Ch.499The Greatsword and the Arrow

As Haschal’s group was guiding the Eternal Ascension Diagram toward ascension, their companions on the wall were turning the heretics’ residence into hell.

*Thwack!*

A heretic running through the street had his lower body torn to shreds by an arrow carrying a whirlwind. The steel armor was penetrated effortlessly, and the flesh inside was ground up like an apple thrown into a blender.

The rain of arrows was more like artillery bombardment than sniping. Standing atop the wall, Millia looked down at the city that had become no different from a “Kobold” ranch, hunting every Kobold in sight. She fired her arrows with contempt and disgust.

Men who managed to climb up the wall while desperately dodging arrows met the same fate as the heretics in the streets.

“Finally caught you! You damn arch—?!”

“That’s rather rude.”

*Crash!*

Demian’s greatsword crushed the heretic’s body, armor and all, cutting him in half.

The iron mass was as long and heavy as an adult man. Everything the blade touched shattered into fragments whenever Demian swung it.

Unless they were powerful monsters with strength beyond Master level, the attacks were not something mere knight-level heretics could withstand.

“Aaaaargh!”

“What is this monster?!”

Though it hadn’t been highlighted much since he was beaten daily by Haschal, Demian was also a Master-level knight with genius talent.

Thanks to numerous “duels” and intense real combat, his skills had been rising steeply day by day, and he had already reached a level that could be counted among the top Masters.

“Fall back! Turn around and attack! Push that archer woman inside the wall!”

Realizing they couldn’t even block his attacks, let alone win, the heretics tried to bypass Demian and target Millia directly.

Judging by the power of her arrows that pulverized the ground, she was undoubtedly skilled as well, but they thought she might be easier to handle than Demian since she appeared to be a slender girl.

If they could somehow make her fall into the city, she would obviously end up brainwashed by the Lust Formation and reduced to a prostitute.

However, the opposite side of Demian was equally dangerous.

“Lord Demian, it’s getting difficult with more than ten coming over…!”

“Sorry. Please handle it!”

“I said it’s difficult!”

Despite her grumbling complaints, Hush shot daggers through the eyes of two heretics and used wire from her wrist to wrap around another one’s neck and sever it.

The neck, stripped of everything but bone, had its larynx split open, spraying blood that stained her face dark red.

The swarming heretics were pushed back by just one person and one black person, piling up corpses on the wall without even touching Millia.

—-

After fighting for about ten minutes, when the corpses pushed down from the wall had formed pools of blood, Hush retrieved her thrown daggers from the bodies and wiped the blood from her face.

A tired sigh escaped between her parted lips. Unlike Millia and Demian who had reached the realm of Masters, she was merely a knight with quick movements.

While she might fare better fighting in a dark interior, the open wall in broad daylight was not a place where her specialties could shine.

“Sh-shouldn’t we retreat soon? Or at least change positions. If we keep fighting here and high-ranking officials show up…”

Hush cautiously suggested a retreat. Though she wasn’t anxious enough to feel her life was in danger yet, it was unsettling that the enemies coming at them were getting stronger.

The fact that they were fighting on the wall must have reached the ears of officials like Eljur or Valkers. Hush didn’t know how many Master-level fighters were among the heretics, but honestly, she wasn’t confident they could hold out if four or more came to the wall.

“Hmm… Hush has a point. What do you think, Millia?”

“That would be better. I’m running low on arrows too. Let’s retreat for now, though it’s a shame.”

Demian and Millia agreed with Hush’s opinion. They weren’t tired yet, but having achieved sufficient results, there was no need to push themselves.

Thanks to hunting “Kobolds” without rest, the quivers they had lined up on the wall were now empty.

She had maybe forty arrows left at most. Even if she had killed one person per arrow, Millia alone had taken down nearly four hundred. She had certainly made good use of the distance advantage.

With their agreement, there was no reason to hesitate further, so they gripped daggers in both hands and headed toward the edge of the wall.

Though not as high as the Wall of Berengaria, it was still too high to jump down recklessly. They planned to climb down the wall using daggers as picks.

“My, leaving so soon?”

If only that seductive voice hadn’t stopped them.

‘That voice, could it be…!’

Hush turned her head in shock toward the source of the voice.

In the direction she looked, the empty space on the wall rippled, and three heretics appeared as if a curtain concealing a stage had been drawn back.

Illusion magic. Hush’s instincts finally began to scream. But it was already too late to escape.

“Valkers was right. He said if anyone attacked with a single carriage, it would most likely be Aishan-Gioro.”

“El…jur…!”

“Hmm? You know me…? Even the Five Swords shouldn’t know my identity… How did you know?”

Hush gritted her teeth while sweating profusely.

Heretic Eljur. Kist Amon. And an unidentified middle-aged man.

Opponents she never wanted to face had reached this place, thoroughly concealing their appearance and presence!

“Jump down!”

Demian shouted urgently, embracing Millia and leaping.

The two fell toward the bottom of the wall. His greatsword dug into the wall, carving a long gash. A levitation spell fueled by gathered mana supported their weight, slowing their fall.

“What about me?!”

Hush shouted in panic, forgetting her formal speech. From Demian’s perspective, it was natural to protect his lover first, and Hush herself could climb down the wall without his help, but…

Still, being left behind like that made her feel like a lizard’s discarded tail.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

The middle-aged man threw himself over the wall, chasing after Demian. His back bulged, and a monstrous arm protruded.

A long forearm like dozens of human arms melted together. The claws at the fingertips scraped the wall, showering stone dust.

“Quick judgment… Are those the famous subordinates of Median? ‘Wingless’ Demian, ‘Imela’s Arrow’ Millia… Unpleasant nicknames no matter when I hear them.”

Eljur frowned as she looked down at the three falling people while scraping the wall. She showed no interest in Hush. Grateful for her arrogance and indifference, Hush quickly leaped from the wall.

Regardless, Eljur didn’t even look in Hush’s direction. She simply looked down at Demian and Millia, spreading levitation magic to descend.

There was no reason for her to care about a mere underling who wasn’t even a Master. Though it was somewhat surprising that she knew her identity.

Of course, Eljur’s close associate, Kist, thought differently. He was furious that a traitor had emerged from among the Five Swords members he had recruited.

As if to substitute for Eljur’s lack of interest in Hush, Kist drew out his clawed gauntlets and leaped after the half-black half-demon who had betrayed the Council of Dream Utopia.

—-

‘I was just waiting for the Saulite Holy Corps to arrive, but of all people, Aishan-Gioro had to come. A monster that’s nothing short of a walking disaster.’

While slowly descending toward the ground, Eljur sighed inwardly.

Haschal Median Aishan-Gioro.

The Empire’s strongest warrior and the first Hero of the current era.

An opponent better fled from than fought against. Without a single exception, those who opposed her were slaughtered so thoroughly that not even their corpses remained intact.

Moreover, seeing her rampaging inside the Lust Formation, Lacy Stardolf must be with her too, and according to her subordinates’ reports, an Astraea Paladin was also accompanying them.

She could well guess the identity. As far as she knew, there was only one Paladin who would be traveling with Haschal at this point.

‘High Inquisitor, Ceylon of Golden Seal…’

For Eljur, he was an even more troublesome opponent than Haschal.

Astraea’s miracles were devastatingly effective against ones like her, and unlike warriors who could only swing swords, Paladins were equipped with close combat, ranged attacks, healing, and defense.

‘Direyd must be considered dead. Such bad luck.’

In Eljur’s judgment, with both Haschal and Ceylon attacking simultaneously, there was no way for him to survive. Though he had gained tremendous power by grafting monster flesh, his opponents were experts in slaughtering such monsters.

In a way, it was fortunate. If Aishan-Gioro’s carriage had targeted the Saulite Cathedral instead of the Imela Cathedral, Eljur herself would now be torn apart horribly instead of Direyd.

*Crash!*

An explosion shook the ground. Demian’s greatsword and the middle-aged man’s halberd collided, sending shockwaves, and the monstrous arm protruding from the man’s back struck the earth.

Millia, who had retreated backward immediately after landing, drew her bowstring and fired an arrow at Eljur, who was slowly descending while looking down at her and Demian with cold eyes.

*Rumble!*

A Master’s arrow carrying a vortex. Eljur shot out a whirlwind rotating in the opposite direction of the approaching arrow, neutralizing Millia’s arrow as she touched down on the ground.

‘Valkers just asked me to buy some time… but two separated Masters? I can’t miss such a good opportunity.’

Looking at Millia as she nocked another arrow, Eljur spread her arms wide and gathered her mana to the fullest.

Imela’s Arrow, Millia.

Though she heard the girl wasn’t a follower of the Imela Church, she intended to pay special attention to her since she bore Imela’s name.

Like the Paladins and nuns writhing under livestock in the Imela Cathedral that must be burning by now.

How ridiculous the Paladins looked, mixing tongues with livestock and shaking their hips. Just thinking about it made her chest burn with excitement and a smile leak out.

“Now. Dance like insects and die like dogs. A corpse and a bitch. What a lovely gift to leave for Aishan-Gioro!”

The high-level magic Eljur unleashed brilliantly flashed across the void.