Chapter 63: Divine Trial (1)

Rotting flesh was pierced by arrows coated in holy water.

“Kyeaak!”

Arrows merely dipped in holy water couldn’t immobilize the undead.

But they could weaken them.

Of course, one shot wouldn’t leave much of an effect.

But what if it was repeated two, three times?

“Prepare to fire!”

“Fire!”

The sequence was repeated swiftly and continuously.

Like a downpour, the rain of arrows relentlessly tore through the sky.

“Kyeaak! Kyeaak!”

Faith is like poison to the undead.

Around the twisted arrow shafts, thick smoke billowed up.

One of the leading monsters was shoved by another and collapsed.

The one who took its place was soon crushed and its head exploded from the pressure of those behind.

The more the arrows coated in Faith struck, the more their bodies bent and twisted—yet it was the undead themselves who ultimately died from the physical strain.

“Good! It’s effective!”

“Shoot them all! We still have plenty of arrows left to fire!”

The Ord Knights shook their shoulders with excitement.

They were as skilled with the bow as with the spear, so it was natural they felt exhilarated wielding bows after so long.

Fiiing—

Drawn tight, the bowstrings trembled and emitted a sharp sound.

To Aaron, it was like a pleasant instrument; to the enemy, a fierce warning.

“Saint, the water is boiling!”

A knight ran up to Richard and shouted.

Soon, from all around, cries came that the water was running out.

“Bless it quickly!”

“I’ve never even drank holy water, but those guys are bathing in it.”

“If you’re jealous, you try it yourself.”

Their mouths moved, but their hands busily shoved vials of holy water down their throats.

One by one, their eyes gleamed with radiant light.

[Bestowing 5,000 Faith to the target.]

Richard moved around, instilling Faith into the boiling water.

With this, their preparation was nearly complete.

“Get ready!”

Soon, the monsters that had broken through the arrowstorm came crashing toward them.

Rum, koom—!

Rotting flesh slammed against the castle walls, layer upon layer piling up like a tower.

These were creatures who only knew how to frenziedly charge and bite.

“Greetings.”

Richard stuck his head out from the battlements and greeted them.

Did even the dead feel annoyance?

The intruders trying to scale the walls muttered under their breaths as they looked up at him.

“Barrier One!”

Zwaaaak!

At his signal, the portcullis lifted.

Waiting for the undead who had broken through the arrowstorm was a scorching hot bath.

One steeped fully in Faith.

“Kyeak! Kyeerrok!”

Sssssss—

The sound of flesh sizzling filled the air.

The mouths of the grotesque monsters scorched and their dead eyes melted away.

Their outer carcasses burned away, as if turning inside out.

***

Arrows continued to slash ceaselessly through the sky.

But it wasn’t just arrows.

There was more water supplied from the capital, and even more Faith granted by Richard.

Low-tier undead could not breach the thick walls of Riot Castle.

Eventually, the real enemies began to move.

“The Death Knights are moving!”

“The Liches’ movements have been detected as well!”

A white-armored Death Knight and five Liches.

Each emitted an ominous aura.

“True strikes!”

The fallen knights drew their swords.

From the tips blossomed deadly strikes flying toward the castle walls.

“We’ll hold them back!”

The First Knight Order vaulted over the walls and drew their swords like lightning bolts.

Boom!

An explosion thundered.

Not a single attack struck the castle walls.

The knights who blocked the true strikes began wreaking havoc within the enemy’s main force.

But the enemies’ assault was far from over.

Wuuuuum—

The five Liches unleashed terrifying dark magic.

Their complex incantations conjured miracles.

Miracles that could become massive fireballs or cold, sharp blizzards.

Especially fearsome were the mages protected by knights.

Richard, watching them closely, chuckled.

“There are even more skilled ones here.”

From the top of the castle, a dynamic flow of mana was felt.

Flarook—

Flames blossomed in midair, swelling instantly.

About fifty fireballs.

Though small in size, their intricate incantations and mana held tremendous power.

Kwaaaang! Kwaaang! Kwaaaang!

Magic clashed with magic.

The high-level dark magic called “Dark Flame” launched by the Liches exploded when met with pure fireballs.

“Kyaaaak!”

The monsters caught between the flames screamed.

Kwaaang! Kwaaang! Kwaaang!

Meanwhile, fifty mages on this side shot relentless fireballs.

“Waaah!”

The united knights shouted.

Why had they only realized this now?

They’d fought the undead many times before—they knew they weren’t as threatening as they seemed.

They were not afraid at all.

The repulsive dark mana could not breach Riot Castle.

It wasn’t just because of Richard’s Faith.

“Uooh!”

Because there were no gaps in the knights’ hearts.

They had forgotten how brave they were and how rigorously they had trained.

“Open the gate!”

The sword-bearers charged fiercely.

Like the arrows, their holy-water-dipped steel swords easily sliced through rotten flesh.

The blind attacks of the dead were no match for them.

Shaaaak—

The sharp arrows shot by the marksmen struck the enemy dead-on, and the elves’ magic was stronger than the Liches’.

The knights, receiving solid support, fought like fish in water.

“Uhahaha!”

Even cowardly Moritz laughed and prepared to charge forward.

Then—

Flash—

A star fell in front of him.

“Ugh!?”

Startled, he steadied his racing heart and looked at the star.

Then he raised his gaze upward.

“Moritz.”

Richard sat astride the star.

“W-What is it?”

“The divine special command I mentioned earlier. I’ll tell you now.”

Richard’s smirk stretched like a crescent moon, unsettling Moritz.

“Go scout the enemy’s main force. It’s a reconnaissance mission.”

“What are you talking about? The knights are sweeping through their main base right now.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

A pause.

Moritz’s face, resembling an orc’s, hardened.

No way…

“Polin Castle and its surroundings.”

“Hey, Richard!”

“Check how many troops are in each area, what they’re doing. Right now, when a full-scale assault is underway, is the perfect opportunity.”

His uneasy premonition had been right.

Moritz glanced down at the Wellsong Dagger he had subconsciously drawn.

“Wait, wait a minute… You want me to go in alone? That’s too much.”

“Because it’s a divine command. The God doesn’t give impossible trials.”

Thud thud, Richard patted his shoulder and continued.

“If you see any sculptures with black chains, be sure to destroy them.”

“And what happens then?”

“Nothing special. They might just be sculptures.”

Something was definitely wrong.

Those sculptures were certain to be there.

Moritz looked at Richard’s faint smile and was certain.

“Besides, the God sees everything.”

Those added words strengthened his faith.

Moritz felt the world tilt.

The sounds of war disappeared; only his trembling hands remained.

“What’s this? Going back to cowardly Moritz?”

“Shut up… Don’t speak recklessly, Richard.”

This is a command from the God?

It was hard to believe.

Moritz instinctively felt this cruel mission was a trial set by Richard himself.

“Don’t want to do it? Then say so.”

Ugh—

He wanted to refuse.

But he couldn’t.

“I’ll do it. I will.”

If it really was a divine revelation, he had no choice.

Moritz was now a devout believer who had found light in God.

The feeling that welled up when drinking holy water was indescribable.

“I am Bartenberg. I can no longer act in ways that tarnish its prestige! Even if I die!”

Because his spirit was weak, he had served God more devotedly for months.

Since he had voluntarily changed himself, the transformation was swift.

Moritz’s eyes blazed with determination.

That burning gaze fixed on Richard.

His older brother risked his life, yet his younger brother smiled slyly.

“You’re really a bad guy, little brother.”

Though he suppressed the thought that he respected him—

***

Moritz cut through the undead and surged forward.

“Whoosh.”

I watched from atop the star.

‘That brat… actually showed some backbone.’

He was definitely changing.

His face was pale and frightened as if accepting death.

Of course, I had prepared so he wouldn’t die easily.

Besides, Moritz had an incredible talent for stealth, making this reconnaissance perfectly suited.

“Look at that. Potential, huh.”

The undead didn’t even notice Moritz slipping past.

Not even the Death Knights or the sinister Liches saw him.

It would be a waste to squander such remarkable talent.

Graaaargh!

Moritz only managed to summon his mount after leaving Riot Castle far behind.

The roaring of fierce beasts echoed loudly, and the monsters turned to look.

“A pitiful trick you play.”

A Lich who noticed late formed a magic circle.

But it was already too late.

I was flying on the star.

Kwaaa!

From the magic circle, black flame burst forth.

I blocked its path.

“Zleeep!”

I immediately slashed my sword.

The blade cut through the wave of blazing fire as if riding its momentum.

“Fighting a mage and a rider is a first for me. Pleasure to meet you.”

“You’re the one emitting that vicious aura!”

I spoke warmly, but the wizard snapped back sharply.

[Dual Star Swordsman—Activate.]

The second star, containing the core, rose.

The first star shone brilliantly in the sky.

“Saint, I’m coming to support.”

“Whoosh! I wanted to compete with a mage, too!”

Aaron and Huger, who were wrestling with Death Knights, quickly rushed to my side.

And they weren’t alone.

Several knights were also trying hard to come this way, seemingly eager to fight the Liches.

“You’re a tough one. Truly tough.”

“We’re five, yet one. To oppose us is foolish.”

“You’re just a candle in front of a storm.”

“Soon, the bottomless abyss will engulf the world! You deserve to die trembling in fear!”

Amid their noisy jeers, I spoke.

“I won’t drag this out. Die quickly.”