Legion of Darkness (5)

Among the greenery contrasting with the gloomy forest, soldiers were tightly gripping their long spears, looking ahead with tense expressions. The hero was taking deep breaths at the front of the army with his sword in hand, and the cavalry, with frightened faces, were breathing heavily and glancing at the hero.

The monster devours people alive and swings soldiers around like toys.

It’s a giant that emits smoke, and if a soldier is captured, they become a demon stone while still alive.

The impact of the rumors that had thrown the entire army into confusion had seeped in like a fatal poison for the soldiers, though it wasn’t outwardly apparent. Even the hero couldn’t completely eliminate inner fear.

Rather, the hero was in a state where he had to gather his resolve not to be swept away by those rumors.

Mille too sat on a tree with a tense face. Her fingers caressed the bow, and her back was filled with arrows made of steel. Despite the heavy arrows, the branch swayed with Mille’s movements, though the elf was as light as a feather.

The hero saw a small bird rising between the black trees. The watching soldier pointed at the bird and shouted:

“Signal! It’s coming!”

The commander also shouted with a hardened expression. Though he was in a position where he should have shown fear less than anyone, his excited voice was rougher and higher than usual.

“Everyone battle ready! It’s coming!”

The hero took a deep breath and gripped his sword again. The plan was simple. The heavy cavalry would lead and collide with it head-on to stop its charge, and when its charge slowed, the hero would strike one more blow to stop it.

Once they pushed it back by concentrating firepower on it, they would then cut off the supply unit and isolate it. Only after firmly tying it down so it couldn’t retreat would they defeat it for having come too deep.

Keeeeeng!

The hero, who had been recalling the operation details, shuddered at the sharp sound that seemed to tear his ears. Horses startled by the unfamiliar roar became agitated, and the cavalry began to soothe them, gripping the reins.

Keeeeeng!

The mechanical sound didn’t end with just once. Each time it rang, it added a bit more earth-shaking vibration, and the mechanical sound itself was echoing higher and rougher. Just like the drumbeat of a large army crossing the horizon and displaying intimidation to enemies, the monster’s mechanical sound was another weapon that broke the enemy’s morale and created a breakthrough.

Keeeeeng!

The soldiers were trembling with fear. The horses stepped back, shivering, and smoke could be seen rising through the trees of the forest. The hero recalled the profile that had arrived from Kerberos.

The creature’s name was Greta.

He was one of the demon world’s most notable warrior demons and a commander who had gained even greater strength by using a device powered by demon stones. His body was made of scales impenetrable by swords and spears, and Greta himself took pride in these scales as a sign proving he was a descendant of the ancient dragon.

Keeeeeng!

His subordinates have a high level of loyalty, and he likes to always stand at the forefront of the battlefield.

Kerberos had written a few more sentences as well.

[Fight to the end. Don’t doubt anything and hold out to the end.]

Among Kerberos’s writings, that statement particularly stuck in the hero’s memory. Had she written that worried sentence thinking he was a coward who would run away from the enemy? Had she said that underestimating his abilities?

Keeeeeng!

Now, the hero thought he could somewhat understand Kerberos’s intention. Because while listening to that spine-chilling sound, even the hero began to doubt his own strength.

Can I win? Can I withstand?

Hesitation is the shortest path to death.

The hero gritted his teeth, suppressing the goosebumps rising from his toes. The commander trembled as he faced the yellow gleam of eyes and black scales that peeked out from between the trees. Sweat streamed down his forehead, and his raised hand issued the charge order one beat late, enduring fear.

“Ch-charge!”

A tree was uprooted and fell sideways. Greta, who had jumped out from between the trees, faced the cavalry who had just begun to charge, opened his mouth wide, and smiled. His face was identical to the eerie devil mask used in puppet shows, and with every movement of his body, black liquid could be seen flowing through hoses connected in all directions.

The creature shouted, emitting smoke:

“Come! I am the demon commander Greta! Have you come to stop me?”

Greta didn’t even take a defensive stance against the heavy cavalry. Rather, he ran straight at them with his arms spread wide, towards the sharp spears of the cavalry and the horses wearing thick armor. The sight of him moving with his arms spread wide was fear itself for the running cavalry and horses.

Archers, including Mille, shot arrows, but while Mille’s arrow dented the armor, most arrows bounced off powerlessly and rolled on the ground without even giving any impact. The hero, alternately looking at the backs of the cavalry and Greta, who was like a giant from an old tale, shouted:

“Fall back!”

As if they had been waiting for those words, the cavalry charging towards Greta began to split sideways. Their faces were pale even inside their armor.

“Why do you run away! Did you not come to fight!”

As if not willing to let them go, Greta took one step forward and embraced the cavalry who had not yet managed to avoid him into his arms. The hero, gripping his sword, rushed forward frantically.

“Uaaaaaaa!”

“Kuaaaaaa!”

Five heavy cavalrymen entered Greta’s embrace. As Greta applied strength to his forearms and began to embrace them, the cavalrymen’s faces swelled like balloons, then they convulsed their limbs, spilling blood from their eyes, nose, and mouth. The screams subsided, but the sound of flesh being mashed and bones breaking echoed creepily.

Blood gushing from their entire bodies soaked the ground thoroughly, and a mash that no longer retained the form of humans and horses fell to the ground.

“A dog’s death indeed.”

Greta shouted again, shaking his body, and the hero took a deep breath and stood facing Greta. Greta saw the hero’s face and grinned. The hero spoke with a hardened expression:

“This land belongs to humans. It’s not a place for demons.”

“Such things can only be said when you have the strength to drive away. Look at those weak ones. They can’t even stop me, one person, with thousands of soldiers, and they’re trembling with anxiety. How ridiculous is that?”

The hero didn’t answer and took a stance. Greta snorted seeing the hero’s appearance. The hero lowered his body, and Greta reached out towards the air.

This time, Mille’s arrow flew targeting Greta’s head. Greta’s hand lightly caught the arrow and threw it to the ground. In the moment Greta’s gaze went to the arrow, the hero dove into Greta’s body and applied strength to his hand. A golden sword aura rose, and the sword flew targeting Greta’s neck.

“Too slow!”

But as if he had intentionally given an opening, Greta’s body greatly swung to the side, avoiding the sword aura.

A golden diagonal line illuminated the battlefield for an instant. The sword aura dispersing into particles seemed quite beautiful even to the eyes of the demon soldiers.

But the beauty was momentary, and the atmosphere of the battlefield, dyed again in dark colors, was desperate.

When the sword attack swung with all might missed, rather a gap was created in the hero’s body, and Greta’s fist flew targeting the hero.

Bang!

“Kyaaaaaaa!”

The hero’s body flew back towards the allied troops and tangled with the unit members. Unit members who collided with the hero screamed and rolled, and the shields that had been extended forward were miserably dented.

The hero, who had bounced into a dirt mound and rolled, coughed up a handful of blood.

“Hero!”

“Stay there!”

Just as Mille was startled and about to come down, the hero immediately rose and shouted at Mille.

Mille, who was about to come down, stopped at the hero’s rebuke.

The hero raised his trembling body.

“I’m fine… just attack Greta.”

Greta shouted with a triumphant face:

“I heard the hero’s prowess was formidable, but Daemon was even poor in his judgment! Everyone charge! Kill the hero! We’ll sweep them away like this and advance to the capital of the royal palace!”

Demon soldiers began to pour out from behind Greta.

The commander looked at the hero in confusion. The hero was wiping away the blood flowing from his mouth, and priests were clinging to his side. The pain inscribed on his body made his head dizzy, and he couldn’t breathe properly.

But the hero’s eyes were still alive.

Using his sword as a cane, he raised his body and looked clearly at Greta.

The commander shouted:

“Hero! Let’s retreat! Retreat and next…!”

The hero looked around. Soldiers trying their hardest to flee. But soldiers who had lost their fighting spirit were merely prey to the demons. In what cruel manner would those demons slaughter the soldiers?

A massacre destroys fighting spirit. Despite knowing it’s meaningless, it makes one beg for life rather than fight.

At this moment, if they fled, swept away by the atmosphere, they would lose everything.

The hero didn’t want to see such a sight.

“If we retreat now, the soldiers who can’t catch up with the cavalry will all die.”

The hero wiped the blood from his lips and raised his body again.

“Hero! Then…!”

“I’ll try to block them somehow! Even if we retreat! We must push them back and then retreat!”

The hero’s sword emitted a golden sword aura again. Greta, who had been charging towards the enemy, felt the hero’s energy and shouted with a smile:

“Hahaha! You’re a tough one!”

Demon soldiers flew towards the hero. The commander gritted his teeth and shouted:

“Attack! Attack!”

Greta rushed towards the hero, swinging his massive fist. A golden light, more brilliant than usual, filled the battlefield. Demons floating in the air were captivated by the light, turned their heads, and were swept away.

That massive sword aura blocked Greta’s fist and began to push him back, breaking his armor.

“Uhahahahaha!”

Along with Greta’s laughter, a golden pillar rose from the middle of the forest.