Chapter 216: Breaking the Army

“So, Little Seven, you shouldn’t rely too much on probability…”

“Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh… Bang!”

Before her words could finish, a series of rapid explosive sounds, like fireworks bursting into the sky, echoed from the hills in the distance. Philomina’s spirit lifted immediately; she hurriedly wrapped the crystal stone in cloth and stashed it in her pocket, standing upright to gaze ahead.

“It’s a signal; the operation at Sacheno City has begun!”

She quickly turned to her waiting guards a little further away and issued orders with a demeanor markedly different from their private conversations.

“Everyone, get ready to act according to plan!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The long-awaiting troops swiftly sprang into action. The temple knights mounted their armored horses, while the priests and members of the healing team, who weren’t skilled in close combat, boarded the specially prepared magical transport vehicles designed for battle, getting ready for the upcoming assault.

Meanwhile, the Saintess herself, under the protection of her guards and her maid Little Seven, arrived at the hill where the Saint of Bright Light and Miss Fox had previously observed Sacheno City. From her elevated position, she began to survey the city’s situation while waiting for her dedicated war chariot to arrive.

“Quite the setup… Have so many demons already descended upon our world?”

Previously, to avoid alarming the enemy, Philomina and her entire troop had kept hidden behind the hillside. But now, with the signal from Sacheno City, the enemy’s attention had shifted in the opposite direction, and Philomina finally had the chance to witness the demon army besieging the isolated city firsthand.

A dark sea of magical beasts nearly filled every corner outside the small city below, crashing waves of them surging toward the golden barrier that covered the city wall, only to be continuously repelled. Estimates put their numbers at over one hundred thousand.

Even disregarding the disparity in individual combat strength, facing the enemy head-on, the thousands of healing team members led by the Redeeming Saintess and over twenty thousand trained temple knights found themselves at an absolute disadvantage.

Not to mention the elite demon troops among them, undoubtedly bolstered by many hidden, powerful high-ranking demons.

Especially since this holy war had already been confirmed to be an invasion not led by a single ruler as in the past, but by the combined forces of “Killing,” “Corruption,” and “Impurity.” This meant the three primary noble demon families had surely arrived in this world.

It was unprecedented, unfathomable.

“I heard the western gate is the weakest attacking point, aside from facing the Star River directly; how brutal must the battles at the north and south gates be… Oh, merciful goddess, please protect your faithful…”

Worried, Philomina instinctively sent a sincere prayer.

“Your Highness, the holy chariot has arrived; the guards can deploy at any time.”

“Um, let’s wait a bit longer for my command.”

According to a prearranged plan discussed via long-distance communication, the opposing side would launch a cavalry charge to draw some of the western enemy’s attention, paving the way for Philomina’s troops to advance.

Without a doubt, such a forceful assault and breach through the demonic lines would result in severe casualties, even for the elite forces of the Holy Kingdom. Philomina initially wanted to refuse, but was unsympathetically blocked by Yuna’s voice on the other end asking, “Do you have a better idea?” Ultimately, she had no choice but to accept.

War is no game; casualties are inevitable. As leaders, all they could do was try to minimize the numbers, making it all the more necessary to unite their forces with the Redeeming Saintess.

Since the signal was already sent, it was time…

With this thought, two white figures suddenly soared high from within Sacheno City!

They were stunning girls with pristine four white wings, their bodies seemingly wrapped in a platinum-colored radiant glow. They burst beyond the city walls, like two dazzling meteorites wrapped in roaring tails, rushing straight toward the demon front in the sky!

Seemingly alarmed and bereft of calm, among the meticulously arranged demon forces, several sharp and urgent screams burst forth, and a few figures arranged themselves, leaping into the air to intercept the two extraordinary white-winged maidens.

However, before they could approach, a shattering star, over a hundred meters in diameter and violently ablaze with incandescent fire, suddenly plummeted from the sky, crashing directly toward those high-ranking demons!

The meteorite arrived rapidly; in almost an instant, it landed atop the enemy heads, bringing down a terrifying force that crushed them as it crashed into the dense sea of magical beasts, creating a roar and colossal waves akin to an earthquake!

“Hahaha! Clueless idiots~”

In the air, a faint laugh came from the white-winged girl wielding a staff who had just initiated the meteor strike. The two of them circled above the chaotic center of the demon formations mockingly, then abruptly accelerated, their brilliant platinum-colored tails blazing like meteors as they shot toward the south!

Just then, in a mere two to three seconds…

“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!!”

The massive stones that hit the ground shattered into pieces, and several figures engulfed in terrifying auras surged up once more!

Clearly struck directly by such a fearsome attack, they charged toward the two white-winged girls, seemingly unharmed, driven by rage after being toyed with, and their figures quickly disappeared from Philomina’s view.

“That is…”

Having witnessed the whole process clearly, the Saintess was inwardly astonished.

Earlier, she had heard in some unreliable rumors that although the demon war was fierce, the goddess had for the first time sent down her emissaries to help her faithful resist foreign enemies.

The previous “Blood Disaster” at the Saint Bergren Mountains had been resolved because of this. Though she was far away in the flower capital and out of touch with intel, as a Saintess and a direct descendant of the Lambert Family, she knew some details about that great battle. She had thought it was merely a rumor fabricated by the temple to boost morale, but now it seemed…

“With such appearance and that holy, noble aura… Could it be that angels have truly joined this holy war?”

“Princess Philomina, focus. We’re about to act.”

Little Seven’s calm reminder reached her ears, and then, accompanied by another cannon fire from the city, the western gate of Sacheno City, which had withstood fierce assaults for over three days, abruptly burst open. Riding out was the cavalry composed of temple knights and elite unicorn steeds, led by the Holy Knight, clad in snowy armor, like a tidal wave surging forth!

“In the shining light of the source! By the name of the goddess, knights of the divine, charge with me!!!”

“Holy Light! Please eradicate the enemies of the gods!!!!!!!”

“Kill!!!!!!!!!!”

The temple knights, having long since gathered their momentum, galloped forth, raising their golden holy swords and wielding their massive spears, plunging into the demon beast army as if they were knives piercing into fluffy cheese, instantly tearing open a horrific rift in the demonic line outside the western gate and pushing through as though in an uninhabited land!

Philomina watched the scene unfold before her.

Without the earlier chaos caused by those two angels’ interventions, coupled with several powerful demons drawn away for an ambush, even if the charge succeeded, it would likely still result in significant casualties.

However, without the strongest commanders present, the Holy Knights deliberately avoided areas inhabited by high-ranking demons. Only against the infantry of demon beasts and unprepared ordinary demons could they possibly stand against those elite holy fighters with outstanding individual combat strength.

In just a few minutes, the thousands of knights pouring from the city had pierced through the chaotic enemy lines, urging their horses westward, directly pursuing the direction the two angels had taken!

“…”

Watching as a third of the elite forces from the demonic army pursued into the melee below, the Redeeming Saintess drew a deep breath, turned, and stepped toward the chariot parked nearby.

“Let’s go. It’s our time to make an appearance.”

   

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