Faerun: The arcane mage is still too imprisoned.

The Sassanid army is still advancing.

The shield bearers in the front row raised their large shields above their heads, like iron-shelled turtles, moving forward slowly and steadily.

The shield was studded with arrows, some of the tips of which pierced through the wooden planks, gleaming coldly in the morning light.

People fell from time to time, struck by arrows, and soldiers immediately took their place, raising their shields and continuing on. No one gave the fallen a second glance.

Cassius rode behind the column, watching the fallen soldiers with a blank expression.

He knew perfectly well that these twelve thousand people were there to fill the gaps and uncover the sorcerer's true nature. And in his view, one time would definitely not be enough.

There's no benefit in killing them, so why would a mage act so easily?

The rain of arrows from the city wall grew denser and denser.

Gaps began to appear in the Sassanid shield wall. A shield bearer was shot through the thigh, fell with a scream, and his comrade next to him was too late to cover him. Several arrows went through the gap, and many behind him fell.

"Quickly! Replace them!" the centurion roared, his voice cracking.

Several soldiers gritted their teeth and rushed forward, raising their shields to block the breach.

The shield wall closed again and continued to push forward.

One hundred meters.

"Archers!" Cassius raised his hand.

Two thousand archers immediately formed ranks, drew their bows, and nocked their arrows; the sound of taut bowstrings blended into a deep hum.

"put!"

Two thousand arrows soared into the air, drawing a black arc as they rained down on the city wall.

A series of muffled thuds echoed from the city wall. Arrows struck the crenellations, the bricks, and the shields with a series of rapid, resounding "thuds."

Several defenders fell, struck by arrows, and were immediately dragged away by their comrades. New soldiers took their place and continued firing. No one retreated an inch.

Graham stood atop the city gate tower, looking down at the dark mass of enemy troops below, his brow furrowed slightly.

"Send the order: the reserve force is to go up the city wall."

"yes!"

Two thousand reserves ran up the city wall and were deployed to various defensive lines.

The exchange of arrows continued.

People fell on both sides, and people came to their aid, but the Sassanids suffered more casualties. The corpses piled up beneath the city walls, and the blood congealed the ground into a purplish-black color.

"Assault team, charge!"

At a command, soldiers carrying ladders rushed out from behind the shield wall, yelling as they charged forward.

The ladders were placed on the city wall, the iron hooks gripped the crenellations, and the soldiers began to climb up.

Boiling oil was poured down the city wall.

"Ahhhhh—"

Screams pierced the sky. Soldiers doused in boiling oil fell from the ladders, rolling and howling on the ground, white smoke rising from their bodies, their flesh torn open to reveal their white bones.

The people behind them stepped over their corpses and continued climbing.

No one hesitated.

The battering ram was also being pushed forward.

Dozens of warrior professionals pushed a huge hammer cart. The highest level among them was only level 7, and there were no higher-level professionals in the other units. Both sides tacitly agreed not to send out any Exemplary-level professionals.

With each step the soldiers took, they roared a shout, their veins bulging on their necks.

"Shoot arrows! Shoot those pushing carts!"

A dense rain of arrows poured down on the hammer cart. The soldiers pushing the cart were all elite, clad in heavy armor, and none of them were killed.

"Thump!"

The first impact.

The city gate shook violently, and dust fell in droves.

"Thump!"

The second time.

A section of the iron sheet on the city gate was dented, revealing a complex magic circle that emitted a faint purple light.

"Reserves, hold the city gate!"

To reduce the energy consumption of the magic circle, Graham sent people to hold it off.

Hundreds of soldiers rushed forward, shields held behind them, their shoulders braced against the shields.

Immediately afterwards, more ladders were erected on the city wall. The sound of iron hooks biting into the crenellations rose and fell.

The fighting on the city walls grew increasingly fierce. Sassanid soldiers kept climbing up the ladders, only to be killed.

Just then—

Everyone saw the silver-white figure.

He rose from within the city, like a rising sun.

Her long, silvery-white hair fluttered in the wind, and her deep blue mage robe billowed in the morning light like a flag.

The morning light shone on him, gilding him with a golden edge, making him look like a god rather than an ordinary person.

The city wall fell silent for a moment.

Lance hovered thirty meters above the city wall, looking down at the battlefield.

To be honest, he had been secretly observing for quite some time.

The highest rank among this group was only Elite, and Cassius, at the Exemplary rank, was still far from the city walls and showed no intention of attacking. Furthermore, no mages had infiltrated the group—they were all harmless, as confirmed by their glances. So what were they waiting for?

"It's my turn to perform."

"Once this wave of minions is cleared, I can reach level 6."

He raised his right hand, making a spellcasting gesture.

The Fireball spell cannot be used, otherwise it will damage the magic circle on the city wall.

Lance chose another spell.

He pointed to the spot on the city wall where the professionals were lined up.

[Third Ring Spell - Lightning Bolt!]

A blue-white bolt of lightning shot from his fingertip, emitting a piercing "sizzle" sound, like thousands of birds screaming at the same time.

The lightning bolt was five meters wide and one hundred meters long, more than enough to strike a whole line.

Within that five-meter-wide area, everything was engulfed by the electric light.

Lightning struck the foremost Sassanid soldier. Before he could even scream, his body stiffened, and the flesh beneath his armor was instantly charred.

In a straight section of the city wall spanning twenty meters, more than a dozen Sassanid soldiers were pierced by electric light and died instantly.

The ladder was shattered by lightning, burning and breaking apart before crashing to the ground.

The defenders on the city wall paused for a second, then erupted in a deafening cheer.

"Master!"

"It's Mage Lance!"

"Lord Lance!!!"

We respect and admire your teeth!

Although this spell doesn't kill many enemies, it has a fantastic visual effect and instantly boosts morale.

Lance didn't stop.

Several more bolts of lightning cleared the ladders near the city gate.

He turned to the position of the battering ram.

The battering ram was still pounding against the city gate.

Invisibility spell activated!

His figure disappeared into thin air.

Lance then quickly landed on the ground and raised his hand.

[Third Ring Spell - Lightning Bolt!]

The next second, blue and white lightning shot out from the void and hit the hammer car precisely.

The soldiers pushing the carts fell to the ground one after another, their hair standing on end, their eyes rolling back, their mouths open but unable to make a sound, their health bars instantly emptied.

Even elite-level professionals were momentarily stunned, their bodies convulsing uncontrollably, and their weapons falling to the ground.

The hammer truck lost power and stopped in place.

The banging on the city gate stopped.

A deafening cheer erupted once again from the city wall.

Another lightning bolt sent the elite professional to his death.

Lance emerged from his concealment, his silver-white figure soaring into the air once more, flying towards another section of the city wall.

More Sassanid soldiers climbed up there.

He hovered in mid-air, looking down at the enemies who were charging up the city walls. Their faces still bore the marks of bloodlust and madness, but when they looked up and saw that silver-white figure, their madness turned into fear.

[Lightning Bolt!]

Blue and white lightning streaked across the city wall, sweeping away the enemies on the wall like a broom.

A silvery-white figure flew back and forth above the city wall, like an agile eagle.