Accompanied by a thunderous roar, the entire ground caved in, revealing a massive spherical crater.
This hollowed depression spread across the battlefield's front lines for about 30 miles.
No one could deny that the impact between two peak-level legendary beings unleashes a terrifying force.
Even the distant slime molds layer was ripped up and hurled aside by the shockwave.
All at once, the frontline for which the Stoneheart Horde was responsible became a no-man's-land.
Suspended in midair, Orion clutched a handful of life essence. From his right hand all the way to his left shoulder guard, the frozen bone armor had been smashed to pieces.
The helmet covering half of Orion's face had also disappeared. Where the armor was gone, a layer of purple dragon scales shimmered in perfect condition.
Orion turned, glaring furiously at another figure surging forward with murderous intent.
Somewhere on the battlefield, lich Vexis's presence had vanished entirely.
It was clear that the other dark silhouette had already dealt Vexis a fatal blow.
"You will all die!"
With a small detonation, Orion triggered Instant Impact once again.
A second blaze of brilliant white light burst forth, followed by continuous booming explosions.
This time, because the earlier devastation had created a vacuum zone, neither side's cannon fodder troops were caught in the blast.
When the shockwave subsided, Orion stood holding his trident, his upper body bare as though a titan god manifest among mortals.
"Not enough!"
Orion's voice rang out with savage indifference. Sparks of lightning flickered around him, and he dove into the slime molds layer.
Like a madman, Orion slaughtered there for three days and three nights.
Only after realizing the slime molds broodmother wasn't sending any additional Legendary-level combatants did Orion, his face devoid of emotion, walk out from the slime molds layer.
"Lord Orion, by my master's command, we are here to relieve you."
Orion said nothing. He did not nod, merely cast the speaker a glance, then passed silently by the cloaked skeletal being.
"What a cold stare!"
The skeleton made no further comment. Following its orders, countless skeletal warriors poured onto the battlefield, replacing the Stoneheart Horde's bloodline warriors.
One day later, when Orion returned to Soraya City, he spotted lich Vexis and Soraya on the city wall. He was both astonished and overjoyed.
The coolness on Orion's face finally melted away.
"Lord Orion, you must be surprised to see me again."
"Certainly. I thought you were truly gone, and I felt terrible about it. I had no idea how I'd explain this to Arthas."
Orion approached Vexis and Soraya, observing the lich with wonder.
"I'm a lich. Though I can't match some of my master's other subordinates in terms of combat power, when it comes to survivability, I'm second to none."
"Lady Vexis, could you tell me how you managed to stay alive?"
Vexis shook her head, replying calmly, "I didn't survive. That particular body really did die."
"Lord Orion, what you see now is one of my other selves."
Soraya nodded, gazing at Orion earnestly. "I can confirm that. I watched Lady Vexis emerge from the undead tower."
A grin spread across Orion's face. With Vexis not truly dead, the dark cloud that weighed on his mind finally lifted.
He refrained from prying further into how Vexis had pulled off such a feat—after all, it was her personal secret.
Yet knowing Vexis had such an impressive life-saving method made Orion feel all the more comfortable relying on her in battles to come.
What followed were days of rest and further city construction.
---
Bone City—on the city wall.
"Master, Vexis has sent news that one of her bodies was destroyed."
"The ones responsible were the two peak-level legendary Rending Explosive Bears who killed Greenbone."
"The good news is that your friend finished off both of those Rending Explosive Bears."
Arthas stood with his sword, fully aware of what the Rending Explosive Bears were capable of. One of his best subordinates—a peak-level legendary skeleton—had died at the claws of those parasitic slime molds creatures not long ago.
As for Orion killing the Rending Explosive Bears, Arthas was anything but surprised.
"Send Vexis some materials so she can make another body."
Arthas offered neither sadness nor joy. From his perspective and great combat experience, death and sacrifice were the norms of any battlefield.
"More Legendary-level fungal creatures keep emerging. It looks like our brief respite is coming to an end."
Arthas sighed. He took little pleasure in local victories, instead pondering how the wider situation was sinking into yet another drawn-out war.
---
Soraya City—Dusk Castle.
After the post-war assembly concluded and his subordinates filed out, Orion sat upon the throne, immersed in thought.
The Ghostbone Armor gifted by Arthas had been mostly destroyed in this latest combat and was obviously no longer usable.
Fortunately, among the supplies Arthas had sent earlier were plenty of decent-quality bone beads.
Repairing the Ghostbone Armor wouldn't be too difficult—just time-consuming.
What truly intrigued Orion now was the layer of dragon scales hidden beneath his own skin.
In his earlier battles with normal Legendary-level powerhouses, the dragon scales had never had an opportunity to shine.
Yet facing the Rending Explosive Bears, Orion realized just how formidable Commander Thresh's gifted dragon scales actually were.
Even amid that crushing force and explosive impact, they remained intact, absorbing part of the shock.
Orion extended a hand, noticing how a dense array of dragon scales covered his skin. Beneath his palm, they felt soft and pliable yet smooth and firm.
He almost had the illusion that these scales were simply part of him.
Recalling the astounding defense they displayed, Orion found himself growing more attached to them by the moment.
He withdrew the dragon scales so they remained concealed under his skin, then closed his eyes to meditate.
---
Bottomless Abyss—Underworld.
One teleportation array. Two factions. A grand banquet of slaughter.
Countless Dark Worms of the Red Thread Clan perished in battle, while the Stoneheart Horde suffered enormous losses of cave spiders.
In this war, with bloodshed on both sides, a few hundred Skeletal Knights and tens of thousands of skeletal warriors were the real victors.
As cannon fodder corpses piled up, the concentration of death energy in the Underworld increased.
This caused Alpha-level Skeletal Knights like Vargrum, Mordak, Zorn, Balgor, Grendel, and Desdemona to radiate ever-greater power.
And, as a Shade Valkyrie, Clymene's strength surged more than anyone else's. Not only did her individual capabilities grow, but she also harnessed the Underworld's energy to resurrect others.
After the Red Thread Clan lost two Dark Worms at Alpha level, the remaining insects seemed to receive some order and withdrew from the battle, vanishing into their worm swarm.
Meanwhile, the battlefield meat-grinder continued turning, piling up cannon fodder casualties at every moment.
"I am a Shade Valkyrie, a warrior reborn through death."
"Arise once more, warriors of the horde!"