Ch.300EP.63 – A Knight’s Valor Contains No Recklessness (11)

“……This bastard, what a shitty way to fight.”

Ihan ended up giving his highest praise to the enemy.

Running away, fleeing, making a break for it—whatever you call it—would be an act that honor-bound knights would curse and despise. But for Ihan, who lacked a knight’s sensibilities, that escape felt like a complete betrayal that made his blood boil.

It felt like he’d been played.

So even if just out of anger, he was determined to chase after the guy, but—

KWAAANG!

[Gigigigigik!]

“…I should have completely smashed it to pieces…”

The enemy wasn’t sloppy, and he didn’t let his guard down even against a mere human.

The Celestial Bull, the Great Archfiend’s mystery that had been thrown at Ihan earlier, now blocked his path. Its body, once larger than a building, had transformed into something identical to a real bull.

KUGUGUNG!

Yet judging by the pressure it emitted, it had merely compressed its body without weakening in the slightest. It probably realized that its massive form would only make it an easier target for Ihan’s attacks, so it had reduced its size.

“I’ve never even done bullfighting before, damn it…”

It was definitely more difficult to deal with than before.

Its aura was extraordinary.

[Gigigik.]

“You even know how to emit killing intent?”

[Gigik.]

“……”

Every time the creature stomped, the ground—no, the space itself—shook.

Its tremendous strength was disturbing not just the earth but the surrounding space as well.

It was mind-boggling.

While the God of War had been exceptionally skilled in martial arts and speed, this one was bizarrely focused solely on destruction and power.

Both were equally troublesome styles to face.

But Ihan…

‘I’ll finish this in 3 minutes.’

He wasn’t particularly flustered.

There was no reason he should lose to a beast that only had strength going for it.

That’s why Ihan was confident he could crush this pathetic bull within 3 minutes.

…However.

KUNG!

KUWUNG!

KWAAANG!!

“…Really fighting in such a dirty way.”

From underground, from the air, from behind.

High-level monsters that seemed to follow the bull surrounded him in formation.

Not just trolls and ogres, but rare monsters like twin-headed ogres, gargoyles, three-headed beasts, and flesh golems.

Snake monsters the size of houses that he’d never seen before, insect-type monsters swarming in, and countless other creatures densely encircled Ihan, emanating a murderous aura.

It was as if all the elite monsters from the 200,000-strong monster army had gathered.

Ihan thought this was going too far.

“This is excessive, really. Going this far just to catch one weak human like me?”

[Gigik!]

“What are you saying?”

Somehow, he could see wariness in the eyes of the bull and the other monsters.

It was strange that an army of 30,000 would fear a single human, no matter how you looked at it.

“Huu!”

TWUK!

Ihan frowned, flicked a fallen hand axe from the ground with his toe, caught it in his left hand, and drew his sword with his right.

“—If I keep going straight, I’ll break through.”

HWAAAK!

Facing 30,000 elite monsters and the Celestial Bull, he showed not the slightest intimidation, but rather exuded a bold spirit.

He might be outnumbered, but he couldn’t afford to lose in spirit too. Besides, the key wasn’t to defeat all 30,000—it was to break through them and crush the enemy commander’s head.

So…

‘I’ll definitely crack that demon bastard’s skull.’

With this goal in mind, he ignited his fighting spirit and focused only on what lay ahead.

To catch the prey that had fled.

With relentless persistence…

HWUK─!

“…What a tenacious one.”

Ninshubur, rapidly fleeing, half-opened his eyes at the intense aura he felt from behind.

A frightening and persistent man.

Even at this distance, his fierce spirit could be felt…

It was as if a predator was about to open its jaws and tear at his neck from behind.

But Ninshubur quickly dismissed his concern.

No matter how formidable that man might be, it would take considerable time to break through the Celestial Bull and an army of 30,000 high-level monsters.

And by the time he managed to break through the monster army,

‘Victory will belong to my goddess.’

Even if they lost the battle, they would surely win the war.

All for the goddess.

[Ninshubur, you will bring me victory again, won’t you?]

“Of course, my goddess. What happened 300 years ago will not happen again.”

[Yes, that’s right! Unlike then, I have regained my strength! Those cowardly humans!]

Three hundred years ago, when they first settled in this land, his master had been severely weakened, and to celebrate establishing herself in this new land, she had generously bestowed miracles of abundance.

Because of this, the goddess had been at her weakest, yet the natives of this land dared to attack her.

[Such ungrateful creatures. After giving them such abundance, they rebelled against me over ‘minor side effects’!]

“They were ignorant people who didn’t understand how sacred and merciful your divine grace was.”

[Yes, that must be it, that’s why they dared imprison me in this disgusting cave…]

Ninshubur could almost hear the rage building in Inanna’s mind.

It was the humiliation she had suffered and the resentment of being imprisoned here for 300 years that fueled her anger.

Therefore.

[Ninshubur, win mercilessly, spare no means. You must cast all those who insulted me and rejected my mercy into the pit of hell, understand?]

“I will keep that in mind.”

[Good, I trust you. You’ve never disappointed me.]

Inanna gradually spoke less.

Like an audience member comfortably watching a play from the stands, Inanna was waiting for Ninshubur to bring her victory in this war.

As he always had.

*

*

*

KUGUGUGUGUNG!!

“……!”

The ground trembled.

The medium and large monsters that had been merely observing suddenly mixed with the smaller ones and began advancing. The artificial earthquake was caused by the charge of a terrifying number of monsters.

However…

“Fire! Fire the cannons even if they break!”

“I don’t care if the barrels melt! Use all the ammunition!! Keep firing!”

“Pour in all the magic stones if you have to, just don’t stop! Keep the flames coming-!!”

None of the Modred soldiers appeared to cower or despair.

No, even if they were afraid deep down, they showed no sign of choosing to flee. They kept firing until their gun barrels melted and continued loading cannonballs until the cannons reached their durability limit.

The flame cannons were the same.

Modred’s flame cannons, the pinnacle of their technology, were considered impossible to recreate in the current era due to the difficulty of obtaining materials.

Yet now these weapons were melting and disintegrating.

As if to say that even the most powerful weapons have their limits.

But the blazing flames did not stop.

HWRRRRRK!!

As if determined to burn even one more charging monster.

For Modred’s victory.

[[[WAAAAAAAA!!]]]

Even as gun barrels and hands melted together, and flesh burned from the heat of the flames, the Modred soldiers roared with determination to defend this position at all costs.

…However,

KWAJIJIJIK-!

Despite their resolve, the limit eventually came.

The palisade, the fortress that had served as Modred’s barrier, slowly began to show cracks.

No matter how much firepower they poured out, monsters had managed to break through their attacks one after another, creating gaps. These small gaps were now causing the fortress to crumble.

“Damn gnoll bastards!!”

“Why are they blowing themselves up?!”

As if they had lost their minds, gnolls and goblin hordes charged in succession, taking the flames and explosions with their bodies like suicide bombers.

The crazed monsters at the front were clearing the way, allowing more monsters to crash into the fortress.

As the fortress began to shake, the soldiers found it difficult even to maintain their balance.

At this rate, they would lose the fortress and have to engage in hand-to-hand combat, and if that happened, surely…

‘It’s over!’

No matter how excellent each of the 600 soldiers might be, they couldn’t face hundreds of thousands of monsters.

They had managed to hold out this long only because of the fortress and firearms. If they lost the fortress and engaged in close combat, the only outcome would be…

“—It’s not over yet.”

HWAAAAAAAK!

Just as despair was about to overwhelm them, a pure white curtain-like barrier suddenly spread around the fortress.

“Th-this is…?”

“Your Excellency?”

“It’s our lord and the young masters…!”

The Modred bloodline members, who had descended from their command positions and positioned themselves at key points of the fortress, had manifested their power.

The secret art that only the Modred bloodline—mediums who had contracted with countless spirits over the ages and accumulated their power—could use.

<Shield of a Hundred Ghosts>.

Modred’s greatest secret art, capable of blocking attacks from all evil creatures, evil spirits, and even demons.

[Grrrk!?]

[Kehek!!]

PUHWAK!

The monsters that had been self-destructing died as if their own charging force had been reflected back at them.

As the name suggested, this mysterious barrier blocked any attack and even returned it to the sender.

It was an incredible ability, but,

JUREUREK…!

“Your Excellency! Please stop! You’ll be in grave danger!!”

“Not yet… I’m still fine…”

Margrave Kain and his sons were spitting mouthfuls of blood.

It was an unavoidable truth of the world that abilities as great as this came with equally great risks.

In reality, deploying this barrier meant that Modred had been pushed to the limit. Throughout history, family heads had used this technique as a last resort to buy time for their family members and people to evacuate.

That’s why the Shield of a Hundred Ghosts was both the greatest secret art and the final measure.

One that required the resolve to die.

“…Don’t worry about me. Prepare for close combat while there’s still time.”

“Your Excellency…!”

“Hurry.”

“!?”

It was a resolute command, and the margrave’s adjutant gritted his teeth.

He could feel his lord’s intention to buy even a little more time in an already exhausted situation.

And so…

“—Stop resisting and surrender, Modred. You have already lost.”

…The sound of hope crumbling was heard.

“You…!”

The Great Archfiend had somehow approached right in front of the fortress and was looking down at Kain, who was sitting near the Shield of a Hundred Ghosts.

“For the past 300 years, you have maintained an irreverent attitude, oppressing and treating my master harshly.”

“……”

“But my master is merciful. She has decided to accept even irreverent ones like you as [slaves].”

“……”

“It is something to be grateful for. So bow your heads immediately and tremble with gratitude, for such mercy…”

“Ah, I was wondering who it was, but it’s the gnoll bastard who ran away with his tail between his legs despite claiming victory.”

“…Do not speak such irreverent—”

“—Loser.”

“……”

“Worse than a gnoll, no, worse than a sand worm.”

“You!!!”

If comparing someone to a gnoll was the worst insult in the Southern Continent, then comparing someone to a sand worm was the worst insult in the Western Continent.

Sand worms were monsters known for eating corpses, consuming their own excrement, and even devouring their own parents.

“…Ha, that provocation worked better than I expected.”

Despite the desperate situation, Kain couldn’t help but snicker.

Just seeing that distorted expression made him feel quite satisfied.

This is why learning is so important.