This young master truly has the ambition of a hero.

Above the town, Dick, hovering in mid-air, shaded his eyes with his hand, gazing at the mushroom cloud he had created in the distant forest. The moment he was freed from the mental space, he soared into the sky and pursued the faint traces of magic left behind by his fleeing enemies.

They came here to kill him, how can we let him escape so easily!?

The entire counterattack was executed flawlessly, with flight, high-level shield, and charged missile all used simultaneously. All three spells—one medium and two high—were used at will, and his mental power instantly locked onto the enemy's body, which was 1,800 meters away, guiding the missile he released to strike the enemy's head directly.

After doing all this, Dick remained calm and composed, not even disrupting his breathing rhythm.

Staring at the mushroom cloud rising slowly in the firelight, it took Dick a full three seconds to realize that something was wrong.

"Huh! I think I... broke through?"

Dick looked at his hands in surprise, then touched his head, confirming that there were no obvious changes in his physical appearance, but his inner self had undergone a qualitative improvement without him even realizing it.

He successfully crossed the threshold that had troubled him for so long, breaking through from the high-level to the saint-level.

Moreover, because of his fully opened spiritual meridians, the moment he broke through, at least in terms of total magic power, he directly reached the peak of the Saint rank, without any intermediate state.

As for why he suddenly broke through, Dick figured he probably had to thank that "bad guy" who refused to reveal his name until his death.

Previously in the mental space, Dick released his three "distractions" to gang up on the intruder.

His three distracting thoughts are all his own "subconscious," and are equivalent to himself, but their fighting styles are different due to their race. This difference in style is actually Dick's own stereotype of himself, that is, he thinks that if he were of this race, he would have this kind of fighting style.

Dick, a human, has a fierce fighting style. He is a magic warrior who is proficient in both magic and martial arts, wielding a staff in one hand and a longsword in the other. He is capable of both attacking and defending when charging into battle.

Dick, an elven warrior, has a flexible fighting style. He never gets close to his enemies and flies around like a human armed helicopter, unleashing various attack spells.

As for the succubus Dick, his fighting style is characterized by its flamboyance! Rather than using spell attacks, he prefers to get close and absorb his opponent's magic power, constantly applying debuffs to his enemies.

In comparison, the genuine Dick suddenly felt that he was so damn unremarkable!

Although the three subconscious Dicks were fighting independently, they subtly formed a cooperative relationship and quickly developed a tacit understanding. The four Dicks, shouting about friendship, bonds, and the future, charged forward and gave the shadowy figure a sound beating, surprisingly resonating with each other because of their shared goal!

In a sense, this mental intrusion unexpectedly gave Dick an opportunity. The other party was like a catalyst that facilitated a chemical reaction, an unexpected and delightful surprise.

However, at this moment, Dick did not have the leisure to carefully experience the various changes after becoming a Saint-level mage. The town below was in chaos and needed his strong support.

With a thought, Dick felt a surge of magical power coursing through his body. The intense heat emanating from within made his entire body feel as if it were burning, but he felt no pain. Instead, it gave him an unprecedented surge of vitality.

Dick suddenly realized that his body was glowing, and his original flesh and blood body was rapidly transforming into a high concentration of magical elements. This was undoubtedly the unique Saint-level talent of the Elf race - Spirit Transformation!

In this state, the world that Dick sees has changed. All entities are reduced to a rough outline and a color representing the corresponding magical attribute. Dick can manipulate the surrounding magical elements at will with just a slight thought.

No wonder many ancient texts say that the elves are the darlings of the elements. Their mages are always stronger than human mages of the same level, and a Saint-level elven mage can even fight a human demigod mage for several rounds, because the spirit transformation technique is just too overpowered!

However, what concerned Dick somewhat was that the element after becoming a spirit seemed to be unselectable. He directly became a light element spirit, and now flying in the sky, he was as bright as a flare, making his presence impossible for either side of the battle to ignore.

"What's going on? Who fired the signal flare?"

"It's so bright! It's blinding!"

Before either side could figure out what the bright spot in the sky was, Dick's attack magic was instantly formed, and hundreds of beams of light descended from the sky, splattering the orc camp on the ground.

Each beam of light was dazzling and deadly, cleaving everything in its path in two.

As a strategic-level extraordinary power, a Saint-level mage truly has the ability to single-handedly determine the outcome of a battle.

In the entire Black Forest Empire, there are a total of eleven known Saint-level mages, of whom only seven are willing to serve the empire. Among them, one is Dick's teacher, and the other is his senior master.

Now that Dick has finally become a Saint-level mage, the first thing he does after breaking through is to transform into a magical air gunship to provide fire support to friendly units below.

On the other hand, although the orcs still had the advantage in numbers, the situation had been completely reversed. Their shamans were not even at the Saint level and were powerless to fight against the Saint-level Dick. They had just been wiped out, so their ordinary infantry had become meat on the chopping block and could only be beaten up by Dick in various ways.

Therefore, in this situation where they are being beaten one-sidedly and cannot even fight back, even if the orcs are bloodthirsty and warlike, they will inevitably be beaten to the point of morale collapse.

The humans could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Old Banner sheathed his sword, turned to look at his second son who had stopped struggling but was completely unconscious, and then kicked him again in a fit of anger.

"You troublesome little bastard!"

Soon, the scattered orcs fled the town, and Dick stopped fighting, dispelling his spirit form and returning to the ground.

It wasn't that he felt sorry for the orcs; it was simply that he wasn't used to being in spirit form for the first time and was already struggling to maintain his state.

After Dick flew down in human form, the people on the ground realized that it wasn't a divine manifestation, but rather their Lord Dick unleashing his power.

Some knowledgeable mages even recognized that what they had just witnessed was the "spirit transformation" unique to Saint-level elven mages. Since Dick had half elven blood, it was normal for him to possess this ability after breaking through to the Saint level.

However, Dick is only twenty years old according to human standards, which is just a child among elves. Even if he has a Saint-level mentor, to become a Saint at this age is an extraordinary talent!

Damn it! It's true what they say, comparisons are odious!

Amid cheers from the crowd, a group of burly knights surrounded Dick, intending to perform the most solemn "lift-up ceremony"—that is, to pick him up and lift him up a couple of times—but Dick stopped them in time.

"Stop laughing like an idiot, first strengthen the defenses and treat the wounded!"

The group, caught up in their excitement, finally came to their senses. They had only driven off the enemy, and they didn't know if the enemy had any reserves to make a comeback or any powerful individuals who could rival the Saint-level. They certainly couldn't be too happy yet.

So everyone dispersed, some rescuing people, others reinforcing the defenses. Fortunately, the orcs did not return until dawn the next day, and the heavy snow that fell almost all night completely buried the traces of the previous night's battle.

The world was a vast expanse of white, completely concealing the bloodshed and death.

Chapter 138: The Rear Area

After daybreak, the troops, having cleaned up the battlefield, set off to return to their camp.

This proactive attack resulted in a large-scale victory for them, with over five thousand orcs killed in total. Only last night's surprise attack caused them significant casualties, with over one hundred dead and over three hundred wounded.

Thanks to Dick's timely intervention after breaking through to the Saint rank, the situation was successfully salvaged. Otherwise, if the battle had continued to deteriorate, the casualty figures would have been far greater than this.

Fortunately, the retreat was relatively peaceful. The troops only occasionally encountered some scattered orc soldiers, which they easily wiped out.

The appearance of a group of human bandits, however, greatly surprised everyone.

This band of robbers was small in number, but they specialized in robbing refugees retreating towards the Allied camp. When Dick and his group encountered them, they were engaged in murder and robbery on the main road. After being captured, they shamelessly knelt down and begged for mercy, saying that they were willing to join the army and serve the masters.

Dick, of course, looked down on such trash, and with a curt "You're not worthy," he ordered his soldiers to hang them on a big tree by the roadside to wake them up.

The following morning, the troops returned to their base camp without incident.

Compared to when they first set out, the city walls had clearly been further reinforced. Hoffman was, after all, fighting on his own turf, defending his family's fiefdom that had been passed down for eight generations. While Dick led his men out to attack, Hoffman and his men were desperately strengthening the city's defenses and intensifying the training of new recruits.

The triumphant return of the army greatly boosted the morale of the allied forces. Dick specially organized a public commendation ceremony, distributing real honors and bonuses to these warriors who dared to face the ferocious orcs. The fallen also received generous compensation, and a few who made outstanding contributions were even knighted.

After the commendation ceremony, Hoffman hosted a banquet at his castle to welcome the noble knights back. Although these were extraordinary times and a grand celebration was inappropriate, a small one was perfectly fine.

At the banquet, Hoffman learned for the first time that Dick had broken through to the Saint Rank and was displaying great power in the front-line battle, defeating thousands with his powerful magic, and many people were spared because of him.

This left Hoffman with mixed feelings. On one hand, he was happy to have such a strategic expert on his side, but on the other hand, the thought of the past conflicts between the two sides made him feel a little uneasy, and he was already thinking about how to repair the relationship.

Saint-ranked beings are the nuclear weapons of this world. Before Dick became one, the surrounding lords saw him expanding his army as a threat. But now that he is, he is a crucial cornerstone for maintaining regional stability and peace!

If you're not convinced, you're welcome to try practicing it yourself.

While Dick was still attending a cocktail party, back in Ragug, a female orc was stumbling through the icy snow.

Her clothes were very thin, wrapped in a tattered cloth that she had somehow acquired. In such harsh, frigid weather, even if the orc was strong and robust, she should have frozen to death long ago. However, the strange idol she was holding kept radiating power to protect her, and it also made the female orc's mind go bewitched, as she walked and muttered to herself.

"Closer, closer and closer... What God desires, He will surely obtain!"

Soon, the female orc reached the outskirts of an ancient oak forest. The moment her feet stepped into the forest, the howling wind and snow around her stopped abruptly. Although the snowflakes continued to fall from the sky, everything seemed so peaceful and beautiful, quiet and serene yet not too cold.

The female orc who entered the forest seemed to sense something; her previously dull and wooden expression instantly turned fervent, and she hugged the statue and ran towards the center of the forest.

"Haha, ha, haha... I found it, I found it!"

The orc woman's maniacal laughter was so out of place in the quiet winter night, like a raven that would disturb a sweet dream, its sound noisy and unpleasant.

The female orc ran wildly to the center of the forest and immediately saw a pure white oak tree standing tall in the central clearing. The strange statue in her arms seemed to be coming to life, its surface showing a writhing flesh.

However, just as the female orc was about to step forward to "defile" the sacred tree while holding her idol, two figures suddenly appeared and blocked her from the white tree.

"Good evening, Miss who has come from afar. Young Master has asked me to wait for you here for quite some time."

The female orc looked up in astonishment and saw a human woman with short gray hair, wearing a flowing dress, standing before her with a large scythe in hand. Behind her, perched on the roots of a white tree, was a tall, thin, disheveled old man. Both of them gave her an aura of extreme danger!

While the female orc was in a daze, Rita was also looking her up and down, thinking that her master's speculation was indeed correct. After escaping the Hoffman family's dungeon, there was a high probability that this female shaman who believed in the evil god would risk running to Lagug. Rather than sending people to chase her, it would be better to wait for her at the winter god's resting place.

It just so happens that Master Behemoth is also there. One is a quasi-saint level and the other is a peak saint level. Intercepting a female shaman who knows some orc witchcraft is no longer like using an anti-aircraft gun to kill a mosquito, but like using a nuclear weapon to exterminate a cockroach!

Behemoth had returned to the capital before winter, and only returned to Laguge to continue his training.

Dick led his troops to support the Hoffman family, leaving the old man in Lagug as the "final weapon" to hold the line. It could be said that it was precisely because of his presence that Dick didn't have to worry about his home being raided.

Seeing the white tree so close, the female orc, or rather the blood god who controlled her, naturally wouldn't give up easily. She howled like a mad beast and charged toward Rita, who was closest to her, only to see a mocking smile on Rita's face. Then, a flash of white light appeared before her eyes, and her vision suddenly began to roll and spin upwards, landing with a thud on the snow. The image before her eyes finally settled on a headless body.

"Huh? That's it!"

Rita, who had instantly killed the man with a single move, looked in astonishment at the orc shaman lying decapitated on the snow. She had thought that this woman, possessed by an evil god, would at least be a tough opponent, but it turned out to be as easy as dealing with a stray dog.

Out of caution due to Dick's influence, Rita did not approach the corpse rashly. Instead, she took out the shotgun Dick had given her from her spatial ring and fired a shot each at the female shaman's head and body. Seeing that the corpse showed no signs of coming back to life, she took out a Molotov cocktail, intending to cremate the enemy on the spot.

Rita is not only cautious but also very frugal, knowing to use tools instead of consuming precious magic.

Seeing this, Behemoth, who had been silently observing from the sidelines, couldn't help but speak up.

"Let me do it, your Molotov cocktail smells when it burns."

Behemoth snapped his fingers, and the female orc corpse on the ground was instantly burned to ashes by a spiral of flames, but the eerie idol remained intact.

Behemoth used his telekinesis to retrieve the idol from the ashes, then took out a box, placed the idol inside, closed the lid, and recited a long incantation over the box.

"Take it. The seal I put on should hold for a while, but it's best to find a bishop-level charlatan to put a higher-level seal on the box. Don't open it easily."

As Behemoth spoke, he handed the box to Rita, who immediately took it with both hands and bowed to Behemoth while holding the box.

"Thank you, Master."

"No need to be so polite. Since I'm cultivating here, it's only right that I return the favor by acting as a gatekeeper for the one below. Go ahead, and feel free to come find me anytime if you need any help."

After saying this, Behemoth sat down under the tree and began to meditate with his eyes closed. Rita, on the other hand, took the box and returned to Lagug Castle overnight. She then entrusted Red Leaf, who was preparing to return to the front lines, to take the message with her.

"Just say the risk has been eliminated and everything is fine back home."

Thanks to the establishment of the central defense line, although Lagug remained under Level 1 martial law, there was no orc activity within its territory. Instead, refugees fleeing from the central and western regions continued to pour in, with several thousand arriving in less than a month. And this was during the harsh winter with its snow and ice!

Regarding these refugees, both Ruby Eyes, who remained in command, and Dick, who was far away on the front lines, agreed to accommodate them as much as possible and try to keep these people in Lagug.

Currently, in Lagug, Ruby Eyes, Rita, Shizuka Marikawa, and Lily are stationed in the main city, while Belfast is guarding the northern fjord with a group of ship girls. Apart from Ai and Honoka, who are still in their "trainee period," the other companions have gone to the front line to fight with Dick.

Rita actually wanted to go to the front lines, but her hometown couldn't be without its main force. Although Ruby Eyes was incredibly capable in domestic affairs, practically a female version of Zhuge Liang, she was truly powerless and often sighed at her soft, chubby body.

After storing the box containing the statue in the vault, Rita went to the office to find the Crimson Eye. Upon arriving, she saw Shizuka Marikawa arguing with the Crimson Eye. Ai, dressed in a cotton nurse's uniform, was following behind Shizuka Marikawa. Seeing Rita enter, Ai quickly bowed politely to her.

"Why are you arguing?"

"It's about the hospital's budget. To be honest, the recent overspending is quite serious."

"There's no other way. This is all to treat the wounded in the refugee camp. People are more susceptible to illness this time of year. We can't just take them in and then ignore them, can we?"

"That's true, but we're really having trouble preparing all our supplies!"

With her small hands outstretched, Hongyu Zhitong indicated that their original reserves of various supplies were quite sufficient, but no one expected the war to break out suddenly, and on such a large scale. Once the war machine is started, it becomes a money-devouring behemoth, and everything must be prioritized for the troops fighting on the front lines. Only if those troops can hold the line can the flames of war be prevented from reaching Lagug.

The problem now is that Laguge has only been saving up for a year, and he wasn't particularly wealthy to begin with. Now, he's almost at his breaking point.

Just as the group was at a loss, Honoka suddenly rushed in from outside, panting, and said to everyone in the office.

"Wow, so many cars... Come and see!"

Chapter 139: They can suffer the same loss repeatedly.

On the front lines, after suffering several heavy losses, the orcs sweeping through the legion finally realized the need to band together again.

The nominal commander of the sweeping legion was named Balo, a huge fat man nicknamed "Mountain of Flesh." After leading his warriors to capture a human lord's castle, he and his people lazed around there day and night, completely ignoring the other troops.

Until Ramon's messenger found him and brought him a strongly worded message.

"You son of a bitch, get back to command the legion, or I'll fuck you up!"

The messenger vividly conveyed to Ballow the entire string of birdsong and fragrant flowers uttered by the Beast King, word for word, so much so that the fat all over the Mountain of Flesh couldn't help but tremble.

So Balo dared not slack off any longer. He hurriedly sent his men to contact the tribes that were scattered and moving freely outside, asking them to gather at their respective locations.

The entire assembly process took a full six days, and only then did Balo realize with astonishment that his sweeping army had suffered losses exceeding ten thousand men during his time of abdication, including two commanders of ten thousand men, whose ranks were second only to his own. The reason for all this was that the humans had begun their counterattack!

"Why won't these despicable humans just obediently accept their deaths?!"

Having regrouped his army, Balo intended to get his revenge. He still had nearly 20,000 orc warriors, and his scouts reported that the humans had built a large city by the river, where hundreds of thousands of people had gathered. Balo immediately ordered his entire army to advance towards the city. He wanted to personally take it and chop all the humans inside into mincemeat!

Soon, news of the approaching orc army reached the allied camp. Dick, who had just finished resting and was preparing to set off again to fight guerrilla warfare, immediately called a halt to the operation.

The total strength of the coalition forces has now exceeded 40,000. Although the vast majority of them are conscripts with low levels of training and armament, these temporarily armed farmers can at least serve as "line-filling babies" if their side has fortified cities to defend.

Two days later, a massive orc army appeared on the west bank of the Nie River. Balo gazed at the human city on the opposite bank with a cruel sneer, as if he could already see the fear and despair on the faces of the weak humans as he stormed into the city and slaughtered them.