episode_0033

Boom!

With a tremendous sound, the walls of the Kael’thas Empire were destroyed. At the same time, several magical devices were activated, initiating indiscriminate attacks. The invasion prevention system had been activated.

“Fall back.”

As Mcderas stepped forward and reached out his hand, a huge barrier sprang from the red sphere in the air and slammed into the ground. People staggered from the overwhelming vibration that shook the surroundings, but soon regained their composure.

Regardless, Mcderas remained focused. He blocked magical and physical attacks with the barrier, while simultaneously detecting the main element of the system.

“It seems they tried to hide it in their own way, but it’s meaningless.”

The magic array, modified by numerous sorcerers over several years, was instantly thwarted by Mcderas. He had discovered the location of the core component that operated the invasion prevention system.

As Mcderas waved his hand, a long spear emerged from the red sphere. Eventually, the hidden main part of the invasion prevention system, which had been heavily protected by concealment spells and defensive magic, was shattered as the spear tore through the air. No further attacks came forth.

“Advance.”

As Mcderas finished speaking, the troops that had been behind them began to charge forward. Despite the remnants of the Kael’thas Empire’s forces attempting to resist, it was futile against the overwhelming numbers. Most of the knights either died or fled.

“To think that the invasion defense system of the Kael’thas Empire could be so easily destroyed…”

The commander of the Phaeron Empire, Tekelamon, was astonished.

Despite having been under attack until now, the reason they hadn’t retaliated even once was due to the existence of the defense system within enemy territory. The defense system was densely spread all around, its power immense. Not only was it difficult to locate the control tower responsible for operating the system, but it also required an indescribable amount of mana to pour in to destroy and forcibly deactivate it. Therefore, the option to counterattack did not exist.

On the other hand, the man in front of him performed it alone from extraction to destruction without a moment’s hesitation. The formidable and fearsome invasion prevention system of the Kareldean Empire had been reduced to useless scrap metal by just one person.

Every time the invasion prevention system appeared, Macderas would casually destroy it and advance forward. T’keloman briefly imagines. What would have become of their fate if this man had been their enemy?

“Surely we would have perished.”

If this man had attached himself to the Kareldean Empire, the Phebron Empire would not have escaped complete annihilation.

T’keloman, the commander of the knights.

He saved the Holy Maiden of Philemia because he wanted to uphold his knightly pride. At the same time, it was pitiful to see the dedicated maiden, who sacrificed herself for her allies, being forsaken. That’s why he saved Philemia instead of killing the enemy.

According to Macderas, he came here to save the innocent civilians of the Kareldean Empire from war and the ruling class at the request of Philemia.

“If I had made a different choice then…”

T’keloman, who echoed Philemia’s plea, imagines. If he had not upheld his honor as a knight and disregarded the maiden’s life and killed the enemies…

Instead of killing around 500 enemies and the maiden, he might have had to face this calamitous man as an enemy.

“Perhaps, I really don’t know if the Goddess Ruasta exists.”

Commander T’keloman, watching countless people die in this damn war, no longer believed in the Goddess Ruasta. But now, seeing the current situation, he wonders if there really is no god.

If the Goddess Ruasta truly exists, then the red sphere floating in the sky is surely a divine punishment to execute retribution.

“Charge!”

“Do not harm the civilians no matter what happens! Even if they are knights, spare those who have no will to fight, and do not hesitate to kill those who seek to kill us!”

In the midst of brutal massacres where civilians and soldiers were indiscriminately slaughtered, an ironic prioritization centered around mercy began to emerge.

“My son… Please, at least spare my son…”

“Step aside. We do not kill civilians.”

“Are you… really… going to spare… spare me…?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

The civilians of the Kareldean Empire. A middle-aged woman who had not managed to flee embraced her son and ran towards the rear. Of course, there were no Phebronian Empire soldiers chasing her. Unlike the Kareldean Empire soldiers, the Phebronian Empire soldiers did not carry out massacres of civilians.

Of course, she herself was a citizen of the Kareldean Empire, which had invaded without justification. Even if she had not participated in the battle, it was inevitable that the Phebronian Empire soldiers who had been invaded would feel an overwhelming desire to kill her immediately. However, no one carried out massacres against those who could not resist.

Was it because they were knights? Perhaps that was the reason, but the only reason they suppressed their anger and did not designate enemy civilians as prisoners or targets for slaughter was one.

Because Macderas ordered it.

Macderas wielded immense power on the battlefield. His order prohibiting the massacre of civilians, despite his orders to slaughter over a million people in an instant, was alien. But there was no one who opposed it.

“He must have said so.”

Tecelomon recalls Macderas’s words.

“In order to end the war and find peace, there are those who must be killed. Also, there are those who need not be killed. We will mercilessly wield the sword against those who must be killed, and we will not carry out slaughter against those who need not be killed. That is the justification I call this operation not an invasion, but a punishment.”

If invasion simply means entering another country and attacking, the literal definition of punishment is more specific.

To strike the guilty with force.

Wield force, but judge based on guilt. Of course, the standard may be very subjective. However, there were few who could uphold such beliefs on the battlefield.

If a highly trained knight or assassin were to masquerade as a civilian? What if a spy were to infiltrate and steal information while pretending to be a refugee? Each of these individual risks, whether due to inferior or unequal power, results in significant losses. Therefore, on the battlefield, killing without distinction between civilians and soldiers is common. If one sets aside a little belief, there is no need to take on risk.

But in the Phaeron Empire, there is Macderas. A powerful figure with the absolute ability to kill tens of thousands, perhaps even more, with a single gesture.

Tecelomann feels bone-weary once again.

To achieve even a modicum of true peace, great power is necessary.

Macderas is not just an ordinary slaughterer. He was truly suited to be a ruler.

As Tecelomann looks on, Macderas questions from the forefront.

“How much longer until we reach the Imperial Palace of the Kaorelden Empire?”

“According to the information we have, we only need to advance for another 2 hours.”

“Soon enough.”

Not even three hours had passed before the walls crumbled, and the enemy’s invasion prevention system failed. Their formidable fortress, built over centuries, was destroyed in just one day.

Soon enough. What other expression could be used?

“Everyone, halt.”

Amidst Macderas’ advance, the troops were halted. This was because life forms’ responses were sensed in the vicinity.

It was not strange that there were life form responses in the enemy territory where people lived. However, all civilians in this area had evacuated, and the knights who tried to resist mostly died and retreated. All that remained were desolate houses. But someone was gasping for breath there.

Moreover, emitting a determined vitality.

Tecelomann spoke in an indifferent voice.

“You thought you could hide. Come out. Or I’ll blow the building up.”

Due to the intense vitality, it was natural to assume the person outside was an enemy knight, but the unexpected figure who emerged from the building was a young boy of about 10 years old.

The boy was trembling, holding a sword much larger than his hand.

“Wait.”

The MacDhubb castle’s soldiers all stopped at once. A boy who came out of the building pointed his sword towards MacDhubb, as if he had identified who the leader was.

“Our mother… I will protect our mother… Absolutely… I can’t go any further…”

As MacDhubb deployed detection magic, a faint response from a dying life form was felt behind the boy. It was so weak that it was almost like a fading light, an energy that one wouldn’t even think was human.

“Run away. I won’t chase you or kill you.”

The boy revealed his determination by raising his sword. According to MacDhubb’s principles, the boy was a target for slaughter. However, naturally, MacDhubb chose to spare him. The reason the boy raised his sword was to protect his parents behind him.

However, the boy had no choice. Even though he heard that he could run away, he stood in front of the building’s entrance as if his legs had stiffened.

It was only then that it became clear. The fading light of a feeble life and the confusion that kept the boy from leaving this place.

“It seems his mother is in an immobilized state.”

The boy’s pupils trembled. His body began to shake, and cold sweat ran down his face. As MacDhubb approached him, the boy gripped the sword even tighter and shouted.

“Get away… Get away! You murderers!”

As the boy shouted, the expressions of the Pybron Empire knights around him noticeably twisted. They were the knights of the Pybron Empire who had recently been massacred. From the perspective of the Pybron Empire’s soldiers, the desperate cries of the boy couldn’t help but be heard.

Ignoring their reactions, MacDhubb stood in front of the boy, looking down at him and spoke.

“Do you want to live, or do you want to protect?”

The boy did not answer. MacDhubb once again forced the boy to make a choice.

“If you want to live, turn around and run away. I promise not to chase you, staking my honor on it. But if you want to protect, then raise your sword and attack me. Just one strike, if you succeed in attacking me… I will spare both you and your mother at home.”

The boy raised his sword without hesitation and charged towards Macdarras.

Swoosh

The boy’s feeble sword made contact with Macdarras’ cheek, causing red blood to flow without any movement from Macdarras.

Entering the battlefield for the first time, a shallow wound appeared on Macdarras’ cheek, which had not even flinched in the face of millions of knights.

Unable to bear the sight, Flimia covered her eyes. She feared that Macdarras might just cut the boy’s throat.

But as time passed and she dared to look, Macdarras, without any emotion in his eyes, was gazing down at the boy.

“This is the result of your choice.”

Macdarras began to walk towards the boy. All the knights around held their breath, watching Macdarras closely. Everyone focused their full attention on what decision the young man would make.