NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 586
Chapter 586: Exterminate the Enemy (3)
Thud thud thud thud!
The Penris Mobile Army began their charge.
Leading with a crimson spear, Ghislaine and the Penris Mobile Army surged forward like a living river of steel, pouring towards the Army of Atrode.
The sight was akin to a magnificent painting. Anyone witnessing it would have felt an overwhelming thrill.
“Waaaah!”
The Ruthania Army, led by Gillian and Tenant, also charged forward with a roar. The Fortress Troops leaped out as well.
The trapped Army of Atrode didn’t know what to do. Their previously confident momentum had vanished.
Gathros shouted in outrage at Count Bifenbelt.
“What are we supposed to do!”
“….”
“Count! Say something!”
Count Bifenbelt merely stared at the advancing army.
There was no way out. No one could win in this situation.
“It’s over.”
At his mutter, the commanders and staff officers nearby wore expressions of despair.
Even the best strategist of the Army of Atrode, Count Bifenbelt, had given up the fight.
Gathros, his face contorted, asked again.
“Is there really, really no way? I’ll use that power again! We just need to hold out until our allies arrive! Everyone, prepare! Hurry!”
Gathros shouted towards the priests. Though his energy had barely recovered, he intended to gather whatever he could for another confrontation.
But Count Bifenbelt shook his head.
“…Our allies must have fallen.”
“Is that even possible?! How can they have fallen already?”
“….”
Count Bifenbelt didn’t bother to explain.
He waited anxiously for their allies but none arrived.
While the detached 3rd Corps was unaccounted for, the 2nd Corps led by Aiden and the 4th Corps led by Count Zyrus should have arrived long ago.
The scattered Ruthania Army had failed to make an appearance. Not even a messenger came.
The only conclusion to draw was one.
The 2nd Corps and 4th Corps must have been annihilated.
Gathros could no longer contain his fury and shouted.
“Aaaaah! Why! Why does the heavens do this to me!”
This was a war clearly within their grasp. But at some point, everything had turned awry.
After decades of patience and preparation, they finally amassed enough power to sweep across the continent. Just a little further, and everything they desired would be theirs.
Yet, ever since failing against the Ruthania Kingdom, things began to spiral out of control. This war, which they had staked everything on, had also ended in failure. The power they had spent their lives building was now merely obliterated.
All that remained were a few scattered rebels at the fringes of the continent and some priests. They too would soon be hunted down.
All of this occurred because of one person.
“Duke of Penris!!!”
A dark energy erupted from Gathros’s entire body. Only rage remained in his mind.
Even if he died here, he felt it was essential to take down that guy.
Other priests also emanated what little remaining energy they had. They aimed to unite and bolster Gathros’s power.
Kwahhhhh!
Meanwhile, magic began to explode throughout the ranks of the Army of Atrode.
Vanessa didn’t even need to intervene. The wizards of the Ruthania Army joined in, leaving the wizards of the Army of Atrode unable to withstand it.
“T-this….”
“Magic! Block the magic first!”
“Deploy the barrier!”
Gathros and the priests had no choice but to redirect their energy to block the magic.
However, it was impossible for them to defend the entire formation. They could only protect the very center where the commanders were gathered. Their energy was far too depleted for anything more.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Uaaaargh!”
The soldiers of the Army of Atrode struck by magic exploded, completely destroying their formation.
And then, at some point, the magic ceased.
Kwahhh!
The Penris Mobile Army burrowed into the Army of Atrode. Having completely lost their formation due to the magic, the Army of Atrode was being pushed back helplessly.
Soon, Parniel swung a massive mace, charging straight into the flanks of the Army of Atrode.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Uaaaargh!”
No one could withstand her astonishing destructive power. The soldiers of the Army of Atrode were sent flying in all directions with each hit of her mace.
The Ruthania Army led by Gillian and Tenant, along with the Fortress Troops commanded by Marquis Gideon, collided with the Army of Atrode.
Kwahhh!
“Uaaaargh!”
It was a perfect encirclement. Surrounded by nearly four times their number, the Army of Atrode found not one soul could escape. All they could do was continue screaming.
Yet, there was but one person who could flee from this chaos.
Count Bifenbelt, desperately gathering energy, spoke to Gathros.
“Run away.”
“What?”
“Think rationally. You must survive, Priest.”
“Ugh, ughhh….”
“Flee and serve His Majesty.”
“Run away! What could I possibly do after losing everything and fleeing?”
The force he had painstakingly built was gone. The scattered rebels would be crushed before they could even regroup.
The Salvation Society was finished.
Now, every kingdom on the continent would be determined to root out the Salvation Society’s foundation.
His options had dwindled to nothing. He would now have to live the life of a fugitive.
“Me! Am I really to live such a pathetic life?!”
Seeing Gathros weep blood tears, Count Bifenbelt slowly opened his mouth.
“Didn’t you say you needed to find the king?”
“….”
“Isn’t that your mission?”
“….”
Gathros bit his lip. He hadn’t forgotten that mission.
But how could he present himself to serve the king in such a pitiful state?
If he did find the king, would he merely run away alongside him? That thought weighed heavily on his mind.
Count Bifenbelt continued, his expression devoid of emotion.
“To be honest, I had no interest in the goals of the Salvation Society. I merely wanted to place His Majesty upon the throne of the continent. But since we failed, I have no choice but to place my hopes in the king of the Salvation Society.”
“What hopes could you have?”
“Revenge, of course. Didn’t you say you could do anything once you found the king?”
The goal of the Salvation Society was to find the king and create a new world. If they found the king, they would fight against the Allied Forces once more.
Although he said that, Count Bifenbelt didn’t truly hold any high hopes. Even if they did find that king, what could they possibly accomplish without power?
He merely wished to save the Duke of Leinster, who had hardly even ascended to the throne. Regardless, he had to ensure the survival of his lord.
So he pleaded.
“Please, just protect yourself. I beg you to take care of His Majesty…”
The Duke of Leinster still held the legitimacy of the Kingdom of Atrode. There may still be noblemen loyal to him remaining.
Currently, the Salvation Society needed to gather any remnants they could find. Thus, they couldn’t easily abandon the Duke of Leinster.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Uaaaaargh!”
Screams of the soldiers of the Army of Atrode echoed all around. Soon, the enemy forces would crash into the heart of the formation.
“Ugh, ughhh…”
Gathros trembled with rage and despair. He couldn’t bear the humiliation he had experienced time and again.
Boom!
Ahead, the bodies of allied soldiers burst as they were blasted away.
“Gathros!”
A man spotted Gathros and let out a fierce laugh with glowing red eyes. A fierce black horse charged with unyielding might.
“Duke of Penris!”
Gathros could tell just by looking. The Duke of Penris was also severely drained.
If he hadn’t been, he would have reached him long ago. Even with the allied forces already collapsing, he hadn’t penetrated faster.
Thus, he felt an urge to act. If he gathered the remaining powers of the priests, perhaps they could take down that guy?
But Count Bifenbelt’s shout snapped him back to reality.
“Run away now!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
From the side, Parniel was charging with incredible destructive force. She was faster than the Duke of Penris.
“The Saint of Battle…”
That wasn’t all. Other superhumans were also pushing the soldiers back as they rushed this way.
If they combined their power, they might be able to take down one superhuman. But he too would surely perish in the attempt.
In that case, the great mission of the Salvation Society they had been waiting for would end today. That could not be allowed.
He had to remain calm. He still hadn’t found the king.
“…I will repay today’s humiliation without fail.”
Gathros, with blood tears in his eyes, pulled out a life gem. It was one of the last two remaining.
He could no longer create any more life gems. He needed to preserve it, but right now, the only escape was through this.
Crack!
FWAAAH!
As he shattered the gem, dark energy poured out and enveloped Gathros’s body.
Seeing that, Ghislaine gritted her teeth and threw her spear.
PAAAAAH!
The spear slowly began to fly.
No, it was as if time had stopped, with only the spear radiating a red glow as it flew.
It pierced through all the soldiers and knights blocking its path.
Yet even so, it showed no signs of losing strength. The spear moved with the same speed as if no one was there.
Wrapping in dark energy, Gathros gritted his teeth.
Clatter!
‘Again!’
The spear flew straight toward him. His perception didn’t miss its presence.
But once again, he couldn’t move his body properly.
“Gggggg….”
The flow of the world slowed. His body still couldn’t counter that flow.
At this rate, his heart would surely be pierced before he could flee.
“Ah, no…”
His body wasn’t functioning properly yet. Though his energy had somewhat recovered, the restraints had grown even stronger.
When on earth did he learn such a technique?
That monster was only rising to higher levels of power. No matter what he did, he should have killed him long ago.
“Uaaaargh!”
Summoning all his strength, Gathros began to loosen the binds on his body. Yet the spear was still headed for his heart, placing him in danger.
There was no way to block it. He might truly die.
If his condition were normal, he would have dodged it somehow!
“L-life gem…”
He tried to take out the remaining gem to shatter it. With that energy, he could escape this restraint.
Clatter!
Gathros strained every muscle to move his hand. But even that hand wouldn’t obey him.
“T-this is impossible….”
Fear etched across his face. Although he had twisted his body slightly, the force within the spear would pierce his chest and cause an explosion all around him.
He would die. This time, he truly would die.
FWAAAAH…
Gathros could only watch with a dazed expression as the spear approached him slowly.
Just as the spear was about to make contact.
Once again, light erupted from the Saint’s bracelet.
FWAAAH!
The spear collided with the outpouring divine power.
Kwahhh!
“GRAAAAAGH!”
A massive explosion rang out as Gathros screamed. The force of the spear had exploded right before him.
But the spear, blocked by divine power, exploded before making direct contact with his body. Thanks to that, he had survived.
Even amidst the pain, Gathros wore a smile filled with ecstasy.
‘Truly, this is the will of the gods!’
Once again, the Saint’s bracelet had saved him. How could he dismiss this as mere coincidence?
This was undoubtedly the glorious will of the gods prompting him to fulfill his mission.
Kwahhh!
The wounded body of Gathros was shrouded in dark energy as he successfully escaped.
Ghislaine watched intently from her stance where she had thrown her spear.
That divine power felt different from the other forms.
A dream.
It was the divine power of the saint she had seen in her dream.
Even without being a priest, Ghislaine could distinguish it. She couldn’t comprehend why she thought so.
She could only assume Gathros had obtained a sacred relic. But that this relic would demonstrate such critical power at this moment.
When the divine power surged forth from the bracelet, Ghislaine sensed the will encapsulated within that power. It was absolutely not a mere illusion.
Ghislaine muttered in a daze.
“Now… could it be that guy…?”
PUAH!
Before she could finish her words, Ghislaine fell backward, bleeding from her mouth and nose.