Chapter 295: Episode 295

[Grai the Knight of Balak]

[Rank: S]

[Level: 89]

[Class: Knight]

[Title: Knight Commander of Balak]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 99]

[Favorability: 99]

[Obedience: 97]

[Skills: Battlefield of Balak, Erupting Earth, God of War, Sword That Knows No Defeat, Parmian’s Wrath]

[Special Ability: Will of Balak]

[Strength: 121] [Endurance: 89] [Agility: 77] [Stamina: 97]

[Mana: 34] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 23] [Luck: 15]

This was Grai, evolved to S-rank. Armed with the Explosive Sword Gravolta and blessed by Parmian himself, he was without question the greatest knight in all of Balak.

“Those who have set foot on these plains shall not return alive!” he bellowed.

“They’re already dead. Why bother killing them again?” Taehyun commented dryly.

“You are right, my lord!” Grai roared. “In that case, I shall kill you bastards a second time!”

Thankfully, his evolution hadn’t tempered his personality in the slightest. No one possessed a fiercer loyalty to Balak. As Taehyun’s very first guardian, the bond of trust between them was absolute.

[S-rank Guardian, Grai the Knight of Balak, has cast Battlefield of Balak.]

[S-rank Named Guardian, Mauter the Anguished Swordsman, has cast Field of Practice.]

The two champions declared their domains. Battlefield of Balak doubled the physical stats of all Balak soldiers within its range. In contrast, Field of Practice tripled the skill proficiency of Mauter alone. While Mauter’s skill might seem more potent, its effect was solitary. Grai’s ability to empower his entire army gave him the clear advantage.

“Here they come,” Ashuanin noted. “Show them what we’ve prepared.”

“Kikikikik,” the undead chittered as they charged, only for the ground beneath them to vanish.

’RUMBLE! CRASH! RUMBLE!’

The network of tunnels dug by the Demon Moles collapsed, swallowing the vanguard. The entire Halung Plains was a massive, pre-planned death trap. At Ashuanin’s command, nearly two thousand undead soldiers were instantly eliminated.

From the rear, Moliushu observed the collapsed terrain and issued a swift counter. “Make a path.”

“I will,” Hoagon responded.

A massive shield bearer charged to the front. It was Hoagon, Kumakuma’s designated opponent.

[S-rank Named Keeper, Hoagon the Foothold for Reversal, has cast Path to Victory.]

[An iron plate bridge has been created over the collapsed Halung Plains.]

A new path materialized over the chasm. The hesitant undead swarmed across it, crashing into Balak’s shield line. Drake Turtles, Basilisks, and Hydras—behemoths of stamina and defense—held the front, their skills lashing out in all directions. From the rear, Eccentric Kobolds and Abyss Hunters peppered the enemy with debuffs, weakening their advance. It was a perfectly synergistic force of S and A-rank soldiers.

Ashuanin began to orchestrate his breakthrough.

[S-rank Mercenary, Ashuanin the Lord of Black Meng, has used Lord’s Spirit.]

[S-rank Mercenary, Ashuanin the Lord of Black Meng, has cast Blade of Advance.]

[The Shield’s Advance skill is granted to the shield bearers.]

[The deployment efficiency of the shield bearers is doubled.]

The shield bearers advanced, trampling over the fallen. With morale surging, they shifted their formation, transforming into the same deadly wedge that had decimated Hyacinth’s raid party. Fear forgotten, they carved deep into the enemy’s left flank.

Just then, the master of the undead appeared in the sky above.

[S-rank Named Guardian, Flyten the Blood-Red Necromancer, has cast Army of Death.]

[S-rank Named Guardian, Flyten the Blood-Red Necromancer, has cast Undying Legion.]

It was the necromancer from the Nihallas Plains. He regenerated his crushed soldiers, pushing their abilities to their absolute limit, likely fearing that Ashuanin’s Blade of Advance would shatter his lines.

For Taehyun, however, this was exactly what he had been waiting for.

“Prepare to fire,” he commanded.

“Yes, sir!” a young man’s voice replied.

It came from a soldier who had remained in stealth on the castle wall since the battle began.

[The special ability of S-rank Named Soldier, Bellamichi the Shadow Chaser, ‘Gaze of the Shadows,’ has been activated.]

[Identifies the presence of unseen enemies through stealth, invisibility, and deception.]

It was Bellamichi the Shadow Chaser.

—

’Clang! Clang!’

The two swordsmen exchanged furious blows. Mauter the Anguished Swordsman held the offensive, but Grai, the Knight of Balak, refused to yield. He knew he could turn the tide.

’Not my concern,’ Bellamichi thought, focusing on his own mission. He watched the blue-auraed necromancer floating in the air and smirked. ’That one’s a fake. So where’s the real one?’

Gaze of the Shadows did more than just reveal hidden enemies. It allowed him to perceive the nature of their being. A blue aura signified an artificial construct of mana. A red aura, however, marked a true, living entity.

Whistling softly, Bellamichi scanned the battlefield. His eyes settled on a figure hiding near the Cold-Hearted Lord—a new presence, glowing with a vibrant red aura. It was the true master of the undead, the necromancer’s real body.

’There you are.’

[Paralysis Poison has been activated.]

[Life is One Shot is being cast.]

He activated two skills in quick succession. The first coated his arrow in a potent paralyzing toxin. The second, a limited-use skill, channeled every drop of his mana into a single, devastating shot.

’Time to rest in peace,’ he thought, drawing his bowstring and taking perfect aim.

—

’‘Your masters are immune to my mind control,’ Leon had told them. ‘But you are different. From now on, I will be your master. You will follow me and serve the Erneis Kingdom.’’

For the dungeon’s main forces, the mind control of Leon van Noah, the Tyrant of the West, was a death sentence. A dungeon soldier’s loyalty belonged to their Master. But one look into the tyrant’s eyes, and that loyalty evaporated, replaced by an unshakable urge to obey his every command.

’My necromancer class allows me to retain my ego,’ Flyten thought bitterly, ’but I still cannot refuse his orders.’

Even on the Nihallas Plains, his true master, Soohyun Jeong, was the one giving commands, but Flyten knew that a single word from Leon would make him turn on his master in an instant. That was the grim reality for all the Tarantula faction members. It was why they followed the tyrant without protest.

Flyten sighed, glancing at his mana-clone. The skills were being cast through the fake, a simple deception made possible by his special ability.

Beside him, Moliushu watched the undead hold the line and prepared to cast another skill. At that moment, a bolt of terrifying energy shot from the castle wall.

[S-rank Hero Mercenary, Moliushu the Cold-Hearted Lord, has cast Shatter.]

[Destroys the effect of the skill itself.]

[Shatter usage limit 1/1]

“Hmph!”

With a sharp crack, Moliushu intercepted the arrow with his bare fist, shattering its magic. Flyten, who had been staring at his clone, whipped his head around in alarm.

“Where did that come from? And how did they see through my trick? Not even an item should be able to identify this ability!”

“Don’t make a fuss,” Moliushu said coldly. “There are countless main forces in this world. It’s hardly surprising that one of them saw through your little illusion. Focus. We are about to turn the tide.”

“…Hmph, I suppose you’re right.”

“What have you been brooding about? Our only purpose is to follow His Highness Leon van Noah’s will and destroy Balak. Concentrate on the battle.”

Even mercenaries from another dimension were powerless against the mind control. The lord who had once served his Dungeon Master with unwavering loyalty now fought for a tyrant. Forcing a nod, Flyten created even more illusions.

—

“I hate men, kuma!”

“And I hate teddy bears like you!”

The giant teddy bear and the colossal shield bearer collided. Cotton stuffing flew as a heavy mace slammed into the bear’s plush abdomen. Hoagon recoiled, disgusted by the fluffy sensation.

“This is getting us nowhere! What in the world are you? I’ve never even heard of a teddy bear this fluffy!”

“My body exists only for lovely young maidens, kuma!” Kumakuma declared proudly. “Once they fall for me, they can never escape, kuma!”

“Ahem. I envy that,” Hoagon admitted. “But I won’t go easy on… Hup!”

As he prepared to charge again, a woman’s face peeked out from a large pocket on the bear’s stomach.

“Ughhh, why is it so loud?” she complained, shaking her green hair. A shackle was fastened around her neck, and she was completely naked. “And what was that thing that poked me?!” She irritably poked the teddy bear’s belly.

“Huh?” Hoagon blinked.

“Ahem,” Kumakuma coughed.

“Kyaaaa! Where are you looking?!” the woman shrieked.

“I didn’t mean to, but you were the one who popped out…”

“I’m going back inside! Don’t wake me up again!” she snapped, her face beet red as she vanished back into the pocket.

Hoagon licked his lips and scratched his head. It was the first woman who had caught his eye in a long time, but she was clearly taken. Kumakuma, seeing the look in his eyes, flew into a rage.

“How dare you look at my woman like that! I don’t like it, kuma!”

“I didn’t like you from the start either!” Hoagon retorted. “And to keep such a lovely lady in that state! Unforgivable!”

“Come at me, Kumakuma!”

The teddy bear’s body began to swell, its eyes glowing with the ferocious killing intent of the tyrant of the doll empire. Not to be outdone, Hoagon began to grow as well.

[S-rank Named Keeper, Hoagon the Foothold for Reversal, has cast Preparation for a Comeback.]

[For a certain period, you become immune to all status effects.]

An effect identical to Tyrant’s Advent. Bodies of equal size. Gazes filled with murderous intent. Now on even footing, the two behemoths charged at each other without a moment’s hesitation.

—

Grai and Kumakuma were now locked in full-scale combat. Two of his three champions were engaged. All that remained were the two lords, Ashuanin and Moliushu.

“Moliushu is pulling back the undead,” Ashuanin observed. “Hah. To think he can command those mindless things with such precision. Surprising.”

The Cold-Hearted Lord was indeed increasing the distance between their forces, returning to their initial standoff positions. The necromancer had also ceased absorbing life force and retreated to the rear.

In the distance, Taehyun saw massive scorpions approaching and raised an eyebrow. “Hoh, they prepared things like that, too. Interesting.”

“This is no time for admiration,” Ashuanin warned. “They appear to be monsters summoned by the necromancer. Poison? Are they venomous?”

“Poison scorpions, I’d guess,” Taehyun replied. “A swarm of those could inflict considerable damage. Shall we deal with them first?”

The primary goal of this battle was to gauge the true strength of the undead army. Their ability to regenerate from any injury stemmed from the necromancer.

’So that’s the extent of it,’ Taehyun concluded. ’Leon likely sent only a fraction of his forces to gather intelligence on my own troops. In that case, there’s no need for me to reveal everything either.’

Valpurgis was an ancient artifact housed within his dungeon. He could have ended this instantly with its neutralization ability, but there was no reason to give away that information so freely.

[All siege-type soldiers in Balak have been summoned.]

[Double Reduction has been used.]

[Effect Confusion Card has been used.]

“Alright, the assessment is complete,” Taehyun announced, a grim finality in his tone. “Let’s end this quickly.”

If he couldn’t reveal his new champions, he would simply end the battle with the forces and items he already had. In an instant, the tide of battle on the Halung Plains began to turn decisively.

—

’‘From what I’ve gathered, mercenaries return to their own dimension after their summoning duration ends,’ one of the bishops recalled. ‘The Archbishop ordered us to exploit that opening and annihilate the main forces within Golpein Territory.’’

Sword Saint Repild was gone. This meant the territory’s defenses were at their most vulnerable. The ten bishops prepared to infiltrate, following the Archbishop’s command. Thousands of undead soldiers stood guard at the entrance, but they were merely soulless puppets. The druids scaled the rear wall and slipped inside unnoticed.

’‘The primary targets are the S-rank units. Be careful; some of them are our equals.’’

’‘A being on par with a bishop? I’m curious, but an order is an order. We’ll attack together.’’

’‘This territory is quite large. I’ll use the energy of the wind to locate those with significant mana!’’

Mernon, the Druid of Wind, was the first to act.

[Mernon, the Druid of Wind, has cast Traces of Wind.]

[Identifies beings with mana inside the territory.]

Soon, figures glowing with blue auras appeared within the nearby buildings. The bishops decided to eliminate them one by one, starting with the closest mansion.

“Who’s there?!” a voice demanded.

“We will send you peacefully to the earth’s embrace!”

“Aaargh!”

The first victim was Magdas the Desperate. Overwhelmed by the coordinated attack of ten bishops, he was neutralized in an instant. It was an ironic sight—druids, reverers of the earth, acting as assassins. But to them, the Archbishop’s command was their only creed. They moved with ruthless efficiency.

’Thud!’

The fifth guardian, a blue-haired female rogue, collapsed. The bishops paused to catch their breath.

“That’s half of them.”

“If we’re lucky, we can wipe them all out in this night raid before the second battle even begins.”

“But… it’s going too smoothly,” Nephelian murmured, a knot of unease tightening in her stomach. “Doesn’t something feel wrong?”

Golpein Territory remained eerily silent. Even the undead sentries were still, as if nothing had happened. Her anxiety was palpable, but they couldn’t turn back now.

“It is strange,” agreed Kenpaus, the Druid of Flame. “But we have our orders. We eliminate the remaining targets and withdraw. Quickly.”

The bishops nodded, pinpointing the locations of the last few guardians. Suddenly, an inexplicable, crushing pressure descended upon them. They frantically tried to cast spells to escape, but their connection to the earth was severed. They were completely paralyzed.

[SS-rank Mercenary, Sword Saint Repild, is casting Sword Saint’s Presence.]

[For a certain period, all abilities are sealed.]

[Sword Saint’s Presence usage limit 1/2]

A young man dropped down from the rooftop. It was him—the strongest piece on the Erneis Kingdom’s board. Repild’s gaze swept over the frozen bishops.

“I let you go yesterday,” he said, his voice deceptively casual. “So why the hell are you back?”

“…Wh-what?!” one of them stammered.

“Ah, whatever. This is such a pain,” Repild sighed, running a hand through his hair. “My master’s been captured by that Leon bastard, I’m stressed as hell, and now you guys are pulling this shit? Seriously. Ugh.”

The Shapir Dungeon in the south. It had grown slower than Balak, but it had eventually reached S-rank and summoned him. Now, its Dungeon Master was in the tyrant’s clutches, suffering endless torment.

“Aah, that damn mind control skill. It’s so fucking annoying,” he grumbled. “It didn’t work on me, of course—I’m a Sword Saint. But with my master captured, what can I do? Right?”

The bishops remained silent, their eyes wide with terror.

“Why aren’t you answering, you bastards? I’m asking you a… Hey. Are you rolling your eyes at me right now?”

Nephelian, who had been secretly trying to retrieve a magic tool, flinched. Somehow, he had seen her every move. She hesitated, then found her voice.

“Wh-what is it that you want?”

Repild stared at her as if she were an idiot. “You’re the ones who broke in, and you’re asking me what I want? Fine, I’ll tell you. I want your lives, you damn bastards.”

A shimmering rift tore open in the air beside him. Repild reached inside, pulled out a sword and its scabbard, and smiled.

“Don’t worry. It won’t hurt. I’m a Sword Saint, after all. You won’t even feel the pain as your bodies are annihilated.”

“D-dammit! Nephelian, now!”

“It’s useless! Useless! It’s useless, I said!” Repild laughed.

From the sky, hundreds, no, ’thousands’ of swords began to appear.

[SS-rank Mercenary, Sword Saint Repild, has cast Heavenly Punishment.]

[Thousands of annihilation swords stored in a dimensional rift are fired at the target.]

“Yawn,” Repild stretched. “I’m gonna go get some more sleep. Try to survive.”

“The magic tools aren’t working!” Nephelian shrieked. “H-how?!”

“D-daaaaaaamn iiiit—!”

That night, Golpein Territory was showered with unseasonal falling stars, the brilliant light illuminating the sky.

—

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