Chapter 329
Chapter 329
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 329
Chapter Title: Hawk, Wolf, and Sea Serpent (6)
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[What…… What is this……!!]
Yekaset's fury swept over the chaotic battlefield. The beasts, gripped by panic, clawed and bit at themselves, plunging into madness.
-Piiiiriririk!
-Kwaaaang!!
Flames erupted across the field. From the flagship of the Gaimeirn floating in the sky, cannonballs and arrows began raining down like a storm. Fernandez struggled to pull the greatsword from the wolf's chest and grinned.
"Beastly, huff……. This is the end."
[You bastard—!!]
The wolves charged. Fernandez twisted his body aside and swung his greatsword. The lunging wolf was cleaved in half, splattering viscous entrails. Yet its claws succeeded in roughly tearing from his breastplate down to his waistband.
He had avoided a fatal wound, but it was no light injury. Still, Fernandez rolled on, pressing his attacks and evasions. It was nothing extraordinary. His body was already on the verge of falling apart. Finding a spot not bleeding was harder now.
Excessive blood loss made his mind hazy. He swung his blade almost on instinct. Fortunately, the experience and training he had built up were sustaining his life.
"Your defeat, Yekaset. After today, no mortal will fear you anymore. The awe you must devour will be claimed by those elves in the skies instead. You will be the dawn that banishes the last remnant of the terror of the night."
Forever. Even if Yekaset's power did not vanish entirely now. It could no longer wield such influence in the material world.
"I will leave your seal intact. Far in the future, when you have no power left. When the light of civilized society illuminates even the darkest alleys of this world……. Then we will open your seal, drag out you trembling in fear, and hang you from a gibbet."
It would be humanity's final declaration against the unknown terror. It would become a symbol representing an era. That night was merely a phenomenon, winter merely a season. A firm emblem of reason, refusing to leave understanding of natural phenomena to the transcendent any longer.
By then, perhaps humanity would no longer need gods. And that would mean no more demonic threats for humanity. An age would come when sovereignty over the material world was delegated solely to the beings of the material world.
[You…… You will fail. Your goal, and the goal of your false gods, can never be achieved eternally! Feizashi, you vile traitor. Even if you survive today, you will ultimately betray this world, and even your false gods! This is no mere declaration—it shall be a curse engraved into my very existence!]
Yekaset snarled in a fit of rage. Soon, the wolves that had been milling about in confusion snapped their heads up.
[This will be the beginning. Today, you will savor your victory. Enjoy it well! But my minions will not fall here today, and you will surely die right here!!]
With its proclamation, the wolves scattered in all directions at once. Fernandez narrowed his eyes, watching them.
Each one was at least a Mazol, and the larger specimens were Marjang-level powerful demons. Yekaset's power stemmed from fear of beasts in the darkness, and it would grow stronger as they hid in corners of the world and began indiscriminate hunts.
Those who had reached this plain were Queen Leia's legion. The flagship's cannons were unparalleled in power, but they could not touch the ground. Against beasts fleeing in all directions, area-based aerial assaults were at a disadvantage.
-Auuuuwuuuu!!
Mid-flight, a pack of wolves halted and turned to stare at him. Thick saliva dripped from between their fangs. Their red eyes flickered with frenzied bestiality.
[Kill him. I will not allow him the dawn after today!]
-Auuuuwuuuu!!
The wolves charged him all at once. Fernandez gripped his sword hilt with a crunch and raised the blade. He had rallied as many as possible during his exchange with Yekaset, but he was suffering wounds that could fell him at any moment.
This will be tough. Fernandez chuckled dryly. But what did it matter. This was mere desperation.
Many demons would flee into the shadows of the material world. But had there ever been a time when they did not? Was this not an age when demons lurked laughing in every shadow?
As long as there were those who trod the darkness bearing fire, humanity would never fall easily. Yekaset's scheme was hurtling toward long-term defeat today. With its downfall, only two great demons barely remained.
Fernandez thought as he brought his blade down on the charging wolf.
'Now, all plans race toward their finale.'
-Even if we don't survive?
'Survival was never our goal.'
-Fernandez. No regrets, even if you never see your son's smile again forever?
'Once, my son's existence was my world, and his death my frame.'
-Kwajik!
The dusk-hued greatsword crushed the wolf's skull and emerged. The blade caught briefly between its shattered fangs. In that gap, another wolf lunged and bit into his shoulder.
'Now this world is my frame, Feizashi. This world's smiles are my son's smile.'
-Damn it. To think such words come from my mouth.
-Kwaduk!
The blade spun half a turn and smashed the wolf's skull. Soon, more wolves. Yet more charged. The soldiers he had carefully selected and prepared. Colossal beings near Marjang-level demons swarmed to tear him apart.
The greatsword slipped from his grip and tumbled to the ground. Lienmian Sword embedded in the earth, quivering. The dusk blade was already slick with sticky entrails, blood, and fat.
It's over. Fernandez sighed.
-Well fought. Not a satisfying end, but our three years were our best effort.
'You too, Feizashi.'
-After your flesh dies, will our souls merge again? And who will remain?
'Afraid?'
-Haha, shouldn't you be? You thought a mere twenty-something could devour my soul, Feizashi of the Crimson Tower?
Fernandez chuckled at Feizashi's words. He had no strength left to twitch a finger. Soon, one wolf gaped its massive maw and lunged at him.
-Kwajik.
* * *
"Filthy numbers they have."
"Not as enjoyable a hunt as you'd hoped, Queen Leia?"
"Hardly a hunt."
Leia stood on the deck amid whipping winds, arms crossed, gazing far below at the horizon. Kwaang—each cannon shot illuminated the ground, scattering demons in terror.
"Still no sign of him?"
-I sense his presence somewhere down there. But…… yeah. Can't pinpoint him yet.
A droning voice came from above. It was Abel. She flapped her wings with all her might, bearing the weight of this massive flagship.
A dragon's senses could pick out a single gold coin from hundreds of kwan of gold. But the ground now teemed with tens of thousands of demons, and even from the sky, a great demon's aura lingered.
Finding one human amid that was near impossible. Abel barely suppressed the urge to breathe fire on them. If she faltered and dropped the ship, the elves aboard would be annihilated.
"Wait. There……?"
"Good heavens……."
As cannon fire lit the ground, Leia spotted a cluster of densely packed demons. Countless demons surged toward one point, writhing like waves in an ocean storm.
At Leia's gesture, Jerolen leaned out to scan below. He sighed unwittingly.
"No feat worthy of a mortal."
"We can't leave him. We must save him."
"I'll go myself. Lagras!"
"Yes, Your Highness!!"
"Lead the riders! Bring my griffon! We can't let that hero die!"
"Yes, Your Highness!!"
Soon, griffons poured onto the deck. Jerolen vaulted onto the largest, most ornate one's back and seized the reins.
Piiik, the griffon shrieked sharply and soared into the sky. Jerolen's riders followed in unison.
* * *
How long had she fought? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? The sky was still dark, so probably not long. But she couldn't be sure. Her eyes barely saw, so maybe it was just darkness.
-Kang!
Kirhas swung her broken, half-severed sword, battering a wolf. The impact made her body twitch. No more pain now. Just instinct remained. She didn't even know how she was still moving.
But as long as she moved, she did what she must. Swung the blade at the approaching wolf. Not enough—still no path to survival.
In this moment of utter darkness. Only the red glares flickering in it marked the enemies. Her eyes were clouded by fatigue and shock. Swing, lunge, swing again.
The unseen was no threat now. She had sensed the optimal paths and best moves seconds ago. Her senses, honed to extremes in an instant, seemed to unleash even transcendent intuition.
Thus, she threw herself toward the direction of the blue afterimage's flicker, moving as it guided. That bought another second of life. She performed this deadly acrobatics, stacking second by second.
Until her body or soul wore out completely. She wouldn't stop. Then—
-Kwaaaang!
A brutal shockwave engulfed the surrounding wolves. Kirhas perked her half-severed ear toward it. The wolves' movements halted for a moment.
"Don't touch the ground! Thrust spears only!"
Something fell from the sky. Absurd as it sounded, it felt like facing a cavalry charge head-on. Cavalry pouring from the heavens.
-Kwaaaang! Kwang!
"Hey! Can you hear me!"
Something battered the wolf lunging at her. The wolf yelped and fell away. Kirhas dodged instinctively, moving amid the chaos.
"Stop! Wait! I'm not here to harm you!"
-Kwaaang!
"Damn it, she can't hear! Those kinds exist. She's possessed by sword demon!"
Kirhas swung at the approaching thing. But it was short. Her blade, more damaged than expected, shattered, leaving only the hilt.
Her collar was seized with a kwak. As she floated into the air, she hurled the hilt and wrapped her legs around the arm gripping her. Legs crossed, twisting cunningly to wrench the sturdy arm.
"Damn, truly possessed by sword demon! Haha, to think such a one remains in this age!"
-Whoosh!
The arm swung her wildly while holding her. Kirhas barely clung with her legs loosened, gasping. As she quieted, the arm swiftly lifted her and set her somewhere.
"Rest a bit. Good work."
No more words reached her ears. Kirhas tried to struggle briefly, then slumped after a blow to the back of her head.
* * *
"You were right. Follow the flower. Clever trick. So, what is your name?"
"Partak Blackpang, Your Majesty. It was our great chieftain's method."
"The Empire will not forget today's aid from you and your beastkin alliance."
"An honor."
Dawn broke. The eternal night passed. Across the vast plain, the darkness receded. The massively swollen moon still hung in the sky, but even its eerie glow faded in the brilliantly bursting dawn.
"Damn, what a mess. Your Majesty, see that? Looks like an elven royal ship."
"Yes. Seems so, Sir Borea. Ah, King Vicente. Was the ship you saw in your lands like that?"
"……Similar. But Your Majesty, first, I have a request."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Please entrust the vanguard to us."
The wolves scattered in all directions. Beneath the blazing blue eastern sky, it looked like twilight retreating from sunlight.
"May I hear the reason?"
"Our great mother watches us, so as Round Table Knights, we cannot stand back."
"Haha, right. That dragon was your great teacher. Very well. Make it so."
From the northeast ridge, a banner soared into the sky. A weathered flag bearing dragon, sword, and Round Table fluttered under the blue heavens.
-Buuuuuuuu!!
Horns blared from beyond the east. Soon, dust clouds filled the horizon—
-Dududududu!!
Cavalry poured forth, each holding their banners aloft.
* * *
Kirhas Hearttaker succeeded in holding out alone at the heart of the demon legion for half a day.
The fleeing beastkin tiger alliance joined the advancing Imperial army.
Under Freyja's command, the Imperial army reached the battlefield half a day ahead of schedule.
It was the day the great northern advance of Karadsukar ended.