Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 450 The Battle of the Five Armies in Raven Territory
As soon as Ariana's urgent voice fell, a series of footsteps, far more muffled and denser than before, like countless pieces of rotten wood snapping simultaneously, came from the direction of the upstream of the dry riverbed like rolling thunder! This sound was no longer the chaotic tide, but like a well-trained legion marching forward, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression!
Su Li and Erstein's expressions changed simultaneously. They rushed out of the command post and jumped to a high place to look out.

The sight before them made even these two battle-hardened chosen ones gasp in shock!
At the end of the dark riverbed, there were no longer scattered, shadowy figures, but an endless, silently advancing black steel forest!

A massive zombie horde, like a black mudslide, far outnumbered the previous ones! Bound by some unseen will, they formed several thick lines of attack. The rotting armor of the soldiers reflected an ominous glow in the firelight, and rusted weapons rose like a forest.

A well-organized phalanx of tomb guardians, numbering nearly a thousand! They formed several perfectly aligned squares, their heavy tomb halberds standing like a forest, marching in unison. The negative energy emanating from the gaps in their decaying plate armor almost formed a black mist, exuding a chilling aura and a sense of discipline. These were the ancient warriors that Old Jasper had kept hidden!
In addition, there was a massive aerial threat, the bloodthirsty bat swarms surging like rolling dark clouds! And within the swarms, several even larger, terrifying figures appeared, their wingspans approaching ten meters, composed of rotting flesh and jagged bone spurs—the Fear Beasts! Deep purple soul fire burned in their empty eye sockets, and each flap of their wings stirred up a foul-smelling gale, emitting a deafening, mentally oppressive shriek! At the same time, several corpse demon messengers riding rotting flying beasts and wielding skeletal staffs hovered low in the sky, clearly the new command hubs.

At the very center of the undead army, several seven- or eight-meter-tall tomb demons and ghouls, forcibly pieced together from countless corpses, strode forward with heavy steps! They were like moving mountains of corpses, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly, radiating a despairing sense of oppression. Guarded by several tomb demons, a gigantic corpse-carrying wagon, far larger than before and decorated with even more terrifying skeletons and rusted spikes, slowly moved. On the roof stood a figure clad in ancient, tattered but still recognizable as ornate undead armor, wielding a greatsword burning with eerie green flames—this was clearly a black carriage!

The Black Chariot is the top-tier unit in the Undead faction.

In those dilapidated taverns, draped with garlic cloves, people recounted eerie tales of the black carriages that haunted the mountain roads. These terrifying carriages were harbingers of disaster and death, the most dreadful blasphemy; they were neither entirely physical nor entirely ethereal. The black carriages were harbingers of famine, war, and murder; a single glance could drive even a sane person mad, commit suicide, or drive a family to slaughter each other. Imperial roadwalkers or church knights would attempt to stop these dreadful phantoms, but they would soon perish in the process.

Legend has it that the Black Carriage's driver is a terrifying, bound spirit, dragged into the battlefield by horrifying nightmares. On the battlefield, the Black Carriage feeds on the souls of mortals and the immortal magic cast by wizards, growing ever more powerful. Driven by the vampire's immortal will, the Black Carriage will crush or slice through enemy lines without hindrance.

When a vampire is "killed," its body may turn to dust, be burned, or be dismembered. But for a powerful vampire, this doesn't necessarily mean death, because even in these mutilated remains, their evil soul can still survive. If a vampire's followers can gather his remains and place them in his coffin, it gives the vampire's servants of the dead enough time to perform a specific ritual, placing his body in a carriage imbued with dark magic.

By creating such a black carriage, vampire servants can transport their masters' remains to the battlefield, drawing upon the energy surrounding the arena to resurrect the vampires. Each black carriage acts as a magnet for this evil power; as it moves forward, it continuously absorbs the souls of the dead until it becomes unstoppable.

None of the Black Forest tribes had expected that the Night Wanderers would actually control the remains and fighting power of vampires!
This is no longer a striker; this is the Nightwalker Corpse's true main force! It's Old Jasper's all-out effort, betting everything he has!

"Gods above..." Marshal Orstein's grip on his warhammer tightened involuntarily, his voice filled with disbelief and astonishment, "Has this old man gone mad?! We only took out one of his vanguard units, and he's willing to risk his life to fight us?!"

He looked around—the troops, having just engaged in fierce fighting, were still in high spirits, but exhausted, their ammunition depleted, and their lines slightly loosened from the counter-charge. Facing this undead main force pressing in like a landslide and tsunami, the pressure had increased several times over!
"It's not just risking his life, Marshal. This is a desperate gamble!" Su Li was not only incredulous, but also exclaimed, "Has this guy lost his mind? We only broke some of his bones, why is he reacting so strongly?"

"Madman! Utter madman!" Orstein cursed, but his eyes showed no fear, only a burning fighting spirit. "Then come on! Let him see just how tough the bones of the Black Forest Territory really are! Issue the order—"

"All troops! Condense formation! Rely on pre-established fortifications! Eternal Light and the Knights of the Sunrise, move to the front, especially those in Iron Sun Armor, stand on the front line. Arrow of Light, keep a close watch on those giant bats and undead in the sky! War Chariot Fortress! All armor-piercing rounds loaded! Aim at those dread beasts and corpse wagons! Buy time for the defenses and reinforcements!"

"Cheer up! The enemy may be strong, but they're just making a last-ditch effort! We're getting stronger every moment, and reinforcements and allies are rushing to our aid from all directions. Every extra hour we hold on, another reinforcement will arrive! Time! That's the key to our victory! With every passing moment, the scales of victory tip in our favor!"

The order was relayed like a whirlwind. The Blacksene army, still basking in the afterglow of victory, erupted in an even more frenzied battle cry! Soldiers swiftly tightened their defensive lines, using the hastily reinforced low walls and the ruins of abandoned villages to form an even denser defensive perimeter. The priests' hymns rose once more, defying the increasingly dense cloud of death brought by the undead forces. The cannons of the war chariot fortresses spewed plumes of smoke as dwarven engineers, their eyes bloodshot, loaded their final, deadly weapons.

The battle erupted instantly, and its ferocity far exceeded that of the previous battles by ten times!
The undead main force, like a black tsunami, crashed heavily against the shrinking Blackforest defenses! The infantry phalanx, its steel embankment, groaned in agony under the immense impact. Soldiers gritted their teeth, using every ounce of strength to brace their shields. Enchanted halberds thrust wildly, but against the well-organized phalanx of tomb guardians, their effectiveness was greatly diminished; each collision sent sparks flying and produced a piercing metallic screeching. The tide of zombies was endless, climbing over the corpses of their comrades, attempting to overwhelm the low walls.

The battle in the sky was even more breathtaking! The griffin riders and pegasus riders displayed unparalleled courage and skill, using their agility to weave through the massive bodies of the dreadbeasts and swarms of bats, their lances and griffins inflicting continuous damage. But the dreadbeasts' strength and defense were terrifying; their claws whipped up a bloody wind, posing a significant threat even to griffins and eagles. Furthermore, the necromancer's necromantic magic, like venomous snakes, constantly harassed and weakened the knights. Figures from both sides fell from the sky with mournful cries.

boom! Boom boom boom!
The war machine roared again, unleashing massive armor-piercing shells that whistled towards the black wagons and tomb demons on the ground. The violent explosions ripped huge gaps in the massive bodies of the tomb demons, sending rotting flesh and bone fragments flying, causing the behemoths to roar in pain and slow their movements. But their vitality was incredibly tenacious; as long as their core remained intact, they could continue their advance! Shells landed near the corpse wagons, but were blocked by powerful negative energy shields and the bodies of the terrified beasts, failing to inflict decisive damage.

The vampire stood atop the vehicle, his eerie green flaming greatsword unleashing waves of ghastly green necromantic energy with each swing, blasting through the Black Forest Territory's defenses and tearing through shields, claiming the lives of several soldiers. His presence was like a stabilizing force for the undead army, directing wave after wave of ferocious attacks.

Under such a ferocious attack, the defenses of the Black Forest Territory began to falter! Casualties were rising rapidly! Marshal Orstein had personally rushed to the front lines, his warhammer swung like the wind, each strike shattering several undead, but against this boundless tide, his individual bravery seemed utterly inadequate!
"Hold on! For Blacksin! For glory!" Orstein roared hoarsely as he fought his way through the blood. The chosen warhammer in his hand was already stained dark red with the blood and broken bones of the undead, and each swing brought with it a piercing whistling sound and the cracking of bones.

He stood like a mobile steel fortress, stubbornly holding the line at its most vulnerable point, the corpses of the undead piled up around him like small mountains. Yet the tide of the undead seemed endless; as soon as he smashed one piece, more grotesque figures surged forward, stepping over the remains of their comrades!
Heavy tomb halberds, like venomous snakes, pierced from all directions, striking his thick plate armor with a sickening scraping sound and dull thuds. A bloodthirsty ghoul pounced from the side, its sharp bone claws slicing fiercely into his shoulder armor, sending sparks flying! Orstein grunted, smashing the ghoul's head to pieces with a backhand hammer blow, but the immense impact caused his massive body to stagger a step.

Su Li stood at the command post, drawing his Oath Spear. The golden light flowing from its tip appeared somewhat dim under the heavy clouds of death, yet it still exuded an inviolable majesty. At his summons, the Green Knights took up positions in the most dangerous parts of the battlefield.

Time lost its meaning in the bloody battle. The two crescent moons hanging high in the sky, under the pale moonlight, witnessed this hellish battle, their positions gradually tilting westward from the center of the sky, eventually sinking behind the distant mountains. The long night seemed endless, with only the whispers of death, the clash of steel, the cries of the wounded, and the roars of warriors weaving together into an eternal background sound.

The battlefield had become a living hell. The shields of the high-ranking squires were riddled with deep dents and claw marks, many cracked. The enchanted halberds of the halberdiers, after countless thrusts and parries, had bent blades and split shafts. The soldiers were utterly exhausted, sustained only by the courage of the "Griffin's Heart" and their will to defend their homeland. They mechanically repeated the motions of raising shields and thrusting, their eyes filled with weariness and bloodshot veins, yet their weapons still stubbornly withstood the onslaught of the undead. The defensive line, like a dam gnawed by countless ants, constantly developed small cracks, which were barely plugged by the soldiers and priests surging in from behind, using their lives and divine magic.

The knights of Eternal Light and the Suncrown Knights were ashen-faced, their robes soaked with sweat and blood. Hours of intense prayer and battle had nearly drained their spirit and faith. The golden light shimmering on the battlefield had thinned and flickered, like a candle in the wind, struggling against the dense death aura and powerful necromancy of the undead forces. Each violent fluctuation of light was accompanied by a violent tremor in the defensive line and cries of alarm from the soldiers. The air cavalry had paid a heavy price. The terrifying size and power of the Dreadbeasts were a deadly threat, and the vile spells of the Corpse Demons were impossible to defend against. Valiant knights were constantly being torn apart by claws or struck by necromancy, falling from the sky along with their mounts, exploding into a cloud of blood mist amidst the undead horde. Royal Griffin Knight Edwin, his armor shattered and his mount bearing several deep, bone-revealing wounds, still charged like a golden meteor through the dreadbeasts and swarms of bats, risking his life to buy every second for the ground.

The dwarven war fortresses became the linchpin of the battlefield, each salvo tearing a massive breach in the tide of undead, slowing the advance of the dreadbeasts and corpse wagons. But their ammunition reserves were dwindling at an alarming rate. One fortress's cannon barrel overheated and exploded, shrapnel sweeping across the surrounding dwarven artillery, creating a bloody storm. The firing rate of the other fortresses also noticeably decreased. Dwarven engineers, their eyes red, raced against time to move the last shells, sweat mixed with grease dripping from their tangled beards.

The vampire on the black carriage was like a beacon in the horde of undead. Standing atop the massive corpse wagon, each swing of his eerie green, flaming greatsword unleashed a storm of ghastly green undead energy spanning dozens of meters. Wherever the storm passed, shields shattered, and soldiers turned to skeletal remains. Her icy gaze swept across the battlefield, precisely directing the undead army's assault on the weakest points of the defensive line. His presence was the heaviest burden weighing on the hearts of every soldier in the Black Forest Territory.

Blood soaked the dried-up riverbed of Raven Ridge, pooling into foul-smelling swamps in the low-lying areas. Broken weapons, shattered shields, torn flags, and the remains of countless humans and the dead littered the land. The air was thick with the pungent stench of blood, gunpowder, and the decay of the undead. The first rays of dawn struggled to pierce the eastern horizon, unable to dispel the overwhelming despair on the battlefield. It merely illuminated this carnage coldly, reflecting on every blood-stained face, etched with weariness and resolute determination.

In the darkest hour before dawn, the defensive line, like a bowstring stretched to its limit, emitted a chilling groan. The soldiers' roars had taken on hoarse sobs, the priests were squeezing out their last bit of divine power to maintain the dying holy light, and the dwarven fortress's artillery fire became sparse and powerless.

Erstein was covered in blood, barely able to stand by leaning on his warhammer. At his feet lay a mountain of undead remains and the corpses of his most loyal guards. Su Li's breathing also became heavy; the continuous release of high-intensity divine magic had left him feeling extremely exhausted, and even the light of the Oath Spear seemed to have dimmed somewhat.

Just as the defensive line was teetering on the brink of collapse, like a last boat adrift in a storm, the massive millstone of the undead forces was about to crush it completely and devour all hope—

Ugh!
A loud, powerful horn blast suddenly rang out from behind the ridges on both sides of Raven Ridge! The horn sound was full of metallic texture and the rugged power unique to dwarves, instantly drowning out the noise of the battlefield!

Then, to everyone's astonishment, countless torches suddenly lit up along the ridgeline on both sides of Raven Ridge! Like two burning dragons, they spread along the ridge!
The next moment, accompanied by earth-shattering battle roars and heavy footsteps, countless short but exceptionally powerful figures surged out from behind the mountain ridge like a torrent of steel!
On the left ridge, a banner fluttered, emblazoned with burning red beards and crossed warhammers! It was the Redbeard tribe! Renowned for their fierce assaults, the dwarven warriors, clad in incredibly heavy plate armor like moving iron cans, wielding massive battle axes and warhammers, charged like tigers descending the mountain, directly towards the thickest flank of the undead army! Leading the charge, the Redbeard chieftain, wielding a runic giant axe ablaze with flames, roared as he cleaved at the knee of a dreadbeast!
On the right ridge, a banner painted with grey rocks and sturdy tower shields fluttered! It was the Greyrock Tribe! Renowned for their tenacious infantry, the dwarves formed an impenetrable shield wall, advancing steadily like an iron fortress. Battleaxes and heavy hammers peeked out from between the shields, precisely reaping the undead. The Greyrock chieftain stood beside a hastily erected, rune-gleaming heavy ballista, personally calibrating it and aiming at a swaggering, terrifying beast in the sky!
Even more awe-inspiring was the sky! Dozens of ruggedly designed dwarven attack helicopters, spewing black smoke and sparks, roared across the mountain ridge like steel behemoths! The rotary machine guns on either side of the cockpit spat deadly tongues of fire, like two scorching steel whips, lashing fiercely at the dense swarms of bats and the low-flying undead messengers! Bombs suspended under the fuselage were precisely dropped on the densely packed zombie areas behind the undead army and near the black wagon!
Rumble——!
The explosion and the storm of steel instantly created massive chaos and carnage among the undead army! Bats fell like moths to a flame, the Corpse Demon Messenger dodged in disarray, and the zombies on the ground were blown to pieces!

"For the sons of the mountains!"

"For the sake of the covenant!"

“Crush these bone fragments!”

The deafening battle cries of the dwarven reinforcements echoed through the sky! Their arrival was like two heavy iron hammers, slamming into the heart of the undead main force's frenzied attack! Instantly reversing the precarious situation on the battlefield!

Su Li and Erstein looked at the reinforcements that seemed to have descended from the heavens, at the two burning fire dragons on the ridge and the roaring steel machinery in the sky, their faces first shocked, then bursting with joy!
"It's Redbeard and Limestone!" Orstein roared excitedly. "They've arrived! At the most crucial moment!"

These dwarves arrived at the perfect time! This is to be expected, as they and the Nightwalkers both set out from the Gray Mountain Range. While the dwarves' marching speed isn't particularly fast, it's still considerably faster than a group of skeletons and zombies.

Since the Night Wanderers were able to reach the battlefield, they could also reach it by marching at full speed, at most a day later.

Their appearance immediately set the stage for a grand spectacle reminiscent of a five-army battle.

Below, the Black Forest defense line, exhausted after a night of fierce fighting, roared in a final fury as reinforcements arrived, the golden holy light and the cold glint of steel reflecting each other against the backdrop of dawn.

On either side of the mountain ridge, a torrent of dwarven steel surges down, the raging lava of the red-bearded creatures and the icy fortress of gray rock, like two giant pincers forged by the gods, clamping down hard on the waist and ribs of the undead main force!

The sky was a death net woven by dwarven helicopters, with steel storms and fiery explosions mercilessly reaping the bat swarms in the air and bombarding the undead cores on the ground! It was clear that after expanding their influence to the Frostfang Mountains, the two tribes had experienced a direct surge in strength and wealth; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to spend thousands of dwarven pledge gold to buy so many helicopters.

The suffocating blackness of the undead horde was instantly torn apart and dispelled by the triple light emanating from the mountains, the sky, and steel and fire! Throughout Raven Territory, there were gleaming gold armor, gleaming weapons, flame-spitting cannons, and bursts of fire! This light illuminated the warriors' blood-stained yet resolute faces, the tattered but still fluttering Bauhinia banners, and the ever-brightening eastern horizon, a symbol of hope and rebirth!

Humans, the undead, dwarves, halflings, and monsters clashed in a magnificent and awe-inspiring spectacle, brimming with primal power and indomitable will. It was like an epic mural painted with steel, fire, courage, and sacrifice, dedicated to dawn and victory! It proclaimed that the dark tide of the undead would ultimately be utterly crushed by this will of steel and fire!
As Su Li and Erstein gazed upon this magnificent scene, which resembled a divine army descending from the heavens and a symphony of destiny, the solemnity and weariness on their faces vanished instantly, replaced by indescribable shock and ecstasy!

Su Li gripped the Oath Spear tightly, his heart surging with a burning passion that seemed to burst forth from his chest! The dim, sacred light on the spear tip seemed to be infected by this magnificent sight, bursting forth with dazzling golden light once more! His eyes blazed with fierce light, all doubts and pressure transforming into an overwhelming, invincible fighting spirit: "Heaven is on my side! Old Jasper, your desperate gamble has run right into our ironclad encirclement! Soldiers! Our dwarven brothers have arrived! Victory is at hand! Follow me—counterattack!"

(End of this chapter)