[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-city-of-desire-kingdom-building":3,"chapter-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-889":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","City of Desire [Kingdom Building]",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1846951,2449,"Chapter 893 892: Clash","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-889",889,"\u003Cp>Leonas Cardin\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander Vaessa,\" I greeted the woman in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She is a half-elf woman who appears to be in her mid-thirties. Tall, with long green hair, green eyes, and pointed ears. Unlike most half-elves, she has a rounded face instead of an angular one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She is wearing a full-body purple-black, half-artificial armor, the same quality as mine, and she has a long sword with a blue metallic hilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is an artifact; a Mountainfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had a face that looked beautiful when she smiled, but I did not forget, even for a moment, how dangerous the woman is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchant's intelligence had stated that she had awakened her aura a year ago. They did not mention where or under what circumstances, and I do not care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing I care about is the aura methods. I really hope she had not learned them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The artifact alone is going to be hard to deal with. If she has aura methods, then I will have no chance in front of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General Cardin,\" she replied with a small smile appearing on her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can I know the reason for this aggression? I believe, we have not done anything to upset the Kingdom of Navr,\" I asked, and the smile on her face widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The reason is simple: we want to see how prepared you are.\" She replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It surprised me, but it also flooded me with relief: she had not made up any transgression we had committed. It would have been much harder to get out of, if she had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly, it would have been a real battle. Something we are desperate to avoid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are dangers everywhere. Especially in your region, and we want to see how prepared you are, because if you are not, then it could spill into our kingdom.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that were the case, it would be wise for us to take control of the fortress. So, we could stop any danger before it enters the kingdoms and harms it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shuddered at the casualness of the threat and felt the pressure on me increase tremendously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They are not attacking with the intention of taking over, but they would, if we didn't satisfy them in the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meaning, we have to fight and fight to their satisfaction, but do it in such a way that we would seem weak, but also keep the harm to their forces limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, they would seek revenge and take over. It would be a one fine like to walk on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I believe the fortress is well equipped to handle any danger that comes its way. I promise you personally, the dominion will not let any danger spill into your kingdom,\" I promised, hoping it would be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Talk is cheap, General,\" she replied, before I could say anything, and she leaped toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the air, she unsheathed her sword. It's a long sword, with a blue stone hilt and blade, that seemed to be made of grey stone, with an intricate design carved on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is sharp. So much that it made me shudder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope I will survive it. I said and leaped forward with Accelerated Steps. This skill is as fast as hers, and I could see the flash of surprise appearing in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, we reached each other in the air, and she swung her blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel the power of the artifact that sent a shudder through my soul, and on top of that, she activated her skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to keep it a secret until a real battle. I thought and activated my most powerful skill, a skill that impressed Lord Silver, and it's easy to impress him given his monstrous skills of his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unbroken Form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After I was hit with a death skill, my class had turned into Broken Officer from Stellar Officer. Then it advanced to Broken General, then to Unbroken General of Resolve, after liberating Gailhorn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's a powerful class even among Lv. 40 and Unbroken Form is the most powerful skill it has given me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is a Lv. 50 skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of that, I activated Army Strike, which advanced from General's Strike and Flashblade, which advanced from the Quicksteel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I activated those skills, the attack's power and speed increased further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, my sword clashed against the blade, and I felt like my saber had clashed against the wall. It stopped my saber in its tracks and sent an immense force at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The force was strong enough to shake my body. I felt immense strain on my skin and bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there had not been Unbroken Form, my skin would have split, and my bones would have broken. Still, I didn't come out unharmed; the blood leaking out of my nose is proof of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't wipe it away; all my focus is on the enemy, who is looking at me with great surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General Cardin, I have to say, I am impressed,\" she said, with her eyes gleaming. \"Then I hope you will forgo the battle?\" I asked with hope, and her lips curved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, the horde behind her moved, while at the same time, an aura burst out of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, I sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'General's Command: Charge!' I commanded my army and activated Rallying Charge. 'General Command: Don't Kill Living,' I gave another command; the most important one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I gave that, I felt her presence skills bearing down on me. It's a presence skill, and it is filled with the power of aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made my knees shake. I underestimated her aura control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, aura burst out of me, and I activated Dominating Presence, which advanced from the Commanding Presence and filled them with aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt better, but only for a moment, as her lips curved, and a moment later, another power added to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power of the artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like a mountain weighing on my shoulder; it is what the blade is. Its name is Mountainfall Swift; it is one of the twelve artifacts of Mountainfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the weight descended, she attacked without wasting any time. Her attack was powerful, bearing the weight of the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I responded, pushing more aura into my skills. Especially the Dominating Presence and Unbroken Form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weapons clashed, and once more, I shook, with blood leaking out of my lips. This time, she didn't waste any time and attacked me once more while putting more pressure on me through the presence skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved through the pressure, pouring more aura into my skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been practicing aura regularly since I had awakened it, but I should have listened to Miss Carla and practiced more than I had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Running a fortress is not easy; every day, there are a hundred unexpected things I have to deal with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Practicing once a day already felt good enough, but feeling her aura and power, I knew I had made a mistake. After today, I will practice more and put more effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though for that to happen, I need to survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is a test, but I have no illusion in my heart about how things could change. It could turn into a bloody battle at any moment, and I need to make sure that does not happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That could only happen one way; that was, not losing. Not only my men and I, but also Lord Silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had just thought that when I felt the attack from the necromancer, and the power of it had shaken my heart. I wanted to look up and see the attack, but I focused on the attack coming toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman in front of me was disappointed; there was a resignation in her eyes, but only for a fraction of a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They cleared and refocused on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After this battle, we will have to update our records about you, General,\" she said as I defended, before launching another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I focused on defence; she is not someone I want to kill or could kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I focused on defence to make her realise she couldn't defeat me. I just hope it won't make her angry and change her mind on the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, according to Lord Silver, it's not up to her. It's a political decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had attacked because she was ordered to by the higher-ups. So, unless she was ordered to attack the fortress, she is not going to, but that did not give me any relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at the half-million undead. It is a force that could kill us; I would not take any chances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have ordered my forces not to kill, but I would not hesitate to change the order. If this turned into a real attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Silver already gave me permission for that. We have our cannons, mines, ballistas, and everything ready. However, the hardest part would be the retreat to the fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We have taken a big gamble to fight outside. It would have been much safer if we had fought from a fortress, but we didn't want to irritate them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we had been in a fortress, they would have needed four times as many to breach it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This fortress is made to fight against the undead. Even at its current state, it could defend against a large number of undead. At its peak, it had been capable of a lot more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many parts of it are lying in disrepair or collapsed; we have restored some, but many remain unusable. We want to restore it all, but it's going to take a lot of time and money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Tabes hadn't done much of anything, leaving them as such for centuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half of the blame for that goes to Navr; they have breached the fortress countless times, and every time they do, they do massive damage to the fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's not viable to fix it every time, when the damage is so widespread, even for the empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed those thoughts away and focused on the enemy in front of me, who was attacking me relentlessly with her attacks. I shifted to a completely defensive position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General, I heard quite a lot about your fighting prowess, and here you are being completely defensive,\" said the woman as she attacked once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You give me no choice, Commander. Your strength leaves me no choice but to defend,\" I replied as I defended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't say anything as she kept attacking, while I moved to defend once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was when I sensed it, and she did too, as both of us looked up toward the sky with surprise appearing in our faces.\u003C\u002Fp>",1801,"2026-06-09T06:55:07.099Z",1,"novelbin.me","788a7f3a66dd1e92a7754d1565fe29f03c8e8b408474bbd9e9f74a37bdccec1c","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-890","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-792",917,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcity-of-desire-kingdom-building-cover.jpg"]