CHAPTER 406: CHAPTER 350 WAR BREAKS OUT_1

After enduring a harsh winter, a strong southeast wind one day swept across Wildwind Highlands.

The warm, moist air from the sea pushed the dry, cold air northward. After several days of drizzle, the entire world took on a different hue.

Animals that had hidden in burrows all winter long peeked out, and the skies suddenly filled with birds.

And at this moment, the world’s attention was fixed upon Storm City.

A newly built Temple stood imposing and spectacular, its hall filled with a great throng of nobles.

A choir of Priests chanted solemn hymns, and divine white light shone down from the circular dome, bringing the majesty of the gods to the world.

Anderson, in a suit of exquisite armor, knelt below the altar.

...

"The common sovereign of mankind, the favored child of the gods, the great and sagacious Emperor of the Griffon heart... has witnessed Anderson’s bravery and the outstanding contributions he has made to the human race. He has also seen that Anderson will undoubtedly have to shoulder more tasks and burdens in the future.

The bugle of the charge has already sounded, and a new Chapter of an era is unfolding.

The human race is about to embark on another campaign.

The Emperor of the Griffon heart, heeding the divine will, bestows Wildwind Highlands upon Anderson and hereby invests him as Duke of the Wildwind..."

Grand Priest Lancelot read the proclamation of Anderson’s investiture, placed a Duke’s coronet on his head, and kissed the largest gemstone on the coronet.

With the double recognition from the Emperor of the Griffon heart and the Temple, even if some aspects were unorthodox, Anderson was now the legitimate Duke of the Wildwind.

Anderson stood, faced his vassals, military officers, and officials, and swiftly unsheathed his sword.

All in the hall drew their own weapons and held them aloft, shouting in unison, "Duke of the Wildwind! Duke of the Wildwind!"

From that moment on, higher ranks and more lands were open to everyone here.

With the full support of the Cloud Tower, the Wildwind Highlands Legion was confident they could fight anywhere in the world.

Anderson didn’t spout any grandiose rhetoric at his ducal coronation.

No splendid speech could compare to the most succinct and straightforward of slogans.

"Advance toward the entire expanse of Wildwind Highlands!"

The war, for which everyone had prepared all winter, finally erupted.

The well-prepared Wildwind Highlands Legion, centered around Riftfort, launched an attack on the defensive positions of Eternal Domain from a battlefront tens of kilometers long from north to south.

The heavy Magic Bombardment Devices positioned behind the front lines fired first.

Each heavy Magic Bombardment Device, assembled from nine alchemical magic arrays, required nine Mages to operate it, with one Mage presiding over each array.

Others were responsible for placing the required casting materials into the magic arrays.

First, four Mages erected the launch trajectory. Then, another four worked together to construct the attack magic’s framework, constantly adding casting materials to maintain the structure during the build.

Once the magic was complete, the Mage in the very center sent the magic into the launch trajectory.

An upward airflow in the trajectory would send the magic to a height of several hundred meters or a kilometer before it glided toward the predetermined bombing target.

Upon reaching the target area, the preset triggering mechanisms automatically released the magic’s power.

Thus, when the Wildwind Highlands Legion launched their attack, enormous, brightly glowing Magic Light Spheres rose from behind their lines.

After reaching their zenith, these Magic Light Spheres quickly drifted over to Eternal Domain’s positions.

While one wave of Magic Light Spheres was still en route, a new wave rose into the sky.

Batch after batch, like a meteor shower streaking across the sky.

The moment the heavy Magic Bombardment Devices initiated the offense, the airships positioned in the launch airspace also moved forward.

Whenever the opportunity arose, they would break through and bomb Eternal Domain’s positions.

As the Wildwind Highlands Legion’s third wave of magical bombardment ascended, even before the first wave had landed, Eternal Domain’s artillery on their flank opened fire.

The D-20 model 152mm howitzer imitations were a batch of heavy artillery that Yan Xing had specially acquired through connections at Renlun Investment Bank.

Despite their age, the previous owner had maintained them well, and after meticulous selection, over fifty were found to be usable.

Together with some 122mm howitzers, they became the backbone of Eternal Domain’s ground heavy firepower.

The Eternal Domain’s defensive forces, knowing that the war would erupt within a few days, reacted swiftly to the enemy’s offensive.

Ground combat troops took up battle positions and hunkered down in various shelters to evade the magic bombardment.

Heavy artillery in their rear rapidly targeted the areas from which the Wildwind Highlands Legion was deploying its heavy fire.

The heavy guns roared, their salvo shaking the very earth.

Then, the heavy artillery barrages from both sides almost simultaneously hit their targets.

On this sun-drenched, clear day, after the magic exploded above Eternal Domain’s positions, the sky turned dark with clouds, and moments later, a torrential downpour ensued.

When the second wave of magical bombardment flew into the dark clouds, thunder roared, and bucket-thick bolts of lightning struck down upon Eternal Domain’s positions.

Lightning struck the ground, scattering into countless electric snakes that darted and pulsed through the muddy water and ubiquitous barbed wire.

The entire rain-soaked area transformed into a field of lightning, a relentless electrical grid bombarding the ground below in a sweeping assault.

The ground was completely engulfed in bright, white electrical flashes.