─────────────???─────────────
Taran and his men relentlessly battered the gate.
They could finally move more freely now, as the molten metal that had poured earlier began to fade.
Breaking out of their turtle formation, the other troops—besides the ones manning the battering ram—joined in to tear the gate down.
They did everything: stabbing, kicking, slamming their bodies against the doors.
Then suddenly—
KRAKK!!
“We’ve done it! Just a little more, you bastards!!” Taran roared with excitement.
And finally, the moment they’d been waiting for arrived.
With one final, forceful push, the two gate doors swung open violently, slamming against the walls with a deafening crash.
“Gate’s down! Drop the ram and draw your swords!” Taran commanded.
But their challenges were far from over.
Before them stood an incredible sight—the IronClaw forces had sealed every inch of the path deeper into the city, forming a solid wall of shields in a flawless phalanx formation.
This time, the formation was lower to the ground, with long spears protruding from between the gaps in the shields.
From the front, it looked like a field of deadly spikes—tightly packed and impenetrable.
Yet, undeterred by the intimidating sight, Taran’s troops wore expressions of fierce determination.
Taran stepped forward, a shield in one hand and a sword in the other.
“Ignite your fury, Sirens!!!” Taran roared, his voice booming as he urged his troops to advance.
Almost instantly, the rhythmic pounding of boots echoed through the small city.
Chaos erupted as the two forces collided—a clash of brute strength and unyielding will.
Spears jabbed, swords slashed, and shields slammed in a whirlwind of battle.
It was a scene of utter bedlam, a battlefield drenched in noise and violence.
In the middle of chaos, some of Taran’s soldiers fell to the thrust of enemy spears, their bodies pierced and bleeding.
But the second line surged forward, filling the gaps without hesitation.
They threw themselves into the first rank, pushing with all their might to break the IronClaw phalanx.
The tight formation left little room to move.
The soldiers pressed against each other, bodies locked so tightly together it was difficult to even breathe.
The immense pressure created a suffocating atmosphere, amplifying the tension between the two sides.
Some of Taran’s men tried to attack from above by climbing over their comrades, but were immediately impaled as they drew near.
Despite their valiant efforts, the front ranks were completely pinned down.
Some began to suffocate, their breath stolen by the crush of bodies.
Their resistance weakened. They were slowly pushed back, unable to break through the IronClaw soldiers’ fortress-like formation.
But the battle was far from over.
Though momentarily pushed to the brink, neither side had gained the upper hand.
The outcome of this brutal clash remained uncertain, both forces locked in a grueling, desperate struggle to find an opening.
──???──
After scaling the wall, Theo reached the top—and was struck silent by the suffocating sight below.
The brutal clash taking place in the city streets was overwhelming, even just to witness.
Determined to change the course of the battle, Theo gave a sharp command to his troops.
They swiftly moved along the left side of the wall, positioning themselves for a surprise attack on the IronClaw forces.
With a sudden leap, Theo’s soldiers dropped into the rearmost ranks of the enemy, catching them completely off guard.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Chaos exploded as Theo’s forces launched into close-quarters combat, quickly overpowering their opponents.
Now surrounded from both front and rear, the IronClaw formation began to crumble, their discipline breaking under the unexpected assault.
Theo’s eyes scanned for Eran, searching to confirm his status—
And once he found the Lonewolf, he froze, momentarily awestruck.
His gaze locked in admiration on Eran, who had become a ghostlike force on the battlefield.
Sensing Theo’s presence, Eran turned his blood-smeared face toward the golden-haired man and gave a subtle gesture—leave this part of the wall to me.
Theo nodded with a small smile, understanding that Eran had a plan.
“Nothing to worry about,” he murmured, before turning to rejoin his soldiers.
Still atop the battlement, Theo redirected his attention—he had to find Taran.
Spotting him amid the chaos below, Theo called out and pointed toward the castle.
Taran understood immediately.
He began forcing his way through the chaotic melee, cutting a path toward the stronghold.
Theo followed, leaping down from the wall and weaving through skirmishes, joining Taran as they pushed forward—toward the heart of the battle.
──???──
Paul snapped to attention, frantically searching for the one who had decimated the troops atop the battlement.
Rage surged within him as he spotted a nimble figure cutting down the Sirens’ archers with swift, lethal precision.
Without hesitation, Paul charged up the right-hand stairway of the fortress wall.
Beyond the chaotic skirmishes in the city, Kain—accompanied by Gorstag—remained focused on their mission: to locate the underground entrance.
Kneeling down, Kain pressed his ear to the ground, tuning in to the faintest vibrations that might reveal a hidden door.
Once he found it, they wasted no time opening it—
But a hail of arrows suddenly rained down, fired by IronClaw troops who had been lying in wait.
Reacting instantly, Kain and Gorstag shouted to their men, “Arrows incoming! Take cover!”
Their instincts and battlefield experience spared them from the worst of the ambush.
Furious at the attack, Gorstag raised the massive shield in his left hand and barreled forward.
With reckless courage, he slammed into the IronClaw formation, plunging them into disarray.
Kain quickly led his men through the opening behind Gorstag.
In a coordinated assault of relentless strikes, they overwhelmed the enemy troops, forcing them into retreat and securing control of the hidden passage.
Victory seemed within reach as Kain’s forces established a firm foothold within the underground corridor.
──???──
Meanwhile, a brutal clash was underway between Theo, Taran, Strix, and Fenry—
The very air crackled with tension.
Strix, a towering figure clad in dark armor, wielded a massive warhammer.
He swung it with brute force, aiming to crush his opponents with every blow.
Fenry, in stark contrast, was agile and quick, wielding twin daggers with lightning speed.
The battle surged back and forth, each side trading attacks and seeking to exploit any opening.
Theo and Taran used their teamwork to deadly effect, synchronizing offense and defense seamlessly.
They constantly shifted positions, keeping their foes on edge and denying them any tactical advantage.
Steel clashed with steel, sparks flying with each furious impact.
Theo darted in close to Strix, landing precise strikes through the gaps in his armor.
Meanwhile, Taran, wielding his great black sword, locked into a ferocious duel with Fenry—
Their blades clanged in a relentless flurry of blows.
As the duel intensified, the superior coordination of the two Band leaders began to overwhelm Strix and Fenry.
Taran’s relentless onslaught kept pounding against their defense.
Strix’s hammer swings grew sloppy, and Fenry’s agility faltered against Theo’s perfect timing and pinpoint counters.
The momentum shifted—the tide was turning.
With a final surge, Theo and Taran disarmed their opponents.
Strix and Fenry, drained and compromised, had no choice but to concede defeat.
Theo and Taran had claimed victory and seized control of the IronClaw’s small castle.
As the battle ended, Taran’s gaze drifted toward the fortress wall.
He nudged Theo with his shoulder, drawing his attention to the ongoing duel taking place above.
“Looks like he could use some help,” Taran said.
─────────────???─────────────
