Ch.712How Am I Supposed to Stop That?

The Revival of the Earth Dragon. All forces of the Imperial Territory were mobilized to respond to this unprecedented emergency.

The entire Royal Guard led by Yug Percival.

The newly formed 1st Corps and Imperial Knights responsible for territorial defense.

Imperial Archmage Floheta and four high-ranking mages.

The Holy Corps and Paladins who remained in the territory, along with Archbishop Lacy.

In addition, noble families’ personal knights including Épée de Ciel of Marquis Median. Literally every force the Empire could muster had been called upon.

“…Is this all we have?”

“Those who were dispatched to subjugate monsters haven’t returned yet…”

Of course, the numbers weren’t that impressive to begin with.

It couldn’t be helped.

If they had stationed large forces within the territory in preparation for the earth dragon’s revival—which had seemed like grasping at clouds—the Empire would have been half-ruined by monsters appearing throughout the realm before the dragon even became an issue.

“Elpinel, protect us…”

Leopold sighed quietly as he gazed at the massive monster that had broken through the earth and emerged.

Could they really stop that thing with their current forces? No, even if they managed to stop it, how great a loss would they have to bear? The mere thought made his head spin.

‘Before the war with the Ka’har has even ended…’

Let’s say they could accept the revival of the Earth Dragon since they had received warnings about its possibility. But why now of all times?

Haschal, Frederick, and the Empire’s 3rd Corps. The Empire’s strongest assets had been deployed to the eastern war, leaving the territory’s forces weaker than ever before—and now this monster appears.

From Leopold’s perspective, it seemed as if all the gods had unanimously cursed him.

‘Heavenly gods, what have I done so wrong? You know I’ve done my best.’

His remaining hair strands, unable to withstand the pressure, bid their final farewell. His head was now literally radiant in its baldness.

Of course, no answer came from the gods. They must have been sleeping, as always.

‘…How long will you remain silent? Until all who serve you return to dust? And you still call yourselves gods?’

A sense of resentful injustice and hopeless despair weighed heavily on his mind.

Leopold clenched his teeth until they nearly shattered, looked up at the sky to vent his resentment toward the unresponsive gods, then lowered his head to address the subjects kneeling behind him.

“…Position archers on the walls and prepare the dragon-slaying crossbows. I will join the soldiers there as well.”

Leopold decided to leave the palace and join the defensive forces stationed on the walls.

Against that monster, the palace wouldn’t even serve as a shield. It seemed better to show himself to the soldiers to boost their morale, even if just a little.

“What are you saying?! It’s dangerous! You should evacuate beyond the territory!”

“Impossible. If I abandon the territory and flee, the soldiers will try to follow me. That would only increase casualties.”

The courtiers, who had been dazed by the dragon’s appearance, seemed to regain their senses and vehemently opposed his decision, but Leopold’s resolve remained unchanged.

If he abandoned the territory and fled, their already slim chances of victory would drop to nearly zero.

Fighting was the only option.

Would a monster that enormous—with wings, no less—simply let fleeing people escape?

If they couldn’t hold back or subjugate the earth dragon here, those who hadn’t yet escaped the territory and those desperately fleeing beyond the walls would all clearly perish.

They had no choice but to fight. This world showed no mercy to those who ceased to struggle.

—-

The commanders of each force established battle formations at the fastest speed of their lives upon confirming the dragon’s appearance.

Though it seemed unlikely that human attacks would be effective against such a monster, they couldn’t simply surrender with open arms.

“Form ranks! Move as if facing a large monster!”

While regular infantry focused on evacuating civilians, dragon-slaying crossbow operators and longbowmen were positioned around the walls, and the holy knights and knights widely surrounded the earth dragon.

The mages from the tower and battle priests from the Holy Corps took positions behind the knights, drawing upon their powers to prepare a barrage of magic and miracles. Their five-colored radiance illuminated the streets.

“…We’re supposed to stop this thing?”

Even their faces, pale and rigid like soulless dolls.

—-

While forces below master level surrounded the earth dragon in layers, the core forces—those at master level and above—advanced to the front to approach the dragon.

Their faces were pale as well.

The earth dragon, howling toward the sky, exuded such overwhelming pressure that unless one was a hero who had transcended the wall, even masters wouldn’t dare think of confronting it.

However, the territory had no one else to face the dragon.

The fairy guardian and saint, comparable to heroic realm. These two, a man and a woman who stood before the wall, along with just nine master-level forces. This was the total strength the territory could mobilize.

“So… how do we take this thing down? Anything would help—some plausible strategy?”

Demian, the strongest swordsman of the Épée de Ciel—the Thousand Swords—asked, looking around at the others.

Whether due to the talent that Haschal had highly evaluated or his experience subjugating monsters, Demian had reached the edge of mastery, but he was still one step short of crossing the wall to reach the heroic realm. The same went for the other two, Millia and Ophelia.

“Information about dragons is limited to unclear legends, and I even question whether ‘that’ can be called a dragon, so we’ll have to engage it first to see.”

Imperial Archmage Floheta answered while gathering vast amounts of mana. She too had reached a level similar to Demian’s.

She had been too busy with research lately to aim for higher realms.

“…Can we win?”

“We will win. Elpinel is watching over us… and honestly, the evil god I saw in the Holy State was more threatening.”

Lacy reassured Millia, who had expressed anxiety.

The revived earth dragon was so enormous that the arm of the evil god that had descended upon Arvil seemed like a child in comparison, but the power and pressure contained within the evil god’s arm had been more ominous and intense.

It meant that while terrifyingly threatening, it wasn’t quite the unstoppable calamity like the earth dragon of ancient legends. At least, that’s how Lacy saw it.

‘…Either the old legends were exaggerated, or something went wrong because it died and was revived.’

Of course, that didn’t mean they could relax.

It was Haschal, not them, who had defeated the evil god’s arm, and even Haschal had barely achieved a victory that nearly cost him his life.

That victory was a miracle, and Haschal’s subsequent awakening was also the result of heavenly fortune.

Would such miracles and luck accompany them as well?

Even Lacy couldn’t be certain of that. She could only believe that Elpinel would protect them and lead the fight.

“…Right. Let’s observe its reactions from a distance first. Everyone, prepare.”

Ophelia spat out the mana herb she had been chewing and extended both arms forward.

While Floheta had the advantage in sheer mana quantity, Ophelia’s talent allowed her to implement magic slightly faster than Floheta.

Millia, composing herself after Lacy and Ophelia’s words, also raised her divine bow toward the growling earth dragon, emanating dense dark mana.

Lacy planted her cross spear into the ground and unleashed a series of miracles: a purification miracle to block dark mana, celestial protection to enhance allies’ physical abilities, and the embrace of grace for continuous healing.

A pillar of pure white holy light erupted and descended as a curtain of light.

【Krrrrrrr….】

Perhaps disturbed by the light, the earth dragon, which had only been howling since its appearance, turned its head to look at them. Eight emotionless eyes gleamed like glass beads.

“Here it comes!”

No sooner had Demian’s warning ended than—

【Kraaaaaaaaaaaa!】

The Earth Dragon Nidhogg roared and charged toward them, shattering everything its armored body touched.

The charge of its massive body filled their entire field of vision. It was like watching a mountain approach.

“Fire!”

The commanders’ shouts rang out from behind.

Fire and lightning, golden downpours and lightning spears—all manner of magic and miracles illuminated the world as they poured toward the earth dragon. The thunderous sound shook heaven and earth.

【Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!】

A roar filled with rage swept through like a gale.