130 – Expedition (4)
Demons also have a society.
An innate tendency to be belligerent and destructive. A racial trait that respects only the strong.
Although they are more accustomed to destroying things than creating things, there was something that could be called its own society and system under the old demon king.
So, the news is also delivered to the demons through their mouths.
There was a rumor.
They were not much different from humans.
Their rumors are sometimes spread through gray elements such as beastmen, or through the testimonies of wounded soldiers transported to the rear.
Sometimes the truth is unknown. There were also rumors that were made up based solely on interest.
What was important was the emotion that went along with the rumors.
Fear is an infectious disease. The fear someone experiences becomes tangible when it comes out of his or her mouth, and the fear that takes shape changes into another form in someone else’s head.
A rumor that passed through so many people was bound to take on some terrible form.
It was the same in Eligos’ military camp.
A rumor was floating around among the demons like a ghost.
“Did you hear? “I heard that none of those taken to the east came back unharmed.”
“They say that after encountering the Ilencia bastards, they cry out to be sent to the west. “I saw one of the injured soldiers who was out of his mind, but it doesn’t seem like it was just a rumor.”
“If it’s that guy, I saw it too. “I stared at the ceiling all day, muttering to myself, and eventually went crazy and screamed.”
The story of a soldier returning from the Eastern Army.
Even after recovering his body, he continued to feel like a wreck, and one day he screamed out loud.
It was death. I saw death.
Black death approached silently and killed us all.
There was no heat on the battlefield where I was. There was no magic, and no blood flowed.
My comrades just died as if they were asleep. So I didn’t hear anyone’s will.
I was afraid of death, so I hid behind a rock and trembled.
The guy was decapitated by the sword of a military officer, but the rumor still survived and circulated around the military camp.
After that, no one in Eligos County wanted to go east.
It was just a month after the Grand Duke of Ilencia went on the campaign trail.
One of the demons complained.
Eligos’ eastern army. It was in the middle of an arduous march.
“…… “The west was better.”
There was no reply. Because they were already too tired to say a word.
No one could relax as it was a dangerous place everywhere.
Ilencia’s ‘spear tip’ targeted and attacked when they were most vulnerable. As if the demons were returning the same tactics as before.
I was afraid that I might get caught because of a trivial chat.
Even though I knew it was a ridiculous idea, I couldn’t easily keep my mouth shut.
“At least there was a fight that felt like a fight. Dying here is just a dog’s death.”
So, everyone who heard that couldn’t even think of a counterargument in their heads.
Because they also thought the same thing.
A soldier of the Eligos army. The same was true for Maglek.
‘The number…… It has decreased a lot. ‘It’s only been a few days.’
He thought he was unlucky.
This was because Gamigin attacked shortly after he swore allegiance to Eligos.
He is the fourth-ranked devil. The ‘abyss’, which no one knows among the demons, began to engulf Eligos.
When he saw Gamigin from afar, Maglek must have felt a deep sense of helplessness.
A huge presence, as if standing in front of Mount Tai. There was a power there that he could not destroy even for eternity.
Maglek wanted to run away.
It is true that the demons are warlike. However, I did not throw my life away like stubble.
What they were pursuing was power and battle, not meaningless dog death.
So, when I was called to the east from the west, where an all-out war against Gamigin was taking place, I thought that luck would finally be on my side.
It didn’t take long for his thoughts to break.
Eligos’ eastern army. The troops that had faced the Grand Duke of Ilencia were filled with despair.
“It is called Maglek. I hope to go along well.”
The moment I said my first greeting to the seniors in the barracks.
Maglek realized something was wrong.
The demons have a strict hierarchical relationship, but they care deeply about their comrades.
When new recruits arrived at the unit, they were likely to show interest even if they were not welcomed.
Still, the senior soldiers did not pay him any attention.
It’s like a person who doesn’t exist. Or, it was like treating a corpse.
“…… “Did I do something wrong?”
“Nothing.”
I learned from the next day what their gaze meant.
It was just beginning to dawn.
Ilencia’s Spear Point Knights attacked.
I don’t know how I found out about this place.
What was important was that none of those trampled by their war horses survived, and the ferocity felt by the leading knight.
Every time the great sword was swung, an ally’s life was ridiculously swept away.
A black power darker than the magic power unique to demons. Red lightning filled with ominous divinity and destruction.
The knight in black armor brought a fair end to whatever the blade touched.
In the battle with Ilencia, there was no difference whether you were a veteran or a rookie.
If you face the leading black knight, you die, but if you are lucky and are far away, you only survive.
“Enemy attack! “It’s an enemy attack!”
And another few days later.
Someone’s desperate scream rang out.
All the soldiers and high-level demons ran out, but it was already too late.
By the time we got ready for a counterattack, we couldn’t even see the enemy.
They called it the work of a ‘silent sword.’
No matter how sharp your guard is, it is of no use to you.
Every time the gray blade came, it took the lives of more than a dozen of our compatriots.
“Are you going to continue to suffer like this?”
“The Ilencias have now torn the army apart in all directions. In times like this, it would be better to just destroy them one by one!”
Among the angry demons, there were some who chose to fight from the front.
Maglek wondered, ‘How could he think like that even after looking at the black knight?’ But sometimes, anger would swallow up reason.
In this world, there were people who knew that something was hot only when it was heated.
From Noble mtl dot com
Their choice returned in the most horrific form imaginable.
– A night of rest. A guiding light.
– Your saint offers an offering.
As the battle began, the black knight appeared again.
Even though they were demons, they did not attack without countermeasures. Originally, there were more master-level strongmen among demons than among humans.
Several high-ranking demons came to the forefront. They were the ones who once killed a human sword master.
Their battle lasted less than 10 minutes.
Just 3 minutes after the battle began, the head of one of the high-ranking demons was blown off, and the others could not hold out for long.
In Maglek’s judgment, the concept of ‘attack and defense’ did not exist.
The moment they all died, an ominous spirit spread throughout the battlefield.
It was a strange thing. There’s no way I wouldn’t have noticed such a terrible ominous thing,
Nevertheless, the ominous divinity was at Maglek’s feet as if it had been there from the beginning.
“It is sacred law! Don’t panic…… “
The high-ranking demon who continued speaking was a face that Maglek knew.
He was the person who served as the governor. A guy who cut off more heads of his allies than his enemies.
He was a guy who only stayed in the safest places on the battlefield, so it was impossible for him to keep quiet.
It’s even more impossible for a guy like that to die without even a single wound.
Starting with his death, abnormalities occurred among the demons.
Tuk. Tuk. Comrades died without any warning.
They all fell down with their eyes open, as if they didn’t even know they were dead.
Therefore, their last words were simply ‘the sound of a body falling to the floor.’
‘It was like this.’
Only then did Maglec understand.
It was only a few days ago that I barely survived and escaped from an incomprehensible battlefield.
Recently, new recruits arrived at the barracks.
The new recruit energetically introduced his name, but Maglek showed no interest in him.
He will die tomorrow anyway. Otherwise I will die.
The conversation we will have here will be meaningless, and struggling to survive for a long time is also meaningless.
If you don’t die today, you will die tomorrow.
If I don’t die tomorrow, the next day. If you’re lucky, you might survive another day.
But luck cannot last forever.
Maglek’s eyes lost their vitality.
The image of an unlucky senior looking at him came to mind. It seemed like he probably had the same face as him right now.
The new soldier asked with a shy expression.
“…… “Did I do something wrong?”
“Nothing.”
At the end of the long march. The Spear Point Knights attacked.
A knight in black armor rushed towards Maglec.
As a demon, Maglek raised his weapon and tried to fight until the end, but the world turned upside down before he could even swing his weapon.
His body spurted blood after losing his head.
Maglek thought as he looked at himself for the last time.
‘My luck is over.’