Chapter 292: Demonic Realm (1)
x9t2PThe Anti-Imperial Alliance had maintained a blockade line along the Empire’s border until recently. That was why, as they approached the Empire again, they expected to see a familiar landscape.MbuyX1
b14wHowever, something unexpected occurred.vW1eo
Ae89FJared, marching at the vanguard alongside Yuri, was the first to show confusion.DJP
iXA“This is…”cxpZ
orWHe looked around uneasily.RUk
LMK5V“It’s changed. This place wasn’t like this before…”bPV17
zRDThe scenery was not what they had anticipated. A road they did not recognize stretched ahead, and plants they had never seen before were growing.oJRbq1
y7nicTrees much larger and sturdier than normal spread their branches, blocking the view in every direction, and the roots protruding from the ground made the way forward difficult.7aO
k8oiMost disturbing of all was a strange stench that constantly assaulted the senses.KBUhXS
MpQytVYuri looked up. For some reason, even the sun in the sky seemed to have grown hazy.4Ze5dzi
kSq“Can it change this much in just a single month?”e9KD
AqzW“Black magic can achieve anything.”uonbbQ
rEW“I see…”6Ex
FVLsCT“It seems corrupted. Stay alert, we keep moving.”D0f
1ZmSaid Yuri.YGZ
P2NtEL“It doesn’t seem like there are enemies nearby.”8fCtCOZ
VGDThere was still no word from the knight who had been sent ahead as a scout. Yuri spurred his horse forward, extending his perception to keep watch on the surroundings as he moved.vJc
ICTwkHe could hear the murmurs of the soldiers behind him.rSg
UyuV“Yes, this is the same place from back then.”HKsBpED
BJLGAs they continued, the remnants of the defensive line the Anti-Imperial Alliance had once set up came into view.jCN1
934jQCBut it was different from before.9at
Aga“It’s strange. It hasn’t been that long…”Wqlw
fDgCMuttered Jared, his tone sour. Yuri replied.gcdxTqC
evzw0e“This is the kind of enemy we’re facing.”ZTik2R
mWhCThe traces left by the Anti-Imperial Alliance looked as though decades had passed, even though only weeks had gone by.wdL1cDp
hi7DObjects abandoned by the soldiers were weathered, and, covered by unfamiliar plants, had already become part of the landscape.QuQTwP
QrtTyS4All around were bleached bones of those who had fallen in battle.pvad
Sbg3UWith a chilling feeling, the Alliance troops crossed their former defensive line and fully entered Imperial territory.zrD
g2YDThen Laurent, marching behind them, spoke.Obqndc
WnVJhbM“Yuri Briol.”h8as2Jq
i49S“Hmm?”i1Aeago
nniv3aC“You feel it, don’t you?”BUnPmzo
ugF“Of course.”SivNSXE
WFstLaurent, who had once been corrupted by Cedric, reacted to black magic with sharper sensitivity than the others. Only Yuri, who mastered the Cut of the soul and the heart, could perceive something similar.AwQbUN
cZothya“It seems they’ve prepared a welcome for us.”k8vB
u3TODBeyond the defensive line, another world emerged.OKW
uTv68QGThe landscape was grotesque.LZjav
ejpIt was like a painting by an artist with a twisted imagination.BoFW
CtJF0tThe knots in the trees were deformed into the likeness of human faces screaming, and the branches rose up sharp as thorns, jutting out in all directions.yWUzWb
8XdLEThe birds perched on them all had red eyes, watching them as if on guard.bmU
yKxWwThe road on the ground twisted unnecessarily, to the point that looking at it too long could make one dizzy.a5p
yta3uG7From time to time, unknown beasts crouched near the road, watching warily.5VeC
Bis7Yuri remarked.ZWx3
mrqvPM“If we leave it like this, the entire continent will end up like this, becoming more and more warped.”oUVO
1lMi“Yes.”paTyU
gO7okh“We must win, even if only for our families.”ANnM
v1piTWhile he spoke, in the distance the scouting knight was returning.cna
ro0SJPZ“Come back.”CKvbZv
svvy0ptAs he drew closer, the faces of those around Yuri tensed.mSwfy
4A1PDc8The mounted knight had no head.Uqin
h2PaEven so, he remained upright, holding the reins as if still alive.LRaYSu
cGcXNQThe horse stopped right in front of the vanguard. Both rider and mount stood motionless.BFH
wEq8“T-this is…”ohA1
Fjpb2EEveryone was startled, but Yuri was the first to act. He drew his sword and swung.lp3xYo
EwZfyThe knight’s torso was split apart and fell to the ground, from which something like a snake came crawling out.S8Dv
Gh8UU0“It’s the same thing as before.”RDDNA
bMjFhWSGrowled Jared, gritting his teeth.UB0KQ
dXUQ1NUFrom the knight’s body emerged a tentacle, identical to the ones they had already grown sick of seeing. It detached itself as an independent entity and slithered across the ground.HwltZZ
O1gbYuri thrust forward with an energy strike, but the tentacle dodged.HXVnc
t3faeWIt then writhed as if in a spasm, and pierced the horse’s hide, burrowing inside.iZRH
zm6The animal’s eyes turned red and its breathing grew labored.CCkZ
5NMfeJ“Damn you!”ry7wg
nVj5Jared leapt from his horse and attacked.47xjj
ETPThe beast dodged several times before trying to kick him with its hind legs. The movement was so fast the hoof grazed Jared’s hair.GVg6REo
LlEEVPm“Damn it!”AIOL8Oe
hNI9kyvJared delivered a powerful slash. The horse’s body was cleaved in two and collapsed. Its entrails spilled out, and among them appeared the severed tentacle.nDwa
btNG“Damn it…”X8xLEQ
fn2Shaking the blood from his sword, Jared grabbed the carcass by a leg and hurled it to the roadside.kvC
TX4Immediately, wild beasts pounced on it to devour it.qaX
TCIAQ“Don’t look.”dfA8
yulSaid Yuri.zX4Bv
CyZg“We don’t have time for that.”GRh0lT
ucdThough they had been in Imperial territory for only a short time, it was enough to understand this land had completely changed.krP
kYX5xEveryone was tense, and that tension was useful.jCuQ0
DgQfDz“All units, battle positions!”49G
8MZhJMNOrdered Yuri firmly.LJb
o8LvyIThe Alliance was marching in a long column, so they were not in battle formation. However, the unsettling nature of the place kept everyone on high alert, and the impact of the attack did not cause chaos.zGyw2E
ApgJ8I“Enemy attack!”QO7
rVAThe war horn sounded. Tirbo, carrying the Alliance’s standard, planted it in the ground and drew his sword. The other soldiers did the same.KNM
uKFSoon, unknown enemies began to appear.MtPED
jvS“Did they come out of an underground tunnel?”2VMM
OfiRiVR“I don’t know.”UZ41u
HfRZLUy“But they emerged from the earth.”2RTj
BgH1wU“Could be, or maybe they were just buried.”xS7
ZWL“Those aren’t human anymore.”Sr8
7LVpx“Do they look human to you?”ufcIk6
GmHN7Imperial soldiers suddenly emerged from the ground, surrounding the Alliance.GKDvcJA
1hV5WThey were human, but not entirely. Some had claws, others flailed tentacles.Kva8nz
wSNRiPTheir deformed bodies tore through their uniforms, which hung in tatters.WRTp
7yt3iFA“Disgusting…”lc7xFg
nPpBoth sides hesitated to strike first.e0R
ulfyHsNThe tension was such that it felt like the fighting could erupt at any moment.DmKj
jDktAnd it was Yuri who broke that silence.ZPM2AD
G6e4mi“What are you waiting for?”eXUSJ7
hrZMzHe dismounted and strode forward, swinging Guilty with force.whg
dz5d8CA semicircular arc of cutting energy rose up, and the enemies blocking his path spewed blood in unison as they were split in half and collapsed.yB03
UDlriAFScreams more akin to beasts than humans rang out.b85
van2UThe battle had begun.fLdSf
1CogThe Anti-Imperial Alliance’s formation was attacked from both flanks, but they defended themselves, covering each other’s backs and cooperating as much as possible.fZzP
nUi1“This is only the beginning! Do not give up an inch of ground!”jl7Om6
RiKInhYuri shouted as he pressed forward. The enemies blocking him had grotesque appearances, but they were not noticeably stronger than the Imperial black army they had faced before.S8n
DDjHowever, their way of attacking was strange, making it harder to counter.Vj3C
8jhTGaPBefore, at least, it had felt like fighting other humans, but now it was more like battling wild animals.hDRr
TdIFacing enemies that stabbed with tentacles, slashed with claws, or bit into bare flesh with bared teeth was no easy task.76JK8
8cFYuri’s eyes darted quickly.YRnea
5tKOREven if their shapes had changed, there had to be a leader. He expanded his senses.SNjc
oj7Entering the domain of the Cut of the soul and the heart, his gaze swept over the enemy. Finally, he found a figure emanating an aura of black magic much stronger than the rest.JAP
US11tZIt stood at the rear; at first glance it seemed to be advancing with the Imperial troops, but in truth its eyes were constantly moving and it was muttering something.80hy4O8
9VouNrZYuri charged toward him, Guilty in hand.XNb4
RdKBut the Imperial troops interposed themselves again.ewXq
OyAl3jHe dodged the tentacles that lashed out from all directions and cut them all in a single strike, but they regenerated immediately.rxo3s
VKu9pRChanging tactics, he decided to cut through their bodies directly instead of the tentacles, pushing forward.VSoO
PvrZAt that distance, it seemed far too close, but Yuri’s speed was beyond the range of any enemy reaction.U9kU
YxrzQEach time he swung his sword, chunks of flesh flew through the air.GuK
bkcUjrAfter several dozen cuts, he opened a gap in the enemy formation.35rDFe4
5jkShattered bodies littered the ground, and those blocking him were either dead or crawling, mutilated.cZoTq5
VTvucHe kept advancing.A2yK
gcpThe enemy leader seemed to realize he had been discovered and turned to flee.n2OOp
Zh9GoAt the same time, Imperial troops piled up in front of Yuri to block his way.G4iK5Rn
0mYCn“Where do you think you’re going!”7uXiTA
vsZCLMtYuri leapt.FrMmx70
gqYHe descended, aiming straight for the fugitive’s back, but the latter turned and smiled.wmd2f
S73U67QHis mouth, torn wide, reached all the way to his ears.Qzfp
k5kjLP0“Idiot.”BLn1r
mg1QWOIt rang out surprisingly clearly in the continental tongue. The pronunciation was perfect; his appearance was monstrous, but it seemed he had not lost his reason.C6sG6
9RLBSBCSuddenly, a great impact struck Yuri.5wQSx5
vhCwaE1Just before stabbing the fugitive in the back, he was hurled sideways and rolled across the ground, crushing several Imperial soldiers along with him.cu5
cFGHe got up immediately, finished off the fallen enemies with Guilty, and looked up.QsRi
gLgAppmSomeone was standing there.mRgwh
mmDrr“Hey.”yvd4
xEMYuri called out. Judging by the attire, he looked like the commander of one of the Empire’s numerous numbered squadrons.qE3d
Utz5But now, corrupted by black magic, he had lost his human form.4fPl
kwQ54NLHe wore black armor and a black helmet, but the body visible through the gaps was no longer human.oCwSwD
7rrrs0Moreover, the sword he wielded was fused to his arm, resembling a sharpened bone more than a forged weapon.GQCH4M
N8End9“What’s your name?”4Odf
qYAYc6Yuri asked, Guilty in hand. Against all expectations, the other answered.19VYqqh
5Pmfz“Valphua.”sge
uqoGG“I think I’ve heard that name. You’re a knight commander?”nzU9CV
UYZZYr“Yes.”HHf
RAmm0nN“And why are you like this?”ALhX
QXwG“Like what?”MkK
d99f“You’re not human.”tSYPu36
YSr“What is it to be human?”4qaun
PRYMcF2Red eyes glimmered beneath the helmet.Mtx
1NVJ“I don’t know. That’s too philosophical to answer.”etCa
vIUw“There’s no need to obsess over something you can’t fully understand.”zM3Hr
4mQFrom Valphua’s other hand sprouted another sword, also fused to his body. He began to advance.PJSjw
jsFBFacing an enemy with two blades instead of hands was a first even for Yuri.OfdMUG
uPs“Alright. Fine.”qyG
CKEk9FlYuri tightened his grip on Guilty and smiled.B2WGyC
Q2K“Let’s fight.”87vk
zJu6nHPHe rushed forward.VDy
ICyValphua crossed his two swords to block Yuri’s strike, and Yuri took the chance to kick him in the abdomen.J8OIbc5
ioP7FiRWhile Valphua staggered, Yuri raised Guilty overhead to deliver a downward blow.XQj
Y9j5VMThe other blocked again.HdpwHbq
eovkYuri attacked, Valphua defended.u7iQFeP
Q8o97The exchange continued.2tO
EyK3yI7Yuri swept his leg to trip him and quickly glanced at the enemy leader, who was moving away.QFez9
XokAt first, the leader had been watching the fight, but upon seeing Yuri gain the advantage, he fled immediately.fp0UOt
imVTruly the kind of man Yuri despised.uBLyW
33FqiMGYuri dodged an upward slash from Valphua and asked,jLzR
dd9“That your boss?”gpb
3cVPAGValphua did not answer. Instead, tentacles emerged from his body.DjIXZA
0ij8wYC“I’m getting sick of those tentacles.”mkdfAKG
EvdRgK“You know something?”zVTrx
8Yt7Valphua suddenly spoke.xI3T
08C9zU“We’re only here to buy time. The Empire’s real army is something else.”x1hGp7T
oAscu“Oh, really?”DpOT
WmI1Phe“You’ll never be able to defeat it.”fnXBNT
q2i9U“If they’re so strong, why are they spending every day stalling for time?”O68
UlTA0“To be complete.”rbEKO
rozM5Valphua raised both swords.xxr
kDv“It won’t be long. If we can hold out just a bit more, He will be complete. To die for that is an honor.”L2yrCB
CXR7Y“Very loyal, huh? This ‘He’ you’re talking about is Cedric, isn’t it?”7ikG9t
1NNValphua didn’t answer. Yuri clicked his tongue.Zyj
nVcSgwAnd cut.ppmDRjZ
HX18a5iIt was so fast that Valphua didn’t even realize he had died.3Stq
5HkIn an instant, Yuri closed the distance and split his head into four pieces, moving past the falling body.1Ic605y
VyCp6cJ“I will kill Cedric.”euHSw4
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