Chapter 286
Chapter 286
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 286
Chapter Title: Advance (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Kratir is opening the gate. Have you made up your mind?”
【Hmm.】
Navardoje twisted her lips at Rorhon's question. The makeshift conference tent held ten people, including her—the brains of the allied forces.
They were all lost in grave contemplation, their expressions no different from hers. The absence of one particular person was driving them mad. Navardoje, who had been humming thoughtfully, turned to Adeshan.
【Child. Still no response?】
“Yes. Not since the first day...”
Adeshan trailed off. Even now, she was sending telepathic messages, but there was no reply from Ronan. Had something really happened to him? Navardoje let out a small sigh.
【This is troubling. Honestly, I thought he'd be back by now.】
“It’s getting dangerous. The longer we wait, the worse it gets for us.”
The allied forces' commander, arms crossed, spoke up. The others nodded in agreement. The continent's coalition army had gathered not just to bolster numbers, but to wait for Ronan.
But Ronan, who had left promising answers, hadn't returned even after two days. It was time to decide. The staff officers turned their gazes to Navardoje, the final authority.
【...Yes. We can't just keep waiting.】
After a moment of silence, she sighed. They needed to strike while they still had supplies and blood reserves. With all the scattered powerhouses gathered, they could handle most threats.
【Defenses against the cult leader are solid?】
“For now. Of course, we'll see how it holds up.”
Rorhon affirmed. They hadn't ignored Balzac's warning not to underestimate the cult leader. The childlike Rorhon smiled faintly.
“I agree. How about a morale-boosting speech before we go?”
【A speech? I have no talent for that.】
Navardoje chuckled. She snapped her fingers, and flames erupted along the tent walls and ceiling. Whoosh! The ashes scattered, revealing the outside. The fully prepared allied army stood in orderly ranks.
【Not bad. Quite the numbers.】
Navardoje raised an eyebrow. Armor and weapons glowed like stars in the sunset. Even with only the elite of elites, it looked like at least a hundred thousand strong.
“Incredible...”
Adeshan gasped involuntarily. It was a sight that swelled the chest with pride—a scene she thought she'd only witness after rising to Grand General in the distant future.
The Empire and its allies, barbaric enemy nations eager to prove their worth through war and conquest, even obscure peripheral kingdoms never heard of before. Warriors living by their own justice had gathered under one flag. Bound by the conviction to save the world.
But none paid attention to Navardoje or the staff. All eyes were on Kratir opening the dimensional gate. Rumble...! The gate, already 500 meters wide, expanded further.
“Amazing. Is this magic?”
“They say he's Rorhon's prized disciple... After this war, I should send my kid to Phileon.”
Even battle-hardened veterans couldn't look away. Adeshan, wiping teary eyes, was about to send a telepathic message to draw attention when Navardoje placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head.
【Let them watch. Even I've never seen spatial magic on this scale.】
“Ah, yes.”
Adeshan withdrew her shadow mana. It truly was a spectacle not to miss.
Beyond the gate loomed a vast lake from a top-down view—the entrance to the main headquarters Balzac had mentioned. The calm surface reflected the cloud-covered sky.
“Grr... Grh...!”
Kratir strained every ounce of mana to widen the gate. Swirling mana made his long beard dance in the air. Veins bulged on his forehead, threatening to burst.
A few more minutes passed. The rift spanned the entire camp when thud! Kratir dropped to one knee, palms slamming the ground.
“Haaah—!!”
Splash! The lake waters parted left and right, revealing the world beyond. The view tilted again, unveiling the cloudy sky and landscape below. Soldiers' eyes widened.
“He... He did it!”
“That's the main headquarters...!”
“Those vampires really found it. Creepy bastards.”
A chilling sight unfolded. Everything—sky, scarce trees, grass, even the soil—was stark white. Mana-depleted Kratir staggered. Tap! Rorhon leaped through space to support him.
“You've improved a lot, Kratir.”
“Heh... Sitting in the principal's office slacking every day, but I had to pull this off.”
Kratir chuckled weakly. Thunderous cheers erupted over the camp. He'd now recover mana like other mages and provide support. Adeshan, peering beyond the gate, narrowed her eyes.
“That's...”
No enemy troops visible yet. But watchtowers and fortresses dotted the wasteland at intervals. The Pale Citadel—Nebula Klazje's headquarters—stood majestically at the defensive line's rear.
Like a king guarded by soldiers. Balzac hadn't mentioned this; the enemy had prepared for a siege. Navardoje murmured softly.
【Better keep it short.】
She knew the effect of a fitting speech here. No plans to drag it out, though.
The allies' gazes shifted to her post-spectacle. As Navardoje opened her mouth after brief thought, a shrill scream pierced the silent camp center.
“Eeeek! D-Danger above!”
【Hm?】
A familiar voice. A tiny boy, pale as a ghost, pointed inside the gate. It was the mage Asel, whom she knew well.
Navardoje's eyes widened following his finger. Far off, a winged giant flapped in the air.
It looked amateurish compared to giants the allies had faced, but that wasn't the point. A spear of light hurled from its hand sliced through the wind toward them.
“G-Giant!”
“They knew we were coming...!”
Soldiers belatedly spotted it and cried out in alarm. Despair crossed Asel's face. The sky was too bright for Star's Blessing.
“N-No!”
No one expected this right at the start. The light spear hurtled straight at him. Marya cursed and dashed forward.
“Damn it, Asel!”
“Everyone, danger!”
Marya scooped Asel under one arm and leaped back. Braum blocked their front with his greatshield. As Asel began chanting, boom—!! Shadow fell over them, followed by a massive explosion.
“H-Huh...?!”
Asel and his group looked up frantically. Eyes bulged. Red scales glittered like jewels. Smoke cleared, revealing a colossal red dragon.
“N-Navardoje!”
Asel yelped. Navardoje in her true form. She'd shrunk for gate passage to Itargand's size, but her majesty remained undiminished. She sighed deeply.
【Not even time for a word.】
The saved ones gasped. She'd taken the light spear bare-bodied, nullifying it without a single defense spell. The impact site was singed, but that was it.
“Sh-She blocked that?!”
Nebula Klazje cultists atop watchtowers freaked out. Even an artificial giant embodying Lykopos shouldn't be tankable barehanded. It had undergone countless upgrades since Darman's feats at the Sword Festival.
“Th-This won't do. Get the cult leader or archbishops...!”
As they moved for next action after failed first strike, Navardoje spread wings and charged inside. Crunch! One flap closed distance; she bit the artificial giant's neck.
【Gah...!】
Neck bones shattered. Navardoje's teeth, forged in Ronan's blood, tore through enhanced Star's Blessing like paper.
Sprayed blood stained the white ground. The viscous, unnaturally purple fluid bespoke inhuman, ungiant lineage.
Boom! Navardoje whipped her head, hurling the corpse atop a watchtower. Spine severed, the giant didn't rise. Surviving cultists screamed.
“W-Wait!”
“Kyaaah! Sp-Spare us!”
Pitiful enough for pity. But no mercy. Navardoje's maw unleashed primordial flames.
“Hwaaaah!!”
No last words. Flame tsunami engulfed people, giants, watchtowers. Blessing users per tower couldn't halt her fire.
Whoosh! Flames halted at the fortress—no, its barrier—lapping like waves before fading. Vast fortresses stood firm unlike flimsy towers. Seeing thickened barriers, Navardoje clicked her tongue.
【Figures. They won't go down easy.】
Breaching that line was priority. The Pale Citadel loomed distantly. Time to get serious. Then, winged giants took flight from fortresses en masse.
“Th-Those...!”
Soldiers gasped. Like trees lifting into sky over forest. Wingbeats echoed across fields.
No match for prior giants in majesty, but numbers were insane. Hundreds of artificial giants, each rivaling nightmare Darman from Sword Festival.
As fear gripped soldiers, Navardoje inhaled to bursting and roared skyward.
【Advance! Destroy before you're destroyed!】
A speech of sorts. Adeshan relayed the order telepathically army-wide. Excited Orse yanked a bone spear from his chest.
【Come on, you pests!】
The spiraled spear oozed menace. Shadow Duke and vampires surged as charging clouds.
Schlieffen, first to enemy lines, swung wide. Winds slashed skyward along blade path. Swoosh! A giant's head flew as it readied spear throw.
【...!】
Blood-spraying corpse crashed, signaling battle's start. Earth-shaking cheers rose as allies charged.
“So. How do you feel now?”
“Damn, how many times are you gonna ask the same thing?”
“About twenty. Just answer—I'm checking for side effects.”
“Fine, really. So...”
Ronan scratched his head at the Savior's words. Thick blood reek filled the air. Dismembered monster chunks littered around him.
After finishing the salvation ritual, he'd moved with the Savior to the desert where Da inh ar waited. Scorching haze turned to cold night breeze brushing cheeks. He grumbled.
“Just... normal.”