Chapter 523
I Came to Save You. (1)
“What’s your name?”
The one clad in silver armor spoke.
The ‘Master of the Dead,’ who was deeply shrouded in a tattered gray robe, responded.
“You are worthy of hearing my name. I am Helgenik.”
“I see. I am Aiden, an Enforcer of the Salvation Church.”
Around the two, countless corpses were piled up.
The corpses were in various states—some long decomposed, others appearing freshly slain.
Among them were bodies of knights clad in silver armor, as well as a significant number of corpses that looked like bandits.
This gruesome scene had unfolded as Aiden’s forces clashed with the undead summoned by Helgenik.
Strictly speaking, Aiden was at a disadvantage. A significant portion of his troops had perished.
“This is why necromancers are such a hassle to deal with. It’s hard to have a proper battle against them.”
A necromancer’s undead army never tires and can fight endlessly.
For Helgenik, there was no need to engage Aiden in a one-on-one battle. He merely had to continue summoning more undead until Aiden’s mana was exhausted.
Aiden ran his fingers through his disheveled hair before speaking again.
“You made me waste too much time. At this rate, the church will start doubting my abilities.”
“Hm… So, are you asking me to let you win? Because I still have plenty of fight left in me.”
Helgenik still had a considerable amount of mana left.
Of course, Aiden was in a better condition. He was well aware of how necromancers fought, so he had used his subordinates to conserve his own strength.
That was his usual tactic—wearing down the enemy with his forces and finishing them off when they were exhausted.
That way, he could claim victory without suffering any losses himself.
However, Helgenik was the worst possible matchup for Aiden. He had already lost enough soldiers to get an earful from the church. His opponent’s strength far exceeded his expectations.
Aiden examined his sword, turning it this way and that, before speaking.
“Continuing this fight would be too much of a loss… No wonder you’ve built such a fearsome reputation at the edge of the continent.”
If Helgenik continued summoning undead and then fled, things would become even more troublesome. Aiden hesitated for a moment.
‘That’s it.’
There was one way to turn things around—to recover his losses and solidify his standing.
With a dazzling smile, Aiden spoke.
“Hey, how about joining forces with us?”
“Hm.”
Helgenik crossed his arms. What a ridiculous man. To offer an alliance to someone who had just slaughtered so many of his own men…
But he was sincere. It was painfully obvious that this man only cared about his own reputation—his hypocrisy was on full display.
From within the shadow of his hood, Helgenik smirked in amusement.
“What can you offer me?”
“I heard you’ve been capturing our priests for your experiments. With your skills, I can offer you a priest or two. And if you need ordinary humans, I can get you as many as you want.”
At Aiden’s proposal, Helgenik couldn’t help but laugh.
“Ku-ku-ku…”
Even if priests weren’t as powerful as full-fledged superhumans, offering them as test subjects was beyond twisted. This man was truly deranged.
Helgenik found the offer appealing. If he allied with the Salvation Church, which was currently sweeping across the continent, life would become much easier for him.
It had been rather troublesome to personally collect corpses and experimental materials.
“Can I also study the rifts? I’m curious about how they are created.”
He added another condition as if it had just crossed his mind.
The creatures emerging from the rifts were clearly not of this world, and that piqued his curiosity.
Aiden nodded readily.
“That won’t be a problem.”
“Good… What do you want me to do in return?”
“Wipe out the ones who stand in our way. Someone like you would be a great asset.”
“That’s not much different from what I usually do.”
Helgenik smiled at Aiden. Killing people had always been part of his routine.
But thinking about it made him curious. He killed people to create minions and further his research. Yet he couldn’t quite grasp these people’s motives.
“Why do you kill people? What’s your purpose?”
Aiden responded with a nonchalant expression.
“Oh, nothing much. The church says we’re reviving our god and creating a new world. Apparently, the true ruler of this world isn’t us.”
“Ku-ku-ku…”
They claimed to be building a new world, yet they sacrificed humans and summoned monsters. Helgenik might not have been sane himself, but these people were on an entirely different level of madness.
“As I thought, you lot aren’t a normal religion.”
Helgenik found it to be an utterly trivial reason. It was no different from the heretical cults that had appeared countless times before. The only noteworthy aspect was that they seemed to possess some mysterious knowledge, given their ability to open rifts—but that was all.
Aiden laughed at Helgenik’s reaction.
“Ridiculous, isn’t it? Fanatics are always like that. But I don’t follow them for such petty reasons.”
“Then what is it?”
“What else? Do you need a reason to conquer the world? We can become the rulers of this world and be worshiped forever. What more reason do you need?”
“Kuk kuk kuk…”
Helgenik chuckled again. The more he observed this man, the more he saw someone completely driven by desire.
Inside his shadow-cloaked robe, he licked his lips.
‘He looks delicious.’
Devouring a soul so deeply corrupted would bring an immense sense of satisfaction. It was just a shame that the man was much stronger than he appeared, making him difficult to consume.
Still, traveling alongside him promised to be entertaining.
“Fine. What’s the next move?”
“The Ritania Kingdom is currently in the midst of a civil war. We need to take control of it first. Our target is Count Fenris.”
“Count Fenris…”
“The Revolutionary Group has also agreed to join us. You’ve killed plenty of their people, but… as long as you cooperate, there won’t be any issues.”
“The Revolutionary Group, huh…”
Helgenik was well aware of them—a gathering of those who sought to upend the world.
The corpses littering the battlefield, clad in ragged clothes and armed with whatever they could scavenge, had been members of the Revolutionary Group.
The Salvation Church had risen much faster than anticipated, suddenly surging in power, which led to widespread resistance. In the chaos, Helgenik had indiscriminately slaughtered people—including priests of the Salvation Church.
Aiden’s mission had originally been to recruit the Revolutionary Group to bolster their forces and then eliminate Helgenik on his way back.
Somehow, though, instead of eliminating him, they had ended up recruiting him instead.
“Well, this is shaping up nicely.”
With two forces seeking to overthrow the world joining hands, the continent would be thrown into even greater turmoil.
Helgenik decided to align himself with the Salvation Church for now. The more havoc they wreaked, the better it was for him.
After all, he was a necromancer—one who thrived on the despair and terror of the living.
—
The Ritania Kingdom had completed its war preparations under Ghislain’s command.
At first, there had been much debate about which front to support first. But as the kingdom’s Supreme Commander, Ghislain quickly put an end to the discussion.
“We start with the closest and most urgent battle. We’ll have to deal with everything eventually. Our first target is the Kingdom of Seiron.”
It was partly because Seiron bordered Ritania, but there was another reason as well.
“Our administrators need to live without fear, don’t they?”
Many of the officials serving in Fenris’s territory were graduates of the Seiron Academy.
While most of their families had moved to Fenris, many still remained in Seiron. The administrators had numerous relatives and friends still residing there.
Of course, as soon as the Rift Crisis began, Ghislain had dispatched troops to help them evacuate.
But even if they had survived, losing their homeland would be a devastating blow.
Ghislain glanced at Claude.
‘Tsk tsk… This is why I told you to come along from the start.’
Since deciding to head to the Kingdom of Seiron, Claude had been restless.
He had sent people to search for his former lover, Anna, several times, but to no avail.
With the entire kingdom in ruins, there was no way to know where she had fled.
‘The country was too small to put up any real resistance.’
The Kingdom of Seiron was a minor state, incapable of holding back the rifts. All of its forces had concentrated around the capital, barely managing to defend it. It wouldn’t have been surprising if it had collapsed long ago.
The only reason it had lasted this long was because it bordered Ritania. The Salvation Church had focused their attention on Ritania, merely opening rifts in Seiron and leaving them unchecked.
They saw no need to deal with Seiron directly—it was weak enough to fall apart on its own.
“Alright, let’s move quickly.”
As always, Ghislain led the Mobile Corps and a group of mages ahead of the main force. The newly reorganized 100,000-strong Northern Army followed closely behind.
The coalition forces that had fought in the civil war were dispatched to aid other kingdoms. Even the Raypold Army, under Amelia’s command, had left for another front.
Upon entering the Kingdom of Seiron, Ghislain was greeted only by abandoned cities and empty villages.
“This is bad.”
Seiron was so small that only three rifts had opened. Yet, the kingdom hadn’t been able to hold out against them, and the entire population had fled toward the capital.
The blue mist emanating from the rifts was steadily expanding, leaving them with no other choice.
Ghislain clicked his tongue as he surveyed the surrounding areas.
“They didn’t even try to fight back. What the hell?”
Even killing Riftspawns could slow the spread of the rifts considerably. Riftspawns had to be continuously reinforced from the other side, and that required the power of Equidema.
If the Riftspawns population was thinned out, Equidema would have to focus all its energy on expansion, leaving it vulnerable.
But by abandoning the battlefield, Seiron had allowed the rifts to grow unchecked. Now, the mere three rifts had swelled enough to engulf the entire kingdom.
“Break through the path to the capital! Move out!”
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Ghislain and the Mobile Corps charged directly into the mist-covered roads leading to the capital.
Unlike before, they didn’t bother forming tight formations and slowly pushing forward. The Northern Army had become far too powerful for that approach.
Kaaahhh!
The moment they stepped into the rift’s territory, waves of Riftspawns surged toward them like a tidal wave. Having accumulated over time, their numbers were overwhelming.
First to strike were Vanessa and the mages, unleashing a barrage of spells. Behind her stood six 6th-Circle mages and twenty 5th-Circle mages.
“Chain Lightning.”
Crackle!
Bolts of lightning shot out in all directions from Vanessa’s outstretched hands. Immediately after, storms conjured by the mages raged wildly, while pillars of fire erupted across the battlefield.
Boom! Boom! Booooom!
Kaaaaahhh!
The Riftspawns, mindlessly charging forward, were obliterated before they could even get close. The immense area-of-effect magic swept them away mercilessly.
But even with such powerful spells, it was impossible to take down the Riftspawns solely through magic. If the rift had expanded this much, at least a million of them had already gathered.
Kaaaahhh! Kaaaahhh!
Even after losing tens of thousands of their kin in an instant, the Riftspawns did not stop advancing. The mages poured out their mana without holding back, continuing to cast their spells.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The 7th-Circle Mage, along with the 5th- and 6th-Circle Mages, kept up their relentless assault against the swarming Riftspawns.
By the time their mana was nearly exhausted, half of the Riftspawns had been wiped out.
Thud!
As the mages retreated, Parniel stepped forward, a savage grin stretching across her face.
“Good.”
The Riftspawns had no tactics—they simply overwhelmed with sheer numbers.
If there was ever an enemy to fight without thought, this was it. And as the Holy Maiden of War, it was her duty to annihilate them.
Boooom!
Parniel fearlessly charged into the midst of the Riftspawns. The radiant divine power emanating from her body incinerated the creatures on contact.
Kaaaahhh!
Even the Riftspawns, who seemed incapable of feeling pain, writhed and twisted as they neared her. The moment they touched her, they burned away, releasing plumes of black smoke.
There was a reason Parniel took the lead. All the Riftspawns’s attention naturally fixated on her, drawn to the overwhelming divine power she radiated.
“Alright, let’s go!”
Ghislain shouted as he sprinted forward, with Gillian and Tennant following close behind. Belinda remained behind to protect the mages and priests.
And as always, Kaor followed, cursing under his breath with a scowl.
‘Damn it, why won’t my Aura Blade activate?’
A large-scale slaughter like this was rare. He wanted to go wild, but for some reason, his Aura Blade wasn’t manifesting.
Dududududu!
The Fenris Mobile Corps surged forward behind Ghislain, gripping their spears tightly as they charged at the Riftspawns.
Boooom!
The Riftspawns swarming around Parniel were obliterated in an instant. The charge of the superhumans and twenty thousand cavalry was no different from the area-of-effect magic the mages had unleashed.
“Goddess, grant us your blessing!”
From the rear, Piote and the priests poured their divine blessings upon the knights leading the charge.
Kaaaahhh!
Holy energy radiated in all directions. The Riftspawns burned away before they could even put up a fight.
The Mobile Corps seized the opportunity and pressed forward relentlessly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Kaaaahhh!
The Riftspawns were helpless against the assault. Their overwhelming numbers meant nothing—they only managed to delay the inevitable by mere moments.
No army on the continent could display such overwhelming power against the Rift.
“We’ll push straight through to the Equidema!”
“Waaaaahhh!”
At Ghislain’s command, the Mobile Corps roared in unison, crushing the Riftspawns underfoot.
While they fought on, the Seiron army stationed near the capital’s defensive line remained oblivious to the arrival of reinforcements, consumed by their own worries.
“There’s nowhere left to run.”
“Damn it, what are the nobles even doing?”
“Shh, quiet! If they hear you, we’re screwed.”
The soldiers couldn’t even voice their complaints freely. With morale deteriorating, the higher-ups took out their frustrations on the lower ranks.
Though they claimed it was to maintain discipline, every soldier knew it was just pointless abuse.
“If they’re going to treat us like this, they should at least feed us properly.”
“I can barely stand from hunger.”
“Damn bastards… should we just run away too?”
With the entire kingdom in ruins, food production had collapsed. The capital and its surroundings were overflowing with starving soldiers and refugees.
And yet, the nobles continued to eat well from their private stockpiles. Worse still, those nobles were considered the loyal ones—most of the others had already fled the country with their wealth.
That was how dire the Seiron Kingdom’s situation had become. The only thing they could do was hold their ground near the capital and endure.
As the soldiers clutched their empty stomachs and muttered complaints, the ground suddenly trembled.
Dududududu!
From within the vast expanse of Blue Mist, the sound of galloping hooves echoed. The soldiers on guard duty shouted in alarm.
“S-Something’s coming!”
The soldiers hastily scrambled into formation. They didn’t even think to investigate first. They simply didn’t have the courage.
Instead, they fired their catapults without hesitation.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Stones were hurled into the Blue Mist. They had no idea where the enemy was, but fear drove them to attack blindly.
But—before the stones could even enter the mist, they shattered midair.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“W-What the hell is that?!”
Something emerged from the mist, effortlessly destroying the incoming projectiles. The soldiers panicked, their fear pushing them into chaos.
“D-Don’t be scared! Keep firing! Just keep firing!”
The officers, equally clueless, resorted to giving orders out of sheer desperation—all while subtly preparing to flee.
At that moment, a powerful voice rang out from within the Blue Mist.
“Stop firing! We’ve come to help you!”
“T-The monster speaks?!”
Thrown into further confusion, the soldiers fired their catapults even more frantically. But once again, every single projectile was obliterated mid-flight.
“I said stop!”
With a furious shout, something crashed down from the sky.
Flash!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The catapults were demolished one by one. The soldiers were paralyzed with fear.
“A-Aaahhh! Now they’re attacking from a distance!”
“Run for it!”
“This kingdom is finished!”
The soldiers screamed as they tossed aside their weapons, preparing to flee.
Then—
Swoosh!
A military force cut through the Blue Mist, revealing themselves.
The sight of fellow humans caused the soldiers’ legs to give out in relief.
A man atop a black horse stood at the forefront of the approaching army. The Seiron officers gathered their wits and called out.
“W-Who are you?!”
Ghislain, holding his spear at an angle, grinned.
“I am the Duke of Fenris from the Kingdom of Ritania.”
“We’re here to save you.”
The Seiron soldiers stared in stunned disbelief. They had never imagined hearing such words.