Chapter 478: My World is Complete. (3)
Kaspar, with a hole in his throat, struggled to gather his strength in an attempt to recover.
However, due to the axe handle embedded in his neck, his regeneration was hindered. The Aura Blade continued to surge relentlessly, preventing his wounds from closing.
“Cough! You… how…”
Kaspar widened his eyes in disbelief, blood foaming from his mouth.
Just moments ago, his opponent had been a step below him. Their technique was impressive enough to cause some difficulty, but they couldn’t surpass his ability to occupy different moments in time.
And yet, in that brief instant, they had broken through their limits and ascended to the realm of superhuman mastery!
“Urgh… I… I awakened you…”
Realizing what had happened, Kaspar’s expression turned hollow.
His opponent had been a top-tier knight, one who could break through the barrier to transcendence at any moment.
Most never reached such heights, which was why he had dismissed the risk. But by his own hand, he had forged yet another formidable enemy of the Salvation Church.
Gillian spoke coldly.
“Thanks to you, I risked my life and broke through the barrier. As a token of gratitude, I’ll send you off in peace.”
Slash!
The Aura Blade erupted violently, severing Kaspar’s neck completely.
A Salvation Church Inquisitor, a superhuman, had paid the price for his overconfidence.
“Cough!”
The moment Kaspar fell, Gillian coughed up blood and dropped to his knees. He was too wounded to stand properly.
Looking up, he saw that more enemy knights and soldiers had arrived than before.
They had used their numbers to break through the royalists’ defenses and reached the walls.
“Kill that one first!”
At the shout of a Delfine knight, several enemies rushed toward Gillian.
Gritting his teeth, he tried to stand, but his legs wouldn’t support him.
Nearby, Fenris Knights saw his plight and ran towards him, but the Delfine knights were faster.
Just as they were about to strike Gillian down, Ereneth moved.
Paahhh!
“Arghhh!”
Ereneth appeared in an instant, summoning spirits that blasted the Delfine knights away.
At that moment, the Fenris Knights arrived and cut down the enemies who had lost their balance.
The fight was over in a flash, the enemies unable to resist.
Ereneth checked the surroundings, then turned to Gillian with a smile.
“Congratulations. You’ve finally crossed the barrier.”
“…Thank you. Was this your plan all along?”
“You should have broken through long ago, so I had my suspicions.”
“I almost died.”
Gillian let out a strained laugh, to which Ereneth responded as if it were obvious.
“If you aren’t willing to risk your life to solidify your world, you’ll never reach the realm of the superhuman.”
With that, Ereneth turned away.
Despite her words, the truth was that she had been holding back throughout the battle, unable to fight at full power while ensuring Gillian’s survival.
But now, she could finally focus.
She looked beyond the fortress and spoke.
“Count Fenris is here. The more I see him, the more remarkable he seems.”
It had only been a few days since he set out to deal with the Third Legion, and yet he had already arrived.
When it came to war, he was truly a force of nature.
If she stood beside him, they might finally eradicate the Salvation Church once and for all.
“My choice was correct.”
Ereneth smiled and gathered her power. Joining the Northern Army had been a wise decision.
Of course, she was unaware of the behind-the-scenes work Claude had done.
Boom!
With her energy surging, Ereneth summoned various mid- and low-tier spirits. The spirits spread out, aiding allied soldiers across the battlefield.
Using overwhelming power recklessly could harm allies, so she employed a strategy more suited for chaotic warfare.
As Gillian slew the Salvation Church Inquisitor and the fortress was gradually being secured, chaos erupted on the battlefield below.
“F-Fenris forces! The enemy cavalry is approaching!”
Falgau’s aides panicked and he could only grit his teeth and turn his head.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
A cavalry force of at least twenty thousand galloped forward, the banner of Fenris fluttering above them.
At the very front, a figure rode with commanding presence.
Count Falgau had never seen him before, but there was no doubt about his identity.
“Count Fenris!”
His appearance was too well-known. And with the army of Fenris following him, there was no mistaking it.
‘How had he arrived so quickly?’
There was no time to dwell on the question. A cavalry charge was imminent.
“If this continues, we’ll be flanked!”
At the shouts of his staff officers, Count Falgau looked around. The approaching Fenris forces had thrown everyone into turmoil.
It was a natural reaction, given that the enemy was charging from the side while they were retreating up to the fortress.
Count Falgau shouted loudly.
"Fall back! Everyone, fall back! Block the cavalry charge first!"
Doom! Doom! Doom!
Bwooooooo!
Drums and trumpets blared from all directions.
The soldiers, receiving new orders, hurriedly tried to retreat and reorganize their formation. At least, that was their intention.
"Don't stop! Keep shooting!"
At Gillian’s thunderous command from atop the fortress, the archers loosed their arrows without restraint.
Swoooosh!
A rain of arrows darkened the sky, then came crashing down upon the retreating enemy forces.
"Aaaargh!"
"Hold the line! Hold it!"
"Retreat slowly!"
Knights and officers bellowed in an attempt to rally their troops.
However, with the enemy closing in and arrows raining down from the fortress, their ranks continued to fall apart.
Dududududu!
Meanwhile, the Fenris’ cavalry were charging at an incredible speed. The collision was imminent.
Count Falgau, unable to bear it any longer, shouted again.
"Mages! Mages, attack them now!"
"It's impossible! We're all holding off the elementals right now! If we let them loose, they'll be defenseless against the enemy attacks!"
If they released their mana here, the high-ranking elementals, which had been sealed off below the fortress and within their own ranks, would be set free.
In their current, disordered state, suffering an attack from the elementals would lead to total collapse.
Ereneth was still focusing most of her power on summoning the high-ranking elementals. She was intent on tying down the enemy's magical forces, no matter what.
That was also the reason Claude had sent her here because she could counter both magical and conventional forces.
No matter which side the mages tried to stop, the Delfine army would fall.
"Ughhh!"
Count Falgau was at a complete loss.
Even the superhuman he had relied on was dead. The elementals in their own ranks could break free at any moment. And now, enemy cavalry was charging from the side.
"It's over."
This battle was lost. The 4th Legion was doomed to be annihilated.
He had only one choice left.
"Attack Count Fenris! Now!"
The soldiers were to be abandoned. If they were going to lose anyway, they had to at least take down Count Fenris and his elite cavalry.
Understanding his intent, the mages redirected all their mana.
At that moment, the high-ranking elementals summoned by Ereneth began to move.
Kwooooooooom! Kwooooom!
"Aaaargh!"
The massive fire lizard, which had been sealed below the fortress, once again spewed flames. The retreating soldiers were instantly engulfed and fell, burning.
The earth elemental, which had advanced deeper in, caused the ground to collapse, sending soldiers tumbling.
Helpless and defenseless, the fallen soldiers were then slaughtered by the unrelenting rain of arrows.
"Kill them!"
Count Falgau screamed over and over.
It was an attack that sacrificed his own troops. He had to inflict as much damage as possible on the Fenris cavalry.
Fwooooosh!
Spells cast by the mages streaked toward the charging cavalry.
A massive surge of mana gathered within the earth.
At that moment, Parniel, who had been riding beside Ghislain, leapt from her horse.
Boom!
As Parniel slammed her mace into the ground, a radiant light spread outward.
The light washed over the earth, forming a powerful divine shield.
Kukukukung!
The surging magic rising from the ground struck the shield and detonated on the spot.
The earth trembled like an earthquake, and sections of the battlefield collapsed. However, the elite cavalry, known for their exceptional horsemanship, lost only a few riders and managed to maintain their formation.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The incoming spells clashed with the divine shield and dissipated one after another. The shield quivered repeatedly but did not break.
Fwoooosh!
Dozens of mana lances formed around Ghislain and shot into the sky.
Kwooooom!
The lances collided with the enemy’s spells midair, causing both to vanish simultaneously.
The magic spells that the Delfine mages had unleashed was completely neutralized by Ghislain and Parniel.
"T-this is impossible…."
The Delfine mages, stunned, grimaced in frustration. Their attack had done nothing except knock a few riders out of formation.
They had already expended a great deal of mana, pouring everything into this assault. Now that it had been blocked, they no longer had the strength to mount another attack.
The only thought filling their minds was how to escape.
Just as the Delfine forces were left in complete disarray, unable to find a way out, Ghislain charged into their ranks.
Kwaaaaaang!
"Aaaaargh!"
The Delfine army had already collapsed beyond repair. As Ghislain and the Fenris Mobile Corps pushed forward, they could do nothing but be swept away.
"Crush them all!"
Ghislain and the Fenris Mobile Corps pressed forward relentlessly, their charge so fierce that the Delfine formation caved in instantly.
And that wasn’t all.
Parniel, who had abandoned her horse and closed the distance in an instant, unleashed an overwhelming assault.
Kwaang! Kwaaang! Kwaaaaaang!
Swinging a mace larger than a man, Parniel crushed dozens of soldiers with each strike. She was the very embodiment of a battlefield executioner.
"Aaaargh!"
"Please, spare me!"
"Run for your lives!"
Seeing this, the Delfine soldiers completely lost their will to fight. Even as the Fenris cavalry charge gradually lost momentum, Parniel continued to rampage, her strength only growing.
Kwaang! Kwaaang! Kwaang!
Ghislain watched Parniel move like an unstoppable force, stomping down on enemies like they were mere insects.
"Should I get Elena a new weapon? Blunt weapons really seem to suit divine power better."
He had given her an axe because it was the only large weapon readily available at the time. But now, he figured it would be best to commission a new one from Galbarik.
"Alright! We can’t let the Saintess of War outshine us! Push harder!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
The resounding war cries of the Fenris Mobile Corps shook the battlefield. Having already secured complete dominance, they showed no mercy, massacring the enemy without pause.
Even atop the fortress, cheers erupted. They had braced themselves for a desperate struggle, only for the battle to flip entirely in their favor in an instant.
Fenris’ mounted archers, full of morale, rained arrows down relentlessly. They fired so rapidly that their quivers were nearly empty.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!
"Guuaaaah!"
The battlefield echoed only with the screams of the enemy forces.
Defenseless against the cavalry charge, their ranks were being torn apart. Elsewhere, rampaging elementals wreaked havoc. Those who tried to retreat were helplessly cut down by the relentless rain of arrows from above.
They fell into total chaos. Even though there was nowhere to run, they desperately threw away their weapons and tried to flee.
The Delfine army had been shattered beyond recognition. It could no longer be called a functioning military force.
Count Falgau stared blankly at the battlefield, his mind frozen.
‘What… what is this?’
They had the advantage. Even though their supply unit had been raided, forcing a delay, he had refused to be drawn into the enemy’s plans.
As long as they didn’t retreat, his decision had been correct. Up until just moments ago, that had been true.
Even with the Inquisitor dead, they could have still taken the fortress.
If only Ghislain Ferdium had not appeared.
"Run! Run for your lives!"
The mages were the first to scream and flee. Scraping together the last of their mana, they poured everything they had into escaping the battlefield.
The surrounding soldiers soon followed, scattering in all directions.
Surrender wasn’t an option. The enemy forces were swarming from all sides, chaos had taken hold. What reason was there to believe surrender would be accepted?
Thus, the Delfine army collapsed even faster. The soldiers, overtaken by sheer terror, scattered like an anthill struck by fire.
"Come back… Stop them…."
Count Falgau mumbled absentmindedly, his mind unable to process the situation.
One man.
One single man had overturned the tide of battle.
‘Where were the other legions? How had they failed to hold him back?!’
"You must flee!"
At his knight’s desperate cry, Count Falgau clenched his teeth and drew his sword.
“Flee? Flee where?!”
Count Fenris would never let him escape.
At that moment, Dark, who had once again revived, appeared above his head and shouted,
"There he is!"
Count Falgau, dazed, lifted his head. What kind of crow can speak?
But before he could even fully register his confusion, a deafening explosion rang out.
Kuwaaaaaang!
"Aaaaaaargh!"
A lone man was charging forward, tearing through the soldiers blocking his path.
Dark mist-like energy billowed from his entire body.
His lips curled into a feral grin, and his crimson eyes burned like embers.
It was the first time Count Falgau had seen him in person. But having heard about him countless times, he felt an eerie sense of familiarity.
The man straightened his posture atop his horse, pulling back his spear.
Count Falgau could only watch, dumbfounded.
Puuuuuk!
The spear flew straight through his chest.