Chapter 316 Siege of the Crimson Spire (2)
Effie stands on the unforgiving, crimson coral expanse surrounding the Spire, a bulwark against an approaching tide of Nightmare Creatures. Despite her imposing stature, archaic armor, and the legendary weapons Zenith and Dusk held firm, a torrent of fear courses through her. She’s been tasked with commanding hundreds of trembling Sleepers, their terror palpable as the monstrous wave nears. Summoning her helm, she curses under her breath, the facade of a mythical hero cracking as she struggles with the overwhelming dread. Yet, she rallies the terrified ranks, her voice a defiant roar: “Stand your ground, wretches! If anyone runs, I’ll kill you myself!”
She glances to her flanks, where Caster and Gemma stand ready, a surprising alliance forged in the face of annihilation. Even Caster, a seasoned hunter, shows signs of apprehension, a stark reminder of the direness of their situation. Effie misses the unsettling calm of Sunny, whom she suspects is engaged in some perilous, clandestine endeavor. Wishing them all luck, she braces herself, the enormity of the impending battle weighing heavily upon her.
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With the first mark called, Effie prepares to face the onslaught. The solid, unbroken crimson mass of the Spire offers no sanctuary, only a stark finality. The horde, a terrifying spectacle of abominable horrors, surges closer, their chilling presence amplifying the fear that grips everyone. Yet, amidst the chaos and dread, a grim determination settles, echoing Princess’s words about dying like humans, regardless of the odds.
Chapter 317 Siege of the Crimson Spire (3)
Effie braces herself, the Dusk Shard acting as a bulwark against the crushing impact of a carapace centurion. Despite her armor and the immense force, she holds, her bones groaning but not breaking. With a surge of strength, she repels the creature and retaliates with her spear, severing its spine before it can strike again. The battle is a brutal, chaotic melee; humans and Nightmare Creatures are locked in a desperate struggle. Effie witnesses fellow hunters fighting valiantly, even a stone golem proving a fearsome ally. She dodges a mantis-like creature’s scythe, incapacitating it with her shield and then impaling it with her spear. As a Blood Flower host explodes nearby, Effie’s attention is drawn to a shadow. She nearly strikes a young man, only to see him decapitated by a metal demon’s blade as a massive shadow looms behind him.
The onslaught is relentless. Effie endures a barrage of blows on her shield, her spear finding the heart of another attacker – a rotting primate, which she quickly dispatches before its potent pollen can spread. The grim reality of the fighting is palpable, with bodies piling up on both sides. Each moment is a desperate fight for survival, a dance between life and death where even a fleeting glance can prove fatal, as the young man Effie almost attacked discovers.
Amidst the carnage, Effie’s resolve hardens. She fights with a brutal efficiency, her movements honed by desperation and the primal instinct to protect. The air thrums with the cacophony of battle – screams, roars, and the sickening crunch of flesh and chitin. She pushes forward, a lone beacon of defiance against the encroaching darkness, fueled by a grim determination to see the dawn, even if it means dying on her feet like a human.
Chapter 318 Siege of the Crimson Spire (4)
Amidst the relentless tide of Nightmare Creatures, Kai struggles to maintain his composure as a terrifying horde approaches. He draws strength from thoughts of his friend Sunny, whose unpredictable nature and immense power offer a strange form of reassurance. The human forces are positioned on a sloping coral, allowing the third line, including Kai, to rain down arrows and ballista fire on the approaching monsters. The powerful siege engines, assembled overnight, are prepared to unleash their devastating payload, a glimmer of hope in the face of overwhelming odds.
Effie’s commanding voice cuts through the din of battle, urging her soldiers to “Stand your ground, wretches! If anyone runs, I’ll kill you myself!” Kai, tasked with leading the ranged assault, finds his hand shaking but forces himself to focus. The sheer scale of the approaching monstrosities is almost paralyzing, a “literal sea of Nightmare Creatures” that tests his resolve, forged over three years of survival in the Dark City. He fires his bow, and the ballistae unleash their initial volleys, striking the mass of monsters with little discernible effect.
As Kai gives the order for the second volley, “Second mark! Now!”, he draws his bow, aiming at the advancing enemy. The battle for the Crimson Spire rages on, the fate of the Dreamer Army hanging precariously in the balance. The human defenders, bolstered by Effie’s unwavering leadership and Kai’s growing determination, prepare to meet the onslaught with every ounce of their strength.
Chapter 319 Siege of the Crimson Spire (5)
Kai continues his relentless barrage, urging his troops to “Draw your bows! Take aim! Endure!” The reality of archery in battle is a brutal test of endurance, far from the graceful image of its practitioners. His own stamina wanes with each pull of his formidable Memory bow, the act of firing becoming a mechanical repetition of “Draw, aim, release.” He accounts for the ghastly Memory’s return by alternating with mundane arrows, his focus absolute as he pierces monstrous abominations below, each successful shot a small victory against the overwhelming horde.
Despite the searing pain in his muscles and lungs, Kai presses on, driven by the sacrifices of those fighting below. His gaze drifts upwards, and a chilling sight halts his breath: five black dots, Fallen Monsters, circle the indifferent sky. As if signaling the next phase of the assault, smaller specks descend, followed by a torrent of Nightmare Creatures pouring from the clouds like a dark tornado. The battlefield is suddenly met with a colossal aerial threat, a swirling black column that promises utter annihilation.
Kai’s resolve, however, doesn’t falter. He shouts to the “Skyward squads! Aim high!” but the ongoing ground battle has most of his fellow Sleepers too engrossed to respond, leaving the defense against the aerial onslaught dangerously uncertain. The dire situation escalates as Kai, fighting through his exhaustion, faces the horrifying realization that the defense against this new wave of terror is not being mounted, leaving them exposed to the descending doom.
Chapter 320 Siege of the Crimson Spire (6)
The relentless aerial assault continues as Aiko, a non-combatant Sleeper tasked with supplying arrows, struggles to keep pace, her small frame buckling under the effort. While rushing arrows to the archers, she witnesses the escalating chaos, the ground troops overwhelmed and the sky raining down Nightmare Creatures. She marvels at the surreal horror of the battle unfolding before the bizarre, crimson coral tower, finding solace only in the presence of the idol Night. Amidst the carnage, she joins Stev and another Sleeper to carry a grievously wounded young woman to the makeshift hospital, a grim procession past exhausted archers and dwindling siege engines. The desperation is palpable; the first line is being annihilated, the second line is fully engaged, and the iron net above groans under the weight of falling monsters, yet their numbers seem inexhaustible.
As Aiko helps carry the wounded, she observes the dire situation firsthand. The ground forces are being systematically destroyed, with only pockets of resistance holding out against the unending tide of Nightmare Creatures. The aerial bombardment intensifies, and the invisible iron net strains under the constant influx of fallen horrors, offering little respite. The initial tactical plans for troop rotation are shattered, leaving everyone exposed to the overwhelming onslaught. Aiko’s dread grows, the terrifying question of survival hanging heavy in the air. She glances towards the highest point of the Dreamer Army camp, seeking reassurance in the presence of Saint Nephis and her blind oracle, the third figure with them remaining a mystery.
The crimson spire stands as a stark backdrop to this unfolding disaster, its unnatural form reflecting the grotesque reality of the battle. Aiko’s simple role as a runner, meant to be straightforward, has become a desperate scramble for survival. She reflects on the sheer absurdity of the situation, finding it hard to believe she’s caught in such a terrifying dream. Even her friendly acquaintance with Night, the celebrated idol, adds to the surrealism. The sight of Stev and another Sleeper struggling with a wounded comrade underscores the brutal toll of the conflict, reminding everyone of the precariousness of their existence within the Dream Realm.
Chapter 321 Siege of the Crimson Spire (7)
Sunny surveys the dire scene from a coral peak, the Dreamer Army caught in a brutal pincer attack. Horrors descend from above, held at bay only by a fragile iron net, while a ground horde relentlessly grinds down the front lines. Nephis remains in deep meditation, her Dawn Shard gem blazing, while Cassie stands guard, the loss of other Echoes a stark reminder of the battle’s cost. Sunny, unable to offer comfort, turns his gaze towards the imposing Crimson Spire, a silent testament to the surreal nightmare, silently urging Effie and Kai to survive.
Below, Effie is consumed by the frenzied dance of battle, her every movement a blur of lethal precision. “Don’t die just yet, fools…” Sunny’s unspoken thought echoes as Effie, a whirlwind of destruction, carves through the endless tide of abominations, her exhaustion a growing concern. She finds exhilaration in the slaughter, her armor pierced but ignored in the singular focus of killing. Other Sleepers rally around her, drawing strength from her ferocity, as Gemma and Caster also fight in a trance-like state, turning their own unique skills into deadly extensions of their will.
Despite the valiant efforts of warriors like Effie, Gemma, and Caster, the human forces dwindle. The sheer number of Nightmare Creatures seems inexhaustible, the crimson coral becoming a carpet of broken flesh. The relentless onslaught, combined with the encroaching exhaustion, casts a grim shadow over their desperate stand, leaving the fate of the Dreamer Army hanging precariously in the balance.
Chapter 322 siege of the Crimson Spire (8)
The situation for the Dreamer Army transforms from dire to desperate. The first defensive line is nearly annihilated, and the second is fully swamped by the relentless Nightmare Creatures. Kai’s archers struggle, their ammunition dwindling as siege engines falter under the constant assault. The protective iron net, now burdened by a macabre carpet of fallen horrors, groans ominously, threatening to break. As the human formation teeters on the brink of collapse, Nephis, who had remained in deep meditation, opens her eyes, two blinding white flames burning within them. She turns to Sunny and declares, “It’s time.”
Sunny sighs, acknowledging the inevitable. He flexes his shoulders and stretches his neck, a grim acceptance settling upon him. After a brief, hesitant exchange with Cassie, a simple “Hey, Cas. I’ll… see you on the other side, I guess,” he and Nephis step to the edge and descend into the fray. Sunny moves first, vanishing into the deepening shadows cast by the carnage. “I’ll go first. Good luck,” he murmurs to Nephis before the darkness fully engulfs him, transforming the blood-soaked battlefield into his domain.
Veiled by the embrace of shadow, Sunny dashes towards the chaotic heart of the battle, past a crumbling makeshift hospital tent. A winged Nightmare Creature, somehow breaching the net, wreaks havoc within, despite being pierced by multiple arrows. The once-sacred space of healing is now a scene of devastation, mirroring the dire state of the wider Dreamer Army.
Chapter 323 Siege of the Crimson Spire (9)
The battlefield erupts as Changing Star’s arrival, heralded by a blinding explosion of light, ignites a desperate counteroffensive. Nephis, a radiant beacon of power, obliterates Nightmare Creatures with her incandescent blade, her fury turning the tide and reviving the Dreamer Army’s flagging resolve. Empowered by her presence, the warriors surge forward, their renewed vigor pushing back the monstrous horde. Meanwhile, Sunny, unhindered by the chaos behind him, fixes his gaze upon the crimson coral bridge leading to the cursed Spire. He faces an undulating mass of abominations, a seemingly endless tide of flesh and hunger. “Here goes nothing…” he mutters, preparing to breach the formidable barrier.
Emerging from the shadows, the marble demon, Saint, answers Sunny’s silent plea. With ruby eyes burning cold menace behind her onyx helmet, she becomes his unlikely launchpad. Sunny leaps onto her shield, a taciturn knight who propels him forward with incredible strength. He soars through the air, the Dark Wing a blur behind him, a fleeting moment of weightlessness propelling him towards the Crimson Spire. Gliding through the wind, he crosses half the churning black water, but his momentum wanes, and he begins to fall, the dark depths beckoning.
His journey is far from over as he descends, the transparent cloak offering little respite against the inevitable plunge. The vast, cyclopean Spire looms, a terrifying testament to the world’s enduring curse, and the Nightmare Creatures on the bridge, though thinning, remain a deadly obstacle. With the battle momentarily shifted by Nephis’s power, Sunny’s solitary, desperate charge across the dark waters towards the Spire’s island begins, a perilous path of his own making.
Chapter 324 Siege of the Crimson Spire (10)
Sunny, now at the desolate island surrounding the Crimson Spire, summons Saint once more. Despite the unnerving quiet, he presses on, his fear long buried. He pauses before the Spire’s imposing gates, facing the severed heads of seven stone colossi, recognizing them as the faces of ancient heroes. A moment of reflection passes as he contemplates their humanity and his hope for a better future. His path is then blocked by the sudden formation of seven grotesque golems crafted from crimson coral, twisted imitations of the heroes. “Seven of you? Do you really think this will be enough to stop me?” Sunny sneers, drawing the Midnight Shard, ready to face this desecration of legend.
As Sunny charges, the Stranger, impossibly swift, appears, deflecting his blade with a seemingly immovable shield. Immediately after, a war hammer swings with lethal force towards Sunny’s temple. He manages to block the blow with his sword, the clang of metal echoing in the oppressive silence. The corrupted figures of the heroes, crude yet radiating a profane power, advance, their weapons raised. Sunny’s grim determination solidifies as he faces these perversions of the past, each movement a testament to the Spire’s dark influence.
The confrontation intensifies as Sunny engages the hero-golems, his every parry and strike a desperate dance against overwhelming odds. The Stranger’s speed and the brute force of the hammer-wielding golem prove formidable, testing the limits of Sunny’s resolve and skill. He recognizes the grim irony of fighting corrupted versions of those who once protected this world, fueling his drive to overcome this final, twisted obstacle guarding the Spire’s secrets.
Chapter 325 Siege of the Crimson Spire (11)
Effie fights valiantly against an overwhelming tide of Nightmare Creatures, her Zenith Shard a blur of destruction. Exhausted and wounded, she rips a parasitic tick from her thigh, crushing it in her fist. She laments, “Can’t you all just die, bastards…” and finds herself the sole survivor of her immediate cohort, separated from any remaining allies by an impassable horde. Despite the grim reality of being alone in a charnel house of dead monsters, Effie’s spirit remains unbroken, greeting the encroaching darkness with a bitter smile and a challenge, “Come then, beasts. Oh, what a feast this will be…”
Meanwhile, Sunny finds himself engaged in a desperate battle against three grotesque golems, twisted parodies of legendary heroes: the Knight, the Slayer, and the Priestess. He narrowly dodges a coral sword strike, deflecting it with his Midnight Shard, but is forced to retreat from a swift stiletto that leaves a shallow cut on his cheek. These abominations possess terrifying speed and power, a stark contrast to the heroes they supposedly represent, pushing Sunny to his limits even with the aid of his shadows.
Sunny realizes the dire situation, stating, “Damned abominations!” He struggles to keep pace with their relentless assault, barely able to hold on and remain alive. The golems’ movements are unnervingly fast, their blows capable of obliterating a mere Sleeper with ease. Sunny, however, is no ordinary Sleeper, his shadow-enhanced abilities his only advantage in this desperate siege against the corrupted guardians of the Crimson Spire.
Chapter 326 Siege of the Crimson Spire (12)
Sunny, witnessing Saint’s sacrifice, makes a brutal decision to achieve his objective. He feints an attack on the golems, mentally commanding his Shadow, Saint, to act. Breaking from their dance, Saint absorbs a devastating blow from the Hunter’s spear, her armor shattering as ruby dust spills from her wound. Ignoring the damage, she deflects the golem and darts away, engaging all six abominations to buy Sunny precious seconds. Sunny seizes this opening, evading the Priestess and sprinting towards the distant Lord, the seventh guardian of the Star Sigil, while Saint battles valiantly, her armor cracking under the relentless assault.
Meanwhile, Kai battles a massive net of iron wires, his sword Memory slicing through the metallic strands. Despite his power, the strain pains his wrist. He strategically cuts the net, causing a cascade of Nightmare Creature corpses to fall, relieving pressure on the archers and vanguard. Yet, this isn’t enough. Kai makes another strike, creating a wider breach that allows sunlight back onto the battlefield, revealing five dark dots circling in the clouds – the Messengers. As they plunge downwards, Kai, realizing they’ve spotted him, dives through the breach, scrambling for arrows amidst the fallen creatures to meet the descending, hunger-mad Spire Messengers.
The weight of the battle presses down as Sunny races to confront the Lord, his path bought by Saint’s grievous wounds. The grotesque golems, twisted mockeries of heroes, unleash their unnatural speed and power, a testament to the dire nature of their corruption. The grim reality of his situation dawns on Sunny as he states, “Damned abominations!” He knows his survival hinges on his shadow-enhanced abilities, his only advantage against these corrupted guardians of the Crimson Spire.
Chapter 327 Sieae of the Crimson Spire (13)
Sunny’s desperate gambit against the Lord, the formidable seventh guardian of the Star Sigil, unfolds as a brutal dance of survival. The coral golem, a perverse simulacrum of immense power, proves a challenging foe, its speed and strength overwhelming Sunny’s skilled but ultimately outmatched attacks. The “perverse simulacrum of the Lord towered above him,” its forehead glowing with a crimson light that saps Sunny’s strength. Despite landing several stinging blows, Sunny finds his efforts largely ineffective, the sheer might of the corrupted guardian pressing him to the brink. He narrowly dodges a devastating punch that shatters the ground, but finds himself in a precarious position, a single wrong move sealing his fate as Saint’s sacrifice buys him time.
Meanwhile, high above, Kai faces his own desperate battle against the Spire Messengers. Having already felled two, he finds himself cornered by the last one, its beak a fatal blur. Just as all hope seems lost, a flash of steel intercepts the attack, giving Kai a crucial fraction of a second to evade. The Quiet Dancer, a slender rapier, materializes and begins to circle him protectively, its movements conveying a “mean, arrogant, and bad-tempered protectiveness.” Kai, touched by this unexpected salvation, mentally thanks Cassie for the intervention, realizing this aid might just be his salvation against the ravenous creatures.
Chapter 328 Siege of the Crimson Spire (14)
Cassie, left alone atop the crimson coral, is plunged back into a terrifying isolation. The symphony of the nightmare horde’s assault—howls, screams, the clang of steel, and the desperate cries of dying humans—surrounds her, mirroring her deepest fears. This desolate state rekindles the raw terror of her initial abandonment in this lightless realm, a vulnerability she believed had been overcome. The memory of Nephis’s selfless rescue, and then Sunny’s gentle kindness, floods her mind, highlighting the profound debt she owes and the difficult choice that now defines her fate.
As the battle rages below, Cassie hears a rustle of wind, a harbinger of something new. Her face pales as she whispers, “A storm… there is a storm…” This ominous pronouncement hangs heavy in the air, hinting at an approaching threat that transcends the current carnage. The Dreamer Army, though diminished, fights valiantly, pushing back against the thinning ranks of the nightmare horde, demonstrating remarkable resilience even as their ammunition runs dry.
The tide of the battle is slowly turning, with archers and artisans joining the melee, reinforcing the front lines. However, Cassie’s chilling observation foreshadows a shift in the conflict, suggesting that the true test of their survival is yet to come. The despair and hope interwoven in the sounds of battle, coupled with Cassie’s solitary dread and cryptic warning, leave the reader questioning the nature of the coming storm and Cassie’s role in it.
Chapter 329 Siege of the Crimson Spire (15)
Saint, near death from grievous wounds, finds herself cornered by golems, her shattered armor offering no further protection. As the Builder’s hammer and the Hunter’s spear descend, she dissolves into shadows, whisked away by Sunny’s black flames just as the fatal blow lands. A tempest descends, engulfing the remaining golems. Within this maelstrom, Sunny, a phantom of darkness, systematically eliminates them, a swift, unseen blade decapitating one, and a well-placed kunai staggering another. He relishes the chaos, a chilling grin spreading as he whispers, “This is my domain, wretches. You are my guests now…” His deadly dance is abruptly exposed when the Priestess unleashes a blinding light, revealing his position.
Meanwhile, the remnants of the Dreamer Army stand defiant against overwhelming odds. Though battered and knee-deep in rising black water, they fight with a grim resolve, trading their lives for victory, each fallen soldier replaced by a determined comrade. Under the radiant glow of Changing Star, they face their doom with courage, some even smiling or singing amidst the carnage. Their last stand is a testament to their unbreakable spirit, even as the cursed sea claims more of them.
High above, Kai and the Quiet Dancer evade the relentless onslaught of three Spire Messengers, their superior aerial maneuverability the only thing keeping them alive against the winged beasts. This desperate aerial ballet, a dance with death amidst lightning, highlights the perilous state of the entire conflict, leaving the fate of all hanging precariously in the balance.
Chapter 330 siege of the Crimson Spire (16)
Pushing through the treacherous, rising dark waters and relentless hurricane winds, Sunny finally reaches the Crimson Spire, the star sigil on its gates a beacon of hope. He mutters, “This better work…”, as he inserts the first of the Oath Keys into the ancient stone lock. Meanwhile, separated by the churning sea, the remaining Sleepers, waist-deep in the cursed water and facing an overwhelming tide of monsters, continue their desperate fight. Changing Star’s radiance intensifies as she cuts down foe after foe, her brilliance a stark contrast to the surrounding hellish storm.
As Sunny struggles to insert the second Oath Key, a terrifying answer to his earlier question about what could be worse than his current predicament emerges. A massive black tentacle, followed by countless more, erupts from the seething waves, shattering coral and inching closer. “Me and my big damn mouth!” Sunny curses as he races to insert the remaining keys, the tentacles drawing nearer with each passing moment. He fights the rising water and strong gusts of wind, narrowly avoiding being thrown against the spire.
With mere moments to spare before the tentacles engulf him, Sunny dives into the black water, swimming desperately for the final star. He drives the seventh key into its center, and the world shudders. The storm on the Forgotten Shore abruptly ceases; the wind dies down, the rain stops, and the thunder falls silent, leaving the survivors momentarily frozen in stunned silence.
