The Black Duskroot 3

The jester Vanguard Commander, its artificial grin fixed like a mask, watched the skeleton deflecting its scythe.

Vyuskr’s empty eye sockets burned with azure flames more intense than ever before.

“You seem to have gathered some strength,” Doyun’s voice came from behind.

Vyuskr rattled his skull in response.

“I thought you wouldn’t be able to engage in this battle.”

Implying that the indiscriminate slaughter had provided enough deaths for him to manifest. The dragonkin Doyun had massacred and the Alliance casualties had all become Vyuskr’s power source.

“Uncle! Leave this to us and deal with the Black Duskroot…!”

Doyun and Vyuskr turned towards Brudhild, facing off against Lilith.

For the first time confronting a Vanguard Commander outside the Holy Stones’ barrier, Brudhild felt a sense of elation.

It was only natural, for his current words echoed what his uncle Hecleus had once shouted under the Black Duskroot’s canopy a hundred years ago, in an identical scenario:

‘Kuhahahahah! Go, Enoch! Leave this to us!’

‘…’

Back then, the silent Vyuskr and the boisterously laughing Hecleus had each engaged a Vanguard Commander while Enoch charged towards the massive tree trunk.

And now, Brudhild himself was assuming his father’s role from that time.

Despite the dire circumstances, Doyun could not help but smile wryly at the exhilarated expression on Brudhild’s face. Vyuskr, his featureless face nonetheless conveying profound emotion, stared intently at his son.

Quickly shaking off his reverie, Doyun asked Vyuskr:

“Can you unleash your full power?”

“No. Just slightly better than when we last sparred. But it will last a while.”

“…Is that all you can muster, even now?”

Despite such rampage, he could not exert his full might. Just how much power did it take to bring out his true self? Doyun was already growing weary of it.

However, it would suffice for engaging a single Vanguard Commander for now.

Still, Doyun’s gaze lingered briefly on Brudhild.

“Uncle! Let’s go!”

“…”

Among the Vanguard Commanders, Lilith was the weakest in one-on-one combat. Moreover, Brudhild had an advantageous matchup against her.

But even so, she was still a Vanguard Commander outside the Holy Stones’ barrier. In Doyun’s assessment, it was premature for Brudhild to engage her.

However, this was the battlefield. There was no leeway to accommodate individuals.

“…I’m counting on you.”

Ultimately, Doyun turned his back on the two of them.

Witnessing this, Lilith contorted her face in a venomous expression.

“Razvolnic!!”

As if reflecting her bitter tone, the jester snuck a glance at Doyun before attempting to summon a hidden clone to attack him.

But the moment the clone took its first step, its neck was already severed, springing away.

“…!”

The jester betrayed a hint of agitation despite its impassive expression.

Moreover, in the brief instant it had turned its attention to the clone, its own head had also fallen to the ground.

Puff!

The two decapitated jesters dissipated into smoke, and another jester took their original position behind Vyuskr.

However, as it prepared to throw its daggers, it could only halt its hand abruptly.

The skeleton had merely turned around, sword trailing, standing motionless.

Yet its back presented not even the slightest opening.

Creak. The skeleton slightly tilted its skull, fixing its gaze on the jester.

Not the rasping of bones, but the voice of a profound soul reverberated through the jester’s head.

[Come.]

Whoooosh!

The azure flames in its eye sockets flared menacingly.

“…”

The jester felt an illusion of its body freezing from the chilling flames.

For a long while, it could not muster the courage to make the first move.

+++

Having entrusted the rear to the father and son, Doyun ran with all his might, piercing through the Demon Lord’s ranks in a rapid breakthrough.

He drew the Cursed Demonic Spear from the void, gripping it without breaking his stride.

“Hup—!”

Fwooooosh—!

The cursed spear, thrown with maximum force, tore through the air in a furious charge.

The Cursed Demonic Spear scattered an ominous demonic aura along with its shockwave, and the dragonkin in its path burst apart even before the spearhead could reach them.

Instead of dust, a crimson mist trailed the spear’s trajectory – a grisly spectacle indeed.

Treating the dragonkin’s blood as a red carpet, Doyun continued his advance. There was no time to spare.

“Block him!!”

Although the soldiers obstructing Doyun’s path were blown apart by the curse, a barrage of spells, arrows, and spears rained down on him. The Demon Lord’s forces, growing desperate, concentrated their firepower on him without regard for friendly casualties.

Kaboooooom—!

Kaboooom!

Flames, frost, venom, lightning… explosions of diverse natures blanketed the wide area around him. It was an intense bombardment that should have proven fatal under normal circumstances.

But the Demon Lord’s faint hope was predictably betrayed.

Boom—!

Accompanied by the thunderous Conquering Leg Aura, the smoke ahead parted. Doyun emerged from the flames, unscathed, shooting forth like a bullet.

“Wh, What the?! How is he unharmed?!”

“Keep firing! Don’t stop firing until the very end!!”

Though explosions continued along his path and javelins and arrows struck him, Doyun did not react.

His Level 8 Toughness granted monstrous durability, complemented by the inherent magic resistance of his divine beast race and the [Iron Armor] Authority enabled by his exquisite mana control. His body was currently as sturdy as a Citadel Lord’s, if not more so.

Placing his faith in his formidable constitution, Doyun focused solely on his charge. Though his abilities shielded him, it was still an impressive display of dauntless courage.

‘Breaking through as swiftly as possible.’

Even at this very moment, his allies were being ravaged. With every passing instant, matters only worsened. Hence, Doyun could not afford even a momentary pause.

Around the time the spear embedded into the ground, he remotely recalled and resummoned the Cursed Demonic Spear to his hand, immediately throwing it again to continue clearing the path.

Kaboooooom!

Leaving a trail of blood in his wake, his every step kicked up a crimson mist. The barrage could not halt his advance.

However, penetrating the Demon Lord’s total war defenses was no simple feat.

Doyun raised his gaze.

Thud.

Accompanied by heavy footsteps, a massive ogre appeared before the incoming Cursed Demonic Spear. The soldiers hastily retreated lest they be trampled underfoot.

An ominous demonic aura swirled around the being gripping twin hammers as enormous as itself.

As the spear charged within striking distance, its mountain-like frame moved with unbelievable swiftness.

“Humph!”

Suddenly, the massive hammer was already descending towards the Cursed Demonic Spear, as if skipping the intermediate process – astonishing speed and reflexes.

Kaboooooooom—!!

A quake erupted, a crater gouging deeply into the surrounding area.

The hammer, enveloped in a thick demonic aura, had struck down the Cursed Demonic Spear – a divine armament potent enough to injure even Vanguard Commanders to some degree.

Without slowing, Doyun swiftly analyzed his opponent.

An elite whose strength did not stem from any vanguard or ability, but was solely specialized in individual combat prowess.

At that level… excluding the Vanguard Commanders, it was likely the most formidable Demon Lord force in sheer martial might.

‘Not to be underestimated.’

Or so it would have been, in the past.

Doyun charged straight ahead without reducing his speed. The ogre, bracing itself as if to prove its vaunted warrior reputation, watched Doyun approach without a hint of fear.

Its stance clearly telegraphed an incoming attack, just like before. But it was an unwavering, steadfast stance.

The moment their distance closed to striking range, akin to the Cursed Demonic Spear’s charge, the two warriors moved their weapons simultaneously.

Doyun’s sword arced towards the neck, the ogre’s hammer swung towards his head.

Fwooooosh—

Whoooosh!

Both attacks carried tremendous speed and force, as if streaking like a flash of light.

However, the hammer would strike first – the difference in reach due to its length.

Doyun had continued running forward even as he attacked, and his sword swing had been slightly delayed to account for this movement.

The hammer, several times larger than Doyun himself, descended like a falling meteor. The observing Alliance soldiers instinctively squeezed their eyes shut at the harrowing sight.

But Doyun did not attempt to evade until the very end.

Kaboooooooooom—!!

The hammer struck his crown in a direct overhead blow. The ground beneath Doyun’s feet caved in with a resounding boom, spider-web cracks radiating outward from the impact point.

Debris scattered in all directions, the shockwave sending dragonkin soldiers tumbling away. It was a destructive force akin to a meteor impact.

However, the very one who had delivered that devastating attack, the officer ‘Cruciform Sledgehammer,’ could only look on in shock.

“…!”

He sensed his hammer slowly rising upward, inch by inch.

From beneath that massive hammer, a pair of golden eyes flashed as they calmly gazed back at him.

“Im.”

It registered the golden sword aura streaking past its throat.

“possible…”

But it was already after its head had been severed.

Along with the cleaved hammer shaft resembling a severed head, the ogre’s decapitated, aghast visage flew through the air. An ignoble end unbefitting its martial prowess.

Doyun sheathed his sword, nonchalantly brushing aside the hammer above his head with his arm, as if it had not even struck him.

The entire exchange had transpired in an instant. Without ever breaking his stride, he continued moving his legs forward, taking another step. His foot struck the ground once more.

He then charged between the legs of the still-standing headless colossus, never faltering in his relentless advance.

“…Impossible.”

“What in the world…”

Witnessing Doyun’s monstrous, ruthless efficiency in his breakthrough, both armies could not help but be aghast.

Until now, Doyun had appeared weak, his true nature concealed. But presently, he was different.

For most here, this was their first glimpse of the entity known as Razvolnic on the battlefield.

Someone who had become an officer in this Demon Lord’s era muttered in an astonished voice:

“…So that’s the real ‘Warrior’ monster.”

The might they had only heard of through epic poems now made their bodies tremble upon witnessing it firsthand.

He was the Demon Lord’s nightmare.