Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: It's the General (3)
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"The investigation isn't over yet."
A holy knight was speaking into the crystal orb.
- The battle is already in full swing.
"Since the matter isn't finished, I think you'll have to wait."
The holy knight's attitude remained relaxed despite the urgent voice echoing from the crystal orb.
- Can you join us before more enemy forces arrive?
"Hmm... It should be possible by then."
With that request for a quick rendezvous, the light from the crystal orb faded.
Aluerd shouted in fury.
"We have to go now!"
"That's not possible."
"You're just standing by while we're fighting the undead? Does that even make sense?!"
"We haven't received orders from the Church."
"Argh...!"
Aluerd kicked the ground hard.
"Did you even intend to join us in the first place? Why say you would if this is how it's going to be?!"
Their attitude was more than enough to make Aluerd think that way.
They were far too composed for such a dire situation.
"The judgment on the heretic hasn't concluded yet."
Aluerd turned his head.
Daunon, the inquisitor overseeing the heresy trial.
He was the priest who had led the holy knights here.
"Lord Chris is not a heretic!"
"That's yet to be seen. Even if you're a papal candidate, that fact doesn't change."
Aluerd could barely contain his frustration.
How many more people would have to die?
If the priests would just infuse holy power, the casualties would drop dramatically.
"If you won't go, then I will."
"That's also impossible."
"Are you going to stand by and watch people die? If you're true priests, you can't do this!"
"We came to protect you, not to fight."
Aluerd's face twisted in anguish.
Look at what he just said.
They had never intended to join from the start.
"How... can those who serve the gods..."
He knew there were factions in the Church blinded by greed.
But even so, shouldn't they uphold the basics of being priests?
Aluerd's hands trembled at Daunon's next words.
"Additionally, the trial for those who consorted with the heretic will proceed as well."
"Ha..."
There was no sign of reason getting through.
Not in this urgent situation.
Suddenly, Aluerd sensed an aura and looked up at the sky.
"...!!!"
The sky was filled with hazy figures.
Specters and banshees.
They were ghostly undead.
"We have to go... right now!"
If those undead joined the fray, the tide of battle was obvious.
Specters and banshees couldn't be repelled by ordinary means.
Only mana-infused swords or magic could harm them.
Without holy power-imbued weapons, regular soldiers couldn't even attack.
"They've already prepared countermeasures, including our full forces!"
"Once again, without the Church's permission, it's impossible."
"...Don't try to stop me!"
Aluerd kicked off the ground and charged forward.
He couldn't watch any longer.
He had to go, even alone.
But Aluerd's action was quickly blocked.
The holy knights stood in his path.
"If you continue to resist, we'll have no choice but to restrain you."
"You... you call yourselves priests of the gods?!"
"Without orders from the Church, no action is possible."
For a moment, Aluerd fell silent.
He was gazing at the distant sky.
The holy knights followed his gaze.
There was a spirit.
A massive bird-shaped spirit carrying a person.
Aluerd's mouth opened.
"...Lord Chris?"
Screams echoed everywhere, and the clash of weapons filled the air.
Amid the chaos, the area around Closel and the mages remained quiet.
"In the end..."
Closel murmured lowly, staring at the sky.
Was it greed to hope it would end with skeletons?
Seeing the undead swarming the sky, Closel began gathering mana.
He had conserved mana until now precisely because of them.
"The holy knights aren't coming. We have to deal with all of them ourselves."
"Understood, Lord Closel."
"Everyone, unleash your magic at full power."
No sooner had he spoken than Closel's magic erupted.
Roar—
Flames spread wide, illuminating the sky.
The sight of 7th Circle magic drew even the soldiers in the midst of battle.
Boom—
The magic exploded in the sky, striking the specters and banshees.
At the same time, ear-piercing shrieks spread across the battlefield.
It was the wail of the banshees.
The soldiers who heard it began falling into confusion.
"C-Cover your ears!"
A soldier desperately plugged his ears and huddled, but a bewildered voice leaked out.
"Wh-What...?"
His comrade, who had been fighting beside him moments ago, looked wrong.
A dazed expression, as if out of his mind.
A face that had forgotten even fear.
His comrade was walking toward the front.
He didn't stop even after taking wounds from skeleton attacks.
"Aljen...?"
He called his comrade's name, but there was no response.
The soldier huddled tighter, plugging his ears at the unfolding scene.
His comrade, with a vacant look, had leaped off the ramparts.
"Stop them...!"
More soldiers moved to jump, all with glazed eyes.
The danger wasn't just them.
Soldiers who had covered their ears began to glaze over one by one, and those holding out until the end died to skeletons because they couldn't use their hands.
Suddenly.
Shiii—
Clear mana spread, tangible even to the body, waking the soldiers.
"Gasp...!"
"Why was I...!"
Mana spread everywhere, freeing soldiers from the banshees' enchantment.
It was magic cast by the mages on standby beside Closel.
"F-Fight again!"
"The mages are helping us!"
Boom—
Magic exploded in the sky.
And inevitably, the banshees' wails followed.
Each time, magic snapped the soldiers out of their trance.
The magic painting the sky came solely from Closel.
As Closel cast his spells, he signaled the mages.
"The specters' attack will start soon. Take them out first!"
They had to prevent them from getting close at all costs.
Without help from holy knights and priests.
Anyone who couldn't handle mana would be massacred.
"Undead on this scale..."
The numbers exceeded expectations.
He needed to conserve mana, but he couldn't.
If they didn't stop them now, it would all be meaningless.
Closel gathered mana with full power and cast his spell.
Fiery rain fell from the air, lightning raged.
Numerous undead in the sky and approaching the walls fell, but their numbers were still vast.
The current balance would collapse the moment mana was depleted.
"Mages, scatter and hold the undead!"
At Closel's command, the mages dispersed along the walls.
The place was already a hellscape.
"Gah...!"
A soldier thrusting his spear at a specter was torn apart.
Other soldiers swung weapons to approach, but the result was the same.
Their life-risking thrusts passed right through the specter.
No damage inflicted.
"S-Save...!"
A knight was clinging to engage it, but skeletons swarmed into the knight's vacated spot.
It was inevitable that the barely holding soldiers would be pushed back.
In an instant, the ramparts became a field of carnage.
Soldiers holding out became corpses, piled upon by more.
Closel trembled with rage at the sight.
If the priests had infused holy power, they wouldn't have died so futilely.
Skeletons would have been far easier to handle.
"I'll never trust the Church again..."
Boom—
He turned at the explosion to see his comrade struggling alone.
Without that one's efforts blocking the gate, the city would have fallen already.
The necromancers would cast magic the moment skeletons reached the gate.
"..."
Closel and Parmon's faces darkened.
The battle was already tipping.
Even holding out until reinforcements from nearby territories arrived seemed impossible.
"Retreat will be... difficult too."
If they pulled back the soldiers, the undead would immediately clash with the evacuating civilians.
They needed to buy time until they reached another territory.
As Closel gathered mana.
A faint sound came from the sky.
Ting-a-ling—
"...!!!"
Closel wasn't the only one who heard it.
Parmon, swinging his sword amid undead, also looked up.
"Chris...?"
Ting-a-ling—
The clear rattle sound spread, waking banshee-enchanted soldiers.
"Wh-What is this...?"
Soldiers and knights blankly surveyed their surroundings.
The undead had stopped.
The ones tearing people apart moments ago had frozen as if by a lie.
Ting-a-ling—
The small sound rang crystal clear across the battlefield.
Everyone knew.
This phenomenon was because of that sound.
A spirit flying in the sky.
The sound emanated from there.
Ting-a-ling—
The ramparts above and below, everything halted.
All were entranced, staring at the sky before the mystical phenomenon.
Something fell from the sky, embedding before the gate.
Thud—
Thud—
It was hard to even see what it was.
It was too small.
"...A wooden statue?"
"A... a wooden idol fell."
"..."
As everyone stared, a person gracefully descended between the idols.
A young man with snow-white hair.
Ting-a-ling—
A voice as clear as the rattle.
The youth's voice began spreading across the battlefield.
Ting-a-ling— "The Great General arrives beneath the heavens." Ting-a-ling— "The Lady General arrives from beneath the earth." Ting-a-ling— "Begone, you vile spirits."
⟨ General Invocation ⟩