Dungeon of Niflheim

Chapter 717 Scale of war

Frost currently stood at the top of Icethorne's northern wall.

The great behemoth of defence stood at a shocking 120 metres, making all those standing at the base appear like ants.

Here at the very top of the wall scores of terrifying ballista, catapults and even dreaded mana cannons of varying ranks were lined up as far as the eye could see.

Every second or so a volley of huge bolts, dense flaming rocks and corporal balls of raging mana were fired at the enemy ranks. The sound of these war machines, the roars of enemies and allies alike shook the wall's foundation to the point the Frost even found himself struggling to stand straight.

The vision around him was far more brutal than what he experienced during his own wars; the scale simply couldn't be matched.

He peered down over the precipice with wide eyes. There standing boldly at the forefront of the wall were regiments of the War Ursa Battalion's vanguard. Fierce, physically strong and without fear these men and woman forgo the walls defence and slaughtered the enemy that dared to assail their gates.

At the forefront were shieldmen donning thick heavy armour and massive tower shields that could even stop the full charge of a tri-horned white rhino or even a mammoth. Physical strength was the prime focus of these soldiers as they were tasked with halting the enemies momentum no matter the species.

Directly behind them were spearmen, at least two for every shield bearer. These soldiers stabbed and swiftly slaughtered those who were stopped by their shield bearing comrades.

A swordsman or an axeman served as an auxiliary to handle smaller enemies and whatever managed to breach the first two lines of defence.

Thousands of such squads made up the front lines allowing the injured and tired groups to easily rotate out and be replaced.

Behind the frontliners were groups of mages who focused on buffing magic making their comrades even tankier and more adept at slaughter. They were joined by a small group of archers and crossbowmen who prioritised sniping certain dangerous targets while the true ranger corps stood upon the wall, drowning the enemies in a deluge of arrows and bolts from up high.

With a seamless and practically perfect frontline the enemy forces that survived the onslaught of the war machines and endless volleys of arrows and explosive magic failed to breach through and were thus culled in thousands every minute.

The stench of blood was so thick that even those standing 120 metres in the air couldn't smell anything else.

This was the true state of war, a battle that would only end in a party's complete and utter annihilation, there was no mercy here.

Boom!

Frost's attention was suddenly drawn by the sound of a massive mana cannon. This beast of a machine stood at 4 metres tall,10 metres long and with a barrel diameter of 2 metres.

A large sphere of purple mana was fired out, its target one the densest areas among the enemy lines. Here a powerful commander at the mid stages of the B-rank was overseeing the many E, D and C-rank soldiers in the vicinity.

Just when he was about to give the order for more reinforcements his body trembled, and he felt a sudden sense of danger. A fraction of a moment later a shadow appeared around him, he looked up and saw the giant sphere of purple mana hurtling towards him.

"Shi…."

BOOOOOMMMM!!!

He didn't even get the chance to curse before he and the surrounding 100 metres was engulfed in a mana explosion, erasing everything within the blast zone. Not even ashes remained of the once dauntless B-rank commander.

Frost felt his scalp tingle and strong sense of unease washed over him as he saw the entire thing. With just a single blow an entity roughly at the same level as himself was easily erased, leaving not even a single speck of blood.

"Gulp" he audibly gulped bringing a prideful grin to General Katrina.

"That's Big Bertha for you, an A-rank mana cannon that can even cause someone like me to be wary let alone a small B-rank hahahaha." This was a clear show of force.

Frost had to reevaluate the number of things that could threaten his life.

'Fuck!' Every time he left his abode he'd always be reminded how weak and pitiful he truly was in the world.

Thankfully 'Big Bertha' as Katrina called it wasn't in great supply. Across the entire Northern wall there was only two of such cannons and the cost to fire them even a single time was insane. Thankfully however the swaths of dead monsters assaulting their gates provided a near endless supply of mana crystals.

Ignoring his internal plight General Katrina dragged Frost over to the command centre were the other on duty Generals and Majors were holed up. She needed to show Frost just how awesome the War Ursa Battalion was if she had any chance in roping him in.

""General"" Several soldiers saluted and bowed the moment Katrina entered the tent.

"At ease." Katrina replied before pushing Frost forward with her oversized hand. "This is Frost, a young prodigy here to experience a true war so treat him well." Only the Generals who were summoned to the meeting last night knew about Frost so everyone in the tent bar them was surprised.

For General Katrina to personally escort him and even call him a young prodigy meant that he must be truly skilled or hold an unparalleled status.

"Greetings Sir Frost" A few thick skinned soldiers immediately tried to get in Frost's good books by treating him with excess respect and humility. An act that would normally have General Katrina tutting in disapproval but strangely this time she was nodding her head as if encouraging such actions.

Such a reaction spurred the rest of the Majors, Captains and other soldiers present to give very friendly greetings.

Frost who was being forced to smile and shake hands with these veterans of war suddenly felt something soft and warm against his back. Next a pair of jade like hands appeared from behind and enclosed around his chest and shoulders.

"Little Frost you should have sent word that you were coming. If I knew I would have escorted you personally." A sultry voice appeared next to his ear as the hands gently caressed his body and the soft, large mounds of flesh pressed and strained against his back.

"JESSSICA!!!" Katrina screeched with a malevolent expression on her face.

"Haaaa loud as ever you damn oaf of a bear." The one holding tightly against Frost was General Jessica another big name in the War Ursa Battalion. A woman who was at the same level as Katrina and her lifelong rival/nemesis/best friend.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you damn grandma!" Katrina moved to wrench her colleague from Frost. Jessica was of the same generation as her, old enough to be a grandma or even a great grandma yet here she was wrapping her body (that was preserved in a youthlike state by her magic) around Frost a prodigy she had her eye on (strictly as a solider).

"Pfftt foolish Kat even at your age you still don't understand the mind of a young man. Since he doesn't have any desire to join our Battalion for glory and prestige then you have to draw him in with something he does." Jessica said a mocking tone before wrapping herself even tighter around Frost, allowing him to feel the softness and heat of her skin.

"What do you think little Frost? Do you want to team up with this big sister here? I can teach you the wonders of magic as well as some more personal skills." She whispered into his ear in a tempting manner as her hands drifted downwards. Subtle wasn't in her vocabulary.

Even though General Jessica was in full view of the other soldiers she didn't hold back and those watching didn't even flinch as though they were used to her acting in such a way.

General Jessica was well known in their battalion as a devourer of talents, doing everything (above board) to entice them to join her corps even offering herself if they were particularly handsome or beautiful. She kept her body young with magic not just to suit her own vanity but to use it. Unlike Katrina she never lost her appetite with age.

'Haaaaaa talent, good looks maybe this is actually a curse rather than a blessing.' Frost constantly found himself drawing attention because of his gifts.

Since the other party was a vaunted General, someone who could easily kill him if she wanted he couldn't be rude. "Your offer is certainly tempting General Jessica, but I'm already spoken for and have no desire to join the War Ursa Battalion." He politely refused, making his stance clear once again.

"Hehehe." Jessica in response laughed in a charming manner "Please just call me Jess little Frost and don't worry about joining the Battalion, I'm still more than willing to give you some personal one on one lessons….I won't tell if you won't." Her last few words were said so that only she; Frost and Katrina could hear them.

Jessica wanted him bad; it wasn't every day she came across a young man with unparalleled looks and a mana affinity that even put hers to shame.