CHAPTER 14

Sig steadied himself, raising his spear high as he shouted, "Switch to a straight formation from the swallowtail!"

The soldiers at the front of the herringbone-shaped swallowtail formation began to retreat slowly towards the rear.

Flanking soldiers on both sides also stepped back until they formed a parallel line with those at the rearmost position.

Observing their retreat, the Egyptian soldiers grew more eager to engage in close combat. They believed that the Athenian soldiers were merely weak, disease-stricken individuals and that pushing them aside would grant them access to the city walls for plunder and destruction.

They thought these people posed no real challenge, and it would be a swift victory once they exerted a bit of force.

Sig, holding a long gun, fired several light cannons towards the approaching Egyptian soldiers.

The first shot caught an unsuspecting soldier off guard, hitting him square in the chest. He collapsed, coughing blood, and was soon trampled underfoot by his comrades, vanishing amidst the tumultuous army.

When Sig fired another round, the soldier at the forefront raised his shield, successfully blocking the attack. However, the ensuing explosion shattered his wooden shield into splinters and the force of the blast sent him sprawling to the ground, his face scorched.

Moments later, he too disappeared beneath the feet of his fellow soldiers.

As a result, the Egyptian troops hesitated to take the positions of their fallen comrades and shielded themselves, only daring to peek out their noses and eyes from behind their shields.

Sig fired more shots, causing more Egyptian soldiers to fall. Fear of the artillery drove them to huddle behind their shields, desperately seeking cover from the bombardment.

But the Egyptian commander had more surprises in store. Suddenly, three humanoid monsters emerged from the Egyptian camp.

These creatures moved on all fours, with elongated fingers bearing nails almost as long as fingers themselves.

Their pale gray skin resembled that of water-dwelling ghosts. Blood-red eyes gleamed with an eerie intensity, their sharp teeth stained crimson with fresh flesh. These unsettling beings had eyes that darted erratically before locking onto Sig.

Sig reacted swiftly, firing more light cannons towards these modified human monsters.

They contorted their bodies with feline grace, rapidly advancing towards Sig, one of them unleashing a blood-curdling scream. Their attention was fixated on Sig.

The light cannons struck, revealing that these creatures had unusually resilient skin. The beams of light seemed to scatter harmlessly upon impact, dissipating like water splashing against stone.

"Resistant skin?" Sig muttered in surprise, taking a step back.

Rhodes, noticing the appearance of these modified beings, left his vantage point on the city wall. He charged out alone, abandoning the formation formed by the Athenian soldiers.

At this point, the Athenian troops had formed a long, organized line outside the city walls, with 8,000 soldiers, two thousand in each row, creating four rows that blocked the plain beyond the city. This human wall was their defensive formation.

A modified humanoid creature, akin to a cheetah, swiftly closed the distance to Sig.

"Roar!" It emitted a ghastly howl, then lunged towards Sig.

Rhodes, soaring past Sig, delivered a powerful punch to the creature's face, propelling it tens of meters away, leaving a trail of dark blue blood on the ground.

The remaining two modified beings attempted to flee, but Rhodes swiftly caught up with them, crushing their heads with his bare hands, dark blue blood spurting out from their lifeless forms.

The Egyptian soldiers, having witnessed Rhodes' display of power, slowed their advance, their fear intensifying. They gazed at Rhodes with trepidation.

The Egyptian commander managed to steady his trembling legs, gritting his teeth as he rallied his troops, shouting, "Charge! We outnumber them!"

Fueled by his encouragement, the soldiers rallied, surging towards the Athenian soldiers behind Rhodes. They actively avoided Rhodes, avoiding any confrontation with the formidable being.

Rhodes remained firmly in place, relentlessly firing light cannons from his spear, picking off Egyptian soldiers one after another. He single-handedly inflicted heavy casualties, becoming an unstoppable force on the battlefield.

Only the modified beings dared to challenge him directly, but even they couldn't withstand his might. Rhodes dispatched one with a single hand, strangling it as if handling a fragile creature.

The Egyptian soldiers, emboldened by their sheer numbers, managed to approach the Athenian troops one by one, wielding their spears with disdain. In their eyes, these retreating foes were merely disease-ridden weaklings.

A sudden revelation struck some of the Egyptians. These Athenian soldiers were not plagued at all. With the exception of a few appearing frail, the majority were elite soldiers and battle-hardened warriors. They possessed remarkable combat skills and, under Sig's guidance, displayed advanced teamwork that transcended the era.

Their tactical superiority quickly became evident. Even though the Egyptian army boasted 30,000 troops, they struggled to breach the defense established by 8,000 Athenian soldiers.

Rhodes shouted orders, directing soldiers to flank the Egyptians. The soldiers promptly formed small teams and encircled the Egyptian forces.

With few Athenian soldiers on the flanks, their objective was to swiftly eliminate opposition before rejoining the main force's assault. The Egyptians mirrored this strategy, splitting into two teams of 5,000 each. Accompanying them were the formidable modified beings, assisting in the eradication of Athenian soldiers approaching from the sides.

Sig noted the division of the Egyptian forces and cast a puzzled look back at Rhodes. As a chief guard, he understood that dispersing their troops in this manner was counterproductive.

Rhodes, however, remained focused on the battle, showing no response to Sig's inquiries.

The flanking troops of Athenian soldiers were effectively suppressed by the overwhelming number of Egyptian soldiers. The disparity in numbers was glaring, with two thousand Athenian soldiers on one side and over double that number opposing them. The presence of the formidable modified beings further complicated the Athenians' struggle.

Suddenly, an unexpected development occurred. Protoss soldiers in bronze armor appeared, five hundred on each flank, their long spears at the ready. They unleashed a barrage of light cannons aimed at the Egyptian soldiers.

Explosions erupted as the volleys of light cannons found their mark, resulting in significant casualties among the Egyptian ranks.

The Protoss soldiers joined the Athenian flanking forces, swiftly shifting the battle's momentum.

The Egyptian soldiers found themselves at a severe disadvantage. Sig's firepower combined with the Protoss soldiers' support shifted the tide in favor of the Athenians.

The modified beings, despite their resistance, succumbed to the continuous onslaught of light cannons, their skin resistance proving insufficient against this barrage. Dark blue blood spilled across the ground as they fell, their cries vanishing amidst the chaos.

The Egyptian formation crumbled under the relentless assault. Unable to make headway in the frontlines and facing devastating crossfire from both sides, their once-confident advance faltered.

Rhodes, no longer restraining his power, summoned a sun-like fireball before him and hurled it towards the Egyptian formation. The massive fireball descended upon the battlefield, incinerating soldiers who had yet to escape the impending inferno.

Chaos erupted as Egyptian soldiers scrambled in terror, abandoning shields and spears, fleeing towards the direction where Plague and War stood.

Rhodes raised his spear, commanding, "Advance!"

The Athenian soldiers, heeding his call, raised their arms and charged forward, relentlessly pursuing the retreating Egyptian forces.

Abruptly, a figure descended from the sky, landing amidst the Athenian formation.

An explosive roar resounded, deafening everyone nearby. Dust and debris filled the air, muffling all other sounds.

As the dust settled, the figure revealed itself—a man wielding an enormous sword, standing within a crater.

He licked his lips, spun his sword menacingly, and effortlessly sliced an Athenian soldier in two.

Explosions erupted in his vicinity, sending Athenian soldiers flying, their lifeless forms scattered around him.

Egyptian soldiers watched in astonishment, "What just happened?"

Before them, Rhodes had a firm grip on the neck of a massive beast, its limbs dangling limply, life extinguished.

"How is this possible?" an Egyptian soldier cried out in disbelief.

Rhodes maintained his composure, seemingly unfazed by his encounter with the creature. It was as if he had strangled a mere rabbit.

In the distance, Plague observed the scene, his spirit momentarily shattered. He mounted his white horse, urgently lashing it into a frenzied gallop, fleeing the battlefield.

Plague eventually recovered from his shock, leaning over his horse with whip in hand, making his escape.

He understood that Rhodes was a force beyond his expectations. Strangling War with a single hand displayed unimaginable strength.

War assumed a combat stance, brandishing his colossal sword. His legs were spread apart, and his body leaned forward, resembling a coiled cheetah ready to pounce. Muscles visibly swelled, as he emanated an intense murderous aura.

Rhodes, nonchalant and observant, remarked, "Can a modified human still exhibit such agility?"

Amidst hearty laughter, War lunged forward at remarkable speed. His figure blurred, his sword gleamed, and they clashed in a flash of motion.

The battlefield rumbled with a tremendous explosion, a shockwave billowing outward. Dust and smoke filled the air, obscuring vision.

As the haze cleared, two silhouettes emerged from the chaos—Rhodes, unscathed, and War, lifeless, his limbs hanging lifelessly, a grotesque spectacle.

A collective cry of disbelief erupted among the Egyptian soldiers, "How... how did he do that?"

Rhodes, seemingly unfazed, stood with one hand gripping War's lifeless form. It was as if he had crushed a fragile toy.

Plague, from a distance, stared in shock, realizing there was no intense battle between them. Rhodes had dispatched War with ease.

Suddenly, Plague's horse neighed in fear, and he, too, realized the futility of confronting Rhodes.

Plague swiftly spurred his horse into action, fleeing the battlefield with Rhodes's fearsome image etched into his memory.