Ch.304EP.63 – A Knight’s Valor Contains No Recklessness (15)

The tide of battle had been completely overturned in an instant!

The situation had changed so drastically that it could be explained in a single sentence, and this change was clearly…

[Grrrk!?]

[Kehek…!]

[!!]

Nothing short of a calamity for the demonic beasts.

The evil creatures known as malevolent species were scattered in panic, desperately fleeing.

The insect-like demonic beasts born from the evil god charged forward as if they knew no fear, only to be shattered and broken like ice fragments repeatedly. The rest of the demonic beasts fared no better, being reduced to pulp.

The warriors of the North and the Lake Guardians, proving themselves as the strongest ground combatants, moved freely across the battlefield, slaughtering tens of thousands of demonic beasts in an instant.

Enraged, the flying demonic beasts, specialists in aerial combat, tried to pounce on the knights, but…

Slash!

Squelch-!

[Ke, ack…..]

The flying demonic beasts, who thought they dominated the skies, had their wings torn and bellies pierced before plummeting to the ground.

Incredibly enough.

[Kieek?!!]

Humans, knights of all creatures, were flying.

A knight order waving flags embroidered with red eagles and arrows.

Without a doubt. If they had called themselves rangers instead of knights, they could have claimed to be the finest ranger group in the South, no, the entire continent, and no one could have objected.

“…Why is that knight order flying in the sky?”

“Is, is it magic?”

“I don’t sense any flow of magical power, what…?”

“????”

The Crimson Eagle Knights.

They proved their dominance in aerial combat as they soared through the sky, slaughtering the flying demonic beasts, and further reducing the ground forces by raining down arrows like bombs.

Carpet bombing. That phrase came to mind watching the Crimson Eagles, and though their style differed from Galahad or Lionel, they undoubtedly controlled a portion of the battlefield.

Of course, they weren’t the only ones making their mark.

Swoosh!

“If you spot any demonic beasts using distortion abilities, deal with them immediately! Don’t miss even the slightest anomaly, understood!”

“Yes, Grand Master!”

The Ophen swordsmen.

Though they were a peculiar family without a knight order, no one in the kingdom dared underestimate them.

True to their name as the House of Swords, their strength came from countless swordsmen who would step forward for Ophen without hesitation, and the masters who remained with the family.

It was said that an Ophen master’s martial prowess and experience rivaled that of a high-ranking knight or black-grade mercenary. Proving this was no mere rumor, they overwhelmingly cut down any demonic beast they faced, no matter how difficult.

Lower-ranked demonic beasts fell with a single swing, and they never needed more than five strikes even against the large creatures classified as mid-to-high tier.

Dealing with distortion-type demonic beasts that used illusions, mind control, or special abilities took slightly longer, but in the end, the Ophen swordsmen emerged victorious.

…It was an astonishing sight.

Even spending an entire day struggling against just one distortion-type beast would be normal, yet they were defeating them one-sidedly as if handling children.

This demonstrated why Ophen swordsmen were regarded more highly than high-ranking knights or black-grade mercenaries—truly befitting the reputation of the House of Sword Masters.

KWAAANG!!

The spectacle of 60,000 being toyed with by just over 300 knights.

It was an unrealistic scene that would be criticized for exaggeration if made into a film, but nevertheless, the heat of the battlefield remained intense and a suffocating pressure weighed down on everyone, proving this was reality without a shred of falsehood.

“W-why are there so many demonic beasts swarming around!”

“This is insane!!”

“Senior! Please help me!”

“No, why do we have to be in a place like this…!?”

…Well, there was also a knight order whose armor clearly bore the image of a lion, but whose actions were more pathetic than a cat’s.

Despite having the largest number among the four knight orders with one hundred and fifty members gathered, the Order of the Silver Lion looked utterly incompetent as they struggled just to defend the fortress.

One might question whether they should even be on the battlefield, but fortunately…

“Q-quickly, move the medicine over here!”

“Bring bandages and weapons!”

“Potions! We’re running short on potions…!”

Though lacking in combat power, the Silver Lions were certainly fulfilling their assigned duties to the best of their ability.

Rather than acting as knights, they were functioning more like a supply unit, but at least they were pulling their weight.

It was an ironic situation for a knight order, but…

KWAAANG!!

Considering that only knights properly trained in combat techniques, not ordinary soldiers, could handle supply duties in such a dangerous battlefield, it was actually quite a positive contribution.

And observing all these scenes from a 360-degree view, a certain Great Archfiend…

[What is this, what’s happening!?]

The Great Archfiend was beyond bewildered, to the point of dizziness.

They had clearly been winning, overwhelming the enemy…

Why?

How…!?

[Why are we suddenly losing-?!]

A scream-like wail.

Inanna couldn’t hide her rage and indignation.

[Why isn’t the curse activating!]

One reason for Inanna’s panic was that “reinforcements” had arrived for Modred.

This was “impossible” because no one was supposed to be able to come help Modred.

[The curse is definitely active, but?!]

In the past, when Inanna was sealed away, she quickly engraved several curses on Modred’s land, but the most powerful among them was the ‘Curse of Isolation.’

The Curse of Isolation had one purpose:

To cut off Modred, no, all of Wales from the outside world.

Even though Inanna considered humans utterly insignificant, she couldn’t deny the possibility of beings in the mystical southern lands that could threaten her. If such beings came to Modred’s aid, it would pose a great crisis for Inanna, who might be vulnerable before regaining her full power.

Therefore, Inanna had put tremendous effort into maintaining the Curse of Isolation over the past 300 years, forcing Modred into an involuntary isolation.

The power of the Curse of Isolation was that strong.

For example…

– [Those who come to aid Modred will suffer sudden, unexpected incidents or accidents.]

While not deadly plagues or fatal accidents, these were troubles that prevented people from leaving their positions, occurring one after another.

The more one tried to ignore these troubles, the larger the incidents became, eventually leading to massive calamities.

That’s why Inanna hadn’t considered outside help at all.

Because it was absolutely impossible for anyone to come, impossible for help to arrive.

…That should have been the case, but…

[…Why?]

Despite the curse being actively in effect, reinforcements had arrived.

Without experiencing any incidents or accidents…

For Inanna, this was not just perplexing but infuriating, a situation her mind couldn’t comprehend.

How could this possibly happen?

…Throb!

[Yes…, it’s you again!]

But perhaps even a rotting deity is still a deity?

In an instant, Inanna identified who had thwarted both her curse and her revival.

It was merely intuition, but a god’s intuition never errs and only reveals the truth.

Therefore, she declared with certainty that the troublemaker who had ruined all her plans, aspirations, and even her revival was none other than…!

[How much more will you interfere before you’re satisfied, you terrible being!!]

That “person.”

* * *

“Hmm….”

Scratching his ear, Ihan Turtle tilted his head in confusion.

Even as he scratched his suddenly itchy ear, his puzzlement took precedence.

“…What’s this? Why did so many come?”

He was sure he had asked only for a reasonable number of people to help, so why were there so many?

…Was it a group holiday or something?

“And why are those white cat cubs here? This isn’t the place for them.”

[Kikikik!]

“…I wasn’t talking to you.”

Ihan administered final punishment to the nuisance interrupting his thoughts.

Crack!

[!!]

The Celestial Bull, the Great Archfiend’s mystery, struggled to the very end, but despite its struggles, it was crushed in Ihan’s grasp.

Not a single part remained intact; its four legs, ribs, and horns had long since disappeared.

The Celestial Bull delivered a final headbutt in its last desperate struggle, but Ihan effortlessly blocked even this final resistance and crushed its skull completely.

He pulverized it into sand-like particles to prevent any regeneration, and the next moment…

Whoosh!

The powder scattered and began to rapidly incinerate.

[——.]

…With empty eye sockets fixed on Ihan until the very end.

“……”

Ihan didn’t avoid the Celestial Bull’s gaze.

Although it was just a skeleton without its own will, he couldn’t help but admire its stubborn determination—

[-It was a flawless defeat, warrior. I shall consider it an honor to cross the river to the afterlife, having been defeated by you.]

“…What? You could speak?”

The voice resonated in his mind, and Ihan blinked in surprise.

This creature had been pretending to be a mute fool all this time.

[…That is not so, warrior. I was merely controlled by that ‘demon.’ But now, as I finally leave the world of the living, I have attained complete freedom, heh heh. To gain freedom rather than bondage through the end of life—what an ironic existence I’ve led.]

“……”

[Warrior who has liberated my soul from its unfree existence. Please defeat that demon. You are capable of it.]

“Why are you giving me unnecessary pressure when you’re about to leave?”

[Heh heh, pressure? You wouldn’t feel such things. Wise warrior, unlike your appearance.]

“…Is this guy for real?”

[Ahaha! May victory be yours.]

Rustle…

With that hearty laugh, the Celestial Bull, Gugalanna, completely incinerated and disappeared.

As if thoroughly relieved.

Watching until the end, Ihan…

“…That guy really left me with unnecessary pressure, didn’t he?”

He shrugged while looking at the massive bull horn left in his hand, then descended from the “mountain.”

…A mountain made of 30,000 demonic beast corpses.