Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

Long trains travel through the sky.

Below lies the silent, black sea, and above, a horde of demons blots out the sky.

The winged monsters hovered in the air, sometimes swooping down, sometimes climbing up, densely packed like moving dark clouds.

Their flapping wings stirred up a foul wind that swept past the train, carrying the stench of decay and blood.

The train passed between them.

Sometimes you're only a few meters away from those demons.

You can see the patterns on their scales.

The lines, some deep and some shallow, resembled scars from being bitten by something.

You can clearly see the mucus dripping from their mouths.

The slime hung down from the fangs, stretching into thin threads that drifted in the wind.

But not a single demon discovered this enormous train.

The dwarves stood on the carriage, looking back towards the direction of Shield City.

The city-state built against the mountain was now completely covered in black.

The massive, originally gray-white city gate was gone, leaving only the surging blackness.

Demons crawled all over the city walls and the mountains, like countless ants gnawing at a dying behemoth.

They wriggled densely, layer upon layer, completely enveloping the entire city.

The magic crystal cannon's flames kept flashing, but each flash was swallowed up by more blackness.

The firelight was like the breath of a dying person, one breath after another, growing weaker and weaker.

Grom and the other dwarves silently clenched their fists.

That was the battlefield where they had been stationed for many years, and it was also their home.

The train is moving very fast.

The immense inertia from its weight of several thousand tons made it fly like a cannonball.

The wind whistled past my ears, and the demons raced after me relentlessly.

Lin Gui could actually have the craftsmen who built this train install a pneumatic cannon to increase its speed.

If he were to ask, the dwarves would never refuse in such a life-or-death situation.

But he didn't.

Because there are too many demons.

There are far more than one can imagine.

He dared not climb too high, dared not venture into those unknown skies.

No one knows what lies above the clouds.

They didn't dare to increase the speed too much.

Because of the sheer density of the demons, he could no longer control his movement at will.

If you go too fast, you'll crash into it.

Everywhere he looked, there were demons.

Some were hidden in the clouds, with only half of their twisted bodies visible.

Some hovered at low altitudes, their wings almost brushing the surface of the sea.

Some had just emerged from the sea, with seawater cascading down their bodies like waterfalls.

The ocean is churning, roaring, and devouring everything.

The demons on the sea are even more terrifying.

The black seawater churned and surged, and demons emerged from its depths.

When they rise to the surface, the seawater bulges up into a huge bulge.

The bulge cracked open, and the demon crawled out of the crack.

Some resemble giant octopuses, with tentacles reaching tens of meters in length.

Those tentacles are covered with suckers, and each sucker has barbs inside.

Some resembled twisted fish-men, wielding rusty tridents.

Their eyes bulge out of their sockets, without pupils, only a pale white.

Some were so small that their shape was completely unrecognizable; they were just a writhing mass of flesh and blood.

The flesh was constantly deforming, sometimes extending tentacles, sometimes growing sharp claws.

What's most terrifying is the terrifying aura they exude.

Each one of them could tear Lin Gui, this high-level mage, to shreds.

And as far as the eye can see, the number exceeds ten thousand.

Fortunately, as they moved away from Shield City, the number of demons decreased slightly.

But the numbers are still staggering.

Lin Gui urged the train to the sea.

We didn't fly for long before we saw the island.

Just one glance.

He then understood why Bahrain was so confident that it could control the island.

That way, the deep-sea demon can be nailed to the silent sea.

The water in the Silent Sea is black, as thick as ink.

Within this darkness, there is a narrow crevice, like a wound cleaved by a sharp blade, extending ever deeper into the darkness.

The edges of the crevice glowed with a purple light, as if something was shining inside.

Countless hideous demons slithered out from the cracks.

They emerge from the darkness, first showing their heads, then their twisted bodies, and finally their tails trailing behind them.

Covered in purple mist, it surged towards the direction of Shield City as soon as it emerged.

The mist lingered around them, refusing to dissipate for a long time.

At the exit of the gap.

The island of Jardine Matheson was thus firmly blocked in the middle.

Like a nail, driven into the devil's throat.

The island is long and narrow, pointed at both ends and wide in the middle, fitting perfectly into the exit of the crevice.

No matter how many demons surge up from below, they must pass through this island first.

It's a textbook example... a natural strategic location.

"That's Jaeger-de-Provence!"

Barna shouted excitedly, his voice trembling.

He pointed to the island, leaning forward as if he were about to jump off the train.

Grom jumped up and waved his fist.

His warhammer swayed in his hand, its head reflecting a dim light.

"I saw it! I saw it!"

"Once you master it, the pressure from the sea monster will be greatly reduced!"

"Perhaps Shield Fortress can hold out until the Black Tide gathers!"

He turned his head and roared at Lin Gui, the veins on his neck bulging:

"Hurry up! Bro! Hurry up!"

"Shield Fortress won't hold out for long!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Gui urged the train to speed towards Jiandun Island.

The train traced an arc in the air as it swooped down toward the edge of the island.

Guided by Barna, the train circled the edge of the island and headed toward the lair of the deep-sea demons.

They flew close to the island's peaks, the jagged rocks on the mountain walls almost scraping the carriages.

The moment we crossed the mountain peak.

Lin Gui's gaze sharpened.

On the other side of the mountain, there was the place where the dwarves planned to build their fortifications.

At this moment, the area is densely packed with disgusting buildings.

That is the lair of demons.

Countless ugly, tumor-like buildings cling to the ground and hang on the cliff face; some are still writhing, like living hearts.

The surface of those tumors was covered with vascular patterns, which pulsated rhythmically.

Purple mist seeped from the cracks in the building, permeating the air.

The fog was so thick it wouldn't dissipate.

Like a layer of purple gauze, it enveloped the entire area.

Countless demon cubs crawled among the nests.

They crawl on all fours like lizards, their movements swift yet chaotic.

Some had just emerged from the tumor, still covered in mucus.

The mucus was thick and transparent, and it stretched into threads on their bodies.

Newly born, it seemed to hear some kind of call and roared towards the direction of the Fortress of Shields.

They tilted their heads back, opened their mouths (which didn't yet have all their teeth), and let out sharp hissing.

Too much.

An unbelievable number.

Judging by appearances, it's already well over ten thousand...

Lin Gui stopped abruptly.

The train was suspended in mid-air, motionless.

In this situation, how should fortifications be constructed?

Although the cubs were small, their numbers were enormous.

As soon as they land, they will be submerged by them.

There was nowhere to settle down.

Barna patted him on the shoulder.

That hand was thick and warm, with a soothing force.

"fine."

He pointed to the nest.

"The extraordinary, legendary, and epic demons that used to block our capture of the islands have all gone to Ironshield."

His voice was calm, as if he were talking about something very ordinary.

"That is the greatest difficulty that we cannot recover even at a terrible cost."

"Because the Kuroshio Current is no longer an obstacle."

He paused.

"There are only some newly hatched demons inside."

"Although their numbers are terrifying, their strength is very weak; they are only low-level."

"Something that can be easily molded."

His tone carried a hint of relief, and a hint of mockery.

It seemed to be mocking the catastrophic crisis that the Black Tide brought them, but inadvertently solved their greatest difficulty.

Grom stood at the edge of the carriage, grinning menacingly.

A smile bloomed on his bearded face, revealing two rows of neat teeth.

"Ha! Bullying newly born demon cubs is my favorite thing to do."

His voice was filled with a bloodthirsty excitement.

He picked up the enormous warhammer.

The warhammer was taller than him, and its head was as big as a millstone, covered with runes.

"I'll smash them into mincemeat, hammer blow by hammer blow!"

After saying that, he jumped from a height of more than forty meters.

boom--!

Grom crashed into the island's ground, creating a huge crater and sending debris flying.

The pit was over ten meters wide, and the rocks along its edges were cracked into countless fine fissures.

The demon cubs all turned their heads to look at the uninvited guest.

Their small eyes first showed confusion, then bloodlust, and finally madness.

Then he charged toward Krom.

then.

Grom moved.

He swung his warhammer, and with a single blow carrying terrible power, smashed it into the nearest lair.

boom!!

The tumor-like building exploded, splattering purple liquid everywhere.

The splattered liquid sizzled on the ground, corroding small pits.

The demon cubs that hadn't even had a chance to crawl out were smashed into a pulp.

They didn't even have time to scream before they were reduced to pieces along with their nest.

The massive shockwave shook the ground.

The tremor spread outwards from Grom's feet, like ripples on the surface of water.

The surrounding nests collapsed one after another like dominoes.

One after another, one pressing down on another, the rumbling sound echoed everywhere.

Grom laughed loudly, like a lion charging into a flock of sheep.

His laughter echoed through the lair, drowning out the screams of the demon cubs.

With each step he took, the ground cracked.

The cracks stretched outwards from his feet, like a giant spider web.

With each swing of his hammer, vast lairs and demons are crushed.

Wherever the hammer wind passed, those lumpy buildings exploded as if they were made of paper.

Wherever the warhammer passed, it left behind only a devastated crater and shattered flesh.

The blood and flesh were smeared on the ground, mixed with purple fluid, emitting a pungent stench.

The demon cubs tried to fight back, but their tiny claws and teeth couldn't even break through Grom's skin.

They pounced on Grom, their claws scraping across his armor, leaving nothing behind.

They tried to escape, but Grom was much faster than them.

The cubs had barely run a few steps when Grom caught up with them, smashed them into the air with a single blow, and turned them into mincemeat.

"Come on! Come on!"

Grom roared, his warhammer sweeping across, smashing a swarm of demons into a bloody mist.

The blood mist filled the air, turning everything around it red.

He jumped up and slammed his hammer into the ground, causing the entire ground to shake.

The ground within a radius of tens of meters collapsed, burying countless lairs and demons into the rubble.

The falling pebbles stirred up clouds of dust that lingered for a long time.

This is the power of a legend.

The terrifying rule resulting from the crushing power of rank.

The number of demons below exceeds ten thousand.

But, under Krom's hammer.

An infant versus a robust adult?

No.

It's like an ant versus an elephant.

No matter how much, it won't hurt you in the slightest.

At least a thousand demons charged toward Krom, but not one of them managed to leave a scratch on Krom's armor.

Lin Gui stood on the train, looking down with slight surprise at the incredible power displayed below.

He has witnessed many legendary battles.

On the journey, in the city, in the wilderness.

But this is the first time I've seen such a one-sided massacre.

There were too many demon cubs, crammed together in dense swarms.

Grom doesn't even need to aim; a casual swing of his hammer is enough to kill a whole bunch of people.

They were too weak, so weak that they couldn't even break through Grom's protective aura.

He lunged forward, only to be bounced away.

One bite and my tooth broke.

Lin Gui turned his head and looked at Barna beside him.

The legendary dwarf mage stood with his arms crossed, watching the battlefield below with great interest.

A smile played on his lips, a smile full of joy.

Lin Gui believed that if he were to make a move, its power would definitely be stronger than Grom's.

After all, there is a universally acknowledged title for a legendary mage.

War machine.

Once the legendary magic is fully inscribed and unleashed, this entire half of the island could become his target.

The ground will crack, lava will erupt, and fire will rain down from the sky.

Those lairs, those demon cubs, will turn to ashes in an instant.

If he makes a move, the moment he finishes chanting the spell will likely be the moment he lands.

"Aren't you going to make a move?" Lin Gui asked.

Barna laughed.

The smile bloomed on his bearded face, tinged with a hint of slyness.

"If I were to take action, it would create too much of a commotion."

He pointed to the sea.

The black sea surface was calm and still, yet it concealed endless killing intent.

"We might attract those sea demons."

"Those are not like these newly born weaklings."

His voice was lowered, and his tone was heavy.

As long as the Second Shield City is not established, these terrible demons will continue to attack the Shield City.

He paused, then turned to look at Lin Gui.

Those eyes held a serious light.

The light was very bright, almost blinding.

"and……"

"I have to protect you."

He pointed at Lin Gui.

That thick finger almost touched Lin Gui's chest.

"You are too fragile. Any demon outside could kill you."

His tone was flat, as if he were stating a fact.

The truth is stark and unadorned.

"But you are far too important. So important that it concerns the very life and death of Stronghold."

His voice lowered, each word seeming to strike Lin Gui's heart.

He withdrew his gaze and continued looking down.

Grom continued his slaughter; with each swing of his warhammer, another horde of demons fell.

"The fortress lord wants to protect you personally, but apart from him, no dwarf can face those terrifying beings head-on."

There was a hint of helplessness in his tone.

"So, this task fell to me."

"And I will not let anything happen to you."

"Absolutely not."