Chapter 755: Minotaur
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 755: Minotaur
Long before they were known as the Eroded—back in the days of their ancestors' ancestors—they had begun their service.
If one were to ask why they served the Demon God, the answer was simple: the Demon God had aided their ancestors when they first settled this land. Thus, they had every reason to worship Him.
The Demon God demanded sacrifices and forced them to make offerings, but by now, it had become a cycle they could not break if they wished to survive.
'O Demon God.'
They did not even know His name. They carved statues of His symbol to worship, yet they did not know if it reflected His true form.
A round piece of wood, charred black by fire and hoisted atop a long pole, represented the Black Sun. They said it symbolized the god who would one day extinguish the light of the world and claim this land as His own.
The one they called the High Priest had told them this. It was the High Priest who had taught them everything they needed to know to survive in this desolate place.
"Worship Him."
The High Priest commanded, and they obeyed.
Without worship, only death awaited. There was no one else to protect them in this cursed land. Naturally, with their current appearances, they could never return to human society. Without an object of worship, they would all perish.
Even if their neighbors, family, and friends vanished into the Demon Realm throughout their lives; even if the High Priest took away their newborn children—it was all something they had to endure.
Once they gave up thinking for themselves and resolved to be content with merely surviving, they entrusted their decisions, judgments, and choices to another entity. For such deep-seated dependency to vanish in an instant was a far-off dream. In fact, it was virtually impossible.
They were people who could no longer live without relying on someone else. A fish cannot live out of water, and a life steeped in inertia over decades cannot be changed overnight.
The village of the Eroded was the complete antithesis of the hermit village they had encountered in the Pen-Hanil Mountains.
*
In the past, a few had tried to punish the village of the Eroded in the name of justice, but they had all died. The monsters sent by the High Priest had always been the ones to pass judgment on such people.
*
How far did the Demon God's protection extend? Did the monsters attack only when a boundary was crossed? Was He watching them at all times?
That was not the case.
"There is an artifact buried here," Sachsen said.
Even before Sachsen spoke, Encrid had felt a sense of incongruity. Sinar, too, had been complaining of a headache since they arrived.
"My head hurts. Fiancé, I need a shoulder to lean on."
She wasn't actually in such a state that she needed immediate support, though. Sinar wasn't disappointed when her little trick failed; instead, she focused on the nature of the artifact Sachsen had found.
Aside from Sachsen's keen senses, an elf's perception and ability to manipulate essence made her perfectly suited to discern the nature of something buried underground. Moreover, she had once been the target of a demon's courtship and had spent a considerable amount of time in close proximity to one. It was safe to say she was the most outstanding demon detector among the elves.
"It's demonic," she said firmly.
She didn't mean the artifact itself was a demon, but rather that it was an object forged by one.
"I agree," Sachsen concurred.
When they brought Audin to the spot, a white light naturally shimmered around his body. His divine power manifested like a conditioned reflex.
"It is filled with an unpleasant energy."
Though he didn't elaborate, the atmosphere was clearly repulsive to Audin. Was it only him? Of course not. Everyone felt it. They simply knew how to show respect, exercise restraint, and possessed great patience.
'Though, seeing how they usually swing swords at each other, it seems their patience is only used when absolutely necessary,' Encrid thought.
He walked through the village, observing the surroundings. Luagarne was right.
'Using this place as a base makes it easy to strike at wandering monsters or small Demon Realms.'
Since the village sat on relatively flat land, the view was wide open. A forest loomed behind it, and in the far distance stood a black mountain, its peaks stained a bloody red. Above all, this place was an inviolable sanctuary where nearby monsters and demonic beasts dared not approach.
The buried artifact acted like a wild dog's urine or a bear's droppings—it was, in essence, a powerful marking of territory.
Now, their next move was obvious, intuitive, and clear.
"There's no need for us to move in a crowd, is there?" Encrid asked.
He wasn't talking to thin air. He was walking with Sinar on his left and Luagarne on his right—his companions for the day's patrol.
Rem, excited by some unknown curiosity, was busy scurrying around the village, claiming there were many interesting things to see from a sorcerous perspective. Audin and Teresa had entered a state of spiritual training, declaring that in a place like this, prayer must never cease.
"Indeed," Luagarne replied.
They stayed for a few days, gathering information about the surrounding Demon Realms. The villagers knew a great deal. To be precise, every location the villagers deemed dangerous was home to a colony-class monster horde or a small Demon Realm. Even with the Demon God's protection, if they didn't know the danger zones, they would frequently go missing. It was knowledge accumulated through generations of loss.
To Encrid, this area felt stagnant. There were many monsters and demonic beasts living in a strange balance, refraining from encroaching on one another's territory.
'Monsters crossing over from the south.'
On the continent, one often encountered such hordes. Because of this, Viscount Harrison, who had settled in the southern farmlands of the Kingdom of Naurilia, had spent his entire life fighting off encroaching monsters—disasters, from his perspective. Some of them were likely born in places like this before being pushed outward.
In any case, their force was an entire order of knights; there was no reason to stick together.
"We can have Ropode and Ragna in one group, and Luagarne, Teresa, and Pel in another."
He spoke based on intuition rather than careful calculation. Even on the front lines of a battlefield, Encrid possessed the talent to grasp his opponent's intentions through sheer instinct. As time passed and experience accumulated, that ability easily applied to logistics. Though divided arbitrarily, it was an appropriate deployment.
"Sounds good," Luagarne nodded.
What they did next was the same as before, yet different. In other words, it had become easier. Even if it weren't, they were the type of people who would find a way to move forward regardless. The Order of Madness immediately struck the surrounding Demon Realms.
It was a battle that began when the sun rose and ended before it set.
"There was a pack of Scalers. They didn't use any supernatural abilities, but their scales were exceptionally tough," Ropode reported after they had cleared a Demon Realm in less than half a day.
Ragna's Sunrise had torn through the local swamp, burning, searing, and slashing everything in its path.
"I thought Sir Krais would be pleased if we collected the scales, but it's a pity we couldn't."
Encrid merely nodded. They were too bulky to carry. If there were some other way to transport the byproducts of the monsters here, it would be incredibly helpful. Processing those scales to make armor would greatly improve the equipment of the Border Guard. Looking at what the villagers wore, it was highly feasible; they had fashioned clothes out of leather and scales with remarkably excellent craftsmanship.
"There was an interesting demonic beast. A snake with small wings. It had a triangular head and spat venomous needles," Luagarne said upon her return.
Apparently, Teresa had blocked the venom with her shield, closed the distance, grabbed its neck, and ripped it apart.
"She relied on superior strength rather than technique, but it was excellent," Luagarne added.
Just hearing this made it clear that Teresa's skills had improved. If her greatest asset was her strength, it was only natural to utilize it. Teresa's tactics now fully capitalized on her monstrous power.
Audin moved with Sachsen. They went looking for one of the wandering demonic beasts and found it in just two days. It was a giant centipede. They said it used telekinesis, but such a power was utterly useless against those two.
"Was it troublesome?"
"Not at all, Brother," Audin replied.
Encrid had asked just in case, but he only saw Audin shake his head while Sachsen shrugged.
The residents of the village were astonished. Given what the knights had done, it was hard not to be. They had literally torn apart the surrounding Demon Realms and monsters. Among their kills was a demon that changed its shape to lure humans, and more than five Demon Realms dominated by ghouls.
There were also several formless monsters and evil spirits. The monster known as the 'Twilight Witch,' who commanded Plague Maidens, was the most infamous creature in the area—a being people wondered if it would eventually become a new demon if left alone. Its presence was so powerful that even the Red Cloak Knights had considered hunting it.
Yet, a massive man and woman, and a fierce-looking man—just three of them—had set off and taken care of it in no time. Amusingly, Frok looked like the weakest among them, though the villagers couldn't truly tell the difference.
In any case, they could only wonder what on earth was happening. And in this process, Encrid once again faced the harshness of the southern Demon Realm.
'A land unfit for humans to live.'
Yet, a land where humans lived anyway. The product of that contradiction was the village of the Eroded.
The Ferryman in his illusions asked—no, for days, the Ferryman had been demanding.
"What will you choose?"
It was a cruel fantasy, followed by a forced choice. Were even these people targets to be protected? Or were they targets to be cut down? Or would he simply abandon them and leave?
Whichever choice he made, would his oath as a knight remain intact? Ultimately, oaths and beliefs place great importance on internal rationality. If he took even a slightly clumsy step, his Will would be damaged. He knew this by instinct, and he knew it by experience.
The Imperial Knight, Valfir Balmung, had told him many stories, most of which were about the difference between Flower Knights and Imperial Knights.
"Among the Flower Knights of the continent, there are quite a few who look down on oaths, right? Those who compromise? Such fellows can never climb higher."
Though the words came from Balmung, they were proven by the history of the Empire. If one failed to keep their oath, their value as a knight would plummet. In other words, their Will would be damaged.
Thus, he had to find the answer to the question posed by the Ferryman.
The residents of the Demon Realm, though astonished, did not drive Encrid and his companions away. There was no need to. And so, what the villagers had anticipated finally happened. The Demon God's artifact, which monitored the village, sent a cleaner.
Moooooooooooo!
It happened at the outskirts of the village, where no proper fence had been erected. Passing through the fields cultivated by the villagers, a bull giant stepped forward. A startled flock of sheep fled; a few dogs whimpered and hid.
"A Minotaur?"
Sachsen was the first to spot it. The monster appeared just as a beastly odor and a pungent scent began to tickle their noses. The beast announced its presence with a monstrous roar. The meaning behind that roar was all too clear: Let's fight.
No one could ignore that intense sound.
It was the hour of twilight. The sunset was dull. Along with the roar that tore through the damp air, a long shadow stretched across the ground. The creature was so massive that one had to look up to see it, and bathed in the slanting sunlight, it appeared even larger than it actually was. The momentum radiating from its body was equally immense.
"When your head is cluttered, there's nothing better than moving your body," Encrid said, stepping forward. He meant he would take care of it himself.
"You always try to keep the best parts for yourself," Rem grumbled. Even so, he did not disobey.
Behind the setting sun, two moons stealthily peeked out. While everyone watched, the Minotaur placed its hands on its waist, craned its neck, and threw its head back.
Moooooooooooo!
It was a roar that made knees tremble. At its core lay murderous intent and wild savagery. Encrid ignored the bull monster's roar with his naturally rising Will of Rejection and unleashed his Intimidation. The manifested pressure became a wall blocking the path ahead—an Iron Wall of protection.
"Look at this," Rem muttered.
It was indeed surprising. Two broad-bladed swords were tucked into the bull's waist. They were like glaives, but with shorter handles—modified weapons. Where on earth did it get those?
Grasping the two swords, the Minotaur took a stance.
Could swordsmanship dwell within wild savagery? Usually not. But the monster before him was no ordinary beast. If there were tough-skinned Scalers and monsters that used telekinesis, why couldn't there be one equipped with martial skill? Or was it because this was the Demon Realm that they could witness such mysteries?
A monster that used swordsmanship. A creature generally said to possess strength greater than an ogre and a threat level on par with a Medusa was now wielding blades. Its legs were spread wide, and its arms held the swords at different heights. Everything indicated that the bull knew how to handle its weapons.
Encrid raised and aimed Dawn Forge.
A Minotaur using swordsmanship. He understood that, but so what? Right now, Encrid was merely curious if the bull's scream of pain would also sound like a moo.
Aside from its stance, the weapons the bull held were not ordinary either. They were worthy of being called artifacts—or perhaps magic swords infused with demonic energy.
Facing the bull, Encrid began to take a low, long breath. Dawn Forge vibrated. It was as if the weapon was urging him to hurry up and cut down the beast.
Encrid decided to grant the wish of his imprinted weapon.
He silently kicked off the ground and lunged forward. As the distance closed in an instant, the Minotaur's arm muscles swelled, and its sword tore through the air. It all happened in the blink of an eye.
A booming bang! struck their ears. Before the sound could even erupt, the human and the monster had already exchanged blows.
