"5 million demons, huh?"
Anthony Selner, High Marshal of the Western Defense Wall, muttered softly as he stood on top of the walls.
"Unbeknownst to the public, that number is just an estimate. It's their initial number we suspected from what the spies showed us previously."
"The actual number of demons that will end up showing would be different from that. It won't be less, though. That's for sure."
With the Wrath's Sin Demon, the Undead Bone Dragon, at the helm of this charge, it is expected that the marching horde will attract more demons along the way.
Not to mention, there were several types of demons that could spawn more demons just by existing: the Broodmother, Insect Queens, Corpse Raisers, Necromancers, and Liches, to name a few.
This was the largest movement that the demon of Azure Terra ever did, and with how many stray animals roamed outside, it's impossible for their movement to be hidden. They will attract attention while they march and will eventually pick up stray animals along the way.
"Hmph!" Anthony snorted coldly as he released a billowing aura.
Everybody within a 10-mile radius felt his power. The next thing they knew, magical circles dotted the skies. The High Marshal began floating as if his strength were causing him to defy the very laws of physics. His presence was awe-inspiring, and his fury was palpable.
He might not show it on his face, but Anthony's hatred towards the demon race cannot be doubted by anyone.
Aside from the High Marhsal, the western walls had another Star Traveler around. It was the Wandering Swordsman, Old Man Jin. He too felt the billowing aura of Anthony, but he ignored it.
He's currently sharpening his partner, his dear sword, 'Magenta', who has been accompanying him for decades now.
Actually, Old Man Jin was about to leave the territory to wander around again when the announcement was released. That caused his plans to change. He knew that his home needed him more than ever, so he couldn't leave. He's bound by duty and the desire to protect this place, even if it costs him his life.
But more than that, Old Man Jin was probably one of the few people who wasn't afraid of this horde. If anything, he sees it as a chance.
Wasn't his entire reason for wandering around because he wanted to pick a fight against strong demons? Well, it just so happened that a big one was coming towards him along with millions of its minions. Old Man Jin couldn't ask for anything better, really. Maybe for once, he'll have a truly satisfying fight again, and if it kills him, well, even better!
At least he dies fighting for his home and on the battlefield.
But this old man also knew that if he's dying anyway, he better take down as many demons as he can with him to reduce the burden on the youngsters around him. That's why he's taking his sweet time sharpening his sword.
Whether this ends up being his last fight or not, it doesn't change the fact that he's not running away from it.
**
Due to the risks posed by using raw Demon Souls to increase one's strength and make realm breakthroughs, Elric paced himself well. He already had a first-hand experience with Demon Lord Souls, and it's far from pleasant. He was even nearly contaminated by corruption after the process, causing him to slow down his progress.
But with the introduction of Greater Essence Souls and, recently, King Essence Souls, Elric can cast his fears away. Essence souls are mild and gentle, containing purely neutral energy that just feels nice to use.
While he might've slowed down his progress due to the risks, Elric firmly believed in refining his foundations. Therefore, when the Greater Essence Souls were finally invented, he didn't hesitate to run to his nearest House of Light branch and exchange as much as he could to finally make progress after so long.
Because of his solid foundation, he wasn't at risk of deviation. That's why he's able to make breakthroughs in quick succession. If it weren't for the sudden announcement of war, he would've continued his seclusion until he stepped to the 5th Change of Planar Traveler Realm.
"You girls should've already reached the Planar Traveler Realm as well, right? And your gains during the Origin Energy Storm should be immense," Elric guessed while glancing at the physical changes on the girls.
He already noticed this earlier, but it's still shocking. Chrissy's hair turned vibrant black with green hues at the end. She's also hiding a very potent poison that could easily threaten him.
Erica, on the other hand, has weird eyes now. He recognizes it as the Alpha and Omega sign. What they do obviously eludes him.
"We're lucky in that regard," Chrissy responded. "I awakened a special physique called the Black Rose Calamitous Physique, which increases the potency of my poisons and turns them into curses and hexes."
"I, on the other hand, just turned into a walking energy battery. I should be able to cast spells all day long without any rest if the situation calls for it," Erica revealed.
"Oh, wow."
"Nice."
"Good for you two."
"It seems that our squad just became a lot more powerful now," Elric chuckled. "We should be able to replace the current 1st rank amongst the expedition teams. But that's something we'll have to discuss later."
Elric's face then morphed into a solemn one. "After all, we can't do that if we're unable to survive this war."
Tension rose all of a sudden. Even the playful expression on Francis' face disappeared entirely, which emphasizes the severity of their situation.
"Well, it's good that you're all treating this seriously. I would've been disappointed otherwise."
A voice suddenly interrupted them. When they looked, they saw Fiona, the head manager for all expedition teams, closing the room's door behind her as she clutched a folder in her other hand.
"Ready to hear about your mission?"
Team Elric collectively nodded at her question.