Raising the Princess to Overcome Death Chapter 127
*Chapter 127. Childhood Friend - Rotation*
The Kingdom of Orun was known for its many mountains.
Stretching along the coastline, the Lognum Mountains extended far, causing the kingdom's elevation to decrease towards the northeast. It wasn't until reaching the vicinity of the Holy Kingdom of Jerome that a vast plain unfolded.
This plain was called Anatolea.
It was said to be the place where the First Saint, Saint Azura, vanquished evil for the fourth time.
Coincidentally, after thousands of years, a fierce battle between humans and apostles was again unfolding on this plain.
Sir Corin looked despairingly between the ground and the sky.
The ground, once moist with morning dew, was now stained red, and the clear sky bore a giant horn symbol that emitted a deep, resonant sound.
A massive hunting party had gathered on the Anatolea Plain to defeat the evil god's apostle, but now they were immobilized.
The command dispatched a cavalry unit towards the apostle. Knights and paladins sent from the Holy Kingdom and Conrad Kingdom rode their horses valiantly, and the squires formed ranks and charged.
There was no negligence. Everyone knew that although he appeared as a boy, he was a monster that had devoured an entire kingdom's capital.
The priests bestowed every possible blessing upon the knights and squires. They even blessed the horses they rode.
The priests from the Conrad Kingdom, not affiliated with the cathedral, sang sacred hymns in defiance of the evil god's horn. The divine melody instilled courage in everyone in the hunting party.
Additionally, Cardinal Verke performed a sword dance.
The priests and retired paladins in the rear were puzzled by the cardinal's actions, but soon they couldn't help but gape in awe.
Surprisingly, he possessed immense divine power. With each swing of his sword, radiant white divine energy etched letters into the air.
Soon, everyone gathered on the plain realized what Cardinal Verke was doing.
It was the 'Descent Ritual.'
Also known as the 'Possession Ritual,' it was a rare ceremony scarcely performed even in the long history of the Cross Church.
A holy figure faintly appeared above the dancing Cardinal Verke. Only the upper body was visible, but the figure was immense, reminiscent of a giant.
It was Lord Lachar.
One of the four incarnations of the main deity, wielding a sword and shield, and governing battle and honor. Every paladin recognized him as they prayed to him daily.
As Lord Lachar's figure emerged, the swords and armor of the old paladins in the rear and the young paladins charging towards the apostle began to shine even brighter.
The entire hunting party cheered and felt their courage swell.
But then,
“There! Look out!”
The evil god's apostle, charging on horseback, drew his sword. A massive aura blade flared to life and began to slaughter the cavalry.
Cavalry combat.
Sir Corin, being a paladin himself, knew it well. Fighting on horseback was exceedingly difficult.
Horses did not move as their riders desired. Moreover, the rider had to hold the reins in one hand and a weapon in the other, making cavalry skills essential.
The lance, a large spear for cavalry, developed due to this inconvenience.
Holding the reins with one hand and the lance with the other, the rider charged at enemies on foot, trampling them underfoot, or piercing mounted foes with the lance.
If the lance was lost in the collision, the rider wielded a sword, but due to the horse's height and the sword's short reach, the rider usually retreated to regroup if the lance was lost.
Thus, the key to cavalry combat was to concentrate all force forward. The power lay in the horse's strong impact and swift mobility.
However, the evil god's apostle did not follow these rules of cavalry combat.
He chose one of the three cavalry units and charged, passing through them like slicing through hair.
His cavalry skills were astonishing.
The horse moved as if it shared the same mind as its rider, and the black horse's speed was unmatched.
“Ugh! Get out of the way...!”
The cavalry commander urgently shouted a warning, but it was in vain. The evil god's apostle held the massive aura blade in one hand, severing the heads of cavalrymen as he passed.
{Swordsmanship.3v : Bart Technique}
The other two cavalry units charged, but the evil god's apostle once again showcased his astounding cavalry skills, dodging their lance tips.
It was a one-sided battle.
The apostle wielded his sword with both hands, slashing the aura blade in all directions. He rode the black horse swiftly, rampaging in all directions.
Some knights, unable to contain themselves, threw their lances. But the apostle easily evaded them, and when the squires charged, he mockingly retreated a safe distance.
Eventually, the cavalry commander made a decision.
“Retreat! Join the infantry!”
They abandoned the cavalry battle.
The disparity in mobility was too great to continue.
The five thousand-strong hunting party, slightly reduced in number, retreated and regrouped tightly. Now it was the apostle's turn to be troubled.
Whether fearing being surrounded if he charged into the densely packed hunting party or wary of Cardinal Verke's summoned Lord Lachar, the apostle hesitated, circling the hunting party.
“This is our chance! Priests, chant holy spells! Mages, don't miss the opportunity!”
Cardinal Mihael shouted.
Fifteen hundred priests knelt in the center of the hunting party, praying. The five mages brought by the prince also muttered spells.
Holy spells rained down.
The apostle's body was enveloped in blinding blessings, and red steam began to rise from him.
But it was all in vain.
For some reason, the evil god's apostle remained unscathed despite being hit by magic, and even amidst the shower of blessings, he mockingly shouted, “Tickles!” before riding his black horse again. His taunt wasn't just bravado; he leisurely circled the hunting party, persistently attacking the perimeter like peeling potato skins.
If only there were archers...
The impotence of an army composed solely of high-ranking troops like knights, squires, priests, and paladins was starkly evident.
Who could have predicted that the apostle would possess such remarkable mobility and completely disregard long-range attacks like holy spells and magic...
The hunting party was restless. Unable to move and suffering continuous losses, even the bravest knights, squires, and paladins felt their morale plummet.
“Sir Corin? Where are you going?”
Priest Ophelia asked. But the old paladin didn't answer, breaking ranks. “Make way for me.” He said, pushing through the confused crowd.
He had discarded his sword midway.
Sir Corin emerged from the hunting party. Someone shouted a warning, but he didn't hear it.
All this was his fault.
That horn symbol in the sky... he had seen it before.
The apostle's horse, running along the perimeter of the hunting party, approached him.
A gigantic black horse snorted hot breath. Its chest muscles bulged, and its legs, as thick as a person's waist, pounded forward, ready to trample the foolish old man standing weaponless in its path.
The evil god's apostle. The young man's face, covered in blood, was clearly visible.
That face... I have seen it before. Boys hiding in jars made of stone lids, looking up. I couldn't bring myself to kill those children.
Even though I knew they believed in a false god, I let them go.
"God, do not forgive my sins. I... have no regrets!"
Sir Corin charged straight at the oncoming black horse. In his final moments, he didn't realize his body was engulfed in a brilliant white flame.
A horrendous sound echoed as flesh was torn apart.
- Thud.
Rev tumbled clumsily.
The old man named Sir Corin, who had taken Lena, blocked his path, and without much thought, Rev tried to charge through him.
Had he been holding a weapon, Rev might have slashed him with the aura blade or maneuvered his horse around him, but the old man stood there as if he wanted to die.
If dying was his wish, Rev saw no reason not to grant it.
But at the moment of impact, the old man's body emitted a brilliant light, like honoring a holy martyr, and a message appeared before Rev's eyes.
[Achievement: 'Dof Bizaine's Life' quest completed - Dof Bizaine is freed from the yoke.]
[The 'Dof Bizaine's Life' quest is now void.]
"What... what is this?"
When Rev looked back after dismounting, he saw Bante had fallen.
Ignoring the message and the bloodied remains of Sir Corin, Rev rushed towards Bante.
Despite believing that Bante, strengthened by Barbatos's divine power, would quickly recover...
- Neigh.
Bante let out a mournful cry. The horse, now back to its brown color, looked at its master with reproach.
“...”
Upon inspection, he saw that Bante's leg had broken in the fall. Although he could heal it with more divine power,
“Now! Attack!”
Five thousand soldiers were charging at him with eyes full of determination, ready to tear apart the apostle who had tormented them for so long.
“Ha! How ridiculous!”
Rev let out a laugh full of irritation.
Though it might be an irreverent assessment, the power bestowed by Lord Barbatos was not well-suited for large-scale battles.
While [Trap Hunting] and [Barbatos's Hunting Grounds] had no lethal power, [Charm Eyes] and [Targeted Hunting] were ineffective against those with divine power or blessings.
He had to rely solely on his aura blade, buffs, and the strength of his body, enhanced by divine power, to face them individually.
If it were Prince Eric...
Had he obtained Oriax's power to summon the bull-headed monster, he could have easily annihilated the five-thousand-strong army.
But thinking they had an advantage because he had lost Bante was a grave mistake.
Rev poured Barbatos's endless divine power onto the blood-soaked ground. He had learned while massacring the citizens of Nevis that [Barbatos's Hunting Grounds] had a hidden function.
“What... what's rising! Get out of the way!”
“What is this...? Trees?”
Black trees began to grow rapidly from the blood-stained hunting grounds.
These were not straight trees but twisted, thorny trees, densely covered with sharp thorns.
Rev charged at the confused and scattered hunting party, disoriented by the thorny trees.
No one would survive this forest.
The manifestation of the main god over there, cutting down the thorny trees... will be dealt with last.
Rev cut through the thorny trees effortlessly, hunting down the squires one by one. When the priests chanted holy spells to purify the land, he poured overwhelming amounts of Barbatos's divine power to restore it.
Though inferior in quality compared to the main god's power, with the lives of tens of thousands of Nevis citizens sacrificed, no one on this continent could stop him.
Honestly, a lot of Barbatos's divine power had been wasted on the blessings from the fifteen hundred priests. But he still had plenty, and there were always more humans to sacrifice.
As long as he protected his frail body, which would die from a single blow, he had nothing to fear.
- Yes. Now you're listening.
A persistent, satisfied whisper echoed, but Rev, intoxicated by the thrill of cutting down and slashing at visible humans, didn't hear it.
It's fun.
The blood bursting from the heart is beautiful, and the struggle of humans fearing him is laughable. The peculiar exhilaration of slowly destroying a long-cherished toy is delightful.
Why did I resist doing something so enjoyable? I have no idea.
After killing my father, I was momentarily confused. I felt like I had committed a grave sin, so I buried myself in the Marquis of Gaiden's mansion after his funeral, refusing to move.
It was only after killing the Marquis of Gaiden, who had rushed over in surprise when I returned with the army, and reclaiming the divine power I had infused into him, that I came to my senses.
I realized I had been acting foolishly.
“Heh. Heh heh... heh heh heh heh heh.”
As Rev let out an eerie smile without realizing it,
"Leo! Over here. Are you okay?"
A familiar voice called out. Surprised by the name Leo and the familiar voice, Rev pushed through the thorny trees and approached...
"I'll help you. You’re not hurt, right?"
There was Lena. Stubborn and fierce, her broad shoulders and sturdy curves unmistakable even in her thick armor, Lena Ainar.
She was trying to help the large Leo Dexter, caught in the thorny trees.
“Let go. I can get down myself.”
Leo, gruffly refusing Lena's help, made eye contact with Rev.
[Achievement: Meeting Another Leo, 1/3]
The haze lifted from Leo Dexter's eyes, which had been clouded like a sleepwalker. After a moment of confusion, he looked around and...
“You! You bastard! Lena, I'm sorry. What should I apologize for first? For not helping you when you fell off your horse, for hunting in secret, for turning my back on you then... I didn't mean it. I was awake then. I wasn't asleep. I heard everything...”
With a face on the verge of tears, Leo Dexter began to apologize to Lena Ainar, hanging from the tree, and Rev dumbly watched.
He felt his mind clearing.