As Eli Winters and his companions stepped onto the seemingly indestructible steel city walls, the beastman soldiers were already standing in perfect formation at their assigned positions. Each of them gripped a long spear tightly, expressions stern and focused, eyes locked onto the dense tide of sea beasts surging toward the city like a living flood.
Eli glanced along both sides of the steel wall. It stretched endlessly into the distance, winding like a colossal iron dragon, its full length impossible to see at a glance.
Besides the fearless beast soldiers led by Lang Yan, the walls were manned by warriors of many other races. Towering tiger-men radiated raw dominance, lion-men stood proud and imposing, while bear-men, monkey-men, fox-men, and others filled the ranks. Every one of them emanated a powerful presence. Different races stood shoulder to shoulder, united in defense of the city.
Seeing that the walls were already guarded like an impregnable fortress, Eli exchanged a glance with his companions and allowed himself a small, relieved smile. He then asked Philly to create soft, white clouds capable of carrying them, lifting the group into the sky. After a brief discussion, they decided not to join the battle immediately.
Lang Yan showed no dissatisfaction at all. In fact, he quietly let out a breath of relief and felt genuinely glad to see Eli and the others withdraw.
Every beastman stationed on the wall had a clearly assigned role and area of responsibility. If outsiders were to force their way into the formation, it would inevitably disrupt the defensive layout and strategic planning. That was the last thing Lang Yan wanted.
The sea beasts drew closer. Their forms were grotesque and varied. Some were enormous octopus-like creatures flailing massive tentacles. Others resembled spiked monster fish leaping from the waves. There were even sea beasts with limbs that ran across the surface of the water. One by one, they looked like demons crawling out of a nightmare. As deafening roars echoed across the sea, the hideous creatures charged the steel wall in a frenzy.
When the twisted, snarling horde closed in, shouts from the commanders rang out across the wall. Among them, Lang Yan's rough voice thundered above the rest.
"Kill every last one of those ugly monsters!"
At his command, the beastman soldiers moved as one. They tightened their grips on their spears and pulled the triggers without hesitation. In an instant, countless dazzling laser beams burst from the spear barrels, slicing straight into the oncoming sea beasts.
Dull impacts echoed endlessly. Any sea beast struck by the lasers was pierced clean through, blood spraying everywhere. Massive bodies collapsed with shrill screams, yet the creatures behind them showed no fear. More and more sea beasts surged forward, seemingly indifferent to death.
Gunfire roared. The shrieks of dying sea beasts filled the air. Smoke and the stench of blood spread across the battlefield, turning what had once been a calm sea into a merciless killing ground.
The battlefield became a relentless meat grinder, devouring sea beast after sea beast. Their lives were reduced to something fragile and insignificant, little more than cold numbers being erased.
Despite the heavy losses, the sea beasts pressed on through sheer numbers. More of them broke through the outer defenses and reached the base of the wall.
The steel wall was tall and smooth, offering no footholds for ordinary creatures. But these sea beasts were anything but ordinary.
Among them were special species capable of clinging to the wall itself. Giant octopus beasts used their massive suction cups to adhere tightly to the steel surface.
Half of their tentacles latched onto the wall, while the others grabbed nearby sea beasts and hurled them upward.
The creatures flung onto the wall lunged immediately at the waiting beastman soldiers. At first, their numbers were manageable, and they were quickly cut down. But as time passed, more and more sea beasts poured in from the ocean, climbing onto the wall in waves. The situation deteriorated rapidly, devolving into brutal close-quarters slaughter.
Even amid the chaos, Lang Yan remained remarkably calm. He stood his ground, weapon flashing as any sea beast that approached was cut down without mercy. His eyes were cold and ruthless, as if these ferocious creatures were nothing more than weeds waiting to be harvested.
Finally, when the number of sea beasts grew comparable to the defenders, a sharp, resounding horn blast pierced the air. The sound shattered the tension like lightning splitting the sky. Upon hearing it, excitement finally appeared on Lang Yan's previously impassive face.
He knew what it meant.
It was time to use the heavy cannons mounted on the wall.
"Prepare for bombardment!" Lang Yan shouted, his voice booming like thunder.
At his command, thick cannon barrels slowly extended from concealed positions along the wall, like awakened beasts revealing their fangs.
"Fire!"
Blazing energy beams erupted from the cannons. The light was so intense it resembled a rising sun, illuminating the dark battlefield in an instant. The beams surged forward with overwhelming force, crashing into the densely packed sea beasts.
The creatures had no time to react. A world-shaking explosion followed, flames and smoke billowing skyward. Entire swaths of sea beasts were blown apart, flesh and bone scattering like a gruesome storm.
Moments later, the area beneath the wall was completely cleared, leaving behind a vast empty zone.
The beastman soldiers finally breathed easier. Without reinforcements, the sea beasts that had climbed onto the wall were now isolated prey, no longer a serious threat.
Seizing the opportunity, the defenders launched a full counterattack. Tiger-men and lion-men relied on their immense strength, sending multiple sea beasts flying with each strike.
The wolf-men under Lang Yan's command exploited their agility, weaving swiftly through the battlefield and striking decisively whenever an opening appeared.
Just as Lang Yan believed the battle was nearing its end, the ocean suddenly churned violently.
Without warning, colossal squid-like sea beasts burst from the water. Their massive tentacles shot out like monstrous serpents, wrapping around beastman soldiers who had no time to react, dragging them screaming into the depths.
"No… impossible!" Lang Yan stared at the radar screen in horror. "How could the radar not detect those squids?"
His confidence shattered into panic. They had believed their newly developed laser cannons would easily repel the sea beast tide. No one expected these giant squids to bypass the island's advanced detection systems and sneak up from below. If they had known, they would never have wasted the cannons so early.
The problem was that the cannons required twenty minutes to recharge after firing.
And the squids were already closing in.
Knowing they could not wait, Lang Yan clenched his teeth and made a decisive call.
"Tigers! Lions! Follow me down and kill them!"
If these squids were not eliminated immediately, the consequences would be catastrophic. If even they could reach the wall undetected, whatever controlled this attack likely had far more terrifying plans in reserve.
Across the wall, commanders made the same choice, leading their elite troops down to engage the squids directly.
Jets on their combat suits flared, launching them into the air before they dove down upon the massive creatures.
The squids were terrifyingly strong. Even under relentless assault, most held their ground. Only a few exceptionally powerful commanders could kill them swiftly. In most areas, the fighting dragged into a stalemate, including Lang Yan's sector.
In truth, Lang Yan was not the strongest among the commanders. What allowed him to lead fearsome tiger-men and lion-men was not brute force, but his exceptional tactical mind. Intelligent beastmen were rare, and Lang Yan was one of the few.
Sweat poured down his face as unease tightened around his heart. A terrible feeling told him something far worse was coming.
Then it happened.
A deafening crash echoed through the battlefield, followed by the sound of collapsing metal. Lang Yan whipped his head around toward the wall.
His eyes widened in shock and fury.
The steel wall that had protected Starfall Island for over three hundred years was sinking.
"No!" Lang Yan roared, abandoning his opponent and shooting into the sky.
From above, the sight crushed him.
It was not just his section. The entire steel wall was being dragged downward, inch by inch, as if seized by an invisible hand.
"It's over… everything is over…"
Lang Yan hovered in midair, lifeless, eyes empty as he muttered in disbelief.
Other airborne beastmen stared in horror as well, unable to accept what they were seeing.
"This can't be real…"
Yet no matter how they denied it, the wall continued to sink, vanishing into the depths.
Fear and confusion swallowed the once fearless warriors.
Then a shrill, mocking voice echoed through the air.
"Hehehe… without that wall, how will you pathetic insects stop my sea beast army?"