I Became a Mythical Knight King

Chapter 87: Victory (4)

The army, whose command structure had collapsed, could no longer be called an army.

Instead of fighting, the Ratmen fled in all directions, and the Western Lords Alliance troops turned the battle into a hunt rather than a fight.

Among the alliance troops, the most notable was, of course, the army of Camelot that Yoo Seong had summoned.

“It’s a Gryphon!”

“It’s a Gryphon!”

The scene of the air cavalry under Diana, who had transitioned from Pegasus Riders to Gryphon Riders, descending from the castle walls caused everyone to gasp in admiration.

When they were part of the Pegasus Cavalry, the knights mounted on the Pegasus would wield lances or swords to attack enemies. But now, the Gryphons themselves were attacking the enemies.

With their sharp beaks and claws, they were deadly weapons, and they could grab and throw enemies with their feet, allowing for much more varied attacks.

Of course, the knights riding them didn’t just sit idle, so their attacking power was much stronger than when they were part of the Pegasus Cavalry.

“Attack! Attack!”

Breaking through the barricade at the castle gate, the heavily armored infantry and the royal guard charged in.

The sight of the heavily armored infantry, resembling moving castle walls, was impressive, but it was the royal guard that truly earned everyone’s admiration.

The sight of silver-clad warriors advancing with their red cloaks billowing in the wind reminded everyone of the army of the heavens, and leading them was none other than Kate.

A blonde woman, holding high the banner of Camelot, advancing with a golden glow.

Just following her brought an overwhelming sense of morale to the Western Lords Alliance troops.

‘Smooth.’

The moment Black Eye, the commander, was killed, and even the Blue Eyes under him fled, the battle was essentially over, but despite the siege, Yoo Seong summoned even the heavy cavalry and mobilized Camelot’s forces in full force.

While minimizing the damage to his own troops was one goal, there was another important reason.

‘Experience points are heating up.’

Due to the overwhelming nature of the battle, the Gryphon Cavalry and the royal guard, now high-tier units, did not level up, but the still-low-level heavy cavalry and heavy infantry gained a level each.

‘The ballista unit is a bit disappointing.’

It was just a feeling, but they seemed to be on the verge of leveling up.

Still, he earned points and Virtue, so it was a worthwhile battle.

The ballista unit would level up and promote soon, too.

“Uooooooo!”

“We won!”

“We won!”

“Long live the alliance!”

“Long live the Black Knight!”

The soldiers who had captured the castle hung the alliance’s flag atop the gates and cheered.

The joy from such an overwhelming victory was great, but the fact that they had retaken Legion itself carried significant meaning.

Among the soldiers Yoo Seong was leading, there were also the defeated soldiers from Count Artois’ territory, whose home was Legion.

“Eradicate the rat bastards! Follow me, pursuit squad!”

“We’re coming too!”

Baron Anjou and Baron Laval led their soldiers out of the castle.

Baron Wilhelm, a knight under Count Carian, released the excited soldiers into the city to find the remaining Ratmen hiding.

“They’re here! Over here!”

The residents of Legion, who also harbored resentment against the Ratmen, helped the soldiers search the city, and soon they had almost completely located the hiding Ratmen.

“Ugh! These rat bastards!”

“Gina! Jane! Hwaaargh!”

Across the city, residents who had lost their families to the Ratmen sobbed and wailed as they shed the tears they had long held in.

Even if a foreign army took over a city, the people would endure countless plunders and violence, but for those whose city had been overtaken by a completely different species like the Ratmen, the suffering and humiliation were far worse.

“How horrifying…”

Juliet, who had come with the cavalry, swallowed her saliva as she took in the scene in the city.

Though she had already experienced many battlefields as a member of the knights, this was the first time she had entered a city that had been taken over.

Her pale face became even paler.

The streets were littered with the bodies of Ratmen torn to death by soldiers and residents, along with the corpses of the residents themselves.

The bodies were not just a result of disease, famine, or random violence.

The Ratmen, like goblins or trolls, practiced cannibalism, so many of the residents had been eaten alive by them.

Juliet gritted her teeth.

She realized that the current situation and the ongoing war were unlike any war she had known before.

This was not a war between humans.

It was a war between humans and monsters.

In just a little more than ten days, nearly a third of the city’s population had met their end.

Juliet couldn’t even imagine what the remaining residents must have felt as they endured each passing day.

After entering the city, her face darkened, and others, too, shared the same somber expression.

Baron Laval, who had returned cheerfully from the victory, closed his mouth tightly and could not speak.

Rene and Jillian, who had already witnessed the horrors in Volano, couldn’t easily open their mouths either.

Though it was shortly after a victory, it was not the time to laugh and celebrate.

Yoo Seong ordered the soldiers to organize the bodies.

It wasn’t just for the purpose of preventing disease and restoring the city’s function.

The soldiers and residents needed a funeral to send off the dead.

The corpses of the residents were piled up in front of the castle walls.

Under Jillian’s guidance, a joint funeral was conducted, albeit briefly, and in front of everyone, Yoo Seong burned the bodies in the flames of purification.

As the bodies burned, smoke rose into the air.

Yoo Seong and the soldiers silently watched the flames as they consumed the bodies.

The flames died down in the early morning, by the time the sun rose.

“The two southern territories have also been taken by the Ratmen.”

Count Artois’ territory was composed of Legion and four baronies.

The northern baronies of Baron Robert and Baron Rodel.

The southern baronies of Baron William and Baron Bowe.

Both Baron William and Baron Bowe had been taken by the Ratmen, so recovering these territories was urgent.

Everyone gathered in Count Artois’ office gazed at the map before Yoo Seong.

Initially, after retaking Legion, they had planned to briefly remain stationed there, gather scattered defeated soldiers, and wait for the second support force of the Western Lords Alliance. However, the brutal scene in Legion forced them to change their plans.

There was no information yet on the southern territories.

Having defeated the Rat Lord and the main forces and retaking Legion, there was a high possibility that there was little military presence in the southern territories, but it was just a possibility.

‘But we have to move.’

They needed to march as quickly as possible and save as many people as they could.

Baron Anjou and Baron Laval waited quietly for Yoo Seong’s words, and Baron Wilhelm, who was acting in place of Count Carian, as well as Baron Bardo, also waited for Yoo Seong to speak.

At that moment, when Juliet and Rene’s eyes met, Yoo Seong lifted his head and spoke to everyone.

“We will march in both directions.”

They would divide their forces.

Unless an avatar of the Ratmen’s god descended, each Ratmen legion could only have one Rat Lord.

No matter how many troops were left in the south, without a Rat Lord, even an alliance without Yoo Seong could easily crush them.

“I’ll go to Baron William’s territory with Lady Juliet.”

The forces of Lothian and the Baltois family, though they had a peculiar mix of roughly 300 infantry and 1,000 cavalry, Yoo Seong had Camelot’s forces.

Considering their combined combat power, it was likely they would be stronger than if they gathered the rest of the forces into one group.

“Baron Laval, I entrust the defense of Legion to you, until reinforcements arrive.”

“I will do my best.”

Baron Laval answered with a serious face.

Though he had usually been quite frivolous, the horrors he witnessed in Legion had weighed heavily on his heart.

“Baron Anjou, I entrust the retaking of Baron Bowe’s territory to you.”

“Leave it to me.”

Baron Anjou replied firmly, and after giving a word to Baron Laval and the other knights, Yoo Seong looked at Juliet.

“Lady Juliet, let’s go together.”

“I will follow your command.”

Juliet answered with a cold, noble knight’s demeanor, and Yoo Seong smiled.

Although he hadn’t fully observed her with the King’s Insight, even just this sight alone made her seem like a perfect example of a knight.

‘No, my sister is not like that. She’s a complete wild brat.’

Rene tried to voice her thoughts but was curious.

‘What kind of talent does my sister have?’

Rene herself had the talents of the Celestial Witch and the King of Power, so maybe her sister had some extraordinary talent as well?

At least, she was certainly a genius swordswoman.

Maybe, just like Rene, her sister had a totally unusual talent.

‘Like cooking.’

While Rene considered various possibilities and observed Juliet, Yoo Seong concluded the meeting and ordered everyone to march.

While Robin and Edgar led the infantry of Lothian, Ruan led the combat priests, and Juliet led the Baltois cavalry, Yoo Seong was still riding in the carriage this time as well.

Although fatigue was still an issue, there was another reason this time.

“I’ll open it.”

“Yes, successor.”

Rene immediately replied from Yoo Seong’s right, and Jillian, sitting to his left, nodded silently with a glimmer in her eyes.

The completion of the hospital and the swordsmanship hall.

While riding the horse, the three of them viewing Yoo Seong Castle together would inevitably raise the question, “What exactly are they doing?” in the eyes of any outsider.

Three people, laughing and pointing at the air while keeping their horses tightly together.

Rather than letting strange rumors spread among the soldiers, it was better to just ride the carriage again.

The feeling of riding was pleasant too.

And so, the opening of Yoo Seong Castle.

“Wow, it’s really a hospital. A hospital.”

“The exterior of the swordsmanship hall is very beautiful. Moreover, this style…it seems to have the unique architectural technique of Camelot, which is now discontinued. I would love to see the inside… but the next invitation is still a long way off, right?”

Although their ways of expressing admiration were quite different, both of them were reacting passionately.

“Moreover, this hospital—although it’s in a deformed style and hard to recognize—is definitely the mosaic style used only in Camelot. It was described as truly beautiful in the books, but I wonder how it looks in person. I asked earlier, but the next invitation is still far off, right?”

Yoo Seong smiled at Jillian, who was staring at Yoo Seong Castle, and then looked at Rene.

While she left simple impressions like “It’s beautiful” and “It’s lovely” on the buildings, she was more focused on the newly added personnel.

Doctors and nurses were added to the hospital.

The gatekeeper and instructors of the swordsmanship hall.

“Merry, Jane, Jessica, Henry…”

One side focused on the buildings, the other on the people.

After glancing at the saint and the sorceress who were immersed in their respective areas of interest, Yoo Seong opened a separate window.

[Unit Management]

It had been a while since he last checked the unit management menu.

[Adding Swordsmanship Unit (10 members): 400pt]

‘No, the point earnings are incredible these days, but how is one unit worth 400pt?’

Moreover, there were only 10 members in the unit.

Still, Yoo Seong didn’t reconsider summoning the swordsmanship unit.

And for good reason—it was a swordsmanship unit.

An elite infantry unit composed of outstanding swordsmen.

Although the numbers were small, each individual’s combat power was incomparable to that of regular soldiers. This made it a unit best used in situations where only a few personnel should be deployed, rather than on wide battlefields.

‘It will be helpful in boss raids.’

During his fight with Balakai, Yoo Seong had only summoned the knights and not Camelot’s army.

The difference in individual combat power was so vast that summoning them would only lead to more casualties without contributing significantly but the swordsmanship unit was different.

They would become an invaluable force in the boss battles Yoo Seong would face in the future.

Recalling the swordsmanship unit of the Black Wolves, Yoo Seong clicked the “Add Swordsmanship Unit” button.

However, immediately after, a new menu popped up, and he couldn’t help but voice his thoughts.

[Add Sword Master: 300pt]

“No, seriously?”

300pt?

The addition of Roland was only 50pt, but 300pt?

He did have points.

He had them, though he’d have to spend all his remaining points. But still, 300pt?

Yoo Seong understood now.

The heroes added to the unit were the Knights of the Round Table.

Although their names were forgotten and their powers sealed, each of them was a legendary hero.

‘But it wasn’t like this before.’

The points used to summon Kate initially were only 2pt.

Of course, the situation was different now.

‘The amount of points earned has increased, but it feels like the amount I need to spend has also increased.’

Although it was an issue of tiers, it felt like the points were accumulating with each new unit added.

It was different when adding a new unit when there were five units compared to when there were six.

‘Okay, anyway, I’ll use it.’

Since he had already spent points on the swordsmanship unit, he clicked the “Add Sword Master” button.

Then, a new window popped up.

[Sword Master: Morgan]

By now, Jillian and Rene had shifted their attention from Yoo Seong Castle to the new window Yoo Seong had opened, and after exchanging silent glances with Rene, Yoo Seong faced forward.

Since he had summoned it, he had to call it at least once.

“Morgan, come.”

With a golden flash, a new knight appeared.