Chapter 396: First defeat
"Prepare for volcanic detonation. All units, brace for impact."
Atop the volcano’s zenith, dozens of fire Mages stood in formation. They chanted in unison, their hands weaving intricate patterns of arcane energy. They redirected the immense heat and pressure within the volcano, guiding it with precise control.
Suddenly, under the gaze of all the Leviathans, the volcano erupted. A colossal plume of fire, ash, and molten rock burst into the sky. The sound was deafening, a thunderous roar that drowned out the noise of battle.
Thanks to the guidance of the fire Mages, the eruption’s force was directed outward, away from the inner ring of Kuro Mountain. Torrents of lava cascaded down the outer slopes, a fiery avalanche that consumed everything in its path. Massive boulders, superheated and glowing, were hurled through the air, crashing into the Leviathan ranks with explosive force.
The Leviathan troops could only watch as the wall of molten destruction bore down upon them. Waves of lava and rock slammed into the swarm, incinerating drones by the tens of thousands. The Armored Leviathans, despite their tough exoskeletons, stood no chance against the sheer heat and force.
Nearly one hundred thousand Leviathans were obliterated in a matter of moments. The battlefield was engulfed in flames, the once dark and churning sea of enemies now a hellscape of fire and ash. Rivers of lava flowed along the paths carved by the Xaos Forces, their searing currents sweeping away any remaining drones that sought to advance.
Within the inner walls, the human soldiers watched the scene with awe and relief. The brutal countermeasure had halted the Leviathan’s advance, saving them.
Freya, Anglius, and Theodoro shared small smiles as they watched the flow of magma fill the outer ring of Kuro Mountain, consuming tens of thousands of drones and pushing the Leviathans away. The fiery river was a sight to behold—a tide of molten rock that obliterated the advancing swarm. The strategy had worked, and the enemy was in retreat.
But after a few seconds, complicated expressions arose on their faces. The Lava Flow was a move they could only make once, and it was designed to take place at the end of the day after the troops had expended all their energy and killed at least a million and a half drones. However, due to the unexpected appearance of the Armored Leviathans, everything had gone to hell.
The idea of underground Leviathans had already been considered; after all, given the insectoid appearance of those creatures, it was logical that they could have such types of units. That was why they had focused on monitoring the ground with magic matrices and detection spells. Yet none of them had been activated, showing that the Armored Leviathans could hide from their surveillance. This unforeseen development had cost them dearly.
"Report," Freya uttered softly. The next second, the communication gem embedded in her gauntlet glowed, displaying the number of casualties they had endured. A deep frown appeared on her face, mirrored by Grand Marshal Anglius and Theodoro as they received the same grim news. They had lost nearly six thousand Turkin riders, which was only kept that low due to Overlord’s quick reactions; otherwise, it could have been much worse.