Chapter 123
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Collapse
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“A nest…!”
“Is that really a nest…?”
“When did it get this far?”
There was a world of difference between a few stray demonic beasts wandering down and them establishing a proper nest.
When demonic beasts settled, the land became corrupted. Corrupted land devoured mana and produced demonic energy in its place.
This, in turn, strengthened demons and demonic beasts, making the situation even more difficult.
‘…At least, that’s what I know.’
Is that the corruption?
Pernyan swallowed a groan as he looked at the ground and snow, stained a dark, purplish-black. He could certainly feel an ominous demonic energy.
- *Thump-thump! Thump!*
As if displeased, Wooden was also relentlessly prodding Pernyan.
Let me out, now.
Let me return to my original size and wipe them all out.
I can’t stand to see this corrupted land.
Pernyan was puzzled by Wooden’s unusually fierce reaction but soon guessed the reason.
‘Ah… Right, Wooden is a forest spirit drawn to a branch of the World Tree.’
Now it made sense.
A forest spirit possessing pure energy had also acquired a piece of the World Tree, the purest source of mana in existence.
Even a single black dot stands out on a pristine white page. He could see how Wooden had detected the demonic energy so quickly.
‘This is an unexpected gain, isn't it…?’
With the advent of a demon and a legion of demonic beasts on the horizon, obtaining a detector nearly as sensitive as Aint was incredibly encouraging.
“We must annihilate the demonic beasts and purify the land.”
“Judging by the scouts sent in all directions, they’re trying to expand their territory quickly. We can’t let them be.”
…Though for now, getting out of this situation safely was the priority.
‘Be still, Wooden. Not right now.’
- *Thump….*
‘Don’t act disappointed.’
- *Thump!*
‘My lifelong enemy? Don’t be ridiculous.’
Wooden finally fell silent.
Meanwhile, the White Lion Knights had decided on annihilation rather than escape.
“We cannot stand by and watch demonic beasts set up camp in Bercefe’s front yard.”
They didn’t know the exact reproductive rate of demonic beasts or how dangerous corrupted land truly was.
But that didn’t mean they were ignorant of the grim situation.
If not stopped now, these demonic beasts would surely become a flood that would overwhelm Bercefe.
It would be a fatal blow to the family, which was just beginning to heal its wounds and soar once more.
‘More importantly, there’s no guarantee this is all of them.’
Though their numbers were great, they had, in fact, only discovered Traden. They couldn’t guess what other demonic beasts might be nearby.
“Young Master. We will do our best to protect you, but I cannot guarantee your complete safety in this situation.”
“You don’t need to worry about me. In fact, as a temporary member of this patrol, I’d like to lend a hand.”
For instance, by making sure those demonic beasts can never escape?
The captain, intrigued by Pernyan’s softly added remark, asked.
“You are a guest, Young Master. But I am very curious to hear how you would do that.”
“I’m not sure if you’re aware, but my specialty is earth magic.”
“I’ve heard.”
“What do you think earth mages do most often?”
They build walls.
Pernyan’s finger drew a circle around the basin.
“Like this?”
“Even if they are 7th-grade, they are still demonic beasts. With hundreds of them, it won’t be easy to hold.”
“Did you not hear about me from Ruina?”
“What do you mean…?”
Ruina whispered something into the captain’s ear. Pernyan couldn’t hear all of it, but he caught a few words.
‘Elixir,’ ‘ate a lot,’ ‘massive mana,’ and ‘potion.’
Ah. The captain, having heard the story, extended his hand.
“Private Pernyan. We’re counting on you for this operation.”
Just like that, Pernyan had become a member of the patrol.
* * *
When does a knight shine brightest?
Without a doubt, in battle. From a young age, knights were killing machines, trained to slay men, monsters, and beasts.
While most used a sword as their primary weapon, they were trained to handle nearly any armament, and their fearsomeness was difficult to put into words.
But among the many forms of combat, there was one moment where knights could best display their skills, a moment where they shone most brilliantly.
The cavalry charge.
The flower and the very essence of a knightly order.
One who has never witnessed the charge of dozens, sometimes hundreds, of knights in unison cannot comprehend its destructive power.
Pernyan lay in the snow beside Ruina, watching the White Lion Knights prepare their charge.
The knights gathered into a single formation.
Their horses began to move slowly across the snow.
The knights lowered their lances forward.
The sight itself was magnificent, but the real spectacle was about to begin.
*Vwooom—*
Knights in an order typically learn the same aura cultivation method, swordsmanship, and weapon techniques.
And they learn how to synchronize them.
*Vwoooooom—*
A pure white aura began to bloom from the tips of their lances. Mingled with the flurrying snow, the aura was quite beautiful.
The auras resonated with one another, expanding their domain to envelop the hands holding the lances, the arms, the chests, the entire bodies, the horses, and finally, the whole formation.
*Thud-thud-thud—*
The horses, influenced by the aura, began to snort and quicken their pace as if they were on stimulants.
*Kwoooaaar!*
*Kraaaaah!*
The demonic beasts finally noticed the intruders.
But it was too late.
By the time the beasts began to show their killing intent toward the White Lion Knights, the White Lion was already upon them, tearing at their throats.
─────!
*Kieeeek!*
*Grrrr!*
A deafening roar shook the heavens and the earth.
At the same instant, dozens of clustered demonic beasts were reduced to bloody chunks and sent flying through the air.
That was only the beginning.
The White Lion, having split one group of demonic beasts, charged straight ahead toward another. The remaining beasts, smelling fresh blood, roared ferociously and rushed forward.
Immediately after.
Pernyan, taking out his staff, chanted a spell he had prepared in advance. A pre-drawn magic circle aided his magic.
*Krrrrrumble—*
A massive, circular wall began to encircle the basin.
Pernyan’s and Ruina’s gazes followed the rising wall.
“Hm…?”
“What is it?”
“…The mana consumption is greater than I thought.”
Pernyan hastily chugged a mana potion.
His eyes fell upon the blackened, corrupted land within the basin.
‘I see why. Another reason to prevent the land from being corrupted.’
Magic is manifested not just by the caster’s mana, but by absorbing ambient mana as well.
But corrupted land held no mana, only demonic energy, forcing the caster to rely solely on their own reserves.
“The demonic energy is blocking the mana supply, isn’t it? We’ll have to be more careful in future battles.”
Whether for magic or aura, the absence of ambient mana naturally leads to faster and greater consumption.
It was an undeniable disadvantage in combat.
*Kieeeeeek!*
*Kaaaaak!*
Meanwhile, the battle was reaching its climax.
The demonic beasts swarmed like ants, an endless tide.
The knights never paused for a single moment.
The pure white lion, rampaging through the pitch-black darkness, was truly a sight to behold.
“What do you think?”
“Incredible. They are demonic beasts, even if they’re only 6th-grade. I can see why they didn’t flee, and why the White Lions are called the First Knights of Bercefe.”
The fangs and claws of the demonic beasts failed to pierce the resonant aura created by the knights.
But wherever the knights passed, corpses were left in their wake.
“The White Lion Knights are the number one knightly order on the continent.”
Ruina’s shoulders straightened with pride.
“……”
For some reason, her boastful look irked him, and he tossed out a remark.
“But you’re not one of them, are you?”
“…I could be with them. I only stayed behind to protect you.”
“Your aura cultivation method is different, though?”
“All of Bercefe’s aura cultivation methods are derived from the family’s secret art.”
“I know that.”
“…Are you teasing me?”
Pernyan smirked.
“You should never become a merchant.”
“What does that mean all of a sudden?”
“Your feelings are written all over your face.”
“For a knight, honesty is a virtue.”
“Not for a merchant.”
“I have no intention of ever becoming a merchant.”
“Exactly.”
“……?”
Feeling as if she had lost the exchange somehow, Ruina tilted her head in confusion.
It was then.
“It’s over.”
Reinforcing the rock wall by infusing it with more mana had become a meaningless act.
Every last demonic beast, drawn to living beings, had charged the White Lion Knights and become a corpse.
“Does the pursuit end here?”
“For now, it will. We’ve strayed quite far from the original patrol route, and it’s highly likely this isn’t the only place where something like this has happened.”
Her meaning was clear: they needed to return quickly, report to the Margrave, and formulate a plan.
Indeed, no matter how strong the White Lion Knights were, a mere thirty knights couldn’t possibly exterminate all the demonic beasts in the vast North.
Pernyan dispelled his magic. The towering walls sank back into the ground.
“Burn all the demonic beast corpses, clean this place up, and we’ll return.”
Just as Ruina had said, the White Lion Knights did not press on, even after discovering a major trail leading further north.
“What about the land corrupted by demonic energy? It seems to have spread a bit after soaking up the beasts’ blood.”
“Hmm. We’ll burn it for now.”
They lit a fire. It didn’t catch well because of the snow, and even after the red flames had passed, the corrupted land remained utterly unpurified.
“…It seems there’s nothing we can do right now. We’ll report to His Excellency and request aid from the Dragon God Cult…”
Just then, Pernyan took something from his subspace and poured it on the ground.
*Chiiiiii—*
With a violent hiss and a cloud of smoke, a patch of the blackened earth returned to its original state.
“……!”
“……!”
The knights’ eyes widened.
“…Young Master, what is that?”
“It’s holy water made by the Dragon God Cult.”
“How did you…?”
“Didn’t I tell you I came prepared?”
Of course, when he received the large quantity of holy water from Jace, he never imagined it would be so effective and versatile.
‘Those greedy bastards certainly deliver what you pay for…’
Pernyan’s opinion of the cult went up.
“So you did. If you have enough, would you be willing to use the holy water to purify the land?”
“This area is too large to cover it all.”
“I suppose so…”
“…But, if I can have the demonic beast corpses, I’ll give it a try.”
“You can have all the corpses here.”
“In that case.”
Pernyan took out dozens of glass bottles filled with holy water and tossed them into the air. Then, with magic, he shattered them all, scattering the contents like rain.
The mana-infused holy water became a fine mist that enveloped all the corrupted parts of the basin, fighting against the fierce resistance as it purified the land.
“Ooh…!”
“It’s very encouraging that the holy water from the Dragon God Cult is effective.”
The captain, who had been gravely concerned about the corrupted land, let out a sigh of relief.
It was then.
- *Thump-thump-thump-thump!*
Wooden’s pummeling was now more intense and urgent than before.
‘St-stop! My bones, you hit my bones…! Now where…!’
At that moment.
*Crack—*
“Huh?”
“What?”
Without any warning or omen.
The very ground of the basin they were standing on collapsed.
“The-the ground is…!”
“It’s dangerous!”
The fissure swallowed the thirty White Lions, the eldest daughter of Bercefe, and the eldest son of Fallenberg.
The basin, now empty of everyone, fell silent.
As if nothing had ever happened.