Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 119 The War of the Fire Seed
The broadsword warrior charged to the front of the formation, his several-meter-long greatsword sweeping across the battlefield. Amidst the surging sword energy, the raging wind centaur was cut in half at the waist.

Some horses were still running, their upper bodies already mangled into pieces, their blood spilled on the battlefield.

When facing a large number of charging enemies, group sword energy can cause the greatest damage.

Unfortunately, there were still too few broadsword swordsmen, and a round of attacks only managed to kill 100 Windfury Centaurs.

Just as the centaurs were about to charge forward, their hooves trampling, the shield bearers formed a long, narrow array, erecting a shield wall and constructing a defensive posture as solid as a rock.

As the centaur of fury approached, it discovered that the swiftness accumulated from its charge had become ineffective, leaving it only able to fight with its bare hands and halberd.

Relying on its superior troop strength, it killed more than 100 shield soldiers.

But the raging winds seemed to have hit a wall, making no further progress and instead becoming trapped in the encirclement of shield bearers.

Su Mu's defense isn't high, and with the giant shield's counterattack, it can deal 9 points of damage. However, for a level 1 soldier, each attack results in counterattack damage, which is simply unbearable.

It was visibly clear that the number of Stormrage Centaurs trapped in the shield infantry formation was decreasing. Despite having more men and better offensive and defensive capabilities, they couldn't win. It was truly frustrating.

Fortunately, Ivo possessed the Natural Leadership spell; otherwise, the centaur army would have been completely demoralized after such a fierce battle.

"We can't continue like this!"

Ivo looked back at the chaotic battle behind him, where the Earth Bow had less than 200 units left.

Maggie has now set her sights on the Phantom Archer. As soon as Meg Carson casts her exorcism spell, she will immediately go blind, with all other spells taking a backseat to this one.

Of course, the Phantom Archer force wasn't limited to one unit, and with both eyes blind, achieving full coverage would be slower. However, the Earth Archers coordinated very well, focusing their attacks only on the awakened ranged archers, giving them no chance to escape.

"Don't disperse them, just use Thunderclap and Ice to wipe out this force with me."

Ivo raised one hand high, and a deafening roar came from the clouds. A bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, hitting the Earthbow troops and burning the brave warriors to a crisp. Electricity surged everywhere.

Meg Carson followed Ivo, and a giant ice pillar shot out from her sleeve, which exploded in mid-air, freezing the ranged troops below into ice pillars that shattered into pieces at the slightest touch.

These two magical attacks wiped out more than 40 Earthbows, causing heavy losses to Orling's forces.

Since physical combat was proving too difficult, Ivo decided to change his approach and use direct damage magic to take down the pesky Earth Bow first.

Although the battle at the front has reached a stalemate, Ivo's high offensive and defensive bonuses are enough to keep them afloat.

If Su Mu wants to use the Earth Bow as a bargaining chip, then he should first eliminate the troops in front of him.

"continue!"

Another round of lightning and ice combined, and no matter how valiant the Earthbowmen were, they could not withstand the extraordinary magic and could only perish in despair.

Upon seeing this, Ouling raised his crossbow and, with all his might, fired two arrows straight at Ivo. The speed was so great that the air itself seemed to explode.

However, Ivo was not afraid at all. He also took out his wooden bow, with a golden thread tied to it, like the whiskers of a dragon, which made the arrows he shot extremely powerful.

The four arrows clashed, with Ivo's arrow being more powerful and heavy, while Orin's arrow was like a divine needle. Each had its own strengths, and they were evenly matched.

If one had to choose, Ouling, who was enhanced by the Governing Arts, was more powerful. The shattered arrows struck the blind phantom archers, stringing them together like candied hawthorns.

This result left Meg Carson, who was watching from the sidelines, dumbfounded. Despite the huge difference in attack and defense, and Ivo even bringing his own archery treasure, he managed to barely manage a draw with Orling.

What kind of freaks are the heroes of Kuraki Town? Are their skills all divinely chosen?
Ivo didn't dwell on these things. In fact, as the game had progressed, even someone as intelligent as him had gradually come to see Kuraki's true strength.

These heroes each have their own strengths, but the one who truly shines is Su Mu, whose powerful skill amplification effect is what gives these generals, who are not yet fully mature, terrifying abilities.

Therefore, Ivo has now completely adjusted his mindset, regarding the enemy's more than 1000 combat troops as an army that is no less than their own. This is a battle of equal strength, and to win, he must give full play to his own advantages.

The Phantom Archers are not good at melee combat, but they have not suffered much damage. They have been under a spell that blinds them, and their opponents dare not wake them up.

Once the Earth Bow is eliminated and another wave of exorcism is used to awaken the Phantom Archer, the initiative can be regained.

Ice and lightning continue to ravage the battlefield. Keep using effective tactics; if the opponent can't break them, you'll win!

Riding on Gale, Su Mu fought desperately at the forefront of the battle. He naturally saw that Ouling's side was in danger. They were simply outnumbered and couldn't withstand the alternating magical attacks from Ivo and Meg Carson.

We must break through the enemy's formation and get close enough to support Orling.

With a wave of his hand, the broadsword-wielding warriors charged straight towards the enemy's rear guard.

No matter what obstacles stood in their way, they were all cut down, carving a bloody path through the pure white, raging centaur army.

Maggie understood Su Mu's meaning and granted the broadsword swordsmen a Swift Acceleration, allowing them to charge forward faster.

At this point, the Stormwind Centaurs changed their tactics, opting to delay the enemy's movements. They huddled together, using their bodies to block the enemy even when their halberds were damaged.

Seeing that things were not going well, Su Mu prepared to use the Wild Griffin to bypass the Pegasus Lawbringer army and go to support Ouling.

However, Ivo had a backup plan. He used a slowing spell on the Wild Griffin, and then activated a Stormwind Centaur squad positioned at the rear. Using the raging storm, they created a no-fly zone, preventing the Wild Griffin from starting in time.

Although Maggie quickly used her exorcism technique to remove the speed restriction, she also bought time, allowing the Pegasus Spellcaster to entangle her.

As a result, Orling was immediately left isolated and helpless.

Ivo continued his magical offensive, and the Earthbowers, who were entangled with him, were reduced to only a few dozen men, on the verge of being wiped out.

Ouling and dozens of his brothers stood back to back, forming a small defensive formation.

They were covered in blood, their bows broken and arrows snapped, fighting to the very last moment.

The 400 Earth Bows represent almost all of Kuraki's accumulated resources since its founding. As expensive ranged archers, they are protected by shield soldiers in ordinary battles, and no one can even get close to them.

However, in order to stop the enemy's phantom archers, they were almost all wiped out.

By this point, everyone understood their fate: trapped deep in enemy territory, fighting ten against one, with no chance of survival.

So everyone looked up at the distant town of Kuraki. Smoke and dust filled the air, and only a few outlines could be seen. Their loved ones were waiting for them in the town, but sadly, they could not go back.

"Sir, we've done our best. Kuraki can't live without you. We need to evacuate now!"

"Brothers, cover your retreat. The broadsword warriors are about to attack. Charge north. With their support, you'll surely find a way to survive."

“I have a younger brother at home, who will be taken care of by the Interior Ministry, so I have nothing to worry about. It’s a good time to give up this body and let those bastards of Isildur never leave alive.”

Looking into the sincere eyes of his comrades, even the iron-willed Ouling couldn't help but feel a surge of sorrow.

The Earthbow had 578 men, each an elite he had personally trained. They had lived and worked together day and night, and in this battle, they were almost completely wiped out.

But in order to achieve final victory, not a single member of the Earth Bow retreated. They held fast to the much stronger army and vowed to defend Kuraki to the death.

Ouling felt very proud to have such soldiers.

"It is my honor to fight alongside you!"

"No need for further words. I will stand with everyone until the very last moment. The Phantom Archer won't be able to budge an inch unless he steps over my dead body!"

Seeing Ouling's resolute gaze, the soldiers stopped trying to persuade him. They looked at each other, smiled calmly, and disregarded their own lives.

Ivo watched from a distance, a sense of respect welling up within him.

"How many heroes are there among the human race?"

"But the more this is the case, the more we must nip it in the bud!"

He imbued the arrows with divine lightning, and combined it with thunder and ice to freeze and blast the remaining troops of the Earth Bow into dust.

Only one Oling remained, his armor tattered and his body severely wounded.

The battle in the distance remained intense. Su Mu seemed to have released quicksand traps to restrict the legion, preventing the centaur troops from pursuing them.

The broadsword swordsmen were also getting closer, and there were about 100 Angry Wind Centaurs in front of them. These four-hoofed monsters became an insurmountable barrier, forming a boundary that determined life and death.

Ivo decided not to give his opponent another chance. He raised his bow and arrow, aiming it at Orling's head, revealing his determination to kill.

An enemy like this must never be allowed to return.

With his longbow supporting him, Oling was barely able to stand. Without the support of his troops and after a series of battles, he had no way to defend himself against Ivo's sure-kill arrow.

Even so, he did not back down. Instead, he drew the dagger strapped to his waist and charged at Ivo with a roar.

Faced with such a desperate struggle, Ivo did not hesitate at all, and the arrow of wind and thunder was launched straight at the enemy's head.

Ouling's consciousness was somewhat confused; he could only hear the thunderous sound in his ears, and even when he saw arrows flying towards him, he was unable to dodge them.

Just at the critical moment, a person suddenly flew out from his right, tackled him into the quicksand, and took the fatal arrow for him.

The arrow ripped off half of the man's leg, blasting it into the ground and creating a deep crater tens of meters wide.

Wayne!

This newly minted hero, whose magic was nearly depleted, saved Orling in his most perilous moment.

We can't afford to lose!

His gaze drifted into the distance, where, amidst the endless quicksand traps, a troop seemed unaffected, advancing slowly.

At the same moment, Ouling also received the message from Su Mu.

Delaying pursuit or restricting the enemy were not Su Mu's main objectives.

The greatest purpose of quicksand traps is to deliver the Earth Bow from within the city to their strongest commander.

Since Orling is the hero being governed, there are no obstacles to temporarily changing commanders. However, there is a certain distance limit to the command, and the Earth Bow must be brought close to Orling.

In this way, ignoring the earth element's slowing effect, the remaining Earth Bows can pass through the quicksand traps and reach the rear amidst the chaos of battle.

The quicksand slowly engulfed Orling and Wayne. Ivo quickly fired a few more arrows, but he sank helplessly into the sand.

After Orling helped Wayne reappear in the quicksand pit not far away, Ivo did not pursue them further; his objective had been achieved.

"Quickly, exorcism spell, launch the attack!"

A refreshing rain fell from the clouds, and the archers, whose eyes had been blinded, felt the light return, regaining their familiar vision.

"Target: Broadsword Swordsman, kill!" The Broadsword Swordsman, who is so close at hand, is the biggest threat. It looks like the Stormrage Centaur is about to be overwhelmed. Once they get close to the Phantom Archer, it will be the end for them.

The Storm Bow's first strike was aimed directly at the broadsword swordsman within range, launching a fierce attack.

Ivo finally smiled, but before he could even finish, his face turned ashen.

With the remaining 150 Earthbows, Orling used stealth to close in again. Only the front-line units of the Phantom Archers launched an attack, taking down nearly a dozen Broadsword Swordsmen, but they were then entangled.

"Ouling! You're asking for death!"

Ivo was truly enraged this time. He had initially planned to spare the man's life after Wayne rescued him and he escaped using a quicksand trap, but now he had returned to die.

He unleashed thunder and lightning, striking the Earthbow troops and slaughtering dozens more.

Just as he was about to continue this tactic and clear out the last obstacle, the Earth Bow, he saw Meg Carson standing to the side, her face pale.

"No, I only have enough mana for one more exorcism spell. If I use Thunderous Ice again, I won't be able to fight back."

Unbeknownst to her, Meg Carson had already cast several exorcism spells, as well as several buff skills and direct damage spells. With her knowledge attribute, she had reached her limit.

The real culprit is Maggie, who acts like a magical turret on the other side. She has cast at least 20 spells so far, and the Phantom Archer is under her control and unable to move an inch.

In her efforts to liberate her own troops, Meg Carson is also running out of magic power after a back-and-forth struggle.

But judging from Maggie's intentions, casting 20 more spells wouldn't be a problem. Once they lose their ability to counter, even with the strongest army, they'll be nothing more than lambs to the slaughter.

Ivo looked towards the distant battle formation. The Pegasus Lawbringers, facing the Wild Griffins who had no protective shields, had finally gained the upper hand, but the enemy had endless counterattacks, and Ivo had also suffered heavy losses.

Relying on their high morale, both sides fought to the death. At least two-thirds of the Wild Griffins were killed, and only about 150 Pegasus Lawbringers remained.

The Stormrage Centaurs fared even worse. Facing the Shieldbearers, a unit covered in spikes, they were essentially feeding the enemy with their lives. Of their nearly 700 Shieldbearers, less than 300 remained, but the Stormrage Centaurs also suffered fewer than 300, demonstrating the immense losses they suffered.

Ivo gritted his teeth, never expecting the situation to have deteriorated to this extent.

Meg Carson watched the broadsword-wielding swordsman approach rapidly, seemingly ready to die, and finally spoke: "You can't win! Child of the Forest, run away. I will use my exorcism magic to protect you."

Back at Longlet Castle, with Lady Isabel there, there's a way out.

Once the boundary marker seal is lifted, our army can descend. It won't be too late for revenge then.

Although Meg Carson had been serving the sacred tree, she was no coward. In this critical moment of life and death, she was willing to sacrifice herself to save the Children of the Forest.

After all, Isabel had said that if things went wrong, they should run back, since they only had one life.

Although Ivo was extremely unwilling, Meg Carson was right; if things continued this way, they had no chance of winning. Continuing to persist would only be a futile act of recklessness.

His gaze shifted behind him, searching for an escape route.

But just then, he glimpsed a thin magical barrier on the battlefield dome, like an inverted silver bowl, enveloping everyone completely.

Ouling's sudden invisibility attack caused the two sides to quickly engage in a fierce battle, preventing Ivo from noticing the changes happening around the battlefield.

But now, he knows.

"The shackles of war!"

"good very good!"

Ivo turned around to face the charging broadsword warrior, raised his hands high, and condensed a powerful magic circle above his head. Countless rays of destructive light shot out from the circle, and anyone hit by them had their armor cracked and their defense greatly reduced.

"In that case, let's fight to the death!"

【Light of Destruction (Level 2 Air Elemental Magic): Reduces the selected enemy unit's defense by 3 points. Permanently lasts during combat.】

[Due to the effect of Intermediate Air Element Mastery, the selected enemy unit's defense is reduced by 4 points. This effect is permanent during combat and cannot be dispelled.]

His phantom archer was indeed unable to shoot arrows, so he decided to engage in close combat. Even with his high attack power, he could still deal considerable damage.

During the ensuing struggle, nearly half of the Earth Bows under Ouling's command died before the Broadsword Swordsmen finally arrived to provide support.

At this point, the Stormrage Centaur had been completely breached, and the Shieldbearers, holding off the remaining remnants, pressed forward with their entire army.

"Protective Shield!"

"Exorcism Technique!"

During the final exorcism, Ivo did not run away but chose to confront Su Mu head-on.

He still has over 600 Phantom Archers left. Even with the ranged archers' melee combat ability halved, they are still a formidable force. Moreover, the bonus from the Advanced Storm Bow is exclusive to this unit, giving the Phantom Archers a full 40 attack power, enough to overwhelm the opponent.

"Warriors of Isildur! Life, death, honor, and disgrace will all be decided in this battle!"

"For the glory of the sacred tree!"

Awakened by the attack, the Phantom Archers heard their lord's shout and drew their unique short swords, which belonged only to archers, and entered melee combat.

"For the sacred tree!"

"Slaughter them!"

The army was thrown into chaos once again. The Phantom Archers used their high attack power to shatter shields, cut down broadswords, and bring the Earth Bow to the brink of destruction.

At this point, there are no tactics left to speak of; it's purely a war of attrition, a test of who can hold out the longest.

In terms of sheer troop strength, the Phantom Archers still have the advantage.

Even Ivo saw a glimmer of hope for victory again.

However, this illusion was quickly shattered. As a flock of wild griffins tore through the Pegasus Lawbringers and landed in the Phantom Archer camp, Su Mu once again cast his Protective Shield.

In this battle, Su Mu used almost no other magic; apart from quicksand traps, he almost always used protective shields.

Many times, their magic was neutralized by the enemy's exorcism techniques, leaving them with no choice but to rely on defensive spells to withstand the attacks.

Logically speaking, Meg Carson's knowledge attribute was slightly weaker, so she was not at all at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation. However, Su Mu had the freakish Maggie on his side, and with the balance of power shifting, he finally exhausted Meg Carson's magic.

With this newfound protective shield, the Wild Griffin was now unstoppable.

Even with the Phantom Archers' fierce attacks, they couldn't even tear a single feather from the Wild Griffin. These level 3 castle units seemed to be surrounded by an endless shield, capable of blocking all attacks.

When they can't damage the Griffin, the Phantom Archer uses his high-speed movement to attack the Shieldbearer and Earthbowman until he's down to his last drop of blood.

It must be said that the troops under Ivo's command had an unwavering will, as tough as steel.

The last troops on both sides totaled less than 800 men, and their numbers dwindled with each battle. The fighting lasted from dusk till night, and finally, the battle was nearing its end.

Meg Carson was dead, her body cut in two, surrounded by several broadsword warriors, clearly the victim of the hero's final desperate struggle.

The bodies of the Phantom Archers had piled up like a mountain, guarding their commander.

With the head of the last Phantom Archer torn apart by the griffin's iron claws, Isildur's fighting force was annihilated.

Su Mu, Ou Ling, and Ma Ji all had their armor shattered and were covered in blood.

They stood atop the mound of corpses, gazing at the man before them.

Son of Mober Forest, heir to the family of nature, descendant of the winds from the nest of the Sifar Treants, a leading figure among the younger generation of the Isildor Empire, and a Storm Ranger.

Perhaps in the original history, he would have had a longer and greater title, but that's where it ends.

Ivo had been slashed dozens of times and even lost one arm, but his other arm was still intact, holding a shield.

A lion roars atop a massive, thick shield; even a single glance at it is enough to send shivers down your spine.

Even with such a powerful treasure, Ivo's life came to an end.

He planted his shield on the ground, supported himself with one arm, looked around at the corpses of the Phantom Archers, and finally fixed his gaze on Su Mu, revealing a bitter smile.

"I lost!"

“You are indeed a genius. The fact that the human race has a warrior like you is a threat to Isildur.”

As he laughed, his body began to disintegrate, and his flesh and blood gradually weathered away like sand.

Seeing that things were not going well, Olling and Maggie attacked at the same time, bombarding the enemy with arrows and magic.

"If Su Mu doesn't die, the Xilin Plain cannot be conquered. This man must be killed!"

With a long sigh, leaving behind his final advice to the empire, Ivo disappeared into the storm.

Neither of the two heroes' attacks hit Ivo. Ivo used his magical power to disintegrate himself, and even uttered his last words.

This was Isildor's secret technique, the last trump card of the Children of the Forest, and it could not be stopped, so Su Mu did not make any further moves.

Does it matter if the news gets out?

unimportant.

The Children of the Forest were all surrounded and killed in front of Kuraki Town, so how could Esdor not take Sumu seriously?
This battle was fought with the intention of dying; defeating Ivo would be the greatest victory.

Su Mu glanced at the remaining troops on the battlefield. The Earthbowmen suffered the most heavy losses, with only a few men left, all severely wounded. There were more than 150 shieldmen who survived the final carnage.

A few broadsword swordsmen survived, but they left behind their battle experience. The Wild Griffins maintained a force of forty, and in the end, it was they who sustained the entire force.

This battle almost completely depleted the forces that Kuraki had accumulated over the years.

But the results were truly remarkable.

With 900 Phantom Archers, 1000 Stormwind Centaurs, and 600 Pegasus Spellbinders, half of Isildur's fighting force that stormed into the Hillin Plains was wiped out, and they were still the most threatening high-speed units.

Without them, Isabelle, with only a small number of Holy Unicorns, will find it difficult to conquer new territories.

This was a glorious victory on the Xilin Plain that will be recorded in history.

Or rather, a great victory in preserving the flame!

(End of this chapter)