I Will Eventually Embark On The Path Of No Return Called A Hero

[Arc4] - 20. Advance!

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Before them stood the army that once conquered the world, led by the King of Conquerors, who, even with his consciousness clouded by the black mist, relentlessly pursued his dominance!

And commanding this army was the strategic genius, Zhuge Liang.

Watching Zhuge Liang sit naturally atop the divine chariot, El-Melloi II instinctively bit his thumbnail.

"Tsk, that place is mine..."

"Hey! Save the jealousy for another time," Cyd waved his right hand.

"Who..." El-Melloi II instinctively wanted to retort but caught sight of Cyd secretly hiding his left hand behind his back.

"That army is strong," El-Melloi II said seriously.

"So should I shoot them down with a single arrow?" Cyd raised his bow, and thanks to this King of Conquerors's world, the sun appeared. Although its charging effect wasn't as powerful as the real sun, it was still sufficient.

Was it time to finish him like back then...?

El-Melloi II clenched his fist.

"Although it may sound foolish and reckless to say this," El-Melloi II leaned toward Cyd, "but please defeat that army head-on!"

"You really are a reckless and foolish man. You should know better," Cyd shook his head. "What outcome can you expect from doing this?"

El-Melloi II bit his lip.

After glancing at Cyd and then back at El-Melloi II, Gray also bent down.

"Why bow your head? Isn't he your king?" Cyd sighed softly. "If the king goes astray, it's the duty of his subjects to correct him. If the king's will is obscured, it's the duty of his subjects to awaken him. You've done nothing wrong; this is what being a subject means."

El-Melloi II stared blankly, slowly raising his head to look at Cyd in disbelief.

"It's alright, trust me," Cyd slung [Reforged Pandora] over his shoulder, the blood-red patterns slowly creeping up his left arm. "So, El-Melloi II, who should I face next? Who should I defeat next?"

After taking a deep breath, El-Melloi II pointed toward the shadowy army that seemed to be waiting for them.

"King of Conquerors!"

"Then, strategist," Cyd aimed his great sword at the shadow army, "what should I do?"

"Advance!" El-Melloi II grinned. "When facing that army, there's no need for tactics other than advancing."

"How you love to challenge people. Well then..." Cyd licked his lips, "let's go!"

Boom————!

The yellow sand rose, and the pure white figure holding the great sword tore through the battlefield like an arrow, blood covering his eyes, and a fiery light spilled from them, scorching the air.

Facing Cyd's charge alone, the shadow army...

With the king's call, the conquering army began to advance!

Countless spears were thrown up, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure akin to a torrential downpour, forcing the mentally weak to retreat, but their enemy was but one person!

A person who had never retreated!

Facing the intimidation of the spears, Cyd merely smiled lightly, and the spears deflected off his body as they made contact.

"Your subjects are calling for you!" Cyd grasped the head of the shadow soldier charging in front while keeping his gaze fixed on the King of Conquerors standing at the rear of the army.

Clang————!

Dozens of spears struck Cyd from all sides.

"Give me a reaction!"

Cyd raised his fist and slammed it into the soldier before him, the tremendous force crushing the soldier's upper body into black mist, and he used the momentum to pound his fist into the ground.

Boom————!

A massive hollow appeared beneath Cyd's feet, creating a swirling hurricane that lifted countless shadow soldiers.

The King of Conquerors, who had been standing still, raised his hand to grab the reins, but Zhuge Liang placed his feather fan over the king's hand.

[As a king, you shouldn't be at the forefront.]

"You, as a king, should lead from the front!" El-Melloi II clenched his fists and shouted toward the heavens, "If the king is walking at the back, who should everyone follow to advance!"

He couldn't possibly hear that, but...

The King of Conquerors suddenly lifted his head, shaking off Zhuge Liang's feather fan and violently whipped the reins down.

"Ah la la la!"

This time, it wasn't a silent roar; the shadows blocking the King of Conquerors's sight dissipated with a brilliant display of power.

More courageous than anyone else, more swift than anyone else, he always stood at the forefront of the army. He needed no horn; his roar was the best call, and he needed no flag; his back, his fluttering cape was the goal everyone chased after.

No need for fear, no need for hesitation, because their king was right ahead!

The soldiers assigned by Zhuge Liang for rear support raised their spears and began their charge.

This was them!

The army that conquered the world only ever needed to advance!

"That's right! Just like that!" Cyd lifted his great sword, and the swirling yellow sand coalesced around the blade.

A scene akin to a natural disaster descended once more; the hundred-meter giant sword formed of flying yellow sand swung down, creating a sandstorm filled with power like a tsunami.

[We should retreat.]

Although it was no longer possible to evade, if they tried to dodge, they could still preserve some of their forces.

Zhuge Liang waved his feather fan, but unfortunately, the king beside him was not an obedient one.

If he could speak...

"Then let's conquer this disaster together," El-Melloi II said with a slight smirk.

Boom—————!

The swirling sand buried the once-conquering army; this was beyond the level that humans could defeat.

They could not attack the sandstorm; they could only push forward, but the further they advanced, the more obstacles they encountered.

Cyd hoisted the great sword onto his shoulder.

Boom—————!

The thunderous lightning shattered the yellow sand that covered him, and the war chariot, stalled by the sandstorm, roared out and collided with Cyd.

Cyd's eyes narrowed as he threw the great sword toward the King of Conquerors while simultaneously being struck head-on by the divine chariot.

"Stop!"

Cyd's feet sank deep into the yellow sand, his arms rigidly straight, but he couldn't stop the King of Conquerors's chariot, even as his body was pierced by the great sword, as his form began to collapse; this king refused to stop, gradually darkening...

"Master!" Gray raised her scythe, shielding El-Melloi II.

Her instincts told her that this king was targeting El-Melloi II.

"It's okay, Gray, come behind me," El-Melloi II pulled Gray behind him and stood tall.

Boom—————!

El-Melloi II's black hair danced in the howling wind, but he still calmly gazed forward, looking up at the King of Conquerors on the war chariot who was looking down at him.

How pitiful...

Covered in sand, a great sword stuck in him, even so, you refuse to stop while you stand here.

Cyd released his grip, and the divine chariot halted—not due to his power, but because this king chose to loosen the reins himself, choosing to stop...

In front of El-Melloi II.

The King of Conquerors's body was collapsing, Rider's class card had been impaled into his form, only a few wisps of black mist connecting them.

Yet it was precisely thanks to this that the black mist obscuring the king's eyes disappeared.

The King of Conquerors slowly and steadily extended his hand toward El-Melloi II, seemingly inviting him.

Zhuge Liang sighed helplessly and consciously jumped down from the divine chariot.

Now we are enemies...

But this is still you.

"Not yet," El-Melloi II lowered his hand and revealed a helpless smile. "Because I'm still far from enough..."

Watching the slowly rising light, El-Melloi II closed his eyes slowly.

"I'm still... far from enough..."