The NTR Hero Knelt Before the Demon King – Chapter 128

“Advance!”

“Destroy the Falcon Empire without leaving a single stone unturned!”

“Drive the wicked forces of evil away! We are the embodiment of justice!”

As the voice rose, the army marched towards the Falcon Empire.

The alliance army of the Elf Church Country and the Beastman Kingdom Jo surged forward like a wave.

Elves, skilled in archery and magic, provided bombardment from the rear.

Simultaneously, warriors from the Beastman Kingdom, possessing their unique, powerful physiques, charged at the vanguard.

Meanwhile, the border defense of the Falcon Empire was struggling desperately to hold them back, but their situation was looking increasingly dire.

“Damn it! What happened to the reinforcements we requested from the Imperial Capital?”

“T-that… um…”

“I’m sorry, but there are no reinforcements…”

“W-what do you mean no reinforcements?”

The retainer, with a solemn expression, spoke, causing the commander in charge of the defense to be engulfed in confusion.

“No reinforcements? How is that even possible? The enemy has an army four times our size! How do you expect us to stop them without support?”

“W-well, the offensive from the Magic Kingdom in the north is exceedingly fierce…”

“It seems the Imperial family has abandoned this place… this castle that was once the territory of the Elf Church Country.”

“Ugh…”

The news only brought feelings of despair.

The commander, recognizing the absence of any means for them to survive, spoke in a voice filled with hopelessness.

“…Raise a white flag on the castle wall.”

“W-what?”

“B-but… as a retainer of the Empire, how can I…”

“Shut up! In light of how they’ve abandoned us, what more can we do? Given that we’re surrounded and cannot escape, it’s better to live as the elves’ slaves than to die a pointless death!”

“Hmm…”

“Damn…”

“Elf… slaves…”

One of them seemed to entertain a strange thought, but nonetheless, they decided on the only path to survival available to them.

And shortly after, amidst the fierce battle that had ensued, the white flag was raised, and the castle gate slowly began to open.

*

The border defense of the Falcon Empire declared their full surrender.

In response, the Elf General Scipio spoke with a cold tone.

“So, you’re saying you will surrender?”

“Yes! That’s right! Please, just spare our lives!”

“Understood. Treating prisoners with respect is Lord Neltarion’s rule. Accordingly, I will spare your lives. However, you must swear to never betray him again and forsake the Evil God.”

Honestly, they had no idea who the Evil God was, but mentioning it foolishly would only land them in more trouble.

Thus, they bowed their heads without further discussion.

“I swear. I will never betray Lord Neltarion’s trust again.”

“Very well. For now, send those who are gravely injured to the prisoner camp. Those who are unharmed should be reassigned to serve as our soldiers.”

“Yes, General.”

Thus, Scipio prepared for the next war, reallocating the surrendered Imperial troops as slave soldiers.

Although they had captured an important defensive stronghold,

At this moment, such a small victory was far from his mind.

‘This is our chance to reclaim all lost territory and deal an irreparable blow to the Falcon Empire. Now that I’ve drawn my sword, there’s no more room to retreat.’

Having lived for hundreds of years, Scipio understood just how frighteningly powerful human nations could grow, and he was keenly aware that he had to seize this rare opportunity to decisively crush the spirit of the Falcon Empire.

“Everyone, hurry up! There’s no time to waste. Prepare to march to the next location!”

“Yes, General!”

*

A loud explosion shook the surroundings.

Amidst it, two armies clashed fiercely, wielding weapons without restraint.

“Wipe out the dogs of the Magic Kingdom!”

“Annihilate those Falcon Empire scum who are ensnared by the Evil God!”

Even as fellow humans, the two sides clashed with unrelenting hostility toward one another.

And at the center,

Cassandra, one of the three strongest knights of the Falcon Empire, was locked in a fierce battle with York, one of the Four Demon Maidens, who swung her staff like a spear.

“Ugh!”

“Hahaha!!! Is this all you’ve got? I’ve heard the Empire boasts of its strongest paladin, yet it seems such skill is a waste of that name!”

York, her deep green hair flowing as she laughed menacingly.

However, despite her taunts, Cassandra was furrowing her brow while demonstrating near-equal strength, leading to a neck-and-neck confrontation.

–Clang!

With a sharp sound, York dodged Cassandra’s blade and withdrew, then started gathering magic into her staff to create a searing green orb.

And…

“Haah!”

–Boom!

With overwhelming force, the orb hurtled toward Cassandra, exploding on impact.

However, just after, York’s eyes widened as she saw Cassandra emerge through the dust, shield raised.

“Tch.”

–Clang!

Again, with a sharp sound, Cassandra swung her sword toward York.

At that moment…

–Whoooosh!!!!

“!!”

“What is this…?”

The next moment, a harsh horn suddenly echoed.

Cassandra could only scowl, ceasing her attack, while York’s lips curved into a broad smile.

“Heh, it seems we won that last battle. Now let’s finish our duel!”

“…Damn it… we’ll meet again!”

“Meet again? That’s not how it works; once a warrior draws their sword, they must see it through to the end!”

“We’ll meet again!”

With that, Cassandra vanished into the ranks of her allies in an instant.

Seeing her retreat, York gritted her teeth and shouted to her soldiers.

“Damn it! All troops, advance! The enemy commander has fled!”

As her words boosted morale, the soldiers of the Magic Kingdom surged forward.

Thus, the battle that unfolded on the border of the Magic Kingdom and the Empire concluded with the Magic Kingdom’s victory, leading them to press southward.

*

In the Imperial Capital of the Falcon Empire, Olympius,

In the heart of the imperial palace, high-ranking officials gathered to urgently discuss the escalating situation.

“Another defeat! What are we to do with this situation!”

“Damn it… I never thought those filthy elves would drag things out like this…”

“This is a crippling blow. I never imagined they would adapt the strategy used against the Demon Kingdom in such a way.”

“The Evil God Amun? Who on earth is that? We’ve never even heard of him! How could we be foolish enough to trust such a being…”

The alliance of the Elf Church Country, Beastman Kingdom, and Magic Kingdom advancing simultaneously from the north and south created an immense dilemma for the Falcon Empire.

Although the national power of the Empire was evidently superior to that of the three nations, handling two separated fronts at once was simply unmanageable.

“Fortunately, the elves are weakened from the impact of the last war, but even so, the front lines continue to turn unfavorable.”

“Territory we seized from the Elf Church Country in the last war is quickly surrendering.”

“There’s no choice… In a situation without reinforcements, what could they possibly do? All they can do now is delay until the elves and beastmen push into the Empire’s heart.”

“But that alone doesn’t turn the tide. Simply buying time won’t lead to victory!”

“…For now, let’s wait and see. I’ve heard that Your Majesty, the Emperor and Achilles are preparing some other plans.”

“The one who nearly devastated the Elf Church Country. He must certainly have a clear plan this time as well.”

In the midst of a situation with no clear resolution, they poured their hopes into the actions of a capable individual who had thus far resolved many issues.

Meanwhile,

At that moment, the aforementioned Achilles was reporting to Emperor Kratos III before him.

“Another defeat, is it?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. As I mentioned, even our Falcon Empire cannot manage three nations at once. Given this, my only suggestion remains.”

“But… that’s one of the Empire’s treasures and a source of power that protects this world. If anything were to go wrong…”

The Emperor expressed concern toward Achilles’ proposal.

However, Achilles replied with a solemn yet resolute voice.

“Do not worry, Your Majesty. I will ensure that everything is executed perfectly for the sake of this Empire. If this plan fails, feel free to take my life.”

“Hmm…”

The words of a loyal retainer who had always been trustworthy and never let down those who counted on him.

After deep contemplation, the Emperor finally reached a decision.

“Very well. Then… let’s proceed as you suggest.”

“Yes, Your Majesty! I shall carry out your orders!”