Chapter 124
RtT“Kuh…?”LDnbS6F
If4aChFernan was startled by the force of gravity violently dragging him down.mqZQqL
Uah4B‘Damn it… and just when Aint isn’t here…!’nScdkDp
JmnHad he known, he would’ve insisted on bringing Aint. Stopping the southern demons was important, but preserving his own life was even more so.Gh4nv
U1Z“What a terrible miasma…!”00G
8MHU“What’s down there?”qOHcfna
HjuxS3vThe knights shouted. A stench of demonic energy could be felt rising from below.UCP
28jO“Straighten your bodies and protect yourselves with aura! Cling to the walls to cushion the fall!”nKl7KOJ
kDhT5YThe force, almost opposite to the flow of mana, interfered with the aura’s circulation and slowed their movements.wZ0
lNQZUtThey struggled to stick to the walls, but it was no easy task. The fall continued.exb
2HstP4‘How deep is this?’AaG
pPOIt was impossible to estimate by sight. No matter how powerful the White Lions were, an impact from this height would be devastating.t3nd1
s3jcPFernan forced himself to keep his body straight and began reciting a spell.06BNY
UoMTbBut the viscous miasma delayed the activation of the magic.3kx30V
lo1Crash—W5xD
N9WwgEThe knights crashed to the ground. Right after, a swift shadow caught Fernan, the last to fall, and rolled with him across the floor, softening the impact.LXcb0C
FDs6“Are you okay?”ejdD
qnq0kcIIt was Luina.G1w
YzFhHRr“…What are you doing?”ssvQt
KTOQoFernan, surprised to find himself in her arms like a princess, asked in displeasure.EQ4oJj
zGH3QsO“You’re physically weaker than us.”eVkhgOU
UzGQcb8“I could’ve protected myself with magic.”FToZ2Lv
0RcB“If even aura is affected by this miasma, magic is even worse, don’t you think?”mkH4z6H
kxWBesides, even with constantly activated artifacts, the delay in magic had been real; he was seconds away from smashing into the ground. He had no rebuttal.1yFRx
7uAbgSs“…Put me down already.”uASqoFU
63D7“How are you feeling?”h13b5hH
lHDyyc“I’m fine. The only annoying thing is the stares from the White Lions.”W3cVsC
9dpNThe knights, who had already absorbed the impact, were curiously watching Fernan in Luina’s arms.2c7t8U5
sMDcl“Ah… ahem, don’t misunderstand. It was just to lessen the damage…”7Akcuml
INhYQf“I get it. Put me down.”elAv
EXV1hzELuina quickly set him down. Fernan immediately looked around and understood.MMBpF5
RNEXg“This entire underground is contaminated with miasma.”vHi
36Ikyh1The source was the corrupted earth itself.xufj8V
4taKsAnd then he saw it.mxU
qPVVW“…Damn it.”Bq6
HwGXiEyes glowing in the darkness.KkfY8
qm01Countless demons. The miasma they carried mixed with that of the land itself.J31j
eTj39gP‘How many are there…?’k8Ay7
Jx7sWctThe murderous pressure and demonic energy made his skin crawl. It was impossible to count how many filled that vast cavern.u51qmu
2zKCould even the White Lions handle something like this? The doubt was inevitable.zLtPD9
bqa8U‘They’re concentrating on the right side.’5fc
0SjCvKThey had fallen into the center of the cavern, and while there were demons everywhere, that sector had more, along with even thicker miasma.uLUu1E
bieT0x‘Is something there?’aZOq2u
GR3QlMaybe it was just an impression, but the demons’ formation looked like that of guardians protecting something.NCQG
nXCV050At that moment, the White Lions unleashed their killing intent.YuI5L
qZTU“To think they dared to take root in Bercheff lands…?”t6tiRxD
OdTelD“Heartless beings who don’t know their place.”PrLi
wIsThe captain raised his sword, and the others followed.YV97E2S
jbusIt mattered little how many there were or how dense the miasma.nhav4g8
96HIf enemies stood before Bercheff, they would be exterminated. That was the honor and loyalty of Bercheff’s knights.uFIX2
roLVThey were ready to give their lives for Bercheff without hesitation.1EtXC
yiu“Lord Fernan, you’re now part of the patrol. We ask for magical support.”MzYm
nDq“The situation is too unfavorable. Shouldn’t we retreat?”IO4
JuXZGwq“If we let them go, they’ll advance toward Bercheff. How could a knight turn his back on an enemy before him?”GSjH
fVqgf“But…”DncsW
RCIxFernan was about to insist when he saw the horses’ corpses among the debris. He stopped.IQa2
k7igcFlee? How?jgP
h9KEven though they weren’t in the Demon Kingdom yet, they had ridden for nearly a full day.alJ8De
K2YC32Could they really escape that distance on foot, without horses, while being chased by demons?0MtX
4DmYughImpossible, even for elite knights.DB6rZ
iMPCThe aura might let them run faster than horses for a while, sure, but they’d burn out fast. And no one knew the real speed of those creatures.ZtpUPpl
AYM“…Alright.”6eXDU8
ZIKN7XiAt that moment—ipG
YN4yyScreeech!7V7V1
utaKTiRoooar!uiSMNl
NFieBA5The demons, who had seemed restrained until now, could no longer contain themselves and unleashed their bloodlust.sXK
vSMMS“Everyone, formation!”ouCk
lGw“Yes!”Qf9
mb1oYpKThe knights formed a circle around Fernan, who also drew his staff.E2f
IoekW“We’ll break through one side and fight with our backs to the wall.”8gK8qzI
DahFThey were in the center of a huge cavern, surrounded by thousands of demons. The most unfavorable situation possible.sORLr5
rZAORumble—mnzES
1r5aB3hFernan raised a massive wall, blocking everything except the path they needed.7FIoaT
FaxThud! Thud!8RCen
6AzQsIFThe demons slammed into the wall, cracking it, but buying precious seconds.nLe
13ynBYIn that brief instant, the knights charged.Smd
sgKvHmSlash—KUWJ
aB2Just one second.kgN
w9JCDozens of Shades were torn apart by the white glow of aura.mEPc1
IHBIyCrack—rJr
KtgThe heads of five Skolds rolled across the floor.rYXt9
0cdwThe legs of a sixth-level arachnid demon, a Lupardin, were all severed and the creature collapsed; swords fell on its skull.kle5
veyMHVaAt that moment, Fernan’s walls crumbled.VEYDM
Rx9From above, Krickters—eighth-level flying insect demons—descended on him.RhmXQQ
flCvDpZBut they didn’t reach their target.lAzT
Y6QSlash—RK18H
3mJUQMdA wave of blue aura sliced them in one blow from the darkness.nf6e
Umb“Be careful!”a394kx
Q1sekrLuina covered Fernan’s back. The five demons following them met the same fate as the flying insects.qeVxw
h5pkWith every step they took forward, new demon corpses appeared.r4I3C
CmZA trail of black blood was drawn, mountains of bodies piled up. But even the White Lions were quickly becoming exhausted.5UWu3Q
Jdarj“It’s… definitely tougher than usual…!”lfu
HPVi“For land tainted by dark magic to be this heavy…!”rf1x
qhKauoThe ground full of dark magic didn’t just block the flow of mana.qamgUs
A3z4HSIt interfered with the energy of all living beings that didn’t belong to the Demon Kingdom.WU6
b8HMCEMana, aura, stamina—all consumption multiplied; exhaustion came much sooner.1eYy5M
L47‘From now on, I need to be careful with any corrupted terrain…!’5bA
e1CxOnly because they were an elite order could the White Lions maintain overwhelming power in such an environment.CnHRR
f9JoIf they had been regular soldiers, they’d have already been dinner for the beasts.UIBIAci
IOCThey finally reached one of the cavern’s walls.KcdrO
fYooThey pushed Fernan into the center and formed a solid living wall around him, like a rock.0VXla
chVgLVAt that moment, Fernan raised another stone wall.qjhJ
uAQgThis time, he reinforced it with mana—thicker and stronger than before.LneZEml
BTL“At most, it’ll last ten seconds. Everyone, take these immediately.”FR7
8WDFernan opened his subspace.RDIUWL
TRZD3From it, he began pulling out potions. One, then another, and another.np1G
Qn2n4tEach knight received a pair of vials.6qNJAhb
eV0RThey were left speechless—not just by the amount, but by the fact that they were all of supreme quality.z0zY
3bFx“Don’t be surprised just yet. There’s more.”sV4A7
981Z“…More, you say? How many potions did you bring exactly?”V7yKeh2
PX3L“Enough for everyone to die from exploding.”Kr62s
NW9“…Good heavens.”TtE
xYE“Is this what Pellenberg is like?”G9Gew3T
E73kiOne of the knights pointed to a potion with a different color than the rest.oJ9
LzS“And what’s this one?”Nna5G
x59“That’s a prototype. An experimental mana potion made by my house’s alchemists.”eo0KZ4
NUWs8pL“Does it restore mana?”JTK
jQv“Yes. It also has a small amount of elixir mixed in.”bZV97
k9T9BV“Incredible…!”saflcm
YWnFernan hadn’t expected it to be so useful, but in tainted land where mana recovery was slow or impossible, it was the perfect move.ndMv
ANTSgY0The knights drank both the supreme potion and the mana potion in one go.Az8
2Pc“…The quality of the Golden Turtle Guild’s products is real.”em3049U
9yv“If we make it out of here alive, we’ll put that in the newspapers. And you’ll have to repeat exactly what you just said.”SIKd9J
lowsc“It won’t be hard. It’s not a lie.”TK5jE
VUQBiFThe recovered energy and mana were partial, but enough to reactivate their auras.o6FU
FevxndJust at that moment, the wall collapsed.T0n5kB
Spg3Wu2What awaited them wasn’t a group of exhausted knights, but reinvigorated warriors.hyeJj
Ltpsx“Kill them all!”7L0ACW
DKrZ7“Yes, sir!”K1z1eA3
bk7tThey lit up their auras and resumed the massacre.g52YZy
Ei7gpThey killed. And killed again.JGQSaTG
gIAT“Anyone who runs out of strength or aura, fall back and drink more potion.”4BaH
UVgHiuBottles emptied.D2Ko
bkQUxThey kept drinking and fighting, over and over again.moHt
6xzg1yNNo one could count how many had already fallen.jdxqf
AZ7TThe piled bodies formed barriers, which the monsters climbed while devouring their own dead.yX1
xOqt6OyIn the end, it was the knights who reached their limits first.bH9
JyzqhRFighting non-stop on corrupted ground, kept barely standing by potions, fatigue caught up to them.Gk7v2f
Hh7nGBecause potions weren’t omnipotent.HpTTnA
4LfTk8O“Seems we owe thanks to Professor Rosalia.”N3uTdU
iw9heFernan placed special cigarettes in several knights’ mouths and lit them.uUi
olt“W-what is this?”KlHVCD
C9FTj0I“Inhale deeply and exhale. It will clear your head.”LZAawb
LQxqSOThey were cigarettes Rosalia, a professor at the Academy, regularly used. They contained no harmful substances, but did have a powerful stimulant.DCV8LQ
T2cHuu—kePV
AwSM3PWith each puff, the knights’ eyes regained their shine.vjGFxyn
qxfD0bThe effect lasted about ten minutes in this environment, but Fernan had brought plenty.2iJVp
HU4After his trip with Rosalia to the Academic Congress, he’d decided to carry several just in case.1J5E1j
0BLY“I also have chocolate. Eat while you fight.”SQ6
0QF5AHe’d brought that for Luina.p5QK1YG
mnWGQNThe knights fought with potions, cigarettes, and chocolate.JyM
OIM784They drank, bit, exhaled smoke, and kept swinging their swords.YUIi
m2Ju9“…This feels very strange.”ImK2
8sdLuina wiped the blood from her face.aGw
Hxt“Normal. None of this is normal.”wU9BpbT
QZuySFernan lifted sand to drive off the flying demons diving at them.FitFFR
mYWThe potions healed and restored some energy, but didn’t create strength from nothing.N1szKBX
dPhUsXExhaustion still accumulated.54q1Rj
GqjHThe cigarette only masked the fatigue, not erased it.AawR
GdbvEven so, Fernan thought it was enough.fP9zUo
yVl7Because the end was finally in sight.CvEjq
09dw4J“There are no more in sight! These are the last ones!”8RlzUSw
OwW6mDZ“The last ones, they say!”t8RjE2t
FaUs8IW“The last ones, damn bastards!”fdF214
XTzsHEn“Kill them all!”KOxqn
em5pcuThe knights no longer maintained decorum.uH0KM
Sat8nFatigue, drained aura, and tension made them nearly frantic.qD2f1
UrlOnly the captain of the White Lions and Luina remained calm.3MD9vC
tw4“If it weren’t for the chocolate, I’d have gone insane. This corrupted land is unbearable.”ye2Tg
CJYSlash—NEMRpAL
MoAThe head of an arachnid demon fell to the ground.94j
FVmvFioAnd with that, everything ended.lWq7
lT4qbUIn the vast chamber, nothing could be heard.j7bN
MzzNot a trace of life remained.ycy
X4H“We… we did it!”cbbHqYP
5uxrQ“Victory!”xMjzHyh
8aAm1ZCEven though Fernan had supported them, without the strength of the White Lions, it would have been impossible.67dHN0K
e8H8J6‘This is Bercheff.’kURfIh
3ugThe family that had defended the Empire’s north for over a thousand years.tRyr
UzZpw‘And these are the White Lions.’33IUh
OdbTheir first knightly order.N3EF2
kc2TEven with external support, thirty knights had wiped out nearly a thousand demons on corrupted ground. No small feat.5KrPz
eOpd‘I want them.’4S30
gAasFBThe order, not all of Bercheff.K1fkP
h7jge“…We’ll advance deeper into the cavern.”KCrYEB
kG6f7Though Fernan was thinking about his ambitions, the captain preferred not to rest and to clear the area immediately.f9q
I724BThey couldn’t rest on corrupted land.2onlog
6nt1XlThey walked over the sticky bodies toward the interior.M0r
1RRThe darkness was total, but Fernan lit a magic lamp he had taken from the First Emperor’s dungeon.uwk5CYS
NvSAnd then they saw it.EE4u
DmtURv“This is…”NM0
4cjA gigantic object in a corner of the chamber.VUb
h5eW“…An egg?”z7CxGLI
C3hVHb“Looks like it, but of what…?”7gddmt
qrUTPTIt was an oval mass, nearly three meters tall, covered in pulsing veins.UB9eu
mHj4A purple glow seeped through them.duT
fkuThe source of the corrupted magic was there.zCJ
2kMvThe closer they got, the harder it was to breathe.4ir29Q
YHrcQM“What the hell is this?”pxXwJn
srIdqo9“I don’t know, but leaving it would be a mistake. We must destroy it now.”FAjVAwp
l1o5— Kyu, kyu, kyu!auulE
oAfAt that moment Wooden began to thrash around.0KEnlg
IcrcQi‘Break, break, break, danger, danger…?’KnfAp
pVnAnd then it happened.lrys6C3
xOLOCRRAn unbearable headache struck Fernan.1ZJo
mI13The world went dark.Vrszvi
JoDDIt wasn’t a normal vision.EGf3r
qb3nwLike when he had seen Andromalius descend.Es6DB
STcV5AThe scene lit up again, but they were still in the same cavern.OddHwJy
bqSOnly now the demons were still alive.ybDiq0c
cDhQoEAnd not just demons—there were monsters too.RFRUOf
1iT31[Kyaaaagh!7to
XZKIDragged monsters, tied with threads from an arachnid demon, screamed as they were brought to the egg.Y6EZfT
01QuThe corrupt led them to it.u5O7kJO
TZIPxImmediately, tentacles emerged from the egg and pierced the monsters—and even the demons.]8eUs
vDbSoon after—P9rBIVW
4p3[Crack, crack—m8i
xhobeCiThe monsters and demons withered within seconds, stripped of their life.Jlh
RDCsYeThe egg pulsed in a frenzy, devouring everything around it.]T29zKN
1ZThAnd then—lbCOZ
j6u913KCrack—gRTGT
0vXKThe egg cracked open.XMw
nQx[“Finally, a complete descent. Kimaris, you did your part well.”]nkRsgj
4jxo6YsThe creature laughed. And that laugh alone made the entire chamber tremble like an earthquake.q31q4P
GmRIt was a grotesque being in the shape of a pentagram.WePalM
BHHIhSFernan had never seen it before, but recognized it instantly from his research.Fznot
sUK‘Decarabia!’4teD
JGO3bThe 69th demon.83F5K
lfLThe vision ended there. Brief, but devastating.XV51bWF
HuA2gF“…We have to destroy it. No matter what.”oIuFZX
O6MFernan muttered, drenched in cold sweat.nGFTI75
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