Ch.287287. Albion (1)

High Elven nation’s capital, Londinium.

Two elves were conversing on the walls of this final fortress city, where all civilians had evacuated, leaving only the military to defend it.

“Albin… our people must have evacuated safely, right?”

“…I believe so. At least, we must believe that.”

With their distinctive white garments accented with blue, along with armor and standard-issue halberds, shields, and longbows—

These two ordinary soldiers with typical High Elven regular army equipment continued to fire arrows without pause while chatting, sweeping away approaching demons like autumn leaves.

Fshuu—! Fshuu—! Fshuushuk—!!

Firing roughly one arrow every three seconds without a single miss, they quickly turned approaching demons into honeycomb-like corpses, banishing them from the material plane.

About 300 soldiers displayed almost Legolas-level archery skills, shooting arrows at approaching demons, while supporting fire from magic cannons also boasted an impressive kill count.

However… worry never left their faces.

The reason was simple: the demons they were currently fending off were clearly nothing more than cannon fodder.

The visible demons were merely low-level imps or Demon Beasts, and the only proper demon army soldiers were the occasional Lesser Demon Warriors or Lesser Devil Archers mixed in.

The enemy’s intention to wear them down was obvious, forcing the soldiers to maintain their composure.

With all Elven cities except Londinium having fallen to these demons, their only remaining hope was to hold out as long as possible to buy time for their kin to escape.

Naturally, being treated as disposable pawns would typically provoke anger in those affected, but for some reason, the High Elven soldiers simply continued nocking arrows and firing with calm detachment.

This transcendent attitude stemmed from the High Elves’ unique mindset.

Due to the spiritual and mental network connecting members of their race, High Elves easily empathize with their kin and form deeper bonds effortlessly.

In other words, they tend to be more altruistic toward their own kind than anyone else, naturally accepting self-sacrifice in extreme situations with calm resolve.

While humans might find this incomprehensible, it’s almost second nature to the exclusive and proud High Elves.

In any case, as the High Elven soldiers were diligently dealing with the approaching demon fodder—

“””””BUOOOOOOOOO———!!!”””””

With a sound like bellowing cattle, five rather large demons began approaching from the distance with thunderous footsteps.

They resembled Minotaurs with golden skin, but somehow appeared more sinister—mid-level demons forming the core of the “Gluttony” Beelzebub’s forces.

THUD THUD THUD THUDTHUDTHUDTHUD———!!!

These creatures with massive black horns and fearsome bone axes in each hand began charging toward the walls from a distance—

Woooong———KWAAAANG!!!

The magical artillery batteries on the wall began concentrated fire against these mid-level demons of Beelzebub.

Switching from rapid-fire to single-shot mode to ensure elimination, each shot boasted enough firepower to harm even mid-level demons, but…

Unfortunately for the elves, these weren’t ordinary mid-level demons.

“”””UOOOOOOO———!!!””””

These demons possessed voices that could disintegrate magical energy, which they unleashed in the form of roars, deflecting the magical artillery fire as they continued charging toward the walls.

With no mid-level forces available to stop the bull demons, they would soon shatter the protective barriers and destroy the walls.

“T-this is bad! We must stop them!”

“How?! All our remaining mid-level forces are assigned to other fronts!”

Just as the High Elves fell into confusion at this perfectly timed ambush targeting the gap in their mid-level defenses—

[—Fear not! For I am here!]

A “sun” rose above the elves.

This elf, appearing as if made of brilliant light, possessed wings reminiscent of the sun, and carried a round sun-like bow and a large, beautiful golden spear in his hands.

“””AAAAAAAGH———!!!”””

“”It hurts it hurts it hurts!!!””

“My eyes!! My eyeeees!!!”

The sun-like radiance emanating from his body annihilated lesser demons, burned their bodies causing terrible pain, and blinded their eyes.

“……..Buhu?!!”

Even the bull demons that had been charging so confidently moments ago instinctively stepped back, trembling with fear as they gazed at the “sun,” while one High Elven soldier whispered in a voice filled with reverence:

“A-Apollo’s Avatar…”

Apollo—the chief deity of the High Elven pantheon, worshipped as the sun god by all elves.

Apollo’s Avatar, manifested in this world by the will of the sun god, unleashed the sun’s radiance without restraint, sweeping away the demons.

———TUKWAAANG!!!

In the next moment, a solar arrow shot from Apollo’s Avatar’s bow pierced through one bull demon and exploded, instantly clearing away all five mid-level demons.

[……..Vanish, seeds of evil!]

KYAAAAAAAK———!!!

To summarize the subsequent feats of Apollo’s Avatar in one word, it would be “overwhelming.”

The solar light infused with divine power radiating from his body caused lesser demons to burn to death merely by approaching, while those at a distance had their skin scorched and eyes blinded by the overwhelming radiance.

Even each movement of Apollo’s Avatar proved fatal to demons, as he engaged the mid-level demons one by one.

Of course, these mid-level demons couldn’t stop Apollo’s Avatar at all, making this less a battle and more a one-sided massacre.

Killing, slashing, burning. As the Avatar displayed prowess befitting the sun’s descent to earth, elven morale soared day by day, and they responded to the Avatar’s actions.

“””””””””WAAAAAAA———!!!”””””””””

“Shoot! Keep shooting! For victory!!”

“””””FOR VICTORY———!!!”””””

Thanks to Apollo’s Avatar, the southern wall’s battle situation had completely reversed, and they were about to celebrate their victory and prepare for defense again—

[……..Oh? Another precious thing is here]

—when a chilling voice reached their ears, causing the elves to turn stiffly—

“””””—?!!!!!”””””

There stood a “demon.”

The demon, about 5 meters tall, had skin covered in black scales and possessed a bizarre, alien appearance that evoked unease in observers.

Thick, powerful reverse-jointed legs like those of a bull, tough skin covered in densely packed black scales reminiscent of crocodilian reptiles.

A pair of massive dragon wings growing from its back, and a long, powerful lizard-like tail between its legs.

Its “demonic” head, based on a human but mixed with elements of wild boar, bear, and bull, emphasized the skull and featured three pairs of horns.

The “demon” wore thin, form-fitting armor adorned with numerous dangling chains.

In one hand, it held a sword burning with crimson flames, and in the other, it proudly displayed a double-bladed axe with distinctive jagged saw-teeth.

[I’ll face you myself. I, Be’tuna!!!]

The demon, self-proclaimed as Be’tuna—judging by appearance, likely a High Demon under “Wrath”—spread its wings wide and charged at Apollo’s Avatar with confidence.

※ ※ ※

The mythical battle that followed was beyond the comprehension of ordinary elven soldiers.

While the elves vaguely perceived it as a clash between light and darkness… the result was shocking.

[Kuk, kuuuk!]

[Huff, you’re nothing special.]

Apollo’s Avatar lay smashed into the ground, trampled under Be’tuna’s foot and groaning, while Be’tuna ground his heel into the Avatar, openly mocking him.

“H-how… the Avatar…!!”

Naturally, the elves fell into despair watching their symbol of victory being one-sidedly defeated and trampled, and Be’tuna, sneering at their despair, finally ended the Avatar’s life with his sword.

And at that very moment—

“…Am I too late?”

With an awkwardly out-of-place voice, a human warrior suddenly appeared before the elven wall without anyone noticing.