Chapter 418: Confrontation

“Attack! Take down Dark Moon City!” Roaring like a madman, Ancient Sword could only vent his fury on Dark Moon City. Rod’s departure might have been a good thing for him—an opportunity to seize Dark Moon City at once. Yet he was puzzled: what did Rod intend by bringing such a powerful warrior out of the encirclement at this moment?

At the same time, Rod and Melon’s actions were like a harsh slap in Ancient Sword’s face. Moving freely in front of tens of thousands of troops only made him more frantic. He was powerless as they rushed ahead of him, with few cards left in his hand, let alone any capable of matching Rod.

At Ancient Sword’s command, the soldiers supporting aggressive warfare became even more frenzied, as if Rod’s earlier actions had further stimulated their aggression. A deadly silence reigned as Dark Moon City struggled to hold its ground.

“Big brother, when will you return?” Lucy asked in a low voice, frowning. It was obvious to anyone that Dark Moon City was at a disadvantage. Without the city walls, they would have already collapsed. Even with the walls’ protection, their casualties continued to rise, with more and more enemies climbing over them.

“Hold on! Everyone, hold on! Brother Rod will return soon—reinforcements are on the way!” The situation was critical, and Aida shouted loudly, spreading the news throughout the city walls in hopes of boosting the soldiers’ enthusiasm and courage. Otherwise, if their courage faded, defeat would follow.

At that moment, the enemy seemed to have changed tactics again. Only a small force was left at the south and east gates to hold off the defenders, while most of their troops were focused on the north gate, dispersing the defenders’ strength.

Another wave of enemies surged over the city walls, this time including many powerful fighters—dozens of warriors above the divine level. This battle was more dangerous than any before. Without Rod and Melon, the two overwhelmingly strong warriors, the battle was not as smooth as before; it became difficult and stagnant.

Aida faced danger several times, but was saved by Lilith and Sognar. Both of them looked grim, seemingly resentful or guilty about their family’s actions, and could only devote themselves fully to the battle.

Lucy no longer had her usual smile; with each wave of her hand, powerful spells were cast. The sky turned crimson from the flames, and cries of despair filled the air. Wave after wave of fire rain and fireballs rained down on the city. At this moment, the magicians on both sides held the upper hand, unleashing spell after spell. On the battlefield, magicians always played a crucial role—like Lucy, who alone could hold off an army of a thousand.

Blue water magic, black dark magic, red fire magic… Various spells dominated the battlefield, leaving people dazzled.

…

On the other side, Rod, who had broken free from the enemy encirclement, moved with icy determination, pushing his speed to its limit as he rushed forward. Behind him, Melon groaned in frustration. He hadn’t expected this guy’s speed to be so high. Even if he exerted all his strength, it was difficult to keep up. The distance between them grew rapidly, soon reaching over a hundred meters.

“Kid, wait up!” Finally, unable to hold back any longer, Melon called out with a wry smile.

Hearing Melon’s voice, Rod realized Melon was following him. With a sigh, he slowed down slightly to let Melon catch up, then resumed his rapid pace.

Wherever he passed, only a faint afterimage remained, accompanied by a gust of cold wind. The howling wind filled his ears, but Rod’s mind was filled with complexity.

“What do you plan to do once you see them?” Sensing Rod’s inner turmoil, Melon suddenly asked. A very practical issue lay ahead—what could they say when they met the armies of the dragons and wolves?

Could they possibly turn on each other on the spot? Judging from Rod’s current expression, it seemed unlikely. If that happened, it would cause trouble, leading to conflict between the two sides and even serious consequences. So, how to handle relations when they met those people was a crucial issue. Melon’s brows showed a hint of concern, as Rod’s current state of mind and expression were not favorable. If things really escalated, it would indeed be troublesome.

Hearing Melon’s words, Rod turned his head in confusion, then gave a wry smile. He knew what Melon was worried about.

“That’s just how society works. If you were in their shoes, you might do the same. Remember, people are selfish creatures!” Seeing Rod remain silent, Melon added.

“You should know what to do when you see them. Right now, the burden on your shoulders is heavy—there are many things to consider, so you can’t act recklessly.” With a sigh, Melon said helplessly. Without responsibilities, one is free; once burdened, things change completely.

“I know, don’t worry!” Taking a deep breath, Rod calmed himself down slightly before speaking to Melon.

The two of them moved at extreme speed. In the blink of an eye, they were already over ten kilometers away from Dark Moon City, where they finally saw a vast crowd of people.

“It’s members of the Dragon and Wolf tribes!” Melon whispered. Finally, they saw that group, who were leisurely making their way toward Dark Moon City.

An unnamed anger surged in Rod’s heart. At such a critical moment, these people could still travel so carefreely. It seemed his guess was correct! At this thought, Rod’s expression turned cold.

Someone pulled his arm. Rod turned to look—Melon nodded at him.

“Don’t worry!” Patting Melon’s shoulder, he took a deep breath and slowly walked forward.

Melon followed closely behind.

The army was massive, seemingly numbering in the tens of thousands, with an imposing presence. As Rod approached, he immediately felt a sense of severity—this was indeed a formidable force, a true elite army.

“Haha… I wondered who it could be. It’s Brother Rod! What brings you here? We’re heading toward Dark Moon City. Since you’re not there, why did you come here?” A hearty laugh came from ahead, and a figure appeared before Rod—it was the Wolf King of the Wolf tribe.

Soon after, a few more people stepped out of the group—members of the Dragon tribe, including the Dragon Clan’s Grand Elder, whom Rod recognized.

“Brother Rod, why did you come here? We’re on our way there!” The Dragon Clan’s Grand Elder was slightly surprised upon seeing Rod, then spoke awkwardly. His eyes flickered, and under Rod’s sharp gaze, he chose to avoid eye contact.

With everything already clear, many things didn’t need to be said—everyone understood.

“Dark Moon City is in crisis! Please hurry up, or the main army will enter the city!” Clenching his teeth and fists, Rod took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.

“Oh, that matter? I’m sorry, I encountered some issues on the way and got delayed. Hehe, I’ll be there right away. Come on, let’s go together!” Since Rod had appeared here, the Wolf King couldn’t keep delaying any longer. He coughed awkwardly and shouted at the people behind him, “Everyone, speed up! Hurry up!”
“Alright, there’s no time to lose. Let’s head over quickly!” Rod didn’t say much. Since the others had already sped up, saying anything more would only waste time. At this moment, his entire focus was on Dark Moon City—the situation there was what concerned him the most. The sooner they reached Dark Moon City, the less risk there would be.
Under the Wolf King’s orders, their speed increased dramatically, more than doubling from before, which made Rod feel even more uneasy.
The sound of hooves was deafening, and a grim atmosphere filled the air, making it hard to breathe. With serious expressions, Rod, the Wolf King, and the Dragon Clan’s Grand Elder walked side by side, with these two leading the group. The Dragon King didn’t come; instead, he chose to stay and guard the Dragon Valley.
“Hehe, Brother Rod, how long has it been since we last met? Haha, almost two years, right?” Seeing the somewhat dull atmosphere, the Dragon King spoke to Rod, trying to break the silence.
Indeed, they had been delaying things by sticking to their own plans, putting Dark Moon City in danger and breaking their original agreement. It was surprising that Rod had come in person—clearly, he had thought of many things. Under such circumstances, even the boldest person would feel embarrassed.
“Mm, two years,” Rod nodded thoughtfully. Two years ago, that day changed the situation of the Source of Darkness. Thinking back now, he still felt deeply moved. Rod was also grateful for his good luck; otherwise, the situation today would never have been like this.
“Yes, Brother Rod is truly admirable. Haha, it makes me feel ashamed—my strength at the later stages of the Yin Yellow Realm can rival his. That battle made our Wolf Clan give you a promise! I admit defeat now.” Recalling that battle, the Wolf King felt somewhat ashamed, still lost in memories. It was that battle that forced the Wolf Clan to change their original plans.

Looking at Rod beside him, the Wolf King had a complex expression. Rod, whom he hadn’t seen in two years, had improved further—rumor had it he had reached the middle stage of the Yang Xuan realm. He could sense Rod’s strength even from his aura. Now that they fought again, he surely had no advantages or chance of winning. Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but sigh—“Competition among people can drive one to death,” surely this was what it meant. The memory of that dazzling sword strike remained vivid in his mind, still causing fear even now. To what extent could he achieve with that sword now?
Each of them was lost in their own thoughts, except for Melon, who, carefree as ever, had an expressionless face as he gazed into the distance, moving forward calmly with the army.