Just in terms of aura alone, these towering cavalry units were far more imposing than the ordinary ones before. Ye Zhongming estimated their strength to be roughly equivalent to Level 5 mutated lifeforms.
These cavalry appeared among the previous ranks, standing out like cranes among chickens.
The sudden shift dramatically increased the pressure on Cloud Peak. Individually, these knights posed no threatâeven the Youth Army warriors could easily dispatch them.
But the problem was sheer numbers. The ordinary stone cavalry could be killed in a single strike, but they couldnât be ignored. Even if their attacks couldnât breach defenses, the sheer impact would send tremors through the body.
A single uncontrolled movement could lead to a cascade of blows, trapping a warrior in a helpless cycle of defense.
The soldiers wouldnât allow thatâonce caught in such a situation, theyâd be beaten to death without a chance to retaliate.
Under these circumstances, the height advantage of these new knightsâallowing them to strike over the heads of ordinary cavalryâbecame a major problem for Cloud Peak.
"Thunder!"
Xiao Min, in charge of command, didnât bother worrying about her boss. Seeing the situation, she barked the order.
Without their battle beast support, the Female Guard fighters were slightly off-balance, but their superb combat instincts kept them steady. At the command, a group of them fell back under cover, swiftly retrieving crystal grenades from their spatial storage and hurling them toward the towering knights.
The latest-model grenades packed devastating power. Though the stone knights were tough, they couldnât withstand Cloud Peakâs signature weaponry.
Explosions cleared vast swathes of enemies, easing the pressure on the formation.
Seizing the opening, the team unleashed a wave of skills, clearing surrounding foes and reorganizing their formation, placing the most defensive fighters on the perimeter.
"Regroup on the boss!"
Xiao Min issued the next order, and the entire Cloud Peak force shifted backward.
With the situation unclearâno one knew how many more cavalry would appearâsplitting forces was unwise.
Crystal grenades continued flying from Cloud Peakâs battle formation, carving out pockets of safety and turning wave after wave of stone cavalry into shattered debris.
Soon, the team reunited with Ye Zhongming, encircling the battle beasts that couldnât fight physically.
The maneuver cost a third of the Female Guardâs grenade stockpileâbut the results were undeniable. Within visible range, the stone cavalry had thinned drastically, no longer resembling the dense swarm from before.
A quick scan revealed missing facesâall from the Youth Army. The tidal assault had claimed lives.
The reunion brought brief relief, but it was short-lived.
The shattered stone fragments began moving on their own again, coalescing into new cavalry units.
This time, however, alongside the towering Type II knights, an even stronger Type III emerged.
"Level 7!"
The thought flashed through many minds.
Though few in number, these new Type III stone knights boasted strength on par with Level 7âmatching the Female Guard and surpassing the Youth Army.
"Wipe them out!"
Ye Zhongming knew letting them assemble was fatal. At equal levels, even Cloud Peakâs formation would struggle to hold.
The Eight-Star elitesâYe Zhongming, Xia Bai, Xiao Min, Red Hairâsprang into action, targeting the Type IIIs.
The King of Cloud Peak led the charge, his Harvester Mimicry Shooter roaring like thunder. Every shot blew apart a Type IIIâs head, sending its body crashing downâeven with basic green-grade rounds.
Red Hair and Xia Bai were only slightly slower. Fighting solo, their overwhelming speed and power turned them into blurs of death, leaving trails of shattered stone in their wake.
Thanks to the chaos from the grenades, the assault was highly effective, clearing most nearby threats.
But the bigger picture remained grim.
In the distance, more cavalry charged, soon to encircle Cloud Peak again.
With no better options, the team fought onâshooting, slashing, enduring.
Gradually, the stone cavalry closed in, mixing Type IIs and IIIs to crush the humans under relentless pressure.
As more advanced types appeared, the pattern became clear:
Type I (ordinary) deaths â form Type II
Type II deaths â form Type III
Strength escalated with each revival.
Fortunately, it took 2-3 Type I deaths to form a Type II, and the same ratio for Type IIIs. Though the enemies grew stronger, their numbers dwindled.
Under the onslaught, Cloud Peak periodically unleashed crystal firearms or grenades to ease the pressure.
The battle was brutal. Casualties, though minimal, mounted steadilyâseven Youth Army dead, many more wounded. Even brief respites in the formationâs center couldnât fully offset the toll.
Ye Zhongmingâs brow furrowed. These were seeds heâd painstakingly nurturedâlosing them here was a waste.
He considered emptying the grenade stockpile, but if this was only the first trial, conserving resources was critical for what lay ahead.
Even the Explosive Mechanic had been deployed, now cooling down. Ye Zhongming had used Cloud Slice multiple times, draining a fifth of his mental energy.
The deadlock continued:
Stone cavalry encircling, attacking endlessly.
Cloud Peak defending, killing relentlessly.
Then, at a critical pointâthe feared escalation arrived.
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When enough Type IIIs fell, something worse emerged.
Type IV.