On the ground battlefield, every clash between the Ninth Knights' ironclad defenses and the orcish onslaught resulted in blood and gore flying everywhere.
The Holy Light Magic of the Eleventh Knights, however, was like a precise scalpel, creating new obstacles and chaos amidst the chaos.
"This won't do!" Mark wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Even with the blessing of the cross necklace, the domain he maintained with the seven-colored black light magic was shaky and could only barely deflect most of the deadly holy light arrows.
His gaze swept over his exhausted teammates, finally settling on Kyle, Ana, Monica, and Enzo. His voice was unusually clear amidst the explosions:
"We're caught in the middle, like sitting ducks. As long as the orcs' encirclement isn't broken, we can't escape!"
Kael's sharp eyes swept across the edge of the battlefield, where the figures of orc warriors appeared and disappeared in the thick fog and smoke, like a noose that was tightening.
He himself came from the Holy City Monastery, the main academy for training the Grand Master of the Holy Knights, so he naturally saw things more clearly.
“They are deliberately compressing space, trying to trap us in this area or force us deeper into it.” His voice was low, carrying the calm judgment characteristic of a battlefield commander. “The direction Lord Elliott indicated is safe for now, but we cannot escape the battlefield.”
Anna leaned against the cold, slippery skeleton, her ears trembling slightly from the continuous loud noise.
Anna's gaze swept quickly across the chaotic battlefield, and she whispered, "The orcs' movements are deliberate. They've deployed heavy forces along our possible escape routes, especially in the 'relatively safe' directions. They are definitely driving us away."
A glint of molten lava flashed in Enzo's eyes. He licked his chapped lips, his voice laced with suppressed excitement: "Damn it, I've been herded like a rabbit long enough! Mark, what are your thoughts now?"
Mark took a deep breath, and the air, thick with the stench of blood and decay, seemed to ignite a flame in his eyes.
He looked at his comrades beside him, his voice resolute:
"We can't just passively take the beating and wait for others to decide our fate! The orcs want to surround us? Then let them pay the price! This melee is our opportunity! Anna, Monica, find the orcs' formation's weak points and vulnerabilities!"
"Enzo, Rex, Mole, prepare to tear a hole with me! Kyle, defense and command are yours! Ruby, prepare Blaze!"
His gaze finally settled on Anna, Monica, and Enzo. Their eyes met, silently conveying the same thought.
They traveled millions of miles from the far north ice plateau to this Lor Swamp, not to be cannon fodder for the internal strife of the Holy Light Church, nor to kill insignificant undead and low-level magical beasts all day long!
The experience points contained in each elite warrior of this overwhelming orc army are precious resources for them to break through the seemingly unattainable threshold of legend!
This is a crisis, but also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Elliott, who had been silently moving forward like a cold, solid rock, was now facing away from the team, intently writing something rapidly on the record board, as if the fighting outside was just background noise.
When Mark's plan reached his ears clearly, his pen didn't pause for a moment, nor did he turn his head; he simply uttered a sentence in his signature flat, emotionless voice:
"The plan is feasible. But remember, my mission is to ensure the intelligence files and maps are safely delivered to the designated location. I will not participate in any proactive offensive operations unrelated to the core mission. You are responsible for yourselves."
His words were cold and clear, completely excluding himself from risk and focusing solely on the highest priority mission objectives.
Elliott's attitude was within Mark's and others' expectations.
As long as the safety of the mission items and himself is ensured, this recorder tacitly approves of any "extra activities" by the team members.
This almost indifferent "non-interference" actually gave Mark's team the greatest freedom of action at this moment.
"Understood!" Mark replied in a deep voice, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.
He turned to Kyle: "Kyle, cover us!"
Kyle nodded emphatically, and the holy light of judgment once again coalesced around him, becoming even more condensed and powerful:
"Don't worry! Ruby, cover the impact zone with Blazing Shield! Oak, lead the trainee knights to protect the flanks! Anna, Monica, give directions!"
“35 degrees northeast!” Anna’s voice rang out almost as soon as Kyle finished speaking, her fingertips pointing precisely to a slightly loose connection point in the orcish frenzy.
There, several orc battle formations with different totems were charging in turns, and a slight chaos occurred at the junctions.
"There! It's a seam between several tribal battle formations, and the command signals are all messed up! Monica!"
"Confirmed! Disguise Technique - Interference exists!" A dark vortex flashed in Monica's eyes, and her hands quickly made virtual taps in the air.
Several strands of disruptive magic silently shot toward the area Anna pointed to, their target being the orc messengers waving their battle flags and roaring.
"Now! Enzo, Rex, follow me!"
Mark let out a low growl, and the forbidden holy book in his arms moved without wind, its pages rustling as it turned!
At the same time, the holy light that had enveloped the entire team suddenly contracted and deformed, condensing into a cone-shaped shockwave with a seven-colored black light, like a materialized dark spear, tearing through the air.
With a chilling aura of annihilation, it stabbed fiercely at the seam of the orc battle formation that Anna and Monica had locked onto!
"For the experience! Tear them apart!"
Enzo's long-suppressed fighting spirit erupted completely. The lava patterns under his skin lit up instantly, and a dense mixture of dark magic and violent lava power burst forth. He transformed into a roaring black meteor, following closely behind Mark's dark spear as he crashed into the enemy ranks!
Scarface Rick and Mole Jim, those old foxes, sprang out from the shadows on either side with strange cries, like sharks smelling blood.
The poisoned dagger and the cunning short blade aimed directly at the vital points of the orc warrior, who was momentarily stunned by the shockwave of the domain.
Ruby's flail ignited with dazzling, blazing white holy flames, transforming into a protective light barrier that followed the shockwave, covering the path of Mark and Enzo's charge and incinerating all the orc spears and battle aura slashes that attempted to intercept them!
The Grey Falcon Squad, a "rabbit" hunted by many, brazenly bared its deadly fangs under the shadow of the pile of bones and charged into the surging orc tide!
In the shadow of the pile of bones, Mark's squad's counterattack was like sparks thrown into boiling oil.
Enzo's dark impact, imbued with the power of lava, slammed into the seams of the orcish battle formation, followed closely by the spikes formed from Mark's seven-colored black light domain, instantly tearing apart the already chaotic lines.
Poisoned daggers and short blades slashed cunningly across the orc warrior's throat, while Ruby's blazing light curtain incinerated the intercepting spears and battle aura into ashes.
This fierce thrust, like a red-hot knife stabbing into butter, forcefully tore a brief opening in the surging green tide!
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