Chapter 1276: Crisis of the Tarrant Nation
Chapter 1276: Crisis of the Tarrant Nation
Only two Seventh Shackle Realm experts remained alive.
The two surviving experts trembled uncontrollably at the horrifying sight before them.
In such a short amount of time, their comrades had been slaughtered one after another right before their eyes. Some were crushed, some split apart, others shredded into pieces.
And the most terrifying part was that they couldn’t do anything to stop it.
No matter how they released their energy, no matter how desperately they tried to react, Souta’s speed and killing power completely overwhelmed them.
For the first time in years, they felt true helplessness.
Souta suddenly paused and stared down at the city below.
The vast Hydro Land City stretched beneath him, yet even from this distance he could see the destruction left behind. Buildings had collapsed from the pressure of the battle, cracks spread across the streets, and countless people had already died from the shockwaves and overwhelming energy released during the fight.
After a moment of silence, Souta glanced at Black Water Lord and spoke coldly.
"I’ll give you another chance."
His crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"A lot of people have already died, so inform your president. Tell your country that the entire Hydro Land City is my hostage."
Black Water Lord was stunned.
He never expected Souta to stop so suddenly. After slaughtering five Seventh Shackle Realm experts without hesitation, the monster before him was suddenly willing to negotiate. It felt absurd.
"What are you planning?" Black Water Lord asked cautiously.
The bloodlust radiating from Souta was still suffocating. It rolled through the ocean like an endless tide of slaughter, heavy enough to make the surviving experts tremble instinctively.
It was hard to imagine that someone with such terrifying killing intent would stop without killing everyone.
Souta slowly turned his gaze toward him.
"I already told you," he said coldly. "Tell your president to come here and submit to me. I’ll be waiting."
Black Water Lord stared deeply at Souta, trying to understand what kind of monster stood before him. But in the end, he said nothing.
He turned around and led the two remaining Seventh Shackle Realm experts away from the battlefield. Their figures quickly disappeared into the dark ocean.
Souta silently watched their backs before releasing a long sigh.
The monstrous appearance covering his body slowly receded. His enlarged physique shrank back to normal, the dark patterns faded, and the terrifying pressure around him weakened considerably.
Then he turned his attention toward the city once more.
"It isn’t wise to fight them one by one..." Souta thought inwardly.
If the other Lords gathered here, he could eliminate them all in a single battle instead of wasting time hunting them individually. It would save both energy and effort.
Moreover...
He had already killed too many people.
Ordinary civilians had died the moment he released his true form. Many were unable to withstand the overwhelming pressure and bloodlust radiating from his body.
"I might get carried away and kill everyone..." Souta muttered softly as he closed his eyes.
"If that happens, everything I’ve done will become meaningless."
If he conquered this nation, then its citizens would eventually become his subjects. There was no benefit in massacring them all.
The people he truly needed to eliminate were those in power. The officials, military leaders, and influential figures controlling the nation. Once they were gone, he could replace the government with his own people and take complete control of the republic.
That’s why it’s wise to bring the battle here so that the other cities wouldn’t be affected that much.
To reduce the casualties of ordinary people.
...
Meanwhile, the Tarrant Nation had descended into complete chaos.
Brutal battles erupted across multiple cities throughout the nation. Explosions shook the seas, cities burned beneath raging waves of energy, and countless living beings perished amid the endless warfare.
Ordinary civilians suffered the most.
Many died without even understanding what was happening. Entire districts collapsed under the shockwaves of battles between powerful experts, while others were swallowed by the aftermath of devastating techniques. Blood stained the seas red in countless regions across the nation.
The death toll had already surpassed one million.
After the fall of Aqua Iron City, the army of the Bodam Kingdom continued its advance without slowing down. Their forces soon reached Blue Current City, one of the most important strongholds in the Tarrant Nation. The city housed two of the Ten Elders of the Supreme Council.
A terrifying battle immediately erupted above the city. Multiple Hero-rank experts clashed in the skies like natural disasters, releasing enough power to shake the surrounding regions. Violent explosions echoed endlessly while shockwaves spread through the ocean like tsunamis.
Even the two Supreme Council Elders had no choice but to personally join the battle.
They confronted the three commanders leading the Bodam Kingdom army.
Although they were outnumbered, the forces of the two elders demonstrated why their families stood at the pinnacle of the Tarrant Nation.
Blue Current City possessed defensive formations and fortifications far superior to those of Aqua Iron City. Massive barriers covered the city while powerful weapons hidden throughout the region continuously bombarded the invading army.
Combined with their home-ground advantage, they managed to inflict heavy casualties upon the Bodam Kingdom forces. The battlefield became a sea of destruction as countless experts fought desperately for control of the city.
At the same time, Great Trench City, Deep Blue City, and Elephant Shark City were also engulfed in war.
Each of those cities housed one of the Ten Elders of the Supreme Council, yet even their authority could not escape the flames of conflict.
Powerful enemy forces launched simultaneous attacks on all three cities. Battles erupted across vast regions, and even nearby cities were dragged into the chaos.
The skies trembled from the clashes of experts while entire sections of the ocean floor collapsed under the overwhelming pressure released during the fighting.
The space above Great Trench City was engulfed in a violent storm of energy.
Dark clouds of power churned across the battlefield while enormous currents spiraled through the sea. Explosions echoed endlessly overhead, shaking the city nestled deep within the massive trench that stretched for several kilometers.
"Sers! What is the meaning of this?!"
A furious roar thundered across the battlefield.
The speaker was an old man with long blue hair drifting through the water and grayish scales covering parts of his body. Deep wounds covered him, and blood continuously flowed from the gills on his neck.
He was Norda Redfin, one of the Ten Elders of the Supreme Council.
The Redfin Family had ruled Great Trench City for decades. Their influence within the region was unmatched, and countless experts served under their banner.
Yet now, their territory was under attack by Sers Auran and the Auran Family.
"You should surrender, Norda," Sers said calmly.
He stood high above the battlefield with his hands behind his back, silently overlooking the city below.
Compared to the enraged Norda, Sers appeared unnaturally calm.
The violent energy storm surrounding him distorted the seawater nearby, while faint traces of dream power lingered around his body like an invisible mist.
"You’re no match for me now that I’ve wielded the legendary dream power," Sers continued. "If not for your family’s formation protecting this city, you would’ve already been defeated."
Norda narrowed his eyes. His expression twisted with fury and disbelief.
"You allowed outsiders to invade our country..." he growled. "You’re despicable."
His energy surged violently despite the injuries covering his body.
"I will not surrender like you. I will fight until the very end."
Great determination burned within his eyes.
"So be it..."
Sers could not help but sigh softly at Norda’s answer.
Deep inside, he already knew the outcome of this war.
The Tarrant Nation was destined to fall today. Too many forces had already betrayed the nation from within, while powerful enemies attacked from the outside. The Supreme Council was fractured, their armies scattered, and their cities engulfed in flames.
Resistance had become futile.
On the other side of the battlefield, Deep Blue City and Elephant Shark City were suffering the same devastating attacks.
Nostior, Rancur, Nightmare Conjurer, Kessa, Yuko, Franklin, Tasman, and the others launched overwhelming assaults against the forces defending the two cities.
Terrifying explosions continuously erupted across the regions as powerful experts clashed without restraint. The ocean trembled violently beneath the pressure of multiple Hero-rank experts fighting simultaneously.
The Elders of the Supreme Council stationed within the two cities were completely overwhelmed.
Their enemies were simply too strong.
Nightmare Conjurer’s dream power distorted entire sections of the battlefield, dragging countless soldiers into illusions and mental nightmares. Kessa and Franklin tore through defensive lines like monsters, while Yuko and Tasman unleashed devastating attacks that shattered formations and annihilated large groups of experts at once.
The battlefield quickly descended into chaos.
Boom!! Boom!! Boom!!
Massive shockwaves spread endlessly throughout the sea. Buildings collapsed one after another while defensive barriers shattered under the relentless bombardment. Entire sections of the cities were reduced to ruins within minutes.
Even the Supreme Council Elders could only focus on defending themselves against the combined might of their enemies.
The sudden coordinated assault destroyed nearly thirty percent of their forces in a very short amount of time. Corpses filled the battlefield while blood dyed vast regions of the ocean red.
And the worst part was that they couldn’t request reinforcements from the other Supreme Council Elders.
Every major city was already under attack. The other elders were also struggling to survive their own battles.
For the first time in countless years, the mighty Tarrant Nation had been cornered to the brink of collapse.
This was the greatest crisis in the nation’s history.