28 – Oath for the Princess (2)
While a fierce battle unfolded in the imperial villa,
On the other hand, at the mansion once used as a hideout for the socialites, belonging to the Branon family, a battle was also raging.
They must not be overlooked.
It must be decisively crushed all at once.
Hence, the imperial forces surrounded the mansion, launching attacks from all directions against the forces of the socialites.
“They are a group of wicked heretics!”
“No prisoners! Subdue them all with summary execution!!”
The once dimly lit space was instantly bathed in crimson by torchlight.
Armored knights of the Hwangsung, wielding sharp weapons and thick armor, stormed the villa. With ruthless determination, they swiftly eliminated the visible socialites, displaying what ruthless judgment looked like.
It was a brutal scene.
The villa, boasting of its elegant charm, was tainted by the carnage.
“Damn imperial scoundrels…!”
“Counterattack! Release the beasts, now!”
Knights brandishing Mana Blades steadily pushed forward. If they continued to press on without resistance, it would unquestionably end in the complete victory of the imperial knights.
In response to this dire situation, the socialites deployed their secret weapons.
*Creak!!*
*Roar!!*
Beasts confined behind bars were suddenly set free.
Creatures crafted from magic, bound by weaponry.
And as soon as they were unleashed from confinement, their ferocity was unleashed to its utmost.
Beasts with colossal builds charged like raging bulls. Knights who were carving through socialites caught sight of them and raised their Mana Blades without hesitation, seemingly ready to confront them head-on.
“Have the imperial vultures trampled upon the sacred altar we worship? Purge them all!”
A warrior wielding a cruel mace led the charge with the beasts, blocking the path.
The intent was clear.
The grizzled gray emanating from their entire being told the tale.
The warrior clad in gray swung the mace, knocking down the knights. The mace, reinforced to its limits, rivaled siege weaponry deployed in wars. With each resounding crash as metal shattered, the knight’s formation crumbled.
“Foul heretics. It’s a power derived from the faith of the heresy… Disgusting beyond measure.”
Continuing like this would only escalate the casualties. They needed to swiftly conclude the suppression.
The knights, repeatedly facing setbacks, received a signal and withdrew.
In their stead, a new force emerged.
The valiant leader, Gaidon.
The commander of the Valteria, leading the suppression, was brought onto the field. Witnessing his noble dignity, the knights erupted in cheers, assured of their resolute victory.
The wielder of the protective shield of socialites seemed like a dreadful nightmare. But the commander of Valteria, representing the empire, was the symbol of bravery that vanquished nightmares. The commander, renowned for his valor, faced off against a warrior wielding a sharp sword and wielding an axe.
“So, you’re the famed commander? Then you shall not lack challenges.”
“Challenges… indeed. The savagery of socialites.”
The warrior clad in grizzled gray revealed this.
In opposition, Gaidon unfurled his Mana Blade.
Vivid crimson.
The Mana Blade glowed like burning vermilion flames.
It was a Mana Blade infused with the protection of the crimson dragon, guardian of the empire.
All the Seven Commanders of Valtaria were part of Rudmila’s lineage, blessed by the protection of the crimson dragon. Thus, as the guardians of the dragon, they could harness its protection to some extent.
“In the name of the Valtarian Empire and the crimson dragon, I will eliminate the wicked scum.”
Commander Gaidon swung the red Mana Blade, charging towards Mine, who wielded an axe.
* * *
Ruthlessly piercing through walls, Mine’s charge resembled a tank rampaging through the battlefield.
His target was Elizaveta.
Edanant, who had been hastily tracking the rear, saw through Mine’s intentions.
Absolutely not to be allowed.
Despite numerous elites guarding the Platinum Queen, the monster encased in dark gray metal was an existence far beyond conventional standards. No one knew what variables might be present. Edanant kicked the ground forcefully, narrowing the distance between him and the monster.
“We can’t afford to drag this out any longer. We must cut off his breath before his regenerative powers kick in again…”
So far, Edanant had been overwhelmed by Meiros, primarily because he had suffered a near-fatal injury from Aldebaran’s blade. Despite possessing exceptional healing abilities, he couldn’t fully utilize them and ended up being pushed back.
He was about to recover.
Edanant aimed at the joint between Meiros’s leg and torso as he raised his gun.
-Boom!
A small gap between the joints.
Edanant didn’t miss the vulnerability not protected by the dark iron.
Mairos, with torn hip joints, couldn’t match the speed and crumbled. He tried to stand again, but Edanant showed him no mercy.
“Heck…! Huff! Where do you think you can escape…?”
Edanant bent his head, gasping for breath.
The lack of regular exercise was the cause.
His physical condition was close to being in poor shape due to dealing with paperwork and political struggles.
But he had the strength to pull the trigger. Ensuring the crippled monster couldn’t escape, he riddled its legs with bullets, tearing them apart. Each time, the monster emitted a horrifying scream, but Edanant paid no attention.
“Master Edanant!”
“We’ll help too!”
It was a relief, especially when things were tough.
The Holy Knights of the Kingdom of Glory rushed to join them.
Despite Javelin’s assistance being unfortunately thwarted by the strong opposition of the priests, the Holy Knights, who had served as her escort, stepped forward to participate in the punitive expedition. Armed with robust armor and divine power, they willingly accepted the challenge.
“Since he’s been captured, just cut off his breath. Torturing him won’t make the venomous serpent’s tongue speak any differently anyway.”
The holy knights unfurled the pure white Mana Blade. It was a manifestation of divine power allowed only for the holy knights of the Glorious Kingdom.
True to their merciless reputation as holy knights of the Glorious Kingdom, they tore apart the mangled body of Mayros without hesitation. As the metal-covered flesh sizzled with a pungent odor, accompanied by a sickening stench, it burned.
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– Nooooo!!!
He was finished.
Surrounded by holy knights, there was no possibility of a final struggle.
Turn to ashes and disappear.
That was the only retribution allowed by the divine for Mayros.
Not all mages were vulnerable to divine power. Only mages who had tainted their souls with heinous acts through repeated human sacrifices would face the punishment of divine power. In other words, the story went that mages whose bodies were consumed by sacred flames deserved to die as villains.
“Oh God! Oh divine being!! Please protect the innocent lamb! I cannot burn to death like this! Until our god descends upon this cursed world… Nooooo!!”
Even the black metal exoskeleton surrounding Mayros dissipated as his blood-soaked body contorted, revealing something.
A strangely colored ore.
It was identical to the jewel in the earring worn by Elizaveta’s personal maid.
However, unlike the sealed power of the earring’s jewel, the ore in Mayros’s grasp emitted a vast power. It scattered a precarious, explosive glimmer like a bomb about to detonate.
Boom!
Essence of the celestial.
It was a medium that brought out the extreme protection of the divine.
A creepy sense of impending danger struck. Edanant quickly raised his pistol to shatter the ore held in the monster’s grasp.
However, the activation of the essence of the celestial was faster than a bullet.
A massive vortex engulfed everything around it, swallowing it like a whirlpool.
Witnessing the black wave, Edanant raised Alderan to protect the holy knights swept away by the vortex.
* * *
Having safely escaped the villa, Elizaveta moved with the escort of the knights, accompanied by Rue.
The echoes of consecutive loud noises reverberated.
Certainly, they were in the midst of a fierce battle with a blood-soaked mage.
Is Edanant really alright?
She recalled the image of the man confronting the monster with the holy sword.
Wanting to firmly believe in victory, but facing a mage with numerous infamous deeds, Elizaveta couldn’t help but show a pale, frightened expression. If something dreadful were to happen to Edanant, her heart would crumble.
“Your Highness, we’re over here. Please hurry.”
“…Yes.”
Cecilia, securing the forefront with her bow, turned her head and spoke.
In response, Elizabeth tightly grasped the delicate fingers of Rue’s tiny hand, saying, “It’ll be fine; it’s Ethan, after all!”
Could she see through the inner turmoil expressing anxiety?
The girl with emerald-green hair smiled brightly, offering comfort. It seemed like the unease permeating her entire body had transmitted to the girl.
Elizabeth forced a smile as she accepted the reassurance. Even if she felt jittery and uncertain, the situation wouldn’t change. That’s why, like a bold young girl, she decided to trust in Edan and wait.
“Protect Princess! Something is coming!”
When the princess tried to shake off fear and embrace hope,
‘The promised death’ arrived.
A cruel, ruthless evil, intending to punish the villainous Elizaveta in a miserable way. A grotesque monster, with distorted features, interrupted the princess and her party as they moved towards the hideout, exhaling rough breaths.
“Where are you going, Princess Elizaveta? We will offer you the glory of sacrificing yourself to summon the god. In doing so, you will gain eternal life as a vessel for the divine.”
The metallic monster, surrounded by metal, spoke in the voice of Dugalek Branon. As the polite voice of the young man flowed out from the gruesome mask, Elizaveta screamed, taking a step back.
A black-grey metal surrounded her entire body.
On top of it were large spikes, like thorns.
Additionally, the monster’s chest emitted a massive surge of essence, pulsating.
“Do not retreat!”
“We will confront them, Your Highness Elizaveta!”
At the brink of death, Mayros activated the essence of the abyss, achieving a perfect resurrection. And he seized an even more vast protection.
Hence, despite countless knights aiming their mana blades, Mayros appeared oddly relaxed. He was confident that no blade could penetrate his sturdy bio-gauntlets.
“Dare you mock the safety of anywhere with your insolent tongue.”
The mana blade, tinged in red, struck Mayros’ grip, targeting Elizaveta.
Crack!!
Sparks flew as the metal was scratched.
Though it didn’t completely pierce through, it was enough to force Mayros to step back. Surprisingly, the extremely hardened bio-gauntlets seemed vulnerable, causing a moment of astonishment.
Cecilia, the noble warrior, raised her sword to defend, taking the place of the esteemed princess. If she died in place of the noble princess, it would be recorded as an honor for the knights. Cecilia unleashed the crimson dragon’s blade to its fullest extent.
“You filthy wench who knows not her place. How dare you, with such a petty body, obstruct the descent of the divine…! Tear her limbs apart until her last breath.”
The overwhelming monster, displaying an oppressive force, leaped as if defying gravity.
A robust hardness.
Heavier than any metal.
Mairos mobilized them all, intending to sweep away the knights blocking their path. He reached out to kill even the small fairy mounts summoned for the treacherous ambush and seize the beautiful platinum princess.
“Eldan! Eldan!!”
The perfected essence of malice covered everything.
Everyone will die.
Perhaps to experience a pain greater than death.
Elizaveta, led by the knights, expelled terror. Instinctively, she realized that she would ultimately meet a miserable end at the hands of the gruesome monster before her.
She froze.
Her steps simply wouldn’t move.
As if shackled by the chains of fear and bridled by the reins of dread.
In place of the princess, a small fairy shouted with a sharp voice.
“Of course.”
The man approached, tearing apart the darkness.
And with a powerful swing, he brushed away the metallic visage surrounding Mairos.
Crash!!!
A resounding noise echoed.
Though the attempt to neutralize had failed, the preemptive suppression for the upper hand was brilliantly successful.
Mairos, astonished, couldn’t have anticipated pursuit like a relentless shadow.
“How, how is this possible! Swept away by the essence of malice, and yet, how are you unharmed! Unless you’re of the same kind…!!”
“There’s nothing impossible in this world.”
Answering Mine’s question with a composed voice, Edanant extended Aldebaran, blocking Elizaveta’s way.
And he offered a solemn oath.
It was to comfort Elizaveta facing acute panic.
“It’ll be alright. No matter what happens.”
The words were filled with a determined will.
It was like watching a knight from a fairy tale standing against an evil dragon to protect the beautiful princess.
In response to those words, Elizaveta nodded slightly.
“Even if it’s a tragic fate that’s been decided… they will never lay a hand on the princess. Because I am here.”
Defying a fate already determined.
That is what they call ‘reversing the heavens.’
Edanant chose to defy fate to save the tragic villainess burdened with a tragic destiny, even if it meant incurring the wrath of the world’s will.
“I believe… I believe in you, Edanant…! So, win! Win, Edanant! It’s both the command and the plea of the princess!”
“Yes.”
Edanant’s eyes began to flicker like black gunpowder.
Furthermore,
The sharp crimson blade of Aldebaran, which was once vivid, now turned a radiant golden hue.
The guardian, who had been completely dormant until now, awakened.
It wasn’t only Mayros who was influenced by the essence of the celestial heavens.