The War Begins

Over the next few days, he fell into the routine of running formations, grabbing some rest, and then right back to it.

The war hadn't kicked off yet, but the sight of the enemy troops lurking in the distance weighed heavily on everyone. On top of that, the teams in the battalion had to switch shifts every 3 hours.

The upside was they didn't have to hold the formation for too long each time. But the downside? Well, none of them were getting a decent break. The stress from the enemy presence, combined with the lack of proper rest, left every team member feeling drained, even though they hadn't faced any actual combat.

Thankfully, they were allowed occasional trips to the tavern or brothel to blow off some steam. Their platoon got swapped out with another one that had just finished their rest. Yeah, the army's always shuffling troops around to keep everyone in top shape.

That's how they managed to hold onto the fortress for months. The Fulminar Empire had the upper hand, chilling inside a fortress with all the amenities and a steady supply chain.

Meanwhile, the Holy Empire folks were camped out in the wilderness, far from their fortress city. It meant their supply line had to stretch a bit further, potentially leading to delays.

At least, that's the gist of what Zack heard from his buddy. Personally, he didn't really care about the logistics stuff, but hey, socializing was important, right? He spent most of his downtime diving into level 2 spell patterns and formation knowledge he'd snagged from the lightning magic tower's library.

He could access the tower's resources using the monolith they'd set up in the command center. And man, he had a ton of contribution points. Seems like the tower was trying to incentivize frontline wizards with hefty daily contributions for their service. Smart move, really.

The contribution points could be swapped directly for artifacts or other magical goodies. But for Zack, it was always gonna be books.

As Zack strolled back to his barracks from the command center, thoughts of Fannie kept creeping into his mind. He wasn't sure if she'd made it into the city and found their base yet. He hadn't had the time to check when he first arrived.

Once you're in the military district and reported in, you're pretty much stuck there. Trying to sneak out? Yeah, that's a one-way ticket to Military Law Land. He hoped Fannie was okay. Sure, he knew she had his back with his [Hidden Strength] and all, but facing off against two level 2 powerhouses? That's no joke.

Just as he reached his tent and was about to unzip it, a deafening alarm ripped through the district.

Some dude nearby looked like he'd seen a ghost, yelling about an enemy attack before hitting the dirt.

Seriously, what was up with that guy? They were all wizards here; they could just whip up some magic and stand their ground.

BOOM!

Before Zack could even finish that thought, there was this massive collision from the south side of the city barrier. A blinding white flash, hundreds of meters wide, appeared, sending shockwaves rippling through the barrier and shaking the whole city like it was caught in an earthquake. Zack nearly stumbled if it weren't for him using his lightning chain tethered to the ground.

BOOM!

The white spot hung there for a few seconds, then vanished, leaving the city barrier's glow slightly dimmed. His badge buzzed, signaling a message from his team leader: everyone to gather at the barracks and prep to head to their formation node. Time to get to work.

BOOM!

Before he could even catch his breath, another collision rocked the south side of the barrier. Instinctively, Zack activated the nerve acceleration effect of his [Lightning Flesh]. Everything slowed down just enough for him to glimpse what was happening.

A beam of light streaked toward the barrier at breakneck speed. But this time, before it could hit, a massive shield of fire and lightning materialized, blocking its advance. It all played out in an instant, even though it felt like time had slowed down under the effects of his ability. Still, the impact shook the city to its core.

A booming voice echoed from the heart of the military district. "A cowardly move indeed! Just as I'd expect from the church PAGANS! If you've got guts, come face me in the sky!"

A furious snort answered from the enemy's side. "SHUT YOUR TRAP, YOU HERETICS!" The anger was palpable.

Then, three beams of light shot skyward from the middle of the district, followed by three more from the enemy's side.

BOOM!

Soon after, thunderous rumbles echoed from beyond the clouds, accompanied by flashes of bright light. Mana surged in the air, the telltale sign of level 2 powerhouses clashing.

Shaking off the spectacle, Zack snapped to attention in the barracks clearing. His platoon mates quickly gathered around. Lieutenant Heinrich led them toward their formation node on the fortress wall.

They hadn't been told to switch with the previous platoon yet, but they had to be ready at a moment's notice. There was a designated area for them near the wall, ready and waiting.

All around Zack, people were hustling and bustling, ferrying supplies to different sections of the walls. Every now and then, bright flashes lit up the city barrier, signaling either enemy attacks or our own formations hitting back.

When it was Zack's turn to man the formation, he got a front-row seat to the chaos. And let me tell you, it was a total bloodbath.

Our wizards could hurl spells at the enemy all day long, but the enemy couldn't touch them. Sounds like an easy win, right? Well, reality's a bit harsher. Our shield mode could only hold up for so long, and then the city formation needed a breather, leaving us with just basic protection on the walls and in the sky.

That's when the enemy went nuts, throwing spells at our wizards and sending knights scrambling up the walls. Our guys were quick to cut 'em down, but it was a constant back-and-forth. Shield mode back on, enemy knights retreat, spells flying left and right.

This cycle? It felt endless. Even with heaps of casualties on the enemy side, they just kept coming. And man, when you looked out at them, it was like a sea of humans stretching as far as the eye could see. Sure, we had our own soldiers filling up half the city, but the sight of that endless enemy horde still got under your skin.

And let's not even talk about the gruesome scenes when both sides clashed head-on. Zack had to fight to keep his lunch down more than once.

Right now, apprentice wizards and magic knights below level 7? Well, they're pretty much like cannon fodder out there. It's brutal, man. You see 'em getting cut down left and right.

The official wizards have it a bit better, with those nifty automatic barriers always up. But even then, some of them still bite the dust every now and then.

Luckily for Zack's team on the formation squad, they've got an extra layer of protection. Their spot's covered by another barrier that's up 24/7, guarding the city's formation node. And hey, that shield kinda indirectly keeps them safe too.

But don't think for a second that they're kicking back and relaxing. Nope, they're on high alert, following Lieutenant's orders, blasting away at the enemy ranks, and keeping that barrier locked tight. One slip-up, and boom, enemy spells come crashing through.

With all the yelling, the dying screams, the blinding light, and just the sheer chaos of it all, Zack was feeling way out of his depth. His head was spinning, and his stomach was doing somersaults. Heck, he even entertained the idea of running for the hills.

But then he shook that thought off real quick. If he bailed now, who knows what would happen to the tower? Plus, he'd probably kiss his chance of quickly leveling up goodbye.

Watching those level 2 powerhouses going at it, Zack realized something: sure, he could take one down, maybe even kill 'em. But capturing one? That was a whole different ball game. In a fight like that, if he tried to control his strength, he'd be the one ending up six feet under.

And let's be real, he wasn't even close to being strong enough to overpower a level 2 wizard. So, yeah, he was sticking it out in this war. Worst case scenario, he'd figure out a way to bail.

…

For the next two weeks, it was just non-stop clashes. Wizards and knights dropping like flies, some of them even from Zack's own team. It was like death was just part of the scenery now.

He felt numb to it all. His eyes, once full of life, now just looked empty, and he noticed the same in his teammates.

Was it worth it? He wondered. Maybe he should've just found some corner to hide in this messed-up world. He didn't need to become some level 2 or 3 wizard. With his current strength, he wouldn't be scared of those level 2 big shots.

But why? Why did he keep hanging on? That question haunted him all week. Every time he was on the brink of throwing in the towel and running away, he somehow found the strength to keep going. But why?

Then he caught sight of one of his teammates talking to his daughter on a tablet. The guy's eyes, once so dull, started to shine with life again.

And then it hit him. That's why he was so desperate to get stronger, despite his fear and his aversion to trouble. He wanted to see his family again. He wanted to find a way back to his old world.

Some part of him hoped that if he just became strong enough, he'd stumble upon a way back home. And he wanted it ASAP. All this obsessive studying of spell patterns and formations? It was just a distraction, a way to keep his mind off his family. But when he finally took a break, all he could think about was them.

His eyes burned, holding back tears as he whispered, "Mom, Dad, I miss you so damn much." He was on the verge of breaking down, holding onto his knees for dear life, trying to keep the sobs at bay.

Just as Zack had his epiphany, BOOM!

A collision way bigger than anything they'd faced before, like when they were attacked by that level 2 powerhouse, rocked the southern side of the barrier. The whole city trembled with a force that made their earlier skirmishes seem like child's play.

Zack snapped his head up, spotting a massive bright spot on the barrier. But this time? Man, it was huge, practically swallowing up half the damn barrier.

CRACK! CRACK! BOOM!

The barrier started splintering, cracks spider webbing across its surface. It held on for just a few seconds before finally shattering into a million pieces.