Zhang Nu spent 200 million gold to install all eleven Citadel Cannons and purchase 5,000 Magitek Missiles, 20,000 Basic Citadel Soldiers, 5,000 Intermediate Citadel Soldiers, 1,000 Advanced Citadel Soldiers, and 500 Magitek Aerial Soldiers. In total, he invested 320 million gold, bringing his cumulative investment to a staggering 520 million gold.
Although the investment was substantial, it was exceptionally worthwhile. After this round of construction, the offensive and defensive capabilities of this Supreme Magitek Citadel far exceeded that of the Bloody Fortress. Moreover, it was a mobile citadel, which could be deployed anywhere. This mobility was crucial, and no amount of resources spent would be wasted.
For the Chaos Federation, having such a powerful mobile stronghold was of immense significance. Zhang Nu had already appointed the Grand Archmage Bai Jie as the Citadel Commander and the Gnome Chieftain Segon as the Vice Citadel Commander. In the future, tens of thousands to over ten million gnome researchers and human scholars would inhabit the fortress. This fortress was not just a military stronghold but also possessed research and production capabilities.
When Zhang Nu returned to the Darkness City, there was an urgent military report from the Kolo region. Nancilia rushed to report, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Marquis Kregi has begun their operations. The imperial army is moving faster than expected, and it is estimated that they will enter the Kolo region today!"
"Marilyn, the Grand Elder, has already led the Ancient Tree army to rush over for reinforcement. The scale of the enemy's forces this time is truly enormous."
"I'm somewhat worried."
Hearing this news, Zhang Nu's expression grew somewhat more serious. While he had foreseen that the empire would launch an offensive within these few days, he had not expected it to happen so swiftly. Moreover, this time, the stakes placed on the battlefield were considerable.
From the intelligence reports, it was evident that the empire was fully committed to this operation. Four imperial legions, each numbering a minimum of 800,000 troops, composed of cavalry, infantry, flying units, mage units, and special forces, were involved. In addition to the imperial legions, this campaign included a Marquis and three Counts. As hereditary nobility, their personal strength was formidable, and they commanded a significant number of elite forces and their family knight orders.
A conservative estimate put the combined strength of these noble knight orders at around 50,000 troops. These family private armies were on par with, if not superior to, the empire's official army in terms of elite status. Furthermore, according to the intelligence reports, among the forces participating in this campaign were the Thunderous Mercenary Guild and the Radiant Church, with at least five southern mercenary brigades and ten Radiant Church squadrons joining the battle.
Leading these forces were two super Heroes. These two super Heroes not only possessed the ability to mobilize the mercenary world and the Radiant Church but also had Hero guilds under their command. It was certain that many Hero guilds would be actively participating in the upcoming conflict.
It could be said that this was a super army with a nearly million-strong force. There were at least four Level 6 overlords among them: Marquis Kregi, Sir Bard, and the two super Heroes. Among the other nobles, commanders, top-tier Heroes, mercenaries, and adventurers, there were no fewer than twenty individuals at the Level 5.
Even for an empire as dominant as the Thunder Empire, mobilizing such a massive force would require significant effort, and its success or failure would have considerable consequences on its overall power. A military operation of this scale had not been seen in the southern territories in the past century. This clearly reflected the determination of Grand Duke Bachor and the empire. Facing such an enormous invading force was an unprecedented pressure for the forces of the Darkness City.
Due to the limited time available, the Darkness City could not deploy more federal forces. Currently, the Demon King's deployment in the Colosseum region consisted of approximately two hundred thousand elite troops, including the draconian legion, ogre legion, elven legion, orc legion, as well as creatures like the beholders. Though their numbers were far fewer than the empire's, their individual combat prowess was notably higher.
As for the leadership, at the helm was the Dark Dragon King, Long Yi, with the assistance of the Wind Abyss Dragon, Long Er, the Earth Abyss Dragon, Long San, the human Holy Knight, Bai Jin, and the temporary reinforcement, Jin Kui, the golden giant from Thundering City, along with the Deputy City Lord of Giantree City, Marilyn. These were all valuable Level 6 high-end combatants.
In terms of mid to high-level commanders: two Earth Drake Grand Marshals, Wang Er and Zhao Wu, two Sky Drake Archpriests, Sun Liu and Zhou Qi, twelve Draconian Marshals, fifty Generals, six High Priests, and twenty Priests.
Additionally, as a precautionary measure, the Demon King had arranged a hidden force. This force would not readily intervene, but in cases of extreme danger where significant casualties were possible, they would immediately join the battle. This hidden force included Earth Drake Sovereign Zhang San, Sky Drake Sovereign Li Si, and 120 Demon King's Royal Guards, among which 30 had undergone advanced modification to become super guards.
Although time was limited, the lineup of the Darkness City was undeniably formidable. It was foreseeable that this would be an intense and large-scale battle. The Demon King continued to stay in the rear, maintaining a low profile and observing the situation quietly. The Demon King of the Darkness City would not easily take to the frontlines. After all, he was the last card of the Chaos Federation and could not be played easily. Even in special circumstances, he could send the Elven King or seek assistance from the Succubus Queen of Gloom City. These two trump cards were available if needed.
In response to Nancilia's concerns, Zhang Nule reassured her, saying, "No need to worry. There's nothing to fear. It's just the southern borders of the empire; it's not enough to pose a threat to the Chaos Federation."
He prepared for battle, such as performing rituals in the two temples. The Temples of Nature and War of the Darkness City had both been elevated to Level 4. This meant they could bestow Level 4 divine blessings, enough to double the combat strength of the two hundred thousand troops on the frontlines. Moreover, besides these preparations, Zhang Nule had just acquired the citadel. This battle would provide an excellent opportunity to test the capabilities of the Supreme Magitek Citadel.
......
On that day, the sky was overcast, and an eerie silence pervaded the surroundings. The imperial army had arrived near the city of Kolo, stretching for a continuous twenty miles, resembling an ominous black cloud hanging over the city, ready to crush it. It was a sight that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
The citizens of the Kolo region could sense the oppressive aura emanating from the massive army that spanned tens of miles. They were already trembling in fear, huddled in their homes, or hiding in cellars, too afraid to venture outside. A battle of such magnitude was usually only witnessed during national conflicts. Little did they expect that the empire would deploy such a large and powerful army to combat a single Great Demon King.
"It seems that the Chaos Federation's strength is not to be underestimated," murmured Marquis Kregi to himself as he observed the scene inside Kolo City through the scouting spells cast by several adventurers beside him.
"And they have a considerable number of flying forces, at least four to five thousand. Instruct the mage units and barrier units to be ready to defend against aerial attacks at any time."
Two counts immediately said, "Don't worry, Your Lordship. We will not underestimate the enemy."
The Hero Xiang Nanfeng commented, "The Demon King is very dangerous. We cannot engage in a prolonged battle and give the enemy the opportunity to reinforce their troops."
Hero Hong Xia agreed, "I suggest launching a direct assault and reducing Kolo City to ruins, using overwhelming force to completely crush the Demon King."
Marquis Kregi nodded in agreement, "You both make valid points. I intend to dispatch the Fourth Legion for the initial assault. You will lead your respective elite adventurer groups, as well as the five major mercenary corps and the Radiant Church's army to launch the first wave of attack."
This sly old fox! Xiang Nanfeng and Hong Xia cursed inwardly.
In fact, whether it was the Heroes, mercenaries, or the power of the church, these were forces not directly controlled by the nobility in various regions. The empire and the local nobles had always been somewhat wary of these independent forces to varying degrees. Marquis Kregi saw an opportunity to use these forces to attack the Demon King, which would not only weaken the Demon King's forces but also weaken the mercenaries and the church. It was a strategy to both maintain his own power and decrease the strength of these independent forces. However, he could not afford to make this intention too obvious, thus he dispatched an imperial legion to join the assault.
In the end, they had no choice but to accept the task, considering the empire had also mobilized a legion. They looked at each other, and the leading adventurer, Xiang Nanfeng, spoke, "We accept this mission on behalf of the Mercenary Guild. We will eliminate the Great Demon King and defend the empire and its citizens. We consider it our duty."
Hong Xia, nodded in agreement, "Eradicate evil, uphold justice; these are the core tenets of the Radiant Church. Since Your Lordship has given this command, we, as faithful followers of the Radiant Lord, shall not retreat."
Marquis Kregi was somewhat surprised by how easily they agreed. However, both Xiang Nanfeng and Hong Xia were eager to eliminate the Great Demon King before the empire or its Heroes could take the credit. They had a clear understanding of the Demon King's strength from their previous encounters with the Dark Dragon King. Therefore, they were confident of victory and eager to claim it as their own.
Inside the city of Kolo, the Dark Dragon King had been closely monitoring the movements of the imperial army. Faced with such a massive force, the pressure on them was undeniable, especially for the native leaders.
"The number of humans is overwhelming!"
"We have only one-fifth of their numbers!"
"In this situation, can we really win?"
The several elven elders, golden giant elders, as well as the chieftain of the Orcs felt a hint of fear, anticipating that this battle would be extremely brutal.
"What is there to fear?" shouted Marilyn. "With the support of His Majesty from behind the scenes, how can these wretched humans possibly threaten the federation?"
"We have finally obtained peace and are on the verge of an era of prosperity in the Chaos Forest," she continued. "How can we let these interlopers disrupt it? Do you all want to return to the way things were before?"
Hearing the words of the Elven Grand Elder, the leaders of the various tribes and clans on the scene became incensed.
"Strike them down, one by one!"
"Let no imperial soldiers remain standing!"
"We must protect the federation!"
The Orc Gru, his eyes bloodshot, roared loudly, "As long as we unite as one and with His Majesty as our shield, let alone this puny human army, even if the entire imperial army arrives, we won't be afraid!"
"That's right!"
"Let them witness the might of the Chaos Federation!"
"Our benevolent Demon King has shown us great favor. We must defend the frontlines for His Majesty!"
"We will not retreat!"
"We'll fight to the end!"
"For the forest, for His Majesty!"
The morale of the assembled leaders and warriors soared. After witnessing the transformation of the Chaos Federation and the Chaos Forest following its establishment, they were determined to defend the federation and their beloved Demon King from any threat.
Just then, a piece of news arrived: "The enemy forces have begun to move!"
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"