught.
Lucien, matching her ferocity, promptly exterminates the enemies attempting to ambush Oya from the sidelines.
His golden naginata is like a reaper"s scythe, effortlessly piercing through skulls and hearts alike, while his crimson katana becomes a harbinger of death of its own accord, owed to the power imbued within his third Soul Gate.
The potency of his second Soul Gate proves invaluable; one hand wields the naginata with lethal finesse, while the other brandishes his obsidian katana facsimile, unleas.h.i.+ng gusts of slicing winds and other ranged onslaughts, powered by the elemental energies of his wives nested within him.
Lucien becomes a veritable walking armory, dispatching enemies in a myriad of ways, including the razor tips of his wings serving as additional weapons.
While his sisters engage the enemy more judiciously, the Sins materialize their forms around Lucien, rapidly extinguis.h.i.+ng enemy lives in tandem with him.
In the proximity of this battlefield, Nea dictates orders to the warriors battling under Lucien"s sinful aura. They may not dispatch the Naga soldiers as swiftly as he and his wives, yet the disparity between the troops is glaringly apparent.
Each Mermaid, bolstered by Lucien and the Sins, battles with the prowess of ten comparable Nagas, and while the Nagas fall swiftly, the injured Mermaids tactfully retreat. Lucien"s energy, and particularly Sophia"s, swiftly mends their wounds.
Hence, as the Naga count plummets, no Mermaid suffers the bitter end on the frontlines.
The sight of their resilience fills Lucien with profound pride and fuels his motivation. The amplified zeal of the Mermaids feeds the Sinful aura, in turn reinforcing Lucien and the Sins with the same vigor they bestow upon their troops.
*BAM* *CLANG* *BOOM* *CRAs.h.!.+*
The cacophony of battle echoes relentlessly, its reverberations radiating miles and miles around Crystal City as the combat unfolds relentlessly.
Tyrion, already astounded by the sight of Lucien"s wives in the fray, is further staggered to witness his sisters and the Sins battling in unison.
Claire, in alliance with Greed, conjures hundreds of golden blades, delivering a rain of lethal strikes upon hordes of soldiers, dispatching them with chilling ease.
Naomi devotes herself to defense, establis.h.i.+ng a formidable barrier around her siblings against any potent ranged attacks, rendering thousands of Tyrion"s shadowy mages impotent; her ma.s.sive pink s.h.i.+eld absorbs incoming a.s.saults with the might of Gluttony, amplifying their collective power.
Donna, together with Wrath, launch ferocious counterattacks against any enemy that dares approach, employing the diverse a.r.s.enal of the irate Sin in an inventive manner. With each swing of a weapon, they alternate to another, slas.h.i.+ng in the opposite direction, extinguis.h.i.+ng lives nearly as rapidly as Lucien himself.
Sophia and Sloth give the illusion of nonchalance amidst the turmoil. The infamous Devil"s medic remains reclined on her floating pillow, ensnaring hundreds of Naga soldiers within illusions, rendering them sitting ducks for the Mermaids.
Sloth doesn"t engage directly, but her presence pervades the battlefield as she extends her consciousness, alerting Sophia to the most critically wounded Mermaids. In this way, she not only facilitates the destruction of many enemies but also heals her allies.
Yet, aside from Lucien and Nea, the most pivotal figure on the battlefield is Eve. The Prideful Queen dispatches foes as swiftly as Lucien himself, standing as another formidable pillar alongside him, profoundly affecting the sinful aura.
However, one of his sisters is conspicuously absent from the frontline, that"s Amelia, who, alongside Helena, lurks within the shadows, biding their time for Lucien"s signal to unleash Layla.
Lucien had confided that Tyrion would inevitably be drawn towards him, and that"s precisely why he"s pus.h.i.+ng himself to his absolute limits on the front lines, executing formidable Naga soldiers and effectively drawing the Naga King"s attention.
Indeed, it"s working. Having been taken aback by Lucien"s sisters and the Sins, Tyrion"s gaze is now invariably riveted on the immense white tigress, the one responsible for thwarting his carefully laid plans.
"You reckless lad..." Tyrion tightens his grip on his trident so fiercely that droplets of his blackened blood trickle down its shaft.
"You must make your move now, My King!" Tanu, standing resolutely by Tyrion"s side, spurs him on urgently. "He"s acting heedlessly, barging through the front lines in such a vulnerable state..."
"...," Tyrion remains silent, his decision not to join his troops in the vanguard, unlike Lucien, was motivated by a shred of reason untouched by his insatiable greed, which held him in check.
That same sliver of reason suggests that even though he can potentially deal with Lucien and Nea, the most formidable obstacles aren"t them but the powerful women encircling Lucien, especially his sisters and the Seven Deadly Sins.
Tyrion had meticulously calculated a mult.i.tude of variables and potential issues, but the power and unwavering loyalty of those radiant women are something he could never have foreseen, along with the sinful aura that galvanizes the Mermaid army.
"My King..." Tanu"s concern intensifies as he observes Tyrion grappling with evident trepidation. "Lucien"s power is burgeoning at a startling pace; you must slay him now!"
"Slay him..." Tyrion finds himself locked in an internal conflict, torn between the options of attacking Lucien and withdrawing.
He understands that he should retreat, for as the bodies of thousands of Naga soldiers pile up while not a single Mermaid falls, the specter of defeat looms ever more clearly.
But how could he possibly turn his back now? After all the schemes and deeds Tyrion has orchestrated to get to this juncture, he believes that if he retreats now, he"ll be forsaking everything, and retreat will become his perpetual fate.
"Tyrion!!" Tanu drops the formalities, shaking off his momentary stupor. "Lucien is the linchpin keeping the Mermaids from collapsing! If you strike him down, we emerge victorious!!"
"Slay him..." The only thought echoing within Tyrion"s mind is of eliminating Lucien and claiming everything that"s his.
"Yes, you can accomplish it!!" Tanu shouts fervently. "You"re a formidable King, the sole ent.i.ty in the Cosmic Realm in this entire world... just eliminate him, now!!"
*WHOOSH*
Tyrion doesn"t react to Tanu but propels himself towards Lucien, unleas.h.i.+ng the full potency of his Cosmic Realm powers.
The plotting Siren is momentarily knocked back by the force wave emitted by his sudden maneuver, but she swiftly regains control over her body as she watches Tyrion advance towards Lucien.
The outcome of this confrontation will determine the fate of the entire war and her personal future. Therefore, she doesn"t hesitate to tail her Master, prepared to exploit any situation for her personal gain.
When both Tyrion and Tanu divert their attention towards Lucien, neglecting the obsidian cage that entraps Layla, Lucien seizes the opportunity and swiftly alerts Amelia and Helena.
"Now!" His command is unequivocal, and the pair harness their spatial mana to teleport past enemy lines.
Enemies still swarm on all sides, including Naga soldiers safeguarding Layla"s cage, but Envy and Helena promptly neutralize those daring to approach while Amelia orchestrates the rescue.
"Huh... what... who..." Layla is feeble and battered to the point of barely comprehending the unfolding events.
But Amelia is swift to react, thrusting one of Lucien"s miraculous healing potions into her hand. "Here, take this!"
The beleaguered woman experiences a rush of potent energy coursing through her, reigniting her life force. "My family..."
"We"ll escort you back to your family!" Amelia a.s.serts confidently as the other wives of Lucien blaze a trail through the teeming horde of Naga soldiers enveloping them.
From the sky above, Maya witnesses her daughter"s rescue as Tyrion hurtles towards Lucien.
Nea also registers this development and readies herself to join the fray, standing shoulder to shoulder with the man she has yearned to fight beside.
Pride promptly alerts Eve, and together they gird themselves for the impending showdown — Tyrion against the Handsome Devil... and, naturally, his formidable harem.