Chapter 411

“Demons, you say?”

“That’s right.”

At Sigmund’s answer, the Saint’s eyes narrowed.

Because beings that should not have appeared had appeared.

The demons that had appeared in the world had definitely all died in the battle a thousand years ago.

But how.

“Are you certain?”

“Yes, they were beings undoubtedly similar to the records of demons described in the scriptures.”

“Such a thing…”

The Saint heavily closed and opened her eyes.

Because it was not a good omen.

Demons were dangerous beings.

How many heroes had lost their lives to those demons in the final battle?

In the end, they succeeded in killing them all, but they suffered painfully great losses.

“…It is my oversight. I didn’t expect it.”

“It cannot be helped. More importantly.”

Sigmund’s words continued.

“Do you know how to eliminate the demons?”

That was indeed the most important part.

Because the demons, with their tenacious vitality, were even more difficult to deal with.

“Of course, I know.”

The Saint’s eyes, as she answered, were those reminiscing about past events.

“That’s a relief.”

Sigmund’s complexion relaxed.

A feeling of relief also appeared on Sister Marianna’s face.

However, they couldn’t help but be bewildered by the Saint’s next words.

“But it won’t mean much.”

“Pardon? What do you mean, it won’t mean much…?”

“Because they are immortal until all their life force is depleted.”

“Immortal…?”

“Yes, so the only way to kill a demon is to wound them again and again, depleting all their life force.”

Only then did Sigmund and Marianna understand why they couldn’t kill the demons no matter how much they cut and stabbed them.

Because they were beings that would absolutely not die as long as their life force remained.

“I see. But it means they will die eventually. That’s enough.”

However, Sigmund was calm.

Because as long as he knew the method, he didn’t think it was impossible.

Until now, he had retreated moderately because he didn’t know how to kill them, but if he encountered them next time, he would fight with all his strength and surely kill them.

He would make it so.

“I will quickly inform everyone of that fact.”

Marianna also calmly tried to do her duty.

“Yes, please.”

At the Guardian Knights’ attitude, the Saint’s expression also relaxed.

At that moment.

An urgent voice was heard from outside.

“Enemies! The enemy’s main force has appeared!”

* * *

A large enemy army filling the front of the castle gate.

*Gulp.*

Someone swallowed nervously.

It wasn’t just one person.

Everyone had serious and tense expressions.

It couldn’t be helped.

Because there was nowhere left to retreat.

Life or death, everything depended on this battle.

“Prepare to fire!”

Guardian Knight Esron’s shout echoed.

He maintained his composure even in this situation.

It was a display showing why the Saint had entrusted him with the command of the defense of the Castle of Illusions, the final bastion.

The Holy Soldiers hurriedly nocked arrows to their bows.

Esron shouted again at them, who were extremely tense.

“Stay calm! Wait until the enemy is within range!”

An instruction not to waste unnecessary arrows.

And that cool-headed instruction calmed the Holy Soldiers’ tension.

The commander’s unwavering demeanor had influenced the Holy Soldiers.

It was then.

*KROOOOOOOAR!*

The giant let out an ear-splitting roar.

And it threw a large rock in an instant.

*WHOOOOOOSH!*

“H-Huuuuh?!”

“D-Dodge!”

Holy Soldiers terrified by the house-sized rock rushing towards them like an arrow.

“Everyone, stay calm! Hold your positions!”

Esron let out a lion’s roar, calming the Holy Soldiers.

Yet, the Holy Soldiers’ expressions were still filled with fear.

However.

*THWACK!*

The rock, which seemed about to turn the Holy Soldiers into bloody messes, was blocked by the defensive magic circle and couldn’t advance further.

Only then was the fear washed away from the Holy Soldiers’ faces.

“I-It’s blocked!”

“T-To block even that enormous rock…”

“I-Invincible! This castle’s defense is invincible!”

A surge of confidence bloomed on the Holy Soldiers’ faces.

It was a natural human emotion, stemming from the fact that there was an invincible barrier to rely on.

“Come at us if you dare, you bastards!”

“This castle will never fall!”

“We’ll defeat as many as you want!”

Soaring morale.

The Castle of Illusions, completely enveloped in that morale, looked impregnable.

* * *

“What an annoying castle.”

The messenger frowned.

The rock the giant had just thrown.

Its power was even greater than that of a catapult.

Yet, it hadn’t left even a scratch on the castle.

It was a defense that couldn’t help but be bothersome.

“If they could have breached it, the demons would have already done so.”

Natasha muttered.

The ten demons that had arrived before the main force.

Those demons, which had created fatal cracks in the enemy’s defense, were now also helplessly glaring at the castle.

Perhaps because they realized that they couldn’t do anything even with their own power.

“Please enlighten us with a method, Heavenly Lord.”

The messenger said, bowing his head to the Heavenly Lord.

Because he was convinced that only he, the great judge, would know how to break that castle.

That conviction was not wrong.

Because the one who had primarily constructed that castle’s defenses was the Great Sage, who was now absorbed as one with the Heavenly Lord.

-That castle’s defense is formidable. It absolutely cannot be destroyed by ordinary methods.

“If so…?”

-That is precisely why we brought the giant.

“Pardon?”

The messenger’s expression was one of incomprehension.

Because the reality was that the giant’s attack just moments ago had been futilely blocked.

-Hmph.

However, the Heavenly Lord immediately drew upon his power.

The power of ruin and calamity that only he, the judge, could wield.

An ominous black light enveloped the giant’s entire body.

*Kuuuuh?*

The bewildered giant.

But the giant’s massive body soon floated upwards.

Higher.

Even higher.

Endlessly into the sky.

* * *

A giant soaring into the sky.

There was no way the defenders wouldn’t see it.

Because it was such a colossal body.

“W-What?”

“Why into the sky…?”

“What on earth is happening?”

The Holy Soldiers looked flustered.

Doubt and bewilderment.

But only that.

No one felt anxiety or danger.

On the other hand.

The reaction of the students below was different.

“A-Annette.”

“Huh?”

“This way! Quickly!”

“Uh… Huh?”

Camian forcibly grabbed Annette, who was blinking her dazed eyes, and ran backwards.

An action as if he had sensed immense danger.

And it wasn’t just Camian.

“Tsk, run, you idiots!”

Slain, his face contorted hideously.

“Oh my, this is.”

The Empress, her smile vanished from her face.

“Ugh, everyone, fall back!”

Student council president Alfred’s shout, as if his throat would burst.

The other 4th years, sensing something amiss from their classmates’ behavior, were also hastily sprinting backwards.

When the 4th years moved, the juniors also moved.

The students, moving so urgently.

Of course, it wasn’t just the students who moved.

“Everyone, get down from the castle walls!”

Regina shouted, her face frozen stiff.

She too had sensed danger.

“This is…”

Esron’s complexion turned grave.

He, a Guardian Knight, had also sensed a crisis that sent shivers down his spine, but the situation was not good.

Because it inevitably took time to descend from the high castle walls.

“Professor Karen!”

“Yes, hurry!”

Elaine and Professor Karen urgently used magic to forcibly move some of the Holy Soldiers backwards.

However, it wasn’t enough.

Time.

The anomaly occurred soon.

A massive black shadow darkly covered the top of the castle wall.

“A-A-Above!”

“I-It’s f-f-falling!”

“U-Uwaaaaaaaah!”

Great chaos erupted within the castle.

Because they had seen it.

The sight of the giant, enveloped in a black aura, plummeting from the sky.

The fall of a mountain-like colossal body was a natural disaster in itself.

However, there was still something to rely on.

“T-The castle’s defense is invincible!”

“I-It will never be breached!”

Those who pinned all their hopes on the castle’s defense, which had been like an iron wall until now.

However.

*CRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRACK!*

With a sharp sound of shattering, the magic defense couldn’t hold and was breached.

And.

*CRRRRAAAAAAAAASH!*

The giant’s body, crashing directly onto the castle wall and gate, turned countless Holy Soldiers into bloody messes and even miserably destroyed the castle wall and gate.

“N-N-Noooooooo!”

“D-Daaaaamn iiiiiit!”

The defense of the Castle of Illusions had collapsed.

* * *

“Ha, hahaha!”

The messenger couldn’t hold back his bursting laughter.

The troublesome barrier had collapsed in an instant.

It was indeed the Heavenly Lord.

Indeed, the one and only judge sent by God.

No one could stand against the Heavenly Lord’s army.

This very sight clearly proved that fact.

-Advance.

The Heavenly Lord’s mouth opened.

“Yes, Heavenly Lord! I will wipe out all the insignificant vermin without exception!”

The messenger shouted excitedly.

The advance of the army of judgment began anew.

* * *

“…Saint-nim.”

Sigmund, who had clearly witnessed the entire tragedy from behind, spoke with a hardened face.

The Saint’s expression was also heavily downcast.

“Further defense is meaningless.”

“…I think so too.”

Now that the formidable defensive magic circle was broken, there was no advantage in holing up inside the collapsed castle any longer.

“We have to go out and fight.”

The Saint’s words were indeed everyone’s thoughts right now.

“Yes, I will surely bring victory.”

“I am…”

“Saint-nim, please take care of yourself.”

Sigmund said with eyes filled with firm determination.

He knew very well that the last fragment of the Dark God was sealed in the Saint.

Therefore, he blocked without hesitation.

Because he knew what worst-case scenario would occur if that fragment fell into the Dark God’s hands.

“Yes, Saint-nim, please.”

Marianna also added her words.

The Saint, conflicted with wavering eyes.

However, it seemed she had decided to take a step back for now, as they said.

“…Alright, I’m counting on you. I wish you good luck.”

“Yes, then.”

Sigmund and Marianna ran forward.

To join the main force and confront the enemy army.

* * *

“Make sure you survive.”

Alfred’s words.

It was the first time Slain had heard such a thing.

Because the two of them weren’t on very good terms.

“Hmph, stating the obvious. Who do you think can kill me? You better survive yourself and not die.”

“Thank you so much, friend. You make sure you survive too,” Lucia translated from the middle.

Slain’s complexion, uncharacteristically for him, instantly turned beet red.

“W-W-What nonsense!”

“Puhahaha!”

Alfred burst out laughing.

“Oh my, what a heartwarming sight. Then I’ll add a word too. Honestly, I thought both of you were unlucky, but let’s definitely survive and see each other again.”

The Empress interjected at some point.

For the Empress, whose life itself was a mask and an act, to reveal her feelings so honestly was extremely rare, except in front of Max Celtrine.

However, it seemed to have touched Alfred and Slain’s hearts.

“Hmph, you too, unlucky Empress.”

“Likewise, so I’ll return the sentiment, Your Majesty Oscar.”

Smiles appeared on the two men’s lips.

Though they had bickered constantly, they had finally exchanged feelings as true friends at the last moment.

“Hehe.”

The Empress also laughed.

It wasn’t just them.

“This is the last time, Annette.”

“Yes, Camian. We will definitely win.”

“I love you.”

“Me too.”

There were lovers sharing their love.

“The spear of Benesse.”

“Will never break.”

“Yeah, that’s it, brother.”

“Let’s seize victory together with the spirit of Benesse, little brother.”

There were brothers sharing their affection.

“You said you wanted to protect him, Junior Elaine, right?”

“Y-Yes, Ma’am?”

“Survive with that feeling. If something happens to you, he will surely be sad too.”

“I-I will, Professor. P-Professor, you too, please.”

There were seniors and juniors exchanging heartfelt feelings.

“T-They’re coming!”

“We advance too!”

Sigmund’s loud shout.

The final decisive battle was about to begin.

* * *

“Damn it.”

A bewildered voice escaped my lips.

Because I hadn’t expected the castle’s defense to collapse so suddenly.

There was no time to hesitate.

I had to make a decision and move immediately.

Of course, there was only one choice.

We had to respond from behind and pressure the enemy from both front and rear as much as possible.

“We must strike the enemy’s rear immediately! Everyone, advance!”

I raised my voice.