Inside the meeting Hall of Snow City Fortress.
A massive military map was spread across the heavy oak table. The torches hanging on the walls and the flickering flames in the fireplace illuminated the room, making it as bright as day.
The people attending the meeting had not yet had time to remove their armor, still carrying the dust of the Battlefield and the faint scent of blood.
General Breno, seated at the head of the table, used his iron-clad fist to lightly rap on the surface. The dull thud immediately drew everyone’s attention.
“Everyone, today we successfully repelled the Demon’s initial assault. This is a credit to both the Rose Knights and the Cross Knights. You are all great heroes who saved the Fortress!”
Commander Morton, sitting to Breno’s Right Hand, straightened his back slightly upon hearing this. He wore a meticulously trimmed beard, his face carrying the reserve and confidence typical of traditional military Nobles.
He cleared his throat and responded:
“It was only right. The Emperor of the Norwich Empire is beyond redemption for choosing to betray humanity. We must unite to resist the demonic invasion together.”
“Well said, Commander Morton. I’m afraid that is what most people are thinking right now.”
Breno nodded in agreement. However, his expression quickly turned solemn again as he pointed a finger heavily at the direction on the map where the Demon army was approaching:
“Although we repelled the Demon’s first attack, we must not be careless. The main force of the Demons likely hasn’t arrived yet. To ensure the survival of the Fortress and the resistance against the Demons, we must pull our strength together like a single rope!”
“Therefore, I propose that the Cross Knights and the Rose Knights conduct deep collaborative operations in the coming days. Commander Morton, Captain Leanna, what do you think?”
As soon as Breno finished speaking, the composure on Commander Morton’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a trace of undisguised dismissal.
“General Breno, collaborative operations? I appreciate your recognition of the Knights under my command, but…”
His scrutinizing gaze swept across the table, passing over Leanna and her Deputy, Teresa, whose expression had already darkened. His tone carried a hint of condescending arrogance.
“War, especially against these Demons, is not a game. It requires rigorous discipline, systematic battle formations, and… a tactical system passed down through generations.”
At this point, he paused deliberately.
“I do not deny the courage of the Rose Knights, but they have only been established for two years. Their style leans more toward elite special operations, which is likely incompatible with traditional Knights like our Cross Knights, who excel at large-scale group advancement.”
“Furthermore… it might be a bit offensive, but in my eyes, they don’t look like an Order of Knights; they look more like a mercenary band that works for money, scattered and lacking discipline.”
Teresa’s brow furrowed instantly, and a clear fire of anger ignited in her eyes.
Selis had not attended this meeting, leaving the decision-making for the Rose Knights’ next actions to Leanna and herself. This was not only a sign of her trust in them but also a test.
They were the pillars supporting the Rose Knights.
Therefore, when faced with others mocking the Rose Knights, Teresa looked grim and was not polite at all.
However, before she could speak, Leanna’s hand had already reached out quietly under the table, gently pressing down on Teresa’s wrist to stop her.
Leanna’s face remained cool and calm, but deep within her eyes, it grew increasingly icy.
She did not look at Teresa but kept her gaze on Morton. Those harsh words seemed like nothing more than an insignificant breeze.
Then, she stood up, her tone calm and filled with unquestionable resolve:
“Commander Morton, the Rose Knights are indeed young, but we have also experienced countless life-and-death struggles, emerging from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.”
“Not only that, we are familiar with the characteristics of many Demons and possess practical combat experience in dealing with them. Besides, collaborative operations do not require a unified style; it is about complementary strengths.”
Morton let out a clear laugh through his nose, as if he had heard an absurd joke. He crossed his arms and looked at Leanna with a gaze bordering on pity.
“Strengths? For example? To be blunt, Captain Leanna, before today, your record against the Demons relied mostly on your own personal factors, didn’t it? For instance, the fact that you are all people blessed by the gods.”
“Meanwhile, our Cross Knights rely on solid training and a long history of Knight heritage. Even without the Artifact Banner, we could still effectively slay Demons today because we execute the legion model that Knights have maintained since ancient times.”
“Putting it this way, can you understand, Captain Leanna?”
Morton spoke of “long history” repeatedly, stopping just short of saying he looked down on the Rose Knights and felt they defiled the title of “Knight.”
In truth, that was the case. The Cross Knight Academy had a heritage spanning countless years and had always taken pride in being Knights. Now, a savior group had suddenly appeared and also called themselves Knights.
Therefore, no matter what, they wanted to compare themselves to this Order of Knights.
As for collaborative operations, because they looked down on the Rose Knights, they simply felt that doing so would allow the Rose Knights to take credit for their achievements for nothing.
Seeing the atmosphere turn hostile, General Breno immediately coughed heavily, interrupting the dangerous conversation. He looked stern as his piercing gaze fixed on Morton:
“Commander Morton, I must remind you that before you arrived, it was the Rose Knights who single-handedly held the most dangerous defensive line. They have proven their value with their battle record.”
He surveyed the room and finally returned his gaze to Morton, his tone heavy:
“Furthermore, now is not the time to argue about Knight traditions. We must consider how to withstand the Demon’s next offensive and win this war!”
Under Breno’s stare, Morton’s aggression receded slightly, but his face was still filled with stubbornness. He pursed his lips and insisted on his point:
“General Breno, I am not questioning their dedication. It is just that forcibly binding two completely different combat systems together might hinder each other, resulting in a situation where one plus one is less than two.”
“I believe that designating clear defensive zones where each party is responsible for their own area, using the methods they are best at to resist the enemy, will be more efficient. Our Cross Knights can take responsibility for the front line where the pressure is highest.”
Leanna listened quietly. Her face showed no sign of being provoked; instead, it was as if she had finally seen through something. A very faint curve appeared at the corner of her mouth.
She stood up slowly, looking down at Morton with an exceptionally clear voice.
“Then let us do that. Our Rose Knights will act as a surprise force, penetrating deep into the Battlefield. That way, we won’t be stealing your credit, Commander Morton.”
She deliberately emphasized the word “credit,” causing Morton’s expression to shift slightly.
“Finally, let me remind you: anyone who underestimates Demons will pay a heavy price. I hope you aren’t one of them.”
Having said that, she did not stay any longer, leading Teresa and the others directly out of the meeting room.
A dead silence remained in the room. Morton let out a cold snort, his face turning slightly red with embarrassment.
***
A dismal Moon hung high in the sky, its eerie light spilling over the wilderness outside Snow City Fortress.
The ground vibrated to the sound of low war drums. In front of Snow City Fortress, a tide of Demons arrived once more, and this time, it was more surging than ever before.
Commander Morton stood on the command high ground at the very front of the defensive line, clad in shining armor.
He watched the Low-ranked Demons swarming below like a black tide, a confident curve touching his lips.
He spoke in a booming voice, ensuring the soldiers standing by could hear:
“See that? It’s still those fragile wretches. Before the iron wall of Cross, they will only smash their heads until they bleed!”
The image of Leanna’s calm but warning face flashed through his mind, and he sneered inwardly.
Anyone who underestimates Demons will pay a heavy price?
He agreed with the sentiment, but he was not one of them.
After all, he never underestimated the enemy.
The Cross Knights would exert 100% of their strength at all times, even if the enemies were these Low-ranked Demons that seemed to be crudely stitched together from limbs.
“Cross Knights! Advance!”
He held his sword high, the blade reflecting a cold, hard glint under the moonlight.
“For glory!”
The Knights under his command let out a thunderous roar. The heavy infantry at the front of the Order of Knights raised massive shields engraved with sacred runes, advancing steadily like a moving wall.
Countless spears thrust through the gaps in the shields, precisely harvesting the charging Demons.
Crossbowmen fired volleys from the rear. Arrows infused with faint Magic fell like rain. With the empowerment of the Artifact Banner, the Low-ranked Demons fell in swaths.
Though the line moved slowly, it was incredibly firm, as if no force could stop this steel torrent.
Morton watched all this with satisfaction. He even felt that this war didn’t need the Rose Knights at all; his knights alone were enough to hold this line and win all the glory.
However, just as the line had advanced several hundred meters and was about to reach a relatively open area—
From the rear of the Demons, an extremely uncomfortable aura suddenly drifted forth. Under Morton’s solemn gaze, several bizarrely shaped Demons slowly emerged from behind the demonic tide.
They had no fixed form, looking like masses of writhing shadow matter. Their surfaces were covered in mouths dripping with slime, and they had no other facial features.
Morton frowned. He had never seen this kind of Demon, but he instinctively felt a sense of unease.
“Archers! Aim for those newly appeared monsters! Fire!”
A rain of arrows whistled through the air. However, whether they were physical arrows or those infused with Magic, they felt like stones sinking into the ocean upon contact with the shadow masses. It only caused their writhing to intensify slightly, and the mouths on their surfaces began to open and close faster.
Immediately after, a silent shriek that acted directly upon the soul, like an invisible ripple, erupted outward with those Demons as the center!
This was not a physical attack, but a pure mental strike!
The first to be hit were the heavy infantry at the very front of the formation.
Their originally resolute eyes instantly became hollow and dazed, then turned to madness and terror. A soldier suddenly dropped his shield, letting out a beast-like howl, and swung his Longsword at the comrade beside him!
Not only that, but this behavior quickly spread like a plague. The tight shield wall began to collapse from within!
“Hold steady! Guard your minds!”
Morton watched from the rear, his eyes nearly bursting with rage. He hastily cast a Holy Magic Barrier capable of resisting mental shocks.
To his fury, however, many Knights still fell into a state of madness even under the protection of the Magic barrier.
They were all Knights with extremely weak Will.
In the center of the formation, the bugler responsible for passing orders had glazed-over eyes and blew a chaotic note.
Some Knights holding spears even attacked their companions, and the originally orderly battle formation was nearly destroyed.
Simultaneously, taking advantage of the Cross Knights’ chaos, dozens of black shadows as fast as the wind lunged out from the demonic tide!
They were like distorted hounds, running on all fours, their speed so fast they were mere blurs. They specifically pounced on the isolated Knights being attacked by their confused comrades.
Sharp claws easily tore through the seams of their armor, directly harvesting flesh and souls!
“He—!”
Many Knights couldn’t even scream for help before being dragged into the darkness.
Under the double pressure of internal and external attacks, the solid defense line was like a dam hit by a flood, developing uncontrollable and expanding gaps.
More Low-ranked Demons poured through the gaps, frantically attacking the Knights who had lost their formation. Screams and the hissing of Demons instantly replaced the previously orderly battle cries.
“Retreat… Retreat!”
The previous composure and arrogance had long since vanished from Morton’s face, replaced only by unbelievable horror and panic.
With his rich Battlefield experience, he knew the line could no longer be held. The urgent priority was to preserve their remaining strength.
However, when he tried to organize the reserves around him for a countercharge to help the Knights escape, the chaos of the Battlefield was like a whirlpool, swallowing all his orders whole.
He knelt powerless on the ground, his gaze empty.
What “legion battle formations passed down for countless years,” what “discipline to be proud of”… in the face of an attack that struck the soul directly, it was all so fragile.
The Cross Knights under his command were as thin and vulnerable as paper under the wave of Mental Pollution.