Those time travelers that year

The Wandering Swordsman and the Druid met up, and the two heroes headed together towards the city's administrative center, the so-called Lord's Mansion. Along the way, neither the fierce resistance nor the fleeing Dire soldiers could stop the two heroes' advance.

Among them, the fastest killer was the [Wandering Swordsman]. This incredibly strong warrior created a blank space with each swing of his sword, the sword wind pulverizing the soldiers caught in it and throwing them far away. Each swing meant a large area in front of him was plowed away, unstoppable in his path. The [Druid] did not go on a killing spree like the [Wandering Swordsman], but his follower, the giant bear, with its thick hide, completely ignored the Night Elf soldiers' counterattacks and charged at the forefront, disrupting the Night Elf's formation.

"This is going too smoothly!" Looking at the distraught soldiers, the Druid frowned and said to the Wandering Swordsman, "This is all too easy. I feel something's wrong!"

"No matter what the problem is, it can't save the Nightshade from defeat!" [Wandering Swordsman] stopped swinging his sword. Anyway, all the Nightshade soldiers in front were running back in despair, crying and screaming. Even without anyone else's help, these distraught soldiers broke through the formation of the newly arrived reserve team behind their own side.

"Did those guys really give up on this city so easily?!" the Druid asked, puzzled.

"I don't know! Anyway, the [Lord of the Affliction] is tied up by the Legion at the front lines where spatial teleportation is blocked, so they can't get over for the time being!" [Wandering Swordsman] replied. "Are you worried about something else?"

“Hmm! It’s impossible for everyone to come over, and we won’t give them that chance! But…” the Druid said, “So far, not a single one has come to try to salvage the situation, which suggests there’s something wrong.”

"But it's precisely because there's a problem that only the two of us managed to break in!" [The Wandering Swordsman] turned his gaze to the last building before him—the City Lord's Mansion. The Nightshade's last remaining defensive forces were entrenched there, seemingly still attempting a desperate last stand. However, facing two [Heroes], they were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. "Instead of worrying about their tricks, we should crush their last resistance. As long as we completely destroy all resistance..."

"Watch out!!" Just then, the Druid next to the Wandering Swordsman suddenly changed his expression and shouted, ramming into the Wandering Swordsman.

Caught off guard, the Wandering Swordsman watched as the Druid's body transformed the instant it charged, and was sent flying more than ten meters away.

Roar! ! !

Awooo!!!

After the Wandering Swordsman regained his balance, what he saw was a bear-man standing upright and a huge wolf radiating a blood-red, bloodthirsty light, engaging in a primal hand-to-hand combat!

Sharp teeth and claws, blood and flesh flying everywhere...

126. Nightshade [Hero]

The roars of wild beasts. The tearing of claws and teeth. Two enormous beasts fought each other to the death in a wild and frenzied manner. One was a bear-man standing upright. Its huge body and strong muscles gave it astonishing defensive and offensive power. Each of this giant bear's attacks could tear the air apart, and when it slammed its hammer into the ground, it caused violent earthquakes.

However, the other was no less formidable. It was a gigantic wolf, terrifying even at first glance. Black smoke billowed around its body. This wolf was ferocious and brutal. Although it didn't possess the same strong defensive capabilities as the bear-men, its attacks were in no way inferior. On the contrary, the giant wolf, with its increased speed, engaged in the bloodiest and most savage battle with the bear-men, trading blows for wounds. It withstood the bear-men's immense force, tearing and biting fiercely, leaving huge wounds on their bodies.

Roar! ! !

Another roar rang out, and the Druid's animal companion, the giant bear that had been leading the way, roared and swatted a black and red wolf away. However, from the darkness, five, ten, twenty… countless wolves, with blood-red and ferocious eyes, emerged and launched a brutal, suicidal attack on the enemies who had stormed the city.

The giant bear roared furiously, sending wolves flying or smashing them into mincemeat. However, more and more wolves from the pack pounced, ferociously surrounding the bear. Simultaneously, the animated treant soldiers were also attacked by the wolves. The wolves tore through the treants' wooden skin, infusing them with dark magic that corroded and ravaged their life force. One or two wolves might not be a match for the treants, but there were hundreds—a massive pack.

"The Werewolf!" The Wandering Swordsman recognized the giant wolf entangled with the transformed Druid—it was the Werewolf, one of the Nightmare's Heroes. He had assumed the Nightmare's Heroes hadn't yet reached the city, but it turned out they had already arrived. "An ambush? But would that even work!?"

In a pack battle, the Wandering Swordsman was not afraid at all. Despite the ferocity and sheer number of wolves, they were nothing more than a few powerful swings from him. Just as he was about to regroup and annihilate the pack, the sound of horses' hooves alerted him.

Neighing...

A thin mist had begun to drift around them, and then the sound of galloping horses rang out. Then, from the mist, a black skeletal horse, clad in black armor and with blue-white flames burning on its hooves, appeared before the [Wandering Swordsman]. Also present was the black knight riding the skeletal warhorse, clad in black armor and shrouded in a cloak.

"Abaddon, Lord of Hell!" Upon seeing the newly appeared Dire Hero, the Wandering Swordsman roared, then without hesitation swung his sword with all his might at the hero. Simultaneously, a furious roar echoed, and the Wandering Swordsman was enveloped in a layer of golden lightning, which formed armor around him. At the same time, the Druid, now a bear-man, his giant bear cubs, and the treant soldiers also developed a thinner layer of electric armor.

[Battle Cry]

Facing the [Hell Lord] charging towards him on a skeletal warhorse, the [Wandering Swordsman] bravely launched a counter-charge against the [Hell Lord].

Clang!

The longsword in the hands of the [Hell Lord], burning with azure flames, clashed with the greatsword in the hands of the [Wandering Swordsman]. The earth cracked as their blades collided, and a booming sound filled the air. The next moment, the two [Heroes], both of whom were strength-based, swung their swords once more.

Slash, slash, slash!!! The Wandering Swordsman's blade swung with the force of a mountain collapsing and the earth splitting, relentlessly striking the Hell Lord. Each slash was enough to split mountains and cleave the earth, each strike seemed to tear the air apart. Similarly, the Hell Lord, the Wandering Swordsman's opponent, launched a fierce counterattack.

But gradually, the Wandering Swordsman's sword-wielding speed slowed down. At first, the two were evenly matched, but gradually, a thin layer of frost appeared on the Wandering Swordsman's body and the blade of his sword. This frost gradually eroded the Wandering Swordsman, making his sword-wielding speed and movement speed slower and slower.

【Demonic Curse】

This is the effect of the azure-blue flames swirling around the blade of the [Hell Lord's] sword. What looks like flames is actually bone-chilling ice, a burning, icy fire.

The Wandering Swordsman's movement and attack speeds decreased, while the Hell Lord's sword-wielding speed and the power of his blade increased. In just a short while, the Wandering Swordsman was on the defensive.

……

"So that's how it is! They didn't not come, they came but we didn't notice..." Watching the two Dire heroes intercept the Wanderer and the Druid, Xia Dun suddenly realized, "They've gone invisible! Hidden Blade? No, it must be Smoke of Deception. No wonder I didn't notice them, and neither did the 'eyes' we sent out. They used Smoke of Deception. Because of the distance, the Gem of True Sight couldn't detect them, right?"

“However, this way, the little trick I left behind can be put into practice.” Looking at the chaotic battlefield, Charles snapped his fingers slightly. “Let the actors take the stage!”

……

"My lords! We've come to your aid!" Just as the [Wandering Swordsman] and the [Druid] were locked in a fierce battle, two voices rang out simultaneously. A man and a woman, both clad in black robes, emerged from a nearby building. One wielded two serrated blades, the other two blades formed of light. These were Nag and Ovina, sent by the Radiant to disrupt the city's defenses. The two who rushed out defiantly charged towards the entangled battle.

"Don't come any closer!" Although he didn't know why, after Nag and Ovina appeared, he suddenly sensed something was wrong. Seeing them approaching him and the Druid from opposite sides, seemingly wanting to help them fight, he shouted, "Get out of here, quick!"

Battles between heroes are not something that non-heroic professionals can interfere with. Even if Nag and Ovina temporarily possess a portion of hero power, equivalent to master-level professionals, they would be certain to die if they were drawn into such a battle!

Unfortunately, it seemed he was a step too late! Nag flashed forward, using the high-speed movement brought by Shadow Step, and instantly appeared behind the Hell Lord, slashing down at the Hell Lord's back with his two serrated blades.

Meanwhile, Ovina, shrouded in a radiant light, entered the battlefield between the Druids and the Werewolves.

"You ignorant ants!!!" The new Lord of Hell spoke for the first time, stating a fact in a cold tone.

A harsh truth.

Nag's serrated blade fell to the ground the instant he appeared behind the [Hell Lord], slashing down at the [Hell Lord] riding his skeletal warhorse. The Knight of Death, with even greater speed, deflected the [Wandering Swordsman's] attack with a single strike, then spun around and delivered a counter-attack, shattering Nag's serrated blade and cleaving Nag in two mid-air!

Meanwhile, Ovina, who had just entered the fray, was immediately overtaken by the werewolf, who was even faster than her and the druid. The shield called "Refraction" was instantly torn to shreds by the werewolf, and then the giant wolf opened its massive jaws and bit down, tearing Ovina in two. Her upper body was then devoured whole by the ferocious werewolf.

127. Battle

"Damn it!!" Seeing the two easily killed by the [Hell Lord] and the [Werewolf], the [Wandering Swordsman] roared in fury. The next moment, crimson lightning surged from his body. Activating his ultimate skill, [Divine Power], the [Wandering Swordsman], filled with rage, swung his greatsword down at the [Hell Lord]!

"A futile struggle!" [Hell Lord] sneered, meeting the [Wandering Swordsman's] furious attack in return.

Once again, blade clashed. This time, however, the [Hell Lord] couldn't completely withstand the [Wandering Swordsman's] furious attack, forced back several meters along with his horse by the heavy blow. With the [Divine Power] activated, each strike from the [Wandering Swordsman] possessed more than twice his original power. Faced with the unleashed [Wandering Swordsman], the [Hell Lord] was momentarily overwhelmed. However, a protective shield formed from azure mist quickly appeared around the [Hell Lord]. As the [Wandering Swordsman's] next heavy strike approached, the shield on the [Hell Lord] instantly blocked the attack.

The Shield of Darkness

"Fool!" [Hell Lord] sneered, and then [Shield of Darkness] dimmed and instantly shattered. Having absorbed [Wandering Swordsman's] attack, [Shield of Darkness] unleashed its power, blasting [Wandering Swordsman]'s body. Instantly, several wounds appeared on [Wandering Swordsman's] body.

[Fist of the Storm]

Having been tricked by the [Shield of Irrelevantness], the [Wandering Swordsman] retaliated by throwing a punch at the [Hell Lord]. His fist, forged from golden lightning, slammed into the [Hell Lord] with an explosive force. The golden lightning erupted, completely blasting into the [Hell Lord].

The [Storm Fist], which had a dizzying effect, knocked the [Hell Lord] off balance. At that moment, the [Wandering Swordsman] thrust his sword into the [Hell Lord]'s chest, piercing through the entire [Hell Lord] with his greatsword.

A hand burning with azure flames rested on the blade of the Wandering Swordsman. The Hell Lord, pierced straight through, seemed completely oblivious to the pain of being stabbed. His eyes, hidden beneath the shadows of his cloak, stared intently at the Wandering Swordsman. As if returning from hell itself, the Hell Lord paid no heed to his wounds, instead uttering a chilling, hellish voice that mocked, "I am immortal!!!!"

However, neither the Wandering Swordsman nor the Hell Lord noticed that a twisted darkness, like sludge, adhered to the Hell Lord's body and then slowly melted into his equally black armor.

……

After biting off Ovina's upper body, the werewolf-formed giant wolf, chewing and swallowing, looked defiantly at the druid who had turned into a bear-man with a fierce and cruel gaze.

Roar!!! The enraged Druid roared.

[Battle Howl]

The next moment, the two [Heroes], now transformed into beast forms, roared and engaged in another fierce melee. Their sharp teeth and claws clashed, and blood and flesh flew everywhere, making the battle even more brutal than before.

While the battle raged on, no one noticed that within the black smoke emanating from the giant wolf-form werewolf, a twisted sludge adhered to the werewolf's back.

……

“Let me see…” Watching from the sidelines, Sharl noticed that both Nightshade heroes were covered in black sludge. His eyes flickered slightly, and he secretly activated the Abyss, which had already infiltrated the two Nightshade heroes. “…Just how strong can a strength-type hero enhanced by the power of the Abyss be!”

--------split line--------

"Not good!" Outside the city, the [Prophet], who was connected to the power of the forest and continuously revitalizing trees into treants, suddenly opened his previously closed eyes. "The Nightmare's [Hero] has appeared, and the [Wandering Swordsman] and the [Druid] are locked in a fierce battle."

"With just the [Mage of Light], it seems unlikely we can salvage the situation!" The [Prophet] decisively severed the connection between his staff and the forest, abandoning his plan to continue activating trees and summoning treants. "Guardian of the Holy Land, I request your assistance in accompanying me to provide support!"

The Treant Guardian nodded, and then the Prophet and the Treant Guardian raced together toward the location of the battle in the city.

"Neither you, an old elven man, nor a piece of rotten wood, will leave here!" A sinister voice suddenly rang out, and then a greatsword shot out from the side, slashing towards the unsuspecting [Prophet].

[Living Armor]

In a moment of urgency, the Treant Guardian reacted much faster than the Prophet, its green, life-giving branches wrapping around the Prophet's body and weaving into a suit of vine armor.

The Prophet was sent flying by a sudden sword strike. However, thanks to the protective effect of the Living Armor, the sword didn't severely injure the Prophet, only leaving a bleeding wound. That wound quickly healed under the healing effect of the Living Armor.

"You've escaped with your life, old man!" A human wielding a massive blade, his body shrouded in dark green light, appeared before the [Prophet] and [Tree Spirit Guardian]. "And you, you piece of junk, are a real nuisance!"

"[Skeleton King]!" Upon seeing the Dire [Hero] appear before him, [Prophet] stood up, leaning on his staff.

"Hahahaha..." The Skeleton King laughed wildly. "Come on, let's see how long you and this piece of wood can last in front of me." With that, the Dire hero charged at the Prophet, his giant blade mercilessly slashing down towards the Prophet's head.

【germination】

With a wave of his staff, the Prophet summoned trees that rapidly grew from the ground, blocking the Skeleton King's path and trapping him in the center.

Parasitic seeds

The Treant Protector pressed its arm to the ground, and several vines emerged from it, binding the trapped Skeleton King. The vines then began to drain the Skeleton King's life force, which flowed towards the Treant Protector and the Prophet.

[Nature's Call]

The trees surrounding the Skeleton King were instantly activated by the Prophet's magic, turning into treants. These newly created treants then launched an attack on the Skeleton King.

【Nature's Wrath】

The Prophet, holding his staff high, summoned a golden energy ball that blasted towards the Skeleton King, who was being attacked by the Treants.

"What a pointless act!" The Skeleton King roared, cleaving the treant blocking his path into dust with a single sword strike. The next moment, golden light enveloped him, and his size increased. At that instant, the golden energy orb summoned by the Prophet struck the Skeleton King, only to bounce off completely unopposed.

"【Black Royal Staff】!" The Prophet's expression instantly turned ugly.

128. Caught in the crossfire

Blade against blade, fang against fang. Within the city, heroes from both the Dire and Radiant factions clashed fiercely. The mere aftershocks of their battle had obliterated nearly a sixth of the city's buildings. And this was only because the four heroes were melee-type heroes skilled in close combat; had they been spellcasters, the city would have been utterly destroyed long ago.

Of course, the situation is just as bad now! Especially for [Wandering Swordsman] and [Druid], who were already caught off guard by [Werewolf] and [Hell Lord], they are now in an even worse predicament. For some reason, just now, the two attacking Dire [Heroes] have become increasingly powerful, and now they are completely dominating [Wandering Swordsman] and [Druid].

The Wandering Swordsman, panting heavily, found himself on the defensive in the renewed clash of blades. This time, he was at a disadvantage, as the Hell Lord's cursed blade ripped a massive gash across his chest. Had it not been for the defensive field amplified by his War Cry, which blocked most of the force of the horizontal slash, it wouldn't have been just a wound; his sternum would have been cleaved open, and the blade would have pierced his heart.

"Damn it!" the Wandering Swordsman cursed under his breath. Even with [Divine Power] activated, he was still no match for the [Hell Lord] in terms of strength. For some reason, after the [Hell Lord] used [Last Stand], turning all the injuries he had inflicted into healing and instantly restoring his own health, the entire battle began to turn against him. Even after unleashing his ultimate attack, he still couldn't defeat the [Hell Lord].

The blade, stained with a frost curse, thrust forth in the [Lord of Hell]'s hand, its movements like the wailing of ghosts and wolves. Each strike carried an unsettling sensation, a surreal combination of madness and distortion. This made each parry incredibly difficult for the [Wandering Swordsman], yet he couldn't pinpoint the source of the discomfort. It was as if the [Lord of Hell] could predict his every swing, dodging each attack by the slightest margin, while he himself struggled to evade or parry its onslaught.

……

While the Wandering Swordsman struggled against the increasingly powerful Hell Lord, the Druid was in a worse state, if not worse! Faced with the increasingly frenzied and brutal attacks of the werewolf, the Druid, now a bear-man, was struggling to defend himself. If he could fight alongside his animal companions, things might be different. However, somehow, the werewolf had managed to summon an entire pack of hundreds to besiege the Druid's bear companion. Under the fearless onslaught of the wolves, the Druid's bear companion was temporarily trapped in place.

While it's not impossible to have the giant bear companion use the [Return] spell to return to the [Druid's] side, the relentless attacks of the wolf pack prevent this from happening.

Moreover, for some reason, the werewolf's attack speed is increasing, and it's becoming more and more brutal and terrifying. In the relentless melee combat, the green light constantly flashing from the werewolf's body is healing its wounds. Possessing Vladimir's Sacrifice, the werewolf is making the druid's precarious situation even more dangerous.