Chapter 766
The Rat Legion has been annihilated.
The boss monster, which I usually call the "Great Mother Rat," was also defeated, and the elite Ratmen who charged at the walls until the end ultimately died without breaching the walls.
During Stage 2, just having them charge at the damaged walls would have caused breaches, putting the city at risk of falling.
But much time has passed, and we have grown stronger.
With walls, troops, and experience far surpassing those of that time, we could crush the far more powerful monsters without difficulty.
"Kiyaaahhh!"
The last Ratman, stepping over the corpses of its comrades, climbed up the wall with glowing red eyes, attempting to kill the humans.
"Quietly…"
Evangeline, who had been waiting at the edge of the wall, lifted her shield high,
"Be gone!"
She struck down vigorously.
Bang-!
"Die."
The Ratman, hit by the shield, fell off the wall, and Evangeline laughed arrogantly, "Hah!" as it plummeted.
Evangeline was equipped with the repaired [Cross Family Spear] and [Cross Family Shield]. These equipment pieces had been reborn even larger, more splendid, and with three spirits attached… truly monstrous specs.
Only the frames of the equipment remained the same; the rest was entirely newly crafted, a testament to the extreme skills of Kellibey and the blacksmiths of Crossroad.
"As long as I'm here, none of you bastards can even touch this city!"
Evangeline pounded her spear on the shield and roared, and the surrounding soldiers cheered in unison.
I smiled quietly.
'Look, Margrave.'
Seeing the successor of the Cross family fend off enemies many times stronger than those of the past…
The face of the old man who defended the city and died then flashed before my eyes.
'We have come this far.'
Recalling the old acquaintances among the familiar enemies, I looked again at the southern plains.
"…"
The masked clown who had been staring silently at us slowly turned around and eventually faded like a shadow.
'Come as many times as you like, Crown.'
I clenched my fist tightly.
'I will block your attacks as many times as needed.'
And at the end…
I will grasp the ending I desire.
I nodded firmly. The soldiers on the wall continued to cheer, celebrating another victory.
* * *
A few days later.
Stage 47.
"I did say you could come as many times as you wanted, but…"
I muttered nervously, watching the advancing enemies.
"But aren't they choosing too strong ones for the final stages…"
Thud…! Thud…! Thud…!
Three gigantic statues clad in oriental-style armor were advancing at the forefront of the monster legion.
The heads of the giant statues were those of animals: a rooster, a snake, and a pig.
The rooster wielded a crescent blade, the snake had twin spears, and the pig held a serpent spear, using them to support their march.
I clicked my tongue and spat out their names.
"Tamn, Jin, Chi…!"
Tamn, Jin, Chi represent:
— **Tamn**: Greed
— **Jin**: Anger
— **Chi**: Foolishness
These three states of mind darken wisdom and are the root of evil, collectively known as the Three Poisons (Samdoksim).
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Behind these three statues followed a series of soldier statues.
These 108 soldier statues, each representing different afflictions and delusions, followed the colossal trio, their appearance grotesque and their aura fierce.
The human senses lead to 108 afflictions, and these statues, with their heads shaped like giant eyes, ears, noses, tongues, and brains, symbolized this.
The statues, originating from an ancient temple in the Eastern Continent, gained life through some unknown principle and roamed the world, killing people. They even crossed the sea to wreak havoc on this continent.
Thus, this entire group of three generals and 108 soldiers is known as the Samdoksim Affliction Legion.
"To reach Nirvana, one must eliminate the poisons of the mind."
"O disciple, we shall sever your afflictions."
"Abandon your attachment to life, for in such abandonment lies the path to the Pure Land."
The giant Tamn, Jin, and Chi approached step by step.
The 108 Afflictions, muttering distorted teachings in grating voices, advanced behind them.
The mere fact that such profound and pure doctrines were twisted and spewed from these murderous statues induced an uncanny fear.
"Thanks for worrying about my enlightenment, but why does that mean ending my life…"
I grumbled.
In past legends, eminent priests from the temple where these statues originated stood against them with their bodies, engaging in theological debates. They finally convinced the statues that their actions were wrong, reciting scriptures and teachings.
The statues stopped on their own, and the priests, exhausted from the seven-day-and-night debate, died on the spot.
'We can't use that method, can we…?'
Still, just in case, I tried talking to them.
"Hey! How about we solve this with words? We're willing to talk!"
"Abandon language. The mouth is the root of affliction. All living beings' mouths should be torn with saws, and their tongues pulled out. This is the first step to the Pure Land."
"What the hell are you insane bastards saying!"
I was horrified as they chanted in unison.
"Gouge out eyes!"
"Tear ears apart!"
"Rip off noses!"
"Cut off tongues!"
"Burn bodies!"
"Destroy brains!"
"Destroy, destroy! All of the universe is suffering! Everything in this world is suffering! Life is suffering! To end suffering, we must kill and end life!"
Lucas, beside me, also broke out in a cold sweat.
"They seem… thoroughly corrupted. They don't seem like they can be reasoned with."
"How great were the priests who managed to persuade these guys…"
Well, whatever.
Ending conflicts without battle is ideal, but if the opponent won't listen, we must use force.
"Night Bringer!"
I shouted, kicking the train beneath me with my foot.
"Time to work! Let's go!"
Vrooom!
The train immediately responded, starting to move roughly.
The mobile wall made from the black dragon— [Night Bringer].
An artifact that moves by laying tracks on bare ground, using the principles of the Iron King we defeated before.
The wall, consisting of nine cars in total, brought three cars in front of the black lake. Even three cars could instantly set up a small forward base on-site.
However, I wasn't setting up a forward base this time.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Reaching the pre-designated points, [Night Bringer] started transforming.
Two cars formed walls and barricades, while one car turned into a tall battery.
Mounted on this battery was a special cannon, previously installed. Damien, already seated at the gunner's seat, let out a scream as the battery rose with him.
"Is this safe, Your Highness…?!"
"Of course. Trust me!"
I shouted confidently, but I wasn't sure of this wall's temperament either… I had a feeling it might cause trouble one day… but it also seemed like it might defy that expectation…
Anyway, [Night Bringer] transformed into two layers of walls and a battery, maintaining tracks underneath for mobility. In other words, it could move even in wall and battery mode.
Meanwhile, the Samdoksim Affliction Legion continued approaching us steadily.
「Your Highness, initiating suppressive fire.」
「Woohoo! Let's shoot-!」
Voices came from the two airships hovering to escort us. One was 'La Mancha', and the other was the newly joined pirate ship 'Blue Pearl' of Rompeller.
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
Boom! Boom!
La Mancha unleashed a barrage of dozens of machine guns, followed by Blue Pearl's massive mana cannons mounted on its central and side sections.
Bang! Ba-ba-bang!
Boom-!
Thousands of bullets and three massive blue mana shells struck the monster legion in an instant.
A gigantic explosion erupted.
Excited voices of the pirates echoed from Blue Pearl.
「Piece of cake! We can go home now… huh?」
The simultaneous chatter of the two Rompellers halted abruptly.
A mysterious golden aura emerged from the monster legion, forming a dome-shaped shield, absorbing all our long-range attacks.
Thud…! Thud…! Thud…!
Despite the terrifying bombardment, the monster legion advanced without a scratch.
「What the heck is that?!」
「What is this…?」
Ignoring the dismayed groans of the two novice pirate kings, I examined the enemy.
By now, they had formed a formation.
The Samdoksim statues stood in a triangle in the center, surrounded by the 108 Affliction statues in formation.
"Om(ॐ)-"
The Tamn, Jin, Chi statues chanted, pressing their palms together, followed by the 108 Afflictions.
"Om(ॐ)…!"
The golden barrier surrounding them shone even more brilliantly, expanding its range.
Crack! Crackle!
Shatter…!
The surrounding vegetation evaporated, and rocks turned to dust as they were engulfed by this golden aura.
"I don't understand the principle, but these bastards have a very sturdy formation."
I clicked my tongue, watching the golden idols approach.
"But they're not invincible. Very powerful damage can penetrate. The problem is that it nullifies all attacks below that threshold."
No need to overthink it.
In the game, the legion had a special barrier with the gimmick of 'nullifying damage below a certain threshold'. The problem, as mentioned earlier, is that the damage threshold is quite high.
"But there's always a way."
In the game, we continuously pushed through damage that could slightly penetrate the barrier, gradually accumulating damage and knocking down the 108 Affliction statues one by one.
Each time an Affliction statue was taken down, the damage threshold would decrease slightly. For example, if it was set to nullify damage below 1000, after taking down about half of the 108 Affliction statues, it would change to nullify damage below 500.
Originally, this meant a drawn-out battle, whether we liked it or not…
"But we also have a new weapon."
I tapped the train beneath my feet again with my toes.
The [Night Bringer] started to slowly back up, creating tracks as it moved, putting distance between us and the approaching enemies with its dual-layered walls and a single battery.
Though the monster legion's speed was faster and they were gradually catching up, this distance was sufficient.
"Damien, are you ready?"
"Always, Your Highness!"
"Good. I'll leave the timing to you. Fire at will… Oh, wait!"
I grinned as I put on the item I had brought.
"Everyone, put on your sunglasses!"
I wore the sunglasses commonly referred to as MacArthur style, while Lucas, fumbling to put on his own, wore a simple round style.
"But why are we putting on these sunglasses, my lord?"
"Well…"
I glanced at the battery where Damien was preparing to fire and smirked.
"The new weapon is so bright when it explodes that it could damage your eyesight!"
What Damien was loading into the battery was…
A missile, larger than any we had used before.
Chapter 767
Missile-shaped new weapon.
The reason I ordered its development was straightforward.
'We have more magic cores than we can use in equipment manufacturing!'
As the war entered its final stages, we began to receive an excessive supply of magic cores. In the last battle alone, we collected a massive amount of magic cores from named monsters.
Meanwhile, the smithy's production slots were already full.
With the existing workforce at Crossroad's smithy, dwarves, and personnel gathered from all over the world, the smithy operated non-stop, day and night.
The smithy was responsible for making and repairing equipment, creating and repairing artifacts, producing and maintaining defense facilities, and even crafting and repairing gear for regular soldiers.
Even though we had quality materials, turning them into equipment immediately was becoming increasingly difficult.
'Of course, I could prioritize their creation, but at this rate, most items would be completed after the war is over.'
What use are new items if they come out after the final stage?
I pondered. How could we efficiently consume these abundant magic cores within the remaining time?
After much thought, the solution I came up with was this.
"Introducing!"
I shouted, pointing to the cannon Damien had finished preparing.
"The new weapon of the monster front! 'Nuclear Bomb'!"
…No, it's definitely not like Earth's nuclear bombs.
It's named with a bit of trolling because it's a 'bomb' made with pure magic 'cores'.
'The official name is Magic Core Missile.'
Most equipment is designed with the premise of 'lasting as long as possible'. The magic core is the cornerstone of this premise.
This stable, long-term power source is the core and flower of magical civilization. With proper maintenance, magic cores can work perfectly for centuries.
'But! We don't need something that lasts for centuries right now!'
If we can just get through the next few battles ahead, that's enough!
Thus, the 'Magic Core Missile' was designed with no regard for conserving this precious resource. Once the launch sequence begins, the magic core instantly goes into overdrive, converting all its potential and future possibilities into a single explosion.
'The essence of a monster commander's lifetime is in its magic core.'
An ultimate luxury to use all that essence in one go! The height of extravagance!
Most importantly, it's relatively simple to produce! It doesn't take up much space in the already packed smithy's production slots!
Kelibey explained that the missile's safety mechanism and propellant were the result of accumulated research, and he gave a lecture on how magically engineered this missile is.
Moreover, the sequential reaction for the explosion requires N-grade, R-grade, and SR-grade magic cores as the trigger, a weapon that burns through one of each type of magic core—N, R, SR, SSR—in one go.
'But the crucial point is that it has a short production time.'
Don't save the resources! Don't hoard research results! Burn everything for the remaining battles!
Anyway, that was a long explanation!
"Let's start the new weapon test!"
Everyone deployed in the area had put on their sunglasses.
Damien also donned large goggles and nodded. I gave a thumbs-up.
"Fire away, Damien!"
"Launching 'Flame Giant Bomb'! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…!"
At the signal, Damien pulled the large trigger backward,
Thoom-!
The missile shot up into the sky, propelled by the launcher.
It looked more like a mortar than a missile in terms of size and launch method, but who cares! As long as it hits the enemy effectively!
Fweee…
The magic core missile soared to its peak in the sky and began descending.
It fell directly above the Samdoksim Affliction Legion.
"Om(ॐ)-!"
As the Affliction statues chanted in unison, a dazzling golden aura formed around them. It was their 'nullify damage below a certain threshold' barrier.
"Then we'll just hit them with an attack that exceeds that barrier's defense!"
I waved my hand.
Simultaneously, the missile, tracing a clean trajectory, touched the golden barrier.
Whoosh…
A sensation as if the surrounding air was compressed,
BOOM-!
An enormous noise, light, and intense heat exploded forth.
Despite the considerable distance, the shockwave reached us. I quickly deployed a magic wall to block the flying debris.
"Wow."
I clicked my tongue, watching the massive light sphere ripple from the impact point.
"Impressive."
Of course, it's not exactly like a nuclear bomb. It's more akin to a high-powered missile in terms of strength.
The magic core used in the initial missile was from the Flame Giant King.
Whether it followed the properties of its source, the impact point was engulfed in fierce flames once the light dissipated.
And from within those flames at the impact point…
"Om, Om, Om, Om, Om…"
"Overcome, overcome, overcome, overcome, overcome the afflictions."
"Life is suffering. Suffering is life. Do not be deluded by pain. Transcend the flesh."
The Samdoksim, Tamn, Jin, and Chi, remained intact.
The golden barrier still held firm.
However, more than half of the 108 Affliction statues were shattered and destroyed. They had taken the damage the barrier couldn't absorb.
"Hmm."
I observed the barrier, now flickering and discolored, and turned to Damien.
"Fire another one. This time with 'Whirlwind'."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
The next missile was loaded into the launcher,
"Launching 'Whirlwind Bomb'! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…!"
Damien pulled the trigger, and the missile shot into the sky.
Thoom-!
It soared up and then fell once more over the reassembling Samdoksim Affliction Legion.
"Om(ॐ)-!"
The Samdoksim raised their weapons skyward, emitting golden streams.
However, the missile, drawing a peculiar trajectory, twisted and descended, eventually striking the barrier.
"This is our sharp eye!"
With my shout, the explosion ensued.
BOOM-!
The explosion was different this time.
While the previous missile created a pure, fierce blast, this one swirled and churned as it exploded.
Clang…!
Under this churning explosion, the golden barrier finally shattered, breaking apart and collapsing.
As the swirling storm subsided, all 108 Affliction statues lay shattered and dead beneath it.
Thud…! Thud…! Thud…!
Only the three giant statues, Tamn, Jin, and Chi, advanced through the thick smoke towards us.
"While the power is indeed remarkable…"
Lucas slid his sunglasses down his nose and peered at me over the lenses with his blue eyes.
"I'm not sure if it's more efficient than crafting equipment or artifacts. We've permanently used up two commander-level magic cores and only managed to eliminate the enemy's common soldiers."
Lucas had a point.
The power of the Magic Core Missile was certainly outstanding, but ultimately, it was a long-range bombardment. Our elite artillery units could replace this with their crossfire.
It's true that permanently using commander-level magic cores in a single blast felt wasteful. Even now, with two SSR-grade magic cores, all we did was dismantle the enemy's barrier and eliminate their common soldiers.
"But we did break their special barrier and wiped out an elite force with various special abilities."
I smiled broadly at Lucas.
"Without any casualties on our side."
"…!"
"Consider it a good long-range option we've gained."
From a long-term perspective, it might seem wasteful, but solely from the standpoint of ending this war, it wasn't a bad result.
Moreover, we managed to dismantle the dreaded barrier of the Affliction Legion with just two missile shots. If we had faced them head-on, it would have taken three days and nights to break through.
"Damien! We have one more test missile left, right?"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"Great. Let's finish this. Fire it!"
Damien loaded the final missile.
"Launching 'Ten Corners Bomb'! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…!"
Thoom-!
The missile shot into the sky, hovered for a moment, and then began its descent.
Tamn, Jin, and Chi roared fiercely and swung their weapons at the missile, unleashing their attacks.
Bang…!
This time, the missile couldn't evade and exploded mid-air.
…And then.
Screeee!
From the exploding missile, ten warheads separated and rained down.
Like a cluster bomb from Earth, this missile, inheriting the properties of the monster commander Decagon, fragmented into ten conical pieces and blanketed the ground.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!
Massive explosions and overwhelming shockwaves swept the area. I adjusted my sunglasses.
"It's interesting how the characteristics of each commander manifest."
"…Do you think we've defeated them?"
"No. The Samdoksim Affliction Legion has a final phase."
I explained the enemy legion while glaring at the silhouette of the giants through the lingering smoke.
"Their most terrifying aspect is their mental attack."
Samdoksim. And the 108 Afflictions.
They don't physically attack us; instead, they approach while endlessly reciting mantras.
The problem is that hearing their corrupted mantras contaminates the mind.
Greed, anger, and foolishness endlessly surge, bringing forth all kinds of negative emotions. Eventually, if exposed to their recitations for too long, even heroes and soldiers will go mad and either commit suicide or kill each other.
Before this happens, their barrier must be nullified and they must be taken down, but their barrier is incredibly sturdy… overall, they are a headache-inducing enemy.
In the game, you had to divide your forces, whittling down the barrier with one unit until the mental contamination reached its limit, then swapping to another unit. It required a prolonged battle.
'But we don't have to do that.'
With me possessing [Unyielding Commander], we are safe from mental contamination. The barrier was easily obliterated by the missiles.
The problem is after nullifying the barrier and taking them down.
These bastards have a second phase…
'It was incredibly annoying in the game too… '
Once the barrier is nullified, all 108 Affliction statues are destroyed, and only Tamn, Jin, and Chi remain and take significant damage.
Given they are both giants and monsters, it's pretty obvious what they would do.
The second phase, rich with tradition and history.
"Fusion!"
Whirrrrr…!
As the thick smoke and dust cleared from the epicenter of the explosion.
There stood a truly colossal statue, exuding a terrifying aura.
With the three heads of a rooster, snake, and pig on one body, and six arms rising to the sky in a lotus-like stance.
A monster with three heads and six arms.
"Asura…!"
Flash-!
Its six red eyes gleamed brightly.
Tamn, Jin, and Chi, now in the form of Asura, began to chant.
"我昔所造諸惡業 (I confess the evil deeds committed in my past)."
Their previous sins were committed due to greed, anger, and foolishness.
"皆由無始貪瞋癡 (All were born from beginningless greed, anger, and foolishness)."
Through body, speech, and mind.
"從身口意之所生 (They originated from my body, speech, and mind)."
They now sincerely repent all those sins.
"一切我今皆懺悔 (I now repent for all those sins)." (TL Note: I will be leaving the Chinese Chanting there)
"…"
It's a beautiful confession.
Why are they chanting this while charging at us with weapons raised?!
Chapter 768
The charging Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi roared.
"Om(ॐ)-!"
The mouths of the rooster, snake, and pig opened simultaneously, unleashing a resonating mantra.
Golden streams of energy extended from the core of the giant statue to the crescent blade, twin spears, and serpent spear held by its six arms, then burst forth like a storm in all directions.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Had we been within range, we wouldn't have even been able to collect our bones.
But we were aboard the mobile wall, [Knight Bringer], which generates tracks in real-time and moves on them.
We narrowly retreated the wall, escaping the attack range of Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi's assaults. Go, Night Bringer!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The three weapons swung menacingly, and each time an attack narrowly missed us, the outer panels of the wall were deeply gouged or pieces splintered off.
Lucas, assessing the power of the passing attacks, broke into a cold sweat.
"The destructive power is terrifying. If that thing reaches Crossroad…"
"All our defensive installations would be torn apart."
Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi in its second phase lost all its special abilities from the first phase.
But it compensates with immense physical power.
If it lands even one hit properly, even a wall made from black dragon scales would be crushed. It would likely inflict critical damage to our defensive structures.
"Therefore, we need to inflict as much damage as possible before it reaches Crossroad."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The narrowly missed attacks kept striking, but each time [Knight Bringer] accelerated or twisted its path to avoid them, as if it had a will to avoid being hit.
"What is the strategy to defeat it, my lord?"
Lucas seemed to assume I had a strategy ready. I sighed.
"This is the interesting part…"
With my [Unyielding Commander], we could avoid the mental status effect attacks of those things in the first phase without any damage.
But to counterattack Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi in the second phase's mental realm, we need to be mentally contaminated in the first phase. That's the second phase clear gimmick.
In other words, we have to allow the mental contamination attacks in the first phase and be somewhat affected to clear the second phase smoothly.
Recognizing afflictions to eliminate them—how conceptually fitting.
However, thanks to my [Unyielding Commander] effect, we are all mentally sound. In other words, we can't use the second phase gimmick…
What choice do we have? I can't deactivate [Unyielding Commander]. Allowing mental contamination to clear a gimmick could cause unforeseen problems later.
So, we must push through the second phase without the gimmick. Until that massive and sturdy Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi falls!
I explained this briefly to Lucas, who nodded with a bitter smile.
"So… we have to keep hitting Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi relentlessly for the next three days as it advances north! It's very tough, so we need to use every means at our disposal with persistence and grit!"
"…"
Lucas, observing the advancing Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi, suddenly chuckled.
"Somehow… it reminds me of when we stopped Jörmungandr."
"Exactly, exactly. We've already faced worse before."
With Jörmungandr, we had to send an elite force onto its body, destroying three protruding nodes while fending off werewolf attacks.
"Compared to that, this is quite a manageable operation, right? Oh! Back in my day…"
As I continued in my grumpy voice, Lucas quietly smiled and drew the [Bestowed Sword].
Then he struck at Tamn-Jin-Chi's body with an extended blade of light.
* * *
For the next three days.
We continued a tense game of cat-and-mouse with Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi, attacking it relentlessly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
From the moving wall train, Damien and our gunners unleashed long-range attacks from the turrets. Lucas struck with his blade of light.
Tat-tat-tat-tat!
Clang! Clang!
In the sky, wizards aboard airships poured out magic without holding back, returning to Crossroad to reload more wizards for another round of magic bombardments.
Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi was a large, powerful, and sturdy enemy, but it gradually accumulated damage under our ceaseless attacks.
Its armor cracked and fell, and its massive statue body bore countless scorch marks.
By the time we reached the southern plains within sight of Crossroad's walls, it was already heavily damaged with deep fissures across its body.
"Artillery units-!"
Our artillery, already positioned on Crossroad's walls, aimed at the enemy simultaneously.
We drifted [Knight Bringer] to the side, moving out of the artillery's line of fire as I waved the flag grandly.
"Fire crossfire-!"
Boom! Boom…!
The sound of artillery fire echoed from the distant Crossroad walls, and,
Screeeeeee-!
Hundreds of projectiles tore through the air like a storm, all striking Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi with unbelievable accuracy.
Boom! Boom-boom-boom!
Boom…!
Hundreds of projectiles hit at once and exploded.
I clenched my fist, looking at the explosion site enveloped in thick smoke. Indeed, the artillery is the flower of the battlefield!
"…"
As the smoke cleared, Asura Tamn-Jin-Chi, having endured the mightiest crossfire of our monster front, was already incapacitated.
Unable to withstand the cumulative damage and the final crossfire, all six arms were broken and fallen, both legs crushed. The three heads were also hideously shattered.
"…Ah."
Was it my imagination?
Only at the brink of death did the six burning eyes of the statue regain a mild light.
"So that's what it meant. The teachings of the priests that day…"
Then, the monster muttered in a low voice with crumbling stone lips.
"百劫積集罪 (The sins accumulated over countless kalpas)."
The sins accumulated over countless ages,
"一念頓蕩盡 (Vanish in a single thought)."
Disappear suddenly in one thought.
"如火焚枯草 (Like fire burning dry grass)."
Like dry grass burns in fire,
"滅盡無有餘 (Nothing remains)."
Everything disappears without a trace…
Tamn-Jin-Chi closed its eyes slowly, reciting its final mantra like a last will.
The second wave of crossfire from Crossroad rained down upon the crumbling monster.
Boom…
* * *
The Samdoksim Affliction Legion was thus eradicated.
After commending Lucas, Damien, the soldiers, the airship crew, and everyone who toiled through the three-day operation,
I personally retrieved the magic cores from the shattered statue remains and looked southward into the distance.
There, standing on the horizon, was the masked clown.
It was Crown. He had come to watch the battle again.
"…"
"…"
Crown, who had been silently observing us, eventually turned and disappeared back south.
"…Whew."
I clicked my tongue, packing the three SSR-grade magic cores of Tamn, Jin, and Chi.
The Rat Legion and the Samdoksim Affliction Legion were undoubtedly formidable as single units. They must be among the strongest monster legions left in that hell.
But for some reason, I had a feeling.
"A bigger one is coming…"
Next stage.
I had a hunch that Crown would bring something even more formidable.
"…"
…And as usual, my ominous premonitions tend to come true.
* * *
A few days later.
Stage 48.
Boom-! Boom-! Boom-! Boom-! Boom-!
The sound of drums echoed.
This rhythmic and orderly drumming that shook our hearts was not of human origin.
It came from the monster legion emerging from the black lake.
Booooo-!
With a massive horn blast shaking the ground.
Clop! Clop! Clop!
Monsters with the upper bodies of humans attached to the bodies of horses emerged in rows, their hooves pounding the ground as they marched out of the black lake.
They were all clad in gleaming helmets and armor. These were the Centaur (Κένταυρος) Legion.
Once an ancient race that taught medicine, politics, farming, and daily life to all other races,
For some reason, they suddenly sought to destroy the entire world and waged war against all other races, ultimately being defeated and driven to extinction, according to legend.
Clop! Clop! Clop! Clop! Clop!
Moving in an incredibly precise formation, they reorganized into four main units in front of the black lake.
They distinguished themselves by the colors of their cloaks: white, red, black, and blue.
Leading each unit were unusually large captains, each holding a distinctive symbol.
The captain of the white-cloaked unit held a bow.
The captain of the red-cloaked unit held a sword.
The captain of the black-cloaked unit held scales.
The captain of the blue-cloaked unit held a scythe.
"Whew…"
Hovering above the black lake in La Mancha, I watched them organize their formation and muttered their name.
"Apocalypse Knights…"
The White Knight of Pestilence.
The Red Knight of War.
The Black Knight of Famine.
The Blue Knight of Death.
And their knights, 110 in each unit.
A total of 444 knights of doom charging towards destruction.
They were the monster legion invading humanity in this defense battle.
'As if it weren't the final stage, they're picking out all the tough ones… '
They are the strongest legion as a single monster unit.
In terms of sheer combat power, they could rival the top 10 nightmare legions we've faced.
The only reason they didn't make it into the top 10 was that they lacked a unified leader. They had four field commanders, the Four Horsemen, but no king to represent their collective will.
After all, they are embodiments of plague, war, famine, and death, rampaging towards destruction without any self-will, much like their living legends.
Though they didn't make it into the ranking of nightmare commanders, their power is formidable.
'This won't be an easy battle.'
Booooo-!
The buglers in each unit set aside their drums and blew their horns vigorously,
Clop, clop, clop…
The four units of the Apocalypse Knights began to march north, gradually gaining terrifying speed.
Being Centaurs, a half-human, half-horse race, they were effectively a cavalry.
At this pace, they would reach Crossroad in no time.
"The enemy monster legion has begun advancing north!"
Reports from the scouts echoed in my ears.
"The enemy legion has split into four units!"
"111 each, divided into four paths, advancing north through different routes!"
"They're moving through pathless terrain without slowing down! At this rate, they'll reach Crossroad in two days, if not sooner!"
"What should we do, Your Highness?!"
"…"
I opened my eyes wide after closing them briefly.
We already have our defensive strategies prepared.
"We will split into four and block them."
The Apocalypse Knights are divided into four units.
And they synergize when they fight together.
They will converge into a single army in front of Crossroad, and if all four units arrive intact, we won't stand a chance.
We must defeat them separately before they combine.
"Divide the mobile wall [Knight Bringer] into three parts and deploy them at three points."
I pointed to key positions on the map between the black lake and Crossroad.
"Transform [Knight Bringer] into forward bases at these points to block the enemy. Deploy the units as per the prearranged plan."
One of the soldiers cautiously asked.
"Three forward bases to block three units, understood… but what about the fourth unit?"
I nodded.
"I will handle it."
My magic fortress is still quite usable.
I banged the table and extended my hand.
"We don't have time! Begin the operation immediately!"
Chapter 769
Dududududu-!
Four cavalry units charging north as if they were flying.
The white, red, black, and blue knights, symbolizing plague, war, famine, and death respectively, twisted the surrounding atmosphere with their mere presence.
The ground trampled by the white knights instantly rotted, and the paths taken by the red knights were set ablaze. Around the black knights, plants and wildlife withered and died, and lastly, the blue knights…
Thud, thud, thud.
They ran quietly.
Unlike the other three cavalry units that loudly announced their presence by devastating the surroundings, the blue knights galloped softly, without a sound.
Spurring the frozen winter ground, they silently headed north.
"…"
Watching the uniquely white-frosted path left by the blue knights, I clicked my tongue.
I know.
Those bastards are the most dangerous…
* * *
A few days ago.
After it was confirmed that our opponents in Stage 48 were the Apocalypse Knights.
I divided our forces into four units. Each unit was balanced with tanks, damage dealers, mages, and healers.
Apart from the unit I would command, I appointed Torkel, Evangeline, and Lucas as the commanders of the other units. All three were tanks with experience and talent in leading troops.
Torkel's unit was assigned to the war's red knights, Evangeline's to the famine's black knights, and Lucas's to the death's blue knights.
"What about you, my lord?"
"I'll handle the plague's white knights."
There was a reason for this distribution.
First, I am immune to plague. Thanks to the celestial peach that Salome once fed me, the plague cannot approach me. This makes me a natural counter to the white knights just by existing.
'No matter how much you try, you're no match for Raven.'
Remembering the plague lord with the raven mask that Salome and I defeated, I clicked my tongue.
Next, the war's red knights.
These guys bring war with them. In other words, they have fire attributes.
Although they use flames, it's only a supplementary effect. Embers follow their path as they run.
Their main characteristic is their overwhelming physical strength used in warfare.
They are the best in hand-to-hand combat among the four units.
Torkel is the best match for them among our field commanders. With his purified Nightmare Slayer, [Original Sin], he can easily command his troops and put up a good fight against these guys.
"…"
At the mention of 'war,' Torkel suddenly stroked his helmet, [Original Sin].
Was he perhaps recalling the battle with the Goblin God-King, who caused him to lose all his former comrades and whose helmet he now wore?
"I will follow your orders, Your Highness."
Torkel bowed deeply and stepped back.
Next, the famine's black knights.
These guys cause drought, making the land and vegetation dry up. In other words, they have water attributes.
They don't actively use water but drain moisture from their surroundings and their opponents.
And water is life.
These troublesome guys frequently use life drain.
Evangeline smirked.
"Hehe, you're assigning me to stop their famine with my moist charm, right?"
"No… I mean for you to endure with the fat stored in your round belly…"
"What did you say?!"
Of course, it was a joke.
The leader of the black knights uses a pattern of wide-area life drain targeting our heroes. This is meant to counter that with Evangeline's ultimate skill, [Last Fortress].
"Well, if that's the reason… but I don't have much belly fat now! Instead, I have solid abs!"
Evangeline patted her belly indignantly and looked at Lucas.
But Lucas, with a serious face, was only looking at the deployment map and asked me.
"What are the abilities of the blue knights, my lord?"
"Death."
Sighing, I clasped my hands together.
"And from death, comes cold."
I suddenly recalled the dreadful chill from the heaps of corpses I saw at the forward base long ago.
That terrible chill unexpectedly sent a shiver down my spine, but I nodded without showing it.
"The blue knights extract cold whenever they take a life."
Every time they take one of our lives, they cloak themselves in the cold extracted from that death.
But this isn't just ordinary cold… It's literally extracted from death, touching the soul. Mortals exposed to this cold have their souls scarred.
If the snowball rolls properly, by the end of the battle, their entire bodies would be enveloped in blue cold, almost looking like they're wearing ice armor.
So, if we had to attribute it, they have ice attributes.
"Do you have any idea how to deal with these guys?"
"…We need to minimize our casualties."
"Exactly."
I nodded at Lucas's answer.
The more casualties we have, the more cold the blue knights gather, and the stronger they become.
We need to buy time while keeping our casualties to a minimum.
"…"
Ice. And an enemy that grows stronger as they take our lives.
Suddenly, Celendion came to mind. It was similar to the battle against the vampire king who led the frost ghouls.
I closed my eyes tightly and then opened them.
Yes. This is all hardship we've already endured once. Trials we've already passed.
We won't falter now in the face of such adversity.
"Lucas. You and your unit must not engage the blue knights head-on."
I issued my tactical orders.
"After I, Torkel, and Evangeline crush our respective enemy units, we will join you. Your role is to buy as much time as possible with minimal casualties, keeping those bastards in place."
"…"
Lucas listened to my words, deep in thought.
Being told to hold off the strongest unit among the four enemies just to buy time.
Normally, it would be a suicidal order. But I am the one giving this command, and Lucas is the one receiving it.
I won't let my people die.
And Lucas is undoubtedly my ace.
He has the ability to carry out this mission. That's why I trust him with it.
"Hold the forward base and buy time. But if the situation gets tough, don't hesitate."
"Yes. We will retreat."
After instructing Torkel, Evangeline, and Lucas on which heroes to attach to each unit and what equipment and troops to assign…
Finally, I spoke.
"Everyone, remember. In this battle, our role at the forward base is merely to blunt the enemy's spearhead."
The three unit commanders looked at me with shining eyes. I nodded.
"There's no need to overextend and wipe them out. Reducing their numbers and buying time is enough."
Emphasizing once more the operational method of the forward base, which I've mentioned hundreds of times while managing the monster frontlines.
After stressing to retreat without hesitation if necessary, I clapped my hands.
"Alright, not much time left! Let's give it our all until the end!"
Then, Evangeline suddenly thrust her fist forward. Huh?
Looking puzzled, Evangeline just raised her eyebrows and looked around at us.
Lucas chuckled first and bumped his fist against hers, and only then did Torkel and I, understanding her intention, bump our fists as well.
Pop!
After lightly bumping our fists together.
We stepped out to organize our respective units.
* * *
Present.
"This place…"
I planted the flag into the ground and declared.
"This is the front line of the world!"
Shoooom!
Gray walls made of magic rose from all directions, and a fortress emerged in the barren wasteland.
Immediately, my heroes and soldiers, who were on standby, quickly found their positions inside the fortress.
"Huff."
Taking a short breath, I looked around.
Despite reducing the burden as much as possible in the previous battles, the faces of the heroes and soldiers were etched with irremovable fatigue.
It wasn't just the fatigue from the continuous battles at the final stage.
It's the fatigue accumulated from fighting endlessly for the past three years, carved into their faces like scars.
"…"
All of it will end soon.
I looked up at the sky.
The airship La Mancha was waiting in the sky, overseeing all four forward bases.
Damien, also aboard La Mancha, was responsible for supporting fire for all four forward bases.
Given the vast distances between the forward bases, it's an impossible task, but Damien possesses Far-Sight. It's okay to assign him something impossible.
So La Mancha and Damien will provide support as needed to all forward bases. The Sky Knights, operating from La Mancha, and Mikhail will also provide support if necessary.
The newly joined pirate airship Blue Pearl was attached to Lucas's unit. Considering their enemies are the strongest, the airship was reserved as a retreat means.
Thinking about the status of the heroes and equipment assigned to other units…
"It's good to be concerned about other units, but."
A voice came from behind.
Turning around, a bald dwarf was walking toward me with a swagger.
"How about worrying about us first?"
"Kellibey."
I smiled broadly.
"With the great Dwarf King here, what could I possibly worry about?"
"You brat, your tongue's become as slick as a politician's."
Kellibey shook his head in disbelief and looked around the magic fortress.
"You've assigned all the main heroes and troops to other units, handed out artifacts and equipment, and all we have here is you, me, my subordinates, and the newly joined volunteers."
Kellibey looked south.
"Can we really handle this on our own?"
Dududududu-!
From the south, a cloud of dust was rising as the white-cloaked cavalry unit appeared.
The plague's white knights.
The path taken by this archery cavalry unit was blackened with rot. The sight of the white cavalry galloping on the blackened path was itself eerie.
I grinned.
"You should ask the other way around, Kellibey."
"Eh?"
"Isn't it too much to gather such overwhelming force here? Wouldn't it be better to scrape some of it and support the other units?"
Kellibey was dumbfounded by my bravado, but I was somewhat serious.
While I'm saving the power of the dragon and the divine for the 'clear.'
Even without using them, I'm already a half-cheat character.
When I swung my arm to the side, the magic wall beside me began to transform rapidly.
Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In an instant, the transformation was complete, and what stood there were automatic defense turrets.
Precisely— one hundred turrets.
'I have plenty of SSR-grade magic cores to use as missiles, so in a situation like this, I need to use the surplus R-grade magic cores!'
This is the ultimate tactic for dealing with resource saturation in the endgame — turret spam, a move only the commander-in-chief can use!
What's the point of hoarding minerals at the end of the game? Use them all!
Seeing Kellibey with his mouth agape, I winked at him.
"How about a fireworks show, Kellibey?"
Kellibey clenched his fist and shouted.
"That sounds great-!"
Clunk-!
The one hundred automatic defense turrets simultaneously locked onto the incoming cavalry unit within range.
In the next moment, the muzzles of the one hundred turrets simultaneously spewed dazzling cyan flames.
Chapter 770
As soon as our one hundred automatic defense turrets simultaneously targeted and fired at the enemies,
The leader of the white knights, who was charging at the forefront, raised his massive bow.
He drew the bowstring gracefully, as if plucking the strings of a harp…
Dooong-!
As the bowstring vibrated, a dense white mist instantly filled the air.
The turquoise mana bullets fired by the automatic turrets poured into the mist,
Ripple…!
The mist rippled like water and completely absorbed the projectiles.
The mana bullets caught in the mist disintegrated and vanished, as if decomposing at an accelerated rate like a corpse.
Simultaneously, the 111 white knights also readied their bows. They all lifted their bows to the sky and fired arrows.
Sssss-!
Thud, thud, thud!
The barrage of arrows fired in an arc soared high into the sky.
'Plague arrows!'
The arrows, like rockets leaving smoke trails, soared while scattering a dark aura behind them.
These plague arrows would form contaminated zones on impact.
Standing on the edge of the fortress wall, I waved my flag horizontally.
"I can handle defense too-!"
Shooosh!
Following the path of my flag, a new magic wall rose in the air, blocking all the falling plague arrows.
The magic wall struck by the arrows immediately decayed and blackened, but as I retrieved the decayed magic wall, it instantly purified and disappeared in the air.
Just entering my zone of invulnerability neutralized the effect of the plague arrows.
While I created layer upon layer of magic walls to block the plague arrows, my one hundred automatic turrets fired another round directly at the white knights.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The leader of the white knights spread the mist once more to block the barrage.
Thud, thud, thud…!
The volley of arrows fired by the white knights was again blocked by my magic walls.
The turrets and archers of both sides were attacking each other, with their leaders defending the attacks.
The distance between the two sides was gradually closing.
Soon, I could see the faces of the approaching enemies.
The faces of the centaurs with white cloaks fluttering were blackened and twitching with decay.
"Kellibey!"
Staring at those faces, I shouted to Kellibey inside the fortress.
"Time for 'Construction'!"
"Leave it to me!"
Kellibey brought out the prepared equipment.
It was five massive stakes with a dark red aura flowing from their heads.
These stakes were made from the magic cores of Cerberus, the hellhound general, and his lieutenant, Orthros.
"Not as powerful as mana core missiles, but…"
Kellibey placed the stakes in the air, and they floated and aligned in position.
"But these can be reused, and more importantly,"
Kellibey lightly spun around, holding a hammer-
"They're perfectly optimized for 'this purpose'!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang-!
He struck the heads of the stakes in sequence, launching them like hockey pucks.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud-!
The five stakes flew and embedded themselves into the ground between us and the white knights.
And then.
Boom!
The ground where the stakes were planted shattered.
Cracks spread instantly, causing the ground to collapse. From the fissures, blazing red lava erupted violently.
The white knights, who had been charging boldly, halted in confusion.
This equipment was hastily developed right after it was confirmed that our opponents were the Apocalypse Knights.
A terrain-shattering device, recreating the hellish landscape of the hellhound guards, made from their magic cores—
"'Earthbreaker'!"
Although it's designed solely for terrain destruction, its effect is devastating against cavalry!
The white knights, charging like a storm, were forced to break formation and slow down before the collapsing ground.
And my automatic turrets, unwavering in any situation, precisely targeted the enemies—
And mercilessly unleashed a barrage of mana bullets.
The leader of the white knights urgently spread the mist, but it couldn't fully protect the cavalry in the collapsing terrain…
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The white knights caught in the wide barrage collapsed, spewing blackened blood.
* * *
"Huff…"
Hearing the distant explosions, Torkel took a deep breath.
Dududududu-!
The red knights, brandishing huge greatswords and cloaked in red, were charging relentlessly towards the first forward base.
The incarnations of war and slaughter.
The ground beneath them ignited with a trail of embers.
"Shoot! Don't let them approach-!"
At Torkel's command, archers and artillery units unleashed a barrage of attacks.
The red knights, however, deflected the attacks with their greatswords or barreled through, advancing relentlessly.
They seemed like beings created solely to charge at enemy lines. They expertly deflected and absorbed all our interceptions, pushing forward doggedly.
"Damn…!"
Realizing that ordinary ranged attacks were ineffective, Torkel glanced at the sky behind him and waved his hand.
"Damien! We need fire support!"
The airship La Mancha was hovering far above, monitoring the situation of all the forward bases.
Would Damien notice his request and respond in time from such a distance?
For a moment, Torkel worried, but it was unfounded.
Damien immediately caught the support request and initiated the firing sequence.
Right after Torkel's request for support.
Clunk…!
The lower hatch of La Mancha opened,
Thwooosh-!
And a mana core missile was launched, heading towards the red knights.
Made from the mana core of the mantis general, 'Bride Devourer,' this missile flew accurately across the distance and struck the center of the red knights.
Boom-!
With an enormous explosion, a fierce blade-like shockwave swept through the area.
Indeed, the mana core missile had one of the greatest destructive powers as a single attack means in Crossroad. If the opponents were an ordinary monster army, this single blast would have annihilated them.
But this is the endgame of the Apocalypse Knights.
A formidable army with the power of nightmare generals.
Dudududu-!
Through the dense smoke, the red knights emerged.
Many had perished, and most survivors were injured by the immense explosion and subsequent shockwave, but the red knights did not stop.
"…"
Torkel's eyes met the enemy commander's.
Covered in arrows, the commander of the red knights had reached the front of the forward base and was ablaze.
The face of the centaur, whose blood-red cloak fluttered behind him, was engulfed in flames.
At that moment, Torkel realized.
The current defensive equipment at the forward base could not stop their charge.
If they were to face them here, significant damage would be inevitable. The forward base might be slaughtered by these incarnations of war.
In that case-
"I will go out and buy us some time."
"What?"
"Please follow the prepared plan. Then."
"Torkel?!"
Despite the surprised voices around him, Torkel stood on the edge of the fortress wall and jumped down without hesitation.
Thud-!
With a heavy thud, Torkel landed on the ground and slowly stood up.
His face was covered by a champion's helmet, his massive armor looked like a rock, a giant shield on his left arm, and a huge mace in his right hand.
Torkel's appearance was no different from that of a mythical hero.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Torkel banged his shield with his mace and looked ahead.
"My name is Torkel!"
Walking slowly forward through the dust he raised, Torkel introduced himself.
"I was the captain of the Leprosy Extermination Squad, the deputy commander of the World Guardian Front's melee unit, the greatest shield of Crown Prince Ash, and the gatekeeper of Crossroad, the entrance to the human world."
Standing alone in front of the forward base.
"…"
The red knights gradually slowed down and eventually stopped at a distance from Torkel.
Thud, thud, thud.
The commander of the red knights stepped forward alone, approaching Torkel.
Torkel grinned and raised his mace.
"I challenge you to a duel between commanders. Will you accept?"
"…"
A duel between commanders.
In this age where the romance of the battlefield has disappeared, it was an extremely anachronistic request.
But the Apocalypse Knights are all ancient specters.
Even though they have fallen to monsters, they still honor such an anachronistic request.
Clang…!
The commander of the red knights slowly raised his greatsword, pointing it at Torkel.
The tips of the mace and greatsword lightly touched each other, and then.
"…!"
"…!"
The two massive warriors charged at each other fiercely.
The centaur warrior swinging a flame-wreathed greatsword and the human wearing armor like a mountain, clashed.
Thud-!
* * *
The second forward base.
Where Evangeline was the commander.
Dudududu-!
The black knights were approaching.
"Damien! We need fire support!"
Evangeline requested bombardment, and Damien responded promptly.
Thwooosh-!
Boom!
The mana core missile of the mantis general 'Wingless Mantis Lord' exploded.
Following the tremendous explosion, a harsh sonic wave swept through the area.
"Nice shot! Wow, that was awesome!"
Amazed by the power of the mana core missile, Evangeline's jaw dropped, but soon she frowned.
Dudududu-!
Many had fallen, but the black knights, still robust, charged out of the explosion.
All the black knights, holding scales in their hands, were surrounded by water shields.
Seeing this, Evangeline clicked her tongue.
"Who would've thought I'd see someone using scales as a weapon…"
Among the four units of the Apocalypse Knights, the only one primarily using magic, the magic cavalry unit.
That's what the black knights were, and their magical tools were these scales.
The commander of the black knights held a particularly large scale made of chains. As the black knight commander approached the fortress, Evangeline saw his face.
A centaur with a face covered in swirling dark blue water.
"Come…"
Recalling the prepared strategy, Evangeline took a deep breath,
Clink-
The black knight commander suddenly raised the scale in his hand high.
Then pointed at Evangeline with his other hand.
"…?"
Unable to understand the intention, Evangeline tilted her head. What does this mean?
Shooosh!
In the next moment, a water shape formed on both sides of the black knight commander's scale.
One side resembled Evangeline, a girl knight, while the other…
"What."
Was the figure of a plump pig.
The scale wavered, measuring the weights of Evangeline and the pig, and then tilted sharply to one side.
…Towards Evangeline.
The black knight commander laughed, covering his face. His subordinates laughed and pointed at Evangeline.
"…What the, what does that mean."
Although she didn't fully understand, Evangeline, feeling extremely irritated, shouted.
"What does that mean?! Why are you laughing, you bastards-?!"