330th Chapter
The number of strike teams in the expeditionary force was thirty.
Split into first and second lines, the strike teams prepared to advance while maintaining a distance of several dozen meters between them.
The reason for dividing the strike teams into first and second lines was not only due to role distribution but also because of Ulte’s presence.
Since Ulte, who possessed Genesis, could affect the elves in the strike team if positioned too closely, it was necessary to maintain a minimum distance.
Ray glanced at the wind spirit he had contracted with Luna, momentarily feeling regretful.
‘If we weren’t in the Demonic Realm, using spirits for flight would have been worth considering…’
There are almost no beings that can match the speed of a high-ranking wind spirit flying at high altitudes.
However, within the hostile environment of the Demonic Realm, the abilities of spirits are also restricted.
Moreover, among the demons, there must surely exist entities specialized in suppressing spirits or those with superior mobility compared to high-ranking wind spirits.
‘If we ascend to high altitudes and crash due to unforeseen variables, the situation is likely to worsen…’
While none of the strike team members had fallen from the sky and perished, should they be attacked during descent, it could disrupt the entire formation.
Thus, the strike team decided to use the wind spirit’s agility primarily while advancing on land.
“Let’s move swiftly.”
Alexander issued an order to the strike team and added one more caution.
“Conserve energy as much as possible before the enemy’s main force appears.”
Though they were required to break through the enemy lines as quickly as possible, they also needed to minimize their energy expenditure—a contradictory demand, yet no one voiced any objections.
Sensing the malevolence beyond the horizon, the strike team set forth.
*
The ground continued to tremble.
Screams echoed, and black blood soaked and flowed across the surface.
A silent demon slowly raised its head after sensing the approaching vibrations.
“…”
Beyond the horizon, a brilliant light radiated, driving away the aura of the Dark God.
No matter how great an artifact might be, it couldn’t shine so brilliantly in the Demonic Realm—except for a Sacred Sword.
Ivan, a demon bearing that name, sat dazedly, staring at the glowing Sacred Sword from afar.
Though the distance was still considerable, the flow of divine power emanating from the Sacred Sword was already sweeping over where Ivan sat.
“…”
After becoming a demon, Ivan had gradually lost his free will and memories under the influence of the Dark God.
However, the divine power flowing from the Sacred Sword briefly dispelled the fog that had settled in Ivan’s mind.
“A Sacred Sword, huh…”
An artifact that amplifies divine power inside the Demonic Realm through the blessing of El-Lam.
How the Sacred Sword managed to perform such miracles remained unclear even now.
Although Ivan knew nothing about the internal structure of the Sacred Sword, he was aware of its forging process, since it happened during the time when he was still human.
The Sacred Sword wasn’t forged from metal.
It was forged from the faith and sacrifices of El-Lam’s followers.
In the era of barbarism and fanaticism when Ivan lived as a human, such an act was possible.
Countless followers willingly sacrificed themselves joyfully.
What greater glory could there be than creating an artifact capable of embodying the blessings of their revered absolute being?
Countless followers sacrificed their bodies and souls, eventually birthing the greatest artifact ever created.
Ivan, too, had partaken in this glory.
His parents, as followers of El-Lam, willingly sacrificed themselves along with their children to achieve this unparalleled greatness.
Though his parents rejoiced at being granted the honor of sacrifice, young Ivan was afraid of death.
So, taking his younger sibling, Ivan fled the village.
Of course, the two young ones, who had never ventured far from their village, were soon caught by adults while wandering aimlessly.
And then… what happened next?
Ivan briefly recalled something akin to the smell of burning meat and spoke.
“Defend.”
Kuuuung!!
Huge demons surrounding the area charged past Ivan toward the expeditionary strike team.
Ordinarily, no matter how formidable these demons might be, very few could harm an Expert Level or higher combatant.
But the demons rushing toward the strike team were different.
They were grotesquely deformed by someone’s malevolence, making it impossible to predict their original forms.
These deformities could not exist outside the Demonic Realm without the flow of the Dark God’s blessing.
Surviving solely within the Demonic Realm, these creatures were as difficult to deal with as they were repulsive.
Because each individual demon was so severely deformed, it was hard to determine their unique characteristics until actually engaging them, making safe strategies difficult.
Still, the strike team, consisting of multiple Lord-level fighters, cleaved through the demons ahead while maintaining their momentum.
Most demons couldn’t keep up with the speed of the strike team, supported by the wind spirit.
Many demons stumbled and fell as they tried to turn direction belatedly to chase the strike team.
Chaaak!!!
The strike team accelerated, cleanly eliminating the demons blocking their path.
Then, the crimson sky grew darker as a sticky energy began to infiltrate the battlefield.
“…?”
The space felt sticky.
Ray furrowed his brows upon sensing this, realizing that the strength of the wind pushing him forward had weakened.
Turning to Karga, the high-ranking spirit aiding his movement, Ray asked,
“Karga, what’s wrong?”
[The connection with my true form has weakened.]
Karga responded after being granted permission to speak.
[The energy infiltrating the space is suppressing my ability to manifest power in this dimension.]
“Has your true form been damaged?”
[No, it hasn’t.]
“Then it’s not a major problem.”
If the issue was merely the restriction of power manifestation rather than damage to the spirit’s true form, escaping this area would resolve the problem.
Although the slowed assault allowed the demons to become more bothersome, it was just that.
However, at that moment,
A shadow briefly passed over the strike team moving forward unimpeded.
Kuaaang!!!
A surprise bombardment accurately struck the expeditionary strike team.
The bombardment, which had enough force to sink the ground, temporarily halted the team’s advancement.
Subsequently, powerful bombardments rained down on the strike team in quick succession.
Kuaaanggg!!!!!
With Ivan, a high-ranking demon, guiding the bombardment from close range and the abundant blessings of the Dark God enhancing its precision to incomprehensible levels, the high-powered attacks launched from beyond the horizon were nearly impossible for the strike team to evade.
Of course, many demons caught in the bombardment exploded into mush, but their incomprehensible vitality kept them wriggling until their heads were completely shattered, hindering the strike team’s movements.
“Magi.”
Alexander was about to give orders to the mages, but Ray opposed.
“It’s best to conserve our resources for now.”
In the Demonic Realm, mana recovery is difficult.
The pure mana resonating with the circles is scarce in the atmosphere, so the mages had to consume it more carefully.
Given the ongoing battle, Alexander skipped formalities and asked briefly,
“What’s the alternative?”
“Perhaps we should use the cases first?”
“…Let’s do that.”
Finding Ray’s suggestion reasonable, Alexander changed the command.
“Use the armaments from Case 17 and Case 39.”
As soon as the order was given, the air warped.
From the distorted void emerged silver cases, squeezing out of A-Space.
These were single-use artifacts equipped with A-Space storage functionality, identical to the technology Ray had previously used in Alimo.
Though the two silver cases crumbled under the strain, they successfully delivered over a dozen armaments to the strike team intact.
All of these dozen armaments were top-tier artifacts that had already undergone modifications.
Among the strike team members, those especially skilled at handling artifacts took hold of the new armaments.
Moments later,
Aaaaack!!!!
A powerful heat beam extended outward, instantly vaporizing the deformed demons near the strike team.
The heat beam also temporarily intercepted the bombardments falling toward the strike team.
Simultaneously, six artifacts shot upward like streaks of light, piercing the red clouds. Upon reaching their targets, they redirected and plunged back down beyond the horizon as beams of light.
The tremors caused by the explosions from the descending artifacts were felt slightly later.
Hidden demons attempted to launch last-minute tricks, but blue artifacts fired earlier disrupted the incantations of magic circles about to be deployed and pierced through the demons’ bodies.
Most demons had been vaporized, and no more bombardments fell.
Having completely crushed the enemy’s offensive, the strike team prepared to advance again without even a small cheer.
Anthonyus, leading the charge, raised the Sacred Sword to finish off the last remaining demon on the battlefield.
Even then, Ivan remained seated motionlessly, as if asleep.
Graack!!
The Sacred Sword pierced into Ivan’s shoulder, heading toward his heart.
Only then did Ivan finally move his hand to grip the blade.
Anthonyus didn’t care, but surprisingly, Ivan stopped Anthonyus’s killing blow.
Chiik-!
However, the Sacred Sword had already shattered Ivan’s heart, and the hand gripping the sword began to burn from the intense divine power.
Looking down at the Sacred Sword burning his body, Ivan closed his eyes.
“So hot, just like that day.”
“…!!”
Creeeeeeeeek!!!!
It was a self-detonation.
The contaminated mana pooled secretly beneath the ground exploded together with Ivan, engulfing the area.
The explosion was powerful enough to completely vaporize most living creatures.
However, when the trembling ground settled,
The thirty members of the strike team revealed themselves unscathed from the flames.
Instead, the defensive sacred artifact used by Anthonyus had exhausted its function and lost its light.
Having consumed another artifact, Anthonyus briefly furrowed his brows before continuing forward.
*
Preches was continuously monitoring the battlefield through the eyes of other demons using his authority.
The expeditionary strike team’s progress was slightly faster than expected, but overall, the situation was unfolding according to plan.
The troops and traps placed in advance were steadily consuming the expeditionary strike team’s stamina and supplies.
Though immediate damages seemed minimal, the accumulated losses in stamina and supplies were undoubtedly affecting the strike team.
And the real main force of the Demonic Realm waited to devour the depleted strike team.
[Not yet?]
Responding to Arundel’s inquiry, Preches replied.
“Wait.”
Arundel was waiting to attack the rear of the expeditionary force.
One of the main forces of the Demonic Realm had to collapse the expeditionary force’s retreat route, and Arundel was the suitable candidate for this task.
When the strike team clashed with the main force of the Demonic Realm, Arundel planned to attack the rear of the expeditionary force and annihilate it completely.
“Not long now.”
[Understood.]
Arundel, who had appeared briefly like a faint illusion, nodded and disappeared.
Preches gazed intently at the advancing strike team cutting through the battlefield and whispered.
“You will die here.”
Compared to the hastily assembled expeditionary force, Preches, who had been preparing for this gamble all along, possessed a definitive means to annihilate them.
