269. Eradication (1)
#269
The sun was not visible above the gloomy sky. Columns of smoke rising from various places were mixing with the dark clouds, adding to the cloudiness. The sounds of clashing weapons, screams, and shouts were loudly entangled above the enclosed plain.
“Don’t back down!”
“If we just break through here, the eastern part is over! “Push!”
Meanwhile, the officers’ cries rang out. Allied forces gathered under the banner of overthrowing Nebula Clage were covering the plains.
In the center, the Pancia Fortress, once called the Horn of the East, stood strong. It was one of the largest branches of Nebula Clage, along with the Felgrand Mountains that were being attacked simultaneously in the far north.
It’s been two months since the sweep operation began.
Nebula Clage, who was on the defensive, changed its strategy by abandoning its small and medium branches, consolidating its strength into large branches, and engaging in a desperate fight. After seeing that the soldiers were not moving forward despite his orders, the officer shouted again.
“Get into formation! “Don’t you want to drive them out of our land?”
“No, it’s impossible. “How did you do that…!”
But the soldiers did not move forward. Even though they were in a perfect position to win, there was no confidence to be found in them.
Neither a capable commander nor a catapult constantly shooting rocks at the fortress could encourage them. This was because the defenders guarding the castle gate were too strong.
Regardless of the presence or absence of star protection, strong people existed. Although the trend of relying solely on power has become more pronounced recently, Nebula Clage is a group that boasts a long history. The beastmen wearing white heavy armor shouted as if provoking them.
“Come, you cowards!”
“Are you trying to break the religious order to this extent?”
It was the archbishop’s personal guard. Although there were only twenty people, it was impossible to break through. The elite soldiers who had defeated countless enemies as the vanguard of Nebula Clage were showing their true value even on Mercury.
The troops who rushed in unable to withstand the pressure were killed as soon as they crossed the defense line. The most feared of them all was Archbishop Panthasion. The huge weardeer standing at the vanguard of the defenders roared at the Allied forces.
“You ignorant people, why don’t you realize that in the end nothing will change!”
There were twelve particularly strong men in the church, and they were called archbishops.
The loud voice swept across the battlefield like ripples on a lake. The approaching soldiers hesitated and retreated. Around him, hundreds of corpses cut into large pieces were strewn about like a mountain.
“It’s a monster.”
“How can you catch something like that!”
The muscles covering my entire body seemed as if they were going to tear through the armor and pop out. The stag’s head placed on top of the gigantic body looked like the head of a god who might be worshiped in some religion.
Pantasion held a huge double-edged ax in his hands. The giant blade, which had a diameter of up to 2 meters, was greedily dissipating energy even though it had drank the blood of two knights.
The star’s protection had long since disappeared due to the bombardment at the beginning of the war, but that didn’t matter. Among the allied forces surrounding Pantasion, no one thought he was conducting a ‘siege’.
“archbishop···!”
The commander-in-chief clenched his fists. Blood flowed from where his fingernails had dug in. The longer the fight went on, the more unfavorable the situation became. Although this side had an overwhelmingly large number of men, the reason was that the troops were being wasted without any significant results.
If things continued like this, there was a possibility that the demoralized soldiers would run away. It was a pity that there were nine more monsters like that in the future. He checked his pocket watch for the hundredth time and twisted his lips.
“Is it still far away…!”
“Did you think you could win just because you don’t have the power?!”
Phantasion shouted again. As he swung his ax with one hand, the gentleness typical of Wear Deer was nowhere to be seen.
The Allied forces only retreated and did not approach any further. The sight of his morale being completely broken and his fighting spirit so lost was almost devastating. Panta Sion, who was examining them, winked at his men.
“I think I can do it soon. “If you kill the commander, they will also fall apart.”
“I was just waiting for those words.”
The SS had a wry smile on their face. The time has finally come. They only defended the designated defense line and did not advance further.
It was Pantasion’s plan for a counterattack. The plan was to rush in and disintegrate the troops when they let their guard down. If I killed all of the commanding officers, no matter how large my army was, there would be nothing I could do.
“When I give the signal, we set off.”
Phantasion muttered softly. His men, raising their weapons, nodded. The bright deer’s eyes were aimed at the command center in the distance. It was the moment when he kicked the ground and was about to run away.
Kwaaang-!!! Suddenly, the gate behind the Pantasion exploded.
“Gagging! W-what’s going on?”
“Aaaaaaa!!”
Rock fragments flew wildly. Several prisoners fell after being hit in the back or back. Pantacion’s eyes widened as if they would pop out as he quickly turned around. From within the dust, a huge black shadow was approaching.
“you···!”
“Haaah…you were nervous. Sword Saint.”
The commander-in-chief breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the work was completed before it was too late. A huge were tiger appeared beyond the settled dust. It was Jaipa Turgen, known as the strongest swordsman of all time.
“But I feel better after washing the blood. “The sewer is no place to walk.”
Zaifa said to himself. Fifteen elite beastmen were following him. The mission of the commandos led by Jaifa was to infiltrate the fort’s drains and smash the west gate from the inside.
“blood···?”
Pantasion’s hair stood on end at an ominous premonition. His gaze suddenly turned to the inside of the castle gate. The inner city, where evacuation preparations were in full swing, had turned into a bloody hell.
The believers who were in charge of production or miscellaneous work, so to speak, who were residents, were all brutally murdered. A trembling voice came out from between Pantasion’s parted lips.
“You…what on earth have you done…!”
“I pulled some weeds.”
Jaifa answered harshly. He cut down believers he encountered, regardless of age or gender. Phantasion shouted in protest.
“You make people who don’t have fighting skills like that, and you’re a sword saint!”
“Take it.”
Instead of responding, Jaifa threw something. Tuk. A lump flew through the air and landed in front of Phantasion. Veins like tree roots began to protrude above his neck.
“oh···! Oooh!”
“It looks quite similar to you. “My skills were terrible, though.”
Jaipa brushed off the blood on the scimitar. Pantasion knelt down on one knee and picked up his lump. On top of the deer’s head, immature antlers were growing. He was the only son of Pantasion, who turned 20 this year. Jaifa continued.
“I have no intention of showing any mercy to you scum. “You have experienced hell in your life, now I will really put you in hell.”
“Zaipaaa-!!”
Phantasion roared. Jaipa grabbed the scimitar without saying a word. The giants on both sides fired at each other at the same time, regardless of who went first.
Jaipa and Phantasion clashed exactly at the midpoint. Kaaaaang-! A sound like a crack resounded in the sky.
“Kill them all!”
“Don’t let even one person go alive!”
There was no weapon being wielded. Every time the scimitar and ax collided, a metallic scream erupted. Jaipa and Pantasion were handling the two giant soldiers, which were close to siege weapons, as if they were daggers.
“Oh my god.”
“Is that the Sword Saint…!”
Shouts of astonishment erupted from all over the Allied Forces. The battle between Archbishop Pantasion and Jaipa did not seem like it was happening in reality. All they could do was feel overwhelmed and watch the fight that would later become legendary. There were about 20 rounds going on.
“hmm!”
bang! Suddenly, Jaipa kicked the ground and leapt. The ax aimed at his neck passed horizontally through the air. Pantasion immediately withdrew his weapon, but for Jaipa, that moment was enough time to win the match.
“The ax has become heavy, deer!”
Jaipa turned forward and swung his scimitar. The blade, which had been blocked by the axe, cut into flesh for the first time. Suddenly! As soon as he landed, Phantasion’s right arm rose into the air.
“Tsk…!”
Phantasion frowned. Sigh! Fresh blood spurted out harshly, drenching Jaifa’s face. There was a mixture of joy and sorrow among the Allied Forces and believers who were watching the battle. In a match between players of equal skill, the loss of a limb was virtually the same as deciding the game.
“hmm?!”
But that was just a story within common sense. Phantasion did not back down at all and charged forward with his horns in front. Jaipa, who had been hit squarely, bounced back as if hit by a battering ram. Quaaaaaa!! His body, which flew in a straight line, collided with the castle wall a hundred steps away, making a loud noise.
“You bastard…!”
“die!”
Immediately, Pantasion’s double-edged ax flew into the same orbit. Jaipa, who was pinned against the wall, barely twisted his body. Kwaaaaang! A loud noise rang out again. As I glanced around, I saw the ax blade that had cut off part of my beard and was stuck on the wall. Jaipa laughed as if he was having fun.
“Guts is useful.”
“I will chew your liver and swallow it!”
Slam! When Pantasion opened his palm, the ax returned to him. Jaifa stood up.
The spit that was spit out was mixed with thick blood and a few pure white teeth. There was definitely a reason why the Allies struggled. He gazed at Pantasion and sighed.
“It’s a shame.”
“It is no use begging for your life now. “I will give you the most painful death!”
“Did you say Pantasion? “I wanted to fight a little harder with you.”
Jaifa’s voice was dripping with regret. Pantasion narrowed his brows.
“what?”
“I allow it. “This is a war, not a victory.”
Jaifa muttered something incomprehensible once again. Pantacion, who decided it was a means to buy time, was about to rush in. Suddenly, a sound like a whistle rang out from his side.
“what···.”
Pantasion looked in the direction where the sound came from. A human young man was rushing towards him. The hand of a young man in a dark blue uniform was clutching the hilt of his sword.
Although he was small, his movements were unusual. It was the car that Pantasion was trying to spin, followed by her head and then his body. Sigh! Blood spurted up his side as he felt the wind grazing his skin.
“Grancia!”
Pantasion’s eyes widened. Even though she didn’t touch it, the wind cut her down. He was able to deduce his opponent the moment the blow was struck. He faced Schlieffen and shouted in rage.
“A-song-i-ga-!”
Pantasion raised his axe. Even if he lost one of his arms, he couldn’t even imagine losing to such a rookie. He was about to hit Schlieffen on the head. Quasak! A strange sound came from the wound on my side that had been cut a little while ago.
“This···.”
Pantasion flinched as he inspected the injury. The cut from the slash had turned blue. Her body tissue, which was supposed to stop bleeding as her self was repaired, was frozen and collapsing.
Schlieffen, who did not miss the opportunity, dug in and struck again. Self-made! Blue lines were drawn all over Phantasion’s limbs, and the wounds froze.
Only then did the sword in Schlieffen’s hand come into view. The blade of the long sword, which was as bluish as a glacier, was engraved with magic characters that had been used since ancient times. Phantasion sighed as if sighing.
“Pale Lord…!”
“No matter how you look at it, it is a sword that would be a waste for a child to hold.”
Jaifa laughed. Among those who ate the sword, none knew the name of the sword. Pale Lord, one of Doron’s seven masterpieces and a sword steeped in bitter cold, was the treasured sword of the Grancia family.
Schlieffen inherited the Pale Road by participating in this sweep. Pantacion came to his senses belatedly and struck again with the ax he had raised.
bang!! The cutting blade sank so deeply into the ground that it cracked. However, Schlieffen avoided her slash by just one piece of paper. He raised his sword in a somewhat obvious motion and stabbed, but Phantasion, whose movements were slow, was unable to respond. Sigh! Pale Lord gently dug under Phantasion’s chin.
“Muheook!”
The tip of the sword protruding through the roof of the mouth was scattering cold blue light. Pantasion was about to kick Schlieffen with his knee. Poseok-! As soon as Schlieffen twisted his blade, his frozen snout shattered.
“Archbishop!!”
The SS was shocked. Phantasion’s teeth stuck to his gums and fell into pieces. The tongue, broken into dozens of pieces, flew through the air. The cold that penetrated through the cross section eroded Phantasion’s brain.
“Wow…”
Pantasion’s movements stopped for a moment. Schlieffen did not miss the opportunity. Quickly gathering his strength, he twisted his waist and raised his sword to slash. Kagagak! A sharp wind scraped the ground and struck the Pantasion. His eyes widened as he felt the blade stir through his body.
“···you.”
Pantasion stopped moving. Schlieffen’s face was motionless as he lowered his gaze.
Silence fell on the battlefield. The ax fell from Pantasion’s hand. Sigh! The line drawn from his heart to his left mitral area widened and a fountain of blood gushed out.
thud···! The weardeer’s large body, which had been slowly leaning, fell to the floor.
“Okay, gotcha!”
“The morning star of the empire is that monster…!”
“Long live the Sword Saint Zaipa!! Long live Grancia!!”
Pantasion no longer moved. Despair appeared on the faces of the SS. The Allied forces’ shouts rang out from the sky.
This was the second time Schlieffen had killed an archbishop. He could have been a little happy or flattered, but he just wiped the blood off the blade in silence. he asked, looking back at Jaifa.
“Do you have any more to process?”
“Now your eyes have become a little more useful.”
Jaifa laughed. The dark blue eyes were twinkling like a storm that would sweep away everything. It was surprising how much he had grown.
After starting the full-scale sweep, Schlieffen was getting closer to sword mastery faster than anyone else. He said, pointing towards the Allied forces.
“does not exist. “They should have something to do too.”
“All right.”
“Good job. And prepare as soon as possible to officially challenge for the position of Sword Saint. “I’ll be waiting.”
Schlieffen shook his head. The Allied forces that had disposed of the SS began to enter the castle. Footsteps and screams echoed without interval, signaling the end of a long fight.
****
“Nimiral. “How much more do I have to squeeze in today?”
Ronan sighed. She had lost so much blood that she felt dizzy. Next to him, a mechanical device designed by Didican was making a strange noise.
There was a small barrel stuck in Ronan’s right arm. Every time the machine started, red blood was flowing up the pipe. He was lying down and looking up at the ceiling of the dark barracks.
“Pyeol-ah…”
A familiar crying sound was heard. Suddenly, the tent opened and a huge, black head suddenly appeared. Ronan widened his eyes at her.
“Sita.”
“Bwaunwooung…”
“okay. okay. are you okay. don’t worry.”
Sita anxiously rubbed her face against Ronan’s cheek. Ronan stroked Sita’s head. She was now unable to fully hold her head even with her palms spread out. In just two months, Sita had grown to a size that belied even a small dragon.
It was because I drank too much blood from many places. He was in the middle of comforting Sita.
“Ronan. “Is he inside?”
“yes. “Come in.”
Suddenly, the entrance to the barracks opened wide and pale men walked in. It was the Shadow Duke and his subordinates. Ronan, lying down and slightly lifting his head, shrugged his eyebrows.
“What happen?”
“I’m sorry I’m so busy. “I think you should step forward.”
