[Damn it! Stop him! Stop him!]
The Archdemon with the whip shouts from behind.
-Flee, flee, flee!
The demons in the lead shout and scream.
It was nothing compared to the breakthrough of the Knights, protected by their most powerful charger.
Deliberately abandoning their horses, they matched each other's strides with their bare bodies.
The charge was not fast, but it was a steady, steady step forward.
[That one--- he's the center of it---!]
Leading the way was a knight in green armor.
Holy Knight Koo Dae-sung, who stood at the forefront, hammering away at the tide with his hammer.
He is forcing his way through the terrifyingly dense waves of evil and blowing them away.
That is a Holy Knight, the greatest enemy of demons.
[Don't be cocky!]
To prevent the collapse of his forces, the Archdemon himself steps in. The Archdemon used the most efficient magic he could muster to snipe at Koo Dae-sung.
The magic is indeed AAA. It was comparable to that of the Archmage Magician Queen.
-Kaah!
"I'll stop him!"
Amalek shield, which could tear apart even spatial dimensions, would block even the magic of an Archdemon.
"The aftermath will be fiery! Stop it!"
But Koo Dae-Sung rebuffed Soo-ho and raised his own shield.
The Earth Shield, given to him by goddess Demera, has great power, but it is not a conceptual weapon like Amalek shield, which can tear apart dimensions.
-Quack, quack, quack!
A fierce wave of magic collides with the Earth Shield. In real time, the shield made of tree roots burned. But──
"My shield is the Shield of Infinite Life, and as long as the Earth's protection is with me, it will never be broken!
[------!]
The Archdemon doubted his own eyes. His magic, which had seemed to pierce through the shield in one fell swoop, now seemed to burn away the crude roots.
[Burning and regenerating at the same time?!]
The earth shields burned to the point of shattering, but new roots quickly took their place.
It was a terrifying regeneration but that's not all.
Even Hunters swept into the magical aftermath regenerate on the spot, even if they're torn apart and suffer enough damage to stop them in their tracks.
Swinging a massive golden hammer at the monsters in the lead, Golden Chul shouted confidently.
"Our troops were as tenacious as real cockroaches!"
"What's a cockroach, really."
Legions protected by the Life Knight naturally share its life force.
So much so that they can continue fighting for some time even if they cut out their own 'hearts'.
"Forward!"
""Forward---!""
Alas------
It never stops.
Even the most powerful anti-magic, even bombardment magic aimed at the explosive range of cotton, is useless against the shield of absolute protection and the regeneration of life force tougher than a cockroach.
[You buggers---!]
The impatient Gruntusk took matters into his own hands, raising his curse-enchanted axe and slamming it down on the leading Koo Dae-sung.
"Sigh!"
The earth shield blocked it and even though the blow split the shield in half, it only served to trap Gruntusk axe.
"We've got a good Holy Knight!"
Kim Jae-hyuk, wielding Ulan's holy spear, stabbed through the gap left by the axe's entanglement in the tree roots. But one arm of the Gruntusk swung at him.
[Cheeky!]
"Eh?!"
A magical bullet unfurls from his palm, knocking Jae-hyuk back. It wasn't a fatal wound, but it was enough to buy him time to retrieve his axe.
[You fake---!]
Gruntusk glared at Koo Dae-Sung, who was about to swing his hammer at him, that's why he didn't see it.
The opponent is an archmage who masters the magic of conversation and a veteran of reversals. A swordsman with two swords who can exploit even such monsters.
[------!?]
Chun So-Yeon, a knight of vengeance who hides in the shadows behind the immense presence of the Holy Knight. A demonic sword blessed by Ventasis and a holy sword blessed by Arianna.
Two Swords of the Holy and Demonic (성마이검)
"How many of you are here?"
A cynical girl's voice calls out, and the crossed blades are pointed at the throat of the Archdemon. The timing of the ambush was indeed artistic--- but Gruntusk reacted.
[You---!]
"------!?"
He lets go of the axe and swings his fist.
Chun So-yeon swung her sword without stopping, but it was deflected by his fist and missed the cutting edge.
-Chew!
Blood spurts out of Gruntusk but it was not a fatal wound.
[You're not getting past this!]
The Archdemon unleashed his power. He blows up his vessel, the flesh, and joins them here and now.
This body is a mere vessel, after all. It can be resurrected at any time, as long as it is not killed by the Star Iron Sword or the Holy Law.
"Miss Ha-ri!"
Koo Dae-sung called out to a girl who was taking the brunt of it, minimizing the damage to her allies.
"Burn!!!"
The Heart of Fire blazed. At the same time, all the water in the city rose to a high tide.
[Nonsense──]
She still has strength? She can produce holy power on her own?
A wave of flames so huge that it could drown out even the runaway magic power of the Archdemon engulfed Gruntusk, and it------
"Breakthrough!!!"
It was the moment of breaking through the seemingly endless army of evil.
* * * * *
"I really did break through."
"How many did you catch along the way------?"
"Are you sure you didn't catch a hundred thousand?"
The knights who couldn't believe they had accomplished such an unbelievable feat. It was the same old story.
"That's------"
Shrouded in an unidentifiable dark fog, the Ryugyong Hotel towers over the city. The world tree that had grown up with that hotel as its foundation was now so huge that it looked like it was about to break through the clouds in the sky and go into space.
It had grown so rapidly that it had consumed the power of the Holy Knights and the Burning Sword Knights.
[You shouldn't touch that mist, it has the property of blocking divinity and believers.]
That was Goddess Demera's advice. She had been inhabiting Georgic hammer for some time now, advising Koo Dae-sung.
"So--- the World Tree?"
[Yes, but we'll have to find a way around it.]
They had made it through, but the problem was reaching the World Tree, and they were trying to figure out how to do it.
"Rah, Lord Raihar!"
"Lord Tarhan!"
They leapt out of the dark mists that the goddess had warned them not to touch, slashing at demons.
""Atrocity!""
""Atrocity!""
""Atrocity!""
They could no longer draw fire from their breath. But with each swing of their swords, the flesh and blood that leaped out of their bodies became like flames.
""Merciless death---!!""
The fifty members of the Burning Sword Knights of Balthan had lost their strength, but they still managed to pierce through the waves of monsters with only their swords and willpower.
"Ha, ha, ha--- what a bunch of monsters."
As they joined in with a look of bewilderment, the Burning Sword Knights saw Koo Dae-sung and immediately got down on one knee.
"New Holy Knight of Demera!"
They recognized Koo Dae-sung as a Holy Knight at once.
"Don't do this!"
Koo Dae-sung stood up, stunned. These were the Knights he had always looked upon with awe and respect.
Even though he had become a Holy Knight himself, the example they set as the original Knights of the Lionheart was overwhelming.
"The situation is urgent, so we'll save the celebration for another time. We must hurry to support the king and the Holy Knights."
"But if we touch that fog, we'll be cut off from the divine. How are you now?"
After breaking through the fog, they tried once more to ignite the flame, but still no flame came from their hands.
"Hmm, it looks like we'll be in this state for a while."
"Then--- how do we reach the World Tree?"
"The World Tree?"
Raihar reacted to Koo Dae-sung's words.
"Yes, Goddess Demera told me that the World Tree is the key to getting out of this mess."
"Hmm--- So all we have to do is touch the World Tree?"
"Of course---we also need to stay out of the fog."
They must reach the World Tree but they can't touch the fog. It was a tricky situation. How can they get there without touching the fog, unless they're Vulcanus?
-Crack!
It was then that a warrior of the Kikiruk stepped forward, raising his large claws. Normally, it would have been translated by Yappy's translation device, but the roar of the Rakshar destroyed all electronics.
It made it impossible to make out the Kikiruk distinctive voice, but──
They are a wise and ancient race and recognized their goal from the knights' hand gestures and eye contact.
-Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch!
With a desperate gesture that was almost cute in itself, he dragged the 'something' over.
"Ah."
"Oh."
"Will it work?"
The purpose of the items they dragged was clear at first glance.
* * * * *
As marine creatures, the Kikiruks naturally came to worship Poma, the God of the Sea and Waves.
They are blessed by the sea and can accomplish many things in it that humans cannot, but they do not necessarily serve only Poma.
They are led and controlled by Yakt Spinner, the Holy Knight of Iron and Blacksmithing.
To adapt to 21st-century Earth and the tenets of the pantheon, Yappy has taken it upon himself to enlighten the entire Kikiruk race.
From a modest economy to a comfortable home, he trained them in the metallurgical arts that only they could master: smiths who worshiped Heto, the God of Iron and Smiths.
Together, they crafted the Dominator-class and countless other weapons of war.
The core technology was all Yappy's, but they couldn't depend only on it.
"When I saw Lord Vulcanus flying around--I thought it was a bit--to be honest."
"You can say I look ignorant."
Koo Dae-sung agreed wordlessly. But──
"But I think this is even more ignorant."
"------"
Ha-ri wordlessly shoved Koo Dae-sung into the 'muzzle' but the armor snapped and didn't fit.
"Uncle Koo Dae-sung!"
"------"
With Jae-hyuk and Soo-ho cheering him on, Koo Dae-sung wordlessly looked at the hole he was entering, a demonic muzzle, looted by the Kikiruks.
Was the idea of putting people in there and shooting them possible because he was a Holy Knight of Life?
'It's just that these aliens have no sense of decency------'
The Kikiruks for coming up with this plan, and the Knights of the Flaming Sword for approving it.
"Alright, let's get going, we're ready, Lord Koo Dae-sung!"
It wasn't wheels or carts, but 'knights' pulling the cannons that the Kikiruks had improvised with the Blacksmith's Law.
The Knights of the Flaming Sword were ready, shouldering the cannon that Koo Dae-sung had been shoved into like a shell.
-Crack, crack, crack!
Without waiting for Koo Dae-sung's voice, the warriors shouted something.
Ki-Ki!
-Ki!
-Look!
-Luuk!
-Rook!
The flag was lowered, that was the signal.
"Knights of the Balthan Flaming Sword, turn around!"
"------!?"
Koo Dae-sung gritted his teeth as he clutched the hammer in his arms, realizing it was the aftermath of his breakneck run.
'Faster, faster!'
The Realm Knights, superhumans who have reached the pinnacle of human physicality, though they cannot use holy power, raced across the ground at full speed, cannon in hand, until they reached a plateau.
"Run!"
Lord Raihar shouted, and a sense of floatation washed over them as the muzzle swayed.
"Throw!"
The members of the Burning Sword Knights threw the cannon with all their might. The cannon was thrown with such force that a clang could be heard.
How high did they jump? Slightly higher than the dark, foggy facade. The moment he saw the Ryugyong Hotel──
-Shoot!
With Ha-ri's voice, flames entered the muzzle and in the next moment, a bang sounded from the butt.
"Ahhhh!"
He was dumbfounded by the rare experience of a human being shot through the air.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!!"
[Get a grip, boy!]
At the words of the goddess Demera, Koo Dae-sung found himself flying straight up in the sky. He narrowly misses the dark fog and flies towards Ryugyong Hotel, but------
"Floating, falling?!"
Was it lack of thrust? Koo Dae-sung realized that his body was soon falling in a parabolic motion.
"Goddess, forgive me!"
Koo Dae-sung immediately grabbed the earth shield he had been holding and placed it at his feet.
He steps on the shield and leaps once more.
The superhuman leap was very slight, but it increased the distance of his leap and──
"Demera!!!"
Koo Dae-sung channels the full power of his life force into the hammer of Georgic.
He struck down with his hammer with the full power of his life force...
-Kuung!!!
It was the World Tree that had grown from Gunnar's seedling.
[Now it's your turn.]
The goddess's voice turns to the sleeping being in the tree. She is the protector of the Tree Men and the Elves, the one who brings forth life with Demera.
Goddess of the forest and the trees.
[Irmin.]
* * * * *
[World Tree?!]
The change in the World Tree baffled even Rakshar.
The Lionheart King was dying, unable to recover from his wounds, and so were Vulcanus, Karina, and Beatrice.
Their resistance was at an end.
It's all over, and all that's left to do is to recreate the Tree of Doom and plunge the world into chaotic ruin------
[Striking a candle at a cooked meal---!]
Rakshar hurriedly turned toward the World Tree. It was more important to return the World Tree to its original state now than to finish off the Holy Knights. But──
"Where are you going?"
The being, so small compared to Rakshar, was a presence that no evil could ignore.
[You------]
The wound should have been fatal, but the armor was completely destroyed-──
[How------]
Rakshar doubted his own eyes, but he had no choice but to accept it.
They shone brilliantly in the darkness and the 'armor' glowing black, as if it had adapted to this darkness.
"Glory be to Lord Yakt Spinner."
Leon raised his sword in the highest praise he could muster.