NOVEL NEXT Chapter 173
Chapter 173. The Cauldron of Hell
—
I ran with all my might, charging towards the walls of Fort Four.
It was about 300 steps from the makeshift encampment to the fort. Halfway along, there was a barrier created by [Mythical Reenactment], a curtain of light resembling the aurora.
“I’ve seen that before. It’s an annoying barrier that repels curses and arrows,” Kuvirtar explained calmly while running.
“For us demon races, night elves, and demons, passing through that barrier will slow us down significantly due to the strong resistance. We need to be wary of snipers taking advantage of any openings.”
He glanced at me briefly, suggesting he had more to say.
“[No Thrusting Allowed]”
I cast the restraining magic in preparation for the arrows.
“Perfect. Let’s go.”
The veil of light loomed ahead. On the other side, beastman soldiers were trying to climb the wall or throw ropes over, while large-armored demon soldiers floated in the air, directly charging in.
I…
Touched the shining veil.
I felt an intense resistance that rejected my very existence. It was like trying to push through a thick jelly, or like being grabbed and pulled by countless tiny hands—a truly unpleasant sensation.
Is this what it feels like to touch something dark? If I transformed into a human, would I slip through as easily as the beastmen? No, I’d probably die before that could happen.
Phew! A whistling sound sliced through the air.
An arrow was shot from above the fort.
A powerful magical attack—however, because it got trapped by the restraining magic, it lost momentum rapidly.
It struck the chainmail of the Seire Knight who was ahead of me with a thud, and he let out a “Ugh!”
“It’s an arrow from a forest elf. Thanks to you, Your Highness, or it would have pierced my heart.”
“Better keep your eyes up,” Kuvirtar said playfully as the frightened Seire readied his spear, moving cautiously.
I shook off the clinging barrier and successfully entered.
“Ohhh!”
“Die!!!”
“Death to the dark ones!!”
Instantly, the chaotic sounds of battle surged toward us. From the castle rampart, which must have been three times the height of an adult, came the clang of swords and the fierce sounds of flesh meeting flesh in a relentless struggle. It seemed the front-line beastman soldiers had already boarded.
Looking up again, I made eye contact with a forest elf drawing a bow from a watchtower.
They were so good-looking that I couldn’t tell their gender. With a serious expression, they were chanting some sort of spell—a powerful arrow imbued with wind magic was next shot at me.
This was the wind-guided arrow that forest elves specialized in, guaranteed to hit. Yet the more thrusting power it gathered, the more the [Restriction] resistance grew. The once potent arrow soon became feeble, and I easily swatted it away.
With the forest elf archer present, the beastman soldiers were likely conserving their strength. And upon closer inspection, I found several night elf hunters sprawled on the ground, all shot through the forehead.
…But, at this power level, I should be fine taking it with armor.
Or could they still muster more strength?
The forest elf archer bit their lip in frustration, retracting their head. Had they realized wasting arrows was futile and were now looking for a new target, or did they intend to catch me off guard with an enormous strike?
In any case, if I was going to climb the wall, now is the chance!
“How do we get up this wall?”
While the demon soldiers defied gravity and the beastman soldiers climbed using the wall’s irregularities, we weren’t that nimble.
“Normally, the beastman soldiers would set up a rope ladder or something like that for us to use…”
While showing a few ropes hanging down from the ramparts, Kuvirtar said, “But with a member of the Corvto bloodline present, things are different.”
With a thud, I stomped the ground, infusing it with magic. [Stone Manipulation]—Numerous stone pillars erupted from the earth, connecting together to form something resembling a bridge or stairs.
“…Impressive.”
I couldn’t help but praise from the bottom of my heart.
“Thank you. However, since it’s imbued with dark magic, it won’t last long within this barrier.”
As Kuvirtar spoke, grass and flowers began sprouting on the makeshift stairs. They grew rapidly, blossomed, withered, and sprouted again—going through generations while slowly eroding the stone.
“You all, go ahead.”
“No, that’s fine. I’ll go first.”
I ignored Kuvirtar’s instructions to the three fools and stepped onto the stairs.
“This is my first battle. Let me have this moment as a commemoration.”
Disregarding Kuvirtar’s bewildered expression, I dashed up. —There were allied forces above. They were still fighting against the beastman soldiers and demon soldiers.
Let the three fools earn glory? Not a chance.
If I’m going to kill, I’ll do it myself.
I finished the climb two steps at a time, and everywhere I looked, human soldiers, beastman soldiers, and demon soldiers were locked in fierce combat. The rampart was only five steps wide, cramped with bodies and soldiers piled in blood.
Even as I stood there, more beastman soldiers and demon soldiers continued to infiltrate, diving off the rampart as they jumped into the chaotic melee below.
That smell. —Ah, it was metallic and vivid—the scent of the battlefield.
And at the moment I revealed myself, the air seemed to freeze.
“…The demon race has come—!”
Someone shouted, and hundreds of gazes focused on me. The beastman soldiers looked as if they wanted to say “Finally!” while the faces of the allied soldiers were filled with hatred and resentment.
“Kill him—!”
“Death to the dark ones!”
“[May the foul curse avoid us!]”
Rather than faltering, the soldiers rallied their fighting spirit and killing intent, huddling together to thrust their shields forward and readying their swords.
The beastman soldiers, individually stronger, found themselves unable to penetrate the coordination of shields and swords that were now thrusting at them, gradually being brought down—
Impressive. Wonderful soldiers. Their training and morale were unquestionably top-notch.
For just a fleeting moment, I allowed myself to indulge in the luxury of admiring them.
And then…
I gathered my magical power.
A world of new laws centered around me—
“—[No Coordination Allowed]”
It was established.
At that moment, the movements of the soldiers, which had been functioning like a single organism, visibly slowed.
“Wha…!”
“What is it?!”
“The shield…!”
Their rhythm was off. Gaps appeared in the shields. Their offense and defense fell apart. Shoulders bumped against each other, feet trampled. When they tried to retreat, they were pushed from behind, and when they attempted to push forward, their neighbor got in the way.
It was as if smoothly running gears had been jammed with multiple pegs, causing the movements of the human soldiers to become shaky and awkward.
They must have also cast wards against magic.
They had surely received the blessings of the priests.
Yet, my powerful magic easily penetrated their magical resistance.
“Impossible!”
“Gap!”
“Die!”
“Guagh!”
Beastman soldiers didn’t waste the opportunity. Several soldiers fell with their necks sliced by a single surgically precise strike through the shield openings, blood spraying as they collapsed. The open holes tried to get filled by multiple soldiers, but they failed, and a large demon soldier brandishing a big axe charged in, wreaking havoc and widening the wounds—
—I won’t let that happen.
“That is—”
I too leapt from the rampart and sprinted to join the fray.
“—That’s mine!”
I shoved the beastman soldiers aside and leaped to the frontline—
Face to face with the soldiers.
Covered in blood and sweat, their eyes wide open, teeth gritted, brows furrowed—
The trained warriors were yet determined to respond to the enemy, even as they were trampled by the cruel curse—
They immediately sensed it and attempted to deal with the enemy using their individual strengths—
Flawless heroes.
—I will apologize later to the point of death.
—Honestly, I’ll even apologize after dying.
—But for now, at this moment.
With a savage grin plastered on my face, I raised my sword spear, the slumbering holy sword, high.
“[Wither Your Arms!]”
Dark magic cascaded and swept away the shields held up by the soldiers.
They couldn’t withstand it and began to drop their shields one after another.
And with the returning blade—
“—May you become my feast!”
A swift strike.
An indescribably unpleasant feeling crawled up my hand as I cleaved through flesh and bone again and again.
The soldiers, divided at the torso and neck, fell one after another—dead.
The remnants of their lives, blood spurting from the wounds of their corpses, splattered onto my face.
“…Hahahahaha!”
I laughed maniacally, just like a brutal, merciless prince of the demon race.
As I wiped away the blood splattering to my eyes, resembling tears—
I swung my sword with reckless abandon.