Chapter 57- The Siege of War (Floors 44-45)

The battlefield stretched endlessly, a ruined wasteland of shattered weapons, blood-soaked earth, and the echoes of war cries that had long faded into oblivion. The air smelled of iron and smoke, the remnants of battles fought long before Elias and his companions had even set foot here.

Elias stood at the edge of a broken fortress wall, surveying the carnage before him. The Warfields of Eternity lived up to its name-bodies of fallen warriors lay scattered, some still gripping their weapons, their eyes long since turned to hollow, lifeless pits. Yet, the war never ended here.

The moment Elias, Althea, and Lyra stepped onto the 44th floor, the sky darkened with the thunderous march of approaching soldiers.

A Never-Ending Battle

From the distance, two massive armies were

locked in an eternal clash-one side clad in golden armor, banners of divine emblems. fluttering above them, the other a chaotic horde of warriors, beasts, and monstrous creatures wielding rusted weapons and savage fury. The

battlefield was a never-ending war, and now, Elias and his group were caught in its wake.

A horn blasted.

The ground trembled as a new wave of warriors surged toward them. Unlike the blind, mindless monsters of previous floors, these soldiers moved with precision and discipline.

"These aren't just beasts, Lyra muttered, gripping her staff tightly. "They're trained."

Althea drew her blades. "It's either fight or get trampled."

Elias cracked his knuckles, silver eyes flashing in the storm-lit sky. "Then let's make them regret showing up."

The battlefield erupted into chaos.

Elias' Strategy Leading a Warband

Unlike past battles, where sheer force was enough, this was war. Elias couldn't just charge in recklessly-this time, they had to think like commanders.

Instead of rushing into the heart of battle, Elias, Althea, and Lyra led a charge, rallying fallen warriors who still had the will to fight. Some of the mortal soldiers recognized their strength and formed ranks behind them.

Elias' mind worked like a battlefield tactician-

Lyra unleashed arcane artillery, hurling explosive spells into the enemy's formation, creating gaps in their ranks.

Althea, her movements like a dancer of death, cut through enemies with precise, calculated strikes, supporting weaker warriors.

• Elias became the vanguard, crushing the strongest opponents and rallying those around him, turning them into a force rather than scattered survivors.

The war was no longer two armies-now, it was a three-way battle.

The Unyielding General - Guardian of the 45th Floor

Just as the tide of battle began to shift in their favor, a massive figure strode onto the battlefield. A towering warrior clad in ancient black and gold armor, wielding a colossal

warhammer engraved with divine markings. General Malzareth, the Eternal Commander.

His deep voice boomed across the battlefield, filled with divine authority. "You mortals dare to tip the scales of war?" His burning gaze fell upon Elias. "Then you shall be crushed beneath the weight of eternity."

Malzareth raised his warhammer. The sky roared. A cataclysmic force crashed down.

**Elias barely evaded-**the hammer struck the earth with such force that an entire platoon of warriors was obliterated, the ground itself caving in beneath the pressure.

Althea cursed under her breath. "That's not just brute strength-it's divine power."

Elias tightened his grip on his sword. "Then we break through divine power."

Clash Against the Eternal Commander

The battle against Malzareth was unlike anything Elias had faced so far-

• His warhammer shattered defenses in a single blow.

• Each of his movements commanded the battlefield itself, shifting warriors into formations that supported him.

• His divine aura enhanced the soldiers around him, making them stronger, faster, and relentless.

It wasn't just fighting one godlike foe-it was fighting an entire war, led by a god-tier commander.

Elias adapted-instead of fighting Malzareth head-on, he began severing the chain of command.

• Lyra disrupted formations with high-tier magic, breaking the warriors' cohesion. • Althea assassinated key officers, creating disarray in enemy ranks.

• Elias targeted Malzareth's command over the battlefield, forcing him into a personal duel.

The war around them blurred. It was now Elias vs. Malzareth.

The Eternal Commander struck with the force of

a falling star, but Elias had already begun to

surpass human limits. He dodged in a blur, retaliating with powerful counterattacks. Each exchange shook the battlefield itself.

And then-Elias found the opening.

With one decisive strike, he severed Malzareth's divine connection to the war around him.

The commander staggered, his strength waning. The battlefield descended into chaos as the divine warriors lost their coordination.

Elias ended it.

One final slash-and Malzareth fell.

Victory... But the War Rages On

As the Eternal Commander collapsed, a tremor shook the battlefield.

The war didn't end.

The remaining divine warriors, now without leadership, became berserkers. They were no longer following tactics or formations-they were pure, mindless destruction.

Elias wiped blood from his face, breathing

heavily. "This war really is endless, huh?"

Lyra gritted her teeth. "We need to get off this floor before we get overwhelmed."

Althea glanced at Elias. "What's the plan?"

Elias' silver eyes narrowed as he looked beyond the battlefield, toward the massive fortress gates leading to the 46th floor.