Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The Fenris Mobile Army began their charge.
Led by Ghislain, wielding his red spear, the Fenris Mobile Army surged toward the Artrode Army like a living river of steel.
The scene was like a magnificent painting. Anyone who witnessed it would have felt a shiver of awe.
"Waahhhhh!"
The Lutania forces, led by Gillian and Tenant, also let out a roar as they rushed forward. The fortress troops surged out in unison.
The Artrode Army, trapped on all sides, was at a loss. The confidence they had exuded earlier was nowhere to be seen.
Gartros, filled with rage, shouted at Count Bipenbelt.
"What are we to do?"
"…"
"Count! Say something, quickly!"
Count Bipenbelt merely stared at the advancing army.
There was no way. In this situation, no one could bring victory.
"It's over."
At his muttering, the commanders and strategists around him wore expressions of despair.
Even Count Bipenbelt, the Artrode Army's greatest strategist, had given up on the battle.
Gartros's face twisted in frustration as he shouted again.
"Is there truly no way? I will use that power again! We just need to hold out until our reinforcements arrive! Prepare everyone, now!"
He yelled at the priests. While little energy had been recovered, he intended to gather whatever was left and launch a desperate last stand.
But Count Bipenbelt shook his head.
"… Our forces have all been destroyed."
"How can that be? How could they have all fallen already?"
"…"
Count Bipenbelt didn't bother explaining.
They had waited anxiously for reinforcements, but none had arrived.
Even if the 3rd Corps, which had moved separately, was unaccounted for, the 2nd Corps, led by Idun, and the 4th Corps, led by Count Gyruss, should have arrived long ago.
While the dispersed Lutania forces had all gathered, their reinforcements hadn't shown up—not even a single messenger.
The only conclusion was clear.
The 2nd Corps and 4th Corps had also been annihilated.
Gartros, unable to contain his anger, roared.
"Arghhhh! How! How could the heavens do this to me!"
This was a war they had been winning. But at some point, everything began to unravel.
For decades, he had endured and prepared, finally amassing the power to sweep across the continent. He had been so close to achieving everything he wanted.
But the failures began with the Lutania Kingdom. The war, which was meant to be his defining moment, had also ended in failure. The forces he had spent his life preparing were completely wiped out.
All that remained were scattered rebels on the edges of the continent and a handful of priests. They, too, would soon be subjugated.
And it was all because of one person.
"Duke Fenris!"
Black energy burst forth from Gartros's entire body. His mind was now consumed with nothing but rage.
Even if he died here, he felt he wouldn't rest unless he killed that man.
The remaining priests also unleashed what little energy they had left, combining their strength to aid Gartros.
BOOOOM!
Meanwhile, magic explosions erupted across the Artrode Army's formation.
Vanessa didn't even need to intervene. With the arrival of the Lutania mages, the Artrode Army's mages couldn't hold out.
"This… This is…"
"Stop the magic! Block the magic first!"
"Raise the barriers!"
Gartros and the priests were forced to redirect their energy to counter the magic.
But defending the entire formation was impossible. All they could do was shield the central command area where the leaders had gathered. Their energy was too depleted to do more.
Boom! Boom! BOOM!
"Arghhh!"
The Artrode Army soldiers caught in the magic explosions were obliterated, and their formation was completely destroyed.
Then, the magic stopped.
BOOOOM!
The Fenris Mobile Army stormed into the Artrode Army. Their formation, already shattered by the magic, was helpless against the charge.
Parniel soon followed, swinging her massive mace as she charged into the Artrode Army's flank.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Arghhhh!"
No one could withstand her incredible destructive power. Soldiers hit by her mace were sent flying in all directions.
The Lutania forces, led by Gillian and Tenant, and the fortress troops, led by Marquis Gidion, also clashed with the Artrode Army.
BOOOOM!
"Arghhhhh!"
It was a perfect encirclement. Trapped by forces nearly four times their size, not a single Artrode soldier could escape. All they could do was scream in despair.
However, there was one person who had a chance to escape.
Count Bipenbelt spoke to Gartros, who was desperately gathering energy.
"Flee."
"What?"
"Think rationally. You must survive."
"Ugh… Ughhh…"
"Take His Majesty and flee."
"Flee! After losing everything, what could I possibly do?"
The forces he had painstakingly built were all gone. The scattered rebels would be subjugated before they could regroup.
The Salvation Church was finished.
Every kingdom on the continent would now burn with the desire to root out the Salvation Church completely.
There was nothing left for him to do. He would spend the rest of his life as a fugitive.
"I, I must live such a miserable life?"
As Gartros wept tears of blood, Count Bipenbelt spoke slowly.
"Didn't you say you had to find the King?"
"…"
"Didn't you say that was your mission?"
"…"
Gartros bit his lip. He hadn't forgotten that mission.
But how could he serve the King in such a pitiful state?
Even if he found the King, they would likely spend their days running.
Count Bipenbelt continued, his expression emotionless.
"To be honest, I never cared about the Salvation Church's goals. I only wanted to make His Majesty the ruler of the continent. But now that we've failed, we have no choice but to rely on that King of yours."
"What do you mean, rely on the King?"
"Revenge, of course. Didn't you say that with that King, anything was possible?"
The Salvation Church's goal was to find the King and create a new world. If they found the King, they could fight the allied forces again.
Despite saying this, Count Bipenbelt didn't hold much hope. Even if they found this so-called King, what could they do without any forces?
He simply wanted to save Duke Leinster, who still held the rightful claim to the Artrode Kingdom. No matter what, he had to save his lord.
That's why he pleaded.
"So please, escape. I beg you, protect His Majesty."
Duke Leinster still held the legitimacy of the Artrode Kingdom. There might still be nobles loyal to him.
The Salvation Church desperately needed even the smallest force. They couldn't afford to abandon Duke Leinster so easily.
Boom! Boom! BOOM!
"Arghhh!"
The screams of the Artrode soldiers echoed from all directions. Soon, the enemy forces would break through to the center.
"Ugh… Ughhh…"
Gartros trembled with rage and despair. The repeated humiliation was unbearable.
BOOOOM!
Ahead of him, allied soldiers' bodies were bursting and flying apart.
"Gartros!"
A man spotted Gartros, his blood-red eyes gleaming with a savage grin. A fierce black horse charged forward with terrifying speed.
"Duke Fenris!"
Gartros recognized him instantly. He could tell Duke Fenris was also severely drained.
If not, he would have reached him much sooner. Despite his army's collapse, Fenris hadn't managed to break through faster.
This tempted him even more. If he gathered the remaining priests' energy, could he kill that man?
But Count Bipenbelt's shout brought him back to his senses.
"Run, now!"
Boom! Boom! BOOM!
From the flank, Parniel charged in with overwhelming destructive power. Her speed surpassed even that of Duke Fenris.
"The Saintess of War…"
And it wasn't just her. Other superhumans were pushing through his soldiers and rushing toward him.
If he gathered his energy, he could kill one of them. But he would surely die as well.
If that happened, the Salvation Church's long-awaited mission would end today. That couldn't be allowed.
He needed to stay calm. The King had yet to be found.
"… I will repay today's humiliation, no matter what."
With tears of blood streaming down his face, Gartros pulled the Orb of Life from his robes. It was one of the last two remaining orbs.
There was no way to make more Orbs of Life now. Though they needed to be preserved, this was his only means of escape.
Crack!
Fwoooosh!
As the orb shattered, black energy erupted and engulfed Gartros's body.
Seeing this, Ghislain gritted his teeth and hurled his spear.
Fwoosh!
The spear began to fly slowly.
No, it was as if time had stopped, and only the red-glowing spear continued to move forward.
The spear pierced through every soldier and knight in its path.
Yet its power showed no sign of diminishing. It moved as if there had been nothing in its way, maintaining its original speed.
Encased in black energy, Gartros ground his teeth.
Grind!
"Again!"
The spear was flying straight at him. His awareness couldn't ignore its presence.
But once again, his body refused to move properly.
"Urghhh…"
The flow of the world seemed to slow. His body still couldn't resist that flow.
At this rate, his heart would be pierced before he could escape.
"No, this can't be."
His body was far from normal. Though his energy had somewhat recovered, the binding force was even stronger than before.
When had that monster learned such a technique?
That abominable man had grown even more powerful. He should have killed him much earlier, no matter the cost.
"Aaaaghhh!"
Summoning all his remaining strength, Gartros's body began to break free of the restraints, twisting slightly. But the spear was still on course to strike his heart, leaving him in grave danger.
He couldn't block it. He might die.
If his body were in normal condition, he would have been able to evade it!
"The orb… the orb…"
He fumbled to retrieve the remaining orb, intending to shatter it. With its energy, he could free himself from this restraint.
Grind, grind!
Gartros strained with all his might to move his hand. But even his hand refused to move as he willed it.
"This… this can't be…"
Fear spread across his face. Though he had twisted his body slightly, the destructive power contained in the spear would pierce his chest and explode, obliterating everything nearby.
He was going to die—this time, he was truly going to die.
Fwoooosh…
Gartros could only stare blankly at the slowly approaching spear.
Just as it was about to strike him—
Once again, the bracelet of the Saintess emitted a brilliant light.
Fwoooosh!
The spear collided with the radiating holy power.
BOOOOM!
"Aaaaagh!"
A massive explosion erupted, and Gartros screamed. The energy from the spear had enveloped his body upon detonation.
However, the holy power had intercepted the spear before it could directly strike him. Thanks to that, he managed to survive.
Despite the pain, Gartros let out a euphoric laugh.
'This is truly the will of God!'
The Saintess's bracelet had saved him not once, but twice. How could he dismiss this as mere coincidence?
This was undoubtedly a divine mandate for him to fulfill his mission.
Fwoooosh!
The wounded Gartros was enveloped in black energy and disappeared. He had successfully escaped.
Ghislain, still in the posture of having thrown his spear, watched the scene intently.
That holy power—it felt different from others.
It was the same holy power he had seen in his dream.
Even though he wasn't a clergyman, Ghislain could distinguish it. He didn't know why he thought so, but he was certain.
He had suspected that Gartros had acquired a holy relic, but he hadn't anticipated it would unleash its power at such a decisive moment.
At the moment the bracelet emitted holy power, Ghislain felt the will contained within it. It wasn't an illusion.
With a dazed expression, Ghislain murmured.
"Could it be… did that thing…?"
Spurt!
Before he could finish his sentence, blood gushed from his mouth and nose, and Ghislain collapsed backward.
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