episode_0288

The barrier of the Demon King’s Castle opened and troops poured in.

Countless corpses dragged from the dead, figurines of metal and rock, spirits made of magic and attributes.

A massive amount of material was released to block the cadets attempting to break down the barrier.

“Clash!”

The cadet in the lead, Gellium, raised his shield with a shout. The shield, filled with magical power, emitted its own unique wave.

Unique ability: Magical skill. And extended ability: Protective barrier.

A large wave of energy spread out, enveloping the group of cadets in a translucent barrier. Gellium braced himself for the clash, wrapping additional energy around his shield.

The first to collide were a group of commanders. All sorts of corpse monsters slammed into the barrier without slowing down.

– Kwagagang!

The shock of repeatedly hitting the barrier, but the barrier held firm.

Gellium nodded as he watched the commander scraping the barrier with his teeth and claws right in front of his nose.

‘There are no specials. Are they all for meat shield use?’

The original advantage of the necromancy technique comes from its overwhelming quantity. Assuming that it is supported by magical power, it is possible to form countless troops by entangling corpses.

The offensive of material through him is the main tactic of the commanding officer.

Of course, you can modify the commander to operate special entities, but in his view, there was nothing that looked like a double special entity.

“The shelling has stopped! Clear out the rascals first!”

“I see!”

Cadets emerging from both sides of Gelliam brandished their weapons. The swords and spears of those who usually worked with Gelliam penetrated the whitish barrier.

The fatal blow cut off the commander’s neck and limbs, and three or four commanders were impaled in the trajectory of the spear.

– Kwaaang!

The rear guard didn’t just sit around. They cast a relatively light, low-level magic and launched it into the middle of the group of commanders.

– Keeek…!

The entire group of commanders were swept away in an instant. They were low-level monsters that were not special-purpose meat shields. They could not effectively block the cadets.

But the cadets did not let their guard down.

– Boohoo…

“It’s going to explode!”

That’s why I didn’t miss the omen. The fallen commander’s corpse swelled up like a balloon filled with air. The corpse, imbued with magic, sparkled.

Pbubububu! Dozens of corpses exploded at once. The barrier shook violently with a loud bang. Gellium gritted his teeth and grabbed his shield.

Corpse explosion, one of the main tactics of necromancy. I experienced it during external training and while dealing with Lee Ji-yeon of the Green Group.

If the commander becomes unusable, it can be used as a bomb. Even the corpses of low-level monsters can produce a considerable amount of power, so it can be dangerous if dozens of them explode at once.

– Boom!

The aftermath of the explosion cleared away with heavy footsteps. Gellium narrowed his brows at the new form visible beyond the shaking barrier.

A body made of rock and metal. Over it, it wears thick armor. It is at least 4 meters tall.

‘Golem… Is it a servant horse? How many different techniques does it have…?’

Gellium was not worried, but was appalled by Lee Ha-yool’s power, who had only been a superhuman for a year.

A servant horse is an entity created and used by wizards. It is usually used for miscellaneous errands or experiments, but is also used as a meat shield to buy time for using magic.

‘That golem also serves as a shield, just like the commander.’

It would be different if it was a golem that took a lot of effort to make, but dozens of golems like this are pouring out. It’s too many to make with craftsmanship.

‘Let’s quickly clear out the golems and the commanders and move in.’

The spirits run wild as the commander and golems bind and block the cadets’ feet.

The golem pulled back his fist. Gelliam held his shield tightly. Although the fist was huge, Gelliam was not afraid.

I can block that heavy fist. Build up your self-confidence. Be confident in your uniqueness. You can block it…

– Woof woof!

A distinctive sound of magical power flowing through Gellium’s ears could be heard.

A line of magical power is drawn on the golem’s fist pulled back. Magic power flows through the engraved spell. The circuit that was briefly visible from the fist extends to the shoulder.

A magic spell that is activated in succession. It increases the golem’s durability and strength.

– Kwarrrr!

Pure magical power radiated from the armor’s seams. A fist powered by fierce magical power charged forward, crushing the wind.

The barrier came crashing down.

Gellium was the flagship.

“This kind of beauty─”

– Bam!

“Ugh… .!”

The screams stopped. My vision darkened, and a huge fist slammed into the shield. A groan escaped my lips.

Crunch! My legs are stuck in the ground. My bent knees are shaking, and my arm holding the shield feels like it’s going to fall off.

A powerful blow beyond imagination. Kwarur! The thrust did not stop. The golem’s fist crushed Gellium with its shield.

‘Special…!?’

Gellium was astonished as he tried to keep himself from collapsing. He had engraved a spell on the golem. Furthermore, he had made the armor into a magical tool to be used in battle.

This is a golem that took a lot of work. Is this guy the only special one? Or…

“Hey hey hey! Don’t fall!”

“What’s with the advanced golem!”

As Gellium held on, the other cadets kicked the ground. Spears and swords extended from both sides, aiming for the wrists of the golems pressing down on their shields.

– Crunch!

“Wow, this is so cool!”

The cadet who had struck down the sword was astonished.

A downward strike that fully utilized his strength and unique abilities. However, it failed to cut off his wrist. It was not a cut, but rather a mark close to being broken.

“Take care of it quickly!”

But the attack didn’t end with a single blow. Graceful sword strikes surged toward the golem. The cadet on the other side also thrust his spear without stopping.

– Kkwaddeukduk…!

No matter how strong the golem was, the number of damaged parts gradually increased due to the cadets’ repeated attacks.

“Fuck, what kind of martial arts does a golem use…!”

It was not destroyed easily. The golem moved its two legs gracefully like a human, and its fists were extended and struck, posing a danger to the small cadets.

The cadet, who had overcome countless dangers, stretched out his sword while sweating profusely.

– Bang!

“Huh?”

The sword bounced off. There was a mark of the attack. I didn’t understand.

‘I just cut it here…’

In a world that has slowed down, her gaze is fixed on the broken part.

The surrounding area was like mud, filling in the damaged area.

It’s not strange. Golems aren’t alive anyway, so they can be patched up like that.

But even the performance was restored. Not only the quality of the armor and body, but also the magic that moves the golem, the magic that strengthens it, and the various magics engraved on the armor… all at once, at super speed.

‘???’

I was momentarily dumbfounded by the sight that defied my own common sense.

– Boom!

“Kkung!”

“Isabel!”

The golem’s fist struck her as she was floating in the air. She raised her sword to block the blow, but the strong impact sent her body flying like a baseball.

“Ao… ”

She barely landed on the ground and caressed her delicate arm. A halo of light exploded, and the skin exposed on the surface was turning blue.

Of course, since it was the Tower of Growth, there was little pain, but my head felt like it had been hit by a hammer.

“Hey, that even restores the recipe?”

“I just saw it too.”

Gellium, who had rushed to her side, responded with a hardened face.

“Are all golems like that?”

“Similar… but I think it’s a special individual.”

Certainly, the golem that Gellium and the cadets just faced was larger than other golems, and its armor was also fancy.

“You made it as a conductor entity… Magician, can’t you do something like that?”

“… It might work if the wizard puts in the effort.”

“Wow… So that junior, Lee Ha-yool, got a magician’s business card in just one year? That’s crazy.”

“No, even a wizard might not be able to do it.”

“Ugh.”

Gellium, who was listening to the conversation flowing through the tension, glanced around.

After the Gellium party approached the barrier, the artillery fire from the workshop stopped.

As a result, other cadets also rushed in, and the area near the barrier became a mess.

A chaotic battle where commanders, golems, cadets, and spirits fight each other indiscriminately.

What’s unique is that in addition to the blue group that Gellium belongs to, there are also red and green groups.

They are attacking this Demon King’s Castle while being moderately vigilant and not interfering with each other.

– Woof woof!

“Hey hey hey! Attila! Attribute barrier, hurry up─ bang!”

“Oh, sorry.”

During the clash of armies, what particularly attracts attention are the spirits.

Dark clouds gather in the clear sky and lightning strikes in droves.

A fierce flame engulfs the cadets, and a cold wind blows like a bomb in the center of the formation.

The ground beneath them shakes, hundreds of hideous thorns sprout, and the cadets swept away by the crashing waves are frozen solid.

The junior cadet was knocked out by the headbutt of the fire-made puppy spirit. Gellium made a puzzled expression as the halo of light scattered in all directions.

‘Is that the Lieutenant Spirit…?’

It was a truly bizarre sight to see a cadet, who could have easily eaten more than one meal in such a dangerous place, die from a single kick from a puppy.

While the commander and the golem tie down the cadets’ feet, a small number of spirits run wild.

‘oh my god…’

Gellium, who had been observing the situation, was astonished. Of course, he did not think that it would be easy to break through those dozens of walls, but he did not expect to have such a hard time with the troops that had rushed out from within the walls…

Even though the three groups are secretly cooperating, it looks like this.

“What the heck… ”

It was around the time when Gellium was muttering absentmindedly.

The fire spirit that had cleared away a few of the cadets kicked the ground. A long line of flames stretched across the sky. Many people glanced at the spirit, wondering what it was going to do next.

“Huh?”

Someone’s elasticity. The cadet who was checking the state of the sword next to Gellium blinked.

The fire spirit that had risen into the sky landed on the helmet of the golem (presumably the leader entity) that had been arguing with them just now.

– Woof!

The fire spirit, perched on his helmet, barked proudly.

The wagging tail is incredibly cute. However, when I think about the number of students that were burned by that spirit, I don’t find it all that cute.

Rather, I swallowed hard, wondering what on earth he was trying to do.

– Hururuk!

As if to live up to that expectation, the fire spirit melted. The spirit, transformed into pure flame, seeped into the golem’s helmet.

“Uh.”

A peculiar sound and presence. The face of a student who had learned spirit magic turned pale, and the spirit fighting next to him cowered.

A fairy tale.

Similar to the previous spell using the Wings of Heaven as a vessel, this spell uses a golem as a vessel.

The spell added to the golem for the ‘spirit’ worked.

– Whoosh, whoosh!

The pitch-black armor was dyed red and yellow. Fierce flames poured out from the armor’s seams.

The ground the golem steps on melts, steam rises, and fire spreads.

The flames that stretched behind the helmet waved like manes.

“… Worm.”

The fierce momentum was rising rapidly. Everyone was sweating profusely at the sight of the bloodshot eyes shining through the helmets, and soon even the cold sweat evaporated.

– Pfft… Whew!

In addition, something flew from the top of the rocky mountain. A flame that was almost orange shot out at high speed, hitting the golem, not the cadet.

Lee Ha-yul’s fear mixed with Golem’s flames.

– Whoosh whoosh!

The flames swelled dozens of times.

Hellfire has arrived on the chaotic battlefield.

* * *

‘… You fight well.’

A fortress built on top of a rocking mountain. Lee Ha-yool sat on a rocking chair in the center and thought while observing the battle situation.

The golem that had been assimilated by the spirit of fire was displaying its unrivaled skills.

Dozens of cadets tried to attack it, but the golem showed off its strength by destroying even them.

‘It was worth putting in the magic and spirits. It grows very quickly.’

Its power increases gradually. The spirit that has been assimilated into the golem grows in real time.

Additional protection of growth applied within the Tower of Growth. It applied not only to the cadets, but also to the spirits that the cadets contracted with.

Although most of the spirits had only recently reached the rank of lieutenant, they were not satisfied with the higher ranks that remained.

Besides, the spirits volunteered to go to the battlefield because they were bored…

‘It already looks plentiful, and the spirit will grow and go out.’

Lee Ha-yul pushed the rocking chair with his toes while observing the drone’s focus pointed in his direction.

The rocking chair Ariel used, which was embodied by the power of knowledge, did not even make the usual creaking noise.

‘The power of knowledge.’

Unlike the other two powers, it is not complete. To be exact, I have locked away the parts that I cannot handle, and have set the default settings for easy use.

So, as soon as I was granted the power, the memories in my head were immediately organized and I was able to perform basic operations.

The function of the power I used now is his application.

Should I say it’s a kind of copier?

It is about recording what you need in a ‘book’ processed with knowledge, taking it out when you need it, investing magic power to print it out.

Of course, it is not an entirely comfortable skill.

Even though it is called a power, its performance ultimately changes depending on the user’s skill.

If you don’t know how to use it, it will be difficult to copy even a common chair, but if you use it well, you can immediately use the techniques of a vast workshop.

‘My head hurts…’

I felt a shiver and rubbed my forehead gently.

On the outside, the world may seem comfortable and peaceful, but on the inside, your head is spinning like crazy.

In the battlefield, as seen through the power of observation, twice as much information than usual is rushing in at every moment.

Organize it, make the right decisions, cast spells, coordinate attacks and defenses, manipulate golems and spectres, and operate elementals…

Some people might think I have an easy life, but I’m in a pretty tough situation.

“… … ”

I didn’t hear any creaking from the rocking chair, but I found myself wishing I had heard it.

A rough castle covered in defensive magic. Like the Tower of Knowledge, it is cold and devoid of any trace of human life.

Still, Ariel was there at the Tower of Knowledge.

I never held her alone in the rocking chair. Ariel always sat down, and I held her in my arms.

There was a warm feeling and warmth.

There were hands stroking my head and patting my back.

Not now. I’m sitting alone in a rocking chair, pushing with my toes.

Thinking about it like that made my heart ache.

I’m lonely. It hasn’t even been a day yet, and I feel uneasy even though there was someone else by my side until this morning.

Even though I can feel other people’s appearances through immediate observation, I am not satisfied.

I’m lonely.

He pouted his lips and opened a subspace. Then, as if waiting, a pure white staff shot out.

The artifact purification that Ariel used. She held onto the purification that was trembling as if she was angry at being called now, and hugged it tightly.

… it got a little better, but I still felt lonely.

Lonely.

– Boom!

His heart pounded. At that moment, Lee Ha-yool frowned at the feeling of his heart being squeezed tightly.

There is still some time left until the entrance ceremony ends. And there are still events that will start from the flag…

‘…Who should I bring…?’

Lee Ha-yul felt a small impulse.

* * *

one side.

“Now, let’s begin the so-called Demon King Castle conquest…meeting.”

Plain 4 occupation area close to the 1st dark mountain occupation area.

The Demon King? Castle conquest meeting, where the temporary commanders of the three groups gathered, began.