Read Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) Novel by Only For You Updated 2025 -26 - Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) Chapter 3143

Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) Chapter 3143

A flash of white light ripped through the air as a snow-white blade arc tore across the front lines. With a single sweep of his longsword, Vance cleanly took five heads. Yet his expression was grim, devoid of triumph.

The north gate of Throne City had already been breached. Warriors of the Coven of Heavenly Radiance poured into the city in overwhelming numbers. At first, victory seemed inevitable. With no towering walls left to shield them, the defenders inside looked like livestock waiting for slaughter.

But Vance had underestimated the century-deep foundation of the Ludendorff family. He had also underestimated the resistance of the fallen king of the Wastelands at the brink of collapse.

Inside the city, secondary and tertiary defensive lines had already been erected—and they were made entirely of slaves. These weak, terrified people were driven forward and sent straight to their deaths, forced to charge the Coven’s warriors. Some even had explosives strapped to their bodies, rushing in for mutual destruction.

At first, Vance roared in fury, trying to intimidate the slaves into retreating. But he quickly realized how naïve that hope was. The Ludendorff family was more savage than beasts. These slaves were nothing more than expendable cannon fodder—living walls of flesh.

Vance knew his choices were gone. There was only one path left: advance or retreat. Win or lose, all his planning and schemes would be meaningless if he failed here. So he issued the order to kill without mercy.

Yet slaughtering countless slaves brought no real progress.

An endless stream of them continued to pour out of Throne City’s underground dungeons.

Iridessa moved like drifting smoke, relentlessly cutting down the Ludendorff family’s elite warriors. She advanced toward the towers along the ramparts, clearing threats above for the Coven’s troops. Vance led the charge from the ground, pushing forward step by step.

Iridessa was already close to breaking through to the central castle—the heart of Throne City, where the throne hall stood. Vance, however, still lagged several hundred yards behind.

Those few hundred yards felt like an impossible journey.

Only by seizing the central castle and killing the Ludendorff family’s high command, forcing them into a final stand, could they truly claim victory.

Iridessa suddenly flew back and landed beside Vance, her voice urgent. “Vance, you can’t keep killing like this. These slaves are innocent.”

Vance’s eyes were bloodshot as he roared back, “Do I have a choice? If I don’t kill them, there’s no way forward! And they’re charging at me with weapons. Iridessa—fight!”

“This is war,” he snarled. “Death is the norm.”

As he spoke, his longsword slashed out. A cluster of slaves was cut clean in half, the scene horrifying beyond words.

Iridessa’s eyes flickered with deep conflict as she turned her head away. She wanted to beg him to stop, to tell him this was pointless—but in the end, she bit her lip and remained silent.

Victory was right in front of them. And Vance was right. In war, death was unavoidable. For their ultimate goal, what did these sacrifices matter?

Yet the hand gripping her spiked weapons trembled.

She could not become like Vance, killing without distinction—especially when the slaves’ eyes were so hollow and numb, filled with fear and despair. No matter how brutal her training had been, Iridessa was still young. Faced with this living hell, nausea churned in her chest.

Suddenly, a piercing sound split the air.

A massive greatsword descended from above, slashing straight toward Vance.

“Vance, watch out!” Iridessa screamed, instantly recognizing that this was no slave, but a powerful warrior of the Ludendorff family.

She shot upward, spun in midair, and drove her spiked weapons into the greatsword’s path. With a deafening clang, the blade was deflected and crashed into the mass of slaves below, triggering yet another wave of deaths.

Iridessa froze in shock. She hadn’t expected him to slaughter his own people without hesitation.

Alonzo stood there, his face hidden behind battle armor, his expression unreadable. Only his eyes showed—dark, vicious, predatory. Energy surged along his greatsword as he struck again with brutal force.

At the same time, the Ludendorff family’s high-ranking elites and the officers of the Black Knight Legion broke free and launched a full-scale counteroffensive against Vance’s forces.

In an instant, crushing pressure fell upon the Coven of Heavenly Radiance. Their warriors began to falter—and to fall.