Confrontation: Grand Commander Hoyeol Joins – Civilians Rescued, the Advance Begins
The Holy War Alliance, their morale skyrocketing to extreme heights, knew no such thing as retreat. The Lion Heart Knights and the Goddess Church's holy knights swept through the battlefield with masterful precision. As they carved open the path at the vanguard, the players joined the fray.
"Keep the pressure on without letting up!"
"What the hell are those bastards aiming for?!"
"Stay cooped up in that demon king's castle like good little bitches!!"
Wolf stuck out his tongue in awe at the ferocious charge.
"Impressive as always, our grand commander."
The Shadow Mercenaries were such a ragtag bunch that they were the exception, of course. But leading people was never easy. Especially on a battlefield where lives were on the line? Loyalty's effects didn't last forever.
But this holy war was different.
"This goes beyond mere leadership."
Beyond command—into a whole other realm. Everyone was igniting their battle spirit of their own volition.
No matter how overwhelming their forces, injuries were inevitable on any battlefield. Yet even the wounded refused to fall back. Some even cracked smiles.
"Tch, feels like I'm finally paying off my debt now."
That pride he always talks about, I suppose.
Wolf gave a wry smile. Pride—such a distant concept for him.
But not for Rackid, it seemed, the low-rank mercenary.
"Outta my way. Outta my way. That bastard's mine!"
At a glance, it looked like the guy was just berserking for glory. But Wolf's sharp eyes caught the adventurer Rackid had shoved aside. It was a wound that would've been fatal if Rackid hadn't stepped in.
You're getting soft, Rackid.
Was it because Rackid had taken his share of brutal hits and now pitied the injured? Or because he was low-rank and less jaded? Or had he truly embraced that notion of pride in his chest?
Wolf had no way to know—and no desire to.
"Just unbelievable, so let's leave it at that?"
Wolf's contemplation didn't last long. Clank—whoosh— bolts from his crossbow poured out in equal measure to the enemies. Even if he hadn't grasped this pride thing, he was a mercenary. Regardless of reason, he had to earn his keep by following the employer's will.
"Charge!"
And so, the moment the Holy War Alliance breached the demon king's castle.
They had braced for desperate last stands from the demons to halt the advance. But what unfolded was utterly different.
"......What the hell?"
Silence descended upon the demon king's castle, once filled with roars. Harcon Kingsguard, commanding from the front, spoke up.
"All units, halt!"
The demons hadn't vanished. The alliance stood nose-to-nose with the demon king's vast army. The odd part was their reaction.
Harcon shouted again, as if confirming.
"Are we certain there are no mages among our allies?"
"Affirmative."
"Excluding me, yeah, none......"
Slyly lifting his staff—Pimbi aside, there were no mages.
Then what could it be?
What had......
"They've clenched their own throats with their own hands."
"!!!"
Just as Harcon said. It wasn't mere silence. Thud—drop—tremble— the demons dropped their weapons and shields, clutching their throats with both hands. Not a shout, not even a choking gasp— one by one, they crumpled to their knees.
"Captain......?"
Jessica Bright sought Harcon's judgment. Demons were the enemy; complacency was forbidden. By the book, they should exploit the collapse and finish them swiftly.
"All units, hold."
But this was a battlefield unlike any Harcon had seen. It defied Arcana common sense. Even player logic couldn't explain it.
Leoni spoke up.
"Th-that's not just one or two of 'em!"
Tens of thousands. Precisely 70,000. Even named monsters and demon legion commanders were no exception. Every demon plunged into panic, unable to resist. Pale with terror at some 'something' more fearsome than their own blades.
Hisagi Kazuma murmured, gazing at the soaring castle where Hoyeol confronted the demon king.
"Is this too, the power of Lord Hoyeol......?"
It was the only plausible guess. In Hisagi's knowledge, only one being could terrify 70,000 demons.
Hoyeol.
But if so......
"I sense the emotions he feels transmitting over."
If everyday Hoyeol was ever consistent, this Hoyeol emanated a quiet fury.
But it was understandable. Recalling the demons' deeds.
Not content with disrupting the regular conference. They'd endangered civilians. And one final reason......
Rowdy shouting that defied decorum. Shouting that incomprehensible word, Claudy. Unforgivable.
Hisagi nodded.
"I understand that sentiment as well."
So I won't hesitate either.
Shing— Hisagi drew his spear and advanced.
"The Holy War Alliance shows no mercy to demons."
His spear swung without hesitation, eyes narrowed. With Hisagi leading, those who had halted resumed their motion.
Hoyeol-ssi......
What in the world is happening up there, my lord......!
Don't get distracted—focus on the fight in front of you.
Forcing their eyes from the castle where Hoyeol faced the demon king.
......
Mage Tower. Crystal Hall.
As expected, Bensy William was making a fuss.
"Wh-what the hell is that?! Nasrow, isn't that your field?!"
Demons strangling themselves with their own hands! The only possibility was illusion magic.
But Nasrow shook his head. Sure, at a glance, it could be mistaken for illusion magic.
"It is not illusion magic."
"......Not? How?! At your level, senior Nasrow, pulling off an illusion like that should be a breeze, right? You're the prodigy of illusion magic!"
"Senior Bensy, recall what you yourself said."
"......Huh? What I said?"
"Your evaluation of illusion magic."
Bensy had blabbed so much. His take on illusion magic...... He had nailed something crucial, probably.
As Bensy pondered, Nasrow supplied it.
"It wastes an absurd amount of mana."
"......Did I really say that?"
"I remember clearly."
There was bite in Nasrow's words. Among elemental magics, the worst mana efficiency was flame magic. Hearing that from flame magic senior Bensy had been quite the shock.
Bensy mumbled awkwardly.
"Well, back then I was a bit young and foolish......"
"Not seeking an apology. It's the truth."
"Then what do you mean?"
Pinned from all sides. The enchantment mage senior, Kiko Armin—whose wits had sharpened unintentionally—continued.
"It's truly not illusion magic......?"
Nasrow suddenly stood.
"Correct. It is not illusion magic. Regardless of mana quantity or manifestation power, it's magically impossible. I guarantee it—even Chief Mage Lee Hoyeol couldn't......"
Nasrow had a point. Banggrit's pupils sparkled. His mana sensitivity gave him exceptional vision for detecting mana.
"No noticeable mana fluctuations in the area."
If it were illusion magic fooling tens of thousands of demons, uncontrollable mana would flood the demon king's castle vicinity.
Marcelo glanced at the cat—the Tower Master.
Like the illusion magic manifested from the Tower Master's body.
Then what could it be? Marcelo—even the Tower Master scratching its head with hind paws—couldn't guess the phenomenon's cause.
Only Matis Din Karl closed his eyes gently.
Black magic.
Matis looked at his hand. The magic tool responding to alien mana. The ring was blackened, cracked.
Matis felt it anew.
Even without direct confrontation.
Just viewing a magical projection. Yet immeasurable alien mana had wrecked the tool.
Matis swallowed a groan.
My lord, you......
Alien mana born of past and lineage.
What past did you endure?
Matis couldn't dare guess. Nor did he want to. As the founder of black magic arts, he knew the dangers of such mana better than anyone.
So he merely worried.
If that past backflows.
If it caused you to blacken.
The aftermath would bring unimaginable consequences.
Thus......
I know it's presumptuous. But.
That past. A past none but you could bear.
I, Matis, dared to think: thank goodness it was you who endured it.
......
Above all, it was urgent to shut their mouths. Casually yelling Claudy, Claudy......! The name had already echoed worldwide, even to the Mage Tower.
But he couldn't just sit idle. What if they went further and recited the full name?
I can endure anything else, but that damned Romeo......!
TV, news, communities—endless fodder all day.
Pride be damned; he lacked the confidence to show his face from sheer shame!
So I manifested black magic, Black Gaze. It forbade sensory activity for the demon king Andras and the demons.
And now.
The quick-witted would've caught on from my words. That I was the Claudy they'd desperately sought.
So I'd appeared. So what was the reason for invoking that name to summon me?
Obviously, I wouldn't answer. The one answering was me.
Invites a demon into the consciousness.
In consciousness space, conversation bypasses senses.
I interrogated the trembling Andras in fear. No—interrogated.
"A name unfit for a mongrel who knows not its place."
"......"
"Speak whence you heard that name."
Was I too prickly? But honestly, it warranted anger.
Grrrggg— Andras foamed at the beak. Panicking before proper questioning began? His state was so poor, I wondered if I'd get answers.
Still, Andras forced out words.
"Gluttony....... From Gluttony....... I heard......"
Gluttony? Yeah, no wonder it reached your ears. Demons and their loose lips. Typical clique behavior.
Good call blocking communication first, Hoyeol.
Self-praise aside, I pressed on.
"Which of the six?"
The Seven Deadly Sins. Gluttony I'd personally dumped into hell myself, so six remained. Andras would want to hide it desperately.
But no matter how hard he tried, sealing his beak was impossible here. In the exorcism ritual space, initiative was mine.
He had to answer my questions.
"G-Gl-Gluttony......!!"
Urk— Andras spewed blood from his maw. Some contract binding secrets, it seemed.
Demons like Gluttony or demon kings.
The saying 'the haves are the worst' wasn't wrong.
So is this a blessing in disguise?
At least it was Gluttony, one I had some familiarity with. Remember that day luck from Siren's Blessing struck? I'd glimpsed Gluttony via Demon Eye Telescope.
Sure, demons possessing routinely—what did looks matter? But I was a demon hunter. Might sense it intuitively if we crossed paths.
Still.
A natural question arose. How did Gluttony know my name...... No, Claudy?
Questions just keep piling up.
Swallowing a sigh at my plight, as I retraced memories—
......Wait.
I recalled. That lucky day. The one lingering question.
Yes. Elder Dragon Yunak Seus. Agentress's elf clan. Transcendent Urs. Gluttony of the Seven Deadly Sins.
A powder keg on the verge of explosion. Then the transcendent on the broom who sorted it.
Pieces clicked.
......!
Skal's dragon knight class quest. The 'great house' specified there.
And now. Gluttony, present then.
Andras claiming he'd heard 'Claudy' from him.
I reached a conclusion.
......That clusterfuck got sorted in the name of Claudy?!