Chapter 490: Monsters, Might, And Mayhem [Part 3]

As expected, Leone and the barbarians’ surprise attack succeeded.

But this didn’t mean the Aurelion Army had lost. They weren’t pushovers.

That attack had killed tens of thousands, but the majority of them were still alive.

With Magnus’ command and the support of their empire’s powerhouses, the forty thousand men regrouped and once again made their stand.

The two sides clashed, with the momentum still on the barbarians’ side.

It was then that Zepharion successfully slipped past Gundar’s defenses, unleashing three tornadoes at the center of the city that prevented the barbarians’ advance.

He then directed the tornadoes to send the Fireshard Catapults’ bombardments back to where they came from.

Unfortunately for him, the projectiles lacked the force to make it that far.

Hearing the explosions reverberate outside the destroyed city, Leone ordered the operators to stop.

It was too dangerous. Zepharion’s wind element messed with their ammunition’s trajectory and might end up hitting their own allies.

Both sides had no choice but to back away, lest they get caught in the crossfire of the clash between Gundar and Zepharion at the center of the city.

Anyone foolish enough to try and enter that slaughter zone would be destroyed by the overwhelming power that both combatants were now exuding.

Gundar raised his staff, summoning dark clouds that covered the skies. Lightning streaked down from the heavens, capable of annihilating anything in its path.

This was the first time Leone was witnessing the Great Shaman of the Borderlands fight.

He had seen Gundar’s status page before, and from what he saw, his Great Uncle wasn’t as strong as the Monster King.

But seeing the destruction caused by the battle between the two powerhouses, Leone asked Daedalus to show him the great shaman’s status page once more.

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[Gundar]

Race: Half-Spirit (Unsealed State)

Prestige Class: Astral Thunderlord

Grade: Legendary

Strength: 14,735

Agility: 19,482

Dexterity: 16,317

Vitality: 17,864

Intelligence: 16,602

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One glance, and Leone understood that the Monster King wouldn’t have a chance if Gundar had fought it in full power. It would even be a one-sided beating.

"The wind is too strong!" Vlad muttered as he did his best to stand his ground. But the wind expanding outward from the city was too powerful, and it took him everything not to be blown away.

Noticing the child’s struggle, Leone rested his hand on the teenage boy’s shoulder, while Astravor stood behind the two of them.

The Garuda Gryphon created a dome of wind, dispersing the gusts strong enough to send them flying.

Astravor then expanded the range of this dome, shielding everyone, including the shamans manning the Fireshard Catapults.

Its gaze locked onto Gundar and Zepharion, the two titans fighting in the distance. A strong determination to reach the same level as them started forming in its eyes, glowing brightly.

The booming sound of a thunderclap nearly deafened everyone as Gundar swung his staff, nearly splitting the city that was already in ruins.

Troy and the other chieftains decided that staying in the city was far too dangerous, so they decided to retreat.

All of them instinctively knew that the results of the war would be dictated by the winner between Gundar and Zepharion.

’Watch closely, Leone,’ Daedalus said in a serious tone. ’This is a battle between two Rank 8 beings. One day, I hope you reach this rank as well.’

Leone thought that the Monster King was already the strongest creature that he would face in his life. But he was wrong.

When he heard stories of his Great Uncle in the past, he thought the barbarians were only exaggerating.

But the view before him proved him wrong. It wasn’t exaggeration. They were telling the truth.

He now had a better understanding of how the Borderlands managed to keep its autonomy, even with the Kingdom of Britannia and the Aurelion Empire sending their army to conquer these lands.

As long as Gundar stood in their way, they couldn’t possibly win without making any great sacrifices that would later put them at risk.

It was like watching a battle between two Gods. It wasn’t a place for ordinary mortals like them to interfere.

Another loud explosion shook the entire city as Zepharion crashed to the ground, creating a dust cloud.

Hovering above the city, Gundar looked down at his enemy with his eyes glowing radiant blue, his hair fluttering in the breeze.

He didn’t look like the kind of old man that Leone was used to seeing. Instead, he looked more like a War God who had come to wage war.

Suddenly, Gundar coughed and used his right hand to cover his lips.

However, that wasn’t enough to stop the blood from spilling out of his hands.

Down below, Zepharion propped himself up and wiped the blood at the corner of his lips. A faint smile could be seen on his face, despite the beating that he had just received from his opponent.

"Hahaha! It looks like your age is catching up to you, Gundar!" Zepharion laughed. "Don’t tell me you’re going to croak before our battle ends?"

Frankly, he wanted nothing more than for Gundar to just die then and there. Although he tried to hide it, Zepharion had suffered injuries that made it hard for him to contend against the great shaman, who was now fighting at full power.

Gundar didn’t even bother to reply. Talking now was a waste of time and energy. Actions spoke louder. He dived from the sky and clashed with Zepharion, who had decided to fight defensively.

’I just need to hold on!’ Zepharion gritted his teeth as he blocked and dodged Gundar’s deadly blows that were growing in power and intensity.

He knew that one mistake was fatal, so he focused all of his concentration on holding on for as long as he could.

However, Zepharion had made a mistake.

As he was backing away, he didn’t see the body of an armored Aurelion Soldier that was right behind his back.

He tripped and fell on the soldier’s back.

Gundar didn’t waste this opportunity.

The Great Shaman covered his staff in lightning bolts, swinging it at the enemy with the intent to kill.

It didn’t land.

Gundar’s attack froze midway.

A look of disbelief appeared on the great shaman’s face as a hand stuck out of his chest, holding something in its grip.

"You sure took your sweet time, Samuel," Zepharion said in a triumphant voice.

"He was moving around so much. It was a bit difficult to time it right," Samuel replied. "A surprise attack only works once. I thought it was best to wait for the perfect moment to strike."

Standing behind Gundar was none other than the Guardian of the Kingdom of Britannia.

In his hands was the heart of the Great Shaman of the Borderlands, still beating strongly in his grip.

Leone, who saw the projection being emitted by Daedalus, cried out from where he stood as he and the rest of the barbarians saw their great shaman’s condition.

No one saw it coming.

They had the upper hand in this battle. Just one move and they could have won. Gundar was already giving it his all, fully knowing that this might be his very last battle.

And yet, when everyone thought that they had won, tragedy struck.

"Great Uncleeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Leone shouted in desperation and helplessness as he watched the scene in front of him.

And as if waiting for that moment, Samuel tightened his grip over the heart within his grasp and destroyed it completely.