NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1280: Last Bastion
"Good. Now rest for a bit, and after that we will continue to destroy more demon lairs." Max's calm but commanding voice spread across the battlefield, reaching every squad leader and every member of their units.
His words fell over the field like a final stamp on the victory they had just earned. The moment they heard him, the geniuses allowed their tense shoulders to relax and lowered their weapons. Their breathing gradually steadied as they settled into sitting positions across the broken terrain.
The exhaustion they had suppressed throughout the battle finally washed over them, yet the satisfaction of victory strengthened their spirits.
This became their routine for the next month.
Under Max's leadership, the seven squads moved through the region like an unstoppable storm. Every demon lair they discovered became a target for extermination.
Max mapped their movements with precise efficiency, guiding them from one lair to the next without wasting time. Whenever they approached a demon lair, they descended upon it with coordinated might and unleashed destruction upon the demons that dwelled within.
Their attacks erupted with overwhelming elemental force, crushing resistance before the demons could form a defensive structure. They cut through demonic nests buried underground, infiltrated corrupted forests where demons hid in the shadows, and even stormed cavern systems that housed larger demon clusters.
None were spared.
The demons inside these lairs attempted various strategies. Some charged recklessly in hopes of overwhelming the humans through sheer numbers. Others resorted to hiding deep within their nests, hoping to evade detection.
A few even tried to deceive the humans by lowering their auras and pretending to be dead. Yet every attempt failed. Max's keen senses detected all movements within each lair, and the squad leaders executed their roles flawlessly. Not a single demon managed to escape their blades for long.
Several times throughout the month, demon armies attempted to intercept them before they could reach new lairs. These armies descended with loud roars and threatening formations, fully intending to surround and crush the humans. However, they quickly realized their efforts were useless.
The seven squads clashed with these armies head-on, and each battle ended the same way. The demon forces were annihilated, their bodies covering the ground while the humans emerged victorious with minimal exhaustion. Whether the demons sent small battalions or larger armies, none managed to halt the progress of Max's group.
The consistent slaughter of demons hardened the squad members further. Their movements became sharper, their understanding of teamwork deepened, and their individual comprehension of their elements progressed at an astonishing pace.
Even the squad leaders felt their strength growing in leaps as they gained experience through constant combat against powerful enemies and being personally trained by Max by battling against him almost everyday. Max observed their development quietly, only stepping in when necessary to guide them or demonstrate a superior technique.
His commanding presence shaped the rhythm of this month-long campaign, giving them confidence that every battle would end in triumph.
The days blended together into a cycle of hunting, fighting, resting, and moving on. The landscape behind them became a graveyard of destroyed demon lairs and fallen demon corpses. The region that had once been infested with demonic forces slowly transformed into a territory reclaimed by the humans through the tireless efforts of Max and the seven squads.
And so, with Max's words still lingering in the air, the geniuses rested once more. They closed their eyes, calming their breathing while the battlefield wind carried away the remaining scent of battle. Their bodies recovered gradually, and their minds gathered strength for the next assault. None of them questioned Max's command, for they understood this was the only way to cleanse the region completely.
Their month had passed in this relentless cycle, and it was far from over.
Atop a tall hill overlooking the scarred landscape below, Max stood with a solemn expression as the human geniuses gathered before him. The wind brushed past his figure, carrying the faint scent of blood and ash from the battles they had fought over the past month.
His gaze swept across the many faces looking up at him, each one hardened by countless clashes with demons yet still bearing the uncertain tension of what might come next.
"From here onwards, you will face the upper echelons of the demon race," Max said, his tone heavy with seriousness. "They are far stronger than anything you have encountered so far. Most of them are at the peak of the Divine Rank, and their strength surpasses yours by a wide margin."
His words fell upon the crowd like a cold wind, cutting through whatever confidence remained from their previous victories. The expressions of the geniuses tightened as they listened, understanding completely that the battles ahead would not resemble those they had fought so far.
Max continued, "But fear not. From now on, I will be actively participating in the battles against these demons. You do not need to worry about facing enemies who are far beyond your capabilities. However, you must understand that the demons awaiting us will not resemble the ones you have been fighting until now. Their intelligence, combat instincts, and destructive strength will be far higher. Prepare yourselves."
His eyes swept across them again, ensuring his message had settled in their hearts. This was no longer a campaign of clearing lairs. This was the final stretch, and danger would be absolute.
Once the geniuses absorbed his words, Max turned slightly and signaled to Victor to gather the seven squad leaders. Victor nodded at once and descended from the hill. A brief moment passed before he returned, leading Seraphina, Michael, Daniel, Arthur, Chris, and Christine to join Max.
They stood in a half-circle before him, knowing this was the last discussion before their confrontation with the true core of the demon forces.
"This is the last bastion of the demon race in this Nullaria," Max said to them, his tone even more solemn. "Balthazar and the other high-ranked demon leaders will be here. I am certain they have already felt our presence and are waiting for us. This will be the decisive battle."
His gaze sharpened, and the squad leaders' expressions became tense as they absorbed the weight of the situation. They had known this moment would come, but hearing it from Max took away any illusion of ease.
Victor stepped forward slightly. "How should we proceed?" he asked in a steady voice. He looked toward Max with full trust, understanding that only Max held the clarity to guide them through such a fight.
Max's reply was calm but filled with authority. "I will take the lead," he said. "I will be the main attacker. Behind me will be the seven of you, forming the second wave. Behind you will be the rest of your squads. I will handle Balthazar and the other high-ranked leaders personally. You seven will take care of the remaining demon elites. This arrangement will give us the highest chance of crushing their formation before they attempt anything unpredictable."
The seven squad leaders nodded without hesitation. They were fully aware that none of them could face Balthazar or the other demon lords directly. Max was the only one capable of confronting enemies of that caliber.
Their role would be to ensure that the human forces behind them faced as little danger as possible. Together, the formation they would create was both offensive and defensive, built around Max's overwhelming presence as the spearhead of the assault.
The air became still around them as the weight of the coming battle settled upon their shoulders. They all understood that what lay ahead would not merely be another fight. It would be a clash that determined the fate of their race and perhaps the entire front line of the war.