Chapter 454: The Legend of Campbell

Just as Rolandar's voice fell, a sorrowful and low piano sound rang out on the battlefield.

The sound of the zither seemed to possess a life of its own, drilling into the heart of every warrior like an invisible viper, bypassing the impassioned war drums and the clamor of battle cries to tear at their spirits.

The Campbell citizen cavalry, who were occupying the upper hand, suddenly stalled in their charge, the joy of victory on their faces replaced by sudden fear, as if they had rushed from an open plain into a fog where they couldn't see their fingers.

Countless dead souls wailed in their ears, just like vengeful ghosts asking for their lives, wanting to drag them into the bottomless purgatory!

It wasn't just humans who were affected, but also dwarf warriors.

Those battle-hardened Oath Warriors were painfully pounding their helmets with their fists, trying to wake themselves up from the curse of the Chaos evil spirits.

However, their pounding was just futile; the clashing of metal couldn't resist that piano sound that reached the depths of the soul.

"Get out of my head!" A dwarf centurion's eyes were red, a roar-like sound coming from his mouth, knocking his helmet with an axe, almost knocking himself unconscious.

The dwarf priest raised his war hammer, trying to use magic to resist the curse of the evil spirits, but was soon hit in the chest by a semi-transparent blue-green ripple, blood seeping from his mouth, losing his combat ability on the spot.

As for the Ratmen—

They naturally were affected too.

However, they were "crazy" to begin with, so they didn't stop their attack momentum because of this, but instead went even crazier under the stimulation of the "BGM."

"Human thing! Die! Die!"

A clan warrior screamed in fury, waving the long-handled hook sickle in his hand, harvesting the lives of those around him regardless of friend or foe.

Although he was soon cut into two halves by an Oath Warrior waving a battle axe, there were thousands of guys behind him who were just as crazy.

Under the encouragement of that piano sound, this group of crazy little mice still caused no small impact on the allied forces of dwarves and Campbell.

It was very clear that Rolandar hadn't used his full strength.

Perhaps it was to fully enjoy the pleasure of torturing his opponents, perhaps it was just because he hadn't been able to skillfully use this powerful strength he had just mastered, Ailin could clearly feel that although his strength had risen to a brand-new realm, it hadn't reached the point of making people despair.

What to do?

A trace of cold sweat slid down Ailin's forehead, and she tried hard to stabilize her spirit while thinking quickly about a strategy to break the situation.

If it were Mr. Kelin...

How would he do it?

"It's a mental attack! Steady your mind!"

Theresa shouted sternly, trying to use a battle roar to wake up the soldiers who had fallen into chaos, but she was only an ordinary knight, and couldn't even protect herself.

Her voice was soon drowned out in that pervasive mental attack, her spirit wavering between the fog and the wilderness.

In her field of vision, one Ratman soldier after another turned into a three-meter-high Chaos beast, and the friendly forces beside her were the same, familiar faces twisted by the green fog.

Seeing the soldiers and personal guards beside her falling into danger one by one, Ailin gritted her silver teeth, holding the light of transmission high, golden light burning in her emerald pupils.

Can't wait any longer!

"Great ancestor, Angus Campbell, commander of thousands, the 'Wall of Indomitability' standing on the hills—"

"I call upon your glory here!"

Following her solemn declaration, a pure golden light fell from the sky like a holy meteor, precisely covering her and the personal guard knights beside her.

The light expanded rapidly, forming a huge and sturdy golden light shield, isolating the piano sound that twisted the mind!

Inside the light shield, the knights who had fallen into chaos gradually recovered their clarity.

They gasped for air, their faces full of the shock of surviving a disaster, gripping their cavalry lances tightly, as if they had just woken up from a nightmare.

Deep in the dense forest, Rolandar's piano sound paused slightly.

He seemed a bit surprised, but only a few seconds passed before a smile of appreciation appeared on the face hidden in the shadows.

"As expected of the light of transmission... actually able to block my 'Illusion Heart Sound.' But, how long can your ancestor protect you?"

Just as the voice fell, his index finger shook twice rapidly, and the piano sound echoing on the battlefield suddenly became chaotic and rapid!

The sorrowful whisper turned into a shrill scream, as if countless vengeful souls were crying and scratching outside the light shield, wanting to drag those living souls into the boundless purgatory!

The golden light shield began to tremble violently, ripples appearing on the surface, and the shining light also flickered, as if it could collapse at any time.

Ailin's face became even paler.

The previous battle had already consumed quite a bit of her energy, and Rolandar, who had been saving his strength, had suddenly broken through his own bottleneck!

This can't go on!

If it were just passive defense, her power would likely be exhausted before long!

She had to take the initiative!

"The light of transmission" changed its form in her hand, the brilliant golden light converging into a cavalry lance that could not be stopped, the tip pointing directly at the source of the piano sound in the forest.

She had made a decision to completely erase this source of evil before Rolandar could brew a greater crisis!

"Your Highness!?! You can't go! It's too dangerous!"

Seeing the converged light, Theresa immediately understood Ailin's intention, and was shocked, trying to stop her, but was interrupted by a shout.

"I must go! That is my duty!"

Ailin responded loudly to her words, her majestic eyes full of irresistible dignity, just like her father Aaron Campbell.

There were no cowards among the Grand Dukes of the Campbell Principality!

They always considered themselves by the creed of knights, always stood in front of their subjects, never arrived a step late, and never were the first to withdraw!

And this was why the corrosion of Chaos rose and fell in the upper reaches of the Torrent River, but never stained the lower reaches of the Torrent River!

Now—

It was exactly the time for her to practice this mission!

"Theresa! You stay here and command the army! This is an order!"

At this moment, she seemed to be possessed by her ancestor, to the point that Theresa was stunned on the spot, unable to say a word of persuasion for a while.

After saying this, Ailin no longer had any hesitation, her legs clamped the horse's belly, and one person and one horse turned into a golden lightning bolt, resolutely rushing toward the forest shrouded in darkness and Chaos piano sound.

Looking at the golden figure killing her way alone, Rolandar in the dense forest showed a surprised expression again, but that surprise soon turned into a smile of surprise.

"This is... how moving!"

Like a poet talking to himself, his fingers plucking the strings trembled slightly with excitement, and his voice also became impassioned.

"In order to protect those useless and weak burdens, the noble knight chose to die alone; let us applaud the bravery of the Campbell family! That is truly a moving story, it's just a pity they met the true 'Transmitter'; the cavalry lance condensed with glory will be destined to write a tragedy named sorrow!"

That smile of victory bloomed in the shadows.

However, he didn't rush to bring death to his opponent, but manipulated the piano sound to lead her into the depths of the jungle.

Fighting the legend of the Campbell Principality in the chaotic army was not a smart decision; too many Demon Kings had died at the hands of that "light of transmission."

He could completely decide the winner with Ailin first, and then go to support his subordinates.

Just as Rolandar was thinking this, a golden light suddenly crossed the shadows of the forest, instantly catching up with his retreating figure, and almost brushed past his cheek!

That sharp wind left a shallow bloodstain on his face, piercing the trunk of an oak tree behind him, and finally nailed it to the mound in the distance with a "boom"!

That was an arrow woven entirely from holy power.

Feeling the scalding heat remaining on his cheek, Rolandar's smile of ease gradually solidified, and his retreating steps stopped.

"Bow and arrow?!"

He glanced at the mound that had been plowed flat behind him, and then looked at the figure in the distance who was re-opening the light bow, a trace of disbelief flashing in his eyes.

"I didn't expect that the 'light of transmission' could also turn into the form of a bow and arrow... interesting, you are more tenacious than I imagined."

Rolandar touched the tiny wound on his cheek, feeling the holy power contained within it, a thick interest appearing in his eyes.

It was precisely this tenacity that completely ignited his desire to win!

Rolandar no longer held back, nor did he retreat, but held the lute in his arms, his slender ten fingers plucking frantically on the lute, and a series of discordant chords exploded instantly!

In that twisting piano sound, the entire forest was like a pot of boiling water, twisting in the fog along with his crazy spirit.

"Absurd Theater—!"

That was the ability he realized when breaking through Purple Crystal-tier; although different from a powerful domain, it also had the mystery of the same effect.

At least in his view, it was so.

A flash of confusion flashed in Ailin's pupils, and the world before her eyes instantly became bizarre.

The earth beneath her feet turned into a flowing swamp, the warhorse let out a sad neigh, its four hooves deeply trapped and unable to pull out.

Not only that, the surrounding trees grew grotesque human faces, making silent mockery at her. And the sky piled with dark clouds was even more strange, actually raining burning clocks!

In this domain rewritten by laws, swords seemed to lose their meaning.

In a neigh of a warhorse, Ailin lost her balance unexpectedly, falling heavily from the horse's back, crashing into the mud.

She struggled to get up, only to find that she was trapped in a maze with no end in sight. There were twisting mirrors on all sides, each mirror reflecting the scene she feared most, and also reflecting her fearful face—

"It's over, little girl."

Rolandar's figure appeared behind her like a ghost, the dagger in his hand shining with poisonous ghostly light, stabbing silently toward her undefended back.

However, just at the moment the dagger was about to touch the armor, Ailin, who had fallen into the illusion, suddenly turned back, the light of transmission in her hand turning into a sword, sweeping over with the sound of breaking air!

This blow was faster than Rolandar's expectation!

He hurriedly jumped backward, the swinging sword blade narrowly brushing past the tip of his nose.

Although he moved very fast, he was still cut off a few locks of bangs from his forehead, drifting away with the boisterous sword wind...

He was not a swordsman after all, but a bard; close-quarters combat was not his specialty in the first place.

By comparison, he was better at standing in the rear to provide support for friendly forces, or applying mental attacks to enemies with weak wills!

At the same time, Ailin's attack didn't pause, the long sword in her hand waving continuously, slashing out more than ten swords in an instant.

The forest floor covered with fallen leaves was dragged out a track more than ten meters long by her combat boots, the violent sword wind raging in the forest, several times catching up with Rolandar's after-image, although it was soon dodged by the latter's ghostly and flexible body method.

Such fast speed!

Looking at the relentless offensive, Rolandar was surprised and angry in his heart, the fingering playing the lute changing continuously, but that sharp sword blade was not affected in the slightest!

What's the situation with this guy?!

He gritted his teeth, his index finger pulling off a black string.

A shrill wolf howl surged out from the lute body, turning into a ghostly blue frost wolf, a pair of huge wolf claws pouncing toward Ailin's sword blade.

"Clang—!"

The sound of metal clashing swung open!

Looking at the frost wolf killing out from the lute, a flash of surprise flashed on Ailin's face.

Although she quickly gathered her sword momentum, replacing the slash with a stab, piercing the frost wolf's throat, she was still caught by Rolandar in that moment of pause, opening the distance.

"... You are not afraid of my illusion."

Looking at Ailin, whose eyes were clear and breathing steady, Rolandar lowered his voice, the lightness on his face replaced by solemnity for the first time.

Ailin didn't answer, just re-set her offensive posture, holding the sword with both hands, the sword tip pointing at the tip of his nose from afar, brewing the next round of attacks without wavering.

The descendants of the Campbell family had been protected by divine grace since the first Duke, and were born with the ability to resist the devil's whispers that confuse the mind.

Especially the whispers of succubi.

This was not an ability granted to her by the "light of transmission," but a blessing that came with the surname "Campbell" itself, flowing in the blood vessels of every direct descendant.

Rolandar verified his conjecture from her silence; his most proficient illusion was useless on this guy, no wonder he had fought so hard with this guy before.

However, Rolandar was not discouraged; the desire burning in his eyes was even more intense than before, and it was integrated into his twisted delusion.

What a good person.

This tenacious knight was even more delicious and fresh than he imagined! Although he had also caught some firm-minded sacrifices before, most of them couldn't even hold up to two rounds of torture before going crazy, and could only be made into specimens and hung on the altar to stink.

And this guy is different—

She might be able to hold on for a long, long time, and this was undoubtedly the top-grade sacrifice offered to Chaos!

Even higher-level than that Saintess named Kalian!

"Hehehehe... then let me try, how much pain your soul can bear!"

Rolandar's laughter gradually became crazy, merging into his crazy chanting.

Ailin quickly raised the long sword in her hand to guard, but was astonished to find that the earth beneath her feet began to truly tremble!

That was not an illusion—

But magic!

Following Rolandar's high-pitched chanting, cracks of pitch-black opened beside him, emitting the smell of sulfur and corruption.

Immediately after, one Chaos beast after another with twisted forms crawled out of the cracks, just like what was sung in the poem of doomsday.

Some of them had insect joints and beast heads, with fishy-smelling pus flowing from their mouths, while others were completely a lump of squirming flesh, with tiny eyes replacing their pores.

Under the manipulation of Rolandar's piano sound, hundreds of Chaos beasts roared, launching a siege on Ailin from all directions.

Ailin waved her long sword to meet the attack, but fell into a bitter battle in an instant.

Every time the long sword in her hand waved, she could pierce or smash a beast, but more monsters kept surging up.

Their claws and poisonous teeth left scratches on her armor, and every collision made her blood and qi surge.

She could feel that her physical strength was being consumed rapidly.

Especially since the light of transmission had already overdrawn too much of her vitality, to the point that her face was increasingly pale, and fine sweat beads surged on her forehead.

"What a brave person, it's just a pity... death is the final destination of all heroes."

Rolandar's voice was like the devil's whisper, wandering over the battlefield, trying to disintegrate Ailin's will to resist.

What he needed was a living sacrifice.

Not a burnt-out sacrifice.

"Admit it, your glory is meaningless, your resistance will only bring more pain! Look at your surroundings, that is the future of this world! Our starry sky is destined to fall into eternal heat death, and the great true god Urgos is the pioneer who dominates all futures—as for you, no one will come to save you!"

Ailin gritted her teeth, slashed a twisting monster into two sections with a sword, but another monster's claws left three deep wounds on her arm, and blood instantly stained the arm armor red.

A shrill laugh came from the air, as if mocking her mistake, and as if cheering for her death.

Looking at the Chaos beasts surging like a tide, Ailin had no retreat on her face, but her heart was full of sorrow.

Could it be...

Is it going to end here?

She thought of her brother's entrustment, thought of the expectations of the people of Thunder City, thought of the soldiers who followed her...

Until the end, a gentle face appeared in her mind, which was perhaps the existence she missed the most in her heart.

Kelin...

I'm sorry, I might... have to break my promise.

A wave of longing and regret, stronger than ever before, surged into her heart, but was soon replaced by firm and resolute strength.

Now is not the time for children's love.

And just at this moment, that power turned into a warm current, slowly flowing over her aching arms and wrists, merging into the sword blade held tightly in her hands.

That was her final ripple.

It was also her final stubbornness!

For the people on this land who were suffering, for the loyal soldiers behind her, she swore she would not hesitate to kill this devil who sold his soul to Chaos under her sword!

For this—

She would call upon her own miracle!

Grand Duke Aaron Campbell probably didn't expect that the sword he stabbed at the next Demon King in advance would accidentally stab into the center of another crisis.

As far as the result was concerned, that was naturally better.

After all, the maze had never conquered the surface, but Chaos had time and again plunged the surface into a true purgatory.

If the Twilight Province fell, the Campbell Principality naturally wouldn't be spared.

Rolandar frowned slightly, suddenly feeling a strong sense of crisis, so he changed his mind about keeping her as a sacrifice, deciding to end this trouble first.

"Poem of Death—"

His index finger had just pointed forward, and the entire forest was pitch black, so that his curse declaring death instantly lost its target, disappearing into the darkness like pinched-off blue smoke.

He missed!

Not only did he miss, but the dozens of Chaos beasts surrounding Ailin were also strangled by countless long swords falling from the sky in an instant!

Looking at the sudden change, Rolandar was stunned for a moment, then his face changed wildly, looking around for the reason he missed.

Magic?!

No—

It was the illusion he was most proficient in!

The black fog faded into a grey forest, and the faded leaves suddenly opened pairs of scarlet eyes, just like bats hanging upside down on the trees.

For the Campbell knights, they would naturally not be unfamiliar with the cluster attacks of little demons, but Rolandar really hadn't seen this thing, and was caught off guard for a while.

"... Although this concubine doesn't mind a noisy toad teaching a lesson to a powerful gorilla for me, that is after all the Majesty's toy."

Sitting on a pine branch, Xixi, wearing a red and white skirt, was lazily admiring her fingernails; this action full of mature charm didn't know which woman she learned it from, it just couldn't be said to be suitable for her at all.

Not far behind her in the bushes, You You and Mi Mi were trying hard to flatter their Great King, cheering for Xixi.

"Ooooo, as expected of Xixi-sama! This insult is simply top-notch! I think the opponent must have been scared to pee!"

"Ye, yes! You You has already flowed out!!"

"Right right! Hmm?! You flowed out!!"

Xixi yawned and looked at Ailin who was saved.

She had also just arrived nearby with her clansmen, and didn't expect that as soon as she landed, she found the two of them fighting fiercely.

Although she had thought about whether to give this big gorilla a profound lesson, such as waiting for her to be beaten to a cripple before taking action, but thinking of the Majesty's order, she still took action immediately.

And—

That guy's strength made her unable to take it lightly.

The faded forest echoed with noisy laughter and play, just like a group of little mice plotting pranks under the shadows of the forest.

That sound was like mental pollution, making people wish they could chop them into meat filling and knead them into a pie.

Rolandar narrowed his eyes and searched for the source of the mental attack, soon locking onto the approximate position of the opponent.

He could clearly feel that the guy who targeted him wasn't very strong, and was even no different from the guy holding the light of transmission.

Platinum-tier peak at most, there was still a gap compared to Diamond. The only thing that surprised him was that the guy with only Platinum-tier strength actually had such a terrifying amount of magic power, to the point that even he, who had already advanced to Purple Crystal-tier, couldn't compare.

What is the background of this guy?!

Just when he was surprised, the thick fog covering the forest began to slowly approach him, and along with it was the murderous intent brewing in the thick fog.

Looking at Rolandar who was motionless, Xixi, sitting on the tree fork, curled up a crimson smile, and a long sword appeared in her hand.

It's over.

Annoying bug—

She was about to end this guy who tried to dirty the Majesty's toy, when a warning sign suddenly climbed to the top of her head.

Xixi's expression tightened, her wings flapping in the air, and her whole person flew out more than ten meters away like an arrow leaving the string!

And almost at the same time she left the tree fork, a four-legged crawling Chaos beast jumped up from the ground like speeding lightning, biting off the branch she had been sitting on earlier.

"Roar—!" The Chaos beast let out a hiss, trying to borrow force to jump again.

Xixi, who flew into the air, didn't pause, raised her right hand behind her, and a black lightning bolt hit the Chaos beast's head!

That was the "Eternal Nightmare" bestowed upon her by Lord Demon King!

The Chaos beast hit in the head by the long sword didn't even have time to let out a wail before it fell painfully to the ground, turning into a ball of broken black smoke, merging into the cracked earth surface.

The long sword named Eternal Nightmare returned to Xixi's hand.

She looked again at Rolandar who was imprisoned by the illusion, but her pupils shrank suddenly.

The person was gone!

It wasn't until she came back to her senses that she discovered that the world around her had turned into a grey-green thick fog, swallowing her in.

This guy—

Actually, in just an instant, he turned around and locked her in the prison of illusion!

Listening to the melodious piano sound in her ears, Xixi's crimson lips raised a smile of bravado, biting her lip and whispering in a low voice.

"Truly a bug that doesn't know what's good for it..."

Still quite capable!

However, counting on defeating her with this little mortal trick was really underestimating the Queen of Nightmare Land too much!

She is invincible when standing with her clansmen!

Vast mental ripples like the sea were gathering in her sea of consciousness; she closed her eyes, but saw the entire forest.

Every leaf seemed to be breathing, and that was the sound made by her familiar clansmen.

However, just when she was about to use this power to completely destroy the opponent's sea of spirit, those strange red pupils were suddenly startled.

That piano sound wasn't just targeting her alone, but shrouded the entire forest with the momentum of breaking dry wood!

Under the action of that piano sound, her clansmen were showing painful expressions, falling to the ground one after another from the air.

Looking at the clansmen falling in pain, that beautiful face was twisted in an instant.

"I'm going to tear you apart!!!"

Dare to touch my clansmen!

Xixi roared, broke through the shackles of the illusion, and rushed toward Rolandar who appeared from the forest, killing with murderous intent, stabbing with a sword, but stabbed into a transparent phantom.

Her heart sank suddenly; she was still in the illusion, and breaking through the shackles was just a fake image woven by that guy holding the lute.

"It seems today is a harvest day... I actually harvested two excellent 'sacrifices' at once."

"..." Xixi didn't speak, observing the surroundings calmly and carefully, looking for a breakthrough to break through the illusion.

"Tsk tsk... actually a little demon. But I don't understand, why would you stand with this guy? Aren't you mortal enemies?"

Appearing from the other side of the forest, Rolandar said curiously, while casting his gaze toward Ailin who hadn't moved for a long time.

However, just at this moment, he, who was holding the winning ticket a second ago, suddenly solidified his expression.

Only to see that Campbell princess standing on the ground with a long sword, her body, which seemed to be running out of oil, was surging with energy that made people look sideways!

Especially the "light of transmission" in her hand, which was shining with a more brilliant light than ever before!

That light was no longer a simple weapon form, but outlined a slender and elegant figure in mid-air.

The light dissipated.

A handsome man holding a magic wand was standing quietly in front of Ailin.

He was dressed in dark purple gorgeous clothes, silver clasps shining, and those deep eyes were watching everything in front of him calmly, as if everything was under his control.

Rolandar was stunned.

Including Xixi who was fighting with him, both twisted faces were full of indescribable shock, as well as jealousy that appeared for different reasons.

The light of transmission can also turn into a human form?!

What's the situation?!

"Truly what a desecration... it seems your delusion is sick to the bone, I'm going to make you all sacrifices offered to Urgos!"

Rolandar roared angrily, unable to accept that someone was more handsome than himself, while Xixi was burning with jealousy, not understanding why it was Lord Demon King!

Truly what a desecration!

Clearly just the Majesty's toy, yet daring to think that the Majesty belongs to herself!

Only one person was not surprised, and that was Ailin, who was leaning on a long sword.

He always comes so timely...

When she needed him most.

Looking at that back that was always so reliable, a look of relief appeared on Ailin's face, and her tense shoulders relaxed a little.

Forcing her shaky consciousness and increasingly blurry vision, she murmured a sentence in a slightly hoarse voice.

"So you are my miracle..."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 455 =====