Ch.30Blade Wind War (3)

Whoosh-

A different plain in the north where the same wind blows.

Durin was looking down at the collapsed castle from a high point. The castle, which had maximized its defenses against holy power to fight angels, was ironically weak against demonic energy. The moment they turned the spear tip in the opposite direction, the consequences they had overlooked became reality.

“I heard rumors that the first Demon King designed it that way with rebellion in mind, but it’s fascinating to actually see it.”

A sorceress full of mirth approached his side. Her armor, suited for the cold north, fluttered in the wind. With her fur hat pressed down over her white hair, she savored the scene she had created.

“Two more times, was it? Or three?”

“We just need to erase two more castles. Ludmila.”

“Hmm~ I can still enjoy this a bit more.”

A sadistic pleasure enveloped her. Instead of staring at the night sky in boredom, she breathed the outside air and unleashed her long-hidden instincts, making her already red eyes burn even more intensely.

“I’ll give you a more spectacular example, just as you want. No need to hold back, right?”

“Unleash your full power. Unlike the barbarians, they will resist strongly. We must crush even their will.”

“That’s not difficult. It’s actually my specialty.”

Hehe. Ludmila rejoiced. She walked gracefully forward, stopping only when she reached the edge of the cliff. Her red eyes were fixed on something within the ruins.

She waved her hand.

“Initiating sorcery. I’ll remove two more fortresses nearby.”

The command, spoken almost to herself, rode on black demonic energy. It spread throughout the world with the northern cutting wind. A low murmur that not even an echo could hear.

But the response made a butterfly’s wing beat seem trivial.

Rumble-

The ground shook. It was a signal that a new spell was beginning. The crimson demonic energy, usually used for teleportation and other conveniences, was now moving to kill. It spread murderous intent throughout the world.

Ludmila embraced the choking energy. She trembled slightly as she slowly raised her arms.

It was an action filled with nothing but ecstasy, neither pain nor struggle.

“The Regent has permitted it! Blow everything up!”

A suppressed cry burst forth. The red energy erupting from her arms exploded outward. Demonic energy spread across the world like paint splattered on the hazy sky.

Simultaneously, the air condensed. Space seemed to twist as if trying to devour everything.

It was just a moment, but time seemed to stop. And in the very next instant.

BOOM-!

A massive explosion occurred. A huge beam of light pierced down from the sky. Demonic energy poured onto the ground as pure mass. Along with it came thick murderous intent, like a spear thrust into a god’s belly.

“Haaah… This is the feeling.”

Ludmila’s body trembled. The demonic energy leaving her body decreased exponentially. As more power drained from her, her breathing became increasingly ragged.

Before long, she collapsed to the ground.

“Did you see? How was it…?”

She turned around, showing a flushed smile of satisfaction. She felt immense contentment in the midst of a scene that defied the laws of the world.

Durin approached her and extended his hand.

“Get up. We’re moving to the next battlefield. We have no time to waste here.”

“Tsk. You’re such a boring demon, Durin. Sometimes you should enjoy yourself like a proper demon.”

“War has always been like this for me. This time is no different.”

“That sense of duty of yours is too heavy.”

“Because I must end an era.”

“That’s why I’m cooperating with you. To finish the job quickly.”

Ludmila grasped his hand. She tightly held his hard gauntlet as she rose to her feet. Her legs were shaking too much to stand properly, but Durin’s shoulder supported her.

“The next opponent won’t be easy. Are you prepared?”

The sorceress asked. Durin answered as he slowly moved forward.

“I always am.”

“The current pretext of cleaning up the warlords won’t work anymore. This level of military power would frighten not just the continent but anyone anywhere.”

“I wish they would tremble a bit more.”

“There’s probably already an uproar. The lights in the council chamber might be on day and night.”

The side effects of the spell seemed to have subsided as Ludmila patted the Regent’s shoulder. It meant she could stand on her own.

“Of course, great anger will follow once their discussions end… but you’ll handle it well. Good luck with that.”

Ludmila said as she strode away. Her footsteps were light as she descended the snow-covered mountain path.

Whooom-

At the same time, the stream of magical power pouring down ceased. In the silence that followed the world-shaking waves, Durin turned around. All that remained on the scorched earth was the undead army that the castle had brought.

The black horde began to advance toward the broken ruins. They stretched out their jaws to find any survivors. Soon they would bring back the remaining heads.

“Verdia.”

“At your command, Your Excellency.”

Turning his gaze from the battlefield heading toward its end, Durin called for the southern warrior. Verdia knelt to receive his words.

“Release the warriors to collect corpses from the remaining settlements and ruins.”

“Do you plan to feed them to the beasts again, sir?”

“I will scatter them all over the castle that is still resisting. Even incomplete body parts will do.”

“Your Excellency. I will follow your orders.”

Verdia rose enthusiastically and descended with quick steps.

It was time for the southern warriors he had been training to enter the battlefield for the first time. The appearance of a legion with demon horns, not undead, was the first in almost 50 years. Since the Black Army, there had been no proper legion, only barely enough Durahan to guard the inadequate Demon King.

“I need to acquire beasts to complete the legion…”

Beast cavalry.

The representative military unit of the northern tribes and the force most lacking in the current Demon King’s castle. Not just quantity beasts, but high-class units capable of directly challenging celestial knights were needed.

“I must hurry to replenish them before awakening those.”

Having reminded himself of his goal once more, Durin began to follow the path where Verdia had disappeared.

#

The emergence of sorcery forces.

Ludmila, the supreme sorceress who had not moved since the Celestial War 500 years ago, appeared on the battlefield. The change in image brought by the long years had turned them into mere prophets counting stars, so the northern borderlands had never considered this possibility.

“Damn it! What’s this about a sorceress when it’s not even the Celestial Choir descending! Shouldn’t they be guarding the castle?”

“The Red Horn warlords have gathered for the Demon King selection, so at least tens of thousands of troops are stationed in the central continent.”

“…So even if the castle’s main force left their posts, there would be more than enough troops to buy time.”

Lamenting was useless.

The bulwark against Heaven. That nickname offered no help. Those who had expected to lay siege for a couple of months and then propose a reasonable compromise were subjected to merciless suppression.

The sorcery forces led by Ludmila left not a blade of grass wherever they passed. They reduced everything to dust, seemingly unconcerned about the angel garrisons on the northwest front.

This shocked the borderlands. Unlike the southern barbarians, they had never imagined that they, protected by walls, would collapse so easily.

They were still slowly destroying areas closer to the center, but it wouldn’t be long. The Blue Horn southern warriors roamed the north, brutally destroying the remaining settlements that had tried to quietly avoid trouble.

“These are barbarians too! Show no mercy! The Regent has commanded not to hesitate in dealing with rebellion!”

Villages without walls were easy prey. The southern forces, specialized in plunder, poured in like a flood, turning farmland into barren wasteland in an instant. Burning houses scattered as black smoke in the sky, and ashes were all that remained to remember what had once been there.

The price of rebellion was severe.

Following Durin’s orders, severed heads and ownerless bodies were not trophies but waste. They would all be scattered on the walls of castles that had not yet had their turn.

So that the separate limbs and heads would always watch over the traitors.

“Morale is dropping more and more. Wouldn’t it be better to surrender?”

“The Great Warrior hasn’t even arrived yet. It’s still early. We need to hold out a bit longer.”

“How can we face sorcery forces? We cannot resist!”

“They can’t use such large-scale sorcery again so soon. We need to find a way to buy time before then.”

The rebel leadership gathered to put their heads together. The only force they had that could be considered superior to the Demon King’s army was their mobile beast forces. Though inferior compared to the northern nomadic cavalry, they still had many heavy cavalry that had adopted the knightly culture unique to the Demon King’s castle.

They needed to plan a decisive battle using these forces.

“But how do we penetrate that thick wall of Durahan? If we charge, our knights will just all die.”

“That’s true.”

A gloomy atmosphere settled. There seemed to be no breakthrough.

If things continued like this, they would wither away. They might end up not even fighting a proper battle, with morale crumbling and their leaders’ heads being handed over intact.

“We also need to worry about the Duke’s army from the northeast, but the enemy right in front of us has a sword at our throat, so there’s no answer.”

They were slowly sinking into a pit.

#

“Your father’s forces have also advanced this time?”

“It seems he wants to firmly establish the northeast as his territory while the northern Great Warrior is moving south.”

“Those who distinguish themselves in this war will all go there. It will be a good opportunity to seize military power, so many will volunteer.”

“That’s not what’s important, young lady.”

The elderly secretary Alberto advised his still young master.

“What’s important is that the northern Great Warrior has moved south. That’s exactly the direction we’re heading.”

“Hmm? Why is that a problem?”

“Young lady, confidence is certainly good, but you mustn’t get too far ahead. The northern Great Warrior’s army is powerful, not an opponent our eastern army can handle carelessly.”

“Isn’t he Durin’s opponent anyway? We’re just an army coming up to eat the leftovers, aren’t we?”

“They are cavalry.”

Alberto pointed around him. His finger reached to the horizon in every direction.

“An army of Durahan and southern warriors is certainly powerful. With sorcery forces added this time, they’re at a level the north cannot match. But cavalry is fast. They’re agile beyond what infantry can handle.”

“I haven’t met them yet, so I can’t gauge them.”

“They could bypass the Regent’s army and move south. Don’t underestimate their abilities.”

“Hmm…”

Serphin wore an expression of incomprehension. In her mind, cavalry meant knights. A formidable force that could crush infantry in one go. But that was only possible under certain conditions.

“Don’t we have nearly seven thousand troops following us now? All of them solid infantry in heavy armor.”

“Young lady, we are weak compared to the Demon King’s army. We will be easily swayed.”

“That’s precisely why we’re taking a relatively safe path. If we join the Regent’s forces, we can ensure our safety.”

“That may not be the case.”

The old secretary couldn’t let go of his worry. He pleaded with his young master once more.

“Wait for the Regent’s judgment. After his army clashes with the Great Warrior first and is somewhat depleted, then we can…”

“Alberto.”

But the old demon’s voice couldn’t continue. Serphin cut him off with a stern voice.

“I will become king. Should I run away because I’m afraid of such trials?”

She declared firmly. She was dreaming of the scenes from the chronicles of past Demon Kings.

“We will crush the Great Warrior together with the Regent’s forces. And I will claim the throne with recognition and dignity.”

“…”

“If I achieve such merit, won’t everyone acknowledge me?”

Her will was too strong. So strong that Alberto couldn’t dare open his mouth. The subtle demonic energy of dominance surrounding her also played a part in weighing him down.

“So watch me. Watch as I seize power with my own hands.”

In the end, he couldn’t stop her.

He could only watch as Eastria proudly led her army forward.

Inwardly praying that the approaching storm would not be too great.