Just as Joanna thought that it was possible that she was about to die, there suddenly came the long sound of a horn being blown.
At that moment, the priests who surrounded her stopped whatever they were doing in unison, turned around and flew off together. Also, not only the priests around Joanna were affected, but even the entire chaotic battle in the skies seemed to have been forcefully stopped by something; all the priests began to retreat extremely abruptly.
The mages, having killed so much that their eyes were red, were stunned. The battlefield had thinned out, and a chilly wind blew, pulling them slightly back out from the massacre.
Because of that, most of them did not hurriedly chase after them.
Joanna was the same. She was rooted to her spot, at a loss with emptiness all around her. The familiar faces in her surroundings gave her some sort of reassurance, but she cast her sight further: the Kingdom of Helius soldiers outside the city gates… Seemed to be retreating.
The people leaving so suddenly and hurriedly caused everyone in Icor to feel even more confused.
What was going on?
In the confusion, Joanna suddenly raised her head and looked to the skies. Under the bright sun of the clear skies, she suddenly saw tens of bright spots, tight together and drawing out a smooth curve, gradually falling toward Rock City.
After that short moment of blankness, she realized what this was about.
"Quick, run quickly! The enemy has started to fire!"
Joanna was not the only one who had raised their heads to look into the skies; soldiers, mages, the people sticking their heads out from their houses… In their eyes, although the cannonball shot by the Cannon of Holy Light was still far away, it was very clear.
Shock, disbelief, and finally, despair, appeared on every face.
Rock City was doomed.
Without the Runic Defense Technique to block, the entire city was going to be blasted into ashes by the cannons, who could escape? Perhaps, perhaps the swiftest Wind Mages could have that sliver of a chance to escape before the cannonballs fell.
However… The others were all done for.
Icor was also finished.
"After waiting for so long, the big guns have finally been filled up. Now, I'll see what else they have to block the judgment of God's will!" In the back ranks of the Kingdom of Helius army troops, next to Grant, the priest could not help but speak, looking gleeful.
Grant was not as excited. He sat on his special seat, his eyes squinted as he calmly observed Rock City in the distance, his thoughts unknown.
Seeing this, the priest realized that he was out of place, and adjusted his feelings for a bit. However, he could not hide the excitement from showing in his eyes.
Because he knew that the victor and loser had been decided.
This country belonged to their God now.
"Quickly, has the Runic Defense Technique not yet been repaired and restarted? The Church has already prepped the second wave of cannons, why have you not yet restarted it?" The Guild Master suddenly showed his agitation, and flew down to a corner of the city walls, shouting at the mage who was in charge of the runes there.
"We are doing it as fast as we can, but… The technique to cover the entire area is too big, there's a bit left undone."
Hearing this reply, the Guild Master's face turned ashen white at that moment.
Was Icor really facing destruction?
The power of the entire country was more or less gathered in Rock City; if the city were to be blasted to the ground by the Cannons of Holy Light, even if they could escape with the Prime Minister and some of the elite, the battalion of the enemy would still step into every corner of Icor.
It would be impossible for them to have the chance to fight back.
At that moment, the Guild Master's feelings were as dejected as the other people, except that, as the pillar of this country, he could not stay hopeless. If even he gave up the hope in his heart, then this country would really be completely finished.
There was… There was still hope.
In the midst of the wailings, he suddenly became extremely calm, lifted up his head and flew towards the cannonballs.
A string of tightly strung chants was spat out from his mouth. With a great magical oscillation, violent gusts of winds started to blow in the airspace above Rock City. The sunlight crawled over his face, full of wrinkles, like a river spreading through the mountain ranges.
He decided to make a final attempt.
Successful or not, he was old now. Even if he lived on, there would not be many years left for him. The birth of Icor might have been his mistake in the past, but now, the mistake had born fruit. This was a country loved by countless of people. He had the duty to continue protecting this land.
"Honorable Guild Master…" The soldiers standing at the forefront of the city watched as the figure in the skies flew higher and higher. Everyone held their breath at that moment.
However, right at this moment.
Another figure had appeared in the skies.
In that instant, everyone in Rock City was stunned, and the mages of the Academy of Magic suddenly looked agitated. Sitting at the back of the Kingdom of Helius troops, Grant slammed his hand on the table and stood up.
"...He is on the move."
Although the sound flew fast, and the image in the people's eyes was a blur, yet they knew that the person must be Benjamin. There was no question, they simply knew it.
Right in the moment before the destruction of Rock City, the Director of the Academy of Magic was finally striking back.
"How? What if he is on the move? With just the power of one person, can he block the force of over sixty of our Cannons of Holy Light?"
The priest beside Grant said, his face falling.
Saying thus, he turned his head, and looked to their Highness the Pope, as though he wanted to receive an opinion from his lips that agreed with him. Nevertheless, only after he had turned his head did he realize that Grant had disappeared from his side.
The priest was stunned at that moment.
It was very obvious that Grant had not spoken; through his action, he had disagreed with him.
Realizing this, the priest looked around him but he could not find any sign of Grant. Left with no choice, he could only continue to watch the blurred figure, Benjamin, in the distance. Because he knew, their highness the Pope must have rushed towards that devil.
The moment Benjamin made a move, was the moment Grant had an opportunity to strike.
"You…"
In the air above Rock City, looking at Benjamin who was speedily chasing up, the Guild Master could not help but feel somewhat stunned, and for a moment, stopped chanting.
"Go back and rest," Benjamin turned his head, smiling, and said, "Leave this to me."
Saying thus, stream after stream of flowing water appeared in the air, twisting and turning around his body. As though in an unseen realm, something emitted a soft sound; in the next moment, the water elements in the entire sky responded and resonated and danced like they had been endowed with his life.
As the distance between the Guild Master and Benjamin grew shorter, in that instant, something that seemed to be different shone out from inside of Benjamin's body. He did not know how to describe the feeling, but… That was the source.
This word appeared abruptly in his heart. The Guild Master did not know why.
An unfamiliarity welled up in him. He looked into Benjamin's eyes and watched as the impressive young man suddenly turning into... A being from another world.
Following that, all the water elements that had been summoned and gathered exploded at this time. Benjamin spread his arms open, like a god descending from the skies, and as he waved his hands, two streams of fierce rivers appeared in the sky, like two gigantic snakes, flying and dancing above Rock City.