Chapter 325: The Flames of War Ignite

The borderlands of City 14 were no longer as peaceful as they once had been.

Outposts forged from cold steel rose like silent giants, encircling the entire city with an iron grip.

Their purpose was not just to guard against external threats, but also to completely sever all contact—both informational and material—between City 14 and the outside world.

Within an inconspicuous shadow near the city’s edge, the figure of Blood River Demon Lord stood silently, like a ghost.

His gaze was locked onto five figures not far ahead—five Reincarnators dressed in a variety of strange, powerful-looking robes.

These five were the infamous Extreme Spell Squad, a group hand-picked by Blood River for their unmatched destructive firepower. In the Reincarnation Space, they were widely feared for their overwhelming magical offense.

Each wore a robe imbued with powerful energy—some shimmered with arcane light like starlight, others flowed with illusions of immortal might.

Immortal Mages, Arcanists, Sorcerers, Warlocks, Seekers of Truth—five of the most destructive spellcasting systems in the Reincarnation Space, all gathered in a single team.

Normally, Reincarnator squads balanced their lineup: frontline tanks to absorb damage, healers for support, assassins for reconnaissance and kills, and mages for ranged firepower.

But this team? All five were long-range magic users.

And each one possessed power comparable to the Soul Formation Realm in a cultivation system.

They had completely abandoned traditional team balance—no tanks, no healers, no scouts. All resources were invested in pure offense.

Their battle style was straightforward and brutal—overwhelming firepower to crush everything in their path.

In every mission world they entered, they simply blasted their way through from start to finish.

Their terrifying combat record had earned them a fearsome reputation across the entire Reincarnation Space—a squad others dared not provoke.

Now, even their squad leader—a middle-aged man—felt a shiver under Blood River Demon Lord’s oppressive gaze.

Still, he suppressed his unease and tried to speak calmly.

“May I ask why Demon Lord Blood River has summoned us here today?”

Though the Extreme Spell Squad lacked a Title-level member, the combined might of five Soul Formation-level casters was enough to pose a serious threat to most Title-level Reincarnators.

But clearly, not to this one.

Blood River’s cold, dark gaze swept across the five, and after a moment of silence, he spoke in a voice utterly devoid of emotion:

“You need not be nervous. I’m not here to harm you.”

“I’ve summoned you to entrust you with a mission—one that may allow you to seize an advantage in this Legion Conflict mission.”

The five members of the Extreme Spell Squad tensed slightly at those words.

They didn’t believe for a second that Blood River Demon Lord—famous for his ruthlessness—would hand out such a golden opportunity for free.

Still, since he’d laid the groundwork, they had little choice but to play along.

“Might we ask, what is the mission?”

Blood River’s lips curled into a chilling smile.

“It’s very simple. I want you to destroy all the outer perimeter outposts built by the Cosmic Megacorporations around City 14.”

“What?!”

The instant the words left Blood River’s mouth, the expressions of all five squad members changed drastically.

They immediately activated their defensive treasures and layered defensive spells.

Five different-colored auras surged around them—manifestations of powerful protections—forming a solid arcane barrier that surrounded them completely.

The team leader’s face turned ashen with rage.

“You’ve gone too far, Blood River Demon Lord!”

“It’s one thing for you to grovel before the locals, but now you dare send us on a suicide mission?!”

“Do you not fear the wrath of every Reincarnator in this city?!”

Every Reincarnator who had survived in City 14 knew of the horror that was the Eye of God—the all-seeing eye hanging over the world from the celestial canopy.

Those steel outposts might seem fragile before their magic—but attacking them would instantly trigger a response from the Eye of God.

Not even a Title-level Reincarnator could survive the divine punishment it would unleash.

And Blood River knew this perfectly well.

Though Lu Yan had assured him that the Heaven-Sealing Talisman could mask their actions from the AI God for fifteen minutes, Blood River was far too cautious to risk his own life on such a gamble.

Which was why he had chosen this squad—powerful, but still expendable—to serve as vanguard and test subject.

Blood River waved his right hand.

A golden talisman radiating profound energy floated toward the five.

“This talisman is the Heaven-Sealing Talisman. It can conceal your actions from the AI God for exactly one quarter-hour.”

“With your squad’s power, that’s more than enough time to wipe out every outpost in the borderlands.”

The squad leader didn’t believe a word.

A talisman that could block the Eye of God? Ridiculous.

But then again… Blood River’s deep ties with City 14—and the mysterious Lu Yan—gave his claim a sliver of credibility.

Still, it was a dangerous gamble. One wrong move meant certain death.

Trying to protest, the squad leader said:

“Demon Lord, this matter is too important. Perhaps we should—”

But before he could finish, the ground beneath them exploded.

A ghastly bloodstained hand shot up from below, reeking of death and demonic energy.

It slammed into the protective barrier they had just formed.

CRACK!

With a sharp sound, the supposedly indestructible magical barrier shattered like glass.

Blood River’s icy voice echoed around them.

“Did you really think… I was joking?”

All five members of the squad swallowed hard.

At last, they understood the true gap between themselves and this Nascent Soul–refining demon giant.

The leader, drenched in cold sweat, took the talisman without another word and led his team toward the outer defenses.

From a distance, Blood River Demon Lord watched with an amused, leisurely gaze.

As they flew, the Seeker of Truth among them whispered urgently to the leader:

“He clearly doesn’t trust the talisman himself. We’re just test subjects. Are we really doing this?”

The leader snorted bitterly.

“What choice do we have?”

“Either die now, or follow orders and maybe survive.”

Soon, they reached the attack range of the steel outposts.

Without hesitation, the team leader activated the talisman.

A pulse of arcane force erupted from it, and mysterious golden runes shimmered and flowed across its surface like rippling water.

They glanced at one another.

Despite the talisman’s brilliant display, none of them felt anything change.

“Is it a fake?” someone whispered anxiously.

“Only fifteen minutes. I’ll go first.”

The Seeker of Truth stepped forward and unleashed his full power.

A terrifying spell began to take form.

Ten Thousand Tribulations Sword.

At the fury of a Soul Formation-stage spellcaster, the world trembled.

Mountains shook. The land quaked.

All things—earth, stone, steel, and wood—gathered into countless divine blades that rained down upon the outposts.

Under normal conditions, such a massive magical disturbance would have instantly drawn the Eye of God’s wrath.

But the heavens remained silent.

As though it saw nothing.

And then—

BOOM!

The sword storm obliterated every structure within a hundred miles.

Steel fortresses turned to flaming wreckage. Energetic defenders and sophisticated machines alike were instantly annihilated.

“It worked! Blood River wasn’t lying!”

The other four erupted in ecstatic disbelief.

Since arriving in this cyberpunk world, they’d lived under constant fear of the Eye.

Now that fear was shattered.

With joy and fury unleashed, they joined in, blasting apart everything in sight.

Even aerial battleships were reduced to rubble by their Soul Formation–level might.

No resistance remained.

Within mere minutes, the steel wall surrounding City 14 had been leveled.

Tens of thousands of corporate soldiers were obliterated—barely able to sound alarms before they died.

But just as the team prepared to press deeper—

—disaster struck.

The talisman flickered.

Without warning, its glow began to dim.

The golden runes twisted and warped.

The team leader’s face went pale.

“Why now?! We still have fifty seconds left!”

But there was no time to think.

A wave of suffocating danger swept over them.

Without hesitation, they turned and fled for City 14 at full speed.

Behind them, the talisman’s light dimmed to almost nothing.

And in the sky above—the Eye awakened.

One by one, the dormant circuits of the celestial canopy lit up, channeling vast rivers of energy.

At the center, a massive eye formed—one of pure power and emotionless gaze.

The Heaven-Sealing Talisman shattered into golden dust the moment they crossed back into City 14.

And then—

The heavens roared.

A tidal wave of spiritual energy cascaded from the Eye, washing over the ruined battlefield.

Everything was drowned—fire, stone, life, and rubble—all swept away by divine punishment.

Only City 14 stood untouched, protected by an invisible, impenetrable force.

The Extreme Spell Squad, barely escaping with their lives, collapsed in relief.

Even Blood River, watching from afar, couldn’t hide his elation.

This mission, and the Heaven-Sealing Talisman’s effectiveness, marked a turning point for every Reincarnator in this world.

The true war had begun.

But in the highest office of the heavily-guarded council tower, Lu Yan stood alone, watching the burning horizon.

There was no joy in his eyes.

Only deeper thought—and a weighty silence.

(End of Chapter)