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The earth shook and the ground collapsed. Dark holes, hundreds of meters in diameter, tore open across the landscape, plunging tens of thousands of meters into the underground world. Giant monsters with ferocious faces surged from the depths like a swarm of beasts, rushing toward the Imperial Army.
"Has it finally begun?" High in the sky, Angels emanating powerful Divine Aura assessed the threat below, "These creatures, with their souls devoured, bodies twisted by evil forces into bloodthirsty shells, must be the Demonized Creatures the Lord warned us about."
"Still, there is no sign of the Demons themselves!"
"Take your positions!" Commanded Tessa, the Fourteen-Winged Ophanim, "Demigods in front, Saints behind, King Tier and weaker troops gather in the center. Guardian Angels, cast your spells!"
The Imperial Army moved with practiced precision. A divine light blazed across the night sky, connecting every unit into a unified whole, sharing their strength so the most powerful troops, at the Complete Body stage, could slaughter enemies while the weaker troops could absorb the exp.
"Kill!" At the command, Demigod Tier Angels unleashed their spells infused with their Demigod Tier Laws. The Elves and Dragons joined them, releasing forbidden Elven and Draconic spells. Their attacks were methodical and precise.
These demonized creatures weren't weak. Most were King Tier, with Saints and even Demigods among them. They could have challenged any other Castle Lords, or even alliances of Castle Lords, but against the Great Aetherium's Imperial Army, they fell like wheat before a scythe.
The Demonized Creatures roared with agony and rage, surging forward in a black tide. They sought to breach the lines and reach the protected center, but not a single one managed to get past the Imperial Army's Demigods. Even the Demigod Tier Demonized Creatures were immediately killed, their essence converted into exp, distributed among the Imperial Army's troops.
The Angels continuously released their holy flames, burning the corrupted corpses to ash and purifying the air. The evil forces of the abyss were corrosive beyond measure—any troop infiltrated would have their soul devoured and body mutated into another demonized creature. But holy flames and holy light were their natural enemies, annihilating the corruption wherever they touched.
…
High above, a group of God Tier Angels observed the battlefield without joining the fight. Their mission was singular: eliminate any God Tier threats that might emerge.
"I swept the area with my Divine Senses." Reported one of them, "The dark holes lead to an underground space a hundred thousand meters deep. Countless demonized creatures have gathered there, along with multiple Demon Nests. They're not responsible for hatching demons, but for demonizing ordinary creatures and enhancing their combat power."
Tessa nodded, "The Demons themselves hide deeper still. Her Holiness Celestia informed me that this planet's Laws are being eroded by evil power from the Abyss. The demons seek to accelerate this corruption."
"If they succeed and the World's Laws are assimilated, the most likely outcome is that all of us will be expelled. But we need to make sure that we can escape even without the help of the Endless Continent's Laws."
"Doesn't that mean that the Demon Slayer Tournament might end prematurely? We must work hard to ensure that the Lord stays at the top of that leaderboard all the time."
"We need not worry about that." Tessa said, her voice carrying absolute conviction, "With the Lord Almighty here, the demons cannot succeed. This planet will find its salvation in the Lord's service. No matter how strong the Abyss' wretched demons are, what can they do here?"
"""Praise the Lord.""" The Angels whispered in fervent reverence.
As the demonized creatures poured out endlessly, like a hornet's nest had been disturbed, the imperial army advanced slowly step by step. They kill a batch, and another emerges. Soulless, mindless, drawn only by the scent of life. They felt no pain and feared no death.
"Healers, use recovery spells!"
A radiant light swept across the imperial forces, restoring the troops' mana instantly. This was the advantage of the Angels Race. They had an almost endless arsenal of spells. At the same level, even the Dimensional Demons couldn't suppress them.
These demonized creatures, mere cannon fodder, stood no chance as well. The God Tier Angels still hadn't moved. They watched, waiting for the true threat, the hidden demons.
Meanwhile, golden light flickered across the rear as the weaker troops, who haven't yet realized their potential, leveled up rapidly. Among them, many were troops Haru had just recruited this morning. Those Angels, Elves, Dragons, Beamons and troops of light rose from Tier 2 or Tier 3 to Tier 8 and their strength continued rising.
…
Across the planet, which was now code named Planet X by the Castle Lords and Rangers, the other twenty-nine legions of the Imperial Army faced similar attacks. Beyond Haru's forces, other Castle Lords and Rangers, numbering in the trillions, also faced the demonized creatures' assault. These holes had opened everywhere, making the ground resemble a honeycomb as war engulfed the entire surface.
Haru's forces remained nearly unscathed. Any fallen member of the Imperial Army was immediately resurrected by the Guardian Angels as each legion was equipped with multiple Guardian Angels and even if a God fell, the High God Tier Guardian Angel Ariel could easily revive them.
In this way, although the Imperial Army suffered no losses, they reaped enormous gains: exp, Power Stones, Magic Crystals, blueprints and countless other treasures dropped by the slain monsters.
While it was a feast for Haru, other Castle Lords weren't so fortunate. Without these crushing advantages, their casualties mounted steadily. Their troops fell and though the Castle Lords themselves survived by relying on the teleportation marks to escape back to the Endless Continent, their losses were extremely painful.
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