Chapter 13: The Duel

The once quiet Black Mud Town, after over ten days of frantic preparations, had transformed into a heavily fortified bastion. All the original residents had been evacuated to Black Flow City, while the scavengers were driven into the wilds. After all, the wilderness, no matter how dangerous, was nothing compared to the impending battle in the Black Swamp. Linger here, and they would only become fodder for the dark races.

As dawn approached, an unusual scent rode the wind from the direction of the Black Swamp. Any seasoned hunter of the wilderness could immediately discern that it was the gathering of a large number of spider demons and werewolves.

The soldiers of the Expeditionary Force and the Darkfire Mercenary Corps had already taken up their positions. As the chilling aura swept through with the wind, both veterans and novices instinctively tightened their grips on their weapons, their hearts pounding like war drums.

Gradually, within the misty haze spreading from the Black Swamp, indistinct figures began to appear.

From afar, these figures, not particularly tall, made the seasoned veterans feel a deep sense of foreboding. They were werewolf warriors. The neat, orderly formation indicated that they were not mere irregulars from small tribes but the regular army of the dark races.

The reason the werewolves did not appear very tall was because towering above them were exceptionally large warriors, reaching heights of three to four meters. These fearsome figures had been the stuff of nightmares for many brave Expeditionary Force soldiers.

These were not just servile spiders, but true spider demons. As for the equally formidable giant servile spiders, they were still behind in the ranks.

When hundreds of dark race warriors marched out from the Black Swamp in a clear formation, the oppressive, overwhelming force that seemed to crush everything in its path made many of the weaker human soldiers hold their breath unconsciously.

The more experienced the warrior, the more they could feel the pre-storm tension. Standing on the town walls, Qian Ye’s expression was one of solemnity.

He faintly sensed a terrifying presence at the center of the dark cloud, as if a colossal tornado was slowly approaching! In the face of such a vast will, every living thing seemed so insignificant.

Qian Ye’s rich combat experience told him that this was just a false perception, an instinctive reaction under the immense pressure of the enemy’s aura. However, the fact that such an aura could be displayed meant that there was a supremely powerful individual in the opposing camp. He couldn’t help but glance at Wei Benian, standing to his left front.

Wei Benian felt Qian Ye’s gaze, turned around, and smiled faintly before patting Qian Ye on the shoulder. Wei Benian’s composure quickly spread to the other officers, and the initial unease was swiftly calmed.

Qian Ye suddenly realized the irreplaceable value of a general-level warrior on the front line. At a time like this, when the two armies faced off, Wei Benian must hold back the opposing strongman. If he failed or even retreated, then even with the advantage in numbers and terrain, the Expeditionary Force might still be broken by the enemy’s general, leading to a crushing defeat.

Back when Qian Ye served in the Red Scorpion, he was still a rookie. Although he had been told about this, he never felt it as clearly and profoundly as he did now. Due to his rank and role as a sniper, his position was always far from the center. Now, however, he was qualified to stand beside the general and be a core part of the fighting force.

Wei Benian stood with his hands behind his back, still not releasing his aura. Yet, it was this calmness that gave everyone more confidence.

Suddenly, the earth began to tremble, and from the thick fog, behind the orderly rows of warriors, a mountain-like figure emerged! Looking at the massive, seven to eight-meter-tall black shadow, Qian Ye’s heart pounded fiercely.

Could it be that the dark races had deployed a war beast? But how could a war beast pass through the great swamp?

The mountain finally broke free from the fog, coming closer, revealing a colossal spider demon. His half-naked upper body, muscles rippling, shone with a metallic luster. Critical areas were covered with black armor, unlike the rough armor of most spider demons. Each plate of his armor was adorned with golden patterns, finely crafted and beautifully designed.

The dark race army parted like a tide to make way for the spider demon, who moved forward, each step resonating in the hearts of the onlookers.

He advanced until he was just a hundred meters from the newly constructed outer wall of Black Mud Town, then stopped, crossed his arms, and bellowed, “I am Viscount Brahms! Lowly humans, do you think you can stop the mighty army of the Holy Blood Race with these piles of bricks and rubble?”

Brahms’ voice was like thunder, causing the Expeditionary Force soldiers in the front lines to feel dizzy and their ears to ring. A few ordinary soldiers who were not trained for combat screamed in agony, blood streaming from their ears, and collapsed.

The Expeditionary Force soldiers were shocked!

Wei Benian let out a cold laugh, removed his cloak, and threw it to his guards, revealing a deep yellow armor. A few guards brought a giant shield almost as tall as Wei Benian, its thickness indicating its defensive power and weight.

Wei Benian, who appeared slightly thin, lifted the shield with one hand, effortlessly waving it around. Such a massive object was light as a feather in his hands.

Wei Benian let out a shout, like a clap of thunder, reverberating across the battlefield, even overpowering the volume of the spider demon.

“Brahms! Today, not only will your black-blooded mongrels be stopped here, but you yourself will fall before this city!”

Brahms roared, “Let me see, puny humans, what can stop my advance!”

Brahms took a massive primal gun from his back, its barrel the size of a basin, more suitable to be called a cannon.

The gun’s muzzle slowly lit up with primal energy, and given the spider demon’s strength, the slow charging process indicated the enormous power of the shot.

Wei Benian slowly rose into the air, gesturing for those around him to move back.

Some of the Expeditionary Force officers quickly jumped off the protruding watchtower, while Wei Benian’s guards hesitated but, under his sharp gaze, had to retreat, clearing a large space on the town walls.

Wei Benian stood in mid-air, placing the giant shield in front of him as if it were on solid ground. He extended his left hand and beckoned Brahms.

Facing such provocation, Viscount Brahms roared in fury, fully activating his primal cannon. The cannon’s muzzle suddenly shot a deep blue beam, striking Wei Benian with tremendous force!

Wei Benian let out a clear cry, piercing through the thunderous roar of the spider demon, not being suppressed at all. Simultaneously, a dazzling yellow primal energy erupted from Wei Benian, covering a radius of several dozen meters, forming majestic mountains and perilous cliffs.

This was the true Wei Family secret: Thousandfold Mountains!

The collision between the blue-black beam and the Thousandfold Mountains caused a devastating explosion of primal energy. The rolling energy waves surged forth, and the soldiers’ bodies lit up with various colors of primal energy. Though they managed to stand firm, the weaker soldiers behind them were blown off balance, some even falling backward.

This was the strongest clash between the generals of both sides!

As the aftershocks of the primal explosion gradually subsided, Brahms slid back several meters, his limbs leaving deep scratches on the ground. Sparks and small explosions intermittently erupted from his damaged gun. Brahms’ full-powered attack had ruined the weapon.

On the other side, the watchtower on Black Mud Town’s walls was reduced to a lone stone platform, surrounded by a pile of rubble. Brahms’ single shot had flattened the entire section of the wall.

However, when the dust, several meters high, settled, Wei Benian’s figure emerged, standing calmly on the stone platform, holding the heavy shield, unharmed.

A burst of thunderous cheers erupted from Black Mud Town, and the morale of the Expeditionary Force soldiers soared. Meanwhile, the dark race army, though still shouting battle cries, showed a noticeably diminished spirit compared to when they first emerged from the swamp.

At this moment, a sharp crack came from Wei Benian’s giant shield. The cracks spread across the shield, which had yet to completely dissipate its primal energy, and it shattered into pieces.

The cheers of the Expeditionary Force momentarily waned.

But Wei Benian carelessly tossed aside the fragments and shouted, “Shield!”

Several guards brought another new giant shield, which they threw up to Wei Benian. He caught it effortlessly, drawing a seemingly unremarkable black short hammer from his waist, which lit up with bright runes as he infused it with primal energy.

Wei Benian swung the short hammer, striking the shield, and sneered at Brahms, “Come on, what are you waiting for?”

Brahms, enraged by Wei Benian’s series of actions, pulled out a massive axe, swung it a few times above his head, pointed at Wei Benian, and roared, “Charge! Slaughter the humans!”

Hundreds of dark race warriors howled with bloodlust, charging towards Black Mud Town!

Werewolves and spider demons surged past Brahms on either side, while Brahms himself remained still, his gaze fixed on Wei Benian. Wei Benian also stood motionless, and the dark race warriors knew better than to charge towards him.

They all understood that Brahms, the Viscount, had chosen Wei Benian as his opponent. Interfering in their battle would likely result in being torn apart by Brahms before they could even get close.

Seeing the dark race army begin their charge, Qian Ye actually felt relieved. Brahms, provoked by Wei Benian, had launched a full-scale frontal assault, which was advantageous for the well-fortified Expeditionary Force. However, it did not mean the battle would be easy. The key to the entire campaign lay in the duel between Brahms and Wei Benian.

Brahms, leading the dark race forces, was extraordinarily powerful. Being a partially spider-transformed spider demon, he had only received the title of Viscount. If he could completely shed his spider form and transform into a humanoid, he might have reached the rank of Earl.

Qian Ye, alone in a temporary shooting bunker on the town walls, watched as the werewolves leaped over the walls, charging into the town.

Qian Ye did not move until a gigantic spider demon climbed the wall, and then he picked up the already loaded Vulcan multi-barrel cannon and rushed out of the bunker.