Chapter 17: The Mad Emperor of the Empire, Balthazar (3)
Chapter 17: The Mad Emperor of the Empire, Balthazar (3)
"Believers!!! The time has come to prove our will in the name of Saintess Charlotte!!"
As Ban and the allied forces tore through the battlefield, the Saintess's followers, who had been inside the fortress known as the Papacy, rushed out to launch a counterattack.
Under the command of Evelyn and Fishel, the believers, determined to fight to the death, seized the opportunity created by the collapsed Imperial formation and joined the allied forces' support.
"Waaaaaaah!!!"
-Chwajajak!!
In the middle of the battlefield, weaving through the enemies, Fishel displayed flexible and sharp movements, showing off the demeanor of a veteran knight.
Although the Imperial army raised their spears at the sudden intrusion of the believers, Fishel found an opening, slid in, and drove her blade through the gaps in their thick armor, carving a path.
"Great Warrior Ban has gone to take down the enemy commander!! Everyone, don't give ground!!"
However, despite their valiant efforts, as the fierce battle continued, the casualties among the soldiers gradually increased.
"Arghhh!!"
As the screams and groans of fallen soldiers bleeding out echoed across the battlefield, Saintess Charlotte, watching the scene, clasped her hands together and knelt.
"What a horrific sight..."
As Charlotte closed her golden-shining eyes and offered a prayer, a dazzlingly warm golden light erupted. A massive wave starting from Charlotte covered the blood-soaked battlefield.
"Huh...? My wounds?"
"The bleeding stopped!!"
Wherever the light touched, the wounds of the fallen soldiers healed, and those who had been unable to move due to exhaustion began to rise and run again.
"It's a miracle!!! It's the Saintess's miracle!!"
With Charlotte's support, the morale of the believers and the allied forces soared, and the tide of the battlefield began to turn.
**
-Kwagagagagang!!!
Two massive greatswords collided in mid-air, and an explosive, tearing sound shook the battlefield. A massive shockwave erupted in a circle from the center where the swords clashed.
The Imperial soldiers nearby were swept away and sent flying by the aftermath.
Emperor Balthazar wore a faint smile, as if he found the situation of having someone to oppose him amusing.
The massive magic sword held in his hand was emitting ominous mana and radiating a powerful aura.
It was the result of condensing mana gathered through all sorts of terrible means, including Priscilla's mana, and stuffing it into the magic sword.
On top of that, there was the Emperor's own overwhelming martial prowess that had driven the Empire into fear, and an armor-type artifact that strengthened his body.
If it had been an ordinary knight, they would have been crushed and collapsed by the pressure of the mana and the fear of his martial prowess before the sword even touched them.
However.
"..."
There was no change in the expression of Great Warrior Ban, who had blocked Emperor Balthazar's attack.
Ban was just silently gripping the greatsword with both hands, pressing down on Balthazar.
"Hahaha!! This is fun!! Is this truly the power that can come from a pure human body?"
Balthazar twisted his scarred face and could not hide his astonishment.
"I didn't know there was someone who could spar with me on equal footing. The title of Great Warrior is well-deserved."
Balthazar opened his mouth, looking at Ban with eyes mixed with excitement and wonder at having met a worthy opponent.
"I see why Reinhardt fell! There's no one else in the Empire besides me who could handle you!!!"
However, Ban just looked at Balthazar with a deadpan gaze.
"You talk too much."
As Ban put strength into the greatsword, the tense balance collapsed.
-Kwaaaang!!!
With the sound of the impact, Balthazar's massive frame was pushed back.
-Jiiiiiik!
The Emperor's two feet dug deep into the ground before he barely managed to stop.
And the indiscriminate sword strikes from Ban that followed struck Balthazar.
-Kwagwang!! Kwagagagang!!
It was destructive power that was hard to believe was coming from hitting with a sword.
Strikes that erupted from simple physical ability, not high-level magic containing immense mana.
Every time an attack, filled with sincerity in every single blow, was blocked by the Emperor's magic sword, an explosive impact was transmitted.
The Emperor, who had been receiving Ban's sword strikes, felt something was wrong and quickly stepped back, distancing himself from Ban.
The Emperor, having gained distance, saw his own hands holding the magic sword trembling.
He had thought they were evenly matched, but realizing that he was being completely overwhelmed in terms of strength, humiliation and anger welled up in his eyes.
He had touched the pride of an arrogant tyrant.
"You bastard!!!"
The enraged Emperor shouted and raised his hand.
"My hounds!! What are you doing!! Tear his limbs apart!!"
As soon as the Emperor's order fell, the Empire's elite hounds, who had been waiting in the back, poured out.
Like the organization Brahim belonged to, dozens of knights exuding killing intent rushed toward Ban all at once.
-Chwajajajak!!
Sharp sword strikes poured in from all sides.
-Kwagagagang!
Ban swung his greatsword and cut three or four of the rushing knights in half at once.
However, other knights constantly filled the empty spots, buying time.
Balthazar watched the situation, preparing to land a blow by aiming for Ban's opening.
It was just when Ban realized the situation and was about to adjust his grip on the greatsword as if to finish it at once.
-Kwagagagang!!!!
A massive flame that seemed to swallow the battlefield poured down onto the Emperor's hounds surrounding Ban.
"Arghhhhh!!"
A familiar and confident voice rang out through the charred battlefield.
"The small fry are mine!!"
Katarina, the Witch of Fire, was pouring out flames.
Following that, women familiar to Ban entered his sight.
-Ududeuduk!!!
The ground split, and giant thorny vines and plants rose up, grabbing the knights' ankles and slamming them down.
"Ban!! Long time no see!!"
Valentine, the Witch of Flowers, who had turned into black hair, was smiling and waving.
"Baaaan!! I'm here too!!"
Following that, Priscilla appeared, firing wide-range magic artillery onto the battlefield.
"Didn't I tell you to stay in the back, Priscilla-nim?"
"If I've recovered this much, it's no problem to deal with small fry~"
As the hounds were neutralized by the Witch Council in an instant, Balthazar's face flushed red.
"W, witches, how dare you...!"
Just then, Celestia, the Witch of Celestial Bodies, appeared softly and floated above Ban and Balthazar.
"Balthazar, Emperor of Walpurgis, accept the punishment for touching the Witch Council."
As she crossed her hands, a mysterious magic that seemed to contain the universe unfolded.
-Paaaaat!
A flash that would blind you flickered, and all the noise on the battlefield disappeared in an instant.
The space where Ban and Emperor Balthazar stood was covered in a translucent, universe-like space, as if it had been separated from reality.
"It's a complete space where you can't interfere from the outside."
A perfect one-on-one space with Ban was created, where Emperor Balthazar could not escape.
"Damn Witch Council bastards!!"
Balthazar screamed, veins popping.
Ban slowly approached Balthazar.
-Step. Step.
"Now that there are no distractions, I should finish this."
The Emperor, who had lived amidst superior physical ability and overwhelming power, felt the fear of death for the first time.
The overwhelming difference in power, the situation where even his elite troops were blocked.
He intuited that if they clashed like this, he would die.
"That Great Warrior..."
Madness settled in Emperor Balthazar's eyes.
He rummaged through his robes and pulled out a glass bottle containing an ominous liquid.
"I didn't want to use this, but..."
Balthazar downed the liquid in one gulp.
-Ududeuduk!!!
"Arghhhhhhhhh!!!!"
A terrible tearing sound erupted from Balthazar's body, and he began to transform.
The Emperor's splendid armor burst off, his skin turned bluish, and soon terrible tentacles pierced through his skin and stretched out in all directions.
"Arghhhhh!!"
Behind his back, the wings of an angel from mythology spread out.
The Emperor of the Empire, Balthazar, had been reborn, with a body like a grotesque magic beast yet possessing angel wings.
The Emperor, having lost human reason, roared at Ban.
"Gaaaaaaaah!!!"
The surrounding ground shook, and ominous mana swirled across the battlefield.
Even the witches watching from outside the barrier swallowed their saliva at the horrific sight.
But Ban, standing in the middle of it, just silently lifted his head and looked up at the giant monster.
"Is transforming a trend these days..."
Ban rested his greatsword on his shoulder and looked at him as if he were pathetic.
"But it's easier to cut something big."
-Chwajajajak!
Perhaps understanding Ban's provocation, Balthazar, who had completely lost his reason, swung his giant tentacles.
Even though his size had become massive, Balthazar's movements were incomparably faster and more destructive than before.
Dozens of tentacles covered all sides and tightened around Ban.
"Ban!!"
The witches, sensing something ominous, shouted urgently, but.
In the middle of the flying tentacles, Ban didn't even seem to think about dodging.
Soon, when the tentacles were about to strike down at Ban all at once,
Ban swung the greatsword he had been holding with both hands with all his might.
"Kwagagagang!"
Cutting dozens of tentacles at once, thick dust spread out.
"Arghhhhh!!!!"
Balthazar's scream of pain could be heard.
"You feel pain even after transforming into that form... Let's end this now."
Ban silently approached Balthazar, who was making his final struggle.