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Chapter 444: The Drow Army
The enraged gnoll army howled as they charged into the camp, only to be met with a horrific sight.
Nearly 300 gnoll warriors' corpses lay scattered across the camp.
Hundreds of drow soldiers continued their assault on the remaining dozens of gnoll warriors.
Anger drove the gnoll warriors into a frenzy, and they charged at the drow soldiers, seeking vengeance for old and new grievances alike.
Seeing their arrival, the drow commander, who had just received word and had no time to respond, turned pale with fury.
She cursed her subordinates for their incompetence and, glaring at the charging gnolls, snapped her golden whip and ordered her slaves:
"Charge for me!"
"Fight hard, and you'll eat well when we return!"
Seven or eight ogres, shackled at the ankles, roared in excitement at her command and rushed forward.
Unlike the ogres previously encountered by the Bay Territory, who wore only crude pelts, these were clad in heavy metal armor and wielded spiked maces.
Their heavy footsteps made the ground tremble slightly as they charged.
The gnoll soldiers at the forefront were crushed by the ogres' maces, their heads smashed into pulp.
The ogres were like heavy trucks, wreaking havoc among the gnolls and plunging them into chaos.
In just a few breaths, twenty or thirty gnolls had fallen to their hands.
Fortunately, their numbers were limited; if they were doubled, they might have truly withstood the gnoll assault.
Now, while dozens or hundreds of gnolls surrounded the ogres, the rest bypassed them and continued charging.
Seizing the opportunity, the drow commander personally led her troops into the stone building guarded by the remaining gnolls.
She paid the price of injuries to her arm and leg from a high-ranking gnoll warrior to slay him and six others, shattering the last vestiges of gnoll resistance.
She then decapitated an elderly gnoll seer and, with venomous hatred, pointed at the approaching gnolls, shouting at the top of her lungs:
"Break through them; reinforcements are here!"
Retreat?
Impossible!
Even if all soldiers and slaves died, the mission had to be completed!
Nearly 700 remaining drow soldiers rallied their courage and charged forward.
Before reaching the gnolls, they unleashed hundreds of poisoned crossbow bolts.
Nearly a hundred unprepared gnolls fell.
Yet the remaining gnolls, with no fear or hesitation, roared as they charged, led by high-ranking berserker gnolls.
Though gnolls varied greatly in strength, their sheer numbers and deep hatred for the drow drove them to fight fiercely and unyieldingly.
The drow, despite their strength, lacked frontline soldiers to form proper defensive lines, leaving them scattered.
Upon contact with the gnolls, they either retreated or fled to the sides.
Some who couldn't escape in time were overwhelmed by the gnolls.
Seeing the two sides embroiled in combat, Matthew halted his spellcasting and issued a message via Communication Spell:
"Beelzebub and Elio, hold off the reinforcements and ensure no gnoll escapes. Hold for 20 minutes!"
"Jifan, begin!"
Jifan, who had been waiting eagerly, saw the distant flames and shouted excitedly:
"Move!"
The modified soldiers pulled out scrolls and ripped them open without hesitation.
Earth Wall Spell!
Several thick earth walls rose along the tunnel's walls, reducing the already narrow passage to just ten meters wide.
To prevent the walls from being destroyed by spells, the soldiers scattered anti-magic metal over them, maximizing resistance to magical interference.
As they worked, countless figures emerged from the darkness ahead.
The drow army had arrived!
"At least 5,000 drow soldiers, along with nearly 20,000 slaves of various races!"
Jifan took a deep breath and, pointing at the overwhelming enemy, sneered before commanding:
"Today, they'll know our strength!"
"Raise shields, set crossbows!"
"Bay Territory will prevail!"
The seven remaining modified soldiers stood calmly in the tunnel, their eyes reflecting the approaching drow as they shouted in unison:
"Bay Territory will prevail!"
Their resounding cry caused unrest among the drow army.
Dozens of drow soldiers broke from the formation and sprinted ahead at high speed.
A series of faint whizzing sounds accompanied a barrage of poisoned needles and bolts flying toward them.
Sparks illuminated the narrow tunnel with loud clinks and clangs.
Watching the shadowy figures approach, Jifan coldly commanded:
"Fire!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several crossbow bolts shot forth.
The leading drow soldiers underestimated the bolts' speed and were instantly pierced, collapsing heavily to the ground.
The drow were incredibly fast, leaving the soldiers no time to reload.
Jifan didn't order the use of short spears but instead drew his sword, raised his shield, and quietly awaited the enemy's arrival.
These daring drow soldiers were not weak; otherwise, they wouldn't have had the courage.
Drow were cruel and bloodthirsty but valued their lives greatly, willing to pay any price to survive.
Their rapid approach made them almost immediately surround Jifan, forming small groups to encircle the modified soldiers.
The closer the drow soldiers got, the more they felt the immense pressure exerted by the modified soldiers.
The cold, indifferent eyes behind the shields made them vaguely uneasy.
"Afraid?"
"Impossible!"
"They're mere short-lived mortals; how could they be dangerous?"
Such fleeting thoughts sealed their grim fate.
The drow soldiers leapt, attempting to bypass the raised shields to attack from behind.
Whoosh!
A heavy, dull sound echoed through the tunnel.
A mid-air drow soldier was impaled by a thrusting spear, suspended in the air.
"Ah…!"
"Cough, cough…"
"Help…"
"…"
The modified soldiers wielding spears showed no mercy, slamming the spears down with brutal force.
The drow soldiers on the ground couldn't dodge in time and raised their weapons to block.
The three-meter-long spears descended slowly, giving every drow soldier ample time to react.
But the overwhelming force of the spears shattered their defenses upon contact.
Crack!
Bang!
Crash!
Clang!
No drow soldier standing before the super soldiers remained standing.
They were either crushed into pulp or cleaved in half.
The terrifying attributes brought by superhuman strength were the ultimate demonstration of overwhelming dominance!