Chapter 213 : Chapter 213

Chapter : 213

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍plan succeeded.

To ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍lure the enemy out through duels and collapse their defensive formation.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍problem was that it succeeded far too well.

“Waaaargh—! ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍You honorless bastard! Die right now!”

“I ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍will hack you into pieces!”

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍knights who had been in the front line all surged out after me.

It was five at first, but in the end it was nearly dozens.

And behind them, I could even see ordinary soldiers following in their wake.

It was a mass of troops that no one man could ever face alone. If I was swept up in it even once, I would be captured on the spot.

Watching that, Magician Agpiel cried out in alarm.

“Move at once. The Margrave of Bellua is in danger!”

“B-but, Sage. The Margrave of Bellua ordered us not to move recklessly and to wait here…”

“You idiots! Does it not depend on the situation? Your lord is in danger right now!”

“Ah…?!”

Only then did the elf knights prick up their ears and let out noises of realization. They even seemed to sparkle with admiration at such basic advice, which only made Magician Agpiel angrier as he watched.

Every second mattered. What were they even doing?

“What are you staring at with those vacant faces? Can you not take up your weapons and move at once?”

Only then did the elf knights fumble for their weapons and call for their squires.

“Good grief… That young noble suffers in every possible way. Tsk.”

Watching their backs, Magician Agpiel sighed.

Usually they screamed about honor and did as they pleased, yet on a day like today they were strangely obedient to orders.

They were contrarian pointy-ears, the lot of them.

“Save His Excellency!”

“Kkiyoooot! For an honorable death! Go!”

The elf knights, preparations complete, dashed forward with weapons in hand. They were charging in a disorderly rush, with neither proper preparation nor discipline, but even that was something.

It would buy time for the young noble he cherished to escape.

With that thought, Magician Agpiel called Captain Konrad.

The immediate crisis had been addressed; now it was time to discuss the next step.

And perhaps because he understood how serious it was, the dwarf mercenary captain was already fully prepared.

The moment he arrived, Captain Konrad thumped his chest and shouted with hearty confidence.

“I was already on standby! Human Sage! Just say the word. I can move at once.”

As expected.

Unlike the pointy-ears, this dwarf actually understood reason. Magician Agpiel nodded in satisfaction.

“Oh? Is that so? Then move at once. This situation is not ordinary. If your lord is wounded or captured, it will be a disaster. I will follow behind you, so prepare to advance at once. Let us buy time for the Margrave to break out from the front.”

“Do not worry. I will stake my life to buy time! Come on. Let us go, Human Sage!”

With that, Captain Konrad immediately led his men toward the front.

Even without Magician Agpiel saying it, he understood how perilous the situation was for their lord.

But after they had not gone far, Captain Konrad suddenly stopped, mouth hanging open.

“M-my… my God—!”

“Why are you calling on God all of a sudden, Captain Konrad? This is not the time.”

“But look. Look at that, Human Sage.”

“Look at what? What am I supposed to—?!”

So he had seemed sensible, but perhaps Magician Agpiel needed to revise his opinion?

Frowning, Magician Agpiel looked at Captain Konrad, who had stopped with the soldiers.

And then—

“Oh, my God. If the real God had been watching over us, He should have told us before we learned magic.”

Magician Agpiel could only stand there, staring, and saying the very same thing.

By ordinary common sense, when you saw knights charging at you, you turned and fled at once.

No matter how exceptional a man was, he could not fight an army alone.

But contrary to Magician Agpiel’s expectation, I did not retreat.

-Chaeng-!

Instead, I drew the holy sword that I had kept carefully at my waist and faced the onrushing knight head-on.

Instinct told me this was the turning point of the battle. What I did here would decide the battle’s direction with startling speed.

So I intended to make the knights understand exactly who they were facing.

-Uuuuuung!

As if to affirm my judgment, the mystery containing the Goddess’s blessing writhed within me.

The fatigue from the earlier duels vanished, and an uncontrollable vitality flooded my body.

-Kkadeudeuk!

I clenched the sword hilt as if to crush it and fixed my eyes on the Emperor’s knights rushing in.

“You madman!”

“You will pay for your arrogance!”

The Holy Empire’s knights bristled at the sight.

There were limits to contempt. With this many men here, how could he not run, and instead come at them?

“Form an attack formation! Show him our strength!”

“I will take the flank! Hmph!”

No matter how hungry for honor and merit they were, knights in the era of [Pangea Universalise] were still trained elites.

They had enough sense to judge advantage and disadvantage.

And this was clearly a fight with no chance of victory—for me.

“When did men who speak of a knight’s honor begin ganging up like this?”

“G-ganging up? We are not—”

“Now, now! Do not be swayed by that cunning tongue! Comrades! After the battle, we can beg God’s forgiveness for our dishonor!”

“Oh, that is a remarkably convenient faith.”

“You—! Enough chatter!”

That was why my behavior looked like sheer recklessness to them.

The kind of mistake young knights made when drunk on their own strength.

But recklessness and courage were separated by a hair’s breadth.

-Kwaang-!

“?!?!?”

First contact.

The knight who had charged in most boldly was hurled backward from a single blow.

No—if it had ended there, the Emperor’s knights would not have been so shocked.

-Hiiiiiing-!

-Udangtangtangtang-!

-Uaaagh!

The knight I struck flew backward like a cannonball, crashed into the oncoming knights, and sent them tumbling in a heap.

“W-what is this?”

The knights behind him were startled, but they did not stop.

They had already built up too much speed. If they turned abruptly now, it would be a disaster either way.

But it was not a good choice.

-Jjeok-!

-Hiiiiiing-!

-Jjeojeojeok. Seogeok!

As if to prove that it was a famous sword once bestowed by the Emperor upon generals who went to war, the holy sword, borne on my monstrous strength, displayed a terrifying power.

Wherever it touched, armor could not endure it. It was cut apart again and again.

“Ggeoeok—!”

-Seogeok!

“Kwaek!”

They were all knights hardened by wars that had raged for more than a decade within the Holy Empire—men whose names alone would make great nobles spend lavishly to recruit them.

Yet before me, that renown meant nothing.

With every clash.

With every exchange.

I advanced, swinging my sword like a madman.

Two or five did not matter.

No—perhaps a hundred, perhaps a thousand would not matter either.

At least within the reach of my blade, numbers became meaningless.

The shield techniques handed down as secret traditions for generations, the famed defensive swordsmanship said to deflect even an ogre’s strike, armor and shields imbued with magical mystery—

Everything was being crushed to pieces before me, blessed by God.

“Wh-what kind of knight is this…?”

“This cannot… be…”

The Emperor’s knights were horrified. Where could such an impossible, godlike knight have come from?

It was destructive power that seemed as though it must be God—or else the borrowed strength of a devil.

And as far as they knew, there was only one being who possessed such power.

Namely—

“D-do not tell me…?!”

“He really disguised himself and came out?!”

At the knights’ terrified cries, I lifted my sword high, as if answering them.

-Jjaeaeng!

At the same time, as if on cue, the holy sword caught the sunlight and flashed.

A pure white radiance so bright it hurt the eyes.

The knights saw it and screamed in panic.

“It is the Margrave of Bellua!”

“He is the miracle knight beloved by God! He is here—!”

Strength that could hardly be called human.

A sword soaked in sacred light.

No matter who saw it, the famed blade of the Holy See—the sacred guardian, the miracle knight they had already faced once.

It was the Margrave of Bellua.

“Uh… uaaah…?”

The battlefield’s motion froze.

Knights and nobles.

Even the lowest soldiers.

All of them stared, eyes rolling, rigid with shock at what had unfolded. The pressure of his fame, and the memory of the last battle, plunged everyone into fear.

And now he was even radiating sacred light(?) and looking down upon them with lofty calm.

He looked like a judge from the Scriptures.

“What are you doing?! Get a hold of yourselves!”

Then, the first to snap back to his senses was Count Steffen, watching from above.

“Press forward at once! He is only one man! No matter how beloved by God he is, he is still human. He will tire eventually!”

He did not know why that madman was hiding his identity and rampaging, but if he thought of it another way, it was the perfect chance.

A chance to seize the most dangerous and threatening commander.

“No—forget that! I will go myself! Follow me. Push through at once and seize him!”

So Count Steffen threw aside empty honor and charged forward, leading his knights.

A supreme commander taking the lead was certainly dangerous, but it seemed the only way to make the hesitant knights and soldiers obey.

“Ah?!”

At that, Magician Agpiel, who had been staring blankly at the “miracle,” cried out in alarm.

“Now. Now, run! Protect your lord! You must protect the Margrave of Bellua! Hurry!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

At his shout, those in the Margrave of Bellua’s camp snapped out of it as well.

There was no time for this.

They had to rush out and save their lord at once.

-Waaaaaah-!

-Uaaah! Let us get there first! Kill the Margrave of Bellua!

-We cannot fall behind those honorless bastards! Run now! Kkiyooooot!

It was the moment both armies began charging toward the center, without order or discipline, in blind haste.

“These lunatics…”

Watching both armies rush toward me, I let out a hollow laugh.

“What in the world is this supposed to be?”

At this rate, even if I wanted to turn and run, I could not escape easily.

I might even be trampled and crushed by my own densely charging allies.

Whether I liked it or not, I would have to stand firm and fight here.

Calmly finishing that thought, I seized one Holy Empire knight—still not fully recovered from shock—by the arm.

-Kwak!

“Uh?”

The knight staggered, unable to resist at all, flailing as he was lifted into the air. I raised him up, as though I meant to throw him.

The enemy soldiers all stared in disbelief.

“What is he trying to do?”

Was he going to throw that knight like a stone?

With the monstrous strength they had witnessed, it seemed possible…

And that “surely not” was exactly right.

“?!?!?”

-Buuuung-!

A fully armored knight flew through the air with a heavy sound.

With only one hand.

-Udangtangtang.

A massive body that had to weigh well over a hundred kilograms crashed down on the soldiers.

Those soldiers were struck and sent rolling across the ground.

In an instant, a large hole opened in the tightly packed formation.

“Chahat!”

I did not miss the gap and drove my horse straight into it. If they were packed too tightly, there would be no room to swing a weapon.

I needed space.

And at the same time, I was already swinging the war hammer I had taken from the enemy.

-Sswaeaeaeak!

-Kwadeuk!

-Kwaddeudeuk!

Each time the war hammer moved, a murderous tearing shriek filled the air, and skulls were crushed.

Armor had already been meaningless against my sword. Against a heavier war hammer, there was nothing more to say.

“Die, you mon—!”

-KWANG!

“This will be your grave—!”

-Kwajik!

“????”

-Kwaddeuk. Kwak. Kwajikkeun!

The knights who surged in behind me to seize me had their heads shattered and collapsed before they could even finish their sentences.

All who came became corpses.

I was destruction itself—made flesh.

“Th-this is a pointless death!”

A rear-rank soldier, who had now become the front line, screamed. The courage from moments ago was gone, replaced by the terror of a child.

“Run!”

Even as their comrades behind pushed forward, they turned and crushed one another underfoot in their panic.

The Holy Empire’s imperial army under Count Steffen began collapsing from within.

The problem was that this fear did not belong to the enemy alone.

“Y-your Excellency!”

“Please come to your senses. We are your knights who came to support you!”

The elf knights who arrived first saw the blood-soaked butcher and cried out in terror.

It seemed as though that brutal war hammer would swing toward their own heads at any moment.

To them, I looked like nothing but a man driven mad by battle frenzy.

“…I am in my right mind.”

“Huh?”

“……”

“……”

To me, it was an absurd misunderstanding, and it stung all the more for it.