C1051
-Hughh!
Wrath let out an exclamation that sounded more like a scream when he saw the ancient Kraken being dragged onto land.
-W-why is a octopus coming out of a jar!
Despite witnessing the magic, he shook his fist in incomprehension.
"W-what is this...?"
Balder blinked as he approached.
"Why is the Kraken inside a jar?!"
Like Wrath, he couldn't understand the situation, his jaw trembling.
"Is it really a Kraken? Is it even bigger than an Ancient Dragon?"
"I heard it was carrying the headquarters of the White Blood Religion, but why did it come out of a jar?"
"Did they summon it with a jar? At this level, isn't it divine power instead of magic?"
The other swordsmen couldn't close their mouths either, seemingly bewildered by the Kraken's appearance from the jar.
"There are many ways to catch an octopus, but the oldest and most convenient method is jar fishing."
Raon lowered his hand as he watched the Kraken writhing with its mountain-sized tentacles.
"Jar fishing...?"
Runaan tilted his head, wondering what that meant.
"It's a fishing method where you throw jars tied with ropes into the sea like a net, and then you collect them the next morning. The jars will be full of octopuses that were active during the night."
Raon pointed to the broken jar that had contained the Kraken.
"W-why is it possible? There's not even any bait in the jars..."
Krein took a deep breath, unable to comprehend.
"Cephalopods like octopuses have a habit of huddling and hiding in dark places. Jars are perfect for that."
He smiled as he explained that this observation led to the creation of jar fishing.
"That Kraken is a true monster of mythology. As massive and powerful as it is, its instincts are equally strong. Evelyn and the Archmages prepared three spells aimed at that."
Raon held up three fingers.
"First was to summon a jar big enough for the Kraken to enter."
He looked at Evelyn, who had summoned that enormous jar in the precise position without the slightest error.
"Second was to cast a spell to enhance its instincts so that the Kraken would ignore the orders of the White Blood Religion."
He pointed to Larian, who had created a new spell that only enhanced instincts without any offensive intent.
"Ah, so that's why..."
"Yes. The Kraken forgot to protect the headquarters of the White Blood Religion and, following its instincts, entered the jar that Evelyn summoned. Finally..."
Raon looked at Chamber, who was breathing heavily as if she was exhausted.
"Chamber used spatial magic to summon here the jar that contained both the Kraken and the headquarters of the White Blood Religion."
"It wasn't that impressive."
Chamber waved her hand, saying it was nothing compared to what Evelyn and Larian did.
"Indeed, it was impressive."
Raon shook his head firmly as he looked at Chamber.
'It was an absolutely incredible feat.'
Because the Leader of the White Blood Religion was ingenious, no magic could be cast on the jar. That's why Chamber had to instantly transport that massive jar and the Kraken while only receiving mana support from a distance. Among the three Archmages, she had to spend the most mana and mental energy.
Although spatial magic was her specialty, she must have consumed an enormous amount of mental energy.
"I see..."
Balder let out a long sigh, finally understanding the situation.
"Now I understand why it took two months and why they couldn't tell us."
He looked at the mages who were preparing new spells with an unusually serious expression.
"Those two are something else, aren't they?"
Alice gave Chamber and Larian a thumbs up.
"You did well too."
She smiled at Evelyn, whose eyes sparkled.
"Auntie!"
Evelyn hugged Alice, saying she was happy to see her again.
"Oof..."
Alice blinked in surprise at Evelyn's sudden embrace. Evelyn's strength and energy seemed unmatched across the entire continent.
"As expected of the mages of the Five Kings!"
"Knowing that they are behind us gives me strength."
"Yes. It doesn't feel like we're going to lose today."
The swordsmen clenched their fists, vowing to fight in a way worthy of the mages' support.
"How did you figure it out?"
Larian tilted her head as she looked at Raon.
"Did Evelyn tell you?"
"I didn't say anything!"
Evelyn waved her hands vigorously, insisting that she hadn't explained anything.
"No, you did."
Raon smiled slightly as he looked at Evelyn.
"Me? When?"
"You gave me a clue when we saw the Kraken underwater for the second time."
Because Evelyn had mentioned cephalopods and instincts while looking at the Kraken, he had been able to imagine today's scene before the magic was even complete.
"That's Raon for you. I had no idea you'd catch it just from that..."
Evelyn's eyes widened in surprise at seeing that he had grasped the whole picture.
"You figured it out with those words? You really are something else... ugh!"
Chamber clicked her tongue as if wondering what kind of person he was, and then doubled over.
"Are you alright?"
Raon rushed to support Chamber's shoulders.
"You're injured, so don't push yourself too hard."
Chamber shook her head, saying it was the side effects of using large-scale spells consecutively while her upper dantian hadn't fully recovered.
"You used several large-scale spells in succession?"
"I cast chaos magic to immobilize the Kraken. Its mana resistance was fierce, so it was quite challenging."
It seemed like she had cast chaos magic to immobilize it immediately after summoning the Kraken. Now, her pale complexion made sense.
"This is as far as I go."
Chamber pulled out a lollipop and bit it with her teeth.
"I can only help with movement and support now, so I'll leave the rest in your hands."
She smiled slightly, telling them to get the Leader of the White Blood Religion out of that white city.
"And..."
Chamber pulled forward one of the mages who had been standing behind her.
"This will be the commander of Balkar here."
She curled her lips as she removed the hood from the mage she had brought forward.
"You're doing this again..."
Jayna. The princess of Balkar was here too.
'I had no idea.'
The flow of mana was deep and calm, so while I had thought she was Chamber's favorite disciple, I hadn't expected it to be Jayna.
-That arrogant girl. She's become a monster.
'Indeed. Now she exudes the presence of a true powerhouse.'
Jayna emanated the aura of importance not because of her birthright as a princess, but because of the power she had earned for herself. She had really changed a lot.
"Please let me know if you need anything."
Unlike before, Jayna bowed her head as she looked at him with unwavering eyes.
"We'll count on you."
Raon spoke respectfully, sensing the change in Jayna's soul.
"Then I'll trust you."
Chamber gestured to herself and Jayna before entering a blue Dimensional Gate. Without even taking the time to rest, she would return to the headquarters of Balkar to prepare pathways for movement across the entire Continent.
"Aren't we talking too much?"
Balder approached as he rotated his shoulders like a rock.
"We have to attack before they come to their senses!"
He raised his clenched fist as if urging that the attack order be given.
"I think the same."
The Leader of the Void Sword Division, Serena, frowned as she looked at the walls of the White Blood Religion headquarters.
"More and more Blood Demons are climbing the walls."
"Do you see that?"
Raon pointed to the White Mist that was spreading around the White Blood Religion headquarters.
"That mist not only has a strong resistance to aura and magic, but it also acts as a formation that makes you lose your way and see illusions. If we go in without a plan, we'll end up fighting each other and be wiped out."
"T-then, how..."
"There's someone else who can handle that."
Although he could disperse the mist by fully releasing the Azure Sky Sword imbued with celestial energy, that wasn't his role.
"Evelyn."
This was a task for the genius mage who had observed that mist with him since they were underwater.
"It's done!"
Evelyn clasped her hands together as if praying. As she quickly moved her lips to chant an ancient spell, the darkening sky trembled and dropped a brilliant yellow ray.
A huge wave of power that seemed to split heaven and earth erupted, the sea trembled as if it were about to overflow, and the White Mist that covered the White Blood Religion headquarters was erased.
"How about that? This is me! Your woman!"
Evelyn smiled brightly as if asking for approval. However, contrary to her smile, her eyelids were twitching. It seemed like she had overexerted herself.
"You can go now."
Evelyn raised her hand, saying that only the protective magic on the walls and the city remained.
"Thank you."
Raon nodded firmly and stabilized Evelyn's trembling shoulders.
"Oh, right here in front of everyone?"
Evelyn casually lowered her neck as if asking if he was serious.
"..."
-That crazy woman is useless. Her score goes up only to plummet!
Wrath let out a tired sigh, saying he was getting tired of this.
"Listen, everyone."
Raon turned around, ignoring Evelyn who was blushing.
"With all your strength, overcome those white walls. No, overcome that castle of corpses built with the blood of innocent people."
He drew his Heavenly Drive towards the White Blood Religion headquarters, which smelled of blood even with just the mist cleared.
"We receive your order!"
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen drew their swords upon hearing Raon's words. Although countless swordsmen performed their Draw Technique simultaneously, only one sound was heard.
"We'll take the second bridge."
Balder showed his white teeth as he put his shining Flexible Sword on his shoulder.
"Zieghart's assault team has always been the True Martial Palace! Don't lose to the Light Wind Palace!"
He raised his chin as he stomped on the ground with enough force to shake the beach.
"Then I'll take the third bridge?"
Alice smiled brightly as she looked back at Lawaine and the Blue Wind crew.
"We meet after so long, and it's straight to war. But that's how we are, right?"
She displayed a refreshing smile as vast as the sea, as if telling them to follow her well.
"We'll take the fourth position."
The Leader of the Void Sword Division, Serena, and the Leader of the Vanguard Sword Squadron, Latein, nodded as they looked at the fourth bridge.
"Then, the last..."
"Leave that one."
Larian shook her head as if saying to leave it. The fifth bridge seemed to be reserved for the knights of Owen who would arrive later.
"So, it's a siege battle after all."
Krein stretched his fingers as he released the tension.
"Look on the bright side. It's better than a siege battle at sea, right?"
Raon smiled slightly as he grabbed Krein's shoulder.
"O-of course! It's just that we practiced fighting in the water so much, it's a shame we can't show it off!"
Krein shook his head vigorously, insisting that he wasn't complaining.
"Then let's start immediately. They probably haven't organized yet..."
Just as Raon was about to give the attack order... Countless Blood Demons began to climb the walls of the White Blood Religion. They gripped their swords tightly as they continuously filled the walls, as if they were building a barrier with their own bodies.
'This is the problem...'
Raon frowned as he watched the increasing number of Blood Demons.
'Overwhelming numbers.'
As expected of a long-standing cult, the White Blood Religion boasted the largest numbers among the Five Demons. It was unpleasant to see, knowing that they could afford to use their followers as flesh shields just to wear down the enemy's resistance.
'However...'
The masters hadn't appeared yet. While the Bishops were scattered here and there, the Archbishops and apostle-level masters hadn't shown themselves.
"Let's go!"
Balder charged forward with a roar, feeling that they needed to break through now. His fierce charge seemed to ignite the others, as the Martial Artists on the other bridges also ran towards the walls of the White Blood Religion.
'Good instincts.'
Just as Raon smiled slightly and was about to run towards the walls.
"Palace Master, please rest until the upper apostles appear."
Burren stepped forward.
"We'll open this path!"
He bowed his head as if asking for trust. No, it wasn't just Burren. All the members of the Light Wind Palace were looking at him with eyes that seemed to say 'leave it to us.
"Alright. However..."
Raon sheathed his Heavenly Drive and stepped back. He lowered his chin firmly as he looked at the swordsmen he had personally trained.
"You too, wait by my side. Your battle isn't here now."
He raised his hand to point at Martha who was standing behind Burren. Martha needed to conserve her strength as she might be needed to rescue her mother from the Leader of the White Blood Religion.
"Hmm..."
While Martha would normally have shouted in rejection, today she understood the importance of the situation and moved to his side while biting her lip.
"Trust us."
Burren pounded his chest with his fist as if saying to trust and wait.
"We'll definitely open the path..."
Runaan looked at Martha not with his usual vacant gaze, but with intelligent eyes that seemed to contain stars.
"Don't die, you bastards..."
Martha gritted her teeth, saying she would kill them herself if they died. The Light Wind Palace swordsmen smiled slightly at her behavior.
"Go."
Raon raised his hand to point at the walls of the White Blood Religion, which seemed to flow with white blood.
"Be the first among the four bridges to break those walls."
"We receive your order!"
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen charged towards the walls as if receiving a divine mandate, with their swords raised as one.
"Observe with ease."
Raon nodded slightly with his arms crossed.
"How reliable your companions have become."
***
"T-the White Mist has cleared! It will take more than half a day to regenerate!"
"F-five bridges have been connected between the headquarters and the coast! Zieghart's forces are..."
"E-even when we cut off the flow of magic, the Kraken won't move! It seems to be unconscious!"
Bad news after bad news reached the Leader of the White Blood Religion, who had frozen like a puppet with its strings cut.
"Haah..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion raised her trembling hand and put a pipe in her mouth.
"We've been completely outmatched. That damned Ninth Apostle brought these hungry dogs."
She gritted her teeth as if realizing that the Ninth Apostle's actions had led to this situation.
"Contact Derus Robert. Tell him to come and provide support immediately."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion exhaled white smoke and nodded to the Tenth Apostle.
"And call that damned Thirteenth too."
She spoke in a voice that smelled of blood, ordering them to contact Derus and then call the Thirteenth Apostle.
"...Understood."
The Tenth Apostle nodded vigorously.
"First Apostle, awaken the Kraken even if you have to take all my blood, and Twelfth Apostle, take the apostles and bishops to defend the walls."
Despite being furious to the core, the Leader of the White Blood Religion assigned the most appropriate tasks for the current situation.
"It shall be done."
The First Apostle bowed, saying that they would awaken the Kraken even if it killed them.
"Understood. However, what about you, Leader...?"
The Twelfth Apostle tilted his head as if asking what the Leader would do. Only they among the apostles could ask that question.
"I will enter deep meditation now."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion crushed her empty pipe in her grip.
"Right now, Larian, Chamber, and Raon Zieghart are outside, but others could appear at any moment. If I don't break the wall here and now, we can't win."
She clenched her white fist, saying that she would complete the final piece of the puzzle to overcome the wall.
"That's how you are, Leader."
The Twelfth Apostle nodded as if approving the choice.
"I will resist even if I have to shed all my blood. May your meditation be successful."
They smiled coldly, vowing that they would not let them pass.
"I will also awaken the Kraken as quickly as possible and then support the Twelfth Apostle."
The First Apostle maintained a firm gaze as if saying not to worry.
"I'll go ahead."
The Tenth Apostle moved first, saying that they would contact Derus.
"Just wait a little longer..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion twisted her lips as she listened to the roars of the swordsmen outside the headquarters. She gritted her teeth as she exhaled the last smoke in her throat.
"I will turn them all into blood water."
***
"Stop them!"
"Block these demons who threaten our Leader!"
"Protect the holy land with your lives!"
The followers of the White Blood Religion standing on the walls poured out bloody energy as if they were ready to die where they stood. The wave of bloody energy fell on the swordsmen's heads like a downpour.
"Ignore it and keep going!"
Balder at the front unleashed his Flexible Sword in a long arc, creating a cloud-like formation. His deep and magnificent swordsmanship separated all the bloody energy falling like rain.
"Enter!"
He roared for them to attack the walls, saying he would cover them.
"Advance with faith in the Palace Master!"
"Those aren't Martial Artists, they're fanatics!"
"Fight without fear!"
The swordsmen, trusting not only Balder but their respective leaders, charged against the walls and began to break the blooming white magic.
As the swordsmen who had developed their Martial Prowess for two months attacked the walls, the thick defensive magic began to weaken in less than ten minutes.
'There was a reason they asked for trust.'
Raon nodded with a slight smile.
'They are definitely strong.'
Unlike the disorganized followers of the White Blood Religion, each of Zieghart's swordsmen faced the battle with an intense fighting spirit and determination. There was a sense that even if they died here, they believed their comrades would clear the path.
'I can simply observe for now.'
Just as Raon was about to lower his hand from his sword grip... The seemingly unconscious Kraken suddenly opened its eyes and began to move its legs. As its massive body twisted, the five bridges that the mages had connected with all their might trembled as if they were about to collapse.
"W-what!"
"The Kraken is moving!"
"R-run! We'll die like dogs if we stay here!"
The swordsmen retreated in panic, and even their leaders who had been protecting them were too shocked by the sudden situation to move.
"I'll go."
Raon put his hand on Alice, who was standing guard with him, and drew his Heavenly Drive.
'I'll have to use a lot of power, but there's no other choice.'
Although it would consume a lot of power to kill the Kraken due to the aura-blocking magic, there was no other way. Just as he was about to breathe and execute his footwork, Haerang, who had been by his side, propelled himself from the ground and leaped into the sea.
As soon as Haerang entered, the sea churned, and an equally massive wolf emerged in front of the Kraken that was trying to leave the shore.
The sound of the clash echoed. Haerang, now even larger than when he was intoxicated by the bloody energy, bared his sharp teeth and bit down on the Kraken's leg. Haerang let out a powerful howl, looking towards the sky as if asking the Light Wind Palace swordsmen to trust him.
-
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