I stared quietly at the green light seeping through the crack in the door. It was night; every so often, footsteps echoed and the sound of bones grinding together filled the air. The generals followed behind me. I gripped Belle tightly in my hand.
Our position was already confirmed: we were directly east of Red Plume Fortress. This entire area was set aside to hold the generals who refused to surrender. Our target was the west gate—if we could open it and lower the drawbridge, the army outside could storm in.
There were likely fewer than fifty thousand troops inside the fortress. According to the general who died at Crimson Plume Fortress, things there had reached a fever pitch. Yuna Ji was leading the remaining forces in a desperate defense, while the Imperial Army had launched an even fiercer assault.
"We only have one chance. I’m counting on all of you. Just one chance—no matter what, I’ll open that gate."
A commotion sounded outside the door. I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and watched as shifting shadows flickered beyond. The footsteps slowly faded away.
With a sharp swing, I hacked at the door, then kicked it hard. With a loud bang, I burst through, found my bearings, and started running.
"The prisoner has escaped!"
Shouts erupted all around, and chaos broke out instantly. Soldiers poured from the nearby houses. I raised Belle and struck again and again, skeletons falling in my wake. I didn’t look back, nor did I slow my pace.
In my mind echoed the words Yuna Ji spoke on the battlefield that day. I still remembered them, and the sorrow in her voice. I had come here, and now I stood here. Maybe I’d always been useless, unable to help at all, forced to watch so much happen and unable to stop it—but now things were different.
"Don’t stop—open the main gate."
I shouted and ran, the generals behind me arming themselves and fighting their way forward at my side.
Suddenly, I sensed something approaching at incredible speed from the right. I stopped instantly. With a thunderous crash, a black staff smashed down in front of me, shattering the bone-paved road and sending debris flying. I raised Belle and slashed at General Red Plume.
She was faster—her staff jabbed fiercely into my abdomen. I twisted aside; with a bang, my eyes went wide as several skeleton generals behind me were instantly shattered to pieces.
More shouts rang out as the skeleton generals charged, weapons raised.
"Leave this to us. You keep moving forward."
I shouted, ignoring the pain in my abdomen, took a stride, and swung Belle at the skeletons clustering ahead. The path opened before me.
I kept charging forward, leaving chaos behind me. The skeleton generals fell one after another, and General Red Plume was tied up with them.
Crowds of soldiers gathered, arrows whistling from the rooftops all around. I kept running, driven by a single thought: I had to win this Fate Gamble. If I lost, Yuna Ji would have no future, and neither would this place.
With a crash, I twisted to dodge a swinging warhammer. Before me loomed a giant skeleton nearly three meters tall, brandishing its hammer. I ducked low as the hammer swept overhead and struck out with Belle.
With a swish, the skeleton collapsed to the ground. I leaped up and charged into a cluster of skeletons wielding spears, swinging Belle as skeletons flew apart. I could already see the city gate ahead.
The commotion behind me grew louder, but I didn’t look back. My heart burned with a single purpose: to open the city gate. The army outside must have noticed the upheaval within the walls.
There was no time to dodge. Several arrows had already pierced my body, but all I could think about in that moment was everything Mr. Li Er had ever told me.
Looking back now, it all seems unbelievable.
Suddenly, something caught my foot and trapped my left leg. I fell, and in that instant, spears thrust toward me from the side. I raised Belle and hacked upward—swish—splintering the spears aimed at me. I saw the rope binding my foot and was about to cut it when two large skeletons yanked it, dragging me off balance.
Blades slashed toward me, and I could only swing Belle desperately to deflect their attacks.
Suddenly, I sensed a red figure speeding toward me from the distance—it was General Red Plume.
A surge of power erupted within me. I yanked my right foot—crack—the rope snapped. As I got up, blades stabbed into my body. I struck out at the skeletons ahead, forcing my legs to keep moving.
Belle never paused for a moment, slashing wildly in all directions.
In that moment, everything around me seemed frozen. The skeletons moved in slow motion. I dodged the thrusting spears, cutting down skeletons with Belle. Now I could see the full view of the main gate.
But the noise behind me drew closer—General Red Plume was catching up. I roared, swinging Belle, less than a hundred meters away now. The soldiers atop the walls had already begun attacking the forces outside the city.
Sure enough, the army outside had noticed. They were getting closer. I gripped Belle with one hand and swept forward with all my strength. With a thunderous roar, a transparent blade of energy split a path before me.
Suddenly, a fierce gust whipped past me from behind. I jerked my head aside as a black staff stabbed toward me, then swept for my head. I dodged just in time—a crash, skeletons screamed, and houses were split in two and sent flying.
(Irrelevant passage about continuing to next page. Skip translation for this line.)
I ignored General Crimson Plume behind me and seized the opportunity as the skeletons ahead scattered, sprinting forward in great strides.
With a clang, I twisted aside and blocked General Red Plume’s staff, using the force to roll away and scramble to my feet. I kept running—less than ten meters left.
"Courting death."
General Red Plume roared, leaping high and flipping over my head, landing right in front of me. Behind her was the mechanism to lower the drawbridge.
Her staff came crashing down toward my head. My eyes locked onto the mechanism. With a crash, the staff grazed my body. I roared and swung Belle at the device.
With a bang, I hit the ground, and the mechanism was split in two. The steel cables lost tension and snapped. I rolled, dodging another blow from General Red Plume.
A massive sound echoed from outside the gate—the drawbridge had been lowered. The soldiers on the walls began to panic. I heard the cries of battle. My only obstacle now was the city gate—and the charging General Red Plume.
"Hold the gate at all costs!"
General Red Plume shouted. I scrambled up, dodged her attack, and rushed for the gate. Some skeletons didn’t dare approach.
General Red Plume’s pursuit was relentless. Her staff quickly blocked my path, slamming into my chest with a bang. Just as I was about to be knocked away, I gripped Belle with both hands, stabbed it into the ground with a clang, and felt my bones shatter.
Staff shadows danced as General Red Plume leaped, raising her black staff and smashing it down at me. My goal didn’t change. I pushed off hard with both feet, lunging for the gate as a massive crash sounded behind me.
By the time I rolled to the gate, I could barely stand. Gripping Belle with both hands, I aimed for the gate, roaring as I poured all my strength into my arms and hacked down. With a thunderous crack, I threw my head back as my right shoulder shattered completely. Belle dropped from my grasp with a clang.
The sturdy gate had only a small opening. I collapsed to my knees, unable to get up.
"Die!"
General Red Plume raised her staff and struck down at me. Suddenly, I felt a surge of warmth. Flames burst through the gap I’d made, roaring to life, twisting around me and then lunging at General Red Plume.
A massive broadsword thrust through. I stared in amazement as the gate split wide open with a crash, and a skeleton over two meters tall, wreathed in flames and wielding a broadsword, leapt inside.
"Open the gate!"
The skeleton shouted as soon as he entered, immediately charging at General Red Plume, who was attacking from behind.
A chill swept in. My eyes widened—it was General Frostbite. He’d made it inside too. As he entered, a hand grabbed me, slung me over his shoulder, and leapt upward.
"Bullhorn, this is your fight. I’m heading for the wall."
General Bullhorn bellowed. I watched in amazement as General Red Plume was shoved back by a tremendous force. General Frostbite set me down at the foot of the stairs.
"You’ve done enough, Ethan Zhang. Leave the rest to us!"
With a creak, the gate swung open and waves of cavalry charged in. Skeletons toppled from the walls, General Bullhorn battled General Red Plume, and more soldiers flooded into the city. I looked up.
"We did it."
The fortress was in total chaos, cries of battle filling the air. The invading army swept through like a flood, engulfing the fortress in an instant.