Monster Girl Development Master.

So hot~ So comfortable~ So happy~

The little succubus slumped back in her chair, still stubbornly casting a smug look at the other monster girls, conveying a defiant "Can you do it?" attitude. Then, Celine and Serafina slid behind Johnson, attacking from both sides and capturing his lips. Their pink tongues flicked in and out, leaving saliva covering Johnson's entire face. Piper was released, and Lysander wrapped her arms around Johnson's thighs. The dashing green-haired centaur lowered her head, and together with the lively blonde dog girl, they bit down on his full sac and the root of his penis, which was outside the reach of the succubus's little feet.

Zero hesitated for a moment, but didn't immediately swallow Zhuang Sen. Instead, she slowly and methodically climbed onto Zhuang Sen's body, visibly changing its shape, wrapping Zhuang Sen's body with her breasts and buttocks. Finally, only Liulige remained. Being in a spirit form like Liliane, she yawned and possessed Zhuang Sen, monopolizing his soul. Amidst this multi-pronged stimulation, the succubus's clumsy attacks seemed insignificant.

The little succubus was about to cry.

Faced with this situation, even she, in her naiveté, knew her previous assumptions were completely wrong. Zhuang Sen had long been battle-hardened by other monster girls; he wasn't faking it, he genuinely felt nothing. Undeterred, she used all her theoretical knowledge. Her little feet, no longer confined to Zhuang Sen's hands, actively wrapped around and squeezed him, even climbing onto his head, using her toes to stimulate his single eye. Unfortunately, under Zhuang Sen's deliberate control, the little succubus's efforts ended in failure.

The little succubus cried.

After all this effort, from ancient times until now, my first encounter with my chosen partner ended in defeat because of my own lack of strength. I lost to a brutal red dragon, a clumsy dog ​​girl, a carefree centaur, a simple-minded machine girl, and a fish. Wow—

The succubus's tiny feet dangled limply on Zhuang Sen's back, twitching unconsciously, but without the previous effort. Her once proud face was now streaked with tears and nervousness, her pink eyes looking timidly at Zhuang Sen like a kitten afraid of being abandoned. To be honest, although Zhuang Sen didn't particularly like female imps, this clumsy little creature was quite endearing to him.

So he reached out and scooped up Lillianu, who had suddenly turned into a little crybaby, into his arms. Celine and Serafina giggled and made way for Zhuang Sen to press her tearful face against his, affectionately kissing her pink lips: "Silly girl~"

"Mmm—" The sudden kiss made Lilliannu's eyes widen. Before she could react, a burning sensation suddenly came from her lower abdomen—Zhuang Sen's hand had already slipped inside her tight leather clothes, his fingertips gently tracing the entrance to her hairless vulva, bringing a tingling pleasure.

“I’ll teach you properly later.” Zhuang Sen’s voice was deep and hoarse, carrying a burning heat. “Now, let’s feed this little crybaby first.” As he finished speaking, he slightly arched his back, sending himself completely into Lillian’s tight and juicy honey hole. The little succubus’s body tensed up instantly, then went limp, her aggrieved cries turning into soft moans, blending into the hazy ambiguity in the warm candlelight of the lounge.

The author says:

作者的话：卡文严重啊……总之先把魅魔酱吃了。进度更新：月票22/50，催更票0/50，打赏800/5000

Chapter 342: [Relics - Transcendence and Transformation] (3023 words)

"you're awake?"

Morning light filtered through the gauze curtains, spilling onto the bed. Tiny dust motes floated in the warm glow, and the air still carried the lingering sweet fragrance of last night and a faint scent of milk. A gentle voice sounded from nearby. Lillian blinked her dry eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering twice, before the blurry light and shadow slowly came together—Zhuang Sen was sitting by the bed, his fingertips lightly stroking her pink hair, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

Dead memories flooded back like a tidal wave: the enchanting scenes of last night, the aching sensation all over her body, the ultimate pleasure before she fainted… Lillianu's cheeks flushed a rosy pink, as if scalding milk had been poured over them, even the tips of her ears were tinged with a faint red. She subconsciously tensed her slender feet, her toes curling, ready to receive the next round of intimacy—but a few seconds passed, and all she felt was the soft touch of the blankets, without the expected heat and intensity.

This only made her more embarrassed. She buried her head in the pillow and made a muffled "gurgling" sound, while the tip of her tail drooped listlessly over the edge of the bed.

"A dignified succubus has actually been knocked unconscious by a man. If Naru finds out, she'll probably be in 'demon's life,' right?" Liulige poked her head out from Zhuang Sen's neck, her transparent body wrapped in a faint layer of seven-colored light patterns. Her voice was full of mischief, and she deliberately shook her semi-transparent tail, as if showing off that she had never been so "out of control."

Lilliannu's shoulders jerked, her tail tip stiffened, and her face drained of color, her breath catching in her throat. The Naru that Rurigo mentioned was the queen of the succubus race from ancient times, notoriously strict. She would likely use a technique like the [Heaven and Earth Shattering Fist] to discipline such an embarrassing little succubus; after all, monster girls are generally quite resilient…

However, Lady Naru should be in the deepest hell by now... No, what right do you, a mermaid ghost who's been fucked so badly by your darling that you're almost ascending to heaven, have to talk about me! Lillian suddenly realized what was happening, propped herself up, and kicked at Liulige's "watching the show is going to be a big deal" look with her white, tender little foot. But before her foot could even touch him, it was caught steadily by a warm, large hand.

His palm was warm and familiar, the rough lines of his fingertips brushing against her delicate soles. Her toes, which had been tense, curled up instantly, and all her strength seemed to drain away, leaving her limp and letting that hand gently caress her. "Darling~" Liliane's voice was as soft as honey-soaked cotton, the last syllable drawn out, indistinguishable between pleading and seduction. Her pink eyes were misty, making one's heart melt.

But Zhuang Sen simply lowered his head and kissed the back of her foot, which had no odor whatsoever but rather a faint milky scent, before gently putting it down. He then reached out and flicked her forehead with a light touch, full of affection: "Alright, you've slept all day. Get up and eat something—not the milk you're thinking of—and let's see what abilities you really have."

Although the system had explained the abilities in detail when retrieving the [Relic? Transformation], Zhuang Sen was afraid that this little succubus, who was good at nothing but addictive skills, would cause trouble again, so he deliberately changed the subject. Sure enough, as soon as her abilities were mentioned, Lillianu immediately quieted down. The tail that had been trying to crawl into Zhuang Sen's pants obediently wrapped around his waist, the heart-shaped tip gently rubbing against his side, the furry touch tickling him: "Generally speaking, my abilities are 'transformation' and 'enhancement' of monster girls' bloodlines. For transformation, for example, I can turn mermaids into crab girls, rat girls, or even candle girls, but it requires consuming the corresponding [bloodline]; but if it's on the original bloodline evolution line, it only requires [bloodline essence], like turning an ordinary mermaid into an adult mermaid."

She paused, deliberately puffing out her chest, but her thin chest barely rose and fell. Her tone was full of smugness: "The enhancement is even more amazing! It can enhance the monster girl's current bloodline, and even create entirely new evolutionary forms. It can even change the final form that is theoretically unable to evolve any further—my dear, you should have experienced it, right?"

Zhuang Sen had just scooped up a spoonful of lean meat porridge when the aroma of the porridge mixed with the fresh scent of minced meat wafted into his nose. Lilliannu instinctively opened her mouth wide as the warm porridge slid down her throat, smooth and soft. After she swallowed, Zhuang Sen smiled and asked, "You mean Ultimate Evolution?"

“Yes!” Lillian’s eyes lit up, her little tongue lightly licking the edge of the spoon. “After all, there are only three relics, and you, my dear, are the only one in control. The other monster girls can’t easily complete their ultimate evolution; they all have to rely on me. But there are conditions. They have to develop their current bloodline to almost 100% first, otherwise they have to use [Bloodline Essence] of the same attribute to supplement it. But the advantage is that their ultimate evolution forms are different. Even if they have the same bloodline, they may produce completely different appearances, just like those two red dragons over there—one is full of fighting and killing, and the other only knows how to amass wealth and slack off!”

Serene and Serafina, who had been inexplicably called out, were leaning against the sofa not far away, digesting their food. Upon hearing this, they both glanced at Lillianu. Serene poked her slightly protruding belly with her fingertip, while Serafina rubbed her lower back. The two exchanged a helpless yet amused look—considering the little one had just "woke up," they would let her off this time.

Lillian had originally wanted to boast about the "special treatment" of being fed by Zhuang Sen, but the interaction between the red dragon sisters completely overshadowed her, causing her lips to purse instantly. However, she continued, "Furthermore, I can extract complete monster girl bloodline storage, but the extracted monster girl will lose all her power; I can also use [Bloodline Essence] to repair damaged bloodlines, and also..."

By the time the little succubus finished her rambling, Zhuang Sen had already fed her three large bowls of lean meat porridge. Her little belly was bulging, like she was carrying a small ball, but she still held her head high, looking like she was "very powerful." Unfortunately, no matter how much she held her head high, her chest, which was even more barren than An Jie's, remained smooth and without any curves, making Zhuang Sen unable to help but laugh out loud.

He reached out and touched Lillianu's pink hair, then turned to look at Lysander and Piper standing to the side: "Why don't you two try to evolve to level five bloodline first?"

Lysander and Piper nodded immediately. They and Johnson didn't need to consider whether it was worthwhile or whether it would be too much trouble: "Of course!"

But after the initial excitement, the two faced a dilemma – which bloodline should they choose for evolution?

All eyes turned to Zero, who was clearing the dishes. The [Eternal Legacy] master, without looking up, replied, "For dog girls, there are only two superior forms: [Cerberus] and [Fenrir]. If Little Piper doesn't want to grow three heads, then [Fenrir] is the only option. For centaurs, there are more choices: [Celestial Centaur], [Wind Master Centaur], [Centaur Tyrant], [Flame Centaur]... I suggest Lysander, you choose [Centaur Tyrant] first, because this type of ability is better at commanding and strengthening subordinates, and you can easily switch back later anyway."

“Let’s do it this way.” Zhuang Sen made the decision, and Lisander and Piper had no objections. They walked together to Liliane. The little succubus leaned lazily against Zhuang Sen’s chest, and with a wave of her hand, pink light instantly enveloped the two of them. Within the light, their forms began to change noticeably.

Lysander's green mane turned a visibly dark red, gleaming with a metallic sheen, and cascaded down her neck. The natural tranquility she exuded was replaced by a domineering and tyrannical aura. Her size increased by nearly two sizes, her muscles became more defined, her once slender waist gained a sense of power, and her heroic eyebrows were tinged with a sharp edge. Even her voice became deeper, transforming her from a charming young girl into a powerful and domineering older sister who could look down on Zhuang Sen.

In contrast, Piper's changes were more subtle—his golden fur turned silvery-gray, like a layer of fine snow; his originally cheerful and honest expression faded, replaced by a more aloof and composed demeanor; his silvery-gray eyes were like moonlight covered in frost, but when he looked at Zhuang Sen, they softened instantly, and his tail swayed gently.

But the next second, "Centaur Tyrant" and "Fenrir" forgot to maintain their "aloofness" in their new forms and snuggled up to Zhuang Sen to rub his hand.

"Brother Zhuang Sen~ Look! My breasts have gotten a little bigger, and they feel so cool to the touch~" Piper pulled Zhuang Sen's hand and pressed it against her chest, her voice full of excitement.

Lysander bent down, her dark red mane brushing against Johnson's cheek, her voice filled with anticipation: "Darling, can I go to the battlefield with you now? I'll be your mount!"

Zhuang Sen chuckled and stroked Piper's silver-gray fur, then patted Lysander's shoulder: "Let's improve our strength first. A level five bloodline doesn't mean you're invincible." Although [Transcendence Transformation] can directly evolve a monster girl to level five, it can't retain the number of bloodline awakenings like natural evolution. It has to be calculated based on the difference before and after evolution—for example, Lysander evolved from a level three [Forest Centaur] with three awakenings to a level five [Centaur Tyrant]. Now her bloodline development level is only about 15%, which is still far from being ready for the battlefield.

He paused, then leaned close to Lysander's ear, his voice low and tinged with ambiguity: "Besides, you don't necessarily have to be on the battlefield to be a mount..."

A warm breath brushed against her ear, and Lysander's ears instantly turned bright red. Her initial disappointment vanished, replaced by a burning light in her eyes. Even her breathing quickened, and her dark red mane trembled. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Zhuang Sen's waist, her voice hoarse with longing: "Darling..."

Piper blinked, not understanding their whispered conversation, but she still leaned closer, softly resting against Zhuang Sen's other side: "Brother Zhuang Sen, Piper wants to be a mount too! Piper runs very fast!"

Looking at the scene before her, Lillian pouted again, but her tail quietly wrapped around Zhuang Sen's wrist—it seemed that if she wanted to keep her darling all to herself, she would have to learn some "real skills" first.

Chapter 343: First Contact (2909 words)

Nottiti Kattsa Gunfire, a typical Ferogu name, once belonged to a valiant leader who led his troops in a charge and shattered enemy lines during the Seventy-Third World War. Now, it belongs to a former lowly heretical slave who, after being elevated to a divine agent by the "True God," completely abandoned his past name and identity. Through countless brutal military operations and extreme training, he honed his claws and teeth, becoming a major general.

Now, he is leading his direct troops, traveling in transport planes, speeding towards the Fallen Star Kingdom. In the eyes of the Gunfire Major General, that land is a breeding ground for ancient evil, a lair of lowly demon girls, and a filthy corner where the glory of the true god has failed to shine—he will use the steel torrent and raging flames bestowed by the true god to completely purify this land, and either bring the evil artifact [Transcendent Transformation] hidden within back to the Holy Kingdom or destroy it completely.

That's right, they weren't there to help Greya seize the throne, but to take the artifact and then destroy Grandia. Greya's fantasy of seizing the throne with the help of the Holy Kingdom was a pipe dream from the start. The Fallen Star Kingdom and the Holy Kingdom are separated by thousands of miles, and the Ferro World is currently incapable of controlling this distant land for long—even if the Ferro people were used as a rule anchor to cover Grandia, the forces that could be drawn would be no match for Zhuang Sen and his monster girl forces, not to mention that such a draw would weaken the defenses of other fronts. As a major general, Gunfire would never do something so foolish as to lose more than he gained. In the end, his only goal on this trip was that artifact that could change bloodlines.

Ultimately, all he wanted and needed was a divine artifact.

Therefore, Gloria's fantasy was impossible to realize from the beginning. Whether it was the "Transformation Beyond" or the world of Ferro, they were just using and toying with him. Especially Lilianu, she was just a little devil playing a prank, just like when she showed Baro an ancient monster girl movie before... pure malice, without a trace of good intentions.

Of course, none of this matters to Gloria now that she's just an ordinary person. When the transport fleet from the world of Ferro appeared on the horizon of Grandia, they weren't greeted by the "open royal city defense" of Gloria's fantasy, but by the quietly spreading rules of the monster girl world—that invisible force, like a fine spider web, was wrapping around every intricate Ferro machine.

"Puff puff—" The rapidly spinning propeller suddenly emitted a muffled, distorted sound, like a stuck buzzer, the rhythm of the blades spinning becoming increasingly erratic. Before the pilot, Ferro, in the cockpit could access the fault data, a sharp "crack" exploded out, like a thunderclap as metal snapped. The entire propeller stopped instantly, thick black smoke billowing from the engine compartment, and the massive transport plane, like a clumsy bird with broken wings, violently lurched towards the ground, its wings screeching as they cut through the air.

Inside the cabin, red warning lights flashed wildly, the blinding red light turning every face crimson. Among the crowd, a few pure-blooded Ferro people, their skin gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen, maintained their composure, their fingers flying across the control panel; the majority were "half-transformed" from the Holy Kingdom and conquered smaller nations—their skin still retained a human texture, but their eyes were filled with unease. These people had been conquered by Ferro's firearms, and had used them to oppress their own kind, possessing an almost superstitious worship of guns and machinery, much like how those with bloodlines depended on their own blood. Now, with the transport plane inexplicably malfunctioning, they were like warriors whose bloodlines had been sealed, an uncontrollable panic welling up within them, even their fingers trembling slightly.

"What's the panic! Jump in tactical groups!" The gunner's roar echoed through the cabin via the communicator, his cold voice carrying an undeniable authority. The half-transformers snapped back to reality, forming pre-arranged tactical teams in pairs. Their fingers flew as they unlocked the chocks on their parachutes, the tactile feedback of their fingertips gliding over the canvas and metal buckles clearly audible. After confirming the parachute lines and harnesses were in place, they orderly rushed towards the open hatch. White parachutes bloomed one after another behind the falling transport plane. Occasionally, a few parachutes broke due to mechanical failure, carrying soldiers straight down to the ground, raising a fine cloud of dust.

This can be considered the advantage of the "item-based" approach. Those whose bloodline is sealed are doomed, but they still have the opportunity and ability to use items.

……

On the ground, Zhuang Sen had just activated a monster girl's lair. Looking up at the sky, at the gray parachutes—some fully deployed, others crooked and broken—a knowing glint flashed in his eyes. It seemed that just as the Ferro world could only seal bloodlines, the monster girl world couldn't completely destroy the Ferro world's technology either; it could only cause damage. Therefore, the more advanced and sophisticated the technology, the more likely it was to fail, while the simpler and cruder it was, the more likely it was to be unharmed.

Once he had a clear view of the situation in the air, Zhuang Sen raised his hand and retracted the monster girl's lair, and the power of rules that had enveloped the area quietly dissipated. What he wanted was a "comparison of combat power under normal conditions," since in a real battlefield, one might not always be able to suppress an opponent with the rules of the lair. As for shooting down the transport plane, firstly, it forced the Ferro army to land outside the city, preventing the heart of the royal city from being subjected to "high-altitude ground-licking" air raids—the advantage of high-altitude attacks was too obvious, and if the transport plane were allowed to circle and strafe normally, this test battle would lose its meaning; secondly, it was also to simulate the situation of a real battlefield—in a real confrontation, there would inevitably be high-level bloodline users responsible for restraining or even destroying the enemy's air force.

Just like the data he extracted from the previously captured Ferro people: the speed of a Level 4 flying bloodline user is in no way inferior to the Ferro bomber, and is more agile, smaller in size, and has a longer endurance, making them fully capable of intercepting such aerial targets.

Therefore, what follows is a "fair battle".

Two thousand six hundred Crusaders descended from the sky, leaving only eighteen hundred standing. They were all dressed in gray camouflage uniforms, with black sensor goggles pressed against the edges of their helmets. The goggles gleamed with a pale blue light as they scanned their surroundings. The barrels of their rifles gleamed with a cold, hard metallic sheen, and their designs were very futuristic. Silver military daggers and black pistols were tucked into their waistbands, and their chest belts were laden with round grenades, gray smoke grenades, and... red first-aid potions.

This stuff is much better than adrenaline.

A deep rumble echoed from behind the crowd as the engines of three [Divine Might] tanks slowly started, their tracks grinding through the gravel and leaving deep serrations. The previously anxious Crusader soldiers, hearing this familiar sound, seemed to find their anchor; their tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and their breathing became more even. The Gunnery Major General strode onto the turret of [Divine Might One], his black leather boots clicking on the metal deck. His taut jawline softened slightly, and as he looked at the distant Starr army arrayed in the distance, his eyes still held disdain for the "backward army of cold weapons."

Even during their parachute jump, they spotted the Starr Army lined up for battle—their steady rifles, complete equipment, and three still-functioning [Divine Might] tanks filled them with confidence in this "native army wielding swords," even with a touch of disdain.

Even the Major General of Gunfire wasn't worried about the Starr army, which clearly outnumbered them. Standing on the [Divine Might One], his cold gaze swept over the Starr army formation ahead, and he gave the order into the communicator: "All troops, disengage your weapons and advance in loose formation to annihilate all the natives!" His voice was completely flat, as if he were giving the order to "clean up the trash."

"Whoa whoa whoa—!" The Crusader soldiers shouted excitedly, their fingers gripping the trigger guards of their rifles. The sensor eyepieces activated instantly, displaying a dense array of red dots—the locked-on Starr soldiers. In their minds, as long as they aimed at those red dots and pulled the trigger, victory would automatically be theirs. At the same time, the cannons of the three [Divine Might] tanks slowly rotated, their muzzles pointing at the "high-intensity energy individuals" marked on the radar—the area where the Starr bloodline members were located. The indicator lights at the rear of the cannons began to flash, entering a ready-to-fire state.

"What do we do next?" Zero's translucent silver body gently pressed against Zhuang Sen's arm. At this moment, she had transformed into a "temporary battlefield reporter," capturing every detail of the battlefield from multiple angles. Her red eyes reflected the two opposing armies in the distance, and her voice carried a hint of curiosity.

Zhuang Sen's gaze fell on the Starr army formation, and he said with a smile, "Now, just watch Lysander's performance."

Following his gaze, Lysander stood firmly at the front of the Starr army—after evolving into the Centaur Tyrant, her green mane had turned dark red, gleaming with a metallic sheen, cascading down her neck and over her shoulders; her rune-plated armor clung to her taut muscles, and the family crest on her chest gleamed in the sunlight. She raised her lance high, the golden battle banner at its tip fluttering in the wind, her dark red eyes sweeping over the cavalry behind her, her voice carrying the weighty power of her awakened bloodline, piercing the battlefield's clamor: "Cavalry! Charge with me!!!"

The cavalrymen in formation swiftly lowered their face armor, the runic plates clanging crisply against each other. They gripped their lances and longswords tightly, adding the family motto to their pledge to the Duchess: "The giants are here!!!"

A torrent of steel surged down like a waterfall.

The author says:

作者的话：进度更新：月票32/50，催更票0/50，打赏1100/5000

Chapter 344: Probing War - Part 1

The horses' hooves, clad in heavy steel armor, pounded the ground, each step kicking up clumps of mud as they leaped into the air with a resounding thud. The heavy, sturdy full-body armor, engraved with intricate runes, radiated a bluish light that intertwined with the earthy yellow glow emanating from the knights' plate armor. This interplay accelerated them while simultaneously blocking the barrage of red beams of light. The scorching beams struck the light shields, leaving only sparks before vanishing without a trace. The cavalry surged forward like a raging torrent, swiftly crossing the open wheat fields and plunging into the scattered ranks of the Crusader army.

The crimson flames encased in the spearhead scorched the air, producing a faint crackling sound, and tore through the gray camouflage fabric without resistance. As it pierced through warm, soft flesh, the soft cracking of bones could even be heard. The impaled Crusader soldiers, like dolls strung on a long pole, were sent flying with the thrust of the spear, their blood dripping down the shaft and spreading dark red patches on the frozen ground.

The [Divine Might] chariot's cannon, which had been rotating for calibration, suddenly paused—as if it too was taken aback by the cavalry breaking through the barrage of fire. It then resumed rotation, the muzzle flashing blindingly, the thick smoke of gunpowder mingling with the acrid smell of burning metal, making throats tighten. The flying shell shattered the ochre-colored light shield, slamming heavily into the knight's steel armor. The immense impact sent both rider and horse flying into the air, followed by a deafening roar as an orange-red fireball exploded in the center of the battlefield.

A wave of heat, carrying shrapnel and debris, swept across the area, instantly scorching the air. Crusader soldiers, licked by the flames, curled up into charred ashes, crumbling into powder with a gust of wind; while the Starr knights, protected by their plate armor shields, only suffered minor falls—a few unfortunate enough to be too close—the rest pausing only briefly before regaining their footing, the runes on their armor still shimmering faintly. A brief silence fell over the battlefield, then erupted again with the sounds of fighting, gunfire, and the rushing of soldiers. This time, the Starr infantry phalanx, spears in hand, joined the fray in orderly ranks.

But arriving on the battlefield even faster than the infantry was a hail of arrows fired by the Starr's archers. Fel iron arrows, enhanced with explosive effects in the simplest way, whistled down, piercing the air with a sharp cry. These arrows, though unable to penetrate the knights' runic shields, were deadly weapons to the Crusaders clad only in "simple" cloth. Unfortunately, the Crusaders were already scattered in skirmish lines, greatly reducing the effectiveness of the arrow hail. Instead, from behind a broken wall in a corner of the battlefield, several thin, blood-red beams of light suddenly appeared, like the forked tongues of venomous snakes. Each flash pierced the chests of two or three archers, leaving gaping wounds from front to back, warm blood dripping down the beams and forming small puddles on the ground.

……

The battlefield chosen by Johnson was an open plain on the outskirts of Grandia. This land had once been the private property of Grandia, with several red-roofed, white-walled manors scattered across the fields. The vast golden wheat fields had already been harvested, leaving only low stubble. The open terrain was suitable for cavalry charges and for chariots to deploy. The barns in the fields and the low stone walls, though simple, were exceptionally sturdy, providing temporary cover for infantry without hindering the movement of large weapons—it couldn't have been a fair battlefield.

Johnson had originally envisioned the Crusaders using the manor's low walls and barns for positional warfare, employing long-range firepower to test the effectiveness of the runic items deployed by the Starr army in both offense and defense. However, the actual tactics employed were entirely different from his expectations: the Crusaders not only failed to hold their positions but also actively dispersed into skirmish lines to advance on the Starr army; Lysander, instead of sending heavy infantry to deplete the enemy's ammunition, led a frontal charge with her cavalry.

But looking at the situation on the battlefield, Zhuang Sen felt that both options were actually reasonable. If the Crusaders had initially huddled together and held their ground in the manor, those low walls, barely reaching waist height, would have been no match for the rune-enhanced cavalry charge. The entire army would have been reduced to mincemeat like straw crushed by iron hooves. It was precisely by dispersing into skirmish lines that they only lost a small number of troops and were able to flexibly evade the subsequent barrage of arrows.

Conversely, the Starr army, led by Rolisandra, did not launch a frontal charge to disrupt their formation. Instead, they preemptively turned the battlefield into a chaotic melee. The main cannons of the [Divine Might] chariots could then bombard the enemy with ease. Furthermore, the laser guns, activated by the [Overload] mode and capable of piercing the rune shields of archers, meant that even if the infantry had thicker shields, they would be easily killed due to their slow movement speed, without even having a chance to get close.

"Fighting is definitely more my style." Zhuang Sen stroked his chin and muttered to himself. "But it's okay, I may not know how to command, but my wives do." His gaze fell on Lisander in the center of the battlefield, wondering what his wife, who had just evolved into the Centaur Tyrant, would do next.

……

On the chaotic battlefield, the main cannon of the [Divine Might] chariot was reloaded, its barrel slowly raised, aiming at the archer phalanx behind the Starr army. The musketeer general knew that only direct artillery fire could kill knights. Now that the cavalry had charged into the melee, continuing to target the knights would only result in friendly fire; it was better to turn to the more vulnerable archers—no matter how superior the equipment, the human spirit is always fragile, and too many deaths would cause an army to collapse instantly. Even elite troops could only withstand 20-30% losses at most; beyond that, the entire force would be utterly routed, unable to mount any effective resistance.

Of course, this refers to something that is intuitive and obvious, preferably instantaneous damage. Otherwise, in the chaos of the battlefield, people might get carried away and fail to notice the losses. The [Divine Might]'s artillery fire can cause direct and instantaneous massive damage, making it the easiest way to break down the enemy's psychological defenses!

"Boom!" The cannonball whistled through the air as it left the barrel, landing precisely on the archer phalanx. The Starr archers, who had already witnessed the power of the cannon fire once, showed obvious panic on their faces; some even instinctively dropped their bows and arrows, trying to dodge. But this panic was quickly dispelled by a tall figure, replaced by a fierce fighting spirit.

The figure was ten meters tall, with rough, bluish-gray skin covered in cracks. Its bulky body resembled a pile of boulders, its short, thick neck almost invisible, topped only by a head larger than a millstone—a single, murky eye embedded in the center of its skull, its pupil gleaming with the dark red aura characteristic of a fourth-level bloodline [Cyclops]. It strode forward, its steps shaking the ground, and stood directly in front of the cannonball's path, its broad chest slamming into it.

"Boom!" Flames and smoke shot into the sky. The Cyclops only staggered back two steps, his heavy feet accidentally crushing a foot soldier who couldn't dodge in time, sending him sprawling into the soft ground. Then, he bent down, plunged his thick hands into the ground, and violently lifted two stone balls, each half a person's height, and hurled them like shot puts at two other incoming cannonballs. "Bang! Bang!" Two loud explosions rang out as the cannonballs were smashed by the stone balls in mid-air. The shockwaves created a gust of wind that extinguished the flames burning on the Cyclops's chest, revealing charred skin—and beneath that skin, tender new flesh was wriggling and regenerating at a visible speed. The cannon fire had only added a shallow wound to it.

This level of bombardment alone wouldn't be enough to fatally damage a Cyclops with its thick skin and tough flesh. This horrifying scene caused the Crusader soldiers, who had been resisting, to change color drastically, their morale plummeting to rock bottom.

The Starr Army, of course, has its own high-ranking bloodline members! This is an army preparing for rebellion; without even a few level-four bloodlines, they wouldn't even be able to penetrate Grandia, let alone anything else. And after witnessing the power of the artillery bombardment, the Cyclopes who felt they could withstand it didn't mind contributing their strength to the new Duchess.

The situation reversed once again. The gunner, looking at the Cyclops standing in the distance, first gave orders to his personal guard—composed of real Philo—and then, via radio, issued the same command to the three [Divine Might] tanks on the entire army's communication channel: "All [Divine Might] tanks, activate divine power, set output to maximum!"

At the same time, Lysander, having just completed a charge, reined in her horse, causing it to rear up and neigh. She raised her lance high, the golden banner at its tip fluttering in the wind; its once dazzling gold was now soaked with dark red blood, yet it still reflected a bloodthirsty sheen in the sunlight. Lysander didn't shout any more slogans; instead, she took a deep breath, her chest heaving, and slammed her lance down. A dark red aura spread from beneath her horse's hooves, washing over the ground like a tide, finally coalescing before her into a ferocious beast's head—the [Centaur Tyrant]'s ability, [Rampage Aura].

The cavalrymen following behind her instantly felt a surge of intense power coursing through their bodies, sweeping away the fatigue of the previous charge and filling their muscles with renewed explosive power. They shouted excitedly, leveled their lances, and raised their horses' hooves once more, launching a new charge towards the chaotic Crusader positions with an overwhelming momentum. Dark red halos spread along the cavalrymen's horses, leaving long trails of light behind them, like shooting stars crashing down on the enemy lines.

Chapter 345: A Probing War, Part 2 (3007 words)

A crimson glow of charge cast afterimages across the frozen ground as Lysander's cavalry surged forward like a runaway tide, hurtling towards the three [Divine Might] chariots still adjusting their cannons. The thud of hooves grew louder, like rapid drumbeats pounding in everyone's hearts. The lances in the knights' hands blazed with even fiercer flames, the red glow of the runes at their tips intertwining with the earthen sheen of their armor, weaving a blazing net of light in the sunlight. Some Crusader soldiers tried to stop them, throwing smoke bombs or grenades, but these projectiles couldn't keep up with Lysander and her cavalry's speed, only creating layers of explosions and smoke behind them, making them appear even more terrifying and unstoppable.

Leading the charge, Lysander reached the chariot first, her lance whistling through the air. Under the terrifying force of the Centaur Tyrant's charge, and enhanced by her powerful armor, she pierced directly through the frontal armor of the Divine Might II. In a head-on clash between the "land kings" of the cold weapon era and the firearms era, the mystical power of bloodline ultimately prevailed. With the [Explosive Flame] rune's enhancement, Lysander sent the entire Divine Might II flying!