Chapter 316
On the way to the Central Church and the Darek Union, the vast Tozkam Plain stretches out.
At first glance, it looks like the horizon. The low mountain range in the distance resembles an island.
The summer’s vibrant green Tozkam Plain has turned yellow in the autumn.
BooOOoo—!
The vanguard of the Goddess Church stomped across the land, advancing.
They didn’t hide their presence. After all, there was no way to conceal such a massive army, and they warned others by blowing their gigantic bugles.
Hearing the booming footsteps of the army that rattled the ground, the wild beasts hurriedly took cover.
They were truly a horde of monsters.
Hundreds of colossal figures stand over 20 meters tall.
The entities flying through the sky, scouting the area, number over three thousand.
The ordinary Altife, covered in muscle, were so numerous that they couldn’t be taken in at a glance.
However, the most threatening of all was the moving huge fortress.
The nest, with a naturally impossible appearance, charged forward, tearing up the earth.
The vanguard consisted of three Moving Nests.
Each one was so large it made the 20-meter giants look like toddlers.
“…Is it really possible to win against such monsters?”
Gathered to protect humanity, one of the soldiers from the Allied Forces unconsciously murmured.
Even though there was still some distance, the overwhelming number that filled the Tozkam Plain with a red wave seemed to drain the strength from his legs.
“Shut up. What nonsense are you spouting?”
A fellow soldier smacked the back of his friend’s head for his weak words.
As mercenaries, they had been veterans of the Hunter life for a long time.
“Hey, when have we ever lived comfortably? Even while crawling out of dungeons to make money, we had to protect ourselves from those damn hunter bastards’ rampages.”
“…True. Among those eating from this profession, there are plenty without any sense of ethics.”
“Exactly. It wasn’t strange to wake up the next day unable to see. But now, you’re whining? I’ve been scrapping for my life harder than those monster freaks, yet we still don’t even have a decent house to call ours in reality, and that’s scarier.”
“Our reality, with nothing to hold onto, is even scarier.”
“Haha… Well, whether it’s Altife or monsters, we could at least beat them to a pulp. But this damn poverty? You can’t punch it into submission.”
The soldier chuckled wryly, agreeing with his comrade’s words.
As the tension eased slightly, the fellow soldier glanced at Altife’s army and continued speaking.
“We just have to survive. We need to take them all down and claim victory. Even if we just get back alive, the Central Church will reward us handsomely. That should be enough to live worry-free for a year.”
Even though he had lived a life akin to a muck heap until now, if humanity lost, they wouldn’t even enjoy that reward.
His comrade said this, gripping his sword and shield tightly.
“It’s either a bust or a big haul. Since we’ve come this far, we must be resolute and gamble our lives. What can we do?”
“You’re right.”
“And no matter how many they have, we have the Heroes and ‘the Hero’ on our side. Even the sky doesn’t know how this game will turn out.”
They turned their gaze toward the man known as the Hero.
Hero Helion, commander of the Allied Forces’ front line.
He surveyed Altife’s massive army, unflinching and calmly devising a strategy.
As he fiddled with a foreboding black bracelet that emanated ominous energy, he contemplated his next move to take control of the situation.
“Helion.”
Swordsman Kshanoll approached the contemplative Helion.
Kshanoll had finished assessing the opposing forces and was awaiting orders.
“…Still, we met sooner than I expected.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. By the way, Kshanoll, I’d like to have a brief conversation with the enemy commander. Can you take care of boosting the soldiers’ morale?”
“The enemy’s… Understood.”
Kshanoll nodded, knowing who the man approaching from the enemy ranks was, and accepted the order.
Helion expressed his gratitude and slowly moved forward.
Chit, zzz—.
Helion attempted to connect with the approaching opponent using mana as a frequency.
Since the opponent must accept the mana and translate the signal, they could refuse, but Helion was confident they wouldn’t turn him down.
Zzzz—.
Eventually, as he anticipated, the line of mana connected, and Helion opened his mouth with a faint smile.
—It’s been a while, Vargan.
The commander leading the enemy vanguard, seated next to the Executor, was none other than Vargan.
Addressing the man bearing the title of humanity’s traitor, Helion called him “student,” just as he had before.
—Helion, I didn’t expect you to request a dialogue like this… You truly transcend my expectations every time.
—It’s been a long time since I’ve had a proper face-to-face chat with my former student. How have you been all this time?
—…Some things really haven’t changed with you, have they?
Vargan chuckled softly.
Despite being on the verge of a duel, the two engaged in a relaxed conversation.
They had a relaxed conversation.
If you only listened to the dialogue, you’d think it was just a casual chat between a long-separated master and his student.
However, their current positions were completely different from the past.
—So, are you even considering surrendering?
—Of course not. If we surrender, the Central Church will be surrounded by the Altifes.
—Is it really impossible, even for your one and only student’s request?
—It’s not possible. Plus, it’s not just one, but two. The Vargan student previously asked me to take the Alicia student as my disciple.
—I didn’t think you would truly accept it, though.
—Hmm. Should we go with that, then?
As the topic shifted to Alicia, Helion mentioned her talent and effort.
In the last four years, how she had endured bone-crushing pain to grow so quickly and so high.
Just how proud Helion was of her… and so on.
—Ah, so you contacted me just to brag about Alicia, huh?
—Sorry about that. That wasn’t my intention, but I just felt a bit sad thinking how great it would have been if Alicia were here.
—……
Vargan maintained a moment of silence.
It was trivial compared to the street, but he asked Helion, who was stepping closer one step at a time.
—Has the hesitation that dwelled in Alicia’s sword completely vanished now?
—Hmm, let’s see. She hasn’t fully opened her heart to me, you see. But… I can share this much.
“Uoooaahhh—!”
In the midst of the conversation, soldier shouts erupted from behind Helion.
Feeling like they could touch the sky, they charged up with spirits, banging their shields and striking the ground with spears and swords to ignite their will even more.
Thud! Thud!
As the earth and air filled with the soldiers’ momentum, Helion continued speaking.
—Even if your opponent is the Vargan student, she won’t stop wielding her sword.
To this, Vargan smiled and replied.
—That’s a good thing, then.
In the four years since Vargan had left, Alicia had also grown and changed.
Helion believed that Alicia would break free from Vargan’s hold and stab her sword into his heart.
That level of determination and sincerity had embedded itself in her eyes and heart.
—But you know, Vargan student. I have one last proposal.
—Ah, so we’re finally getting to the main point. Very well. I won’t say whether I’ll accept it or not just yet, but go ahead and lay it out.
Although Helion hadn’t made any proposal yet, Vargan had stepped forward, separated from the troops.
It was as if they both knew what the other was about to say. The distance between the two, still far apart, began to close little by little.
—Vargan student. Do you remember the lessons I gave you five years ago at the Central Church?
—How could I forget? I’ve never been hit that much in my life; there’s no way I could erase that from my memory.
—Then, do you remember the conditions for victory that I mentioned back then?
Those days when Helion trained him with real combat…
The Days Gone By.
He spoke to Vargan.
—If Vargan hurts me even a little, I win. If not, I lose. That was the rule.
A very simple rule.
In fact, Helion had the penalty of using only one type of magic.
—…I remember it vividly. Despite such conditions, I was utterly beaten until the day before it all turned around.
—On the last day, I got caught in the flames of corruption. But you know what? I actually let myself get hit on purpose to save the depressed Vargan.
—They say those who forget the past have no future. No matter how humiliating it was, to try to change it as you please… It’s disappointing, Helion.
—Haha, not wrong. But it’s not exactly a lie either. As I said back then, curiously enough, my main magic is the exact counter to Vargan’s.
—…….
Helion’s main magic is Holy Magic.
Vargan’s specialty is Curse Magic, which is uniquely weak against Holy Magic.
Helion pointed that out.
—Isn’t it fascinating? It’s as if the one true God Yggdrasil has given me a divine mandate to stop Vargan.
—Unfortunately, as a believer in the Goddess, I don’t pay attention to the words of such a tree.
—You used to say you were agnostic, and now you’re a believer?
—I’ve shed my ignorant past and finally attained enlightenment.
With an overly deliberate tone, Helion chuckled softly.
—Anyway, I suppose you get what I’m trying to say, and why I’m moving ahead alone. Right?
—Yes, I understand well. It sounds like a decent proposal. It would make a perfect signal to announce the grand war. Is the rule the same as five years ago?
—I’d like that, but I don’t think I can just let it slide this time.
—That is truly both an honor and a pity.
Without needing to say more, the two of them quickened their pace.
In the thick mana, their bodies were clad in garments made of familiars.
Summoning Magic.
Mana surged vigorously, and each Judgment Weapon seemed ready to drain its wielder’s soul.
The ‘Ring of Glory’ awarded by Beled.
The relic shimmering on Vargan’s wrist, along with the ‘Essence of Life’ already emitting a rich aroma, amplified Vargan’s power even further.
As if forgetting the sense of space, the distance between the two was quickly closing.
Roars echoed, following behind them, a massive army.
Bwooouuu—!
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
In the vast expanse of the Tozgam Plains, the two forces were about to clash.
At the center, the commanders of both sides seemed ready to collide faster than anyone else.
They were risking their lives.
—Vargan, this is your last lesson.
Kwaaaan—!!
The mana of the two clashing.
The two smiling figures unleashed their full power.
—With the skills you’ve honed all this time, try to take me down.
