Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 478 Loyalty and Confidence

Rhodes was overjoyed to have stolen the Crimson Knight; without the Knight's super-powerful attribute bonus, the Wind Erosion Cavalry would no longer be a threat.

Although the Crimson Knights are cavalry units that operate against humans, their special magic, Nightmare Cyclone, can still be used. The Withered Souls are also a type of warhorse from another world, and they are fearless when entering the dream world, even becoming more active.

After the withered spirits and death riders disappeared from the dream, the wind-eroded cavalry were on high alert. Even though the enemy could not charge, they lost their attribute bonuses and suddenly became the weaker side.

Goode acquired Su Mu's attack attribute, making him strong in attack but weak in defense. Now that the Crimson Knight has been stolen, he is indeed a bit difficult to resist.

Fortunately, they still had the equestrian master with them, and the Wind Erosion Cavalry still had the speed advantage. Even when facing the Death Knights after they released their Swift Acceleration, they could crush them. If they wanted to leave the battlefield, it would not be a problem.

But if Goode retreats now, the Lich Legion will be freed, and half of the Lich will once again gather the shadow of death. The Wind-Eroded Cavalry can escape and avoid the enemy's attack, but the Mystic Prayers on the snowy mountaintop will likely suffer a devastating blow.

Surrounded by skeletons in the cold night and attacked from both sides by blood-red griffins, the attack by the lich army only made matters worse.

After a moment's thought, Goode decided to fight to the death, but to try to expand the battlefield and burrow into the ghouls' horde, so that the Death Knights would also be scattered. This way, even if they were attacked, they would not be immediately defeated and could buy more time.

Moreover, Crimson Knight's skills are not easy to obtain; judging by the timeline, Rhodes is in trouble.

A large number of Death Knights rushed into the Dream Realm. Rhodes grinned maliciously in the shadows, waiting for the moment when Goode's head would be chopped off.

But at that moment, the entire dream realm suddenly trembled, cracks appeared in the sky, and a terrifying monster seemed to be approaching from the darkness, staring at the running Death Knight.

Although the undead cavalry felt no fear, they did feel a burning heat. It was the crimson mist around them that was vaguely condensing into a human face. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Duke Kuraki.

The opponent was extremely imposing, his eyes filled with flames as he coldly stared at the Death Knights. All the Death Knights relayed what they had seen to their commander, and Rhodes jumped up in fright, almost turning and running away.

But he quickly realized that this was not Su Mu's real body, but most likely an illusion created by the dream world, reflecting his inner fears.

In other words, Su Mu has become a shadow over Rhodes.

"Ignore it, keep pushing!"

Rhodes tried his best to suppress the fear, but the crimson mist grew thicker and thicker, making his link with the Death Knights more fragile. Providing buffs to his units would require a lot of mana.

"That's a piece of shit!"

Rhodes now regrets his actions, no longer experiencing the joy he felt after stealing the fire. Crimson Knight is probably the only skill among these with a negative effect. Previously suppressed by the Ruler spell, it still has a Ruler bonus, but requires Rhodes's personal control. The Ruler spell is linked to Goode in the Eight Kings' Palace, not Rhodes, hence the extremely strong backlash from the Dream Domain.

If no intervention is taken, controlling these troops will soon deplete Rhodes' mana.

Fortunately, he had a fraud-making tool to help him.

He placed the finger bone in his mouth and bit it off hard. Ghostly fire burned inside his skull, and a dark shadow vaguely appeared, then covered the crimson mist, causing it to shrink rapidly.

Even so, Rhodes still felt immense pressure, and the idea of ​​going to the front lines to do something was abandoned.

Rod didn't go up, but Gaunt came to Goode's side.

The original plan was to go forward with Death Knight and take down Goode in one fell swoop, but now the Knight is lost in the dream realm, as if carrying a heavy weight, moving slowly.

"What a waste!"

Although he knew he couldn't count on the other party, he didn't expect them to be so weak. Gaunt had no choice but to raise the Prophet's Sword and attack Goode.

Gaunt infused the sword with the power of the Deception Artifact, and the Frost Curse began to lock onto Goode's form.

What appears to be a physical attack is actually a magical curse that cannot be dodged. Once Good is hit, he will be continuously weakened, and his four main attributes will drop significantly.

Having lost the Crimson Knight's skills and attributes, the enemy cavalry regiment is in dire straits.

Gunter originally intended to save this gift for Cedrus, but he couldn't advance to the summit of the snow mountain and had no chance to make a move. Now, it's the perfect opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.

Just as Gunter approached within a few hundred meters, a majestic horn sounded from afar, and a white cavalry charge burst out from the gap between the two mountains, attacking the lich array with lightning speed.

"Mulak!"

Previously, Murak had lost a significant number of troops due to the attack by the Death Knights, but he knew that a major battle was about to break out. Although he was no longer as close as before, he was still observing the overall situation.

When Sederlos was besieged, Murak didn't rush to appear. After all, Silvertop City dared to garrison there, so they must have been prepared and wouldn't be suddenly overwhelmed. Kuraki's legions were battle-hardened and trustworthy.

Sure enough, the Arcane Prayer stood atop the snow-capped peak, unleashing a barrage of attacks that kept the three armies pinned down.

It wasn't until Rhodes and Katherine launched their attacks, and the Crimson Griffin recklessly used its flesh and blood to consume the worshipper, that the worshipper was finally entangled.

Next, Rhodes stole fire, and the Wind Erosion Cavalry was surrounded.

Murak knew it was time for the Swiftwind Knights to take the field.

"Kuraki's cavalry are fighting bravely on the front lines, how can we be left behind!"

"Brothers, raise your spears, target the undead."

"Charge! Charge!"

If we were to pinpoint the ability of a champion knight to dominate the battlefield, it would undoubtedly be the charge in battle.

With lightning speed and the roar of mountains and seas, the ultimate combination of force and magic was vividly displayed at this moment.

In the blink of an eye, Murak led his cavalry into the lich formation, like a long sword cutting through the flowing river, freeing the Wind Erosion Knights.

With the help of reinforcements, the Wind Erosion Knight fought and retreated, fighting alongside the Champion Knight, slaughtering the liches on the sidelines, and killing with great pleasure.

After this initial charge and the onslaught of the wind-eroded cavalry, the lich lost nearly 1000 more troops. Although the cavalry's initial charge was powerful, the lich's melee combat was simply too weak, no match for these mobile iron towers.

Gunther's soulfire flickered, his rage erupting as he darkened the Prophet's Sword and slashed fiercely, striking Murak.

While on his journey, Murak suddenly felt himself enveloped in black mist. A noose appeared above his head, quickly tightened around his neck, and pulled him off his warhorse.

Falling off a horse at such high speed and crashing to the ground, one's entire body is struck hard, and every inch of skin feels as if it has been cut by a knife, covered with frost and ice crystals.

Murak felt as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer; his head was spinning and blood was flowing freely from his body.

[Devour Curse: Upon approaching to a certain distance, unleashes a guaranteed hit, inflicting a Devour Curse on the enemy. The curse power is no less than half of the enemy's. Highest attribute -5, other attributes -2, and the enemy suffers a continuous bleeding status that cannot be healed (affected by curse power; for every 10 points of curse power gained by the hero, the effect increases by one level. Cannot be dispelled by ordinary magic and ignores magic resistance spells)]

This can be considered Gaunt's most essential skill. In addition to the Parasitic Curse, he gained even more powerful abilities by combining it with the Prophet's Sword.

Moreover, all the attributes he hadn't fully digested before were now being infused into his body.

[Parasite Curse: Absorbs 14 stored attribute points, adding them to Cursed Power and Knowledge respectively.]

Countless streams of blood energy surged from Gaunt's abdomen, covering his body before instantly collapsing into his skull.

Even with the characteristics of being chosen by God, this process is still extremely painful.

"Uh uh uh!"

Gaunt clutched his head, letting out a bloodcurdling scream. The entire battlefield was swept by the shrill sonic waves; even low-ranking soldiers had to cover their ears to block out the malevolent sound. When he rose again, the ghostly flames had grown larger, and his skeleton had split and floated, supporting his massive body. His body was filled with the rotting flesh of over 20 heroes who had been devoured in the past, all turned into vengeful spirits, their painful roars fueled by the burning corpse oil that became his source of power.

【冈特（尸巫王神选）：攻击7（16），防御6（15），咒力7（21+7），知识8（20+7）。

Advanced Frost Curse, Advanced Chosen Lich King, Intermediate Crimson Light Grace (Crimson Aberration)
Basic Archery, Advanced Air Elemental Mastery, Advanced Water Elemental Mastery, Intermediate Earth Elemental Mastery.

Unbeknownst to anyone, he had purchased several delicious meals from Katherine at a special price, which he then devoured on the eve of the great battle.

Although he swallowed it all too quickly and couldn't fully digest it, he gained enough stored attribute points. Now, with the Prophet's Sword and other treasures, Gaunt is the most powerful hero on the entire battlefield.

"You lowly reptile, die!"

Gunther arrived carrying ghostly flames, his massive body strutting toward the fallen Murak, raising his sword, ready to slay a hero first.

After being cursed by the frost, Murak's mobility was reduced for a short period of time.

His champion cavalry also suffered heavy losses when attacked by the Death Knights.

Although Rhode was also affected by the Crimson Knight, the artifact's suppression allowed the Death Knight to escape the dream realm. Having experienced this, he would never use the Nightmare Whirlwind magic again.

Such a powerful unit, facing the Wind Erosion Knight whose commander had lost his skills, and the Champion Knight whose commander had his attributes stolen, gained the upper hand and gradually drove the cavalry regiment away.

If Murak is attacked in his current state, he is very likely to die.

However, Gaunt gave him no chance to breathe, and with a swift motion, he was about to sacrifice Murak to the flag.

Who told him to play the hero? Then let him die in Goode's place!

Just as the Dark Prophet's sword was about to strike, Goode charged through the barrier alone, spearing two Death Knights before parrying Gaunt's attack with his sword.

"Boom!"

The heavy blow nearly knocked Goode and his horse off their feet, and he only managed to regain his balance thanks to his exceptional skill.

Goode used the momentum to his side and flatten himself on the ground, then used all his strength to lift Murak with his other hand, placed him on the horse, and squeezed his legs together, sending the Crimson Dream Beast swiftly away from the battlefield.

This is the skill of a master equestrian. Even though he lost the Crimson Knight, his unwavering equestrian training and lance charges proved crucial in saving Murak.

A knight's faith is loyalty. When Murak stepped forward in the face of danger, he couldn't just watch the other die; otherwise, he would never forgive himself.

Of course, the rescue was risky. Goode's sword-wielding arm gradually frosted over as the opponent's curse power spread. Although he wasn't as badly injured as Murak, he still suffered a slight loss of some of his attributes.

To make matters worse, the lich relentlessly intercepted them, and the Death Knights also flanked them, intending to kill the two men on horseback.

"You...you shouldn't have saved me!"

Mlak lay on his horse, slightly weak, with icy blood and foam still dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"The knight will not abandon his comrades, much less the comrades who come to his rescue!"

Goode had always upheld this belief while he was in Conrad's team: even as a hero, he was first and foremost a cavalryman!
"Ahem, alright, then let's fight side by side!"

Despite his injuries, the moment Murak mounted his warhorse, his demeanor changed drastically, as if he had returned to the past and transformed into the omnipotent Swift Knight.

The Frost Curse, also known as the First Sword, was extremely powerful and instantly drained his attributes, leaving Murak somewhat unable to recover. Now that he has been rescued and removed from the source of the curse, with his strong attributes and physical strength, he has gradually recovered and is at least able to struggle to command his troops again.

With a light whistle, Murak's white horse came galloping over nimbly. Murak leaped off the horse and galloped across the battlefield once more.

Over 100 Champion Knights have been killed, more than half of their previous losses, while the Wind Erosion Knights have also suffered over 50 casualties. Being in the enemy's main force, constantly under attack from the Lich Kings, and facing the formidable Death Knights, they are indeed a formidable opponent.

Murak glanced at the snow-capped peak: "How about I hold Gaunt here while you lead the team to charge again and rescue the worshippers?"

The situation on the cliff was not optimistic either. The Golden Army had been basically wiped out, and Vera could only rely on Chain Lightning to try her best to wipe out the remaining Night Skeletons.

The main problem is that after the Arcane Prayer's offensive and defensive capabilities were stolen, the casualties gradually increased as they faced a tidal wave of enemies. If this continues, with every battlefield under pressure, defeat may not be far off.

However, Goode did not agree to this plan. Firstly, without the Crimson Knight, breaking through the encirclement of the army to reach the mountaintop would be no easy task. Moreover, without the support of the Wind Erosion Cavalry, the Champion Knights would soon be surrounded and isolated. He knew that Murak was willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good, but there was absolutely no need for it.

Goode trusted the Duke, and even more so his comrades.

At the critical moment, several beams of light suddenly appeared on the distant hills, rapidly growing larger and crashing into the undead formation like meteorites from outer space, causing a violent tremor.

Then, a few black wings appeared on the distant snow-capped mountains, and the Demon Hunter Griffin made its first appearance on the battlefield, heading to support the Arcane Prayer.

Meanwhile, a group of assassins silently appeared among the blood-red rebels, setting traps to kill enemies with every strike.

"The Divine Sacrifice Cannon and the Dream Thief—Oling and Wayne have arrived!"

The newcomer was indeed Orling, who came to meet him with the Earth Bow and the Divine Sacrifice Cannon, where he encountered Wayne, who was there to meet him. Hearing that the battle at the front was urgent, he could not delay any longer and led only a few dozen Demon Hunter Griffins and ten Divine Sacrifice Cannons to the battlefield.

With Wayne's logistical support, the entire unit arrived at lightning speed at the most critical moment.

Although lacking the support of archers, the Divine Sacrifice Cannon is inherently the bane of the undead. Combined with Orin's advanced spirit cannon techniques, a single shot can blast away hundreds of enemies. More importantly, the cannon, imbued with a dense concentration of light magic, makes it difficult for enemies to resurrect; even high-level units like the Death Knights can only evade it.

"A bunch of bastards, how dare you raid my Konatus! I'll blast you to smithereens!"

Orling's anger burned fiercely. Although he was not good at management, he still valued the fiefdom granted by the Duke. The sudden attack and breach made him lose face, so he abandoned everything to rush to the battlefield and teach the undead a lesson.

Wayne was also relaying a message to Good and Sedros: "Liliana has destroyed the obstacles along the way. His Highness the Duke will arrive on the battlefield soon. Hold them off, and victory is just around the corner!"

Since the Arcane Prayer is not a flying unit, its speed is greatly reduced when constantly harassed. The Logistics skill cannot improve its movement ability in a sustained battle, so Liliana simply went to clear the obstacles and meet the Duke.

The vampire prince and count can fly into the sky and have a clear view of the troops on the ground, making them ideal for clearing out mobs.

As for why Liliana wasn't sent directly to the battlefield, Su Mu wanted to give her a special title. If she were exposed to the kingdom's army, things would be more difficult to manage later. Furthermore, mixed troops, especially undead, would significantly reduce morale, preventing the leadership skills from being fully utilized—something Su Mu didn't want to see.

Even if Orling can't get there in time, Forrest and a large number of demon-hunting griffins are closer to the battlefield and will arrive soon.

He believed in the strength of his heroes, who were all already in charge of their respective regions, and were absolutely capable of holding the line.

Most importantly, the undead heroes are all harboring their own agendas and are fundamentally ununited. Kuraki's side, on the other hand, is united and their fighting strength is several times that of the enemy.

War is not just a battle on paper, but a fusion of will and cooperation. In this respect, no force does it better than Kuraki.

Confidence, invincible confidence.

Even with the Arcane Prayer damaged and the Wind Erosion Cavalry surrounded, Orling, with 10 Divine Sacrifice Cannons, remained fearless against tens of thousands of undead and the Crimson Legion.

When heroes are fearless, their soldiers will also be fearless.

Kuraki Hideo glared at the enemy, his eyes brimming with confidence—a confidence built from countless victories.

Heroes are invincible; only by doing them can you truly understand their meaning!

(End of this chapter)