Chapter 116: The Evil Tide
As the curtain of light pulled back and the swirling sin barrier surged forth, Captain of Knights Hopes watched in horror as the vanguard warriors were crushed and swallowed by the Abyss Mud, torn to pieces by the chilling swarm of demons. His eyes were bloodshot, practically bleeding from rage, breaths coming in rapid gasps, his right arm shaking violently as he shot a glance at Aresta – a look so ferocious it shook the young bishop to his core, snapping him back to reality.
“Shields! Formation—!!!”
Thankfully, in this life-or-d*ath moment, Hopes knew what was truly urgent. He didn’t lose his cool and didn’t waste another breath on Aresta, turning to the elite fighters who were still alive yet paralyzed with fear, preparing to face the terrifying Abyss. He shouted hoarsely, “Raise shields and spears! There’s no escape! Brave holy warriors! Show that demon what the Church’s First Knights Order is made of!”
The man leaped onto his beast, his spirit resolute, facing the chaos of the approaching deep abyss. He raised his sword high, shouting with saliva flying, “May the deity be with us—!!”
“May the deity be with us!!!”
Amid the shout that echoed to the heavens, accompanied by the crashing sound of shields slamming to the ground, the vanguard prepared resolutely. They raised two rows of massive shields, forming a human wall on the desolate ground. Behind the shield wall, mounted warriors brandished their glaives, skillfully drawing them from their beasts, flicking them in a way where the tips became pointed javelins, stabbing outward amidst the monstrous roars.
Behind them, more knights, eyes bl**d red and fierce like crossbows, radiated with divine light, their longswords humming, instantly wrapped in dazzling purple edges.
These were the most devout and skilled warriors, handpicked by the Church. Even facing such a terrifying, disaster-like demon that could wipe them out in an instant, brave warriors mustn’t show even a shred of fear.
Rumbling…
The roar of the earth grew closer.
The pitch-black Abyss Mud churned on the wasteland, making a nauseating “hissing” sound, advancing inch by inch, devouring the ground. In the mire, demons walked with strange steps, like a hunting army catching a whiff of food, the tide of black shadows rolling dangerously close, within thirty meters now.
They crossed deep pits and charged out from the muck onto the desolate land, dozens, hundreds, thousands of ominous dark shapes moving swiftly, their footsteps shaking the ground as they bore down on the warriors from all sides.
Twenty meters…
Ten meters…
“Ready!”
At the front of the formation, the Captain of Knights urged his beast forward, his gleaming purple sword pointing ahead. His expression seemed to embrace d*ath, sharp and determined, “Brace! For impact—!!!”
Dense thuds erupted at the fray.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang——
Like a tide of ants, the demons surged forward, crashing into the towering sin barrier. The demonic tide crashed like a massive wave; the demons had no concept of slowing down, striking with their bodies and heads directly against the holy light, the muddy flows within them bursting forth like a stream across the solid barrier, a persistent “hiss” of corrosion filling the air. Even as the first wave fell, more demons climbed over their fallen comrades, relentlessly battering the barrier higher up.
In this moment, over a dozen clerics behind had already fallen to their knees, coughing up bl**d.
“Come on!!!”
“Bloody demon spawn, bring it on—!!”
“Come in droves and meet your end! Stinky mud monsters—”
“We are the undefeated Church’s First Knights Order!!!”
The warriors yelled defiantly at the nearby demons, voices booming with bravado, yet their faces were masks of pure terror. Of course they were scared; even the mightiest warriors couldn’t shake fear entirely at such a moment. They simply understood that retreat was not an option.
But there was one who thought differently.
While everyone else held their breath, teeth clenched, eyes focused on the relentless demon assault on the sin barrier, Bishop Aresta, riding his steed, was pale, cold sweat streaming down his face. His whole body shook, fear hammering at his not-so-certain heart with every monstrous crash.
At this moment, as the power of the abyss bore down upon them, the young man felt an overwhelming sense of invincibility and terror. He suddenly grasped the taste of d*ath creeping close and realized—he wasn’t as brave as he’d imagined, nor as fearless of dying.
He, in fact, wasn’t someone with the courage to face d*ath.
Whether for the Church or for his family.
He thought of the punishment he’d face upon returning, the even harsher treatment than punishment itself. He thought about losing all he’d worked so hard to gain—the position and honor he’d fought for—and becoming a pitiful figure, mocked and scorned, even if that meant d*ath upon his return. He didn’t want to d*e here; for now, he still wanted to live.
No one wanted to perish under the abyss’s devouring grasp.
No one.
He began to slowly retreat from the front ranks.
Meanwhile, more clerics collapsed, bl**d spraying, lying on the ground either wailing or groaning, the golden light on their bodies gradually fading. Yet in front of the formation, the demons’ fierce charge pressed on. More and more black shadows pressed against the light wall, nearly forming a small mountain. The next moment, a resounding crack echoed, and the towering, seemingly indestructible golden sin barrier finally faltered under the chaotic abyss’s assault and corrosion.
Then it shattered into countless fragments.
Boom!
A massive explosion erupted before everyone’s eyes, countless golden shards dancing in view, the black mountain pressed against the light wall suddenly imploding inward.
In that instant, nothing could stop the tidal wave of abyssal demons pouring forth. They writhed, trampling over the bodies of their companions, with a comically terrifying motion, rolling toward the golden formation!
“AHHHHHHH—!!!”
At the same time, the knights exploded into a desperate and devastating roar.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang——
Incredible impacts resounded across the desolate ground once more, this time, the demons charged against the tightly closed shield line raised by the knights at the front.
With a monstrous thrust, the instant they collided, a massive push came crashing down. The knights’ faces contorted in terror as they opened their mouths to scream, desperately trying to hold back the chaotic tide, but the demons surged forward, disregarding the countless spear tips stabbing from behind the shields. Even if their bodies were pierced by pikes, their heads smashed down by great shields, they wouldn’t halt their forward motion.
One second, two seconds… three seconds.
The vanguard could only hold against such a furious onslaught for roughly three seconds.
Then came the burst of bl**d, bodies flying, their formation ripped apart; the breakthrough demons pounced upon the knights they collided with, sharp claws tearing through armor, ripping open skulls. Their faceless heads split open into abyss-like gaping maws, before they could bite into a knight’s neck, even more demons were already rolling over them. Captain Hopes swung his sword in rage, only to decapitate two demons before being engulfed in an endless tide of darkness.
“Hold the line!”
In the formation, the young bishop, pale as a ghost amidst the chaos, trembled as he shouted: “The great deity watches over our bravery! It will grant us unmatched divine power! The demons shall be punished! Victory is ours! No one is allowed to retreat!! Hold the line—”
While he shouted, he turned his beast around and fled in a panic.
