＜ Chapter 104 – Corps (4) ＞
Chapter 104 – Corps (4)
“I’m really dumbfounded.”
“What do you mean?”
“You mean to keep an eye on the sky at all times.”
The barrier, where one of the few soldiers watching the front looked at the sky with a grunt. clear blue sky.
It was just a few pieces of clouds passing by.
“Do you understand? That a huge beast can fly in the sky. It’s a story that I’ve only heard of in the legends of the mythical age. Something like a dragon.”
“Nandle Anna. You do it because you do it.”
His colleague smiled and shook his head. It’s an order from above, but in fact they didn’t believe it seriously. Things like that a huge beast might fly into the sky from the Demon Realm, and that beast spits out countless monsters. It was hard to believe unless you saw it for yourself.
“Wouldn’t it be easy to notice if it was that big?”
He looked up at the sky and yawned. It wasn’t even a very difficult task in the first place. I was sure that on such a clear, sunny day, whether it was a cloudy or dark night, I could not fail to see a gigantic creature passing through the sky.
“That is true. What would you like to drink tonight?”
“You have to eat something that hasn’t gone up in price. Damn it, because of the war, the price of goods brought in from outside is gradually rising. How can I make a living on a small salary?”
They soon started chatting and flirting. Of course, in the midst of that, like a professional guard, all eyes were fixed on the front and the sky.
If something approaches you, you’ll know right away.
[Passing the barrier.]
However, even with their eyes wide open, they did not notice that the gigantic creature flying through the air was manipulating skin cells in real time, completely merging into the environment and camouflaging itself.
“!!!”
Rather, it was a bird that peacefully flew across the sky that noticed this huge incident. The bird, resembling a crow, intuitively noticed the enormous force appearing in front of it, and fluttered in fright.
[Passing the barrier completed.]
Lucy looked down at the barrier that appeared to be a single line and easily passed through it. The sun sets in a few hours, and there is no need to camouflage after the sun has set.
Even the energy used in the camouflage was used for propulsion, and by the time the sun went down the next day, Lucy would have reached the coordinates she wanted.
***
“Me, Your Excellency. Ownership of artifacts really is…”
“I will guarantee you. how many times do you say But does that matter now? What if they take this away? What if they invade this place in the first place?”
“Oh, no. I made a mistake.”
“The transport operation is about to begin, so you’d better stay calm in the castle. Just in case.”
The baron territory located in the southern part of the continent. Baron Baran, the owner of this place, licked his lips in pity as he saw the large ore being carried on a heavily guarded cart.
‘If I knew it would be like this, I’d rather not discover it.’
It was great luck that the dragon’s heart, an old relic, was found on the family grounds, but the timing was bad. Due to rumors that could not be prevented from spreading, attention was focused on this place, and when news came that the church forces coveted this and were aiming for this uncommon southern periphery, of course the allied forces responded.
If left alone, it seems like a war will break out in his territory, so he agreed to move it to a safer place in the rear area by acknowledging ownership, but I can’t help but feel sorry for him.
“Your Excellency, the preparations are complete.”
“great. Hurry up and leave!”
On the other hand, Marquis Robert, who was asked to lead the transportation operation by the Allied Command, thought only of finishing the job in a hurry.
The Marquis, himself a wizard, only wanted to quickly study the dragon’s heart.
“depart! Move everyone!”
Soon, the troops in charge of the transport mission began to move simultaneously and leave Baron’s territory.
It was a bit excessive to bring thousands of troops on a mere transport mission, but everyone thought it was better than going to war as planned.
***
“They are moving.”
“We also move. And tell everyone to keep in mind. Our goal is to get the dragon’s heart, not kill them all.”
And there were also those who watched them. Observing them from a distance and hiding themselves secretly, as soon as the convoy left, they left their seats and started following them.
The plan was to strike where the most effective raids were possible and at the most vulnerable time.
They struggled to secretly cross the border, although there were barely more than 100 of them, including the weapons in their hands, they were confident that they would not fail in their mission.
***
“dismissal! I guess I’ll have to stop here for today!”
“Let it be. By setting up camp and resting on this plain!”
The sun has gone down, and the time has come when it becomes difficult to walk in this place where there is little artificial light.
Of course, Marquis Robert ordered to rest here according to the commanders under his command. And while the soldiers put down their luggage and built a temporary camp, he sneaked out of his seat and approached the cart containing the dragon’s heart.
“Oh oh······.”
Climbing into a cart covered with a tent, he admired this rare mineral shining brightly in front of his eyes. A miraculous substance that subtly exudes powerful power that cannot be ignored by those who practice magic.
‘The last dragon heart discovered was no more than the size of a fist, and that was 120 years ago. But if only I could study this gigantic original right now and figure out how to use it.’
He swallowed dry saliva. Any mage with a passion for exploration would have no choice but to covet this. If, by any chance, the research is successful and the contained power can be fully utilized.
It will surely be recorded in history as a sage who will remain in the era.
He stroked it with his hand, which was bigger than his upper body, believing that it would be him.
‘It will never be easy. But I must unravel this secret…’
“It’s an assault! S, attack!”
But at that moment. Attacks flying across the gloomy sky fell one after another toward the convoy that was about to cook and eat.
“What is this! this······.”
Robert, who hurriedly ran out, had no time to shout what was happening. I had to hurry up and deploy my magic shield to stop the shells from landing across the gloomy sky.
“This bizarre technique is for sure!”
He couldn’t leave his seat to protect the dragon’s heart, which was more precious than anything else.
This attack, which produces strong firepower without the use of long-trained magic and without the use of magical power, is obviously coming from the weapons used by the church. In other words, this attack itself was to prove who the attackers were.
“What are you doing! Don’t subdue them right now!”
“Ha, but Your Excellency. I can’t figure out how far away they are now…”
“Where those bullets are flying, they must be there!”
He urged his commanders to quickly subdue the enemy before they were hit one-sidedly.
“Collock… ee, what is this…”
“Sue, I can’t breathe!”
But before they go into action. This time, the shells exploded and started spraying fumes of smoke in all directions.
Soldiers who inhaled it complained of difficulty breathing and were unable to fight due to excruciating pain in the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose.
“These wicked devil cult bastards! Sorcerers, call for the wind immediately and send the smoke away!”
Marquis Robert, who misunderstood the tear gas as poison gas, was enraged by blowing the gas away with a strong wind summoned by magic.
However, if you inhale or touch even a little bit, it is so painful that even the best wizards cannot concentrate on casting spells. Even the knights couldn’t properly resist the pain of their sensitive mucous membranes.
In the end, while many troops were incapacitated by a few rounds of tear gas, armed troops of the church rushed in as they were.
“Give me the heart of the dragon. The Goddess wants it!”
“Hey!”
They wore strange masks on their faces and moved freely through the acrid tear gas, brandishing weapons in their hands.
The defenses were breached in an instant, and the army of these fanatics, who were only looking ahead and charging, reached the vicinity of the dragon’s heart that Robert was guarding.
“There!”
“These guys…”
Finally, the paladin wearing a gas mask and Robert’s eyes met. After exchanging glances of sincere hatred for each other, they raised their strength and tried to attack each other, but the balance was already tilted properly.
The difference in forces is meaningless the moment you fail to stop the infiltrating small enemies. Seeing the soldiers around him fall one by one, the evil Robert could not even use strong magic lest his allies get caught up in it.
“You’re upset. Does an evil spirit deserve to have such a precious relic! I don’t know if I’m going to find out the value of it!”
“Don’t you dare insult him. He always rewards us by showing our faith.”
Robert trembled at the words of the paladin aiming a sword at him, but the paladin strode forward.
To cut him down like this and take the dragon’s heart.
‘Why are you being taken away by these guys? this!?’
Robert broke into a cold sweat from the conflict. It was to the point where he thought that self-destructing would be better than handing over the dragon’s heart to the church.
“You idiot who doesn’t believe in God! Stop dying now…”
“What?!”
But at that moment. The head of the paladin who attacked him exploded without being able to finish his words.
“What is this! Another enemy!”A
“It is a side. Enemies from the side!”
The one-sided battlefield was overturned once again. Robert looked blankly at the being who had blown the head of the paladin as he saw the people of the church screaming like they had just before due to the sudden intrusion of forces.
“What are you again?”
The jet-black armor, and between the armor, several eye-lights shining like insect eyes.
Orc Gamma, who aimed his sword instead of the paladin, approached him who was exhausted and muttered in a daze.
“Marquis Robert, we take the dragon’s heart.”
“Huh!”
And when his back touched something hard. Frightened by the voice he heard from behind, he hurriedly turned around.
“And you must die here.”
There, the flying bells were already lifted up into carts and ascending into the sky, and Lucy’s red eyes were shining as she looked at her.