When Rensley regained consciousness, he found himself standing in an empty building. Frantically surveying the surroundings, Rensley quickly rushed to the window and looked outside. The screams of people could be heard from below.
He had been transferred from one station to another. Just like the transfer points preventing the use of teleportation, Roudken’s station must have been closed as well. Without wasting time looking for another exit, Rensley leaped out of the window. As he looked around, his expression turned bewildered.
“What is this…?”
An involuntary, powerless murmur escaped his lips. Rensley closed his mouth and scanned the surroundings. The capital of Aldrant, Roudken, was not as bustling or noisy as other cities, but it exuded an orderly vitality created by diligent and sincere people.
Due to the cold weather, there were relatively few people active outside, but the shops and restaurants were always filled with the warm atmosphere and conversations of people. Even in the chill, it demonstrated that the city was functioning properly.
People walked on well-paved streets alongside carriages and horses, and at times, large carts transported goods. Even at night, the central square was illuminated by the magical lamps, and patrol teams inspected the walls and houses, ensuring everything was in order.
However, what illuminated the darkness now was not the light of the public lamps but the real flames burning houses scattered throughout. People were running frantically, shouting incoherently. Contrary to what was heard in the border areas, it wasn’t a preparation for battle; the battle had already begun.
“Extinguish the fire! Once it starts spreading, it’ll be unstoppable!”
“Evacuate the children and women! Militia, to the front of the walls!”
Clang! Amid the desperate cries, strange screams mixed in. Startled by the shrill cries from above, Rensley instinctively raised his head.
Under the forgotten night sky, a gigantic and crimson monster, unlike anything he had ever seen, was flying towards them. It had no feathers, and its appearance, as if shedding its outer skin, was extremely eerie.
Clang. As the flying creature emitted tearing sounds, flames erupted from its wide-open mouth. Along with the screams of people, new fires ignited.
Unless they repelled the demonic assault, extinguishing the fire would be in vain. Finally coming to his senses in the unbelievable spectacle, Rensley asked a man who seemed to be leading the militia, “Where can I get weapons?”
“Do you know how to use a bow?”
Nodding, Rensley was handed a bow. Several archers were already shooting arrows at the monsters. Rensley shot arrows at the visible monsters, rushing forward.
He had to get to the castle. According to the lessons from the knight order, unless he defeated the core magical creatures supplying power, no matter how many monsters he killed here, they would keep reappearing. Shooting arrows at monsters here would be useless unless the battle beyond the north wall of Roudken ended.
In his dash, he noticed a horse lost and confused without its rider. Rensley leaped onto the saddle. Without a word, the horse, which had lost its way and wandered aimlessly, galloped wildly when Rensley shook the reins.
Ignoring the flames on the horse and focusing on dealing with the approaching monsters, Rensley finally stood in front of the gate of the stronghold. However, the gate was closed.
“Open up!”
Rensley raised his voice. He pulled the bell cord, calling the gatekeeper.
Ding ding ding. The bell rang several times, but there was no answer from inside. It made sense to close the gate to prevent the spreading of the fight to the residential areas, but someone should be guarding the gate to get information about the situation outside.
“Is there nobody here?!”
“Who is it?! You can’t enter the fortress now!”
Suddenly, a person appeared on top of the fortress gate and asked. Feeling like crying, Rensley shouted at him.
“I’m a knight!”
“A knight? Why is a knight wandering outside the fortress in the middle of this chaos?”
“There’s an issue outside the fortress, and I arrived late!”
Quickly unpacking his belongings, Rensley put on the cloak of the knight order. As the green cloak with embroidered symbols of lightning draped down his back, the gatekeeper withdrew his suspicious gaze. It was fortunate that he had packed the cloak along as a souvenir.
Kee-eek. With a long sound, the thick fortress gate opened. Rensley entered the fortress even faster than before.
“Head to the north gate!”
The gatekeeper shouted as if giving orders. The massive gate closed behind him in a hurry. Rensley didn’t stop but continued forward. Tranquil and peaceful, the Grand Fortress, which had always been so, had transformed completely. It was damaged everywhere, engulfed in flames just like the houses. Ordinary soldiers and workers were busy trying to prevent further damage, but they seemed overwhelmed dealing with the demonic assault.
Rensley rode through them and entered the main tower corridor. The inside of the fortress was empty, as if the residents had evacuated. Passing through the courtyard, which Gezell and the Grand Duke often strolled through alone, he reached the north gate leading to the outer wall.
People climbing the fortress wall could be seen. Beyond the wall, a tremendous noise, cries and screams, and the roars of demons tearing and howling could be heard. Strange sounds, unfamiliar from any creature he had heard before, swirled on the other side of the gate.
Just hearing the demons’ howls made his heart race as if he would faint. Rensley closed and opened his eyes several times. From his hand holding the bow to his trembling legs, it wasn’t a time to be scared.
If a wanted criminal suddenly appeared and caused confusion on the battlefield, it would be a big problem. Rensley tore a piece of his inner shirt and wrapped his face tightly again before dismounting from the horse. Climbing the ladder hanging on the wall, the sounds from the other side became clearer.
“Ah….”
Standing on the wall, Rensley made a sound that was neither a sigh nor a lament. It was his first time seeing the north wall. The places he could go were limited to the backyard with a greenhouse and warehouse. He had never seen what lay beyond the north wall with the back gate of Roudken.
He had imagined it to be more serene, vast, and expansive than anywhere else, picturing endless plains or a huge coniferous forest spread out in black. But today was different, no matter how quiet it was usually beyond the wall.
The word “war” was not an exaggeration. The night was brightened by large torches burning everywhere, and both the sky and the ground were tumultuous. Looking down from a high place, the approaching demons looked like a swarm of rats escaping a sinking ship.
Although flashes of light and thunder created by sorcerers who had created or participated in magical attacks were visible, the sheer number of demons limited the impact of localized attacks. Could the soldiers of Roudken withstand this number?
It was a much larger-scale attack than what had been heard. Cold sweat broke out.
“Fire!”
The commander’s order felt desperate. Archers released their bowstrings simultaneously. The sound of arrows cutting through the air was as sharp as the wind.
Rensley ran through the crowd. The fortress walls and watchtowers were bustling with archers and spear soldiers, and the addition of a few more people was so inconspicuous that no one would pay attention to Rensley’s face even if he didn’t hide it.
Rensley shot arrows along with the others, trying to find the location of the knights. But neither Commander Anton nor the other knights were visible on the fortress wall.
“They’re coming up!”
Before the urgent shout ended, several massive three-pronged hooks rose into the air. The iron-like sturdy hooks came down with a clank, clank, and people retreated as a part of the fortress wall was damaged. Even if one tried to cut it down with an axe, it was so sturdy that it didn’t budge.
The commander raised his voice, “Don’t retreat! Keep shooting! Endure until the ground forces below defeat them!”
Rensley glanced down with a swoosh. Do demons know how to use weapons or tools like humans? However, the hooks were not siege weapons but the long, strong arms of a large demon. The arms were covered in tough and solid scales, resembling the sturdy shell of crustaceans or shoulder armor.
In the place where hands should be, there were large hooks, resilient enough to resist any impact, hanging down.
With these hooks, the demon could climb the fortress wall like a ladder or rope. The ground forces were too busy dealing with the swarming demons, and they couldn’t immediately confront the large demon positioned near the fortress wall.
Understanding the situation, Rensley climbed onto the demon’s arm without hesitation.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Hey, what are you doing there! Come down! Solo attacks won’t work!”
As Rensley pulled out two daggers hanging at his waist, the commander shouted in surprise. Archers and spear soldiers also widened their eyes.
“Why is a knight here?”
Ignoring someone muttering behind him, Rensley lowered his body and then kicked his foot. He started descending rapidly as if sliding down the demon’s arm.
He wanted to reassure the people shouting in surprise. He could fight on a narrower ledge than this. With his sense of balance, he was confident.
Kaaak! Annoyance mixed with frustration as the harsh cries of the invaders crawling over each other were disrupted. One demon, with sharp fangs exposed, leaped towards Rensley.
“Stop barking from wherever you are.”
Muttering disdainfully, Rensley swung his dagger. The demon, attacked simultaneously around its neck and heart, fell straight down to the ground.
“What annoys me is here!”
Starting with that attack, demons climbing up from below accelerated their rush towards Rensley. He counterattacked swiftly, but there was a limit to speeding up with a numerical disadvantage.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the fact that the space for movement was limited was a mutual disadvantage. Even if they swarmed in, it seemed impossible for several of them to tear Rensley apart simultaneously on such a narrow ledge.
A demon swung its long claws, eerily like a knife. Rensley jumped back, but the claw tip grazed his chest. It was sharper than it looked; the clothes were torn apart as if cut, revealing flesh that oozed blood, staining the fabric.
Rensley took a deep breath. He would have to break through, even if he got scratched a little. Even on a narrower ledge, he could fight.
One of the demon’s long, sharp nails repeatedly descended towards Rensley like a single-edged sword. As Rensley dodged the attack and leaped with all his might, the claw made a metallic sound, hitting the solid ground. Rensley grabbed the demon’s shoulder, as if climbing a ladder or crossing a wall, and jumped over it as if hopping over a hurdle. The demons seemed confused, and they didn’t bother chasing after Rensley.
“Move!”
With two daggers firmly in hand, Rensley took on the demons, one after another, slashing, kicking, and jumping over them. Some demons fell off the ladder made of arms, and some, wounded, retaliated against Rensley. However, Rensley’s goal was not the demons; rather, their goal wasn’t Rensley either. It was to climb the fortress wall.
Finally breaking through the demons, Rensley reached the vicinity of the ground. His clothes were torn here and there. Without a moment to sigh, he took out the artifacts he had hidden inside his pockets. These were travel weapons given by the merchant who helped him escape, which he had never used in the forest.
The demon with long and hard arms acted as a support for its allies, standing on the ground with its large and sturdy body. Rensley equipped several artifacts on the demon’s back as he descended. Without giving any gaps, he jumped down, and in a matter of seconds, the magic was activated. The demon, wrapped in electricity and flames, screamed as it went out.
Looking briefly at the falling arms and demons from the fortress wall, Rensley didn’t have time to savor the small victory. He started running towards the front, enduring the continuous attacks mingled among the infantry engaged in melee.
Even while dealing with the ongoing attacks from infantry interspersed among them, Rensley’s focus was solely on one thing.
‘Where is the commander? Is he safe? What about the Grand Duke? Other knights?’
“Infantry to the rear! Focus on defending the fortress wall!”
At that moment, a familiar voice reached his ears. He also saw the figure of someone uttering familiar words. Quickly dispatching a demon attempting to bite him, Rensley turned his gaze toward the source of the voice.
A cape adorned with the emblem of the Knight Order fluttered in the wind. Unlike the green capes of regular members, this one was crimson. Despite finding the person he was looking for, Rensley hesitated to call out or approach.
Anton Sorel, the commander of the Royal Knight Order and the leader of those defending the grand fortress, raised his arm high. In his hand was an exceptionally long greatsword, almost half the height of an average person.
As he swung the blade while riding on horseback, the slashing motion itself was like lightning. With each swing, several demons were cut down simultaneously. The movement of the sword, like a shining streak, left the demons unable to react, and they fell successively. He was single-handedly dealing with as many demons as a small squad.
“Royal Knights, first and second rows, forward! Archers and spear soldiers, stand by behind!”
Even while engaging in combat with demons on the frontline, he continued to command the battlefield. Despite the chaos caused by Rensley’s unexpected return, he couldn’t bring himself to blend in and stood amidst the rear guard, observing the Knight Order.
In the midst of this, the atmosphere was gradually changing. Rensley felt that everyone in this place was awaiting the ‘next’ thing to happen. What could be starting?
“It’s here!”
With the people’s shouts, the night sky slowly brightened as if it were sunrise. However, it was different from when the sun rose. The light illuminating the sky wasn’t as dazzling as sunlight, and there was no trace of golden or crimson hues; it was closer to a blue-green color.
Kyaahhh! The demons screamed, their cries filled with either enthusiasm or astonishment. Rensley’s eyes widened as he stared at the green light filling the sky.
“What is that…?”
Rensley unconsciously muttered, looking around a beat too late. The soldiers, though seemingly tense, were not panicking and were all gazing up at the sky. Rensley seemed to be the only one among the multitude of people who was surprised.
The newly appeared demon was colossal, above all else.
As big as the entire Roudken fortress wall itself, it seemed like it could demolish the fortress defended by humans like ants within a few minutes.
Anton’s massive sword, the arrows raining like a storm, and even cannons would probably be trivial to that demon. It was a gigantic monster to the extent that the fights so far felt meaningless.
The demon, shining in green, hovered in the air, and wings resembling those of butterflies or moths were attached to its back. Its strangely shaped body, neither insect nor human, fluttered its wings slowly as if searching for something.
The antenna, like an elongated feeler on a glass-eyed eye, wriggled as if looking for something. The eerie sound emanating from the demon, eerieing, eerieing, was shivering even just by listening to it as if it were a wave rather than a voice.
‘Is that the demon referred to as the colossal demon? How on earth do you defeat something like that?’
Overwhelmed by its bizarre form and immense size, Rensley couldn’t close his mouth, just staring up at it.
Waaaah! The colossal demon flapped its wings once. Whether it was a cheer or an expression of awe, the demons, boosted by the appearance of their commander, intensified their attacks even more. At the same time, the voice of the commander grew louder.
“Fire!”
The archers released the bowstrings they were pulling. A volley of shots, several times larger than from the fortress wall, began.
Arrows flew like rain, and the demons that survived the arrows were pierced by spear soldiers. The Knight Order confronted the more resilient demons directly on the frontline. Magical attacks continued as well.
The sounds of weapons clashing, screams, and shouts resonated together in the long night that seemed endless. With each swing of the sword, Rensley’s body became drenched in blood, and it was challenging to distinguish his own blood from that of the demons.
Even as he fought alongside others, Rensley felt bewildered. He couldn’t comprehend how to defeat that colossal demon with this method of fighting.
“A summoned creature has arrived!”
Once again, someone shouted. Unlike the voice a moment ago filled with tension and fear, this time, hope overflowed.
Like the demons who were cheering before, this time, the allies began to shout with joy. Rensley also joined in, but there was nothing particularly special. Belatedly realizing that people were lifting their heads and looking up, Rensley also raised his head abruptly.
Under the black night sky, a magical circle glowing in golden light was being inscribed in the air as if carving into the void.
He couldn’t decipher its form, but as someone who had once been the companion of an exceptional sorcerer, he could easily recognize it as a mark of a spell.
As the large circular magic circle was completed, a black void appeared as if the sky was splitting. And through that gap, ‘something’ slowly emerged and descended to the ground.
Between the gaps in the night sky, at first, sharp and pointed claws covered in black leather, followed by thick and sturdy insteps and legs, were revealed. Even the chest and back, covered in scales that seemed tougher than those of the armored horse demon from earlier, were more solid.
A lion with fluttering black manes, or perhaps an enraged black wolf, or maybe a beast with a face unlike any animal on the ground, appeared one by one.
Above its head were two horns larger than one side of an average person’s arm, and on its back, four large wings flapped like those of an eagle. From head to toe, silver currents of electricity sparkled here and there and then gradually subsided.
The silver light above the form, shaped like a massive bundle of darkness, was especially conspicuous.
The slowly flapping beast landed on the ground. Even its landing made the ground tremble with a thud that resonated. The tremor rose through the soles of the people standing nearby. The summoned creature of Aldrant was even more gigantic than the formidable demon that had surprised Rensley moments ago.
The demons that had been overwhelming the people until just now fell silent as if frozen when the summoning creature appeared.
After a moment of silence, the summoned creature opened its eyes wide. Its shining golden eyes gleamed as if someone had placed a forge right there. The wide-open mouth was filled with terrifyingly large and pointed fangs.
The first roar seemed like it could split the world in half.
Rensley covered his ears and bowed his head. It was as alien and frightening as a mythical creature seen in drawings or stories, which did not feel strange when imagined but became eerie and fearful when encountered in reality. It was challenging to maintain the thought that it was an ally, even though he knew it in his head.
What makes that summoning creature different from the demons? It wasn’t only Rensley who felt repulsion toward the bizarre creature; people, including Rensley, seemed unable to shake off their instinctive fear and disgust, staggering back despite their anticipation for the creature that would remedy the situation.
But surely the creature is being controlled by the Grand Duke. Keeping that fact in mind, Rensley made an effort not to avert his gaze from the beast. He recalled hearing about summoning creatures directly from the Grand Duke when he was preparing for the knight exam.
“The appearance of a summoned creature seen by the one who becomes the king of Aldrant.”
“A summoned creature? Then can the Grand Duke also summon demons?”
“Of course. However, it’s a magic that is only allowed when absolutely necessary. It is not used unless it’s to prevent the invasion of enemies.”
Recalling the past conversation, the creature raised one arm.
The creature, whose hand resembled a beast’s forelimb, stretched out the hand that looked like an animal’s front paw horizontally. Rensley, this time, was truly astonished, crouching down.
Boom, boom, boom… The thunderous sound resounded continuously, as if it would burst eardrums. Whenever the creature moved its hand, large lightning bolts, more massive than those seen in the early days of Aldrant, relentlessly struck down.
“Protect the Grand Duke’s summoned creature, everyone!”
To ensure the signal wasn’t drowned out by the thunderous noise, people collectively blew horns. The chaos on the night battlefield reached its climax once again, and the fight resumed.
As the demons, like the ones from the north who avoided approaching when lightning struck, seemed to lose a lot of strength to the summoned creature’s lightning, the feeble demons fell one by one, pitifully.
As a large-scale attack neared failure, the green-winged demon that had been hovering slowly flew closer, seemingly angry. With a hiss, it flew over people’s heads, creating a gust of wind, and extended sharp tentacles rapidly towards the black summoning creature.
However, it was a futile attack. Before the tentacles could reach the summoning creature, they were quickly engulfed by flames, and the winged demon flew back, retreating.
The black summoning creature roared again. It leaped, soaring high, and attacked the demon. When the flames attacked it, the demon also extended a new tentacle like a whip, piercing the summoned creature’s shoulder. Scattered blood dripped to the ground. The alternating screams, roars, and groans of the two monsters shook the world.
The fight between the giant creatures was so grand and vivid that even those accustomed to battle found it impossible to look away, and some turned their heads to avoid the scene.
“We know it’s on our side, but watching it like this, it’s hard to see how it’s different from the demons…”
Someone muttered a self-conscious and embarrassed soliloquy, and Rensley swallowed dry saliva. While sincerely empathizing with the person’s words, Rensley, who had been staring at the golden eyes of the silver-shining creature, gradually felt a strange sensation.
Why?
Why does the rumor that had spread in society a long time ago keep coming to mind?
The king of the north. A recluse confined to the castle. A scholar who studied magic day and night, rumored to have a touch of savagery or even demonic blood in his lineage, resulting in his eerie appearance.
People from the north, who valued lineage, believed that there must be a mix of demonic or monster blood in his lineage, explaining the ominous appearance. Why else would he look so sinister?
Since the day he first met him in a dark basement, Rensley had not witnessed the light of those golden eyes again until now, as if brought back to life from yesterday’s encounter.
“Everyone, fall back!”
The order to retreat was given. As the two creatures began to engage in a serious battle, the knights focused on protecting the summoned creature, and the front line started to retreat.
While people on the battlefield rushed toward the fortress, retreating, Rensley stood still, the only one not moving. He remembered another story told by Gezell.
Looking at the face that had been filled with fear and confusion as it gazed at the giant summoning creature, which fought the demons with furious roars, the fear and confusion gradually dissipated.
“He thought that if he brought back the water, he could protect the people from danger. However, the well created by lightning was different from water, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t contain it in a vessel. In the end, he fell into the well, in vain.”
“Oh… So did he die?”
“No. The one chosen by the well was reborn. Although he took on a human form, he became a being half divine, gaining the power to use lightning freely to protect the land and people.”
The lightning of the summoning creature once again illuminated the surface. This time, Rensley didn’t cover his ears. He stared at the white beams of light without a hint of amazement.
“Why is it acting like that?”
“Today, the Grand Duke’s summoned creature seems a bit strange…”
The people who were confidently cheering for the triumph gradually became uneasy, wondering why the butterfly demon wasn’t attacking, yet the summoned creature convulsed. Its black and tough skin flared up like it was being burned, and then sank down again. The groans emanating from its throat sounded more agonizing than threatening.
It became unbearable. Rensley seized the reins held by a soldier next to him. As he swiftly mounted the horse on the empty saddle, the bewildered soldier shouted, “What are you doing! Didn’t you hear the order to protect?!”
Rensley didn’t answer and spurred the horse. The horse galloped vigorously. While everyone else was retreating, he advanced, going against the flow.
“Soldier there! Fall back near the fortress and wait!”
Naturally, the military commander did not let Rensley, who violated the order by advancing, go unnoticed. The stern voice of the commander clashed with Rensley’s gaze.
Although the cloth covering Rensley’s face was still somewhat loose, the overall figure was unmistakably recognized by the overall commander of the battlefield, Anton Sorel. The eyes of Commander Anton widened.
“Maelrosen, you…!”
He called Rensley as if scolding him but forcibly closed his mouth, seemingly trying to regain composure. The voice that finally flowed out after chewing on various words was regaining some calm.
“For now, fall back! Let’s talk later. When the summoned creature’s fight begins, soldiers and knights should focus on protection.”
“But, Commander! Something’s wrong!”
“What are you talking about?”
Rensley uncovered the cloth covering his mouth. His anxious face still faced the summoned creature, which was still roaring. Solely fixated on the fighting creatures, Rensley muttered as if his mind were elsewhere.
“His Grace seems strange.”
“…What?”
Ignoring Anton’s question, Rensley shook the reins again. He shouted while riding on the horse that had just started running.
“I’m sorry! I need to check it myself!”
“Wait, Maelrosen! What was that just now?”
The Knight Commander’s objections fell on deaf ears. Unbeknownst to everyone, Rensley ran alone towards the vacant northern plain.
His gaze gradually rose higher. The figure of the black and giant summoning creature was getting closer. The two creatures, seen from below, were so massive that even if one stretched their neck as much as possible, the end was not visible.
Although he ran desperately, he didn’t know what to do. While running, the two creatures, entangled in a fight, attacked each other. The ground trembled, and soil and rocks flew up to Rensley’s head height.
The startled horse neighed and kicked its front legs, anxious.
“It’s okay, it’s okay!”
Rensley pulled the reins lightly, urging the horse. Rather than getting closer to the creatures, he kept a distance. Approaching too much would entangle him in the fight, and in an instant, he might end up in another world, like a bug trampled underfoot, unknown to people.
‘How can I get a closer look?’
As Rensley pondered, he steered the horse to the side. At the edge of the plain where the creatures were fighting, there stood old trees. Although they were far from reaching the height of the creatures, it would be better than looking up from the ground.
“Go back to the camp.”
He lightly tapped the horse’s rear with his palm. The one who had received military training understood the meaning and quickly rode away with an empty saddle.
Rensley stepped on a tree stump. Swiftly climbing up, he stood up on the sturdiest branch he could find. The robust branch of the old tree was only as thick as a small tree trunk.
“Your Grace!”
Rensley shouted. However, his voice collided with the earthquake-like noise from the creatures’ fight, swirling around nearby but scattering away. He tried shouting a few more times after raising his voice, but it was in vain.
In the meantime, the fight continued. However, the Grand Duke’s ‘summoned creature’ still seemed unable to use its full strength. Rensley, who had never witnessed a fight between creatures, could still tell that the condition of the black monster was not normal.
When the demon’s tentacle, as sturdy as a spear, flew, the black creature bound it with magic. Attempting to attack the demon with magic, it was not an ordinary demon. It cut off the tentacle by itself and fluttered upward with a swift wing movement.
Rensley frowned and covered his ears. The eerie sound waves from the beginning, which gave chills, now made his head ache as if it would explode.
The black creature, now in extreme pain, began to roar louder. It was different from the roar that overwhelmed everything when it first descended to the ground.
He was clearly suffering. Not just because of the demon’s attack but for another reason. In Rensley’s view, it was not the time to just focus on rear-guard protection according to Aldrant’s combat principles.
Rensley climbed higher on another branch. Although the height was enough to make anyone dizzy just by looking down, Rensley didn’t mind. Without looking down, he climbed onto the top of the tree, continuing to watch the ongoing battle.
‘If I knew it would be like this, I wouldn’t have scattered the artifacts from the wall.’
With futile regret, he pulled out an arrow. Nevertheless, there was still enough room to ignite the arrow coated with oil. Hoping it might serve as a signal, he aimed the bow.
The arrow flew silently.
On the empty front line, only two creatures remained in the black field where soldiers had withdrawn. The arrow, now on fire, displayed a greater presence than expected as it cut through the night sky.
The arrow stuck in the demon’s body didn’t seem to have a significant impact as expected; the demon simply flapped its wings to shake it off.
However, the movement of the black creature abruptly halted. The summoned creature, controlled by the Grand Duke, seemed to have realized that an impossible arrow was coming its way. With the military retreating for rear support, an arrow with flames flew from an unexpected direction.
“Your Grace!”
Seizing the moment of brief stiffness, Rensley shouted once again.
The black creature turned its head. Its lava-like golden eyes made it difficult to distinguish between the iris and sclera, and the pupil was invisible, making it impossible to guess its gaze.
But Rensley thought the creature had noticed him.
Krrrr… The size and pitch of the voice resonating from the creature’s vocal cords seemed different from a moment ago. Comparatively more threatening and rougher, it was far more menacing. However, in his unexpected situation, Rensley, confused, associated the creature’s growl with the voice of a grumbling dog. It was an absurd thought, but it couldn’t be helped that it felt that way.
“Be careful!”
Rensley shouted. The momentarily distracted creature also quickly turned its head to face him.
Green tentacles, seemingly more powerful than before, flew towards the black creature. Unfazed, the black creature caught the tentacles with its hands and tore them apart. The butterfly screamed in displeasure.
There was no time for explanations or discussions. Dealing with the butterfly demon was urgent now. Only then could he face the Grand Duke Gezell. Rensley gritted his teeth and shot more arrows. Then it happened. As Rensley was about to draw the bowstring, he widened his eyes and looked at his hand holding the bow.
Near his wrist, there was a bright glow. It wasn’t blindingly intense, but strangely, it illuminated the surroundings vividly, unaffected by his clothes. After shooting the aimed arrow, Rensley turned and rotated his wrist.
‘I’ve seen my wrist glow like this before…’
Rensley quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn’t an important issue right now. Rensley, momentarily distracted by the glowing wrist, regained his focus and turned his attention back to the creatures.
And Rensley saw it. On one of the black creature’s wrists, there was a ring of light, the same shape as his.
The sudden light, a brief luminescence, was enough. Stories unheard of in a lifetime, thoughts never pondered, now seemed familiar, as if always known in body and soul.
No more explanations or confirmations were needed.
Kwaaang! The sound, as if it would shatter the world, echoed as if reaching the sky. The black creature, previously writhing in pain and unable to control its body, now roared forcefully. A flash erupted from its gigantic hand.
Although the demon hastily blocked the attack with a shield, the destructive power of this assault was undoubtedly different from before. The demon’s shield tore apart like butterfly wings, and engulfed in the flash, the giant demon ascended into pitch darkness.
Nothing remained in the place where the flash disappeared. Not even the demon’s corpse.
Rensley grabbed a tree branch and jumped down. Like a flying squirrel, agilely moving from branch to branch, he quickly landed on the ground.
The black creature, standing on the tree’s top where Rensley had been, seemed to be looking in this direction. Rensley ran towards it, shouting.
“No! Your Grace, it’s not a dream!”
But before Rensley could approach him properly, a summoning portal began to manifest in the empty space. Just like when it first appeared, it carved an incision into the night sky.
Every step of the process repeated itself. The void split, revealing a deep, dark abyss. The summoned creature that emerged from the darkness was now being sucked back into it. Despite the creature finally locking eyes with Rensley, it seemed impossible to defy the logic of summoning magic, even with the creature’s strength.
Rensley ran faster, but he couldn’t catch up with the speed at which the creature disappeared. By the time he arrived at the spot where the black creature had stood, it had returned to an empty field with no one around.
They are meant for eachother
they really are QAQ
Omomomo 😁 time for action!
Waiting patiently for more!!!
Thank you.
ur welcomeee😁💛