Enemies were taking positions everywhere. Knights on guard continuously reported the scale and dynamics of the enemy, communicating swiftly.
"Activate the defense equipment!"
"Helter clan, draw out your sword!"
"Lofermos supports the rear. Assemble!"
Whoa-!
The defense artifacts installed in the sword emperor castle activated, causing vibrations and resonant sounds. The blue shield of the artifacts and the white sword shield casted by the knights quickly enveloped the entire Sword Emperor Castle.
Dante was watching the reinforcements that appeared at the main gate.
More than 5,000 knights and mages, and about 20 dragons. And more than four fifty cannon of the Golden Dragon-class or higher.
Even though it calls itself an 'Empire', it was pushed back by Runcandel and Zipfel, and now it fall behind even Kinzelo.
Still no one denies that Vermont was one of the four major factions. Regardless of the quality of troops, the Empire was the only force that could mobilize so many people in a short period of time.
Dante's eyes looking at the emperor were filled with bloodlust.
Even though the Imperial Army was surrounding the Sword Emperor Castle with well over a unit of ten thousand soldiers, Dante and the Hairan's knights were not at all intimidated.
Since the appearance of knights and mages in the world, there has never been a war where the number of heads was the most important factor.
In front of a superhuman, even thousands of rank-file knights below the 5-star were no different from fallen leaves and bugs.
Although Dante is not yet a superhuman, he possesses a sword comparable to that. With the five sword saints, including Dante, and other Hairan knights, suppressing those numerous rank-file knights was not a difficult task.
The crucial factor was the enemy commanders. If all the knights and mages who could shake the battlefield alone were eliminated, they could win even if the numbers were overwhelming.
And Dante estimated that there would be around a hundred such individuals.
The main force of the Imperial Army entered the plain in front of the main gate.
And among them, there was a huge cannon led by five dragons and a hundred knights.
"Young patriarch, that's...…!"
The main cannon of the Imperial Guard.
It was the 'Dragonlance', a war equipment exclusively for the emperor, which only existed in the empire. Originally installed at the center of the Imperial Palace, the cannon had firepower comparable to Zipfel's battleship Kozec.
Since it has been removed from the imperial palace, the dragonlance cannot exert its full power.
However, the appearance of the dragonlance meant that the emperor himself had stepped forward.
"Confirm the loading of Dragon Lance!"
The voices of the knights watching the dragon lance were trembling. It was only a matter of time before it could break through the current defense artifacts of the sword emperor castle, which were still not fully restored even though they can't face the Golden Dragon-class cannons properly, but the dragon lance was on a completely different level.
Dante silently gazed at the rear of the dragon lance.
Somewhere across the plain, it seemed as if he could see the Emperor, with a face soaked in greed and arrogance, waiting for the victory report while sitting on a high platform.
"Young patriarch! Dragon lance soon...…! Avoid it!"
"To them."
Dante slowly drew his sword.
Ching...…!
The moment Dante's sword was wrapped in brilliance, the ominous noise of the dragon lance covered the battlefield. A slight earthquake occurred across the area, and those who were fighting turned their gaze towards Dragon Lance.
"I will show you the dignity of Hairan."
Kwaaaa-!
The dragon lance spewed out a huge mana projectile. The place where the projectile landed was exactly on the top of the castle wall where Dante was standing.
The layered shields of the artifact shattered like glass.
It was so fast that those who did not reach the level did not follow it with their eyes, and the cannonball of the dragon lance seemed to destroy the sword emperor castle in one blow.
Dante did not dodge.
The moment the projectile from the Dragon Lance approached dangerously close, he swung his sword.
Sword emperor Secret Technique
Heavenly flash - Dante Hairan
The cannonball of the dragon lance split in half.
Even the knights standing right next to him couldn't perceive the moment Dante swung his sword.
All they could do was watch the cannonball split in half follow the trajectory of Dante's sword that soar into the sky and disappeared.
And, true to the name of the secret technique, a long and radiant streak remained in the darkening sky.
Everyone on the battlefield looked up at the light for a moment.
The sword of Hairan, which everyone in the empire looked up to, was right there.
For a few seconds, time seemed to stand still, and those on the battlefield felt only the beating of their own hearts.
Awe.
Recalling the word that Hairan symbolizes in the Empire.
Wow-!
The knights gathered under the flag of Hairan shouted in unison. Then, as Dante jumped off the wall and stepped out onto the plain, the approaching enemies hesitated and stopped moving.
"I have no intention of showing mercy to those who have forgotten their honor. So if you're afraid, run away. Hairan will not pursue those who back down."
The knights gathered behind Dante.
"Young Patriarch... Are you okay?"
The assault squad leader said as he looked at Dante's face. Blood dripped from his blue lips. However, Dante nodded his head rather lightly.
'Even with the technique my grandfather tailored for me, to think that it would come to this after using it only once.'
While everyone around him was in awe, Dante knew better than anyone that the true power of the Heavenly Flash was not something he had fully displayed.
It was regrettable.
It wasn't the regret of not being able to execute a better sword, but the sudden realization that he could no longer devote himself to this land, to his grandfather, to the knights and retainers.
'For some reason, my body feels lighter….'
Perhaps it was because he carried everything that his ancestors and grandfather had built and protected, accepting the prospect of death, that Dante entered a kind of awakened state.
Until the war was over, he felt confident that he could maintain the best sword he could execute, even at the cost of his life.
"First, I will destroy the dragon lance. I will break through to the front, so the assault squad follows me."
As the knights of Hairan began their charge, the Emperor monitored the battlefield in real-time from the rear.
"Oh, oh oh…! Indeed, Sir Ron's successor is truly remarkable!"
Standing next to the Emperor was Jonsina Perral, the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army and the leader of the Dragon King Knights of the Imperial Army. Unlike the emperor who was very excited, he had a dark face.
Jonsina Perral was the reason the Emperor appointed Kevin Perral as the warlord of the Vanguard Army.
He believed that the death of his kin was necessary to alleviate the guilt of the Imperial Sword of Justice.
"You must have just heard the report, Sir Jonsina Perral. Dante Hairan killed your younger brother, and killed even the rank-file knights who tried to keep his faith in Hairan...."
Jonsina nodded heavily.
He was not a fool.
The reason why the emperor put his younger brother in the vanguard, the fact that Dante couldn't have killed the rank-file knights, and how unreasonable this purge was. Jonsina Perral never knew.
"I definitely gave Hairan a chance. However, what returned was the neck of your younger brother and the betrayal of the faith. If we don't finish this today, that venomous, arrogant wolf will plunge the entire empire into death and terror."
Yes, Jonsina followed the Emperor not for personal reasons. He followed because it was a path for the Empire, or more precisely, for the people of the Empire.
"Your majesty."
"Tell me, Sir Jonsina."
"Please keep your promise. Also, ensure that they keep theirs…..."
In response to those words, the Emperor smiled slyly.
"Certainly!"
As Jonsina stood up and headed towards the battlefield, the Emperor waved his hand in farewell. And as soon as Jonsina disappeared, he erased his expression.
Dante and the knights of Hairan were already moving toward the dragon lance with blood all over their bodies. All of that blood belonged to the rank-file knights who threw themselves in their way.
Except for the vanguard, all the knights of the main force believed that Dante had killed the knights who were trying to keep the faith with Hairan.
There was no time to correct misunderstandings and reveal the truth in the midst of brutal and ruthless battle.
The rescued hundred or so knights ultimately couldn't survive the onslaught of sword strikes and magic. In the new battle that started as soon as the main force arrived, the knights of Hairan couldn't afford to carry them all. It was because the main force arrived earlier than expected.
In the eyes of the Imperial army's main force, it seemed as if Hairan had indiscriminately massacred the vanguard.
If disobeying the emperor's order was death, and fighting against Hairan was death, then the latter was better. In order to avoid a future in which all of their relatives and kins were executed as traitors later.
Blood and war create madness. The knights who blocked Dante's path, even while facing imminent death, had chosen madness over fear.
So did Dante, who was cutting them.
The path of righteousness.
The words that summarized the humanity of the character Dante were dyed red and dark.
'How many have I cut down already?'
Even at the moment of sudden doubt, Dante's sword dropped the necks of those who rushed. The burden of guilt, heavier than blood, pressed on his back, yet he couldn't bring himself to acknowledge it.
Like many others swept up in the war.
Dante was naturally replacing that huge guilt with hatred.
'I can't turn back now. Me and my clan and grandfather never betrayed the Empire. Why do you try to stab us with your swords...!'
Swish-!
Dante paused for a moment, taking a breath, when there were about five hundred paces left between him and the Dragon Lance. Until then, the assault squad following Dante was unharmed.
However, as he attempted to move forward again, someone infiltrated their flank.
"Argh!"
"Stop them!"
Golden-armored, they were members of the Imperial Guard. As soon as they appeared, they swiftly cut down the two Hairan knights who were at the rear.
Dante stared blankly at the dead knights of Hairan for a while.
"There's no devil like you, Dante Hairan. Was everything you've shown so far fake? I never knew you'd be so familiar with killing innocent people... Huuk!"
Dante rushed at him like a shot and thrust out his sword. The opponent showed no sign of panic, but as Dante increased his speed, his arm was soon severed.
The Imperial Guard knights, who had appeared confidently, could not help but flinch at that moment.
The knight that Dante crippled in just a few seconds was 3rd division leader.
"Shut up. I have nothing to say to trash like you."
Dante said in a cold voice as he beheaded him.
"You bastard!"
"Young patriarch, we will take care of this place. Go to Dragon lance!"
Without hesitation, Dante stepped forward, leaving the knights of Hairan behind.
He realized that if he hesitated even a bit, the Hairan knights would die faster.
He also seemed to be able to hold on to the spirit that was on the verge of going insane if he continued to cut through those who got in his way.