“Aren’t the magic beast corps unable to attack after earthquakes?!”
“What do we do now? Our defensive line has collapsed!”
The crowd was noisy and frantic.
Zhen Jin deeply pursed his brows; the situation had suddenly reached its most critical moment.
“Withdraw, we can’t risk fighting them.” Someone proposed, it was one of Tripleblade’s mercenaries.
For a long time, the survivors dealt with the magic beast corps by holding the high ground, relying on their defenses, crossbows, and other long range weapons to suppress the advancing magic beast corps.
It was the correct tactic.
Because this island prohibited the use of low level magic and battle qi.
But after the earthquake, the ravine collapsed and they had a lack of crossbows, thus they no longer had defenses. With just their bodies, most ordinary people could not deal with common beasts, let alone magic beasts.
“We can’t withdraw. This ship is still here!”
“We can build it again!”
“How much time do you need to build it? I think this wretched island is nearly done for.”
The people began to quarrel, their opinions were not unified.
Indeed, in recent times, the island’s weather had clear anomalies, volcanic clouds covered the sky, and earthquakes constantly happened.
Perhaps this island will meet its end by either being shattered into pieces by earthquakes or by being completely covered by lava.
The boat craftsman mournfully yelled: “We can’t withdraw, my son cannot escape.”
The giant was still under the boulder.
The people became even more frantic.
“Calm down!” Zhen Jin suddenly shouted.
In an instant, everyone’s gaze concentrated on Zhen Jin.
“Fate……” The young leader’s heart darkly sighed, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
Obviously the prior situation was really good, but in the blink of an eye, he sank into desperate straits and was confronted with a difficult choice.
However, since waking up and struggling on this island, hadn’t he confronted a few difficult choices?
This time, compared to his previous decisions, Zhen Jin was more decisive!
His steady gaze looked at his surroundings: “Withdraw? Where can we withdraw to? Some of us can withdraw, because our bodies exceed that of ordinary people. But for most of you, won’t the bat monkeys, crocodile head hammer tail boas, and cunning blue dog fox wolves chase you down and kill you?
Everyone was silent.
“Everyone, this is our most critical hour! Although we don’t have camp defenses or sufficient weapons, and suffered heavy losses from the recent earthquake, we have no choice but to fight to the death, there will be no retreat!”
“We must fight while clearing away the obstructions that block the ship’s sliding track.
“We must put the ship into the sea and break through every hindrance!”
“When we triumph over our foes, when we celebrate on the sea, when we look at those dammable magic beasts drowning in lava and watch this island sink into the sea, we will thank our great efforts, and rejoice that we never gave up in our most desperate hour.”
“Believe me, we shall be the final victor!”
Shouting this, Zhen Jin took out Silver Lightning.
He raised the rapier in front of him and began to loudly pray: “Emperor Sheng Ming, my master, please pity me somewhat, I earnestly request you to gaze here. Your knight is fighting to the death while continuing to practice your principles. Let the imperial flag wave, allow me to save these people and assist the good and the weak, even if it costs my life!”
Just as his words finished, his body seemed to inflate and rapidly expand.
His clothing immediately tore as a dark golden armor grew from Zhen Jin’s limbs, body, and head, it even wrapped around his feet.
Zhen Jin raised his hand and tossed Silver Lighting to Hei Juan.
Just as the people saw that, his right hand transformed a spider leg, it too was covered with the scorpion carapace.
Then Zhen Jin’s hand curled into a fist, growing the spider leg’s tip into a spider blade as it extended from his fist, there was lightning lingering on the sharp blade’s surface.
This was Zhen Jin’s newest training achievement. The flying squirrel’s electricity and the spider blade combined into an electric blade. Not only could it lessen the magic consumed, his attacks also received a qualitative upgrade.
Everyone cried out in surprise.
This was the first time Zhen Jin completed a transformation amongst them.
“Divine scion knight!”
“This is a miracle.”
“Emperor Sheng Ming is watching us attentively.”
“Our victory is certain.”
As morale stabilized, the flame of hope began to burn in the people’s eyes.
Nevertheless, Zhen Jin’s heart was heavy.
This was a last resort.
Ordinarily, there was no way he would transform before everyone. But the situation was critical, he had to placate the people as fast as possible, and so he took a risk.
“The following fight, even if we win, will be a pyrrhic victory, casualties are bound to be disastrous.” Zhen Jin’s heart explicitly judged.
If he was by himself, the magic beast corps could not deal with him.
But he had to protect many people, like Zi Di and Cang Xu.
He had to save as many people as possible.
Because he was a templar knight, and because a ship needed many people to operate. It’s hard for a dozen people to operate it. Even if it could set sail, in howling rain or even large waves, it was difficult for them to resist such things.
Without superfluous words or changes in formations, under the command of the blue dog fox wolves, the vast magic beast corps charged.
Everyone stood their ground in the ravine ruins and risked their lives to resist the magic beast corps.
Zhen Jin and Zong Ge proudly stood in front.
Zong Ge also put on his helmet, he was fully armed.
Under the armor, the two people had grave expressions.
The magic beast corps were coming in too fast, there wasn’t enough time to do a headcount. Because of the earthquake, most people hid or ran away hastily, they were still unarmed.
“Fire, I will quickly set up a fire!” Zi Di swiftly called.
The young girl opened her handbag, inside there were many neat rows of spare potions.
“Quickly, make haste.” Mu Ban commanded, he was helping the wounded clear a path.
“Son, persevere, your father will leave with you in a moment!” After consoling the giant, the boat craftsman immediately joined Mu Ban’s team.
Bang rumble.
The beast tide looked like a gigantic black wave.
Many people swallowed their saliva, in the past they occupied the high ground and shot from a distance. Now that they faced the beast groups on even ground, they immediately felt the magic beast corps’ terrifying might.
But the beast groups’ charge suddenly slowed.
The ravine caved in; numerous stones hindered their charge.
Zong Ge and Zhen Jin looked at each other, they saw an opportunity in battle.
“You preside over the front; I will charge first.” Zhen Jin shouted.
Zong Ge nodded. He knew Zhen Jin was stronger, and more suitable for this matter.
Zhen Jin charged in alone and immediately broke into the magic beast corps, attacking in all directions.
He repeatedly roared; no flying squirrel could get near him.
Bat monkeys and blade spiders could not deal with the scorpion carapace.
The blade spider webs were immediately cut through by Zhen Jin’s hand blade.
Only the red hot monkey tail brown bear claws could inconvenience Zhen Jin, however they were not too troublesome.
The young knight used ultrasound and held fast to his battle talent, allowing him to find the most suitable attack route in the chaos.
He stirred the magic beast corps into complete confusion, with his flickering lightning blade, nearly every swing killed a magic beast, even silver level magic beasts.
Zhen Jin’s fighting silhouette raised everyone’s morale and fired them up.
“Bark bark bark.” The blue dog fox wolves barked again.
The magic beast corps rapidly changed, leaving a portion behind to deal with Zhen Jin, two beast groups came from the left and right, charging at the others.
“These crafty brutes!” Zong Ge cursed as he commanded everyone into battle.
Crossbows were sparse; thus the beast group didn’t get shot much. As the distance closed, everyone threw stones to obstruct ordinary beasts, but to the monkey tail brown bears, even if they were hit, it only tickled them.
The close the magic beasts got, the more the survivors were not their opponent.
With miserable bawls, the people instantly suffered disastrous casualties.
Zong Ge, Tripleblade, Hei Juan, Lan Zao, and some others were cornerstones, however they could only stand their ground for a moment before the pressure forced them to retreat again and again.
The subterranean sandworms ambushed them, bat monkeys swooped down, and in all directions, there were strong life white rhinoceros, monkey tail brown bears, or crocodile head hammer tail boas.
No one could hold them back!
“Retreat, retreat!” Zong Ge hoarsely shouted in a moment of desperation.
He had been a talented high-ranking officer, he understood that a retreat could easily trigger a rout. But without options and staying being a death sentence, he could only take a risk.
Luckily at that crucial moment, Zhen Jin saw the discouraging events and killed his way back.
He and Zong Ge fought side by side, after breaking through, ruthlessly killing many magic beasts, and instilling fear in them, he allowed everyone to retreat to the new ship.
Seeing the force quickly retreating to their side, Mu Ban, the boat craftsman, and the others showed fear.
They did their best, but they hadn’t even cleaned up even half of the obstructions.
There was simply not enough time!
The crafty blue dog fox wolves, with just one strategy, forced the survivors into a corner.
The primary situation really was too passive.
During the first confrontation, more than half of the force was dead or injured.
“Bark bark bark.” The frightening dog barks resonated across the battlefield again.
The blue dog fox wolves did not want to give Zhen Jin and the others any time to breathe.
The magic beast corps charged again.
Everyone despaired, even with Zhen Jin at their side.
“I have to completely transform!” Zhen Jin threw his apprehensions into the back of his mind, replacing it with determination.
“Zong Ge, defend this place. I will charge ahead, as long as I kill the blue dog fox wolves, the magic beast corps’ threat will fall greatly.” Zhen Jin shouted.
This was the only chance!
Simply defending, even while completely transformed, would not do. After all, Zhen Jin was just one person.
Now he could only attack instead of defending.
You want to kill my people, then I will get rid of you.
At such a large disadvantage, Zhen Jin could only use this tactic and fight with all his might!
“My Lord!” Zi Di’s came from behind him, “You must be careful!”
The bonfire was ignited.
Zi Di sprinkled her medicinal powder, the thick smoke forced the flying squirrels, fire-poison bees, and bat monkeys to retreat, greatly lessening the pressures on the defense.
But the disaster continued.
These reserve potions only made up a small section of her handbag.
“You must also take care of yourself.”
Zhen Jin could only leave these words with his fiancé, before fearlessly charging ahead!
Notes
I unironically believe that if Zhen Jin told everyone about his transformation powers, they could make a harness for his crocodile boa form and have him just slither the ship into the ocean. But due to his selfishness and fear, 50% of those under his leadership are probably dead. At what point does self-interest give way to the greater good? But I suppose, if he didn’t care about everyone, he could have just absorbed some fish in the ocean and swam away.