Chapter 66
The atmosphere of the Battlefield changed in an instant.
Half of the Valil Domain’s Army disappeared in a flash.
Even the Commander-in-Chief died.
It wasn’t just a simple death, but a terrible sight of them turning into dust and having their life Force stolen.
How would the other soldiers who witnessed it with their own two eyes feel?
One after another, they dropped their weapons and collapsed as their legs gave out.
“Aaaah!”
“Wh-what in the World is happening…!”
“It’s the Grim Reaper; the Grim Reaper has descended…!”
A natural disaster occurred.
Like humans facing massive natural phenomena such as typhoons, tsunamis, or earthquakes, the victims fell into a panic.
There were those who pushed and trampled their Allied Army to run away.
There were those who prostrated on the ground and blindly begged for their lives.
The Army’s formation collapsed in an instant.
On the contrary, the Arden Domain side was in a different state.
“My god…!”
“It’s divine punishment!”
“Heaven’s divine punishment has fallen upon those bad guys!”
Wonder bloomed on the faces of the soldiers who had been in despair.
With a tremendous miracle unfolding right before their eyes, their morale couldn’t help but skyrocket.
And the Elite Knight Order.
“Th-this is the power of the Distinguished One…!”
‘Magic? No, it’s not Magic. Is that not truly Divine Authority?’
They were dropping their jaws in astonishment at the power that defied common sense.
At that moment, the Knight Commander, who had been momentarily dazed, suddenly snapped back to his senses and shouted at the top of his lungs.
“The Distinguished One has broken the enemies' swords! What are you hesitating for! Charge immediately!”
“Waaaaah!!”
The tightly closed Castle Gate of Arden swung wide open, and the soldiers poured out with a roar.
In truth, even now, from the perspective of the difference in combat power, the Arden Domain is indeed at a disadvantage.
However, a war isn’t simply a numbers game.
There were a terrified Enemy Army and an Allied Army filled with morale.
The difference in momentum was too great.
Furthermore,
“Retainers, go.”
“As you command!”
“I will handle it, Master.”
“Yeah!!”
“Yes…! Master…!”
Yu-Jin’s four Retainers.
Katarina, Si-Yeon, Riri, Sera.
Even they, wearing animal masks, threw themselves down the Castle Wall and entered the battle.
The tide of war had completely turned.
And, at that time, Yu-Jin was…
* * *
“Mhm. This is nice.”
I was comfortably leaning back in a cozy chair placed on top of the Castle Wall, watching the Battlefield.
Beside me, the Lord himself was holding a parasol, blocking the Sunlight for me like a beach umbrella.
On top of that, he had brought a large fan and was even fanning me.
…For the record, I didn’t order him to do this; the Lord volunteered to do it himself.
To think that the head of a family and the Lord of a castle would stick right by my side and volunteer to act as an Attendant.
“I shall do my utmost to assist the Distinguished One.”
“There’s no need to make such a fuss. But I shall commend your sincerity.”
“Your grace is boundless!”
When I casually accepted it, the Lord was so overwhelmed with emotion that he didn’t know what to do.
How did this person end up becoming like Katarina too?
There were some signs from the beginning, but it’s getting worse…
It was a bit burdensome, but Thanks to him, I could sit comfortably and rest, so it wasn’t a bad thing.
And the scenery of the war.
It reminded me of the saying that life is a tragedy when seen up close, but a comedy in long shot.
Looking down from a safe place on the Castle Wall, I felt no different from watching a Blockbuster Movie.
I had annihilated countless enemies in a single blow earlier.
Of course, even if they were NPCs created by the system, they probably all had families and their own stories like Sera.
I felt sorry for them, but what could I do?
It was their fault for standing in the Faction opposing me.
“Do not blame me. You pitiful Mortals!”
I muttered like that and continued to watch.
When viewed from above, the most impressive sight was definitely Katarina’s side.
Red effects flashed like firecrackers going off.
Katarina, who was literally carrying out a massacre on the Battlefield while using various blood arts.
‘Wow. She’s seriously freaking strong.’
Furthermore, watching it up close in first person through [Sight Sharing], I felt the power even more vividly.
It seemed that blood arts had an advantage in such a Large-scale Battle, the higher the tier you unlocked.
There was an infinite amount of blood on the Battlefield.
The pools of blood on the ground, the drops of blood scattering in the air.
All of that became Katarina’s weapons.
It was the same for Sera’s side.
With enemies scattered all around, she continued her Lifesteal with her Magic sword, and that small child was stirring up the Battlefield like a Berserker.
Moreover, in emergencies, she could just deploy the [Blood Veil] I had bestowed upon her as a grace, so her stability was good.
Riri and Si-Yeon were also playing active roles according to their respective positions.
“Anyway, where could that guy called the Bishop be?”
I started scanning the Enemy Lines using a combo of [Sight Sharing] and [Appraisal Eye].
I searched for the target, switching screens back and forth between the sights of my four Retainers.
‘Ugh, I’m dizzy.’
The sights were passing by so quickly that I felt like I was going to get motion sickness.
I endured it, adjusted the sensitivity, and searched with a Hawk’s Eye.
I just clicked Life Harvest once and now I don’t really have anything to do, so I should at least spectate diligently for the remaining time.
“Ah! Found him.”
The target was caught in Si-Yeon’s line of sight.
A man in white Priest robes was running away frantically in the rear.
[Name: Kallion, Bishop-level Priest of the Holy Imperial Church]
[Status: Running away in terror]
He was a guy running away as fast as his legs could carry him.
Si-Yeon must have spotted him too, as she immediately began Tracking him.
* * *
“Pant, pant…!”
Kallion, the Bishop of the Holy Imperial Church, was running until he was completely out of breath.
A moment ago, he had also seen it clearly.
The girl with the black scythe on the Castle Wall of Arden.
The terrifying Divine Authority that snatched away the life Force of thousands of people in a single stroke.
The Holy Imperial Church’s greatest enemy was a Dark Mage.
And it was clear that she was a formidable Dark Mage at that.
“Damn it… Damn it…! Why on Earth is a monster like that hiding here!”
Kallion gritted his teeth.
Under the pretext of spreading doctrine to the Arden Domain, which was branded as heretical, he coaxed the Lord of the Neighboring Domain, Valil, to raise an Army.
If he could just win this war safely and swallow up the Arden Domain, it would give him more power to ascend to the long-awaited position of Archbishop.
Everything was a perfect plan.
Until that ridiculous Dark Mage appeared.
“Julius, you useless bastard! If there had been a monster like that inside the Territory, you should have reported it immediately!”
Kallion resented the spy he had infiltrated inside the Territory.
He should have known from the moment the guy acted naively, talking about God’s Will and such.
A stupid guy with inflexibility who just believed purely and blindly in God.
He listened well, so he was perfect to use as a pawn, but he couldn’t even grasp such a fatal variable.
Sending such an ignorant fool who knew nothing of the World was a painful mistake.
‘Somehow… I have to make it out alive, even if it’s just me…!’
The other soldiers or the priests he had brought were already none of his concern.
Only his own life and future were important.
But at that moment.
Suddenly -
A figure popped out, blocking his path.
It was a woman wearing a Cat Mask.
“…!!”
Kallion was astonished and pulled out his holy relic, a jewel-studded cross, from his Embrace.
“Y-you bastard! Step back!”
An Arrow of Light, so intense it made the eyes ache, shot out.
It was a blow containing the massive divine power of the Bishop level.
However, the Cat Mask seeped into the Shadow on the ground and let the attack flow past.
“?!”
The moment Kallion panicked, he looked around.
She reappeared from the Shadow behind his back.
Thwack!
“Ugh…!”
Her kick struck Kallion’s back accurately.
The holy relic flew far away, and he tumbled ungracefully onto the dirt ground.
‘I, I can’t just be defeated like this…!’
He gathered his trembling hands and tried to somehow launch an attack.
However, it was a meaningless resistance.
Swish - !
Drops of blood shot out like bullets from the Cat Mask’s fingertips and pierced through both of his hands.
“Aaaargh!!”
In agony, Kallion completely lost his will to fight.
They hadn’t even exchanged a few blows, but he could feel it immediately.
These are high-level Physical Techniques.
These include Magic that moved through shadows, and even Blood Magic that manipulated blood.
The opponent was a Dark Mage of tremendous Skill.
She was not an enemy at a level he could handle.
“P-please spare me…!”
In the end
Throwing away the dignity of a Bishop of the Holy Imperial Church, he began to beg.
“I have a massive number of gold coins! If you want, I’ll give you a Territory, power, everything! Please, just spare my life…!”
The Cat Mask was looking down at the man’s ugly, pleading figure.
Si-Yeon’s eyes had grown cold.
“Pathetic.”
A cold-hearted voice sounded, as if he were an insignificant insect.
Stab - !
Si-Yeon’s Blood-Red Claws, thrust without mercy, pierced through Kallion’s chest in a single breath.
“Gasp…”
As Si-Yeon’s hand was pulled out, Bishop Kallion’s vision went completely dark.