Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 633 - 632: Rapid Deterioration

The Crystal Cluster Giants have collectively undergone changes.

Highland Three in the northern Red Maple District, the sky is overcast, strong winds howl, artillery fire roars.

A large number of Crystal Cluster Giants from the eastern area are rampaging across the plains. These swollen, deformed, terrifying monsters are moving frenziedly, traversing the plains, rushing over hills, some heading into the distance, others crashing into the legion’s defenses. Blinding arcane arcs pierce the air, illuminating the polluted plains under the dim sky, while on Highland Three, a key node of the defense line, artillery fire never ceases.

The heavy magic-guided artillery subtly adjusts its shooting angles under the influence of mechanical devices, the glow of the magic symbol rail flashes, and shells, enveloped in light cyan gas spheres, fly off into the distance. Warhammer I tanks inside the bunkers frequently fire, denser shell bombardments cover the plains on the east side of the highlands, weaving an impenetrable web of firepower.

A Captain of the Cecil stands behind a bunker, observing the battlefield situation with a tactical scope.

Chains of explosions and shockwaves blanket the frenzied Crystal Cluster Army. Every minute, countless twisted limbs and fragmented crystals are blasted into the sky. But under the darkened sky, endless monsters still surge from afar and meaninglessly fall on this line of death.

The captain closes the scope and turns away from the bunker.

Nearby, instructions shouted with enchanted magic power can be heard: "Second artillery squad cooling, replacing acceleration rail—third squad start firing!" "Burner preheating complete!" "Shells have been delivered!" "The Pioneer has arrived at its position!"

The captain quickly navigates through the busy artillery position and supply transport tunnels, surrounded by the constant sound of weapons firing and commands. He crosses a post and approaches a tall commander wearing a Knight’s Insignia and draped in a short black-and-white emblem cloak on his shoulders.

Three short muffled thuds sound from the side, three bright signal flares are fired into the sky, the noticeable flash illuminating the camp, the light reflecting off the knight’s silver-white armor.

"Sir! The enemy’s offensive has been contained, they are suppressed outside the defenses," the captain salutes the commander quickly, speaking fast, "but those monsters show no signs of retreating or any traces of discipline, they are in a complete frenzy."

The commander nods: "Continue to consolidate the defenses on the east side, regardless of how many come, destroy them on the fire line—we have ample resources and personnel."

"Yes, Sir."

The captain departs after receiving orders, while the commander takes a glance at the battlefield situation, then turns and heads towards the command post barracks.

A low buzzing sound comes from the direction of the Gorgon River as the light of the signal flares gradually fades. Two terrifying energy beams, like rivers of light, suddenly light up, piercing through the dim sky, sweeping from west to east across the entire battlefield. Wherever the beams cut through, giants and rocks evaporate together, leaving only scorching scorched earth.

Inside the command post barracks, the Magic Web Terminal is buzzing away, with a holographic projection displaying the half-body portrait of Sir Philip, the Ground Forces Commander.

The commander stands at attention before the terminal, his voice loud: "General, the defense line on Highland Three is stable, calibrated beams have cleared the east and north extended areas, we can establish the next stronghold now."

"Maintain fire suppression, the next advance unit will arrive from the southwest in thirty minutes," Sir Philip says steadily, "how are the Crystal Cluster Giants over there?"

"Out of control, frenzied, almost devoid of rationality, yet showing no signs of weakening."

"Have any rational Crystal Cluster Commanders been detected yet?"

"None discovered."

"...Understood. Continue with the operation, commander."

"Received."

In the main legion command post, Sir Philip stands before Gawain, who is currently reading intelligence reports brought from the rear. Before Sir Philip can speak, Gawain lifts his head: "It seems the Crystal Cluster Legion is completely out of control."

Without waiting for Sir Philip to inquire, Gawain raises the paper in his hand: "Kamel sent reports from the Pompeii Laboratory, all commander-level Crystal Cluster Giants locked in various isolated cells at the laboratory went berserk at the same time—they couldn’t all be lower-tier units from the Red Maple Node."

"Pompeii Laboratory?!" Sir Philip is startled, "Is it alright over there?"

"There is a fully armed unit and a legendary ancient Master Mage stationed there, nothing can go wrong—currently all out-of-control monsters have been destroyed, infectors undergoing isolation treatment have safely been transferred, there’s no need to worry about that—luckily, those carrying only infections haven’t been affected."

"The current situation is very peculiar..." Sir Philip mumbles, frowning, "The actions of those monsters don’t quite match the loss of control caused by an upper-tier node collapsing..."

"Indeed. If it’s due to the collapse of a superior node leading to loss of control, those Crystal Cluster Giants would quickly weaken and become akin to ordinary beasts within an hour. But now those out-of-control Crystal Cluster Giants have only fallen into a frenzy without experiencing any power decline," Gawain tossed the file in his hand onto the table, speaking seriously, "They haven’t ’lost control,’ but rather a new, utterly insane consciousness has become their highest node."

Sir Philip felt a chill as Gawain continued, "The only good news at present is that after falling into a frenzy, the Crystal Cluster Giants have not experienced any power evolution. We can still maintain the defense line and continue pushing north. On the other hand, the disorganized Crystal Cluster Giants have become harder to restrain..."

Just as he was speaking, the nearby air suddenly twisted, and Amber’s figure emerged from the air. The half-elf handed a transcribed intelligence report to Gawain: "Emergency dispatch from Maryland."

Gawain took the intelligence report, glanced through it swiftly, and looked up at Sir Philip: "The situation is just as I expected—Iron Throne Zero is engaging with the suddenly frenzied Crystal Cluster Giants at the eastern entrance; it’s confirmed that the entire Crystal Cluster Legion is out of control."

The emergency report from Maryland detailed the battle situation at the passage to the eastern frontier: countless frenzied Crystal Cluster Giants and low-level infectors are blindly spreading. A significant portion has rushed up to the Iron Throne’s blockade line—Maryland Knight has established defenses relying on armored trains, armed railways, numerous temporary barricades, bunkers, and mountain hideouts, currently blocking the door of the eastern frontier from those Crystal Cluster infectors while continuously increasing defensive forces.

With the battle prowess of the Iron Throne and additional support from White Sand Mining’s armed security forces, Maryland Knight should be able to control the local situation and might forcibly expand the defense line westward—War Engineers are laying railways under the cover of artillery, expanding Iron Throne’s operational area toward the Plains of the Holy Spirits, with Maryland Knight’s goal being to use the "defensive advance" approach to push Iron Throne into Sorinburg—thus allowing him to rely on Sorinburg’s solid fortifications to construct a new defense line, securing depth, and ensuring the safety of the eastern frontier regions yet untainted.

Evidence proves that Gawain’s original assessment of Maryland was accurate—this is a capable individual. Despite his origins in Anzu’s traditional aristocracy, he holds transformative potential. Following advanced knowledge indoctrination and practical exposure to the operations of the Cecil Legion, Maryland’s inherent military capabilities have been inspired and enhanced. He excels at trading defense for offense, a tactic that will reach its fullest potential with the aid of armored trains.

"Where is Lady Sonia?" Gawain turned to Amber, "She should be back soon."

"During the contact twenty minutes ago, she was returning from the direction of Tulip Castle. By now, she should be close..."

"I have returned," Amber was interrupted by a clear voice from the doorway. Gawain looked in the direction of the voice and saw the High-ranked Order Messenger dressed in light leather armor now standing before him. "The north is full of frenzied monsters, as is the east. What’s worse... roaming Crystal Cluster Infectors have also been discovered in the western region beyond Tulip Castle and Gorgon River."

"So the pollution indeed crossed the river..." Gawain couldn’t help but clench his fist, "How many?"

"Hard to say. I didn’t dare fly too far. But I saw the local aristocratic forces’ private soldiers combating small groups of Crystal Cluster Monsters. The enemies crossing Gorgon River shouldn’t be many—after all, our fleet still blocks the river channel. Most monsters attempting to cross are dealt with by the coastal defenses; however, there is still a gap in the north... the legion front hasn’t pushed there yet."

Gawain couldn’t help but frown but had to accept this situation.

In the original plan, he intended to completely block off Gorgon River and secure the eastern frontier entrance. Alongside the armored barriers of the southern borders and the St. Soniel-northern mountain range defenses in the north, this would fully contain the Crystal Cluster infection in the eastern portions of the Holy Spirit Plains, bringing everything under control. Yet, no plan is without surprises, and from the start, he had mentally prepared for the worst—that the legion’s advance north might not outrun the Crystal Cluster’s spread. The pollution might cross Gorgon River, entering the western regions of the Holy Spirit Plains.

Now the situation is merely developing in that anticipated direction.

But it doesn’t mean everything will spiral out of control—the Crystal Cluster infection, though terrifying, requires relatively harsh conditions for a massive outbreak. There is already evidence proving that the Oblivion Association, which once briefly polluted the entire Gigantic Tree Path Entrance, relied on long-term preparations and a massive sacrificial ritual. Without these preparations and ritual aids, the speed of Crystal Cluster infection wouldn’t surpass regular diseases.

As long as the pollution invading the plains west doesn’t exceed a certain critical point, as long as local aristocrats haven’t incompetently abandoned resistance, the situation remains temporarily under control.

"Deliver my orders: Byron Kirk should expedite the blockade of the northern river channel. Also inform Sir Wald to dispatch five thousand troops from the Second Legion along the river northward to assist in blocking the river and clearing western bank pollution," Gawain quickly instructed Amber. "Also, is there still no contact with the Intelligence Agency operatives within St. Soniel?"

Amber shook her head: "No contact. The secret relay station extending from St. Soniel might already be destroyed, and other contact points and informants are currently all out of reach, including those in the western bank region."

"Perhaps... I might attempt a direct flight to St. Soniel," Sonia suddenly spoke out. "I could deliver the reinforcement intelligence to Silver Castle..."

"You plan to fly over the entire pollution zone without stopping? Or detour through the safe zones of the Western Plains?" Gawain glanced at Sonia, "If you fly directly to St. Soniel, you must maintain maximum altitude throughout, which is unsustainable for both you and the Giant Eagle. There are virtually no places for you to land and rest. If you curve around through the Western Plains, the journey will be two to three times longer, plus the rest time for the eagle, by the time you fly to St. Soniel, those capitals’ aristocrats might have fled."

It’s crucial to inform the royal capital’s garrison of the reinforcements’ existence—this is a consensus Gawain reached with Victoria Wilder last time. A hopeless military cannot defend the city, regardless of its possession of Anzu’s most formidable defense system. Yet, knowing that reinforcements are unequivocally on their way can immensely boost the courage of the garrison soldiers, especially in the Anzu Kingdom’s military, which relies heavily on a Knight’s command and pure manpower.

The sudden downward spiral of events has disrupted Gawain’s plans—the abruptly crazed Crystal Cluster Army starts random movements across the entire plain region. The previously painstakingly scouted enemy distribution and secure routes instantly lost their function, increasing the risk for messengers dispatched to St. Soniel. On the other hand, the frenzied Crystal Cluster army dramatically heightens the pressure on St. Soniel; the likelihood of the capital’s garrison abandoning the city and fleeing is swiftly rising, leaving messengers with even less time.

Yet St. Soniel must not fall.

At this moment, an appealing yet slightly cold voice suddenly reached everyone’s ears: "Lady Sonia, is Tulip Castle’s Mage Tower still there?"

Gawain lifted his head and saw Northern Duchess Victoria Wilder standing at the doorway.

After brief contemplation, Sonia nodded: "The castle is half-destroyed, but the Mage Tower is still there."

"That tower is a high-powered communication Tower," Victoria said, "Take me there. Using the tower’s amplification, I can make contact with Silver Castle."