Chapter 207: Battle!

The rain stopped, and the darkness of the night faded, two yellow balls were rising in the north-east and south-east. The birds twittered and leaves rustled as the wind flew—with the wind spread the stench of blood and wafted the entire surrounding. The dead forest around the hill had turned into a flat land of death—littered with corpses and blood and boulders.

"It's unbearable!" complained Noor, looking at the bloody mess in front of her from the woods.

"Don't act like a spoiled brat now," Isobel rolled her eyes. "We have seen our share of blood and massacre."

"I don't know what that bastard is doing?" Noor grumbled. "I can't contact Ayaan."

"Me neither," Isobel shook her head. "He must be busy, that's why he isn't replying to us."

"What busy," Noor said disdainfully. "That bastard must fucking sister Rebecca."

"Oh, so you are jealous, huh?"

"Wh-what?" Noor looked at her sister and sighed. "How could I be jealous of Rebecca? She has faced every hardship with Ayaan. If someone deserves Ayaan's love, then she would be at the top."

"True," Isobel nodded.

"Isn't Ayaan's system cool?" Noor changed the topic and her excited look returned. "We can talk with each other from thousands of miles away."

"Ready!!"

Before Isobel could reply a shout rumbled from an army. The duo turned and looked at the man standing at the very front. "Is that Del, the ninth elder?" Noor asked.

"I think so."

"Alas, sister Rebecca should be here," Noor shook her head. "She would love to kill this bastard."

"Don't worry. We will capture him."

"Nice idea. I wonder how Heavenly Palace would react when they hear the news that one of the most powerful men in the palace has been kidnaped."

While Rebecca and Isobel eyed the man, he commanded and chided his commander and soldiers, in frustration. "You fucking useless things! It's been three days since they are holding, and we still couldn't pull them out of their bills! Furthermore we have lost over five thousand soldiers! Do you fucking understand, five thousands, heh? Our force has halved in three fucking days!"

"But milord, they have the advantage of the terrain as they are standing at the height and can see us clearly while we are running towards them blindly." Commander who was standing at the side tried to give a reason.

"Shut the fuck up!" shouted Del. "I don't want to hear one more of your excuses or I will pull out your damn tongue. Understand!"

The poor commander gritted his teeth and frustration and anger and replied. "Understand."

"If you understand, then get ready the soldiers, we will attack with full force."

"But…"

"Do what I said, damn it!"

"Yes…" the commander took a deep breath and calmed himself down before turning towards his soldiers. He had treated these soldiers like a family his entire life as he had no other family, but now, his family was being treated like animals. Alas he could not make them betray the Palace, otherwise their family would be slaughtered.

"All soldiers, get ready!" he shouted towards them. "This would be the last struggle and then… we will go home!"

"Thump! Thump!"

The soldiers thudded their weapons on the ground in affirmation to their commander. He saw and his heart bled in agony. After that he turned towards Del. "They are ready."

"Good, today I will lead them." The ninth elder said. 

The commander wanted something but after thinking; he sighed, and shut his mouth. 

The truth was that if Del wasn't present their army would have done far better. He didn't let the commander take the command of his army and gave all the orders by himself, without planning and without formation, and every time the commander wanted to stop him, he just humiliated the man. Now after they have lost over half their soldiers, he was blaming him and his soldiers. He was indeed a bastard!

"What an arrogant toad." Isobel said disdainfully, looking at Del.

"Indeed," Noor nodded. "He is just an ignorant bastard who has no idea about war. I don't know why those old bastards sent him here. Father is an amazing commander. How could someone like this man compare father? Furthermore Uncle Armori is with him."

Isobel shook her head, hearing her words. "The higher ups of Heavenly Palace don't care about soldiers and war and strategy. As they believe in the bigger fist and in absolute strength. After all no matter how big the sheep gets, the tiger would still slaughter it with no effort. However, this time they made a mistake, thinking they were fighting a sheep, but underneath, there was a lion."

Noor chuckled hearing her sister's words. Indeed, his father was a master in acting as a pig to swallow a tiger, as he did in the Eastern Continent—both sisters just watched without moving and making any noise.

"Ready!" Poor commander had no choice but to shout. 

"Yes!"

"Charge!"

With a single shout the entire army marched towards the Barren Hill—corpses of their companions still rolled over the ground as they marched. Few soldiers tried to avoid getting on the corpses, as it would be a tremendous insult to their sacrifices. However, the number of soldiers was too big and compact. Therefore no matter how much they tried to avoid, the bodies still fell under their feet. The blood drowned bodies became even more bloody, as their heads burst under their own companions.

Over the Barren Hill. There were tents and enormous boulders, and soldiers were standing at the parapet of the stones.

"Leader they are marching!" a man shouted.

Alexander was standing behind, Armori alongside him. 

"Humph! I will let the Heavenly Palace know how big a mistake they made by sending a rat like Del," Alexander snorted disdainfully. 

"Don't you worry," Armori said. "Leave this battle to me."

Alexander turned to Armori and nodded. "Alright."

Armori smiled and towards his soldiers. "Ready to throw the boulders. However, this time these stones won't be able to defeat our enemies. So be ready for the decisive battle—victory is just five hundred meters away!" he pointed towards the marching army when said the last sentence.