Heavy tracks raced across the swamp-covered southern territory land. The magic power engine's sound was deafening. Whenever this terrifying sound appeared, it was often accompanied by massive booming and a landscape of devastation.

Countless peasants, serfs, and slaves died in this war, just like the nobles and knights from various territories they'd killed not long ago.

Throughout the entire southern region, the hottest profession at the moment became corpse carriers.

But for some reason, the Kingdom of Dawn's three main armies, plus those transporting military supplies, had already killed who knows how many enemies, yet it felt like they'd made no progress at all. Large groups of enemies could suddenly pop up anytime, anywhere... What was even more unsettling was that the mass graves where corpse carriers dumped and buried bodies actually... showed no corpses at all. However, not many people noticed this.

Facing this terrifying pressure, the Kingdom of Dawn successively issued two more conscription orders—national conscription to rush aid to the southern region. Of course, territories already slaughtered clean by the Knight Order would become their spoils of war.

If the Kingdom of Dawn was like this, the smaller nations around it were even more so.

Small nations near the border between the Gray Fort Empire and Kingdom of Dawn were basically being devoured by the Church of War at a rate of one per day.

Even in the divine realm, the gods felt something was wrong. Almost all gods could clearly feel their faith power gains declining. Only Ren, the Goddess of Magic, and the Goddess of Writing could offset it to some degree through the Magic Net—it was just that their growth rate had slowed a bit.

And as the Church of War's largest "stronghold" in the mortal realm, the Gray Fort Empire's situation wasn't optimistic either.

Almost the entire Gray Fort Empire was now trapped in a strange atmosphere—even more oppressive than the Kingdom of Dawn's atmosphere. In all towns with War temples, people felt like something was gripping their throats, even breathing became somewhat difficult.

More and more people would start mumbling inexplicably in low voices, praying to the God of War.

Days passed one by one. In the capital of the Gray Fort Empire, at the Church of War's most core building—the Temple of War—it was like it had been shrouded in dark clouds. Just standing nearby made breathing difficult.

"Tomorrow is the Festival Day. Is everything ready?" The War Pope's hoarse voice came from that throne forged from countless iron swords, making all the archbishops and bishops present suddenly alert.

"Your Holiness, everything is ready!"

An archbishop was first to react and hurriedly responded. But throughout the entire process, he didn't dare raise his head to look at his pope even once. Really, the current pope was just too terrifying. Even if you called him an evil god's freak, anyone who saw him probably wouldn't find it problematic.

Those close to gods are no longer human—this phrase was displayed vividly in this moment! That pope was only about forty years old, but now looked like he was eighty or ninety. What was even more unsettling was that his skin all over his body was sagging, like he was wearing loose clothing. His eyes were blood-red as if flames could burst forth. When he spoke, the skin on his body would surge up and down, giving the feeling like... a water balloon.

"If that's the case, then let's begin!"

The War Pope just waved his hand, and countless flames instantly appeared in the hall. And within these flames, horrifyingly fierce spirits were helplessly howling. These were the souls of Missionary Knights and Knight Order soldiers who'd died in battle in various places recently. And the price for burning these flames was their corpses, which is why they were bound here.

The few howls didn't affect the War Pope's actions. He quickly began operating. Gradually, those dead souls no longer showed their violence, especially after he, a pope, jumped directly into these flames.

"There's ultimately not enough time... I will use my soul to stimulate them, to stir up this war. The rest is up to you... I believe even without me, you can complete the mission God gave us very well! Tonight, an unparalleled war will erupt in our controlled areas... You must make good use of this opportunity..."

The War Pope kept issuing final commands to those around him while enjoying all the pain and baptism the Flames of War brought him.

Those originally incredibly fierce souls were completely calmed down. But compared to them, important believers of the Church of War now began transforming from fierce to violently fierce.

War churches in various towns throughout the Gray Fort Empire almost simultaneously emitted a fluctuation that only believers of gods could sense.

These fluctuations merged with each other, borrowed power from one another, constantly gathering toward the Temple of War, then spreading to more distant places.

Surrounding lords... nearby small nations... the Kingdom of Dawn... one after another got covered. War church believers suddenly felt their hearts seemed to become restless. No matter what methods they used, they couldn't effectively suppress the restlessness in their hearts.

Night fell.

Less than six hours remained until Festival Day. This abnormal fluctuation had already covered over two-thirds of the continent.

Human desire borrowed this strange fluctuation, and this strange fluctuation became stronger because of humans... Within the covered area, everyone who believed in the War God felt their heartbeat accelerate greatly, as if they'd just sprinted with all their might, completed a marathon. The desires in their hearts also kept growing with these violent heartbeats.

BOOM—

Finally, from a small town not far from the Gray Fort Empire's capital, a thunderous boom came.

A local knight suddenly led his subordinates to attack the local lord. The massive boom echoed throughout the entire town. The lord, sleeping in his bed, was awakened by this huge commotion. But what greeted him was no longer beautiful servants, but several burly men.

At this moment.

Less than two hours remained until Festival Day.

This madness seemed contagious, constantly spreading outward. Knights who believed in the God of War attacked their lords. Nobles who believed in the God of War launched surprise attacks on surrounding territories. Commoners who believed in the God of War took to the streets, smashing, looting, and burning. Everyone who believed in the God of War began going crazy!

This madness spread much faster than anyone imagined.

When less than one hour remained until Festival Day, this strange situation had already spread to the Gray Fort Empire's borders. The commander, originally feeling very restless and unable to sleep, instantly became alert...

Just a few minutes later, the Kingdom of Dawn's southern, western, eastern regions... also successively showed similar situations...

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