Chapter 450: The Unlucky Day of the Twin Red Moons
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 450: The Unlucky Day of the Twin Red Moons
"It’s nothing. Just a bit of bad luck," Oara said.
She had already entered the Demon Realm dozens of times. And she had done it alone.
In the beginning, she had merely slaughtered monsters near the entrance. Later, she ventured deeper, searching for a way to destroy the Demon Realm entirely. Finally, armed with a hypothesis, she had pushed even further into the abyss.
During one of those excursions, Oara encountered a bizarre monster—a ghoul with lethal poison coating its claws.
The moment she saw it, her knightly intuition screamed that this was no ordinary opponent. It was also the evidence she needed to support her theory.
What was the Demon Realm? In essence, it was just another type of Colony.
A Colony disappears once its Leader is killed. So, what about the Demon Realm?
"It’s the same principle. This Demon Realm isn't even that large, but it’s probably been settled here for over fifty years, hasn't it?"
Encrid listened in silence as she explained the nature of the poison.
Oara was no scholar, but she was a knight who had spent her entire life dreaming of erasing the Gray Forest Demon Realm from the map. When she encountered things she couldn't understand or guess, she resolved them by throwing herself headfirst into the danger.
If she didn't know something, she simply entered the Demon Realm to see it with her own eyes. It was a method no one would dare attempt without an absurd level of martial prowess, but she had made it work.
That was how she had figured it out.
"It’s a generational shift."
She didn't understand the underlying mechanics, but one thing was certain: the core of the Demon Realm eventually changed.
Oara judged that the ghoul was the core maintaining the next generation of the Demon Realm—the equivalent of a Colony’s Leader. She knew it after clashing blades with the creature only a few times. Its strength and speed were on a completely different level, and it even possessed intelligence.
She didn't know what the previous core had been, nor did she care. Only one fact mattered to her.
If she killed that single evolved ghoul, the Demon Realm would lose its power. No monster more dangerous than that thing would ever emerge again, and the rest could be picked off one by one. Then, they wouldn't even need a knight; Roman could take charge of the cleanup.
He was Oara’s successor. She had already made her choice.
If the opportunity arose, she would burn away her very life to erase the core of the Demon Realm. That was her resolve.
Her complexion grew unusually bright as Will circulated through her body. It was strange, she thought. Talking to the man standing before her naturally filled her with motivation. A fraction of the omnipotence she had felt when she first became a knight surged through her once more.
"Are you saying it can't be detoxified?" Encrid asked, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
Arrows flew once more over the land where darkness had just fallen.
"Oah!" the soldiers roared their battle cry.
Arrows rained down from the safety of the castle walls. Right in front of the gate stood the four squires and two associate knights from earlier. If anything happened, they would immediately form a defensive wall to smash the heads of any approaching monsters.
Oara laughed at Encrid’s question and slapped him on the back.
"Hey, do I look like I’m on death’s door? Don’t worry, I’m looking for a cure right now. Besides, I’ll be perfectly fine for at least ten years."
She would resolve it eventually. Her words didn't sound like a lie.
She had been poisoned by the ghoul’s claws, but immediate detoxification was impossible for several reasons. She had entered and left the Demon Realm multiple times with that body, fighting the ghoul twice more and allowing different poisons to mix and fester. She had tried healing with divine power and potions from famous alchemists, but the situation remained at a standstill.
After all, divine power was not omnipotent.
"I’ve seen it a few times now, but your back muscles are seriously impressive," Oara said, glancing at her palm. The elasticity she felt from Encrid’s back lingered on her hand. It had felt good to the touch.
She went on to say that there were occasionally days like this—days when the monsters suddenly swarmed as if to cause trouble. One could never completely predict the movements of the Demon Realm.
"Those spider bastards," Oara muttered.
Her eyes glowed white. Her gaze, imbued with Will, pierced through the darkness.
Several giant monster spiders rushed forward, lunging at the squires and associate knights. The sight of the massive bodies pouncing on the humans came into view.
"Don't get cocky!"
At the front, Oliver swung his mace downward.
Thwack!
The spider’s head shattered, spilling a black, viscous fluid.
"Dunchabel."
Encrid called out to Dunchabel, who was standing some distance away. She approached hesitantly, dragging her feet as if she desperately wanted to be anywhere else. Since she had been whining about when they would return for days, her reaction was expected.
When Rem threatened from behind to cut off her ankles if she dragged her feet one more time, Dunchabel’s pace quickened.
Caw—!
A crow cried tirelessly, and from within the Demon Realm, the hooting of an owl echoed: Hoo-ooo-ooo.
"Can you see?"
"Somewhat."
Beastmen had excellent night vision. Although Encrid could see to some extent through training, he wasn't as precise as her.
"They’re blocking them in front of the wall," Dunchabel reported.
Screeech!
The screech of a Screaming Spider erupted once more.
A few torch stands illuminated the area just ahead of the castle gate. Long shadows stretched toward the Demon Realm. The four squires and two associate knights had stepped forward to meet the approaching spiders.
"They fight well," Dunchabel said, her voice devoid of emotion.
Encrid’s gaze didn't waver. It was the same as always—they smashed any spider that drew near, showing no intention of giving ground. Furthermore, Roman, who acted as the pillar of the defensive wall, possessed a momentum that seemed to pierce the heavens.
"You bastards can die with a smile, too!" Roman shouted cheerfully. He didn't seem strained at all.
There was no apparent threat, yet Encrid’s instincts warned him. His skin prickled with tension. Why? He didn't know.
"Can't we just back out?" Dunchabel asked, watching the fight.
"Hey, Boss. Something feels off."
Rem approached and called out to Encrid. Behind him, Luagarne watched from a distance.
"Hmm?" Oara tilted her head.
Encrid wasn't the only one who could sense the shift in the air. Perhaps Encrid was simply more sensitive because he had died countless times, but even Oara felt that things were different from usual.
Blinking once, Oara considered the situation. For a wave, their numbers weren't that high. Spiders usually relied on overwhelming numbers to win. Wasn't that why the soldiers on the wall had started by raining down arrows?
But why did she feel this foreboding? Why was the air so ominous?
"The Twin Red Moons?"
On very rare occasions, both moons bled crimson. It was a day known as 'Darfina.' It was a time when the god of death descended upon the land and the god of monsters peeked into the world. In short, it was a day of profound misfortune.
"Bring me my armor."
At Oara’s command, two soldiers brought over her gear—a chest plate of iron reinforced with leather.
While she donned her armor, a commotion from inside the gate caught Encrid’s ear. Amidst the twanging of bowstrings and the shouting of commanders, it was an incongruous noise. It sounded like an argument.
"I'm going down."
Encrid headed down the stairs. At the foot of the wall, he saw people arguing in front of the gate, which was open just enough for a single person to pass. One of the soldiers was Rowena’s lover.
"Let me out!" he shouted.
"Don't be crazy. If you go out now, you'll die."
"I don't care! I don't care if I die!"
The soldier shouted, but Milio, who was guarding the gate, wouldn't budge.
"You stupid bastard."
"Dammit, Milio! Rowena went out on scout duty and hasn't come back!"
The soldier wasn't sobbing, but he sounded as if he were on the verge of a breakdown.
Milio couldn't bring himself to speak. Rowena and the man before him were the most famous lovers in the city—a flower that had bloomed in the darkness of the Demon Realm. He knew they were the type of people who would gladly die for one another.
That was why he couldn't let him out. Rowena was capable; she was even being considered for the order of knights in a few years. She had to be alive.
"Have faith and wait. Rowena is much tougher than you."
"She's already long past the time she was supposed to return!"
Milio couldn't win against the man’s desperation. The soldier’s squad stood silently behind him.
"Are you all planning to go together?"
"Just supporting our squad leader’s love life," the soldier right behind him said. He was a man who had fled to the walled city after killing two of a lord’s thugs in his home territory. Now, he was a proper soldier.
It was madness, but Milio finally stepped aside.
"The order is already blocking the front. Detour to the left."
"I know."
The soldier slipped out of the gate.
"Oah!" Milio suddenly shouted, and the soldiers on the wall stamped their feet in response.
"Oah!"
"We will die with a smile!"
The battle cry tore through the night sky.
The Screaming Spider was just one type of monster present. Armored Spiders and web-shooters were also visible. However, they couldn't breach the defensive wall the order had established twenty paces in front of the gate.
Then, one more person joined the fray.
"Hey, let me play too!"
It was Oara. She slid down the wall, dropped to the ground, and joined her knights.
"Not on my watch!"
She drew her sword as she advanced—a long, slender blade. She ran in a straight line, then curved to the side in a fluid motion. Then, she slashed.
It was like a stream of water cutting through the darkness. Her sword traced a smooth, unbroken curve. As she moved, drawing lines in the air, any Armored Spider or giant spider caught in her path was sliced apart the moment it made contact. It didn't matter if it was the abdomen, the head, or the carapace.
Her sword was unstoppable. If they rushed her one by one, she could have killed them all herself. What’s more, just by glaring at the monsters, their bodies would suddenly freeze—the effect of her overwhelming Intimidation.
While Oara warmed up, the short-haired blonde associate knight was also performing formidably. Her eyes glowed white.
"Poison. Evasive maneuvers!" she commanded.
Under her direction, the four squires split into pairs and scattered.
Splat!
Black mucus hit the spot where they had just been standing. A poison-spitting spider had targeted them.
"Hmph."
The associate knight’s hand flicked. A throwing knife whistled through the air, piercing the head of the poison-spitting spider.
"Damn spider bastards."
Roman, wielding his blunt greatsword, stepped out of formation and swung.
Boom! Boom!
With explosive thuds, six armored spiders were crushed into paste.
Meanwhile, Rowena’s lover headed into the dark.
"Hey!" Oliver shouted from the far left of the formation.
"I'll follow him," Encrid said, stepping out after the soldier.
Rem and the rest of the group followed close behind. At those words, the soldier looked as if he were about to cry.
"Are you an angel?"
"Shut up and move, or I'll toss you back behind the walls."
At the calm warning, the soldier shut his mouth. They intended to scout only a limited area. Would they just need to hold out until dawn? Perhaps.
The Twin Red Moons cast an ominous crimson glow through the clouds. Encrid looked back and saw Milio heading out with a portion of the troops. A knight could cut down a thousand, but they only had one body. While they handled a hundred, nine hundred others could circle around. The squires, associate knights, and soldiers were there to fill those gaps.
Just as he turned his gaze forward, the hairs on the back of Encrid’s neck stood on end.
"Block it!" Oara’s shout rang out first.
Thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip!
Something was raining down from overhead. Encrid felt the momentum and the sound of slicing wind. Arrows.
But he couldn't see them clearly. The darkness shrouded his vision like a veil, and the moons offered no help.
Dunchabel’s pupils dilated, expanding to fill her eyes and reflect the meager light. In her vision, the projectiles were clear. White arrows, looking like clumped thread, embroidered the sky like falling meteors.
Dunchabel reflexively drew her scimitars and crossed them over her head.
"Heads down!"
Rem reacted instantly, shoving a nearby soldier down while swinging his axe. Encrid pulled out his shield.
An arrow struck his shield.
Thud! Clang!
The arrow bounced off. The tip wasn't sharp; it was heavy, like a blunt weight. Dropping to one knee, Encrid easily blocked the barrage that followed.
The attack couldn't harm the knights or squires, but the ordinary soldiers were a different story. To them, the arrows were a lethal threat. Those near Encrid were protected by Rem, Dunchabel, and Luagarne, and the troops on the wall used the stone as cover.
But what about those who had stepped out to fill the gaps?
"Milio!" Encrid roared a warning.
He saw a white arrow strike Milio’s head.
Crack!
Milio had thrown himself in front of a subordinate instead of protecting himself. His helmet crumpled, and an eyeball was forced from its socket. His skull fractured, and blood sprayed into the air.
The monsters were clever. Instead of targeting those who could defend themselves, they aimed for the weak.
"You motherfucking bastards!" someone roared in anger. Encrid felt the same. Milio had been the most welcoming person in the city. It would be a lie to say Encrid hadn't grown fond of him.
But this wasn't the end.
Suddenly, a pole rose from within the monster horde. A person was bound to it. At the tip, a blue Ignition Stone was tied. The flickering light illuminated the hostage.
"Rowena!" the soldier screamed.
Monsters that took hostages. Encrid instinctively felt that this wave was unlike any before.
Should he stop? Should he stand there in shock?
"Rem, Dunchabel—left."
While everyone else hesitated, Encrid lowered his stance. The darkness, the stone, and the hostage were shocking, but standing still changed nothing.
When it was time to fight, you fought.
"Damn it," Dunchabel muttered, moving into position.
Rem was already charging ahead of her.