The gallop of horses resonated through the village square. The sun was setting over the village and emerging from the dusk was a brigade of knights, armoured head to toe and wearing red. They all looked uniform apart from the one leading them.
Gazef Stronoff, the strongest warrior in the Re-Estize Kingdom, he was bigger than the rest of the knights that followed him and the only one without a helmet revealing his face. Coming to a stop, he announced.
"I am the Warrior Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom. By the king's orders, I am visiting each village to protect them from invading knights." His voice was firm with no hesitation and loud enough that all the surviving villagers could hear.
The village chief went up to him, less worried now, and told him everything that happened, after which Gazef got off his horse and came over to us.
"I've heard you saved these villagers. They would have been slaughtered if it weren't for you. Sir Momonga, you have my thanks," He said sincerely, getting a little giggle from Trixie.
"No need Gazef, what kind of person would stand by while something so horrific happened in front of him?" Momonga said, making Gazef look at him with gratitude and understanding. Momonga resisted the urge to smirk.
"Captain! we detected many people surrounding the village, they're closing in." The warrior said.
"Looks like you got some enemies, Warrior Captain," Momonga said, spotting the angels and magic casters from a distance away. They were inside the village chief's house. Gazef stood next to Momonga and sighed.
"So, it seems," He said, looking at the opposing force.
"SIr Momonga, would I be able to hire you?"
"haha, we aren't adventures yet Warrior Captain"
"I see then," He got onto his knees and pleaded.
"Sir Momonga, I know this is a lot to ask, but please, I beg of you, protect this village." Momonga could feel the satisfaction and smugness radiating from behind him. Narberal was extremely pleased that this peasant knew his place, kneeling before the Supreme being.
Trixie pinched her to remind her to keep composure, even if she was feeling the same way she could at least hide it.
"Hey now, no need for that. We aren't adventures yet, but we were planning to go to E-Rantel and become one, so let's call this our unofficial first job, unless you can make it official?" Momonga said, helping Gazef up, who gave him a smile.
"Thank you Sir Mmonga, and I will tell the guild master at E-Rantel about this."
"Narberal, stay behind and guard the village from any sneak attacks."
"Yes, my lor- I-I mean yes sir" Momonga held in a sigh at Narberal's unplanned slip up looking at Trixie who was in thought for a second before letting out a giggle patting Narberal, who was taller than her.
Ultimately, it didn't matter is what Momonga got from her. Gazef looked like he wanted to say something but held back and decided not to ask, something Momonga was grateful for.
"Can she do that alone? I could have some warriors help her," Gazef said. Momonga just shook his head at Gazef's suggestion.
"No need, Narberal is capable of 4th tier magic. Nobody will get past her." Momonga said, also patting Narberal's head, who was now blushing from the attention he gave her.
Momonga found it cute that she could still get flustered so easily.
"I see, Lady Narberal, you have my utmost gratitude," Gazef said, wide eyed and impressed. Magic wasn't as respected in the Re-Estize Kingdom, but Gazef always held it in high regard.
Momonga put his hand into his inventory and brought out a slightly grey and black blade. Momonga didn't consider the sword great by his standards. It wasn't even good, but when playing Yggdrasil, he hoarded everything he could because he may need it at some point.
"Here, you can borrow this, because that sword won't do any good against those angels." Gazef took the sword, wondering where it came from. Shaking his head, he realised Momonga must be a talent user and what an impressive talent it is.
"Thank you, Sir Momonga" He said, inspecting the sword. It was impressive, not as good as Razor's Edge, but definitely better than the steel blade he had on him.
"Not a problem, Warrior captain, but I'll be expecting to get that sword back."
"Hahaha, of course, and please call me Gazef."
After being granted a horse, he and Trixie rode together with the rest of the knights. Stomping their way to the Slane magic casters standing by the angels.
The angels flew out, rushing towards the cavalry. Trixie casted [Fly] and soared into the air holding her hands down she screamed.
[Widen Magic- Protection from Energy Holy]
A white glow covered the warriors as they rode to meet the angel summons head on. Most strikes were not effective, but it didn't take long for the warriors to realise they needed to use martial arts to kill these angels.
Gazef and Momonga didn't have these problems slicing through angels like butter. Unfortunately, someone killed both their horses, leaving them dismounted. The magic casters summoned more angels that stayed by them, guarding them from the warriors who surrounded them at this point.
With protection from holy magic, the angels were a lot less effective considering even their physical attacks used swords made of magic. However, the Slane soldiers had shields of magic that protected them from the attacks of the warriors and they could still cast magic, leading to multiple warriors dying for every one Slane magic caster.
"Gazef, call your men to regroup, give Trixie a clear shot," Momonga said, decapitating an angel that was targeting Gazef like most of them were.
"Warriors! to me" Gazef screamed, slicing two angels apart.
The warriors retreated, gathering at Gazef. Most still had their horses but others didn't and ran back, leading to them getting targeted by angels and magic.
Momonga rushed out, jumping over the retreating cavalry, intercepting and killing anything that would harm the warriors. Trixie could stop some spells and sent multiple [Burn Lance] down to kill angels.
Most of the warriors looked at him in awe. The scene of a warrior killing enemies and protecting them while his beautiful companion rained down fire onto the enemies was something straight out a storybook for them.
"[Triplet Widen Magic- Fireball]" Trixie said, raining down three humongous balls down at the enemy's line. Causing a mass panic casting of [Fly] as most of the Slane Magic casters flew away to safety.
"[Sixfold Slash of Light]!" six red arcs appeared over the last six angels, clearing the field of all opponents.
"Is that you got Slane Theocracy! You're going to have to do better if you want to kill Gazef Stronoff, Warrior Captain of Re-Estize!" He screamed at the flying magic casters that were flying down to the ground.
Nigun, the leader of the Sunlight Scripture, stared at Trixie with hatred in his eyes. He cannot fail the cardinals. Trixie stared down at him and started waving at him, smiling at his expression.
"Principality Observation strike that wretched witch down." His last summon flew off, lunging towards Trixie, who gave him a vicious grin.
"[Undying Flame]" A bluish white dragon's head and claws made from flames roared from her hand, shooting out and meeting the angel summon only to consume it, destroying the angel with negative energy and fire.
"That's impossible," Nigun whispered, staring at the sky with an open jaw, the witch looking down on him like he was just an insect. Looking down on him! No one looks down on Nigun! After everything he did to get to his position, he won't fail here!
Getting pushed by one of his subordinates, he sees the adventure's blade slash through the man who pushed him. It would've slashed him, he almost died.
Reaching into his inner pocket, he needed to end this.
Momonga jumped back after killing that Slane magic caster, using little hops to jump backwards towards Gazef in seconds.
"Your quick Momonga," Gazef said with a smile.
"I pride myself on my speed."
A giant column of light took everyone's attention. From it an angel unlike any other appeared. It was massive, much bigger than anything before. It had many glowing feathered wings and seemed to be grabbed in a dress made of giant white feathers.
The holy white-blue light didn't go away, only fading to give way to the angel's presence. The smell of blood that covered the battlefield cleared away, purified by its presence.
"Hahahahaha, behold the highest form of angel Dominion Authority!" Nigun cackled as the Slane magic casters cheered, some of them, praying to the angel.
"W-what do we do?" A warrior asked, unease spreading throughout the warriors. Some of them panicking, others flinching back and preparing to run.
"Isn't it obvious? We fight!" Momonga said loudly, all eyes focusing on him. He looked at Gazef, who started wide eyed at the Angel before looking over at him. Momonga gave him a nod before charging the summon, Trixie flying overhead heading towards the summon as well, Gazef giving a wide smile and following right behind them.
Running with his sword parallel to the ground, his blade started glowing yellow, looking like the first light of a new day. The sword, leaving a line cutting into the ground despite not touching it. He went just under the angel before jumping.
"[Raising Dawn]" Momonga screamed, the slash trailing up the summon from bottom to top until he jumped past the angel into the air. The creature screamed, a high-pitched noise that made it clear how much pain it felt.
"[Six Fold slash of Light]"
"[Flamewing]"
Gazef's attack made six arcs of red light appear on the angel while Trixie's spell made two giant flaming wings grow from her back, crashing into the angel making it collapse onto the ground covered in flames.
"[Falling Dusk]" Momonga shouted from the sky, his sword glowing a dark reddish yellow of sunset. Diving towards the angel, he sliced it in half, killing the summon before it could do anything.
The warriors cheered, screams of joy roared out, covering the cries of despair and disbelief held by the Sunlight Scripture. Gazef looked at the magic casters pointing his sword at Nigun, who looked back in terror, his eyes red with tears streaming down his face.
"What's this? I sensed angels but only found vermin," a dark demonic voice said, sending chills down everyone's spine.
Looking up in the sky is a demon, a sharp white tail, his face covered in a smiling black and gold mask and dressed in an orange suit. Two wings sprouted from its back, but it hovered in the air, not flapping them once.
"How disgusting, angel summoners, begone," he said in the most calm manner, as if he was asking for something simple. Before anyone could reply or do anything, a dark flaming wall covered all the Sunlight Scripture, lasting only a second before fading away, leaving nothing behind.
There were no bodies, no smell of burnt flesh. It's as if they disappeared into midair.
The warriors, who were experiencing great joy, now went back to overwhelming despair as the demon set its sights on them. Landing on the ground, the demon looked at Momonga, then Trixie, then Gazef.
"You three are interesting, aren't you? I know. Join me."
"We'll never, Who are you demon? and what do you want?"
"Me? I'm Jaldabaoth and I'll reign as Emperor of this World." His tone and way of speaking never changed, still calm, as if this declaration was a fact.
"Never Demon, if you think Re-Estize will fall to you, then you're wrong!" Gazef screamed as someone that grew up on stories and retellings of the demon lord and the 13 Hero's he immediately put Jaldabaoth in the category as one of them.
"Hmm? Perhaps a demonstration will change your minds, in one week E-Rantel will fall. Maybe then you'll change your mind." the demon cackled the first change it showed since it got here.
In a burst of flames, it was gone, disappearing as suddenly as it appeared.
"Gazef." Momonga said.
"I know. We need to get to E-Rantel."