Ch.123Breakthrough (1)

“I can’t see the end. I can’t see the end.”

Verdia clicked her tongue as she looked at the Crusader flags filling the horizon. She was on edge because many demons were suffering from the unceasing holy power. With the help of Grand Sorceress Ludmila, they could maintain the battle, but the enemy was too powerful.

“Ha! This is exactly the battlefield we’ve been wanting. We’ll fight to the death. That is my joy!”

“How nice for someone to be so at ease?”

“How could I be uncomfortable when glory is right before us? Verdia, as the supreme commander, you need to show dignity.”

If it weren’t for Chaphir and the Beast Cavalry, the front line would have collapsed long ago. They deserved nothing but respect for facing the Holy Knight Division wrapped in holy power every day and maintaining equal numbers. Their forces had dwindled from six thousand to four thousand, but the same was true for the Crusader Army.

Reinforcements might come someday, but there was no sign of that yet. Thanks to this, they could somehow maintain the front line. When it seemed like they would collapse, the legion soldiers endured with strength beyond their limits.

Stepping over death to thrust swords into the Crusaders’ necks, the angels with much to lose had no choice but to retreat.

“But this could be the last time.”

Verdia couldn’t shake her concerns. She had only inherited a portion of the guardian duty that Durin had to endure all this time, yet she could barely stand. She could once again feel the strength of the Regent who had overcome the pressure of fate.

“Here we go again. Stop the whining. It could demoralize the legion soldiers watching.”

“Yes. You’re right. We must hold until the Regent returns with the sacred artifact.”

“Good. Commander Verdia. From now on, I’ll lead a suicide squad to strike at their weak point again. It won’t take long, so just wait for my report.”

Chaphir lifted the mood. He pounded his chest to show his confidence. Verdia nodded with a faint smile. Hadn’t she resolved to grasp her sword while waiting for Durin’s return? If she couldn’t accomplish this great task, she wouldn’t be able to stand by his side in the future.

That was an even greater fear for Verdia.

She overcame fear with fear. She felt her will rising again. The Southern Army Commander looked up at the sky. In the distance, the Crusader formation began to distort. The rippling light was becoming increasingly clear.

The time had come.

“Well, I won’t be able to go out now.”

Chaphir also noticed the change. He quickly hardened his expression and gathered his weapons.

“I’ll send a signal to Lady Ludmila. We need stronger sorcery.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

Sigh.

Verdia exhaled. It was the beginning of another battle of offense and defense. A large chunk would break off from the Crusader Army and continuously pound the southern front. The sky would burn as holy power and sorcery intertwined.

It was time to gather her resolve and awaken the commander’s soul.

“Send the signal immediately. Tell the Sorcery Battalion to prepare for battle.”

“I’ll do as ordered.”

Bwooooooo-

A horn blared throughout the Southern Army formation. The previously calm ground quickly became chaotic. Red and blue demons rushed out in droves to take positions at the palisades. They glared with fierce eyes, ready to kill the approaching enemies.

They were resolute.

In Durin’s absence, they were united in their determination not to allow defeat.

“The legion does not fall! Battle formation!”

“Battle formation!”

They would once again bravely face the oncoming Crusader Army.

They willingly threw themselves into battle for the demon realm the Regent dreamed of.

They burned their souls.

“We shall overcome!”

They shouted for glory.

#

The Eastern Army’s charge, led by Durin at the vanguard, easily tore through the blockade line. The destructive power of a being who had awakened more than half of a sacred artifact’s power was unmatched. The Crusader detachment, which had resolved to burn the eastern forest as soon as the Holy Knight Division was replenished, was shattered in a single impact.

With the Dark Order Knights joining the charge, they advanced with terrifying momentum, causing the command post in the rear where mid-level commanders stayed to burst into flames. Heads separated from bodies rolled on the ground, trampled by hooves.

Next came the hastily arriving reserves. The Eastern Army didn’t hesitate this time either. The moment they engaged, they awakened the power of death to its fullest.

“Your Excellency! It’s the Golden Fleece Knights! A dangerous enemy that raises the banner of heresy eradication…”

“No explanation needed. Kill them all.”

“Ah, hahaha! Of course. Gaaack!”

It was a simple charge without any complex strategy or tactics. A foolish attack rushing like moths to a flame toward the formation.

That’s how it would appear by human standards. But when a warrior who had awakened divine power led the vanguard, it was a different story. The Crusader Army’s solidly built formation faced the calamity of death.

BOOM!!

“The front line has collapsed!”

“Protect the choir! Get the high priests out first!”

“You’re wrong. They’ve already broken through!”

The angelic doctrine didn’t work. Traditionally, when a foolish demon charged, they would block with shields and then stab the creature that couldn’t withstand the impact. But this familiar pattern failed to materialize, leaving them floundering in uncertainty.

They desperately drew their swords and rushed to stop Durin, but they were no match. They needed to systematically spread holy power, block paths with spears, and then guide the enemy to be slaughtered, but the enemy came so quickly that they couldn’t move their forces as desired.

Even when renowned knight orders were dispatched, they became tasty prey for the Beast Legion that followed. Their cavalry swords couldn’t pierce the shells that even elven arrows couldn’t penetrate. Their helmets were crushed by massive fists, causing them to fall from their horses.

“Their breakthrough power is too strong!”

“Holy power! We must surround them with holy power to block them!”

When Durin broke through, monsters rushed in and tore apart the core choir and priests. White robes turned red and scattered like flower petals. Demons covered in blood roared and swung their swords and claws in search of the next victim.

“We have no choice. Execute a holy power bombardment on the front.”

“Our allies are there. They could all die in the explosion.”

“Better than being completely overrun by demons. Relay this to the priest order!”

They sacrificed pawns for victory. The Papal Territory, as always, sought victory by sacrificing the front-line troops. The deaths of comrades meant nothing to them. They would stop the demons and prove their faith. Urging the Holy Priest Order forward, they envisioned the day the God of Light would rejoice.

“If we just clean these up…”

Desperation rather than ambition. Omann’s forces converged to resist the demons, but there was no way.

They could only block with lives offered to God. The moment they realized there was no answer unless Rupiel himself came, their hesitation disappeared.

“Fire!”

The holy power battery lit up, cutting through the sky. The full power meant to destroy giant beasts close to transcendent beings or break walls was concentrated on Durin. When the golden wave struck the ground, the world burst into flames. God’s will to burn evil manifested on earth. The light was so bright that no demon could stand on two legs.

“Damn it.”

But what Durin was wrapped in was not evil. Not demonic energy rising from fear, but death—one of the world’s origins.

The existence standing at the antipode of life erased the holy power. Durin’s warhorse opened a path forward. The golden light was enveloped by black energy and lost its power. It stole life force. It erased faith from this world.

“Follow the Regent!”

“The beacon of the demon realm has opened the way!”

“We shall never perish!”

The Durahann Cavalry and Order Knights who followed him roared. The moment they witnessed holy power being pushed back before their eyes, they forgot all fear. They focused only on the enemy before them. They spurred their charge, pulling on the reins.

A strange sight where humans burned to death by God’s blessing, while only demons survived.

The angel commanders were left speechless. They couldn’t think of how to respond further.

“Who on earth do we need to bring here?”

They trembled in fear.

#

“Your Excellency! If you go any further, you’ll completely cross into the central area.”

After smashing dozens of legions, the Crusader Army became passive. Durin had a moment to catch his breath. Asha, who had been following him, quickly approached to report.

“The east can hold sufficiently with the elven warriors, including Lady Yoannina, forming the front line.”

“They plan to fight along the forest.”

“As long as the World Tree’s magic exists, they can never come. Rest assured, only an archangel could face them.”

Durin nodded at Asha’s words. He was forcing a breakthrough using the sacred artifact’s power, but it would be a disaster if the east collapsed in return.

“I’ll deploy the Order’s knights for now. Where are they?”

“Your Excellency. You were looking for us.”

Black-armored knights who had just killed a couple of fleeing Crusader prisoners hurriedly paid their respects. Durin gave orders to them as they gripped their weapons.

“I will continue to agitate the chaos in the center. From now on, spread out as much as possible and provoke the demon worshippers.”

“You intend to draw out all those operating underground?”

“The Crusader Army’s appearance has created an opportunity. However, there will still be those who are afraid, so you must lead them directly.”

“Rear disruption is the Order’s specialty. We will present the city to Your Excellency.”

“It would also be good to induce the Papal Territory to issue heresy judgments. We must strike a wide area to prevent them from gathering in one place.”

“We will do as ordered.”

The Dark Order knights departed. Of the four thousand who charged, two thousand survived. Of those, a thousand had now left.

They were able to raise morale while breaking through the holy power ground, but the casualties were equally great. Half of the guards following Asha had disappeared in the fierce battle, so Durin’s breakthrough could actually be called a miracle.

Asha worried about this point.

“Your Excellency. We’ve easily broken through using the sacred artifact until now, but now commander-level angels will gather.”

“The War Angel can come if he wishes. I can face him anytime.”

“But if we cannot secure victory on the battlefield, it’s meaningless. I wish to know your intentions.”

The elf knelt. Having decided to be on the same side, he would show loyalty, but he didn’t want to die in vain. Like the demons who shouted for glory, they too wanted to give their lives in a meaningful place.

“The basic tactic of demons is decapitation.”

Durin showed them mercy. He personally gave an answer.

“Because we were always outnumbered, we focused on deploying elite few to kill the command structure.”

“I confirmed this in the last battle. I witnessed the killing of the choir and high priests who were the core of holy power.”

“I will fight the Crusader Army just as you saw in the battle with the detachment.”

Durin’s gaze turned south.

To the front line where Verdia, Chaphir, and Ludmila were desperately holding on.

“I will cut off Rupiel’s head.”

A plan to penetrate the east, devastate the center, and head south.

If someone else had suggested this, they would have been immediately rebuked, but the vanguard was Durin.

The Regent of the demon realm.

The great warrior who had defeated countless angels.

The successor who could now control even death with his own power after obtaining two sacred artifacts.

“I can adapt to this ability while continuing to fight.”

For him, it wasn’t an impossible story.

“As you wish.”

Asha could acquiesce, bowing his head.