Chapter 162 Battle for the Headquarters (1)
The Knights of Lichtenau moved south without hesitation.
The monster army of the Black Heaven Demonic Cult continued to appear, but the knights were already ready to deal with them.
It wasn’t the archbishop who controlled the monsters, but the bishop-class priests, but I quickly defeated them while moving with Brantley and the guerrillas.
The monsters who lost their commander became ragtag in an instant, and were quickly destroyed by the Knights’ attack.
Breaking through the monster army of the Black Heaven Demonic Cult, we continued to go south.
And after checking the territory of Yusvast… You have reached the southernmost tip of the Empire’s territory.
“It’s the first time I’ve come this far.”
Berithlyze, from the south, said in a hard voice.
“Schmitz Hartmann, how are you?”
“Me too… I never had to come this far.”
Schmitz, also from the South, replied with a nervous expression.
“Because it’s a place where people don’t really need access.”
“Yes, there is nothing to be gained.”
Listening to their conversation, I climbed the hill and looked ahead.
What is unfolding right now… It was a huge volcanic field.
‘That’s amazing… … .’
Unknowingly, I felt awe.
To that extent, the volcanic area in front of them was boasting an enormous majesty.
A huge active volcano towered over it, and black smoke was constantly rising from its crater.
The ground was entirely covered with black volcanic rock, and lava flowed like a river over it.
Because such a volcanic field stretches endlessly… It was a hellish sight.
“Aernas… What lies beyond?”
“Well, I don’t know.”
I didn’t even set it up in the novel.
I just described that volcanic region as the southern border of the empire.
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Do the Black Heaven Demonic Cult know what lies beyond?
“Huh, there’s something Aernas doesn’t know.”
Serene laughed next to me.
Somehow embarrassed, I averted my gaze.
“Aernas, but… Is there really a stronghold of the Dark Heaven Demonic Cult over there?”
“Yes, the headquarters is hidden.”
“Even if you are a Demonic Cultist, it seems difficult to live in a place like this, right? What the hell do you eat here?”
Serene’s opinion also had some truth.
No crops or livestock can be grown here.
“Well, let’s see if they grow mushrooms in a dark cave.”
In reality, the setting is that there is a facility for supplying food underground… It’s too suspicious to even talk about that.
I pretended not to know and moved forward.
“… … .”
Everyone looked nervous.
It would be the same not only for his close aides, but also for the graduates of the Lichtenauer Knights who were following behind him.
If we continue like this, we will be swept away by the lava of the volcanic zone and melt away… Everyone was nervous at that thought.
‘so… I’ll have to show you.’
I have a true silver sword.
And he raised his mana from his mana heart.
The iron-blooded mana that was smelted by the iron-blooded sword magic method.
‘Cervest White Flower Swordsmanship, White Flower Sword Ram.’
My original skill, which I used when fighting Archbishop Moonheisen.
A massive ice storm hurled forward.
However, the power was stronger than when dealing with Munheizen.
It was because he absorbed the mana while defeating Moonheizen, Zenula, and Charnard one after another.
Since Berithlyze and Brantley were nearby, I couldn’t openly absorb all the mana, but… I was able to make a considerable amount of mana mine.
“Oh oh… … !”
People screamed in exclamations at the storm of ice that raged on the burning earth.
But it’s too early to be surprised.
“hmm… … ?”
Brantley was the first to notice.
“Father, why are you like this?”
“The space ahead… … .”
dismissal.
Pitch, Pitch.
Break, break, break… … !
After a series of cracking sounds echoed through the glass, the space began to collapse.
And on the black land where lava flowed… A wide ‘road’ appeared.
“This… … !”
“Was it illusion?!”
In this volcanic area, the magic of the Black Heaven Demonic Cult was unfolding.
It seemed like a difficult place to access because of the lava, but in reality there was a road that many people could pass through.
The Black Heaven Demonic Cult had disguised it as illusion.
“I thought you were trying to cool the lava with cold air… It wasn’t.”
“Not so reckless, Chloe.”
“Huh, I know. Wasn’t it necessary to destroy the magic itself with a powerful wide-range attack?”
As Chloe said, I just destroyed the magic of the Dark Celestial Cult with my technique.
The reason why he used White Flower Geomram was because it was the most effective technique.
“Aernas-nim is gradually reaching a state of greatness… Sir Aernas?!”
Chloe hastily grabbed my arm.
Because I was staggering with vertigo.
“Aernas?”
“Aernas-sama!”
Everyone rushed at me with surprised expressions.
But I held up my hand to restrain it.
“I’m just dizzy for a moment. It’s nothing, so leave it alone.”
“It’s nothing!”
“Are you really okay?!”
Everyone was making a fuss, but they couldn’t afford to respond.
While being supported by Chloe, I circulated mana within my body.
The magical power of the white flower sword that was just released… did not reabsorb.
“It’s because I used too much mana at once.”
Brantley, who had been watching quietly, opened his mouth.
“Currently, Aernas has more mana than anyone here right now. but… No matter how much mana you have, the human body has its limits.”
As he said that, Brantley looked me in the face.
“Am I wrong, Ernas?”
“You’re not wrong, Brantley.”
I answered while taking a deep breath.
“Release a large amount of mana all at once like before… It seems that it was still a burden for my skills.”
Doubling magic power does not double the strength of the graduate.
That’s because mana is just fuel.
If you have enough magic power, you can launch a series of attacks with maximum output, but you cannot attack beyond the maximum output.
Just a moment ago, he used the white flower sword with a power that slightly exceeded the maximum output… My head immediately became dizzy.
My body screamed that it was impossible to process so much mana at once.
“It’s not that your skills are lacking. It could be because of human limitations.”
Brantley said calmly.
“still… You too were human. I was a little relieved.”
“What did you see me as?”
Brantley did not respond to my question.
Instead, he looked around and said.
“The knight commander needs to rest for a while. I will be in the lead.”
“Ah, I see!”
Brantley didn’t ask for my permission.
As it was, I led the knights forward, and I stayed behind, supported by Chloe.
“Chloe, I’ll take care of Aernas.”
“Yes, leave it to me, Miss Serene.”
Serine looked worried and left Chloe in charge, then followed Brantley with the other guerrillas.
Brantley and Celine were the same, and they moved well without me having to tell them one by one.
“Aernas-sama, I will move to the rear carriage.”
“Yes, please.”
With Chloe’s help, I headed towards the wagon for transporting supplies in the rear.
“Whoa… … .”
After lying down in the carriage with Chloe’s help, I let out a long sigh.
“I have no face. To see such an unsightly appearance.”
“You’re ugly.”
Chloe smiled and wiped my face with a wet towel.
“As Brantly said earlier, ‘Aernas-sama is also human.’ I thought about doing it.”
“So, what do you think of me as?”
“Beyond humanity… An all-round invincible being?”
“Do not joke.”
I chuckled.
“If that were the case, he would have flown right away and split the headquarters of the Black Heaven Demonic Cult into two pieces along with the volcano.”
“Huh, if Aernas-sama were that kind of person, the war itself wouldn’t be able to take place.”
After saying that, Chloe looked at me and smiled.
“But, Aernas-sama.”
“what?”
“You did it on purpose to test your own limits, didn’t you?”
“… … .”
Chloe was also sharp.
Brantley is the one who best understands where I stand as a swordsman, but… Chloe is probably the one who understands my heart the most.
“Now, Aernas-nim is in a state of possessing tremendous magical power. However, as Brantley said, a human body cannot properly use that magic.”
“… … .”
“As far as I can think… With a human body, I think the limit is to exert as much power as the last time, Carleon Ignias.”
Last time, Carleon fired ‘Di Inferno’ with the magic acquired through the keel.
However, even if Carleon had more magical power, he would not be able to unleash The Inferno with more power than that.
Because there is a limit to the amount of mana that can be controlled at one time.
I use the iron-blooded sword magic method to efficiently control my magic, so I can emit more magic than Carleon, but… There is also a limit.
“Isn’t Aernas-nim challenging that limit right now?”
“I can’t stand you either.”
I sighed.
Chloe was the only one of the allies in the original novel who was able to counter Aernas’ resourcefulness.
You’ve always been by my side and assisted me… You will be able to see through this much.
“Yeah, because you have to knock on the wall as hard as you can to break it.”
“As expected.”
The more you challenge your limits, the more accurately you understand them.
The next time I do something similar, I’ll be able to control my magic a little more reliably.
Then there would be no such thing as falling down.
“By the way, Sir Aernas.”
Chloe said in a cautious voice.
“Breaking down the wall… Is there a new path beyond that?”
“… … .”
“I think the current Aernas-sama is strong enough.”
In Chloe’s voice when she said that, there was a feeling of concern for me.
I am seriously worried that my life will be endangered by overdoing it.
“Of course, you might feel that the depth is lacking compared to Brantley-sama or Valentiano-sama, but… Do you need to get stronger here?”
“… … .”
There was some truth in Chloe’s words.
However, I had to cross the limit.
If you don’t… Because I knew that this story had a bad ending.
* * *
Brantley moved on without a word.
He led the Knights of Lichtenau and marched on the road that appeared between the lava fields.
According to the information Aernas gave us in advance, the headquarters of the Demonic Cult of the Dark Heavens should be located in the huge active volcano in front of us.
‘I still don’t know how Aernas figured it out.’
Frankly, Brantly thought Aernas was suspicious.
It was because he had unnaturally great power and information.
Even so, Brantly had no intention of pointing his sword at Aernas right now.
It seemed like Aernas was seriously trying to defeat the Dark Heaven Demonic Cult.
“Everyone, stop.”
Brantly raised his hand and stopped the Templars.
It was because I felt an unusual energy from the front.
and… I realized that a man was standing on the side of an active volcano.
“I managed to notice.”
Suddenly, a voice resounded all around.
I could tell that the man standing on top of the volcano spoke with magical energy.
“I will praise you for coming this far, swordsmen of the Empire.”
He was a man of great size.
Even at a distance, his presence was clear.
Brantley realized that the man was the strongest of the archbishops he had ever fought.
then… Perhaps Archbishop Polka.
“Archibishop Polka.”
Brantley also spoke with magic in his voice.
“Are you the Archbishop to deal with us?”
“Yes. It is my duty to protect the headquarters.”
Archbishop Polka nodded.
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Glaring at it, Brantley opened his mouth again.
“I ask you one thing, Archbishop Polka.”
“What.”
“Before arriving here, we entered the domain of Prince Yusbast. but… There was no one left.”
Yusbast’s territory was completely plundered.
even… Not even a body was left.
“There was not a single child left. Where did everyone go?”
“Are you curious about that?”
I saw Polka slowly raise her hand.
OK… A myriad of beings appeared in the middle of the volcano.
“I’m here.”
“… … .”
Orc type, Ogre type, Giant type… The monsters of the Black Heaven Demonic Cult, who had been fighting until now, were crawling out.
To secure power, they kidnapped civilians from the nearest Yusbast territory and remodeled them.
“All knights, prepare for battle.”
Saying that, Brantley drew his sword.
Now Brantley… I was obviously feeling angry.
“Defeat Archbishop Polka and destroy the headquarters.”
“yes… … !”
The monsters jumped down, not caring that their bodies were burned by the lava.
To confront them, the graduates of the Lichtenau Knights also deployed their sword skills.
In the burning land, the curtain rises for the attack on the headquarters of the Black Heaven Demonic Cult.