The Chaos Legion, which had just suffered devastating losses, was replenished on the frontlines in less than a minute after Belakor himself entered the fray!
Compared to Zhaoming's dragon song, which purified Chaos corruption and turned it into pure energy to heal allied wounds, Belakor's method was far more brutal—and far more effective.
Not only did it corrupt human soldiers, it struck directly at the heart.
For those further away, fortunate enough not to be the first targets of the poisonous mists, there was now no choice left but to retreat.
All they could do was watch helplessly as their brothers-in-arms were consumed by that dreadful fog—writhing in unbearable agony, only to be swiftly transformed into new soldiers of the Chaos horde.
Any attempt to save their comrades would only mean being dragged down into corruption themselves.
Even those rare soldiers whose wills were strong enough to choose suicide and end their torment—Chaos still refused to let their bodies go. They were transformed even faster into plague-thralls of Nurgle: mindless husks filled only with bile and venom.
As for the vast majority, devoured by pain, they turned their bitterness against the very brothers who had once fought shoulder-to-shoulder with them.
From their twisted faces came one soul-piercing cry after another, hurled at the human soldiers now retreating at full speed:
"Brother! Save me! You're my elder brother—why won't you save me?!"
"Comrade! You promised after this battle we'd go home together! Why are you running, leaving me behind?!"
"Why won't you save me?! Have you forgotten the oath we swore?!"
Each accusation lashed like a whip dipped in saltwater, stabbed like a blade heated white-hot, cutting into the hearts of those forced to retreat.
Tears streamed down faces, rage erupted in roars, bodies trembled—but none of it could relieve the grief, guilt, and torment crushing their souls.
More and more soldiers faltered, slowing their steps, turning back to gaze upon their once-brothers.
"Don't look back! Don't listen to them! Keep moving, get beyond the danger zone!"
The junior officers roared desperately in their ears, dragging and striking them in an attempt to snap them out of it.
But their efforts were in vain.
The instant those soldiers slowed their steps, they were already caught in Chaos' snare.
The four-colored mists, like predators catching the scent of prey, closed in easily, invading their flesh and spirit.
Corruption! Detonation! Spread!
Transformed into plague-thralls of Nurgle, the once-human soldiers laughed madly and charged forward, closing upon the brave warriors who had led the charge minutes before, but now found themselves at the rear.
Their bodies, bloated to the limit with pestilence, exploded with thunderous force!
Putrid yellow-green pus sprayed outward in every direction.
Wherever it touched, there was nothing but shrieks of agony.
Even a drop was enough to rot away flesh to the bone—then, as the wound festered with grotesque growths, another plague-thrall was born, leaping at the next human slowed by despair.
The morale that had risen so high with the counterattack moments earlier plummeted like a falling star, crashing to the very bottom.
Belakor's foul mist had completely shattered the human legion's frontline.
Zhaoming, seeing this, let out a dragon's roar filled with fury. He dove from the heavens like a silver bolt, plunging into the poisonous fog that was spreading rapidly across the battlefield.
Silver lightning erupted violently within the mists, clashing and intertwining with the four-colored lightning inside.
Every collision triggered a tremendous explosion, the opposing psychic forces colliding, unraveling into pure energy that tore violently through the corrupted fog.
Those freshly turned Chaos thralls within the mist never had time to flee—they were pulverized into dust in an instant, their remains thickening the foul haze even further.
Belakor, however, cared nothing for the loss of such cannon fodder. With a hideous, rasping laugh, he mocked:
"Zhaoming, you truly don't hold back, do you? These men were your precious soldiers, rescued with such effort just minutes ago!"
"What now? Won't you save them again? Go on—keep howling, keep purifying them!"
Seeing his earlier victories nullified with a flick of Belakor's hand, and his own side suffering grievous losses instead, Zhaoming was already seething with rage.
Now, provoked by Belakor's taunts—and tainted, however slightly, by the Chaos miasma he had plunged into—his mental defenses cracked.
From within the fog burst a silver bolt of lightning, thick as a barrel, shooting straight at Bilak.
Zhaoming could no longer restrain himself. He charged.
"Zhaoming! No!"
From the human rear lines came once again that valiant, commanding female voice.
At the same moment, a second God Dragon emerged—a black-scaled titan, wreathed in coils of violet-gold thunder. It folded space itself to leap from the rear ranks, racing after the half-unhinged Zhaoming.
"Not good—the two dragons have taken the bait!"
High above, Roya perceived it all with sharp clarity. Belakor's stratagems could not escape his senses.
While the Chaos fog blanketed the skies, drawing the attention of the entire battlefield, Belakor had already dispatched a cavalry force tens of thousands strong. They had skirted wide around the long front and were now massing at both flanks.
Their positions were perfect to unleash a devastating charge on the exposed sides and rear of the human army!
"The human legion is gravely weakened. Zhaoming was forced into the fray, only to be toyed with by Belakor. Now, with Zhaoming's safety as bait, Belakor has lured out this newly arrived God Dragon as well!"
"Belakor—you truly are insidious! I must not let you succeed!"
Roya was just about to descend into the battle to save Zhaoming and the other dragon when, to his shock, he noticed Kaido.
Kaido, who had quietly withdrawn with the Beast Legion once Zhaoming entered the battle, suddenly wheeled about—leading his troops in a full-force charge.
And their target was unmistakable: the narrow gap between the human army's flank and the Chaos cavalry's mustering ground!
"What is Kaido doing?!"
Before Roya could probe his thoughts, Kaido's roar thundered across the battlefield:
"Lord Roya! The time has come! I will guide you from the ground—hurry, seize the essence of Ursun, the Northern Bear God!"
Rage.
Kaido had betrayed them.
Roya froze for only an instant. In that time, the Beast Legion had already gone to full throttle, transforming into an unstoppable iron tide that smashed through the human flank.
Before the Chaos cavalry could even begin their charge, Kaido's horde had burst through the fleeting gap, tearing open the human defenses.
"Despicable outsider! Die!"