Chapter 0427 Deployment
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"What did you say? Vim Lowe has been defeated?"
"Yes, Garwin-sama."
Wingston, annex of the Duke of Shrewsbury's residence.
Vim Lowe is one of Garwin's highest-ranking followers, one of the four generals.
He was given a thousand substantial soldiers and has been ravaging cities on the western border of the Union.
The main force dealing with him had been the Volturino Grand Duchy within the Union, but they weren't strong enough, so Vim Lowe had been rampaging through cities without suffering much losses so far.
However…
"It's reported that he lost five hundred of the substantial soldiers."
"Half of them! But even if there were ten times as many knights, they shouldn't be able to defeat my substantial soldiers… Could it be that he failed at besieging a city like Oranj did?"
Garwin glanced briefly at Oranj, sitting on the sofa, as he brought up the topic out of the blue.
Oranj, caught off guard by the sudden mention, pretended not to hear and looked in another direction.
No, Vim Lowe has been strictly ordered not to attack cities with fortifications."
"Why would you ask Vim Lowe to stand down but make me assault a fortified city…"
Oranj complained in a voice too loud to be called a murmur, in response to Isolde's explanation.
"It's to increase Garwin-sama's experience. Grüne and Blüne are high-ranking minions. Their experiences become Garwin-sama's experiences."
"Is that really true…"
Oranj retorted with an expression of disbelief at Isolde's words.
While looking at Garwin.
From Oranj's perspective, Garwin is not particularly smart.
If the experiences of high-ranking minions become Garwin's experiences, then he should have accumulated knowledge over thousands of years and should be a bit smarter…
"Oranj! Do you have any complaints?"
"No, Garwin-sama. Not at all!"
The four generals are, in a sense, a part of the Djinn Garwin.
Betrayal is unthinkable.
Probably impossible.
(That very moment, I feel like I might cease to exist…)
Oranj thought to himself.
But the words he actually spoke were completely different.
"Speaking of the Union army. It's led by the 'Great General', isn't it?"
Oranj, since awakening this time, has learned about the situation in the Central Countries.
After all, he had just woken up for the first time in hundreds of years, so the knowledge he once had was useless.
He had to catch up with the times.
However, he hadn't learned about the development of water magic…
"Yeah. Union governor, Lord Aubrey. But still… the power of the minions should be incomparable to humans. So I don't understand how he could lose half of them…"
Isolde replied, shaking her head.
"There might be something we don't know about."
Garwin muttered.
"As expected of Lord Aubrey… to defeat the Djinn army…"
The first words of King Abel upon receiving the report.
"We've received information that all the artificial golems were deployed."
It was a report from Knight Captain Dontan.
Upon hearing that, Abel nodded heavily.
Three years ago, during the Union's invasion of the Inbury Duchy, artificial golems were deployed for the first time.
It was created mainly by Frank de Verde, who defected from the Kingdom to the Union.
Now, three years later, it is said that the Union has over two hundred artificial golems.
"To confront something like the minions of the Djinn, perhaps golems are indeed a good choice."
Abel muttered, to which Dontan nodded.
Reducing human casualties… in that aspect alone, golems overwhelmed knights, magicians, and of course, adventurers.
Because in battle, none of your allies die.
Therefore, even in the Kingdom, the development of golems had secretly begun, led by Viscount Kenneth Hayward.
However, creating artificial golems wasn't easy.
Even Frank De Verde, considered a genius alchemist, took over twenty years from when he was in the Kingdom to finally create something satisfactory.
That's the genius alchemist Frank De Verde, mind you.
Even Viscount Kenneth Hayward, said to rival Frank, found creating artificial golems no easy task…
Having legs, hands, a body, and a head that can move…
That alone was achievable.
But that was still in the experimental stage.
It would take much trial and error to make something capable of fighting on the battlefield… it would take time.
The shape of warfare itself seemed to be changing.
In the Kingdom Army's night camp, within King Abel's tent.
Top officials were gathered for information sharing.
King Abel I
Queen Rihya
Warren, Count of Carlisle
Rin, Countess of Carlisle
Captain of the Royal Knights, Dontan
Magic Commander Arthur Verasis, and Supreme Advisor Ilarion Baraha
Captain of the Valkyrie Knights, Imogen
High Priest Gabriel of the Central Temple in the royal capital
Monk Squad Captain Gwain of the Central Temple in the Royal Capital, and Vice Captain Chase
Folklore Officer of the Central Temple in the royal capital, Viscount Rashata Debuo
Knight Captain Faith of Silverdale Knights
Knight Captain Neville Black of the Rune Frontier County
Viscount Kenneth Hayward, Chief Alchemist and Head Researcher of the Royal Alchemy Workshop
And leaders of various regional knight orders….
There were over fifty high-ranking officials gathered. Yet in the King's tent, there still seemed to be plenty of space.
"The enemy has finished deploying in Vichy Plains, north of Stonelake."
"So the concern about taking the citizens of Wingston as hostages has been alleviated."
Abel nodded in relief at Dontan's report.
However, he quickly realized another fact.
"Vichy Plains… that's the battlefield from the Liberation War three years ago."
"Exactly."
Three years ago, in the final stages of the Kingdom Liberation War.
It was where Abel's Southern Army defeated the Imperial Army entrenched in the eastern part of the Kingdom.
The Vichy Plain is fairly large, making it an ideal location for large armies to deploy.
And the Djinn army was already stationed on these Vichy Plains.
"They don't intend to hold out and defend. They plan to face us head-on."
Dontan said, and many in the tent nodded in agreement.
Most of them shared the same sentiment.
'Crush them head-on.'
The recent report of the Union defeating the rampaging Djinn army in Union territory may have also fueled their determination.
And several strategies were prepared.
Of course, it was unknown how effective they would be against the Djinn and its minions.
But everything they had prepared was the best the Kingdom could do at present.
"According to reconnaissance, the enemy encampment consists of about ten thousand substantial soldiers."
"I see."
Abel nodded in response to Dontan's continued report.
The Kingdom Army numbered fifty thousand.
The first step in the strategy of having more troops than the enemy seemed to be on track.
However…
"It is said that Djinns can quickly create phantom soldiers."
Folklore Officer Rashata cautioned.
"Yeah. Most likely, Erwin… the Djinn must be there too."
Abel said, frowning.
Honestly, accepting the fact that Erwin Ortiz was a Djinn was still difficult.
But going into battle in that state would put his allies in a deadly situation.
So, Abel stood up and declared firmly.
"Defeat Erwin Ortiz, the Djinn. The fate of the Kingdom hinges on this battle. I expect everyone to give their all."
"Aye!"
Morale was high.
Facing an opponent believed to be unbeatable for humans… a Djinn, yet morale was high.
Perhaps it was due to Abel's charisma as a king.
Though a Djinn, it wasn't fully awakened yet… perhaps that understanding played a part.
And the minions were not unbeatable foes either.
That had been proven by the Union.
Didn't the Kingdom prove it in the city of Hafrena too?
At least, the morale of the Kingdom Army was high.
For the most part.
"Hey, Scotty. Don't you think we're being overworked?"
"Yeah, Zack. I totally agree. Could you please go alone and appeal directly to Knight Captain Dontan?"
"Hell no. If I did that, I'd get a severe scolding all by myself. Besides, why am I the only one going…?"
"That's because you understand the situation we're in so accurately. We're about to face the Djinn and its minions head-on, and we are right at the forefront of the face-off."
This was a conversation between Royal Knight Commanders Zack Cooler and Scotty Cobook.
They were at the frontline of the Kingdom Army, facing off against the Djinn Army.
The Royal Knights were stationed at the vanguard of the Kingdom's central forces.
Undoubtedly, when the battle commenced, they would be thrust into the heart of intense combat first.
Of course, that's what they desired.
They had been training for this for three years.
Zack, well, he had some impure motives to earn Sera's approval, too.
Nevertheless, there was no denying that they were indeed 'Overworked'.
After confirming the relationship between the Djinn and the Duchy in Wingston, they quickly returned to Hafrena with their troops.
Soon after, they were ordered to rejoin the main force, and they rushed back to the eastern highway, where they met with the advancing Kingdom Army from the royal capital.
Without a break, they arrived at this battlefield.
Physically, they weren't tired due to their training, but perhaps grumbling was a habit of theirs from old times…
They glanced at the three hundred knights lined up next to them.
They were a newly formed knight order but often described as famous and renowned.
"The Carlisle Knights. Count Carlisle… Warren, the indomitable from the 'Crimson Sword' of old, must have trained them, they're impressive."
"Yeah. Just standing there, they exude elite prowess… you'd need considerable skill to be part of this group."
Both Zack and Scotty marveled at the three hundred knights standing in perfect formation.
Each held a large shield reaching up to their necks.
Their weapons were only short straight swords.
In essence, these swords were rarely used; it was rumored that their shields doubled as weapons.
"Count Warren Carlisle is undoubtedly the noble Abel trusts the most."
"Of course. The fact that Count Warren is stationed here implies that the success of the entire operation hinges on this central vanguard."
Scotty nodded vigorously in response to Zack's query.
The central vanguard consisted of the Royal Knights and the Carlisle Knights.
The right flank vanguard consisted of the Rune Frontier County Knights.
The left flank vanguard consisted of the Silverdale Knights.
The three vanguards were manned by the most powerful knight orders.
Among them, the role given to the central vanguard was crucial strategically…
Switching to the Djinn Army main camp.
"The enemy consists of fifty thousand troops centered around knight orders."
Isolde reported.
"Hah! At least they've got the numbers."
Garwin, the Djinn, remarked and continued with a wicked grin.
"Works for me."
Garwin incited this war to eliminate humans, especially those strutting on battlefields in the eastern regions of the Kingdom, to collect Fragments of God.
In that sense, fifty thousand knights were a considerable number.
"If I manage to kill half of them, perhaps I can fully revive."
Isolde nodded in response to Garwin's words.
The other of the Four Generals, Oranj, remained silent, scratching his cheek.
He seemed to be tilting his head slightly, as if pondering.
"Oranj! Do you have something to say?"
"No, Garwin-sama. Nothing at all!"
Oranj replied splendidly.
"So, Isolde. Who is leading the Kingdom Army?"
"Right. It is said that the king himself is leading the army."
Garwin showed a slightly surprised expression at Isolde's report.
"As expected of Richard's descendant. Coming out to the battlefield personally. I'll commend you for that alone."
Garwin said with a smirk.
Then, he fell into thought for a moment.
Seeing that, Oranj felt a sense of foreboding.
It was from experience.
Usually, whatever followed Garwin's contemplative moments was not good…
"Alright. I shall take full command of this battle."
"Haa…"
Garwin declared, and hearing that, Oranj couldn't help but let out a sound.
It wasn't loud, but it was audible to Garwin.
"Oranj! Do you have a problem with that?"
"No… Garwin-sama isn't very smart, so I thought Isolde would be more suited for this…"
"Silence, Orange! I don't need to hear that from you of all people!"
"Well, I agree, I'm not particularly smart either, about the same level as Garwin-sama I suppose…"
"Enough! I've made up my mind! Besides, crushing around fifty thousand human knights shouldn't be too difficult! Don't you think so, Isolde?"
When Garwin asked her for an answer, Isolde replied without changing her expression.
"Of course, Garwin-sama."
Garwin nodded vigorously upon hearing that.
Then he continued.
"You hear that, Oranj? This level of enemy can be defeated by just one of us!"
"Well, if you put it that way, then surely they don't stand a chance… In other words, Garwin-sama, commanding troops isn't your strong suit.."
"You're being a pain in the ass, Oranj!"
Oranj let out a small sigh.
Well, in the end, they wouldn't lose… he knew that.
That's why there was no need to compete over military strategy…
That's what Oranj thought.
"Well, fine. Since we're not going to lose anyway, might as well let Garwin-sama do as he pleases."
Oranj muttered to himself and turned to observe the opposing Kingdom Army.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0428 The Battle Begins
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At 9 AM. The war horn resounded.
"Here we go."
"Yeah."
Zack Cooler muttered and Scotty Cobook nodded in response; both in the central vanguard of the Kingdom Army.
The Djinn Army made the first move.
"They're coming!"
As Zach muttered, a voice echoed through the entire Kingdom army.
"The enemy charging at us consists of Phantom Soldiers. Vanguard, stand by. Monk squad, advance!"
This command was conveyed using Ilarion Baraha's magic
There's no magic more convenient for commanding a large army.
It can deliver instructions across the entire battlefield.
While Wind-attribute magic
Magic spells run rampant, and magic powers are chaotic in such places.
Of course, it's still before the battle began, so it's manageable…
But even after the battle starts, only a few people in the Kingdom can use it.
Following the
They were positioned a thousand each in the center, right flank, and left flank.
In terms of numbers, it wasn't considered large.
The incoming djinn Phantom Soldiers were roughly sixty thousand.
That's twenty times more!
But the Monks didn't flinch.
To become a Monk, one must embrace an unparalleled faith compared to regular priests.
They dedicate everything to the Goddess of Light and willingly risk their lives to protect the Goddess and her followers.
Now, they were prepared to risk everything to protect the Kingdom's people, who are believers.
The front lines of the Monk squad clashed with the front lines of the Phantom Soldiers.
The Monks wielded their weapons, the 'Holy Blessed Staves', risking their lives as they engaged the Phantom Soldiers.
It was a striking blow.
Just a touch of the staves, and the Phantom Soldiers vanished.
Witnessing this scene, High Priest Gabriel and Folklore Officer Rashata nodded approvingly.
As expected, seeing it work out as planned brought them satisfaction.
For the Kingdom Army, the Monk squad against the Djinn Phantom Soldiers was almost the only strong point, and they were proving to be remarkably effective.
Against the tide of Phantom Soldiers surging like waves, the Monks fought on without fear.
Of course, they weren't unscathed.
They were facing twenty times their numbers.
While they defeated enemies in front of them, they could also be attacked from the sides.
But they were Monks.
Warrior monks.
Each one of them was also a practitioner of Light-attribute magic.
"Mother Goddess, bestow upon us your great healing hands.
They cast healing spells on themselves and their comrades…
Avoiding fatal blows, they continued fighting.
They understood.
Against the Djinn Phantom Soldiers, they were the Kingdom's trump card.
Conversely, without them, the Phantom Soldiers could overwhelm them with numbers.
So, they couldn't die yet.
To protect the believers who were Kingdom citizens, they had to keep fighting.
They couldn't afford to die for that reason.
There was no one to replace them.
Boldly exposing themselves to danger.
Carefully avoiding fatal blows.
While discerning between the two, the Monk squad leader, Captain Gwain and Vice Captain Chase fought while commanding.
The timing for a total retreat would come from the main camp.
So until then, they had to hold firm…
Perhaps the most troublesome enemy for them wasn't the Phantom Soldiers.
There was no one to replace them.
Meaning, they had to keep fighting until the Phantom Soldiers stopped coming out.
Perhaps their biggest enemy was endurance.
Captain Gwain fought while surveying his surroundings.
It seemed the Phantom Soldiers were reinforced and more were coming out.
The Monks continued fighting, but they still seemed to have some leeway.
(We trained hard for this.)
Gwain smiled faintly as he continued wielding his staff.
It was during the turmoil in the royal capital.
Captain Gwain and Vice Captain Chase, serving as the central temple monk squad leader and deputy leader, were facing off against the monsters continuously emerging from underground.
At that time, under the command of the current queen, Rihya, who happened to be in the temple, they managed to avoid complete annihilation but were in a disadvantageous position.
Just when things seemed hopeless, the current king, Abel, arrived with reinforcements.
And a bit later, that astonishing magician also joined the battle.
From then on, it was a completely safe defensive battle.
The magician adjusted with ice walls while Abel and the hero continued their slashing.
It was understood then how amazing Abel and the hero were.
But that water-attribute magician who continued casting magic for hours in front of them… was simply unbelievable.
And moreover, he didn't even break a sweat after it ended…
After everything was over, Gwain sought guidance from that water-attribute magician.
At that moment, the water-attribute magician said this:
"Keep training. There's no other way. The human body, when continuously used, will be strengthened. I believe all of you monks have experienced this, haven't you? The most important thing on the battlefield is survival. For that, you must continue fighting until the end, and keep standing. Endurance is what makes this possible. Endurance is something anyone can acquire if they train for it. Why not start from there?"
The two of them continued training.
Gradually, other monks also began joining the training.
After the Liberation War, the monks sometimes trained by running outside the royal capital.
At that time, they saw that water-attribute magician firing ice lances at the city walls.
And then, he slashed the rebounded ice lances with his sword.
Moreover, not just one.
Dozens, or even hundreds, of ice lances.
The water-attribute magician was appointed as the premier duke.
While understanding the difference in status, Gwain couldn't help but seek guidance again.
"How about trying to run while continuing to use magic?"
"You mean using heal on oneself while running?"
Heal is primarily used for healing injuries, but it also has a slight fatigue recovery effect.
When Gwain explained that, the water-attribute magician's eyes sparkled as he nodded.
"That's wonderful! You can prolong the training with that!"
As Gwain became the overall commander of all the Kingdom's monks, he also included training while casting heal in his menu.
And right now, it was paying off.
The monks who continued fighting, when they couldn't move anymore, cast Heal on themselves to recover fatigue and continued fighting.
They chanted the spells rapidly, as if it were second nature.
"This is, wow!"
The king, watching from a distance at the main camp, muttered…
The monks endured several waves of phantom soldiers.
Finally, the command echoed through
"The enemy has deployed substantial soldiers. Monk squad, retreat."
They endured it.
"About time!"
"Yeah."
Zack exclaimed with determination, and Scotty nodded.
Then, Scotty turned around and shouted to his subordinates.
"I'm sure you understand! It's okay to get injured, just don't die!"
"Roger!"
"Uh, how plain and simple…"
Zack said, shaking his head slightly.
"Injuries can be healed with Heal, but there's nothing anyone can do if they die."
Scotty replied, shrugging his shoulders slightly.
"Here they come."
The second round began.
Before the clash of mounted troops, magic artillery was unleashed from the Kingdom army.
Magicians were positioned in the center, right wing, and left wing.
From there, simultaneous artillery fire.
Fire-attribute, earth-attribute, wind-attribute…
Each magician released a magic that split into five before impact, similar to a sonic blade, to suppress the enemy.
However, the substantial soldiers of the Djinn…
"They're cutting through the magic."
"They're strong, that's for sure."
Scotty replied in response to Zack's words.
Zack had experienced attacks from the substantial soldiers during the defense of Hafrena.
He made sure his subordinates avoided direct confrontation as much as possible and primarily engaged in attacks from the city walls.
Even so, he could catch a glimpse of their strength.
Although it was the first time Scotty had seen it, he had anticipated it.
Even when he saw them cutting through magic, he didn't seem surprised.
And then, the Royal Knights, the Carlisle Knights, clashed with the substantial soldiers.
Almost simultaneously, the Rune Frontier County Knights engaged in battle on the right flank, and the Silverdale Knights on the left flank.
In any case, the core knight orders were composed of strong individuals, but as the battle lines widened, naturally, even weaker knights were drawn into the battle.
With fifty thousand knights, it was natural for there to be variations in strength.
However, despite the variations in strength, their desire to protect what was important remained the same.
They understood that if they lost here, the country would perish, and their families would be affected.
Even if some lacked the skills, their determination was the same.
The knights fought fiercely.
"Don't back down! Even if we're not pushing them back, absolutely do not back down! "
"If we back down, we lose!"
Zack and Scotty shouted as they clashed with the enemy.
And they continued giving instructions.
No matter what happens, don't back down.
That was the order given to the Royal Knights entrusted with the center.
That's why the Royal Knights and the Carlisle Knights were stationed together.
Three hundred knights wielding large shields.
They hadn't taken a single step back from their initial position.
Their opponents were the minions of the Djinn.
In terms of strength, speed, endurance… they were overwhelmingly superior to humans.
But even against such opponents…
They didn't flinch.
They didn't retreat.
They didn't allow any advances.
While the Royal Knights and Carlisle Knights held their ground in the center, the right and left flanks began to gradually give way.
It was a frustrating sight, a sign of being overpowered.
Little by little.
After thirty minutes, both flanks were pushed back, leaving the center protruding.
It was an extremely dangerous formation.
They would be attacked not just from the front but also from the right and left.
However!
This was the desired formation!
A voice that reached everyone fighting in the Kingdom Army's center.
Ilarion's
"Ready! Three, two, one, release!"
At the moment of release, all the troops in the protruding center fell face down on the ground.
Of course, while still in battle.
While in the midst of clashing swords with the enemy in front of them.
Wouldn't doing that get them killed?
Think about it.
If the opponent you've been fighting with swords suddenly falls face down, what would you think?
At that moment, would you stab the fallen opponent with your sword?
Unfortunately, that would be impossible.
Everyone would inevitably think, "What's going on?". Think. Look around.
You wouldn't just stab a fallen opponent out of nowhere.
Everyone knows that.
"Something is going on".
It was the moment when the substantial soldiers looked around.
A green light appeared in two lines.
One from right to left.
The other from left to right.
They mowed them down.
Many substantial soldiers were mutilated and fell to the ground.
"Vaedra barrage, successful."
At that moment, cheers erupted at the Kingdom Army main camp.
Even Abel nodded approvingly.
But he remained calm.
He immediately issued the next order.
"Inform the priest unit. Field recovery."
In response, Ilarion activated
"Priest unit, commence field recovery."
That
There, a particularly large carriage was placed, with alchemists Viscount Kenneth Hayward and Radden, awaiting orders.
Upon receiving the order, they pressed the switch on the device mounted on the carriage and said:
"Activate 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess'."
Then, two seconds later, a blue light lit up.
"It's activated. Gabriel-sama, please."
"Understood."
Kenneth said to the High Priest Gabriel.
Except for Kenneth and Radden, everyone around 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess' was a priest.
Of course, there was also Queen Rihya, known as a saintess.
All of them were holding dozens of ropes extending from the device.
Gabriel raised his right hand.
Then, after looking around at the priests once, he swung down his right hand vigorously.
At that moment, all the priests chanted the trigger word.
"
The priests' magic reached 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess' through the ropes.
And spread a heal over the entire battlefield, although it was invisible…
The entire Kingdom Army recovered.
"It truly is a miracle of the gods…"
"Perhaps it's a miracle of alchemy."
"A heal covering such a wide area, there's no record of human achievement like this."
Abel muttered, Ilarion remarked, and Rashata marveled.
Through the moisture in the air, the alchemy tool delivered a Heal to the entire battlefield.
That was the 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess' developed by Ryo and Kenneth.
Also known as Panacea Breath.
Using water-attribute magic to deliver light-attribute magic over long distances.
It wasn't just an enhanced version of the AoE healing magic …
Its notable effect was that it brought almost the same effect as a priest physically touching and healing everyone in the Kingdom Army.
Moreover, most individuals could receive multiple heals… its effect was tremendous, almost fully recovering anyone as long as they weren't dead.
And yet, the magic power consumption for the priests was the same as for a single
"The friend or foe identification tags worked, Ryo-san."
Kenneth smiled, thinking of his co-developer far in the western countries.
Every member of the Kingdom Army wore a pendant-like 'friend or foe identification tag' around their necks.
Of course, it was named by Ryo.
In modern-day Earth, military personnel wear tags around their necks, so it was visually modeled after those…
Naturally, the modern-day Earth tags don't have the function of identifying enemies and allies.
The light-attribute magic released from 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess' affected those wearing the 'friend or foe identification tag'.
Because it would be pointless if it healed even the enemies…
For now, everything was going according to plan.
Abel recognized this and gave further orders to Ilarion at his side.
"It's about time for the Djinn and high-ranking followers to reveal themselves. Inform the 'Ship'. Once you have them in your sights, fire without hesitation."
-x-X-x-
For the Kingdom Army, it went according to plan, but for the Djinn Garwin, it was completely unexpected.
"What…what just happened…?"
Two streaks of green light swept through, cutting through everything.
Of the ten thousand substantial soldiers, seventy percent were torn apart by that light.
It was visible.
They saw it.
They saw it but couldn't understand.
Just two attacks, and seven thousand substantial soldiers were defeated?
"It was wind-attribute magic…"
Even Isolde's report was lacking vigor.
Oranj was left dumbfounded, mouth agape.
And then, an even more shocking sight unfolded.
At that moment, except for those who were already dead… all the wounded knights of the Kingdom Army were healed.
All of them.
On the entire battlefield.
Every single one….
"No fuckin' way! Unbelievable!"
Yes, it was unbelievable.
Such a thing was simply unbelievable.
"Light-attribute magic… is sweeping across the entire battlefield."
Isolde's report was even quieter than before.
But this report had a decisive impact.
"I see… a recovery magic that can be applied across the entire battlefield. They've created such a crazy thing…"
Djinn Garwin said, squeezing out his words.
But he also regained his composure.
"That recovery is troublesome. It means they'll keep coming back one after another unless taken down with a single blow. But… there must be some alchemy device that made that possible. We need to destroy it. And then, there's the green light from earlier. If it runs again… we'll know its point of origin."
As Garwin spoke, once again, the green light swept through.
"Gotcha!"
Garwin grinned menacingly and ordered the two stunned generals.
"Oranj, crush the device on the right. I'll take care of the one on the left. Isolde, follow me. Let's go!"
"Yes!"
Though Oranj and Isolde were still dazed, they snapped back to reality at Garwin's command and replied.
Three lines raced from there.
They were the advancing Djinn and high-ranking followers.
Due to the second sweep of the green light, the entire Kingdom Army remained prone.
Near the vanguard in the center of the Kingdom Army was a single carriage.
Garwin and Isolde arrived there.
No sooner had they arrived, Garwin chanted.
"
At that moment, the carriage collapsed.
Though short-ranged, it was a mobile, rapid-fire, small-scale Vaedra.
It was loaded onto the carriage… but was instantly crushed.
The Kingdom Army watched in bewilderment…
Garwin, from a slightly distant position, saw Oranj cleave through another carriage with his sword.
At that moment…
"Garwin-sama!"
Isolde pushed Garwin aside as she shouted.
Garwin was startled.
Right before his eyes, the green light erased Isolde's upper body.
"What…"
Even Garwin was left speechless.
He had a vague idea of what happened.
The green light that swept through the substantial soldiers earlier. That was what struck Isolde.
But from where?
He had just destroyed the device. Oranj had crushed the other carriage.
Could it be…another one…?
Garwin glanced further back at the Kingdom Headquarters.
His vision was unparalleled compared to humans.
If he focused, he could see things clearly even over two kilometers away.
There, a ship floated at a low altitude….
"Damn you!
As he chanted, a part of the ship, two kilometers away exploded.
As if there were no distance at all…
For the Kingdom Army, the appearance of Djinn at the frontline was expected.
And the fact that the Djinn destroyed the small-scale Vaedra that appeared on the frontline was also anticipated.
The two small-scale Vaedras were decoys.
The main weapon was the aerial battleship Golden Hind and the Vaedra No. 1 installed within it, stationed far behind the main camp, solely positioned there to shoot down the emerged Djinn.
This was the mainstay for defeating the Djinn.
Evolved even further since three years ago, it was now powerful enough for the premier duke to happily exclaim, "It can pierce through even the barriers of artificial golems!".
With one strike, it could obliterate the Djinn.
Everything went according to plan.
But at the last moment… a high-ranking minion sacrificed herself to shield the Djinn.
Moreover, the Djinn crushed Vaedra No. 1 installed on the Golden Hind with a long-range attack.
"The Golden Hind is…"
"It's going down…"
"At this rate, there's no hope of returning to the front lines."
Imogen, Captain of the Valkyrie Knights, muttered, Ilarion stated the fact, and Abel spoke with regret.
The Kingdom Army main camp was enveloped in solemnity.
But it didn't last long.
Abel jumped up from his chair, stepped forward, and drew his sword in one swift motion.
Clang.
With a sharp sound, everyone except Abel was blown away.
There stood Garwin, the Djinn, who deflected Abel's sword with his right hand and blew away the others with a swing of his left hand…
"You…"
Abel couldn't continue his words.
Though he resembled the Erwin Ortiz Abel knew, the aura surrounding him was completely different.
And his expression…
Even his voice…
"There's no mistaking your descent from Richard."
The voice, instead of the thirteen-year-old Erwin, conveyed something ominous, something that Abel felt no one should ever encounter.
With that voice, Abel understood from the depths of his heart that the being before him was not Erwin Ortiz but the Djinn Garwin.
"Djinn Garwin."
It wasn't a confirmation.
It was a phrase that slipped out involuntarily.
"Yes. I am Garwin, the Djinn. And you, what is your name, King?"
"I am Abel the First."
"I see, King Abel. But for now, there's something more pressing than dealing with you."
Saying so, Garwin turned his gaze towards the rear of the main camp.
His eyes fell upon a significantly large carriage and the priests surrounding it.
Of course, Queen Rihya was among them.
Abel understood in an instant.
Garwin prioritized disabling the function of the 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess'.
"I won't let you!"
"It's futile."
Abel shouted angrily. But Garwin responded with a faint smile.
Then, still holding Abel's sword in his right hand, Garwin forcefully swung his hand outward.
Abel was blown away while still holding his sword.
And then, Garwin moved in a single leap to the vicinity of the carriage.
There stood the priests and alchemists.
Who had no combat capabilities to speak of…
Blown away, Abel looked at them with a despairing expression.
Blocking the path to the 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess' and the priests stood a single alchemist.
He was renowned as a genius alchemist, but he was a man entirely unfamiliar with combat.
"Kenneth!"
Abel's voice probably didn't reach Viscount Kenneth Hayward, who stood in the way.
The 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess'… Kenneth's first masterpiece, created with someone he called both his disciple and friend.
With arms wide open, Kenneth stood protectively.
In his right hand was a torn pendant. And in his left hand, a switch of some sort.
This alchemist had never experienced combat before…that was the impression one might get from him.
The Djinn Garwin, seemed unperturbed.
Perhaps because of this, he was defenseless when Kenneth chanted.
"Seal Activation:
Kenneth pressed the switch in his left hand.
Simultaneously, the pendant in his right hand shattered.
Countless invisible bullets of wind erupted from Kenneth's body, piercing through Garwin.
It lasted barely a second.
But in that moment, Garwin became riddled with holes and fell backward.
Almost simultaneously, the coachman's seat of the carriage containing the 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess' began to glow.
Radden, who was sitting in the coachman's seat, busily checked the displayed numbers.
This was the Djinn-sealing alchemy tool jointly created by Kenneth of the Kingdom and Frank of the Union.
However, it was hastily put together…
"Guhaa!"
Witnessing the activation of the 'seal', Kenneth vomited blood and collapsed forward.
"
Rihya rushed over and healed Kenneth.
While being healed, the priests moved Kenneth's body closer to the carriage.
"His body is fine, but he's completely depleted of magic power."
Rihya reported to High Priest Gabriel.
"Considering it was a wind-attribute, top-tier offensive magic… it's fortunate he didn't die."
Gabriel sighed softly in relief.
Looking at the shattered pendant clenched in Kenneth's right hand.
"I've never heard of alchemy capable of engraving top-tier offensive magic…"
"Neither have I…"
Gabriel and Rihya both understood what had happened.
Kenneth had activated
In words, it seemed plausible, but…
From the perspective of their understanding of alchemy, such a thing was impossible.
Yet, it had happened before their eyes.
Simultaneously, with the activation of the 'seal'.
Pierced by
The last line of defense in case the Golden Hind's bombardment failed.
Viscount Kenneth Hayward had activated it at the risk of his own life…
However….
"Ugh…it's no use…the seal…it won't hold…"
Radden in the coachman's seat gasped for breath, sounding frantic.
The seal crafted by the two greatest alchemists of their time…couldn't seal the Djinn.
"Moreover…"
"The Djinn will revive…"
Gabriel and Rihya couldn't bear to witness the scene they dreaded.
The sight of the Djinn, riddled with holes and fallen, beginning to regenerate.
And then…
Gon.
A heavy sound echoed, and the coachman's seat shattered.
"The seal… has failed."
Radden reported, sounding frustrated.
Queen Rihya and High Priest Gabriel nodded in response to the report.
All the measures prepared to deal with the Djinn were lost.
But the battle had to continue.
"If we can buy time, the situation might change. For that reason, we must protect this device at all costs."
"Okay.
Gabriel determined, and Rihya invoked the absolute defense of the
The 'seal' had failed.
Nevertheless, the priests made their final gamble to protect the hope of the Kingdom.
To safeguard the 'Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess', which sustained the lives of the knights.
When the seal failed, Abel might have accepted it.
That they couldn't win.
And that not winning meant the Kingdom's demise.
((I'm really exhausted. At this rate, I won't be able to keep going without overtime pay.))
((…Ryo))
((Abel? What's wrong?))
((…Sorry, Ryo. The Kingdom might be done for.))
((Abel?!))
((Just… make sure that the people on the diplomatic delegation survive… okay? Don't come back to the Central Countries no matter what.))
((Abel!))
((Do not come back…))
When Abel said that, the connection to the 'Soul Resonance' was cut off.
It wasn't clear why, but perhaps it had something to do with the Djinn Garwin, regenerating.
Either way, the seed of the Kingdom of Knightley was preserved.
As long as the diplomatic delegation was in the Western Countries, even if the entire Central Countries fell into the hands of the Djinn, the Kingdom wouldn't perish.
The nation may fall, but the people will remain.
Not just himself, but Rihya and likely Noah in the royal capital, would not survive…
But he couldn't just accept despair and let it end like this.
"Even if we're facing something we can't defeat…we'll resist to the bitter end."
With that muttered determination, Abel grasped his beloved sword and charged forward.
-x-X-x-
At about the same time that Abel started running, the entire Kingdom Army was also on the move.
Thanks to the
Of course, there were those who died in battle.
Considering they clashed with the substantial soldiers of the Djinn, it was natural.
However, despite the intense battle, especially against the Djinn's minions, surprisingly few died.
But from there on was their true test.
Among the Djinn's minions, the substantial soldiers were almost completely wiped out.
And even for the Djinn Garwin, creating substantial soldiers was not easy.
There is another army he can produce.
In an instant. And in large numbers.
Throughout the battlefield, 'phantom soldiers' were being created.
The Monk squad proved to be surprisingly effective against the phantom soldiers.
That much was clear.
However, with them appearing all over the battlefield, even regular knights had to deal with them.
And for knights without the 'Holy Blessed Staves', even a single Phantom Soldier was quite a formidable opponent.
They had a clear shape akin to spirits, but they were vaguely corporeal.
When they attacked the cities or at the start of the war, they were created as mounted troops, but this time they were summoned dismounted.
They wielded sword-like objects in their right hands and small shields in their left.
Both their swords and shields were tangible and could inflict damage upon the knights.
"Target the center! Strike the area around the throat from the center of their bodies! That's where their magic power is concentrated. Aim there, and they'll vanish!"
Such instructions spread across the entire battlefield.
When the Monk squad fought, simply touching the Phantom Soldiers with the 'Holy Blessed Staves' was enough to make them disappear.
So, their precise weakness wasn't known, but…
Experienced knights were still present, and it didn't take long for them to figure out a solution and spread it.
Of course, despite that, they were still numerous and formidable enemies.
In front of the 'Long-distance Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess' and the priests protected by the
Faintly smiling.
"Even I have to admit, breaking through absolute magic defense is impossible for me. I accept that. But the problem is how long it can hold up."
Garwin knew well the strength of absolute magic defense deployed by light-attribute magicians.
At the same time, he knew that only high-level light magicians could use such magic, and it consumed quite a bit of magic power.
Therefore, he decided to do nothing and wait for all the priests to run out of magic power and for the absolute magic defense to collapse.
Once the absolute magical defense was down, the absurd device that healed the entire battlefield could be easily destroyed.
Then he could wipe out the knights with great magic or whatever.
But as long as this recovery device existed, he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
It would be ideal to kill everyone in one blow since killing tens of thousands of humans one by one would be quite troublesome.
Even with a great magic spell, while death would be instantaneous near the center, many would survive with serious injuries.
Humans are surprisingly tenacious creatures.
Garwin knew that from experience.
As long as there was even a little life left, they would be healed… that's what this device was for.
That's why collecting the Fragments of God by killing knights had to be left until the end.
First, he needed to destroy the device.
And in doing so, he would eliminate the priests as well.
If he could deprive them of their means of recovery, no matter how large their numbers, they would crumble.
Garwin remained surprisingly calm.
Clang.
However, some sought to defeat Garwin.
Not the knights who couldn't reach the main camp due to the phantom soldiers, but those who were originally at the main camp.
For example, the former A-rank swordsman and now King, Abel.
It was Oranj who received Abel's sword.
"That former commander was quite something for a human, but the King's sword is impressive too."
"Thanks, I guess."
Oranj chuckled, and Abel replied with a grim expression.
Abel understood.
The strength of the high-ranking follower before him.
(He's not an opponent I can easily defeat…)
But he didn't despair.
He had accepted the Kingdom's downfall.
But he left behind the seeds.
Now, all that remained was to give it his all!
"I'll defeat you and kill Garwin."
"Think you're up to the task?"
Abel roared, and Oranj laughed.
And thus, their duel began.
Meanwhile.
Apart from Abel, there were others at the main camp.
Twenty members of the Valkyrie Knights' Guard led by Imogen.
The rest were on the front lines.
And then, there were the supreme advisor of the Royal Magician Order Ilarion Baraha and the Folklore Officer of the Central Temple in the royal capital, Viscount Rashata Debuo.
Those who had been blown away by the Djinn Garwin and rendered unconscious were a different matter, but they were by no means a weak force.
Ilarion Baraha, for example, was considered the greatest magician in the Kingdom up until three years ago.
Standing before them was Isolde.
Yes, it was Isolde, who had been blasted away by the Vaedra No.1 onboard the Golden Hind, but had somehow regenerated…
"It seems she's regenerated…"
"The Eastern Djinn can apparently regenerate its high-ranking minions…"
Ilarion muttered, and Rashata responded from his knowledge of the lore.
"In other words, as long as the Djinn itself isn't defeated, the minions will regenerate. Even if the Djinn itself is riddled with holes from
"But even so…"
"Yes, but even so, there's no point in withdrawing now. Only to watch our country fall…"
Everyone understood.
If they lost here, the Kingdom would fall.
And if the Kingdom fell, it meant their loved ones might perish.
Ilarion noticed Garwin gripping and loosening his right hand.
And he barely heard something.
"Sooner than I thought…"
Garwin turned around and addressed Ilarion's group, as well as Abel fighting Oranj.
"Rejoice. I shall reveal my true form to you all."
At that moment, golden light shot up from Erwin Ortiz's body towards the sky.
Simultaneously, Erwin Ortiz's demeanor changed.
The ominous aura from earlier dissipated… instead, he exuded a sense of kindness.
"What's happening…"
Rashata murmured, but no one could answer.
The first to notice was the magician, Ilarion.
"Something's coming from above!"
In the next moment, something descended from the sky, causing the ground to erupt.
There stood a man, likely around 190 centimeters tall, with golden hair and tan skin.
When he opened his eyes… they were golden.
His aura was the same as Erwin Ortiz's just moments ago… ominous.
With a smirk, the imposing figure said;
"I am Garwin, the Djinn, descended."
"So, that's your true form, which was sealed away."
"That's right, old man. You've caught on quickly. I had it hanging around up there."
Ilarion pointed out, to which Garwin chuckled in acknowledgment.
"So…that Erwin Ortiz over there…"
"Yeah, he's currently being inhabited by one of my Four Generals, Juke. That's the kind of minion he is. I've been borrowing the body Juke took over. It's just easier to move around that way."
"And…so when the seal was released, you moved back to your original body?"
"Well, something like that."
Garwin replied candidly to Ilarion's inquiry.
It was a display of overwhelming confidence.
Technically, the seal wasn't completely lifted yet.
The seal imposed by King Richard was just that strong.
(Still, I've recovered to almost ninety percent of my original state. Didn't kill as many as I thought…but were each of those fallen knights more seasoned than I imagined? That's a pleasant surprise.)
Garwin chuckled as he assessed his condition.
Above all, he was delighted to be back in his original body and able to move it.
Not being able to move for over 900 years was tough.
Even though he hadn't been awake for all 900 years, due to alternating between sleep and wakefulness…
"Welcome back, Garwin-sama."
Isolde said, bowing on one knee to pay her respects.
"Yeah. Isolde, you've done well."
"Your words are too kind."
Garwin held Isolde in high regard for filling in the gaps in his intellect.
"Isolde, leave here and go to Oranj. That guy's overindulging."
"Huh? I don't think Oranj will lose…"
Isolde tilted her head in confusion at Garwin's words.
Oranj clearly surpassed the king with his sword skills…
"That king's sword is based on 'Ex'."
"No way! Richard's…"
Surprised by Garwin's revelation, Isolde watched the duel between Oranj and Abel.
Abel wielded his usual beloved sword.
It gleamed red as always, but…
"However, that red glow is characteristic of a sword humans call a magic sword…"
"That's why I said 'based on'. Well, 'Ex' wouldn't recognize anyone other than Richard as its master, and its power wouldn't be fully unleashed at that level…. But better safe than sorry."
"Understood."
With that, Isolde hurried away.
Witnessing this, none of the Kingdom's members could move.
They could barely speak, let alone pursue the minions… their legs wouldn't budge.
Even Ilarion, the most experienced one present, found himself immobilized.
"What's the matter, old man? Don't you have any more questions? I'm feeling generous right now. I might just answer them."
Garwin asked the motionless Ilarion, his face twisted in a grimace.
For the Kingdom's side, gathering information was crucial…
As for King Abel…
(All I can do is hope he survives…)
Having known Abel since he was a child, Ilarion resigned himself.
Then he asked Garwin a question.
"You… what do you intend to do with the Kingdom?"
"What do I intend to do? Obviously, I'm going to destroy it, right?"
"Why?"
"Why? What a strange question. I'm going to destroy it because I want to. Because I feel like it. Do I need any other reason?"
"Humans… even if they want to, they restrain themselves."
"Oh, that's because they're weak. I get it. I used to be weak until I returned to this body, so I endured it for a long time."
Garwin chuckled as he spoke.
Then, he stopped laughing and continued.
"But now that there's no need to endure, I won't."
And he grinned again and said.
"Well, you could say it's also a payback to Richard. If that's easier for you to accept, then that's fine too. Interpret it however you like."
Richard is likely referring to King Richard, the founder of the Kingdom of Knightley.
Who is said to have mastered magic of all attributes and reached the pinnacle of alchemy.
Legend has it that he sealed the Djinn in front of them… but that was just a legend, or so they thought.
However, it seems that wasn't the case after all.
Naturally, he doesn't harbor good feelings toward the one who sealed him for over 900 years.
"Well then, enough questions. It's been a while since I've been in my own body. I want to see how much I can move around. Who's going to be my opponent?"
The Djinn Garwin scanned the area deliberately.
"Of course, we'll be your opponents."
Declared Imogen, the leader of the Valkyrie Knights.
And nodding were the vice-captain Camilla, magic commander Mew, and rescue team commander Scarlett.
And fifteen Valkyrie Knights.
Chink.
Garwin lightly took the blow from behind by Abigail, the scout leader of the Valkyrie Knights, with his left forearm.
Without hesitation, his left fist struck Abigail in the abdomen like a backhanded blow.
Abigail was sent flying.
That was the signal for the start of the battle.
"O wind, by your will, be the blade that cuts through my enemies,
Due to the ultra-fast incantation, Ilarion's invisible wind blade was released almost instantly.
However….
"
The moment Garwin chanted, the Air Slash changed its direction and flew towards Ilarion.
Ilarion barely dodged it.
Almost simultaneously, the Valkyrie Knights surged towards Garwin.
The aim was obvious.
To overwhelm with numbers!
One against fifteen, the odds seemed good…
But what if it's fifteen against fifteen?
To Ilarion, it seemed like there were fifteen Garwins attacking simultaneously.
He blew away almost at the same time the fifteen Valkyrie Knights.
"Cloning…I believe it's called?"
"I've only heard of it in legends…"
Ilarion muttered, and Rashata replied.
"."
Scarlett, the recovery team commander, instantly healed the Valkyrie Knights who were blown away with an instant AoE recovery spell.
"Well, not bad."
Garwin said, nodding as he cracked his neck.
Then he continued.
"Now then, knights of the Kingdom, what will you do? Give up?"
"Who's giving up?! We'll be the ones to stop you!"
Imogen retorted Garwin's provocation head-on.
"Hah. I'll give you credit for that spirit
Now come at me."
-x-X-x-
Meanwhile, what was happening between Abel and Oranj?
"For a human, you're quite skilled, Your Majesty. Call me surprised."
"I won't lose to a mere minion, when it's not even the Djinn itself."
"No, you're underestimating me…"
Oranj frowned at Abel's somewhat declaration of determination.
From Oranj's perspective, while Abel was indeed a strong swordsman, if it came down to who would win, it was 100% him.
Even if the heavens and the earth were overturned, the outcome wouldn't change.
But…
(However, those eyes bother me.)
Looking into Abel's eyes, Oranj couldn't shake the feeling.
Those eyes were familiar.
The eyes of the man who once fought against his lord, Garwin…
(They're the same eyes as Richard's. He too, despite being repelled by Garwin-sama numerous times, continued to fight…)
To Oranj, who had watched from the sidelines, it wasn't an unpleasant sight.
Richard, who never gave up.
Garwin, who fought with a smile on his face.
It wasn't a mocking smile.
But a genuine one…
A laugh that seemed to well up from the depths of his heart…
Honestly, Oranj thought. How envious.
To be able to fight someone with a smile that comes from the depths of their heart.
Even if you lived for thousands of years, such experiences were rare.
Recently, he felt something similar when facing the water-attribute magicians in the city of Hafrena.
But, it was too short-lived!
Now, what about the man in front of him?
Possibly.
It made Oranj wonder.
Perhaps…?
(Is this…? Could it be? Maybe it'll become clearer if we fight a little bit more?)
Oranj was a little surprised by the feeling that welled up from the depths of his heart.
The man standing before him, who kept coming at him time and time again…
He had potential.
He wanted to keep fighting.
He wanted to keep clashing swords.
More, more, and more!
"Oranj, what are you doing fooling around?"
Oranj's thoughts were interrupted by a woman's voice from the side.
"Isolde, don't interfere."
It was a surprisingly stern voice from Oranj himself.
It was filled with displeasure.
"Garwin-sama said to finish that man off quickly."
"I'm just getting to the good part. So just stay quiet and watch."
Ignoring Isolde's words, Oranj deliberately didn't respond directly.
He wouldn't disobey Garwin's orders.
But, right now, was really the best moment… and he didn't want anyone to interrupt it.
That was Oranj's honest feeling.
Abel understood that he was at a significant disadvantage.
The sword wielded by the minion in front of him called Oranj was unlike any sword Abel had ever seen.
It was different from his master's sword, different from the sword wielded by the Demon Prince on the 40th floor of the dungeon.
Of course, it was also different from Ryo's, the strongest magician Abel knew… even though he had only seen a few of his serious strikes.
But Abel understood that Oranj's sword had undergone an extensive process to reach its current form.
It wasn't just some superficial technique.
It wasn't reliant on talent or ability.
If it were, he wouldn't feel this despair.
It was the sword of someone who had devoted themselves entirely to the sword even more than Abel.
Such a sword was strong.
Of course.
And terrifyingly, the man before him was a minion of a Djinn.
Which meant…
He surpassed Abel in strength, speed, and skill.
Likely even in endurance…
How could one possibly defeat such an opponent?
The answer was clear.
'You can't'.
Of course.
The path of the sword wasn't so easy.
That's why everyone trained, honed their strength, speed, and skills.
To win.
It was impossible to defeat an opponent who surpassed in all those areas.
He knew that.
He knew that.
He knew that…but…
'No! I won't accept it! '
For some reason, Abel heard the voice of the Premier Duke, who shouldn't be there.
Since their connection was severed, it was undoubtedly an auditory hallucination.
'Abel, there are still things you must do! You want to leave Noah fatherless? Or leave Rihya by herself? Or perhaps abandon the people…who crowned you king? No. I for one, won't allow it!'
(Oh…. Those words he said on my sickbed. If we can't defeat the Djinn here, Noah, Rihya, and the people…won't survive. Ryo sure always asks for the impossible.)
Abel smiled faintly.
That smile brought a change to Abel's sword.
His tension was released.
Perhaps that was all that happened.
The unnecessary force he used was relaxed. That was all… but…
The speed of his sword increased.
Gripping firmly at the moment of impact, and releasing the rest of the force… perhaps that's why the power also increased.
And maybe because his field of vision widened… he could understand Oranj's sword and movements even better than before.
All from just releasing tension.
In every sport, there's a reason for repetitive practice.
It's to optimize one's body… some would say.
As optimization progresses, what happens?
Movements that were awkward at first become smooth.
Moves that were thought out every time become almost reflexive.
It's about focusing energy intensely where it's needed and releasing where it's not….
In a sense, it's about reducing unnecessary force.
Of course, Abel isn't wielding his sword with those things in mind.
He's just wielding it to win.
But by smiling a little and relaxing, unnecessary force was reduced…his field of vision expanded, and his thoughts became clearer.
"Not bad."
Abel murmured.
At the same time, he was thinking inwardly.
(This minion…from his downward strike to his sideways cut and upward slice, the coordination is impressive…)
Abel realized the remarkably high probability of combination and connection within the high-speed barrage.
And all of this was thanks to the smile Ryo had brought to his face…
The fact that the king's sword in front of him had changed was something Oranj had also perceived, of course.
(Sure enough, his sword speed has increased…. And, his body's movement has become more agile! Did he just grow suddenly? No, that can't be it. So what in the world…?)
Recalling the events from a little while ago, Oranj realized.
(He smiled just a bit…ever since then, I guess.)
Orange understood that Abel had grown stronger once he reduced the unnecessary tension he had, not only increasing the speed of his sword but also making his body's movements smoother and faster.
Oranj was a sword-maniac minion.
Rather, one might even say he was a being possessed by the sword.
He had spent countless years pursuing how to win with the sword…
How to channel strength.
How to increase speed.
And how to hone his skills.
Countless years that a human cannot live…
If one were to spend that much time mastering the sword, it was only natural that one would become stronger.
That's why he was strong.
But surprisingly, the swordsman before him was trying to catch up to Oranj, who had spent hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years in pursuit of the sword, in this moment.
(This is absurd…)
That's right, such a thing was impossible.
Mastering the sword was not something so simple.
Even if one were to be a genius, no matter how much talent one had…it takes time to train.
(What the hell is going on?)
Oranj was skeptical.
While suspicious and finding it strange…deep down, he didn't really care about the reason.
Because Abel had become stronger than before…
(This is interesting!)
A smile inadvertently escaped him.
Isolde, who was watching from the sidelines, was the first to notice the reason for Abel's transformation.
Of course, it was because Garwin had pointed out something about Abel's sword.
(That magic sword, it used to only glow red, but now white light has mixed in.)
Yes, the way Abel's beloved sword shone had changed.
Although it was unclear what exactly had changed.
Isolde felt that it was for a reason…she was almost certain of it.
(That's why I told him! To hurry up and finish him off!)
Isolde muttered curses in her mind as she clenched her fists.
And yet, Oranj told her not to interfere…
(Should I intervene?)
Honestly, she couldn't decide.
They weren't evenly matched yet…Oranj was still superior.
But…she didn't know what might happen.
As Isolde remained motionless, she watched what happened next.
Oranj's rapid flurry of attacks.
Although it was called a flurry of attacks, there were tens, hundreds of combinations, making it impossible for the opponent to predict.
Or so it should have been…
Oranj's downward strike followed by a 45-degree upward cut, just before hitting the ground…
Abel widened his stance, bent further forward, and slipped under the sword about to be raised…
With a single stroke, he cut off Oranj's wrists and then decapitated him with the returning sword.
"What…?"
Isolde couldn't continue her words.
She understood what had happened.
King Abel had read it. Oranj's coordinated techniques.
The connection between certain techniques embedded within the flurry of attacks.
The 45-degree upward swing from the downward strike.
Of course, it wouldn't happen every time.
The downward strike of the sword was a common move.
But Abel must have found some habit to connect it to the 45-degree upward swing…or perhaps he made predictions based on more intricate details…
Either way, by 'reading' it, he turned the tide in an instant.
But Isolde knew it wasn't just Abel's strength.
When Abel severed Oranj's hands and beheaded him, the sword gleamed sharply.
Whether it was Abel's movement or determination…the sword responded to something…
"No…"
Abel's breath was too ragged.
Finally, he thrust the sword into the ground and leaned on it like a staff to support himself.
It was clearly not just the result of swordplay.
"He entrusted himself to the sword…? He forcibly drew out the sword's power."
Of course, the sword must have acknowledged him to some extent.
But not completely.
The sword didn't fully recognize him.
So he offered his energy…or perhaps his magic power…and momentarily drew out the power of the sword…
"I see… truly worthy of being Richard's descendant."
Isolde muttered with a frown on her face.
-x-X-x-
Isolde, looking towards the decapitated Oranj, chanted.
"
In an instant, Oranj's head and hands, which had been severed, disappeared.
Then, new ones regenerated on his torso…and Oranj stood up.
"I had a feeling, but seeing him actually come back to life is disheartening."
Abel, finally standing with the support of his sword, blurted and sighed quietly.
The resurrected Oranj…
"Now that I've been defeated so badly, can you please just leave it at that?"
Oranj complained to Isolde.
"Your life doesn't belong to you, does it? It belongs to Garwin-sama. So get to work."
"Even so, I don't think it's right for Isolde to tell me what to do…"
Oranj frowned and replied.
"Well, anyway…sorry about this King Abel, but it's time for you to die."
Oranj said apologetically to Abel, who was finally standing with the support of his sword.
It wasn't sarcasm or irony; he genuinely seemed sorry.
For Oranj, the duel with Abel earlier had ended with his defeat, even if he hadn't been killed.
So, he felt that as a defeated opponent, it wasn't right for him to take the life of the victor, Abel.
He thought so, but…if it was Garwin's order, there was nothing he could do about it.
"Damn it…"
Abel muttered, his voice barely audible.
At that moment…
A silver light streaked across.
"Abel, you can't fight in that condition, can you?"
A voice came from the side as the silver light stopped.
"…Sera?"
It was Sera, an elven B-rank adventurer and the next representative of the 'Western Forest'.
"I'm a little late, I apologize. It took some time to cross the Kingdom from the western edge."
Sera said, shaking her head slightly.
Then, a little later, a male Elf arrived behind Sera, kneeled down, and delivered a message to Abel.
"Your Majesty, two hundred Elven troops have just arrived from the Western Forest."
At that moment, hundreds of arrows tore through the battlefield.
It was the attack of the newly arrived Elves.
"For the phantom soldiers, aim precisely for the center of their chests or throats. Otherwise, they won't go down!"
The voice of the Great Elder Obaba-sama echoed.
"It seems Obaba-sama has fought against the Djinn army before."
"I see…"
Sera explained, and Abel nodded.
He knew that elves had long lifespans.
However, Abel quickly remembered something.
"No, Sera, head towards the main body of the Djinn over there instead of here."
Although there had not been any changes, he thought that the priests'
"What? You think you can handle two Djinn minions at once, even in your current state? That's impressive, Abel."
"Huh?"
Sera said provocatively, and one of the minions, Oranj, glared at Abel.
"Why are you provoking them? Sera, you've been getting more and more like Ryo lately…"
"Really?! That's great to hear!"
Abel sighed and replied, while Sera responded with an unusually cheerful smile.
Being told she resembled Ryo seemed to make her very happy.
And with that smile, she continued speaking.
"Well, don't worry. Two others who passed us on the way have arrived over there."
"Two who passed you?"
Abel tilted his head at Sera's words.
Meanwhile, at the location of the Djinn Garwin.
Clang.
A distinctly different metallic sound reverberated, higher in pitch.
Garwin crossed his gauntlets to catch the astonishing flash from the swordsman who leaped in.
"The Holy Sword Astaroth, is it? Wasn't the current hero supposed to be in the Western Countries?"
Garwin asked with a smile after briefly inspecting the sword he caught.
"Now I'm a citizen of the Kingdom of Knightley."
Replied the smiling hero, Roman.
"And, who do we have here with you… the Demon Lord? Seriously, the Demon Lord? Why are the hero and the Demon Lord getting along?"
Garwin was genuinely astonished, his eyes widening.
"We're married, that's why."
Roman said confidently.
Hearing those words, the demon lord Nadia blushed and looked down in embarrassment.
"What kind of joke is this…"
The Djinn Garwin stood there, dumbfounded.
Of course, it was understandable.
Firstly, the fact that she was a human Demon Lord was already rare enough.
Even Garwin, who had lived for thousands of years, knew of only one other case.
Furthermore, the Demon Lord married the hero?
"Love knows no boundaries! Aren't you a little narrow-minded for a Djinn?"
"Y-Yeah…. I don't know what kind of impression you have of Djinns, but…well, whatever."
Roman asserted, and Garwin reluctantly accepted, though with an expression of disbelief.
Repeating the phrase "well, whatever" several times over.
And so, they transitioned to the battle between the Djinn vs. the Hero and the Demon Lord.
The Holy Sword Astaroth, wielded by the hero, would instantly destroy any ordinary weapons it comes into contact with.
The Djinn Garwin, skilled in close combat with his armguards and leg guards rather than using a sword, easily absorbed the blow from Astaroth with the special gauntlets created from his magic.
Deftly withstanding Astaroth's blow as if it were natural.
Sword versus unarmed combat.
The major difference lies in reach.
The sword has a longer reach and can fight from a distance.
Which is usually an advantage.
But it's not always the case.
There are times when having a shorter reach is advantageous.
Namely speed.
It's the rotation speed of attacks delivered one after another.
And in that respect, having a shorter reach is faster.
In short, fighting with one's fists without a weapon is…the fastest.
The faster one controls the battle, becoming the attacking side.
Garwin attacks, Roman defends.
However…
"Whoa, whoa…. Hey, are you really human? You're too fast."
"What can I say, I'm a Hero."
Garwin exclaimed, astonished and amazed by the speed that set him apart from others.
Roman replied, stating the fact.
"I've lived for thousands of years myself, but among the heroes I've seen during that time, you're one of the fastest."
"Well, thank you."
"But there's still room for improvement!"
Garwin didn't dodge or parry Roman's thrust but met it head-on with his right fist.
A counterattack against a thrust from an unexpected angle.
Something like what a certain water-attribute magician or a young genius swordsman would show…
Roman's thrust was heavily deflected backward.
Naturally, taking advantage of the opening, Garwin's left fist struck Roman…
Crack.
From the shadows, Garwin deflected the stone spear that had come around from behind Roman.
"Demon Lord…"
Garwin said with a smile.
The stone spear, created by the magic of the demon lord Nadia.
This was something that he couldn't help but deflect.
Unlike other random magic attacks, this was, after all, the magic of a 'Demon Lord'.
As far as Garwin could see, the power of the 'Demon Lord' had yet to fully manifest, but he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
The Demon Lord wields magic of all attributes.
There were cases where a stone spear like this would explode upon impact…
"Dodging the Demon Lord's long-range attacks while dealing with the hero's close-range attacks? This should be interesting."
Garwin said to himself, then burst into laughter.
Even for a Djinn who has lived for thousands of years, this was an experience unlike any other.
"Now, hero and Demon Lord, come at me!"