【 DEFENDING OUR HOMELAND 】

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Saier Town, Free State of Maple Moon.

Situated on the southwestern border of Maple Moon, this small town had become the central hub for trade between Maple Moon, the Empire, and the southern Kingdom of Aries after the territory declared its independence from the Holy Maniya Empire.

Within Maple Moon State, aside from the growing commercial ports and river trade routes along the Vymur River, Saier Town had developed most rapidly as a land-based trade center. At its current pace of growth, it is likely to become a major city within a few years.

However, since the demon invasion of the Holy Maniya Empire and Aries Kingdom began several months ago, the number of merchant caravans has declined sharply.

In their place, an increasing number of refugees have arrived from the south as time has passed.

Even without witnessing the battlefield firsthand, the townspeople had learned from these refugees that the situation in the south was steadily deteriorating.

The Kingdom of Aries, which was located on the southern bank of the Vymur River, had fared somewhat better, as it did not appear to be the primary target of the demons.

Moreover, the kingdom possessed a relatively large number of mages and had benefited greatly from the resurgence of mana across the world of Seigües. It was said that, by relying on the advantageous terrain of the surrounding mountains, the kingdom had barely managed to hold back the demonic army beyond the Arles Mountain Range on the southern bank of the Vymur River.

In contrast, the Holy Maniya Empire, which was situated across the river on the vast northern fertile plains, had suffered far more severely, with each passing day bringing new and troubling reports.

With it being a town adjacent to the southeastern border of the Empire, the townspeople of Saier Town had gradually become increasingly anxious due to the steady influx of grim news.

Alas, it was unavoidable…

The town simply was too close to the southern front.

Although it remained under the protection of the Goddess of Life, the local townspeople were still terrified of the approaching demon army. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

With the arrival of January and the onset of winter, all manner of rumors began to circulate throughout the town, and many of its residents had already started to pack their belongings, preparing to migrate north.

Fortunately, several months earlier, the Church of Life had arranged for the construction of high defensive walls around the town, providing the remaining residents with a measure of reassurance.

It was also said that a teleportation array connecting to Zelouan had been established within the town, though it hasn’t been activated yet.

Meanwhile, the number of soldiers stationed in Saier has steadily increased. Several mercenary groups have also answered the call to arms and are now garrisoned within the town, including an elven mercenary corps numbering as many as five hundred.

The bolstered military presence had given the residents some sense of security, particularly after the elves constructed several watchtowers on the hills outside the town.

At this moment, atop the southernmost watchtower of Saier Town, two human soldiers are carrying out routine sentry duty.

Interestingly, when the watchtowers were first built, the elves intended to man them themselves. However, they soon abandoned this task, leaving it to the local town’s garrison.

According to rumors, the reason was simply that the duty was too tedious.

Though this explanation may seem peculiar, it had only deepened the human soldiers’ respect for the elven mercenaries stationed in the town.

Many of these soldiers had participated in the war a year prior in which liberated Maple Moon Territory.

They understood well the formidable strength of these elves.

What the elves considered a dull routine was something many soldiers longed for, while what the elves regarded as “interesting” often referred to battles that most people feared.

Thus, the soldiers stationed at the watchtower hoped that this uneventful routine would continue indefinitely.

However, such a hope was destined to remain unfulfilled.

After completing fifteen minutes of duty, one of the soldiers climbed down from the upper platform and returned to the central chamber of the tower.

Observation rotations were conducted every quarter hour, with the two guards alternating shifts.

Yet just as he descended and prepared to hand over duty to his companion, he faintly heard a series of roars from the sky, resembling the cries of monstrous beasts.

“What was that?”

They exchanged glances, each seeing confusion and alertness in the other’s eyes.

Their expressions grew serious as they rose simultaneously and looked out from the tower.

In the southeastern sky, patches of dark clouds had appeared at some unknown moment, drifting in with an unnatural stillness that seemed to press down on the horizon.

Amidst the ominous-looking clouds, countless black specks could be seen gradually enlarging one after another.

The two men looked at each other, then hurriedly retrieved a long-range telescope crafted by the elves and directed it toward the looming clouds.

As those tiny black specks came into focus, their expressions shifted abruptly, the earlier uncertainty replaced by unmistakable shock and rising alarm.

“What are those?!”

Through the telescope, they saw many flying creatures with bat-like wings and grotesque appearances, bearing a striking resemblance to the demons from the rumors.

The creatures moved swiftly, transforming from distant specks into visible shapes, their formation growing clearer as they descended in uneven waves.

As they drew closer, their beast-like roars grew increasingly loud as the ground began to tremble. Faint at first, before steadily intensifying as if something vast and numerous was advancing in unison.

Far in the distance, along the banks of the Vymur River, dark smoke could be seen surging forward, rolling across the land like a tide of ink.

The smoke spread outward like a black line, engulfing the surroundings. Even within the river itself, a grayish-black mist appeared to be spreading rapidly, tainting the once-clear waters as it advanced.

At the sight of this, the two guards’ expressions changed dramatically, their earlier shock giving way to mounting dread.

“This is bad!”

“It’s the demonic army!”

“Quick! Sound the alarm! Ignite the signal smoke!”

In a panic, they scrambled into action. One rushed to strike the alarm bell atop the tower, while the other hastily lit a brazier filled with specially prepared magical materials, his hands trembling as he worked.

In the next few seconds, accompanied by the piercing toll of the bell, red smoke billowed upward in thick plumes, forming a vivid warning line that stretched high into the sky, visible even from afar.

Yet no sooner had they released the signal flare than several hideous winged demons descended from above. With savage grins, they tore apart the fragile watchtower as if it were made of straw and, amid the soldiers’ terrified screams, ripped them into pieces.

Blood splattered in all directions, staining the wooden beams and stone foundations in an instant.

A trace of bloodlust flashed through the winged demon’s crimson eyes as it clung to the collapsing watchtower with all four limbs, then let out a thunderous roar toward the sky.

More winged demons soon followed from the southwestern sky, sweeping past the ruined watchtower in formation and flying toward Seir Town in the distance.

On the ground, a tide-like demonic army gradually came into view, their numbers stretching beyond what the eye could easily comprehend.

Amidst thunderous footsteps that seemed to shake the earth itself, they advanced relentlessly toward the Free State of Maple Moon, signaling the full beginning of the demon offensive against the forces affiliated with the Church of Life.

→⟐←

“What!? The demons have already launched an attack on the Maple Moon State?”

Inside the temple of the Chosen City, Alice’s expression shifted slightly after learning of the attack in Seir Town from the players who had just been revived after being killed by the demons who had descended upon the town.

She then turned and looked at the map hanging on the wall, her gaze growing increasingly grave.

“What is the current situation now in Seir Town?” she asked.

“It has most likely already fallen. By the time our last member died and revived, the demons had already breached the town gates,” the reporting player replied, shaking his head.

With a bitter smile, he added, “Unfortunately, we did not even have time to activate the teleportation array. The number of demons was simply too overwhelming, they broke through our defensive line almost instantly.”

Alice fell silent upon hearing this.

Although she had already prepared herself mentally for the demon invasion since the beginning of the Crusade against the demons, she still could not help but feel uneasy when the scenario finally arrived and the demons had truly begun their advance toward the Elven Forest and their allied territories.

“Lady Alice, I believe it is time to pray for the Goddess’s assistance. I saw it myself. The invading demons were nearly endless in number. That scale is far beyond what we can resist by ourselves, especially since the strongest players and Meryer were still in the Abyss,” the reporting player said.

Alice remained silent.

After a moment, she let out a soft sigh.

“I understand.”

Having delivered their report, the players took their leave.

Alice remained alone, gazing at the map with a solemn expression.

Pray for the Goddess’s assistance?

She wished to do so as well.

However, as the Goddess’s Saintess, while others might not know, she knew that the Goddess had already been in slumber for more than three months.

In fact, the Goddess was not even present here in the world of Seigües at all. She had gone to another realm and was in the process of advancing toward higher divine power there.

As such, until the Goddess awakened, they could only rely on their own strength, no matter how difficult the situation might become.

Exhaling softly, Alice summoned a Chosen One Priest, who arrived a couple of minutes later.

“Miss Velodis, please inform Lady Aurora, who is currently in the Wasteland of Desolation, that the demons have already begun their attack on the Maple Moon State,” Alice said firmly.

After issuing the order to relay the message using their instantaneous special communications, Alice stepped out of the temple.

With the demons invading the Goddess’s territories, which encompassed Her network of faith, it was time for the Chosen Ones to mobilize.

Yet, as she thought of the increasingly unruly behavior of the Chosen Ones since the Goddess fell into slumber, a trace of unease surfaced in her heart.

As one of the earliest quest-givers, whom they called “NPCs,” Alice understood the Chosen Ones better than most.

Although these Chosen Ones summoned by the Goddess were brave and fearless, they were also highly pragmatic and driven by self-interest.

Before entering her slumber, the Goddess had assigned them two missions: one to travel to the Wasteland of Desolation, one of the sunken worlds in the Abyss, to participate in the Crusade against the demons, and the other to defend their homeland, the world of Seigües.

Alice was fully aware of the details of both missions, including the rewards provided for each stage of completion and the conditions required to obtain them.

But the problem lay precisely in those rewards.

She knew well that for most Chosen Ones, the greatest motivation for completing tasks was the opportunity to grow stronger, whether through experience, equipment, or breakthroughs in their class progression.

The prolonged cycle of battles in the Wasteland of Desolation had already pushed most Chosen Ones to the limits of their current level advancement, leaving only marginal gains for continued effort.

So if anything could still hold their interest, it would likely be opportunities for advanced class progression.

However, neither of the Goddess’s two concurrent missions provided such rewards.

Moreover, according to her conversations with the Chosen Ones, the drop rates for the highly anticipated artifact repair scrolls and special lottery tickets in these missions were disappointingly low.

Under these circumstances, with the appeal of the ongoing mission rewards significantly diminished, could the Chosen Ones still be motivated to fight?

Alice knew that most Chosen Ones preferred battles with favorable outcomes, but when faced with disadvantageous situations, their morale tended to falter.

This was a pattern she had observed repeatedly through their statue-summoning missions.

Fortunately, the situation in the Wasteland of Desolation was manageable, as several of the Goddess’s most powerful powerhouses were present there, thereby reducing the pressure on the Chosen Ones and allowing them to perform effectively.

But now, with the world of Seigües facing a full-scale invasion, where the demons outmatched them in nearly every aspect, and most battles were likely to end in defeat in which even a brief delay could become a decisive factor in determining victory.

In such a scenario, would the Chosen Ones still possess the motivation and courage to fight?

Not to mention, many elite members and high-ranking commanders from the major guilds had already departed for the Abyss, while some of the strongest Chosen Ones remained confined to the same realm where the Goddess was slumbering.

Under these conditions, with the void left by their absence continuing to grow and strain the remaining Chosen Ones, could they still manage to unite as a cohesive force?

At this moment, Alice felt a deep sense of concern.

Yet regardless of the uncertainty, the war had to progress.

She resolved to rally the Chosen Ones, assemble an army, and march toward the Maple Moon Free State, even if she had to personally lead the effort herself.

However, when Alice stepped out of the temple, she paused in slight astonishment as she arrived at the central square of the Chosen City.

There, the entire venue was already brimming with a large number of Chosen Ones.

All of them had donned their finest equipment and were forming small groups, calling out to recruit companions.

After listening for a short while, Alice was surprised to discover that what they were calling out for was the recruitment of allies to head to the Maple Moon State and participate in the war.

Various guild flags were raised high with the streets crowded with people, and upon closer inspection, many of the Chosen Ones had already formed into organized teams and were making their way toward the teleportation array that connect Chosen City to Black Dragon Castle.

Chosen City → Black Dragon Castle → Maple Leaf City → Zelouan.

This had become a well-traveled teleportation route amongst the Chosen Ones, used frequently enough that it now functioned almost like a standard supply and deployment corridor for those heading toward the frontlines.

Many were even driving carts pulled by magical beasts, laden with supplies and equipment.

Every Chosen One wore an expression of excitement, their faces filled with determination and a strong sense of fighting spirit.

At the sight of this, Alice’s expression turned momentarily dazed, mixed with a trace of astonishment.

She had only just received news of the invasion and had not yet had the opportunity to formally issue a mission for the Chosen Ones. This was further complicated by the fact that the Goddess remained in slumber, and thus was unable to authorize a large-scale mobilization.

Nevertheless, by the looks of it, the Chosen Ones had already begun organizing themselves?

Curious, Alice stepped forward and called out to one of them, asking:

“Excuse me, may I ask who is currently organizing this mobilization? Or have you already received a quest from someone?”

The Chosen One she stopped was briefly startled, then gave a slightly ingratiating smile.

“Lady Alice! Well, we haven’t received any quest yet, but does it really matter? Our guild is simply gathering members to defend Maple Moon.”

“As for the organizer… hmm, i think there’s still no chief commander yet? Although, I heard that Boss Ji Gang from Calamity Knights Guild is planning to take command this time.”

“The demons are already invading. As members of the Elven Forest, isn’t it only natural for us to take part in the war? This is a battle to defend our homeland, after all.”

“Hehe, I’ve never fought in a large-scale war before. Just thinking about it is so exciting!”

“Ah, my guildmaster is calling for me. Sorry, but I must go now, Lady Alice.”

After exchanging a few more words with her, the Chosen One quickly hurried off toward the teleportation array, his steps light and energetic, clearly brimming with enthusiasm.

Alice watched his departing figure in silence, her expression growing more complex.

“To defend our homeland…”

she murmured softly.

Alice understood that to these Chosen Ones summoned by the Goddess from another world, this world was merely a game.

Yet even if they regarded it merely as a game, it seemed that their attitude toward it had gradually changed after living in it for quite some time.

Suddenly, a faint melody drifted from the ranks of the Chosen Ones, drawing Alice out of her quiet reflection.

Listening closely, she realized it seemed to be a battle hymn jointly composed by the Chosen Ones and the returning Frost Elves, with the lyrics sung in the Elven tongue:

“When the horn resounds upon that fated day,

Its echo shall carry a hundred miles away.

Within the deep green emerald woods,

There stands an army, unyielding, and proud.

For the Goddess!

For the faith!

For supreme glory!

We shall walk the winding, arduous road,

Where destiny’s hand becomes our guiding code.

For the Goddess!

For the faith!

For supreme glory!

We surge through storms of steel and fields of cold.

Beneath the Goddess blessing, our banners rise,

As lightning splits the war-torn skies.

We stand as one,

Unshaken and of one mind.

Our steps will cross the ruins of the fading age,

And etch our name on history’s page.”

“…”

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