~A little less than a year ago~
Of the 53 nations that claim to be the true heirs of Greater China, one country or another has invaded another.
The invasion of the Heilong People's Republic by the Jilin Republic sparked by a coup d'état by a general orc, the war ended with the unexpected intervention of the United States and Russia, both of which fired satellite weapons at the Jilin Republic without any declaration of war.
It is now commonly known that the Staff of God and Grizzly Laser satellites, now downed by Rakshar, bombarded the orc army of the Republic of Jilin, and in the confusion, a group of troops assassinated their leader──
The truth is that Yappy, who was manipulating the stock market in the name of the Great Gods, hacked into the advanced satellite weaponry to prevent a stock market crash and assassinated the orc leader himself.
Since then, the Republic of Jilin has been unstable, without a centralized authority.
-Baaaahhhh!!!
Dozens of missiles have fallen on the Jilin Republic Defense Research Institute, a secret laboratory for researching and supplying the military's mainstay, the orcs, with equipment to attack the Gate.
With a slight error, the missiles landed right in front of the institute, and knights in anachronistic full plate armor appeared on horseback.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, old comrade."
The horses, noisy from the impact of the missiles' fall, were quickly calmed by the touch of an old friend.
"So, we're in the right place, right?"
Raihar, a member of the Flaming Sword Knights of Balthan, looked at the large research building in front of him.
"Ugh--- I just communicated with it, and it's right------"
The information was that the Jilin Republic's Defense Research Institute was connected to General Groom, who had staged a coup in the Heilong People's Republic.
"Why is General Groom connected to a secret laboratory in a hostile country?"
-Presumably since the ceasefire negotiations.
"Since the ceasefire negotiations?"
Why would he have been in contact with the Jilin Republic's research center more than a year ago, not after Murka appeared?
Koo Dae-sung seemed to be struggling with the question, and Raihar spoke up.
"His Majesty has taken control of the Heilong People's Republic, so shouldn't he be able to deal with that orc general?"
"That is true, but------"
They had to check it out anyway, since the institute was connected to General Groom, and Groom was planning to hand over the entire Heilong People's Republic to the Orc Continental Federation.
"By the way, Lord Yappy, can you send me one of those giant space weapons or something, and not just a marquis or earl?"
-Traveling in low to medium orbit in anticipation of being shot down by enemy forces. Advised to deal with it locally.
Space platforms in support of this operation are not fully available. Satellites in high-altitude geostationary orbits that monitor the continent are under attack.
-Opponents can intercept from a circular orbit at 35,786 kilometers above geostationary orbit. Presumed to be a conceptual penetration by orc divine power.
"I don't know, but it's tough."
Raihar, who had no knowledge of space, shrugged it off, but Koo Dae-sung, a modern man with some knowledge, was aghast.
'Attacking a satellite in space?'
He wondered if such a thing was possible, but then he remembered that Rakshar had shot down all the Earth's satellites.
As a Holy Knight himself, he wondered if he could do the same, but apparently the transcendent beings of Leon, the Grail Guardian, the Demon Lord, and the Orc High Khan have no limits.
"Let's go in right away. I wonder if the place is unoccupied, seeing as how the lights are still out after all this mess..."
That was when Raihar said.
-Bang!
It rushed through the air.
The Knights heard the eerie sound but its speed was faster than sound.
"Lord Raihar!"
The only thing that could match its speed was Koo Dae-sung. The earth shield protected Raihar, and as it collided with him, he could barely make out its identity.
"Javelin?
"Lord Koo Dae-sung!"
The shock didn't end there. The spear, which hadn't lost any of its strength after colliding with the earth shield, continued to push Koo Dae-sung.
-Kwazizik!
Koo Dae-sung's ankle dug into the earth as he blocked it with his might and he slightly twisted his shield to deflect the spear.
"Whoa---!"
What kind of javelin--- Koo Dae-sung was relieved.
"Lord Koo Dae-sung, it's not over yet!"
Lord Raihar shouted as Koo Dae-sung gaze turned to the spear in the ground.
────!!
A strange image was carved into the spear and it bounced off the spear as if going to explode, and then──
"Lady Demera!"
He stomps the ground and pours out his earthly strength. A mound of earth, weighing tens of tons, surrounded the spear, but it could not block all of the light that leaked out.
-Boom!
A mushroom cloud erupts and the aftermath of the explosion shook them a little.
"That's a good response."
"What the hell was that?"
"An explosive javelin used by the hunters of the orc hunting god Skunik. I haven't seen one of that caliber in a long time."
Raihar's words stunned Koo Dae-sung. Similarly, Sir Galatan of the Knights of the Burning Sword approached and testified.
"It has surpassed the level of the great chieftains, I witnessed this in the Orc Wars, at the very least, we have an Orc champion here."
"------Bingo, you mean."
Someone of such importance is here. Koo Dae-sung was certain they had come to the right place.
"We're going in! I'll throw the second throw."
It was that moment. Inside the darkened building, dozens of spears were hurled through the windows and walls.
Lord Raihar shouted.
"Knights of the Balthan Burning Sword! Balthan!"
The Riders of the War Gods unleashed a barrier of fire against the flying projectiles.
"Charge!"
The Flaming Sword Knights, having parried the initial attack, charged, led by Koo Dae-sung.
Great Art
The ground they ran on was on their side, and with the Holy Knight's immense protection, they broke through the javelin barrage and entered the building.
"Krr---!"
They were met by an orc champion riding a giant boar.
"Pesky bastards. Not a single one of them died."
Skira, champion of the orc hunting god Skunik and his boar-riding orc riders confront the knights.
"Orc champion------"
Koo Dae-sung also encountered the orc champions when he helped Lord Jerea transport the holy relic.
With the powerhouse of the Holy Knight class in front of him, he knew this might not be a simple clash.
'Can we win? It's not that I don't believe in the skills of the Burning Sword Knights------.'
The problem is him. For a Holy Grail Knight of his rank, his skills are below average among Holy Knights.
Even though he's been undergoing Karina's rigorous hand-to-hand combat training for the past half a year, he has yet to defeat her.
"Lord Raihar. I'll take on the orc champion, and in the meantime, you'll take on those black orcs-"
That was when the air felt like it was being crushed.
A sensation similar to Leon's, Murka's, and Vulcanus' that would send chills down even a Holy Knight's spine.
"A Holy Knight and Templars. What a troublesome bunch."
The source of the chill was a silver-haired man with the ferocity of a beast.
His appearance was that of a clean-cut young man, but his aura was even more ferocious and savage.
"No way--- He's alive?!"
Lord Raihar, who had been so fierce, was stunned.
"Do you know him?"
"Rigardo, warlord of the beast-gods---second in command of the barbarians, when Lord Vulcanus was the monster of those evil gods."
"I thought he was long dead in the war against the demons------"
The Knights of the Burning Sword are veteran knights of the same age as Leon. Each of them was nervous, as if they knew him, but he was pleasantly surprised to see them.
"Oh, the Knights of the Burning Sword. Aren't you the ones who slaughtered hundreds of thousands of our brothers?"
There was no anger or hatred in Rigardo's expression. Rather, the coolness in his eyes is a reminder of old memories.
"Those were good times. How is that friend Vulcanus?"
"------"
The Burning Sword Knight tried to calm the horse down from the tyrannical aura the man exuded, but it wasn't easy.
A beast knows a beast. The horses whinnied as if they knew with their sixth sense the danger of the beast.
"Back off, Skira."
"What?"
But the words that came out of Rigardo's mouth were unexpected.
"We've accomplished our objective, there's no need for conflict."
"Don't be ridiculous. Wiping them out here is what the High Khan wants."
"You really think so?"
"------"
Skira fell silent at that. The Great Khan does not want an all-out war with Lionheart just yet.
It would be far more efficient and effective to unite the orcs and use the previous plan.
It's not that they can't wipe them out here, and the loss of a Holy Knight and Templars would be devastating, but-
"You just saw Vulcanus' flames in the sky, he can come here as soon as he's contacted, and it only takes him ten minutes to cross the continent."
Could they wipe out a single Holy Knight and the Flaming Knights in those ten minutes?
"If you're here, I'm sure you can handle him."
"Because I am the last remaining great warrior of the beast gods, I have to treat my body with respect."
At Rigardo's refusal, Skira snorted and turned her mount around.
"You're in luck, tin cans."
As Skira retreats, so do the Black Orc Riders. As they retreat, Koo Dae-sung and the Burning Knights are unable to give chase because of Rigardo, Warlord of the Beast Gods.
"------??"
Rigardo chuckles and disappears after the orcs.
"Whoa------"
"That was dangerous."
It was a close call, even for a Holy Knight.
"But it looks like we're a step too late. They've destroyed everything we're trying to find."
The lab's servers and computers had long since been destroyed. Yappy would have to come and see what he could find, but it would be difficult to find anything since everything was physically destroyed.
"Lord Koo Dae-sung, Lord Raihar, look here!"
One of the knights calls out, as if he's found something. Going over to them, Koo Dae-sung found something he hadn't expected.
"This?"
The only intact archive in a thoroughly destroyed laboratory. It was almost unnatural that it was left intact.
As if it had hoped to be found.
"Let's check it out before Lord Yappy gets here!"
Koo Dae-sung's eyes flicked through the archives, his face contorting in disbelief.
"This is crazy------"
The Ragnarok Plan.
This was the moment the true nature of the plan was revealed.
* * * * *
After Leon's assassination, Taiwan entered a period of great turmoil.
The top brass, including the President, bureaucrats, and soldiers, were found to be the servants of the demons.
In the center of the capital city, the Archdemons called in their legions of demons, backed by the Taiwanese military.
The citizens were outraged, and took matters into their own hands, burning bureaucrats who were followers of the demons.
-They've elected a new president, but I'm not sure I trust him.
-I voted for him because there was no one else, not because I like him.
-Why is it that none of our politicians are believers of the TTG?
-The dirty bastards are punished for saying they believe in the Ten Thousand Gods.
At a time when distrust in the leadership of society was at an all-time high, and the collapsed social system and military had yet to be repaired, an event occurred on the mainland across the sea.
[Orc Continental Confederation Formed. A Scattered Continent Reunited!]
The Orcs had taken control of most of Greater China in the blink of an eye. This caused great anxiety among the citizens.
-What the hell, those guys. Aren't they coming?
-The orcs are in high spirits. Some of the politicians who serve them are even proclaiming "One China".
Taiwan has been threatened by the mainland since its founding.
Although the cataclysmic global catastrophe unexpectedly saved them, the mainland has been clamoring for the restoration of Taiwan even after the country was torn apart.
Until now, they've been too busy taking care of their own lives to make a stand, but now it is different.
Taiwan is now weak, and less than a day away from becoming a military power on the mainland.
-What's the President doing, do something about it!
Faced with the citizens' demands, the first-year President Qin Rong was at a loss.
"Damn it! What do you want me to do!?"
Taiwan hasn't even restored power yet after the mass exodus of the demon followers.
The country needs to bring in outside help to restore power, and aren't the orcs the most prominent mercenary group?
There's no point in bringing in orcs when the country is under security threat from them. There were only two countries that the new Taiwanese government could hold onto.
"When will we hear back about the trilateral talks?"
"After an internal meeting------"
"We need it now! The orcs have already eaten half the continent!"
President Qin Long had been on the verge of stress hair loss for the past month.
It had only been a dozen years since Taiwan had been free of mainland threats. Only after the once mighty mainland China was torn into 53 pieces did Taiwan have a national power that surpassed that of the torn mainland.
But with the majority of its leaders being followers of the demons and the power vacuum created by the Knights of the Lionheart, a belligerent power had arisen right under their noses?
It was bound to make not only Qin Long, but the entire Taiwanese people uneasy.
"Your Excellency the President, Lord Park Yong-shin of the Hanbit Palace is here to see you."
"Hu, please let him in."
The request for a visit was from a Korean cult leader who had long been a problem for Taiwan.
But Hanbit Palace was not always a cult. After being baptized by the Lionhearted King, weren't they supposed to be faithful servants of the Pantheon of the Gods?
"It's an honor to meet you, Your Excellency."
Qin Long greeted the cult leader with an awkward smile.
"Palace Lord Park Yong-shin."
Qin Long hoped that he could borrow the power of the TTG Temple in this meeting.
No matter what anyone says, the Lionheart King is a superhuman among superhumans who easily surpasses an S-class hunter.
The President doesn't know much about Hunters, but he doesn't think transcendents who can slice through oceans with their swords and shoot down every satellite in the universe are common.
And so, as he tries to get something out of Park Yong-shin, an unexpected suggestion is made to him.
"The Lionheart Federation?"
The idea he brought was unexpected.
Park Yong-shin smiled and promised the Taiwanese President, who stiffened as if he had heard something unexpected.
"His Majesty has pledged his honor as the earthly representative of the gods to protect your country, and as proof of that-─"
That was the moment. The skies above Taiwan turned red in an instant.
Ordinarily, it would be an ominous and terrifying sight, but now the world knows.
That red light is the moment the mighty Holy Knight descends.
"GRARARARARA──!!"
The giant's voice rumbled. The windows of the President's office shook, but Qin Long's face lit up.
"Lord Vulcanus, the Holy Knight of War and Flame, will protect this land."
Almost simultaneously, messengers from the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods visited 29 countries in Greater China to form an anti-orc Federation alliance based on security guarantees by Leon Dragonia.
Orcs or Lionheart.
The choice was not even a choice.