178. Thanatos
Forty’s failed work has grown into a weapon only for assassination. To them, fulfilling their mission was everything in life. It was nothing more than a killing machine with all emotion and reason castrated.
However, the first time was when a whisper came from the darkness that he had completely mastered.
“Don’t touch Dad.”
I felt fear for the first time.
the body reacts A chill creeps up your spine. Goosebumps spread from his spine all over his body.
A sense of crisis was transmitted to the other Thanatos who surrounded the target widely. They stopped charging and stopped.
The first one turned his head back at the speed of light, and his eyes drooped like afterimages. He swung his dagger.
Wedge-!
However, the black cut only the darkness. there was nothing.
– He’s an assassin.
While he was swinging his sword, another Thanatos already looked at the target of the mission, Do-yoon’s appearance.
This place is still outside the sensory range of the target. The targets were unaware of themselves.
The first person who received the information nodded.
The first hastily melted into darkness. And the other thirty-nine quickly ran towards him.
Assassins say they have confirmed each other’s existence, so they don’t fight head-on like warriors. They still fight their way.
And in a fight between assassins, missing an opponent meant death. The Thanatos knew this well.
But this is a lot.
In other words, they had several consumables called ‘life’.
The first gave instructions.
-Determine the location of the enemy by death.
The 40 Thanatos are linked in consciousness. When someone dies, you know right away.
So, whenever a pair of yellow eyes went out in the dark, the enemy’s location would be revealed.
Moreover, even this is only a last resort to increase the chance of killing the enemy to 100%, and they did not think that they would even throw away their lives in the first place.
Compared to other demons, the Thanatos knew their own senses, which were innately more sensitive than other demons. No being had ever dared to hide in front of them.
If they were to the extent of hiding even for a moment from their senses, they would surely be warriors of the level.
-Little warrior Elizabeth. One of the main powers of the Confederation.
The target of the mission is the most important person in the coalition. The fact that there would be a warrior-level escort around him was a variable within the expected range.
-Before performing the mission, exclude yourself from this place.
They’ve done the math.
The Thanatos gathered at regular intervals. They permeate the darkness, constantly moving in search of enemies.
But after a little while like that, the first felt strange.
The enemy could not be found.
-variable occurrence.
They knew themselves and Elizabeth’s level well. When all forty gathered together, they were incomparably stronger than Elizabeth.
But can’t find her It was an impossible, unexpected variable.
First, the operation was modified.
[Hyeonsword]
– Retreat to the outskirts, evade the enemy, and then…
[Don’t drink enemies]
The darkness flashed.
-…
The first suddenly felt disconnected from the rest of the thirty-nine.
There was no embarrassment. Just a quick calculation to figure out the problem and take the variable out of the mission.
He retreats and attempts to reconnect consciousness…
-…?
My eyesight spun around.
thud. The first recognized that he was falling to the ground and rolling. was attacked and fell.
I tried to stand up in a hurry, but my body wouldn’t listen. No, there was no sensation.
-ah.
He then realized that he had no body.
Beyond the field of vision rolling on the floor, the separated heads and bodies of the other Thanatos could be seen falling.
All faces were the same. Likewise, even at the moment of death, everyone was unaware of death.
The sight that had been spinning without rest finally stopped. It is caught at someone’s feet.
He raised his gaze and looked up at the exceptionally pitch-black darkness.
There, something that looked just like Thanatos stood there with golden eyes shining brightly.
No, he could.
-ah…
It was a real death god, different from them.
+++
‘Well.’
Do-yoon, who was sitting in the chair, withdrew his senses.
After confirming that there was not a single one left, he lowered his hand from the handle of his sword. Then he raised the teacup again.
Horok.
put the teacup down A very faint smile hung on the corners of his lips as he rolled the tea in his mouth.
Unable to hide his satisfaction, he scratched the leather strap wrapped around the sword handle for no reason.
+++
The center of the Demon King’s Castle, the Demon King’s Hall.
Saaaa-
The thick demonic spirit that flew in from somewhere headed for the throne and was absorbed by the girl sitting there.
The Demon King’s fingertips on the handle twitched.
She felt the return of the demonic spirit that had descended upon the being under her command. It was the power that dwelled in the 40-year-old Thanatos.
This meant their annihilation.
[…]
A thick darkness rose above her. The demon king’s eyes became cloudy again.
Those eyes were somehow strange to see as her own.
[Loose Volnik…]
His small hands trembled with hatred and resentment.
+++
The coalition’s march north has begun.
The allied forces finally set foot beyond the holy stone barrier. For the first time in decades, it was truly a historic moment.
The army was divided into three large groups and advanced simultaneously. Each one of them was worthy of being called an army.
Inside the holy stone, the demon’s power is weakened. The same goes for the commander in chief.
The allied forces were advancing north, but there was no way the Demon King’s army would just watch. The corps commanders will surely step in and sabotage this, and the alliance will have to face an intact corps commander who has not been weakened by the Holy Stone.
For this reason, each corps always had a team of two warriors, and each of these included Lion King, Seong King, and Doyun.
If one legion faces the legionnaire, another legion will immediately join it. And soon, a large-scale war begins.
It was truly an era of war, never knowing when a battle would suddenly unfold.
But fortunately, at least until today, a week after the march began, the coalition had nothing to worry about.
“Lord Enoch. We have arrived at the destination.”
Dokgo Moo-young informed Do-yoon. Doyoon, who was riding on a great horse, nodded.
During the week-long march, the union did not face the Demon King’s army even once. There were many small battles, but all of them were against wild monsters.
Dokgo Moo-yeong, who heard the general’s report on horseback, told Do-yun.
“The sun is starting to set, but there are only about two hours to the flat land where the fort is to be built. How about continuing the march?”
But no answer came.
Doyun was looking not at the north, which was the direction of the entire army, but at the lush demonic landscape in the east.
“Lord Enoch?”
When Dokgo Moo-young called him out of curiosity, Do-yoon shook his head looking this way.
“Today we camp here.”
“All right.”
Dokgo Moo-young nodded without saying a word. He ordered the general to stop the march.
The generals tilted their heads at the seemingly ineffective order. They, too, decided that it would be better to continue the march like Dokgo Moo-young.
However, when the general who went to suggest the advance heard the source of the order through the general, and informed it, everyone’s question went into question.
“It’s the commander-in-chief’s decision.”
The generals finally cleared their doubts and nodded.
It is the decision of the great warrior. He couldn’t be wrong, and even if he were wrong, the allied forces would need to give their lives to carry out his orders.
“Prepare for camp!”
The generals soon issued orders.
When the sun went down, pitch-black darkness descended on the Devil’s Nest.
Doyun came out of the barracks and stood looking east for a while. A lot of thought and complex emotions showed on his face.
The two soldiers standing guard in front of the barracks stiffened their bodies as they noticed Doyoon. For mediocre soldiers, being in the sight of the Commander-in-Chief and Great Hero was too frightening. They broke out in a cold sweat under their armor.
“…”
Do-yoon, who was quietly looking east, turned his head and asked them.
“Excuse me, do you have any cigarettes?”
“Yes, yes!? yes! there is!”
The two startled soldiers immediately took out a supply of cigarettes and handed them to him. The hands that respectfully held out the cigarette were trembling with tension.
“Thank you.”
“insect!! castle!!”
The salute shouted with all the strength that had been swallowed up reverberated through the camp.
Doyoon put a cigarette in his mouth. He snapped his fingers, and sparks from the friction ignited the cigarette.
“Whoa…”
He looked at the demon scene and inhaled the smoke.
As the cigarette burned out, a voice came from behind.
“Ah, Mr. Doyoon… Ah, no, the hero.”
“Hero! Loyalty!”
Sophie and Rocinante, passing by, greeted him. Doyoon turned around and nodded.
It’s been three months since Doyoon’s identity was revealed, but they weren’t familiar with the title of warrior.
Having been with Doyoon as a team member for several months, they were still more familiar with the title Doyoon or Captain.
Of course, Doyoon also respected them and recommended calling them in private as before. He wasn’t the type to wield unnecessary authority.
Now, it is difficult for them to keep pace with Doyoon, but they are the talents of a union that will grow greatly in the future. How many times hadn’t Sophie played an active part in the war with her superpower?
Do-yoon still had the team members he had exchanged affection with as his closest aides.
“Purreung… Huh? Captain… no, hero, did you smoke cigarettes in the first place?”
“…Just, suddenly pulled.”
Rocinante tilted her horse-shaped head at Doyoon’s unfamiliar appearance. The captain seemed to be in a complicated state of mind.
Do-yoon, who finished smoking while looking east, spoke as if he had made up his mind.
“…Sophie. Would you like to call the old man and Eloah?”
“Okay. What do you want me to tell you?”
“Ask for an escort. With as few people as possible, with only the assortment.”
“An escort?”
“Where are you going?”
He snapped his fingers, threw a cigarette, and said with a slightly relieved expression.
“Wait, let’s go see someone’s face.”
His eyes still didn’t fall from the east.