My Beast Is the 12-Winged Angel Chapter 463 - 464: A King’s Responsibility
Previously on My Beast Is the 12-Winged Angel...
Elsewhere.
More than a hundred fissures had manifested across the golden barrier protecting the Angel Holy City.
The cracks expanded with every impact of the Demonic Qi against the defensive shield.
Atop the city walls, the angel warriors gripped their weapons so fiercely that their knuckles turned white, their wings shuddering with tremors.
This was not caused by cowardice, but by the sheer exhaustion of unending combat.
The Demon Race had launched a relentless assault this time, leaving the defenders without a single moment to recover.
By this point, the battle had raged for an entire day and night!
Lanny stood at the pinnacle of the primary wall, her palms resting against the frigid white stone of the railing.
A cold breeze brushed the golden locks at her temples, highlighting her pale features.
She was keenly aware of the labored breathing of the warriors behind her and the weight of the million citizens watching from within the Holy City.
“Your Majesty.”
A Totem Tier Eight angel approached Lanny.
The angel’s countenance was etched with deep weariness.
This conflict was not merely a brutal ordeal for the low-level soldiers; the mental and physical strain on the high-ranking angels was even more severe.
“Your Majesty, the barrier will collapse in five hours at most! I suggest... that we execute the final plan.”
This so-called final plan was the most merciless tactic in the history of the Angel Race.
It required abandoning all outer defenses to concentrate every ounce of strength within the inner city's core.
They would stake everything on the Holy City’s ultimate barrier for a final stand.
This meant sacrificing over two-thirds of the city, along with the civilians who could not be moved in time—it meant abandoning everything else.
Lanny’s nails bit into her palms.
The idea of sacrificing a portion of her people’s lives was something she could never accept.
Consequently, this path had never been part of her strategy.
Either they would survive as one, or...
They would all perish together!
She turned her gaze toward the southeastern horizon.
“What is the status of Lord Liu Ye?”
In that direction, a tempest of gold and black energy had consumed half the sky.
Even from this distance, the spatial tremors generated by the clash of such powerful beings were palpable.
“Lord Liu Ye is currently engaged in a solo battle against three Totem Tier Nine demon elites.”
“However, based on our observations, Lord Liu Ye’s situation is extremely dire.”
“Furthermore, the status of the other four Great Angels... is hardly better than Lord Liu Ye’s!”
Lanny closed her eyes in exhaustion upon hearing the report.
Thus far, there had been no positive developments.
The state of the battlefield was growing increasingly catastrophic.
If this trend continued,
The fall of the entire Angel Realm was only a matter of time.
Suddenly, the reporting angel spoke once more:
“Your Majesty!”
“There is further bad news!”
Lanny snapped her eyes open at his words:
“Tell me!”
“The scouts have reported that the Demon Race is attempting to manifest another Void passage just outside the Holy City...”
Silence immediately gripped the area.
A Void passage.
Everyone present understood the gravity of that term.
A Void passage signified the arrival of yet another Totem Tier Nine powerhouse.
The five Totem Tier Nine enemies currently on the field were already pushing the Angel Race to its breaking point.
If another were to appear...
Lanny suppressed her rising panic and forced herself to ask:
“How much time until the passage is fully formed?”
“Forty minutes... at the very latest.”
The angel bowed his head.
“Our strike team attempted to sabotage it, but... they were completely annihilated.”
Yet another disaster.
A familiar, sharp ache throbbed in Lanny’s heart.
She took deep breaths to steady herself, her mind racing to evaluate every available option.
That Void passage had to be neutralized.
The angels were already struggling against five Totem Tier Nine demons. A sixth would be the end.
Lanny’s gaze hardened with resolve; her mind was made up.
“Gather every warrior with four wings or more who is still capable of combat.”
She turned, her posture radiating absolute determination:
“Form a sacrifice squad. I will lead them myself.”
“Your Majesty, you cannot!”
The angels in attendance cried out in protest simultaneously.
“I am the sovereign of the Angel Race.”
Lanny cut them off, her voice quiet but carrying the weight of an absolute command:
“If I remain in safety, how can I expect my warriors to march toward their deaths?”
“Your Majesty!”
The Totem Tier Eight angel’s voice shook with desperation.
He stepped forward, his pale face filled with a pleading look:
“Please, reconsider! You are the very icon and hope of the Angel Race; if you take such a risk and fall... the morale of the entire Holy City will shatter!”
Lanny did not turn back, she only replied softly:
“You are correct; I am a symbol! But a symbol is meant for more than just being worshipped from afar!”
She turned slowly, facing the commanders on the wall as if addressing the millions of eyes watching her from the city below.
“A symbol must be the first to stand during the darkest hour.”
“But, Your Majesty!”
A battered six-winged War Angel could not remain silent:
“That passage is surely guarded by a massive force! The scouts were already wiped out. If we go, it will only be...”
“A suicide mission?”
Lanny finished his sentence, her tone eerily composed.
“I am aware. We all are.”
“But there are certain tasks that must be undertaken, even if they lead to certain death.”
Lanny looked toward the horizon where the Demonic Qi was beginning to coalesce.
“Once that structure is completed, it won't just mean facing one more foe.”
“It will serve as a bridgehead for the Demon Race to pour in endless reinforcements—the final blow that will shatter our defenses.”
“At that point, we won't just lose a few brave soldiers; we will lose the Holy City and the final spark of hope for the Angel Realm.”
She paused, making sure her words resonated with everyone:
“Thus, this is not merely a mission to die! It is an act of using our limited lives to secure a chance of survival for the many.”
The logic was sound, yet the thought of their monarch walking into such peril agonized the high-ranking angels.
Through her actions during this crisis,
Lanny had truly become the undisputed ruler in the hearts of her people!
To watch their sovereign march to her end was unbearable...
“In that case... please let me go in Your Majesty’s stead!”
An angel dropped to one knee. “I swear a blood oath that I will not return unless that passage is destroyed!”
“And me!”
“I will go as well!”
Several high-ranking officers knelt, begging to take her place.
Lanny looked at them, a flicker of emotion visible in her eyes.
However, she shook her head.
“Each of you has a vital role to play here.”
“You must stay on these walls, manage the defense, and safeguard the citizens while I am gone.”
“Everyone has their duty; therefore, this task falls to me!”
“Besides, as the monarch of the Angel Race, I can channel a portion of the world’s power. Only I possess the strength required to successfully collapse that Void passage!”
“The decision is final! There will be no more debate!”
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