NOVEL NEXT Chapter 75
Chapter 75
The only direct passage from the Demon World to the Human World was on the 72nd floor. Even if a portal were to be opened on the 1st floor, the laws of the world would not permit it. When one stepped through a portal opened on the 1st floor, the destination would not be the Human World but rather the 72nd floor.
The reverse was also true. In the Human World, heading towards the Demon World would inevitably lead to the 72nd floor. Thus, structurally, this was a place that could not help but endure all human invasions.
Consequently, the 72nd floor was a tier that Demon Kings avoided, and once a Demon King became entrenched here, it was said that they could not expand their power.
However, there was a Demon King who started from this place and now exercised dominion over five floors: Seere von Debata. This was the location from which she began and still governed.
Therefore, security on the 72nd floor had been significantly reinforced compared to the past. It was a natural change resulting from the growing power of the ruling Demon King.
Moreover, Achilles had arrived on the 72nd floor leading the reinforcements sent by Gremony. However…
“…There are so many of them.”
The number of human troops led by the first Hero was far beyond imagination. The border guards monitoring the portal areas reported this fact immediately, and the garrison on the 72nd floor began to evacuate the residents.
Achilles, who descended to the 72nd floor, slightly furrowed his brows upon hearing the number, but soon changed his mind. After all, they were merely humans. No matter how many ants gather, they are still ants, and with that thought, Achilles commanded his soldiers.
“Though their numbers are great, it has been reported that they have entered through the portal divided into separate groups. We will move quickly and eliminate them one by one!”
“Yes, General!”
“It is time to show those foolish humans who have stepped into the Demon World our true power.”
Achilles drew his sword. It was time to fully demonstrate the prowess of the so-called ‘Demon Sword.’
“Drive the humans out and fulfill the command of Her Majesty Gremony!”
The battle between the troops from the 55th floor and the extermination army from the Human World had begun in earnest.
As the border guards of the 72nd floor had alerted, the human forces were numerous enough to be split into five groups using the portal. Thus, the number of enemies that Achilles’ army faced was not the massive force of 500,000 but rather a fifth of that, 100,000. Ultimately, both armies were nearly equal in number.
The Gremonian army led by Achilles that faced off against the human troops showcased incredible strength. It was clearly not an army of the 55th floor and a mid-tier Demon King without reason.
From a distance, a man watching through magic smiled with satisfaction.
“Well done.”
“Indeed.”
It was Nahun. And beside him was Seere. Nahun quietly observed Achilles’ tactics and remarked.
“It’s a good idea to eliminate the human troops that arrived via separate portals one by one. Excellent.”
“Isn’t it asking too much for humans to do something productive? They seem utterly helpless.”
“Don’t worry. The core forces of the humans have not yet appeared.”
For now, they were only temporarily divided to quickly use the portals, but the human forces would soon regroup. Once that happened, Achilles’ tactics would be thwarted, leaving him with two choices.
‘First, he could just smash through blindly.’
In a typical scenario, he wouldn’t make such a selection, but considering how Demons essentially looked down on humans, it was a plausible option.
And the second was…
‘…to request our assistance.’
In truth, when faced with a numerical disadvantage, requesting reinforcements was the most normal and expected response. However, if that were to happen, Nahun had no intention of obliging.
“Let’s just keep watching. After all, we’ve evacuated all the residents to the castle.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
Seere obediently replied, inching closer to Nahun. He glanced at her and naturally reached out to stroke her head as he continued observing the situation.
“Hehe…”
What Nahun personally desired was simple. He wanted Achilles’ army to engage the humans in a bloodbath, inflicting as much damage as possible before being annihilated. That would be the most ideal outcome.
To achieve that, he planned to reject all requests for assistance from Achilles. Even if Achilles were to notice this fact too late…
‘By then, it would already be too late.’
There would be no turning back.
And humans were not as foolish a species as Achilles imagined.
Some of the troops who had been ambushed by Achilles had already escaped long ago to join the main force. They did not choose to perish foolishly in battle.
Ultimately, Achilles’ army slaughtered about 70,000 of the 100,000 human troops they ambushed but missed the rest. Furthermore, the news of their onslaught reached other battalions, resulting in the humans quickly regrouping.
“What happens next is crucial.”
“That’s right. You are quite quick to understand.”
As Nahun praised her, Seere seemed pleased and smiled. The two waited for Achilles’ response. After contemplating for a while, Achilles settled on his course of action.
“Request reinforcements from Debata, and we will continue the battle. Once the reinforcements arrive, we shall secure victory!”
It was a method that mixed the two choices that Nahun had considered. It wasn’t bad. It might even be better than simply waiting for help.
But that was a conversation predicated on the assumption that reinforcements would come. Achilles was unlikely to even dream of that.
That there were those who planned to outmaneuver the army of a vastly superior-ranked Demon King.
“Let’s comfortably keep watching.”
#
The army of the Demon Sword Achilles moved toward the location where the main body of the humans had gathered. Although they were outnumbered, this was based on the consideration of the capabilities of the humans they had just faced. Achilles believed he could inflict sufficient damage without breaking until his reinforcements arrived.
“The enemy’s army is large, and thus their formation is wide. It will take them much longer to change formations and move than it will for us, so let’s use our mobility to wear the enemy down.”
“Yes, General!”
The well-trained soldiers of Gremony executed Achilles’ desires perfectly. In contrast, while the human forces were numerous, most consisted of conscripted soldiers. At a time when the Bismarck Empire, which boasted the best army in the Human World, had invested nearly nothing in their troops, there was bound to be a significant difference in quality.
“Ugh!”
“Ahh!!”
Achilles’ strategies began to take effect, inflicting damage, yet despite the overwhelming numbers, the enemy did not crumble easily. And as the soldiers maintained their defense, it became apparent that someone capable of turning the tide of this situation was about to arrive on the battlefield.
“As expected.”
A woman wielding a large white bow appeared. Unlike humans, her ears were pointed and slightly longer. The white bow had an extraordinary, almost holy aura to it, and she placed her hand on the bowstring.
“They truly are embodiments of evil.”
She was the first Hero, the Archer Hero, Ceres Eastwood.
As she pulled back the bowstring, something that emitted a mystical light was created, even without an arrow being nocked. It felt divine, as if it were the bow itself. Ceres raised the bow high, aiming at the sky.
《 Arash 》
As she released the taut bowstring, light shot into the sky, splitting into thousands of strands.
“What is…!?”
Seeing this bizarre attack, Achilles urgently commanded.
“Evade! Everyone, abandon formation and retreat!!”
The light split into thousands of strands and fell from the sky like shooting stars. As it reached the ground, an enormous explosion ensued.
Kwahng──!!
The divine light swept across Gremony’s forces. Soldiers who couldn’t escape in time turned to ashes right before their eyes.
The explosion filled the surroundings with such radiance that it wasn’t even easy to evade. Many soldiers would never see the morning again.
Achilles emerged from the shockwave, contemplating the situation. That was not the power of a human. Even if he did not fully comprehend humanity, he could tell the source of that power was not originally of humans.
Did those from Debata know about this? It was highly possible that they did. That was why they had made such requests of him.
“I dislike the feeling of being used…”
But even so, he believed that he could withstand it once reinforcements arrived. Gathering his soldiers, Achilles searched for the elf who had shot the arrow moments ago. He spotted her already at the forefront and shouted.
“How dare a lowly human touch the army of the Demon King Gremony von Due! That sin must be repaid with death!”
“A fitting remark for an embodiment of evil. Very well, I shall face you.”
As Achilles boldly moved forward, leading his troops, his soldiers followed suit. However, the human troops quickly blocked the path in front of the elf, hindering Achilles’ advance.
“Get away! You insignificant pests!!”
Achilles demonstrated exactly why he was nicknamed the Demon Sword and why he was Gremony’s right-hand man.
As his sword swung, numerous soldiers fell, losing their lives. As he forced his way through, four soldiers became impaled on his blade, dying instantly.
However, not all those deaths were in vain. Ceres once more drew her bowstring, this time aiming straight ahead.
《 Apollo 》
The light on the bowstring turned into hot flames, reminiscent of the sun. Ceres released her taut bowstring, and the fiery arrow shot forth with ferocious speed.
Swaaa—!!
The arrow began to spin in the air, spreading outwards like a swirling flame. Achilles, seeing the unidentified arrow flying towards him, shouted.
“What the hell is that!?”
It was not human magic. If it were magic, he would feel mana akin to other spells. However, what he felt from that arrow was merely a distasteful sensation.
‘Distasteful…sensation…?’
Achilles poured his mana into his sword with a wide swing. He collided it with the swirling flames, producing a tremendous reaction.
Bzzzzzzzzz!!!
Mana and flame clashed, creating a cacophony. Achilles could hardly believe what he was witnessing.
“The power of the Celestials…!”
Why was a human wielding the power of the Celestials? It was a question that could be answered with just a bit of thought. Achilles enragedly looked at Ceres’ bow.
“…Did a Celestial use a human to invade the Demon World!!!”
But knowing that didn’t change anything. Achilles’ mana was unlikely to exceed the divine power bestowed upon the bow by the Celestial, and he took the arrow head-on.
“Guuhk!!”
Falling from the Bicon he was riding, Achilles trembled uncontrollably. The shock from falling and the impact of the arrow struck deep, causing flames to begin engulfing his body as the fiery arrow melted through his armor.
“No…”
Achilles pushed himself up using his sword. Clenching his teeth, he drew his mana into his blade and raised it high.
“I cannot leave such a disgraceful stain on Her Majesty Gremony…!!!”
【 Earth Break 】
Achilles swung his sword. It cleaved through the earth until it finally struck the ground, unleashing the powerful mana outwards.
Crack!!
The earth split apart. The area where his mana had radiated separated, creating a vast chasm.
“Aaaah!!!”
“Run, it’s collapsing! Be careful!!”
“Save meee!!!”
Some soldiers managed to escape from the fissure quickly, but heavily armored soldiers standing over the gap and those especially weighed down by their equipment plummeted into the abyss.
“That was a pointless act.”
However, Achille’s intended target, Ceres, suffered no harm whatsoever. The moment she saw the ground splitting, she leaped upward, taking aim at him from the air.
《 Tristan 》
Twang!
The bowstring was released once more. This time, what was shot was not light or flame, but wind. The arrow erupted forward like a fierce gale, targeting precisely the melted part of his armor.
Swiish─!!
The arrow pierced through Achilles’ chest, blood spraying in all directions from the gaping wound, forcing him to stumble and drop to his knees.
“Ah…”
Amidst his fading vision, he saw the fiercely determined gaze of the lord to whom he had vowed loyalty for life. With a faltering voice, Achilles murmured.
“I’m sorry…my…Lord…”
As Achilles fell in battle, the remaining soldiers were thrown into chaos. Thanks to Ceres’ efforts, the human army succeeded in wiping out the remaining forces, but they were not unscathed.
No one had anticipated the ground would crack, resulting in quite significant casualties for the human troops. Fortunately, Achilles’ magic had not affected the rear forces, saving them from further disaster.
“What about the casualties?”
When Ceres inquired, a knight appointed as her aide responded.
“Over 60,000 soldiers were slaughtered during the initial ambush, and in the previous battle and due to the strange magic, it seems we suffered around 140,000 casualties. Particularly, many fell to their deaths due to the ground splitting while trying to form up…”
Almost half of their forces had been decimated. Ceres lamented the lives lost, speaking softly.
“I’m sorry, I should have taken care of this sooner.”
“No, Hero. Thanks to you, we could conquer evil. Now that we’ve overcome such a strong foe, no stronger enemy should appear.”
At the knight’s words, Ceres narrowed her eyes slightly. The opponent was powerful. But was it truly the case that no one stronger than that would come?
Fortunately, her doubts were soon resolved.
“It seems it is our turn.”
“What voice…?”
“Who are you!”
The voice came from above. Looking up at the sky, a man with black hair gazed down at them. Just looking at him sent shivers down her spine with his golden eyes.
“There are a little over 250,000 left…that’s quite enough to use as training fodder.”
“Ah.”
And Ceres, who had received her bow from the Celestials, sensed it. Perhaps it was intuition as a Hero, but it was a realization granted through a revelation from the Celestials.
“It’s you.”
Ceres lifted her bow.
“Evil, as commanded by the Celestials to be obliterated.”
“Evil? What ridiculous nonsense you speak. Do you truly believe the Celestial you trust is ‘good’?”
“That’s a fallacy unworthy of response.”
“When an ignorant being opens its mouth, it simply becomes troublesome. Yet, I don’t care.”
The golden eyes narrowed.
“In any case, you’ll die here, so I’ll allow you to prattle as you wish until then.”
With that, something fell from the sky. It was a massive stone idol. It moved as if it were alive. It was far from a typical statue—it was more akin to a gigantic stone monster.
Immediately after the idol fell, troops that had been hiding somewhere revealed themselves from all directions. And before the human army, directly to the south, stood a girl.
“In the name of Seere von Debata!”
She appeared somewhat youthful yet was undeniably the singular master of the 72nd floor. Seere raised her sword.
“Annihilate the enemy!”