Chapter 186-2: The Abyssal Gate Opens, Winds Stir in Green City (Part 2)

Because of Viscount Berna's excessive caution, Li De was forced to restrain his impatience and quietly wait for the prey to take the bait.

The Dark Pact viewed the Crimson Mage Tower as prey, but had they ever considered that the Crimson Mage Tower also viewed them as prey?

The Vampires had never been a kind or soft race.

And given their racial nature, as long as casualties remained within a certain threshold, they would only grow stronger the more they fought.

Time ticked away, minute by minute. The Abyssal aura in the northern regions grew thicker, so much so that even from dozens of li away, the citizens of Green City could feel that dark, brutal, and bloody presence.

Within the city, poultry raised by residents began shrieking wildly. Rats from the sewers surged en masse to the surface. It was a scene straight from the apocalypse.

As demons surged madly from the Abyss, Green City's army had been mobilized to patrol the Northern District, but even that wasn't enough. More and more Abyssal demons were appearing inside the city itself.

This city of one million was now descending into chaos.

Some evil underground organizations, rather than helping to kill the demons, used the chaos to loot and plunder. The ugliest aspects of human nature were laid bare.

For a time, the army was forced to run all over the place. Panic began spreading throughout the entire city.

After one sun-hour, as the Abyssal aura grew stronger and disorder spread throughout Green City.

A brilliant firework suddenly exploded in the sky.

Boom~

Brilliant light burst out in every direction.

It shone like the stars.

"They're here," Li De's gaze sharpened. This was the Dark Pact's signal to begin their assault on the Crimson Mage Tower.

Everyone in the room instantly snapped to attention. Betty, who had been lounging lazily moments before, suddenly stood. Now, the Northern Valkyrie looked like a hawk ready to hunt, her eyes full of wild sharpness, completely different from her earlier languid demeanor.

Gripping the oversized greatsword she had never returned to Grote, she stepped forward with a look of eager excitement.

For Northerners, battle is their true calling.

No fear. No hesitation.

At that moment, to the north of the Crimson Mage Tower, an indescribably terrifying aura appeared.

A creature with a wingspan of fifteen blades, ten blades in length, made entirely of gleaming white bone, with soulfire burning in its skull.

A Bone Dragon appeared in the sky.

Level 18 Undead Creature: Bone Dragon!

Its tattered wings looked like they'd been unearthed after ten thousand years of decay, and the jagged spikes along its bones could pierce a warrior's shield. The claws beneath its thick limbs shimmered with deadly, dangerous light.

A truly terrifying undead being.

Above the Bone Dragon floated a cloaked figure. its master the Necromancer Witherbone.

This ancient Necromancer, whose age was unknown, had finally unveiled his Bone Dragon before everyone's eyes.

Under Witherbone's command, the Bone Dragon suddenly dived. 

Whoosh~

Its skeletal maw opened wide, and a stream of gray, frigid energy spewed from its mouth.

Undead Breath.

Even in undeath, dragons had not lost their natural talents. The Bone Dragon's breath carried a potent death energy.

The buildings on the ground touched by the Undead Breath began rotting away the moment the energy reached them, within seconds, they crumbled to ash.

Its massive decayed wings beat fiercely. Seeing a towering bell tower at a street corner, the Bone Dragon didn't avoid it, it crashed directly through.

Crash! The pyramid-shaped tower made of timber and stone shattered.

Chunks of wood tumbled in heaps.

Giant bluestones broke loose from the tower, smashed into the street, bounced two blades high, rolled for over a dozen blades, and violently knocked over an angel statue.

Debris flew in every direction.

The Crimson Mage Tower finally responded. At the core of the towering structure, a semi-transparent magic shield rose up, enclosing the entire complex in a protective barrier.

After smashing through the bell tower, the Bone Dragon swooped directly toward the Crimson Mage Tower, and Witherbone behind it revealed an ecstatic expression.

"Gahaha~ Embrace death!!"

"The great Lord Witherbone shall send you to meet the God of Death!!"

The Bone Dragon opened its mouth again and unleashed another blast of breath.

Gray and cold, the deadly energy exploded forth. 

Sizzle~

Even a mere wisp of the breath's corrosive energy was enough to rot nearby houses not protected by magic, causing them to instantly collapse.

Yet the Undead Breath did not break through the Crimson Mage Tower's barrier. Instead, it rippled outward in concentric waves.

Clearly, the powerful barrier had withstood the fatal assault.

Li De, watching from within the small house, never looked away for a second. Even as Witherbone ordered his Bone Dragon to attack, he didn't act.

His sharp eyes kept scanning the surroundings. He could sense something strange.

So far, only Witherbone had revealed himself. Something was wrong, very wrong.

No matter what, Abyssal Serpent Demon Roy and Viscount Berna couldn't possibly be absent.

The battle had already started, were they really trying to pull off some kind of "reserved power" nonsense now?

Even though he was confused, Li De didn't rush to make any decisions. His eyes continued scanning, searching for his true enemies.

This was a battle to the death. In war, there was no such thing as luck or mercy.

If his decision was even slightly wrong, the entire Crimson Mage Tower and Dawn City would suffer devastating losses.

That was the nature of power, but also the burden of command.

So for now, he ignored Witherbone and his Bone Dragon.

Attacking before the real enemies appeared would be foolish.

But letting things drag on wasn't a solution either.

Li De's breathing grew heavier as he watched the magic barrier weaken by the second.

It might not last another minute.

If the barrier fell, then the Crimson Mage Tower. Which had taken him half a year and over 100,000 Gold Pucks to build might be reduced to ashes in just a few minutes under the Bone Dragon's breath.

Just as the barrier was about to collapse, and Li De's aura growing ever colder.

BOOOOM!

A thunderous sound exploded from the central district of Green City, followed by an intense burst of power.

Li De's expression changed drastically.

He snapped his head around, eyes filled with disbelief.

Because he could vaguely sense that this aura was incredibly familiar.

Emi and Grote also turned toward him at once.

"Lord Progenitor, that's Viscount Berna!" The two spoke in unison.

Li De's brows furrowed deeply.

A powerful sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.