Ch.344114. If That’s the Case, I Hate It Too!

The enemy was pressing in from both flanks, curving around our forces.

At this rate, we’d be completely surrounded in no time.

Even if the knights who had attacked our rear managed to perform well, the situation had deteriorated to the point where attempting to break through in any direction would likely sweep away our own forces as well.

Seeing this, the two knight commanders began driving the enemy back, sweeping across their surface rather than attempting to penetrate through them.

Günter’s rebel forces had positioned themselves tightly against our center, pinning it in place.

This was possible because they had clustered together, pressing shoulder to shoulder, back to chest, making it difficult to estimate their numbers.

For ordinary soldiers, such tactics would have been a fatal mistake, causing their formation to collapse under the pressure.

But Günter had quickly discerned that his forces had the strength to endure.

‘If observed hastily from the air, their exact numbers wouldn’t have been clear.’

That’s why he had used spirit mages to keep the aerial units at bay.

In any case, as soon as our rear knights pressed forward, the enemy quickly retreated to their rear, raising small stockades and long weapons they had prepared in advance. Even a cavalry unit would hesitate to charge recklessly against such defenses.

Of course, if it had been the Empire’s knights, they would have charged forward regardless, driving their lances through the obstacles.

They were human weapons, thoroughly trained to perform on horseback even better than they did on foot.

However, Lutania’s versatile knights were actually more effective on foot than on horseback.

Still, even though their charge had been blocked, Lutania’s knights didn’t hesitate. The moment they stopped before the enemy, they hurled small javelins and throwing axes, inflicting considerable damage on some of the responding forces.

Then they spurred their warhorses again, turning to tighten around both flanks from the rear.

If our forces were compressed into a circle like a bent bow in this brief confrontation, there was a high risk that the surrounded troops would be massacred if the balance broke.

To prevent this and secure victory, the two knight commanders quickly exchanged glances to coordinate their strategy.

Günter’s preparation of hiding barriers in parts of the central area’s ground had proven somewhat effective.

However, this only applied to the central area. Expanding it further would have risked creating suspicion.

‘One should not desire what one cannot have, but be content with what one has obtained.’

If only I had tried harder then, if only I had exerted myself a little more.

Such thoughts are mere delusions.

If that were the case, I should have done better from the start.

That’s how everything in life works.

“Lord Günter. I believe we can summon them using grand sorcery at any time.”

“Execute it immediately.”

At that same moment.

With Iriel joining the center, their morale was boosted by her contribution, and the previously retreating center began pushing back. Suddenly, the rebel formation began to dangerously split apart.

Then:

“We’ve broken through!”

Ahead lay only our forces—!

Or rather, nothing but open air and ground!

“Reverse! Stop advancing!”

The soldiers watching Iriel’s command skillfully opened a path, creating distance between themselves.

The fact that they could manage this amid such chaos proved they were indeed well-trained elites.

“Lord Ibern! Please continue commanding to surround both flanks!”

“But Your Highness?!”

“No time to explain! Move now!”

This wasn’t part of the plan, but Iriel’s instinct had warned her.

If they didn’t stay alert now, it would be the end.

And it seemed she wasn’t the only one feeling this unease…

“Hey! Something’s not right! The magical energy is flowing backward around this area!”

“Magical energy?”

Iriel’s group had reached the barriers that the rebels had installed to prepare for a rear attack.

Circling around these barriers, Iriel spotted Günter in the distance and immediately moved to close the gap.

‘What is he doing…’

Suddenly, the sky darkened, and crimson flames began to rise from a specific area.

These blood-red flames soon formed a pit of fire and rose as a pillar, creating what appeared to be a new gateway or door, revealing a crimson body with sharp, dark claws.

-Finally! Finally! I have descended upon this land once more!

The crimson body raised its head high, its massive frame making those mounted on their warhorses feel like children in comparison. The giant figure exuded a threatening aura as it looked down at them with blood-red eyes and licked its yellow tongue.

-Lutania! Remnants of these cursed trash! From today, you shall have nowhere to breathe.

Only!

-Your eternal resting place shall be a grave of bones and rotting flesh! I will make this land your cemetery and tomb!

A pitch-black axe materialized in the giant’s hand, spewing cracked thorns as it swept across the ground.

The timing was impeccable.

This crisis unfolded right before Iriel’s eyes as she rushed forward, and now an offensive was being launched.

“?!”

In that moment, Eileen responded the fastest.

KUUUNG!

Her blessed iron staff collided head-on with the pitch-black axe that was several times larger and heavier.

In a normal collision, anyone facing the demon would have been torn to pieces by the axe blade and the thorns densely arranged around it.

Yet despite her small frame, Eileen somehow managed to receive the strike.

“Ugh!”

Unable to fully absorb the impact, she deftly swung her staff to divert the path of the strike, scattering its force.

As a result:

KWADADANG!

The trailing edge of the strike drove a shockwave that, along with crimson flames, began burning and tearing up the plains.

Iriel’s head rang at the sight, her eyes widening in shock.

‘This isn’t just a mindlessly large weapon?!’

If that had been directed at them, the aftermath of the impact would have engulfed them like hellfire.

“Everyone fall back!”

Iriel shouted.

“Hey! I’ll handle this, so go reunite with your brother over there!”

At Eileen’s words, Iriel momentarily froze.

‘That’s…’

Their gazes briefly crossed.

And Iriel didn’t hesitate.

This wasn’t the first time they’d faced such a situation.

In the end, she had to trust and leave it to her.

“Even if few in number! All who can move, follow me!”

Some royal guards, escort knights, and the original party members except for Venus and Eileen, who was now facing the demon, immediately followed behind Iriel as she dashed around.

-How dare these wretches turn away in the presence of me!

THWACK!

-ARGHHHH!

“How dare YOU look away! Didn’t anyone teach you that ignoring a lady gets you hit?”

Despite not hitting with her full strength, the giant demon howled in pain.

-You insolent little creature! How dare you!

As it was running its mouth, it received another blow to the jaw.

“Is talking trash free or something?”

Taunting the demon, Eileen quickly slipped into its blind spot, easily avoiding the follow-up attack.

However, the horse she had been riding had dismounted just before the clash with the demon, fleeing in terror.

Only those who had managed to stay steady had followed Iriel, meaning that if anyone here made a wrong move and fell or was injured, they would quickly meet a gruesome end.

‘Still, it’s fortunate.’

At least this wasn’t happening in the middle of the battlefield.

If that enormous being had appeared in the center of the fighting, both sides would have suffered devastating casualties.

Beyond the demon’s size and power, the murderous intent and unique aura that stimulated fear was enough to make even the most well-trained soldiers and warriors feel their hearts sink.

‘Even so… there were plenty of things more impressive than this back home.’

In the Seven Peaks Mountains, there were many monsters greater and more enormous than this one.

Having been indirectly exposed to such beings since childhood, Eileen didn’t find this giant demon particularly impressive.

‘Really, if it weren’t for me, this would have been a disaster.’

In other words, Eileen herself was the variable.

“Well then, let’s see how impressive this demon really is—”

Moreover, since following Iriel and encountering sealed demons, Eileen had become somewhat accustomed to demons.

Thanks to Venus, they had managed to get by during their journey, but there had been moments when they had to face sealed demons in Venus’s absence, not to mention the persistent minions and followers of those demons.

As she steeled her resolve and was about to grip her iron staff with both hands:

KWAJIK!

-?

Suddenly, a black trajectory connected directly above the giant demon.

Starting from the crown of its head, small black dots gradually gathered and merged, forming a small line.

-What?

With what could be called a mutter or death rattle—though it was too crude and questioning to be considered either—

KWAJIK!

The giant was split in half.

Soon, the split giant turned into black debris and disappeared like ashes scattered in the wind.

“…Huh?”

What just happened?

While Eileen stood dumbfounded,

a pitch-black sword, emanating an ominous aura, was now embedded in the ground.

“…”

This, yes. It’s something I’ve seen before.

Not that strange sword, but.

The black trajectory that just appeared, and the aftermath it created…

It felt strangely familiar.

“Canus Dimidium?”

A cross-section pulled in by the black trajectory.

That dotted line signifying absolute severance.

Venus had mentioned that he too had been inspired by his father to learn the secret of cutting through enemies and objects at a distance, honing it until he could use it as naturally as breathing.

But what he used was only a fragment, a partial version.

It was only because Venus himself was so formidable that even that much proved useful.

But this, what just unfolded before her eyes.

This was the true completed form he had been striving to achieve.

And if one had to name someone who could wield this as easily as breathing…

“Still causing a commotion wherever you go, I see.”

Step.

“Wait, why are YOU here?”

As the young man draped in a red curtain narrowed his amber eyes, Eileen greeted him with a hollow laugh.

“Cael? Is that really you?”

“Who else would it be.”

As he once again shouldered the pitch-black sword that had been embedded in the ground:

“Hey, why are you here? Don’t tell me… you’ve sided with that prince?”

“Haah.”

Cael sighed deeply.

Wondering what on earth was going on.

However:

“It’s complicated to explain, so for now, just stay here.”

“What are you saying? Iriel went that way! There aren’t many of them, and if I don’t join them right away…”

“By the way, shall we see how much you’ve grown?”

“…Hey. Is that how you talk to your older sister?”

“…”

Wait, is he serious?

Eileen tensed up involuntarily at Cael’s indifferent expression.

“Are you really… going to do this?”

“Do we need words?”

The pitch-black sword that had disappeared formed again in Cael’s hand, as if being sucked into it.

‘…This is bad.’

Is he really serious?

And why now, of all times and places?!