Chapter 67
War is a man’s affair—that’s what Leon believes. Today, they managed to secure victory in the battle near Romada. Four clans launched a raid on the Golden Hand fortress, and it cost them two of their own. The attack itself was expected and weakened the enemy’s defenses, which Leon exploited.
Tonight, the full-scale battle of Leon’s military alliance—with Margul’s support—will take place against the united young gods. The battle near Romada, along with six others, had been drawing forces away from this confrontation.
The battle began suddenly and with careful planning. A group of mages launched a suicidal assault, teleporting directly into the enemy’s front lines. They conjured several high-powered fire whirlwinds before perishing under a hail of blows. From the right flank came the sound of explosions—a second group of mages used meteorites to disrupt enemy formations. The enemy aimed to wipe out as many soldiers as possible in a single strike.
"Raise shields! Archers, prepare! A range-boosting aura is coming!"
All of this was also a diversion. Leon had sent his squad of assassin-mages behind enemy lines. As soon as the signal was given, the real battle would begin. Leon and Margul would keep the other gods occupied.
Margul hovered above the battlefield in the form of a colossal dragon—at least five times larger than any ever seen before. His aura enveloped the entire army. Leon himself couldn’t manage such a feat—it was an enormous drain of power. The difference lay in their followers: Margul’s faithful were spread across the world, covering nearly the entire planet.
A god’s influx of faith energy depends on the size and strength of their following. Geographic distribution also matters—the more believers in a region, the greater a god’s power there. A god’s reserve of strength resides in the Astral Plane and connects to the mortal world through the altar of their main temple. The better the altar, the more a god can manifest in the physical realm. Upgrading an altar requires fulfilling a series of conditions tied to the faith and influence of their followers. Eventually, a god can choose a path of ascension and join a greater pantheon—but for now, Leon remained a minor deity with a small following.
From the enemy’s side came a thunderous roar, followed by a blinding flash that lit up the entire battlefield. The scent of ozone filled the air, and amid the chaos, only Leon grasped the scale of the disaster.
The gods had combined their strength for a single devastating strike against Margul. Where the lightning struck, a spatial distortion formed in Margul’s body, and from it poured forth all manner of astral horrors. The dragon-lord himself lay in the middle of the field, his back scorched—but he was already stirring. The entire army suffered debuffs of stun and blindness.
The enemy’s forty-thousand-strong force surged forward.
The war had begun.