CH242 Stalemate Breakers

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The dark cloak covering Major Jaeger shredded away into a deep crimson sheen as blood from the battlefield surged toward him, coating his armour and greatsword. The weapon lengthened further with a savage extension of blood-forged steel, granting him a deadlier reach.

Following Alex's orders, Jaeger carved a path of carnage, leaving a blood-soaked trail behind him in the enemy's left flank while his unit pushed ahead to reinforce the Fort's left wall.

It didn't take long for the Kellerman veterans to realise the danger of this mysterious new force. Officers relinquished command of their subunits to personally intercept the threat.

Jaeger himself was confronted by four Veteran-ranked enemies—thankfully, all still in the early stages of the rank. Even so, the odds were daunting.

Fuelled by the battlefield's gore, Jaeger fought with savage strength, his crimson armour absorbing more power with every kill. Still, he knew he couldn't best all four at once. They covered each other's weaknesses and pressed him hard.

Instead of trying to defeat them outright, Jaeger turned the fight into a weapon. He manoeuvred the battle deeper into Kellerman ranks, every clash between them erupting in shockwaves that sent enemy soldiers flying. Their deaths only added more blood to his arsenal, sustaining his empowered state.

Even so, the four officers blunted his effectiveness, keeping him contained.

On the other flank, Colonel Hoist faced two Veteran-ranked foes of his own—one a late-stage Veteran-ranked swordsman equal to himself, the other an early-stage Veteran-ranked axeman. Judging by their armour and insignia, they were likely the commander and vice-commander of the Kellerman unit pressing the Fort's right wall.

Forced away from his men, Hoist adapted quickly. Using his superior range, he kited the pair with controlled bursts of power in his arrows, denying them the chance to close in. At the same time, he supported his own unit, shooting down Kellerman infantry climbing the walls.

Meanwhile, across the chaotic battlefield, two mounted figures darted along the fringes of the melee battles, their presence slipping beneath notice.

Alex, cloaked by his Elemental Affinity Enhancement talent- and Velkar bloodline-enhanced [Black Shroud], bolted across the battlefield with Udara at his side, making for the Fort's gate.

But as they neared their destination, a shiver ran through them. The veil of darkness dispersed, exposing them in the open.

Alex and Udara didn't panic as this was within their expectation.

The Fort had a defensive Array Formation which forced individuals under stealth spells to be revealed. Depending on the spell, the Array Formation would vaguely indicate, vividly mark or outright cancel the stealth spell or technique.

Confusion rippled across the battlefield as soldiers from both sides caught sight of the two revealed riders. But when Alex reached up and lowered his hood, all doubt vanished.

"Open the gate!" he ordered, revealing the Furor Bloodline's iconic silver-grey hair and crimson eyes.

Fury soldiers rushed to obey, forcing the gates open, while Kellerman troops surged forward to intercept.

The frontline forces had just been decimated in their clash against the Dark Hounds. Were it not for these Magic Knights, the enemy would have been dangerously close to the gate already. Yet, they were too far to strike Alex and Udara before the pair slipped inside.

Instead, arrows and spells rained down on them. Alex and Udara even received the dubious honour of a catapult shot, though the fortress's projectile shield formation shattered them mid-air.

But safety was still far away.

General Vance's eyes narrowed the instant he saw that head full of silver-grey hair, those eyes shining with crimson pupils… and especially that face, so maddeningly identical to the man he loathed most.

His killing intent suddenly erupted like a storm!

He drew his blade, unleashing a devastating sword light laced with Saintly power.

Alex and Udara felt death's shadow closing in. Even the fortress's defensive shield seemed unlikely to withstand such force.

Boom!

Another strike intercepted the attack before it could even reach the barrier.

"Jared Rivia!!!" General Vance's roar thundered across the battlefield.

Indeed, the Dark Knight himself had blocked it.

The gates slammed wider, giving Alex and Udara the chance to dart into the fortress's safety.

Just before the heavy doors closed, Alex turned back. He and Jared locked eyes. No words were spoken, only a shared nod—an acknowledgement of intent.

'Like old times,' Jared thought with a faint smile, hidden behind his helmet.

The exchange reminded him of the silent understanding he shared with Earl Drake on countless battlefields. Now, it seemed he had forged something similar with the Earl's heir, whose youthful face mirrored Drake's to a haunting degree.

Even their gazes inexplicably carried the same unyielding resolve.

Alex intended to end this war as swiftly as possible. And the surest way to do that… was to cut off the bandit leader's head.

Jared sheathed his sword back into the scabbard mounted on his horse, then drew a massive war axe—a broad brutal axehead fixed to a long shaft.

"I'll leave the rest to you," he said to his adjutant. "Follow the young master's plan."

"Yes, General!" the adjutant replied firmly.

With that, Jared spurred Terror forward—not in a reckless charge, but in a steady, ominous advance. The nightmare steed did not sprint. Instead, it trotted across the battlefield as though it were its own backyard.

And like a scene from one of Alex's past-life films, none of the Kellerman soldiers dared to block the Dark Knight's path as he rode straight towards General Vance.

Under the weight of his unfurled Saintly Domain—thick with suffocating killing intent—and with a war axe already stained by blood a dozen decapitations and bisected corpses of those too slow to move aside, Jared carved his way forward unhindered.

General Vance, livid at having his strike against Alex thwarted, spurred his mount to meet him.

Almost instinctively, the battlefield cleared around them, creating a grim arena for the two titans.

Saint clashed against Saint.

No soldier from either side dared intervene. To step into that clash was to court instant death.

"I didn't expect you to ride straight to your own end, Jared Rivia," General Vance sneered. "Are you truly so desperate not to see the sight of your liege's defeat?"

"Defeat?" Jared shook his head. "My liege's heir is no useless fool drowning in waters above his head. But I cannot say the same for you."

His Saintly Domain expanded like a tide, pressing down on his foe. The message was clear: no more words.

"Very well," Vance growled, his aura erupting in kind. "Since you are so eager to die… I shall oblige you!"

General Vance also unfurled and expanded his own saint domain.

Their domains collided, triggering a clash of Saints that shook the entire battlefield.

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