Translated by A Passing Wanderer

Edited by RED

**

Refugees from various other nations had finally reached the border regions of the Theocratic Empire. Many different races were mixed in among the fleeing masses.

They were all deeply stained with fatigue. Their complexions were gloomy; they were starving, and some were suffering from disease as well.

The Theocratic Empire wasn’t in such a good shape that it could easily accept all these people, however.

“You know, I just don’t get why His Majesty ordered us to accept all these refugees.”

“But not accepting them will create just as big a problem.” .

The army of vampires was also marching towards this place. If the Empire didn’t accept the refugees, they would no doubt be hunted down by the vampires. They would then become zombies invading the Empire.

Accepting refugees was the same thing as trying to prevent the number of the undead from increasing too much.

“However, I’m still nervous here.”

The soldiers scanned the refugees as cold sweat trickled down their faces. Without a doubt, vampires had to be hiding among the evacuating masses.

Every incoming refugee was made to drink diluted holy water, but there was a limit to doing that. The number of those who silently infiltrated this city in the border region by using the commotion of the refugee procession had to be rather high.

There was no doubt that several sneaky vampires and their insidious smiles had burrowed deeply into the Theocratic Empire’s border city by now.

They were probably waiting for the chaos to begin. The moment the Jötnar started attacking from the outside, the vampires hiding among the masses would summon undead and start the task of raising even more combatants for their side.

“I can only pray that we can safely survive today.”

The soldiers on duty drew the holy sign in the air and offered their prayers.

Night soon fell. The moonlight illuminating the area was devoured by the gloomy clouds above. Soldiers lit torches to chase away the pitch-black darkness.

The darkness came to visit and the soldiers on duty, already suffering from anxiety and fatigue, began feeling thirsty.

The Paladin commanding the soldiers picked up a waterskin in order to drink some water.

“Oh, oooooh-! The ancient devils have come to punish our foolish ways-!”

The Paladin was taken by surprise at that sudden outburst and ended up losing his grip on the waterskin. He frowned deeply and glared at the one responsible among the incoming refugees.

It happened to be a shivering old man, his arms spread open wide. “I have witnessed it clearly. I have seen their march! Monsters too powerful to oppose have begun their march to destroy humanity once and for all!”

There was always someone like that. Someone whose sanity had abandoned them, and also utterly incapable of reading the mood.

The refugees were already scared out of their pants. So why would anyone deliberately want to make them scared even more…?

The Paladin tutted unhappily. He then yelled at the soldiers by the foot of the outer wall. “What are you all doing, not stopping that fool?!”

The soldiers quickly approached the insane old man.

The Paladin shook his head and reached out towards the dropped waterskin, but then…

…he noticed the pool of water that had leaked out from the waterskin was trembling faintly.

His eyes grew wider in surprise. He hurriedly took off his helm and pressed his ear to the floor.

“Sir Paladin?” Some soldiers walked up to him and asked, but the Paladin hurriedly held up his hand and signalled them to shut up.

He could faintly hear the rumbling on the ground as the eerie silence wafted all around them.

Boom… boom… boom…!

Thud… thud…!

Boooooom-!

“…!” The Paladin hurriedly raised his head. “Enemy attack-!”

His shouting froze all the soldiers in the vicinity. Even those who had been walking over to the insane old man flinched in surprise and looked up at the outer wall where the Paladin was.

“The enemy is closing in!”

This vibration was definitely not natural.

The Paladin gritted his teeth; there had been no reports from the scouts.

But it was obvious why; they must have died already!

The Paladin in charge hurriedly released the carrier pigeons, then issued a new order. “Hurry up and bring the refugees inside!”

The citizens yet to evacuate began screaming. Even as the chaos intensified all around him, the old man continued to cry out, “You cannot stop this calamity! If you wish to live, you must beg them for your lives! Beg, plead, beg…!”

Right at that moment, a large shadow loomed over this old man’s head.

“…Uh?”

Just as the old man lifted his head in confusion, a huge boulder crushed him to death.

SPLAT-!

Blood and bits of flesh splattered everywhere.

It didn’t stop there; more boulders, all of them humongous, began raining down on the refugees.

“Kkyaaaaahk!”

Screams rocked the night, and the whole place instantly turned into pandemonium.

The Paladin urgently yelled out while taking in the sight of the boulders flying in towards the outer wall, “Activate the magic barrier, now!”

Magicians on top of the outer walls chanted their spells to life. The defensive structures responded to their call, and a transparent film of light materialised all over the outer walls.

The incoming boulders, each of them over five meters in width, flew in ferociously, only to crash into the wall and shatter, or were even outright deflected away.

This barrier had been constructed by a nobleman named Hans.

The Paladin in charge looked ahead.

-It’s food!-

The Jötnar could be seen rushing in, with countless undead sprinting along below the giants’ feet. From the likes of Dullahan riding on the backs of ghouls, to vampires cracking their whips on the lycans…

They crashed in like a tsunami wave, as if they wanted to stain half of the world in pure darkness.

The army of the apocalypse had come!

The Paladin alternated his gaze between the refugees yet to step past the outer wall and the invaders.

“What are your orders, sir?”

The soldiers who had been panicking earlier had regained their calm by now. They had been extensively trained, after all. They were all well aware of how many people would die if they made even a single mistake.

“Close the gates! And…”

They must not be taken over by their emotions. If they tried to save all those refugees, everyone else might end up dying instead!

“…we abandon the border and retreat!”

The soldiers all nodded at the Paladin’s orders.

Their task now was simple; do their best to evacuate the refugees, then observe the situation of this border region while defending it to the best of their abilities.

The outer walls were now shielded by the defensive barrier. It shouldn’t be easy for their enemies to break through. That’s what the Paladin thought to himself as he climbed down from the top of the outer wall.

He watched the gates slowly close, then turned around to look elsewhere only for his eyes to grow wider.

A group of refugees hidden under robes and hoods had gathered there. Fangs and lengthy claws could be seen extending from beneath their robes, however.

“I knew it. We couldn’t filter all of them out in the end, huh.”

The Paladin yanked his sword out. The soldiers also got ready for battle.

The vampires grinned insidiously and pounced on the group of soldiers led by the Paladin.

—

The outer gates slowly opened again.

Countless refugees, now turned into zombies, staggered and shuffled to enter beyond the wall.

The Theocratic Empire’s border city was overrun in less than half a day, instantly turning into a city of death.

A rain of blood was falling.

Amid the crimson deluge, the Kings of the Bringers of Apocalypse finally set foot in the territory of the Theocratic Empire. However, their march didn’t stop there, while their forces continued to grow even stronger.

Sand and death blanketed the lands of the empire they marched past. Gradually, the empire’s territory was lost to devastation. This fact was reported to the Imperial Capital of Laurensis, and eventually, to the ears of the Holy Emperor Allen perched up the throne there.

Even then, Allen didn’t make a move. He simply focused on bringing all their combat forces over to the Imperial Capital.

Such a movement wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by the Kings of the Bringers of Apocalypse. The aura of all life was currently headed to Laurensis, after all!

Allen, his hand firmly gripping his golden spear, slowly scanned the ranks of the Theocratic Empire’s various lords.

“The bastards are coming.” The corners of his lips curled up. “However, let us observe for now.”

As he continued to smile, all the others were arrested by his charm. They could tell that their emperor held not one speck of fear or hesitation.

“Let us observe how the end of the Apocalypse will play out!”

This young Holy Emperor was so, so similar in his demeanour to his predecessor, Kelt Olfolse.

**

Ronia, in the empire’s northern region…

The convicts were making a bit of a ruckus while picking up their weapons. They secured their chain mail on themselves, then put the white surcoat emblazoned with the crest of the Imperial Family around their shoulders next.

The feudal lord of Ronia, Jenald Ripang, sucked in a deep breath.

Two thousand mounted troops had been prepared for this day. Every single one of them was capable of wielding divinity after receiving the blessing of the Saint.

But that wasn’t all; all these people were highly-skilled elites among the elites that had been stopping the Tide of Death for the past five years.

They had consumed the wonder drug during their growth into seasoned warriors, and so, all these soldiers were now skilled enough to rival the Heavenly Army.

“I pray that the grace of Goddess Gaia be with you all!”

Once the convict soldiers finished their preparations to move out, they raised the symbol of the Theocratic Empire, knelt in front of it, and brought their hands together to pray earnestly.

“Under the blessing of Lord Saint…”

Their voices grew louder and louder.

“We pledge to judge all evil spirits, and…”

The convict soldiers began standing up one by one.

“We swear to even sacrifice our souls for the sake of our Lord Saint-!”

Their fervor-filled shouts rang noisily in the air.

With deep grins etched on their faces, they easily shrugged off their fear.

Jenald Ripang, their feudal lord, finished his quiet prayer and headed to the stables, where an unpleasant smell wafted out.

“All preparations have been completed. His Majesty the Holy Emperor is waiting for us. Are you also ready to fight?” Jenald asked a certain man waiting inside the stable.

This man, who had been stroking a horse’s manes, silently chugged down a bottle of holy water. Just like the other convict soldiers, he was also kitted out in the chain mail and white surcoat. He also carried a spear on his back.

“…Of course I’m ready.”

Once upon a time, he used to be someone in a lofty, noble position. An Imperial Prince of the Theocratic Empire, as a matter of fact. But he became a criminal after attempting an insurrection.

He ‘died’ and became a gravekeeper, and now, he was just another convict soldier of the northern region.

“I’ve been training for this very day and became stronger, after all. This life, I…”

He was Ruppel Olfolse. The one who now went by the name of Shuppel raised his head and stared at the feudal lord of Ronia, Jenald Ripang.

“…I shall gladly offer it up for His Majesty the Holy Emperor.”

Two thousand heavily-armoured mounted troops of Ronia, the Berserker Legion!

They had completed their preparation to travel to the Imperial Capital.

< 197. The Beginning of the Apocalypse -2 (Part One and Two) > Fin.

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