Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree-Chapter 508: Swarm

The purple mist was not still; it spread slowly and viscously towards Maple Hill County, like the breathing of some living creature.

Beneath the mist, the ground seemed to twitch slightly.

It wasn’t a vibration but a more unsettling, continuous rustling sound, like millions of claws scraping the earth simultaneously, from far to near, converging into a low, overwhelming background noise that thudded in the heart of every defender.

"They’re coming," Vivian said softly, her fingers subconsciously tightening around the rough wooden railing of the lookout tower, her knuckles turning pale.

Even though they were mentally prepared, when the moment arrived, it was inevitable to feel a bit tense.

After all, behind her was her hometown, the place where she had lived all her life, and no one wished for it to fall into the flames of war, much less be destroyed by these Void Insect Race.

Duke was also watching ahead; he was relatively calm, having prepared for everything during this time.

Countless reflected lights from shells occasionally flickered in the mist, like scales beneath a tide of darkness.

The vanguard of the insect swarm was no longer scattered scouting units but a legion truly formed in scale.

The way they moved carried a cold order, not a chaotic charge, but like the flow of lava, devouring everything in their path.

"Half a day faster than expected," Duke’s voice remained calm.

With a thought, the Slave Creature Legion below began to move, various slave creatures making their way to designated positions, preparing for battle.

Rein had also turned away, heading to the rear to command the soldiers of Maple Hill County to assist in the fight with the slave creatures.

Though bows and catapults had limited effect, as long as they could provide a bit more strength, they could hold on a while longer.

"They’re here!" Duke said lowly as he watched the distance, and the speed of the insect swarm was fast; in the blink of an eye, it was clearly visible.

It was an endless, writhing dark purple carpet composed of countless Insect Race, sweeping relentlessly towards Maple Hill County.

And above that insect sea was a cloud of locusts like a dark storm, dimming the afternoon sun.

The faint, strange odor saturating the air had grown so strong it was nauseating, the stench burrowing into the nostrils as if even bones might be corroded.

A deafening insect buzz rose, with tens of thousands of swift blade insects and acid-spitter insects leading the charge.

They surged forward like an unstoppable dark purple flood, showing no fear of death.

Duke calmly watched as the insect swarm charged with unstoppable momentum. Once the swarm entered firing range, the crystal-backed lizards moved.

Clusters of crystals on the backs of thousands of crystal-backed lizards lit up simultaneously, shooting blazing white beams accurately into the swarm.

The moment the beams penetrated, the insects exploded, acid splattering, yet more insects trod over the bodies of their kind, surging forward fearlessly.

Simultaneously, the strategically placed magic-guided cannons on the border began firing, echoing with loud blasts.

There was no need to aim; a single shot could evaporate a vast swath of Void Insect Race.

Even so, due to the overwhelming numbers of the Void Insect Race, many insects still broke through the gunfire.

Those insects that emerged from the dense rays and cannon fire engaged head-on with the ready Rock Armor Heavy Army below.

The Rock Armor Heavy Army let out muffled roars, and their stone hammers and stone shields interwove to form an indestructible wall.

Every swing crushed several swift blade insects into pulp.

Their formation was stable as a rock, unyielding to any insect swarm assault.

The Rock Armor Heavy Army proved very effective against the Void Insect Race, their greatest strength being their defensive capability.

The offensive means and intensity of these lower-tier insects were limited, posing little threat to the Rock Armor Heavy Army.

As Earth Element creatures, the Rock Armor Heavy Army naturally boasted strong defense and powerful strength.

They could effortlessly wield stone shields and hammers weighing a ton, each strike carrying massive force that these low-tier insects could not withstand.

Moreover, with the firepower above being purposefully adjusted and targeted, the invading insects were quickly cleared, while not a single Rock Armor Heavy Army fell.

However, this was merely the beginning of the war.

In the sky, the purple insect cloud began to descend, as countless locusts dived down like a torrential rain, targeting the more vulnerable crystal-backed lizards.

These locusts launched near-suicidal dive attacks, relying on their sharp mandibles and claws to assault, drawing overwhelming firepower, with countless beams focusing on these aerial units.

Yet, inevitably, some unfortunate lizards were struck fatally and fell with a wailing cry.

The crystal-backed lizards were not very strong in defense, and their numbers were much fewer than the locusts, so some locusts managed to dive through intense fire, making a single slash before being killed rapidly.

Though it was just a single slash, if enough accumulated, it could inflict casualties on the crystal-backed lizards.

When casualties arose among the crystal-backed lizards and firepower diverted, the pressure on the frontline would lessen significantly.

More deadly were the Floating Guards; they hovered above the insect swarm, concentrating ghostly blue energy beams, shooting precisely at the rear positions over the ground-bound swarm.

Their targets included not only the crystal-backed lizards but also all visible life in the rear and intentionally damaging defensive structures.

Seeing this, Duke raised his hand, and five Level 2 slave creatures moved.

Three giant-jawed savage dragons roared as they charged into the swarm, their massive bodies themselves were like meat grinders.

Each tail swipe swept away a multitude of insects; each bite crushed a swathe of swift blade insects.

The Armored Giant Beast known as Rock Stomper approached the edge of the battlefield; it lowered its head, its massive horns piercing the earth fiercely.

In the next moment, it began moving laterally, seemingly slow yet truly fast, each step carving deep furrows in the ground.

Any insects attempting to flank from the sides were blocked and crushed by this relentless steel barrier and furrow.

Most awe-inspiring was the winged serpent.

The winged serpent soared through the foul air above the swarm, writhing skyward.

Its hundred-meter-long serpentine body was covered in blue-black scales, unfurling under the cloudy sky like a flowing venomous spring, each scale gleaming with a ghostly phosphorescence.

The most terrifying was its throat, bulging with a poison sac, rising and falling with its breath, emitting a visible pale purple mist that stained the surrounding air a nauseating gray.