Chapter 203
Chapter 203
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 203
Chapter Title: Duel on the Battlefield
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***
"Yes, kill and kill again."
Colleton watched the battlefield from atop his massive horse.
The steed carrying him was nearly as enormous as Britannicker, but Artisan's hulking frame made it look ordinary.
The momentum of Figaro and the Tornado Knight Order was overwhelming.
As per Artisan's orders, the moment the moon was fully obscured by clouds, they charged toward Tomoya Royal Castle.
They clashed with the Kingdom Knight Order immediately after crossing the border.
The early exchanges were a fierce stalemate.
But soon the Kingdom Knights began to falter, and their lines were breached.
The Tornado Knights' spirits soared sky-high, while Figaro barreled through any obstacles like a runaway locomotive.
"Kill anything that breathes!"
His triumphant roar prompted the Tornado Knights to bulge their eyes and howl like demons.
"Kill!"
"Kill them all!"
The Kingdom Knights fell in droves under the merciless swing of their blades.
Demian alone stood firm against the onslaught, facing the Tornado Knights head-on without flinching.
With every swing of his sword, nearby knights lost heads, arms, or torsos.
He was a knight at the advanced Sword Master level.
But the Kingdom Knights' morale was crumbling. At this rate, casualties would be catastrophic.
'To turn the tide...'
Demian scanned for the Tornado Knight Order's captain, Figaro.
Taking him out would break their momentum.
'Where are you?'
Demian slashed and stabbed surrounding knights mercilessly while surveying the field.
Figaro, too, was searching for Demian.
Neutralizing the Kingdom Knights' core—Demian—was the surest path to victory.
"Where are you hiding, you rat?"
As Figaro swept his gaze across the front lines, his eyes locked with Demian's.
"Found you!"
Grinning wickedly, he spurred his horse toward him.
Demian swung his sword at Figaro's approaching mount as the man charged with ferocious aura.
Slash!
A deafening boom accompanied a deep crimson aura blade that arced like a sickle, hurtling forward at blinding speed.
"You think that'll work?"
Figaro scoffed derisively, parrying the incoming blade upward with his sword. He then slashed diagonally downward with full force.
Boom!
A grayish-white aura blade sliced through the air like a spear, spinning like a tornado as it flew.
It pierced a knight who intervened midway, skewering both him and his horse without slowing.
Boom!
'Watch closely.'
Demian didn't dodge. Instead, he thrust his sword straight at the aura blade.
The moment sword tip met aura—
KABOOM!
A massive explosion unleashed a tidal wave of force that engulfed the surroundings.
Knights locked in combat halted, bracing against the whirlwind surge.
Their horses staggered back or toppled over.
"......!"
Demian's face tightened slightly.
Figaro, thrilled that his thrust had been countered, grew even more excited.
"What? That's all you've got? Then let's go for real!"
With a mad grin, he charged Demian.
Demian knew he couldn't yield here and met the charge head-on.
Their swords clashed in midair.
Boom!
Explosions rang out nonstop as they unleashed a flurry of crosses in a brutal duel. The watching knights resumed their attacks.
Boom! KABOOM!
Blasts echoed across the field.
Colleton, observing from afar, beamed with satisfaction.
'This blood scent—how long has it been? This is where I belong. Heh heh.'
He was thrilled beyond measure, heart pounding with ecstasy.
He barely restrained the urge to dive into the fray for blood and kills.
His true opponent wasn't these small fry.
It was the figure atop Tomoya Kingdom's walls, overseeing the battle.
Natarsian!
Even in Artisan's memories, the man was etched deeply. Colleton could sense his immense presence from afar.
The perfect opponent to mark his return.
He planned to offer Natarsian as a sacrifice to the God of Darkness.
Artisan's awakened body couldn't yet wield full power.
But he was a Guardian infused with the Demon King's might.
He wasn't weak enough to lose to mere humans.
'Just wait a bit. I'll give you a proper show.'
Colleton curled his lips and addressed his elite guards standing by.
"I'll be fine alone. Join the fight."
"Yes, sir!"
Over ten royal guards shot toward the battlefield like arrows.
They were the cream of the crop from the Shadow Squad.
They could wield Patrium, matching Figaro's power when activated.
One-man armies, each.
Any remaining nuisances would soon be cleared.
Yet no word from Ghost, whom he'd sent ahead.
"Hmm, taken down?"
Even Ghost wouldn't find it easy against Natarsian.
The drug's effects were wearing off, too.
"What a shame..."
Smart, quick-witted, skilled—Colleton had planned to keep him as an adjutant.
"Well, can't be helped. Guess I'll have to move myself."
Colleton smirked, watched a moment longer, then turned.
He heightened his senses, scanning the surroundings.
Screams filled his ears as the wind carried the stench of blood.
Smoke rose from various points in the territory.
Duke Terry's forces were progressing as planned.
"Argh!"
"Fall back!"
The royal guards' entry triggered an immediate response.
The enemy, who had held even until now, began retreating with cries.
"Now the mage corps will move. Let's see how Hubei handles it."
Colleton crossed his arms, watching leisurely.
***
Herik, observing the battlefield beside Natarsian, spoke up.
"It seems it's time for me to step in."
"I hoped it wouldn't come to that, but they won't let it. No choice."
"They'll regret it. Excuse me."
Herik bowed to Natarsian and floated into the air.
He then bellowed like a lion's roar.
"Mammoth Division, sortie!"
Moments after his command, countless mages rose into the sky from below the walls.
They clustered around Herik, forming aura orbs in their hands.
"Show them hell."
Herik thrust his hand forward.
The 99 members hurled their orbs at the enemy lines.
Nearly two hundred aura bombs streaked across the sky.
'As expected!'
Demian had anticipated the mage corps' move upon the knights' retreat.
That's why he'd ordered a tactical withdrawal—to blunt their momentum.
Positioned far from the enemy, allied casualties would be minimal.
"Block this, and I'll acknowledge you."
Demian sneered at Figaro.
"You've set a trap."
Figaro barked upon seeing Demian's reaction.
"Charge forward! Do not retreat!"
Roooaaar—!
The Tornado Knights, far from cowed by the mages, burned with even greater fury.
They charged like maddened bulls, kicking up clouds of dust.
"Crazy bastards..."
Demian grimaced, envisioning the inferno and carnage ahead.
"Perish in hell."
Aura clumps rained down from the sky.
Suddenly, fireballs materialized in the air, smashing the auras.
KABOOM!
Pillars erupted from the ground, forming massive walls like castle gates.
Boom!
The mage corps' assault was completely blocked.
'Spirit mages!'
Demian's eyes widened as he frantically searched for the spirit division's position.
They were hidden too well.
With the mages' attack thwarted—however briefly—the Tornado Knights' morale skyrocketed uncontrollably.
Roooaaar—.
They charged madly, slamming headfirst into allied mounts.
Boom!
The Kingdom Knights' superior horses were crushed under their momentum, helpless.
"Argh!"
"Hold the line!"
"Attack!"
The Kingdom Knights roared defiance and counterattacked.
"Find the spirit mages first!"
Herik scanned sharply.
The pitch-black darkness made spotting them difficult.
Blended with the environment via spirits, they were even harder to detect.
"I'll draw you out."
Herik raised one hand to chest height, channeling mana.
A deep blue aura gathered in his palm, swelling to head size.
Sparks flew from it, radiating immense power.
"Take this. Fire Rain!"
Herik casually lobbed it toward the battlefield.
The orb soared high, flashing as hail-like fireballs poured down.
The fireballs exploding midair upon hitting enemy lines, blocked like by an invisible wall.
KABOOM!
'A wind barrier.'
Wind spirit energy permeated the walls.
They intended to seal off magic attacks with the barrier.
"You think that'll work?"
Herik's eyes gleamed coldly as he ordered the mage corps.
"Cast wide-area spells."
The mages split into ten groups, dispersing.
They formed triangular formations, channeling mana to their centers.
Massive mana began coalescing in each group.
Watching this, Hubei responded instantly.
"Fools—who'd just watch you gather mana?"
He thrust his arm forward, issuing attack orders.
Spirit mages emerged before Tomoya Castle.
Some floated in the air, others rose from the earth, and some strode boldly through the fray.
Muttering incantations, they thrust both hands forward.
Gale-force winds howled from the airborne ones.
Whoooosh—.
"Argh!"
Wall soldiers were swept away by the gusts.
Earth risers cracked the ground like an earthquake, racing toward the walls.
Boom!
Cracks spiderwebbed across the walls.
"Archers! Fire!"
At the knight's shout, wall archers loosed volley after volley.
Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew!
The arrows were scattered by the gale, then fireballs rained on the soldiers.
Boom! Boom! Boom-boom!
"Arghhh!"
"Argh!"
Soldiers fell helplessly to the spirit mages. Massive pillars surged from the split earth.
KABOOM!
The cracked walls collapsed in a heap.
Soldiers atop plummeted with screams.
"Arghhh!"
"Save me!"
"Arghhh—."
The area turned to pandemonium in seconds.
Then, a sight plunged the soldiers deeper into terror.
Rubble from the ruined walls stirred like living things, forming a colossal golem.
Thud! Thud!
The golem stomped, unleashing a earth-shaking roar.
Roooaaar—!
"G-Golems..."
As terror gripped the soldiers' faces—
A massive fireball crashed onto the golem's head.
Boom!
Wide-area spells then hammered the spirit mages' positions.
KABOOM!
Ice spears showered from the sky, while dozens of earthen pillars thrust up from below, mirroring their attacks.
They repaid in kind.
"Damn it!"
Hubei's face twisted.
He hadn't expected a golem neutralized in one hit.
The enemy's power exceeded expectations.
They could block up to 5th-class spells, but higher-tier barrages overwhelmed even the spirits.
The spirit division's goal: prevent mage corps intervention.
Absorb attacks, exhaust their mana, then counter with all-out assault.
Victory was clear.
'Mages can't stop us.'
Without mage support, they couldn't handle the Tornado Knights.
A glare from the walls irked him, but the Nanshar Empire had the great warrior Artisan.
If he moved, that man would respond.
The moment he did—
Hell would unfold here.
"......!"
The man leaped from the walls.
"Urgent, huh? No choice with the situation. But he's moving too."
Hubei smirked wickedly and turned.
Far off, Artisan charged through the field with terrifying momentum.
"No more hope or expectations for you. Only death and ruin await."