C765
“They're swarming like insects!”
Martha was the first to leap from the castle wall, raising her sword high. *Kuwaaaang!* The titan aura that erupted from her sword fell like a giant's fist, crushing the heads of the orcs climbing the wall.
“It's the division leader's order. All of you, disappear.”
Runaan followed Martha, drawing a semicircle with her Snow Flower. The frost imbued in her sword spread like a wave, freezing the trolls and orcs in front of the gate. *Kyaaang!* As she tilted her sword, the frozen monsters shattered into dozens of pieces and collapsed.
“Don't move alone, maintain the formation.”
Burren pierced through Martha and Runaan with his sword. The icy gale that erupted from his silver blade mercilessly destroyed the monsters heading towards the castle wall.
“They're coming from your side too, squad leader!”
Kerin stayed close to Burren's back and cut off the heads of the wolf bears and gnolls attacking from the right. His sword moved like a feather, demonstrating his familiarity with manipulating astral energy.
“Eeeek!!”
Despite being scared by the countless monsters, Dorian jumped off the wall without hesitation to rescue the dying soldiers. Mark Goetun unleashed lightning-infused sword strikes, creating a wide space to prevent the Light Wind division from being ambushed.
Yua chanted the Sword Mantra she learned from Raon, suppressing the fighting spirit of the monsters and boosting the morale of the Light Wind division.
Julius never strayed from Yua, splitting the approaching monsters in half. Other Light Wind swordsmen also extended their Astral Energy, the symbol of Masters, cutting down all the monsters targeting the walls and gates. However, the Light Wind division hadn't revealed their true power yet.
“Deploy!”
At Burren's shout, the scattered members of Light Wind gathered in front of the gate. Instead of their usual circular formation, they formed a triangular formation that resembled a sword.
“Breakthrough!”
As Martha advanced at the front, the swordsmen supported her at the rear, raising their swords. Above the formation that charged and broke through the enemy lines, the wind of the Gale Wind Style, made of Astral Energy, blossomed.
Wherever the Light Wind Formation advanced, the monsters were pulverized without a shred of flesh remaining. It was an overwhelming martial prowess. A spectacular scene unfolded, like a green wave crashing against a breakwater.
“I-is that the Light Wind division…?”
Wendy swallowed hard as she watched the monsters get chopped to the bone without even being able to resist.
‘They're all Masters…'
She had heard many rumors about the Light Wind division getting stronger, but she never imagined they would achieve such growth.
“They're not just Masters. Each one of them is strong.”
The swordsmen massacred monsters with absolute control over their Astral Energy, proving that they hadn't become Masters by chance. The intense glow emanating from their various swords was chilling.
“Ah…”
Wendy stared intently at the Light Wind division crushing the monster army, then looked to her right. Their leaders, Raon and Rimmer, hadn't even moved yet.
“Lord Raon. Thank you.”
She approached Raon and bowed.
“I didn't expect you to come so quickly. I truly appreciate it…”
“Zieghart and Arianne are no strangers. There's no need for formalities.”
Raon gave Wendy a slight smile, who bit her lip.
“Ah…”
Wendy grabbed his wrist tightly. Hearing Raon's considerate words, her tension eased, and she felt a lump in her throat without realizing it.
“You've continued with your cultivation. I can feel that you've become stronger.”
Raon nodded, instantly understanding Wendy's level of martial prowess.
“I thought I had been working hard, but seeing those kids makes me feel ashamed.”
Wendy sighed briefly. She thought she had been training as best she could while managing the Head of House affairs, but seeing the Light Wind division made her feel embarrassed.
“There's no need to compare yourself to others. As long as you don't feel ashamed of yourself, that's enough.”
Raon waved his hand, comforting Wendy.
“It's a change that deserves confidence.”
Wendy may feel helpless having to deal alone with the situation of monsters swarming from above and below, but her actual martial prowess is strong. With her balance of cultivation and practical experience, she could rise much higher.
“Please wait a moment.”
After reassuring Wendy and the other swordsmen, Raon descended below the castle wall. In that short time, the Light Wind division had completely pushed back the monsters around the wall and was even advancing forward. Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched the monsters fight to the end without fleeing.
“They're not retreating.”
Despite feeling the overwhelming difference in martial prowess with the Light Wind division, the monsters never turned their backs. Their fighting spirit conveyed a determination to fight to the death.
-Then I'll have to create fear.
Raon stepped forward in front of the Light Wind division and drew his Heavenly Drive sword that he had kept behind his back. Flames erupted from the tip of the sword, forming a figure like a rising dragon, generating a massive wave of fire. Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation Heavenly Drive. Unification of flame and ice.
The enormous storm and tidal wave of flames covered the sky and ground, instantly reducing dozens of monsters to ashes.
Krururu… Keuruk… Only then did the monsters seem to feel fear, halting their advance and starting to retreat.
“Where do you think you're going?!”
Martha stomped her foot and unleashed Astral Energy as if she were going to wipe everything out there. Kerin and the other swordsmen leaned forward, following Martha's lead.
“Stop.”
Raon waved his Heavenly Drive sword and blocked the path of the Light Wind division.
“It's enough for now.”
“Why…?”
Martha frowned, seemingly unable to understand.
“You don't even realize how exhausted you are right now.”
Rimmer pointed to Martha's ragged breathing and the swordsmen instead of Raon.
“You've pushed yourselves too hard trying to break through all at once. We've opened a path, so retreating now is the best option.”
Raon nodded, agreeing with Rimmer's words. Although the Light Wind division had shown absolute martial prowess, there were limits. Now was the time to conserve aura and stamina for what might come next.
-You stopped them well.
Wrath nodded towards Raon.
-War devours both victors and vanquished. It's dangerous to lose your composure.
«That's not the only reason.»
Raon frowned as he looked towards the depths of the forest.
—Of course you'd know, but there's a monster in there.
Using Snow Flower Perception and extending his Aura Perception to the limit, he felt the presence of the one controlling the monsters in the forest. Judging only by the realm, it seemed to be on par with his current self.
«The biggest problem is that he's not alone.»
Behind the one controlling the monsters, he felt the presence of two extremely high-level experts. They were too far away to specifically identify, but they were at least Grand Master level. It felt similar to the conditions in the Hollam arena, but his honed senses detected a sinister feeling. It was just a feeling, but they seemed much stronger than Tugui.
-Three of them…
Wrath smiled, stroking his chin.
-Now that you mention it, I do feel that way.
He chuckled, muttering incomprehensible words.
'Mmm…'
Just in case, he expanded his senses again, but he couldn't detect their presence, as if they had retreated very far away.
“The division leader is right.”
Burren nodded and let out a deep sigh.
“We've consumed a lot of aura defending the walls and pushing back the monsters. Let's retreat for now.”
He slowly took a step back, telling the others to follow Raon's words.
“Well…”
Runaan frowned as if she unexpectedly wanted to fight more, but he didn't argue and took a step back alongside Raon.
“Tch.”
Martha clicked her tongue briefly and sheathed her sword. Raon led the Light Wind division, somewhat disappointed, back to House Arianne.
“Thank you.”
“We're grateful!”
Wendy and her subordinates bowed as if they had been waiting.
-It's alright, please get up.
As Raon smiled and waved his hand, Wendy and the swordsmen stood up.
“Let's assess the situation first. I heard there was still time, so why did the war start suddenly?”
“I'm not sure either.”
Wendy shrugged and lowered her head.
“The monsters moved as if they had become one entity and attacked all at once…”
She let out a long sigh, saying that they were able to resist a little thanks to their prior preparations.
Did you see the King?
“I'm sorry. I didn't see him. I should have gone on my own…”
-No, you did well.
Raon nodded slightly as he looked at Wendy.
“Because what's out there isn't the King.”
“What? What do you mean…?”
“The one controlling the monsters now isn't the King, but…”
He muttered harshly as he looked towards the quiet night forest.
“It's the Eden Phantom.”
There couldn't be three Monster Kings. The monster controlling the monsters in that forest was clearly the Eden Phantom.
“Ah…”
Wendy swallowed hard as she turned her gaze.
“To think that the Eden Phantom could control so many monsters…”
“He must possess a special ability.”
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the land littered with corpses.
“Burren. Inform the house that it's the work of Eden.”
“Understood.”
Burren nodded and began writing a temporary report to send to Zieghart.
“The war hasn't started yet. Let's start with repairs.”
Raon pointed to the broken gate and cracked walls.
“We can repair the cracks in the walls, but the gate is impossible. We went out to get war supplies a day ago, so we're short on iron…”
Wendy nodded, saying she was ashamed.
“It's alright.”
If it was a day ago, it meant they had prepared immediately after sending the request for support, so there was no reason to blame Wendy or House Arianne.
“Dorio.”
“Yes!”
At Raon's call, Dorian stepped forward as if he had been waiting.
“You've swum enough underwater, right?”
“Of course! I rowed so hard I almost scraped the bottom!”
He nodded confidently, unlike what happened during the battle.
“Then get it out.”
“Yes!”
Dorian went down below the wall with a radiant smile. He reached into his abdominal pouch and began pulling out enormous iron plates.
-Hmm, those iron plates should be enough to repair the gate. That pouch is certainly prepared with great care.
—Indeed. The iron plates we bought in the village of Mirtan… Eh? What?
Raon's smile turned into surprise, and he gaped. What came out of Dorian's belly pouch wasn't iron plates, but an entire steel gate.
-Urk…
Wrath also seemed astonished, clicking his lips before collapsing to the ground.
“Ehh…”
“A steel gate? And it's the right size for this castle…”
“It even seems thicker than the original.”
“This is crazy…”
“Heavens…”
Both the Light Wind division and the people of House Arianne were stunned, their jaws trembling at the shadow of the steel gate looming over them.
“C-as expected of the Light Wind division. You're all amazing…”
Wendy let out a breathless sigh as she looked at the gate that fit perfectly with House Arianne's castle.
“......”
Raon didn't answer Wendy's words and called out to Dorian.
“Why do you have a castle gate…?”
“It's a necessity, isn't it? It fits perfectly!”
Dorian smiled happily as he pulled out the equipment and materials to repair the walls as well. He seemed happier than ever.
-This king is now a little scared of that pouch…
Raon swallowed dryly and nodded.
‘Me too…'
***
Tsk. The Two-Headed Demon clicked his tongue as he watched House Arianne begin to repair the walls and gate.
‘Did they detect us while we were in the dungeon?’
He hadn't felt anyone's gaze before, so they must have been detected when he entered the dungeon with the Green King.
“It seems the Head of House is quite capable.”
He had heard that House Arianne was in decline after all its executives died, but contrary to expectations, it seemed to be functioning well.
“Raon Zieghart and the Light Wind division, eh…”
The Two-Headed Demon twisted his lips as he watched Raon and the Light Wind division carrying out the repairs themselves.
«Certainly impressive talent.»
Remembering that powerful flame that swept away the monsters in an instant sent chills down his spine. Normally, he should retreat now, but the situation was too interesting to resist.
“What do you two want to do?”
The Two-Headed Demon turned to look at the Green King and the Severing Sword who had fallen back.
“......”
The Severing Sword remained motionless, his hand on the hilt of his sword as if he were protecting the Green King. *Muela!* A sound like grinding teeth came from inside the black orc helmet worn by the Green King. It exuded a chilling murderous intent, as if he were furious at the slaughter of the monsters.
-You want to fight, don't you?
The Two-Headed Demon nodded slightly, as if he had expected this.
“Alright. I'll accept your fighting spirit. Kill them all.”
He flicked his finger and took a step back. The Green King stomped his right foot. A blood-red fighting spirit spread from beneath his feet, enveloping the monsters in concentric circles.
The monsters, hearing the king's call, raised their weapons with roars that shook the earth. A military spirit that seemed to reach the sky rose as if they were an elite order of knights.
As the Green King raised the Lion Sword and pointed it at House Arianne, the monsters advanced in unison like disciplined soldiers. They marched forward, trampling the corpses of their fallen comrades and drinking their blood, towards the cracked castle walls.
If the previous advance was just a senseless charge, now the Green King was using the corpses of his fallen comrades to raise the morale of the monsters.
“As expected…”
The Two-Headed Demon lifted his chin and curled his lips, as if he were impressed beyond his expectations.
“Fate is indeed interesting.”
He couldn't help but smile, amused by a situation that only those who knew it could enjoy.
“......”
“You don't need to go.”
When the Severing Sword was about to follow the Green King, the Two-Headed Demon waved his hand.
“Let's see how far he can go.”
The Two-Headed Demon licked his lips as if he had his own plan. The monster army advanced relentlessly, but stopped just out of range of the arrows.
“......”
The Green King didn't hide among the monsters, but advanced to the front, looking up. His blood-red eyes met Raon's crimson eyes.
-
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