Chapter 217: White Lightning Flame Meteor Bombardment
Skirmishes on all three fronts had already begun. On Elton's side, the fighting was more chaotic, most of it taking place in the skies. Both sides were still testing each other, exchanging probing attacks rather than committing to a full assault. There were no invincible figures on this battlefield, only those who understood formation and numbers, which, as always, were the true deciding factors in war.
Ramiro's side was the most stable, largely because many of the opposing forces were hesitant to confront the woman fighting behind him. In this region beyond the Southeastern lands, the name Dragon Spear Hero of Leon was not yet famous, but the title White Corrosive Flame Empress had already begun to spread.
Zoro's side, by contrast, was eerily quiet. After a few exchanges, the battle reached a strange standstill. Warriors hesitated, their confidence shaken. Those who clashed with the dual bladed figure often never saw their deaths coming, black flashes in the air, then nothing. Others simply froze mid combat, trapped in illusions before being cut down. Slowly, they began to realize the truth. The danger did not come only from the swordsman, but from the girl behind him with the glowing eyes. Naturally, that was Christy.
Though these were only skirmishes, each battlefield carried a different kind of pressure.
Then, without warning, the ground began to erupt. Violent gusts of wind mixed with dust tore across the plains, sweeping into the skies. Both armies pulled back, wary and uncertain. Even Elton's group halted their advance, retreating slightly within the dust storm.
In an instant, a vast forest burst upward from the earth, exuding immense magical pressure. Winds howled as trees surged skyward, interlocking their roots and branches until the entire area was enclosed. The forest expanded for nearly a third of a mile before stopping, and the outer ring of trees glowed with emerald light that stretched toward the sky, forming a dome shaped barrier that sealed off the interior.
Stunned, many of the enemy experts stared in disbelief. The sudden phenomenon made several assume a powerful treasure must be hidden within, and plans to destroy the barrier spread through their ranks almost immediately.
For hours, a brutal back and forth raged, Elton's group and their newly spawned floral creatures defending the barrier against the relentless armies seeking to shatter it.
Deep within the forest's heart stood something entirely new, a living tree town, complete with towering wooden spires and vine woven bridges.
Shayleaf twirled in excitement, her laughter echoing as she admired her work. The main residence, an enormous tree palace at the center, would serve as their temporary headquarters.
"Hehehehe! I love this Great Tree Creation Art!" she exclaimed, spinning with delight. "What was that mess I made before this? Now I finally have a vision! I'll keep growing stronger so that Brother Elly's White Star Radiance Sect, no, our White Star Radiance Sect, will never fall!"
A fierce light flared in her crimson eyes. "Yes… I won't let anyone touch what belongs to me."
High above, Erica rose from the crown of a nearby tree, slowly levitating into the air. Brilliant white flames coiled around her body like serpents of divine energy. Her spirit chanted in an ancient tongue, rapid, rhythmic, and nearly impossible to follow, seventy five times faster than the pace of ordinary speech.
"W What is this pressure?!" one of the invading experts shouted in alarm. A suffocating heat swept over the battlefield, burning through the air itself.
The barrier in this area was already heavily cracked from the earlier bombardments, and several trees had been crushed. A few determined warriors forced their way through the damaged openings only to meet their end at the hands of Ramiro, to the horror of their allies.
"Oi! Who said you people could stroll into our territory like this?" he barked, spear gleaming as he stepped forward. "You brought this on yourselves!"
"Monster! He's not even human!" one of the terrified experts shouted with gritted teeth. "His body's as hard as a scaled demonic beast and just as fast!"
Zoro and Christy, on the other hand, continued their same tactic with the aid of the summoned floral monsters. Their combination was truly not easy to deal with at all, but in the end some enemy experts managed to find brief ways to counter the effects. Christy sent blasts of Ki smashing into nearby enemies as she appeared beside Zoro.
"Erica is about to unleash a wide scaled magic attack soon. Gege says that he and that winged serpent, uhhh… Orochicanda, will also shift their attacks toward her direction. We should be prepared for anything unexpected. Shay is running to where Gege's post is now to reinforce the area," Christy rapidly said to Zoro with a voice only he could hear.
Zoro simply nodded with a faint smile before turning his attention toward the surrounding enemies like a hunter stalking prey, preparing for another attack.
In the distance, several powerful experts stood watching the battlefield with deep concern.
"Things have gotten rather complicated. I didn't expect so few people to do all this against so many experts, regardless of their ranks," one man said with a serious expression.
"It's because a lot of those bastards were too afraid to get right to the point and wipe them out before they created that thing! Those kids are all peak Golden Lords so this outcome was inevitable," another man grumbled.
"Hmph! You forget every army here's waiting to stab the next in the back," a woman scoffed. "Look at those from that arrogant Cherub race sitting there waiting for someone else to bleed first."
Suddenly, another man's expression darkened. "We have a problem. The Corrosive White Flame Empress is about to unleash a devastating attack."
The others froze as grim realization washed over them.
The front lines quickly shifted into defensive formations after receiving urgent orders. Two powerful auras flared from within their ranks, both Early Stage Mortal Lords, as they stepped forward to intercept the incoming power.
"Heh, so two of you bastards finally decided to come out and play, huh? Too late for that now!" Ramiro sneered as he slammed his spear's butt into the ground, spreading his stance. Ki erupted around his body, shaking the ground beneath him. His massive muscles tensed as he drew in a deep breath—
—Lionheart's Cry—
A thunderous roar burst from Ramiro's chest, releasing a shockwave that shattered the focus of countless warriors. Even the two Mortal Lords stumbled mid preparation, their concentration broken.
At that same moment, Elton and Orochicanda rapidly appeared from the distance and dove down from above. Blades of wind tore through the ranks, shredding formations and scattering armies.
Erica stood levitating with her staff raised high, white flames and lightning swirling around her as if the heavens themselves bent to her command. The clouds twisted, and the air rippled under the crushing pressure of her spell.
—White Lightning Flame Meteor Bombardment—