Chapter 95: The Plague’s Onslaught (1)

A crimson and black death is coming.

The soldiers’ teeth chattered at the dreadful sight that had only ever haunted their minds.

The tip of the spear clutched desperately in their hands trembled endlessly, and their postures shrank, like beggars from the slums.

Even the Knights of the Royal Guard were not immune to fear.

Trained to face Magic users, the enemies before them presented a tremendous challenge.

Where should they attack, and how could they defend?

What could possibly be the weakness of those Monsters?

Their minds, frozen by overwhelming terror, could not produce an answer.

“We’re all going to die…”

One of the lowest ranks in the Knights of the Royal Guard muttered.

“Hey.”

A knight standing beside him warned Mal Dan with a stony face.

But it was already too late.

That muttered phrase had already drilled itself into the ears of the soldiers.

The morale of Riot Castle collapsed entirely.

Soon, the weaker soldiers began to sob, one after another.

The Monsters were still far away, but the terror they brought had swallowed the castle whole long before.

“Uh, uhh…”

Even Hans, who clung to his spear, collapsed to his knees.

Tears streamed from his tightly shut eyes.

“Hor!”

A prayer that escaped his lips without thought.

A desperate plea that those Monsters would come no closer, Hans’s wish was only that—a wish.

It was Riot Castle’s duty, and none other, to stop them.

Wooooooo—

The thunderous roars of the Monsters made even the elite knights of the royal court hunch down.

Despair swept through the crowd—No way to stop this, Riot Castle will fall—

Thud.

At that moment, a small footstep shook the castle walls.

“The Light passes on its debt.”

A calm recitation from someone behind.

A strange heat simmered in those words.

“Standing in that lineage, we too are the Light.”

A nameless knight, as if waiting for his cue, took up the chant.

Hans, trembling in fear, lifted his head to seek the source of the voice.

Everyone was already staring at the same spot.

A young man standing with an old knight.

Around him, eleven other knights raised their swords high to the sky.

“Even the faintest Light cannot be swallowed by darkness!”

The gentle chant had become a shout.

“In the end, only its own form will fade away!”

That became a battle cry, pounding against the castle wall.

Hans clutched his chest, gripped by a burning, unfamiliar emotion.

All the royal troops who’d been preparing for battle with trembling hands now looked on, dumbfounded.

What’s going on…?

Just as a royal knight tried to open his mouth,

A light blossomed from Richard’s body and shot toward the sky.

Immediately after, bursts of Divine radiance erupted from the swords of the knights stationed all along the castle wall.

“We!”

“Will defend Riot Castle!”

His steadfast gaze and resolute will were directed at the enemy.

His words, spoken aloud, were a clear sign of renewed conviction.

“Alright.”

Hans gasped for breath.

Did courage suddenly well up within him?

Strength filled the hand holding his spear, and it felt like even the spear shaft would bend.

Strangely, he wasn’t afraid anymore.

No, something even more frightening than death had only just come to mind.

“We’ll protect it!”

His shout was the spark.

“Don’t let those filthy things past the wall! Kill them all!”

“Damn it, if we don’t stop them, our families are doomed too!”

“Let them come! I’ll split their skulls with this sword!”

Curses and battle cries burst forth without pause.

The terrified ones had vanished; only brave men remained here now.

The morale of Riot Castle surged once more.

***

The vanguard of the charging Monsters howled, trailing clouds of dust.

As if they considered the castle before them nothing but a meal, yellow drool dripped from their mouths.

But those Monsters had no idea that their ‘meal’ was armed with more than a few thorns.

“Loose!”

The Commander’s sharp order rang out, and the archers released their bowstrings.

Swaaang!

A rain of arrows shimmered in the fire-oil’s glow as it blanketed the sky.

And then, the arrows buried themselves in the Monsters’ thick, disgusting flesh.

Thud, splat—!

Pungent smoke rose from the red, revolting bodies pierced by arrows.

“Keep firing!”

The commanders, seeing the effect of the fire-oil, shouted with wide eyes.

There were plenty of arrows, and the archers’ fingers were strong.

As the rain of arrows poured without pause, the enemy looked as if they’d been turned into porcupines.

“Scree!”

Amidst the battle, Huger stamped his feet in excitement.

He glanced at Richard, standing with arms folded.

A desperate thirst glimmered in his fierce eyes, urging for a charge.

“Not yet.”

Richard shook his head firmly.

His gaze, calm and deep, measured the flow of the battle.

[In the dark of night]

[He shall bring good news through the Light]

[And soon, dawn will break]

Behind the castle walls, the hymn of the masked Elves drifted out.

With the beauty of that melody, the archers’ hands drew their bows faster.

“Kill them all.”

“We’ll protect you, so just keep firing!”

The soldiers with swords encouraged the archers as they glared at the swarm of Monsters.

It was hard to believe these bold and defiant men were the same soldiers who’d been groaning in fear only moments ago.

“Knights of the Royal Guard! Prepare for battle!”

“For Baren! Fix swords!”

“Fix swords!”

The knights, faces flushed, gripped their Swords.

Now free of fear, they were no less fierce than the Martial Union’s own.

At last, Riot Castle was truly ready for battle.

“Alright.”

Gide took a deep breath.

As the former Commander of the Third Knight Division of Bartenberg, he’d led countless bloody battles.

But even he, Gide, could say with certainty—he’d never seen anything like this.

To see the once-terrified become a ferocious legion in an instant—like lions.

The trembling gaze of the old knight turned to Richard.

Such a small gesture had created such a great change.

The reason Richard had left Bartenberg behind without regret—it was because he’d already built a force of his own.

Only now could Gide fully accept that truth.

“Cannons ready!”

Suddenly, the Lord of Riot Castle shouted like a thunderclap.

Click—

The cannoneers aimed the cannons at the Monsters.

“Kwargh!”

The Monsters, pushing through the hail of arrows, gnashed their teeth as they drew near.

Their sharpened claws flashed, poised to scale the wall before them.

“Fire!”

Bang! Bang!

A dozen cannons roared, iron shot spewing forth in unison.

With a tremendous noise, the cast-iron balls traced arcs through the air, smashing into the Monsters.

Smash—! Crash—!

Foul flesh was ripped apart, filthy blood sprayed everywhere.

The shattered corpses of Monsters were trampled and devoured by others as they pressed forward.

Finally, some Monsters reached the wall, plunging their vicious claws in and beginning to climb.

“Catapults!”

“Bring the stones!”

Soldiers in pairs or threes pushed massive boulders off the walls.

Soon, the falling rocks knocked the climbing Monsters loose.

Thud! Boom!

Stones filled with faith, and the Monsters crushed against the castle stone let out sizzling noises, as if meat were being grilled.

In this way, Riot Castle knocked down dozens of Monsters.

But still, the enemy was so numerous as to blot out the eye.

Not arrows, nor cannons, nor catapults could stop the Plague’s assault.

The true battle would begin now.

“Kieeek!”

A sharp Sword was driven into the head of a Monster peering over the wall.

Blood poured from the severed head.

“Urgh!”

The stench was overwhelming.

A knight of the royal court, suppressing his nausea, looked around.

“Ugh, aaah!“

A soldier thrust his spear awkwardly, but the Monsters climbing the wall were relentless.

Blood and flesh of allies were smeared on the battlements.

The bodies of soldiers, torn apart by dozens of fangs, turned black, infected by the Plague.

“Stay focused!”

Shouts from the Temple Knights and Martial Union rang out without pause.

With precise, skillful moves, they struck down Monsters and scanned the field for the Saint.

In the middle of this hell, where Cursed Blood sprayed through the air, there was Richard.

Standing tall, Richard swung his Sword wreathed in Holy Power along the wall.

Each time, the pants of terrified soldiers grew damp.

“Can’t you even stab a spear right? If you’re going to space out, get down from here!”

“S-sorry!”

A scolded soldier tried to bow his pale head.

But a Monster’s head fell where he’d been standing only a moment ago.

Thud.

“Don’t take your eyes off the enemy on the battlefield.”

Richard frowned as he turned.

So many of the soldiers, who made up more than half the force, were utterly inexperienced.

Casualties mounted steadily.

‘I knew this would happen, so I trained them hard…’

The soldiers simply lacked the experience to hold the line alone.

Where had their earlier spirit gone, or their sense of duty to protect the castle?

Instead, they only dragged the knights down, making their jobs harder.

The first battle of the Plague War.

Richard and the allied forces needed to assess things.

Just how much could the royal forces accomplish in this horrific war?

The knights were more or less reliable, but the soldiers were disappointing.

That was Richard’s verdict.

What good was stirring up their morale?

When faced with the Monsters before them, they shrank back, unable to fight.

With his mind made up, he took a deep breath.

“Adele—!”

A faith-filled shout thundered across the field.

Was that the signal?

From the direction of the citadel, multicolored light burst forth.

A miracle—the harbinger of Magic.

Magic circles drawn by the Elves with Mana poured forth flames and ice.

Aaang—!

Those struck directly at the Monsters beyond the walls, shaking the battlefield.

“W-what—?!”

“Who’s using Magic…?!”

The sudden Magic made the royal soldiers’ eyes widen.

And all around the castle, great trees sprang up, pouring forth green light.

Bodies wearied by battle revived, filled with the energy of that radiant life.

I don’t know what it is, but…

The royal knights exchanged glances.

We can’t just stand here.

Let’s show the might of the Knights of the Royal Guard.

At least for now, their resolve was clear.

Today’s true heroes had already been decided.

“Temple Knights!”

On the wall, filled with screams and death.

At the very end, Richard’s voice rang out, and two hundred knights answered him.

Some replied by beheading Monsters, others by channeling Divine Light into their Sacred Daggers.

Richard locked eyes with the Lord of Riot Castle.

Countless meanings passed in that instant.

“Temple Knights First Division, assembled!”

All the Temple Knights gathered in one spot.

Having already slain dozens of Monsters, the stench of blood was overwhelming.

“Let’s go, Richard!”

Moritz shouted, elated.

Holy Power surged in the pair of Sacred Daggers he wielded.

He seemed very pleased with the weapons handed down from his father.

“Enough waiting!”

Impatient, Huger barked.

The knights too began to flash excited, burning eyes.

It was as if they shared in the Orcs’ wild emotions.

Morale reached its peak, and even the corners of Richard’s lips curved into a smile.

“Let’s go!”

With that, the group hurled themselves over the wall.