Ch. 151
How the Cult Saves the WorldThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
Notes
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This chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
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Just 12 more to go!
My mouth fell open at the sight of the five rifts that had appeared in the sky above the territory without me realising it.
"Of all the possibilities...!"
The five rifts were even scattered in different locations. One each had appeared east, west, south, and north. while another had emerged in the center.
Monsters began pouring out from the cracks in the rifts. I clenched my fist tightly.
'Damn it. Rizes's really made up his mind.'
The monsters emerging from the rifts were all of intermediate rank---there wasn't a single lower-ranked one in sight. If there was any silver lining, it was that the Children of the Demon God, classified as high-ranked, had yet to appear.
'No, wait. Is it really right to call this a silver lining?'
After that, the intermediate-ranked monsters fell straight in the direction where each rift had formed. Some of them had wings, while others resembled orcs but were as massive as a house.
Drip, drop---
With the appearance of the monsters, rain began to fall from the darkened sky. What started as just a few drops quickly turned into a downpour, hammering the ground below.
I quickly took out my mace from my inventory.
Fortunately, most of the intermediate-ranked monsters falling from the central rift were obliterated by the protective barriers of Rovel and Elwin, from the Administrator's Protection.
However, in the other half of Elwin, which was outside the barrier's range, the surviving monsters began to run rampant.
'I guess I can't just sit still.'
I had planned to observe the situation from the clock tower until the Children of the Demon God appeared, but with intermediate-ranked monsters pouring out of the rifts, I couldn't afford to stay idle.
I quickly left the clock tower.
***
At the same time...
Chester, who had been observing the situation from the eastern city tower, immediately spoke to the knight beside him.
"I will go deal with the intermediate-ranked monsters right away."
Without waiting for the knight's response, he leaped from the tower. At the same time, he drew the pure white sword hanging at his waist.
Thud, thud---
Three intermediate-ranked monsters appeared before Chester.
They had black skin and looked no different from orcs. However, their massive bodies were as large as the surrounding buildings, and any unnecessary provocation would surely cause those buildings to collapse.
Chester gripped his sword and focused on his breathing. Then, he recalled the fundamental sword techniques his teacher had taught him.
Though his training period had been short, the swordsmanship he learned from Helena Holden---the Sword Master known as the Ghost of the Battlefield---was more than enough to greatly enhance his skills.
Tap---
With a light push off the ground, Chester soared into the air. Before the orc could even register his presence, he severed its neck.
Swish--- Thud---
A flawless arc was drawn through the air as the orc's head dropped to the ground.
Several knights of the Holden family, witnessing the scene, stared at Chester with wide, astonished eyes.
No matter how generous one was in guessing his age, Chester looked like he was in his early teens at best---yet he had taken down a giant orc in an instant.
Of course, they knew he was a Holy Knight of the Kyros Church, but they couldn't help but be astonished by his overwhelming skill.
Even Sevenus, who had been watching from nearby, was also a little surprised.
'Impressive...'
His skills might even be better than his own. Though he'd mentioned Grandmother teaching him for a short time, no matter the training, without a solid foundation, this level of skills was impossible.
'Isn't he just 12 years old?'
As expected. Sevenus was impressed. His skills were befitting of a Holy Knight of the Kyros Church.
***
Meanwhile, the western region of Holden Estate had been overrun by intermediate-ranked monsters---black harpies.
The knights of the Holden family struggled as the harpies launched relentless aerial attacks against them.
Even when the knights managed to take flight to counterattack, the harpies would fly and retreat even farther away, launching feather attacks from a distance.
"Damn it! Those cursed harpies!"
Some knights eventually climbed onto rooftops to fight them, but even then, the harpies simply flew farther away, leaving them at a disadvantage.
It was at that moment---
Fwoosh---
A brilliant white flash of light pierced through four harpies soaring in the sky.
The source of the light was near the western city tower.
"Is everyone alright?"
The one hurriedly descending from the tower was none other than Alphius, one of the High Priests of the Kyros Church.
"High Priest?"
The knights looked at Alphius with surprised eyes.
Who would have thought that a twelve-year-old High Priest had been hiding such immense power?
Moreover, he wasn't even a Holy Knight but a priest, and no one had expected a child in that position to possess combat abilities.
Of course, back when a rift had opened in Rovel, he had helped protect its citizens. But for him to possess the skill to take down four intermediate-ranked monsters in an instant was beyond anyone's expectations.
"I will handle this area! Quickly, transport the wounded!"
However, Alphius himself paid no mind to the knights' astonishment and once again released divine power into the sky.
Having trained under Helena Holden and received an additional blessing of divine power from Kyros, Alphius's strength had grown significantly beyond what it once was.
"Yes, understood!"
The knights expressed their gratitude to Alphius and obeyed his command. While some quickly transported the wounded, the remaining knights continued the battle by his side.
"Kieeek---!"
Just as the enraged harpies, furious over the death of their comrades, prepared to launch another barrage of feathers at them---
Fwoosh---
A pure white barrier, born of light, formed in midair to protect the knights.
Even without checking, the knights instinctively knew that this power came from Alphius.
It carried the same sacred feeling of holy white power that had vanquished the harpies.
A warm yet powerful force meant to protect others.
'Is the power of the Kyros Church...'
Even those who had never believed in the Kyros Church came to realize the true value of its power in that moment.
***
At the same time, near the southern city tower, goblins larger than the average adult man had appeared and were running rampant.
"Krrrk---!"
"Damn it, how are they this strong?!"
The knights were struggling as they battled the goblins.
Although they were not as powerful as the senior members of the Kyros Church, they had still undergone rigorous training under the Holden family. Taking down the goblins wasn't the issue---
The real problem was their overwhelming numbers.
The goblins poured down endlessly, charging forward. No sooner was one cut down than another leaped in its place, making the battle an uphill struggle.
"At this rate, it'll never end!"
"Damn it, if only we had a mage...!"
Just as someone was desperately wishing for one---
Whooosh---! Thud---!
Five arrows shot out simultaneously from the southern city tower.
Each arrow, imbued with a brilliant white light, pierced straight through the goblins' heads in an instant.
"Nice."
Zain smiled as he watched a single one of his arrows pierce through more than a dozen goblins.
The knight of the Holden family, who had been standing guard alongside Zain, couldn't help but be astonished.
It wasn't just that he had fired five arrows simultaneously---every single one had struck a goblin's head with perfect accuracy.
With a single draw of Zain's bowstring, he had eliminated goblins that would have taken multiple knights to handle.
'Even the Knight Order doesn't have someone this skilled...'
Of course, there was a difference between swordsmanship and archery.
But to take down dozens of intermediate-ranked monsters with a bow---something generally considered weaker than a sword---by firing five arrows at once?
Even witnessing it with his own eyes, the knight could hardly believe it.
Zain showed no signs of exhaustion as he continued to fire arrows one after another.
With his support, the endless wave of goblins was visibly thinning.
'...So this is why everyone believes in the Kyros Church.'
The knight had recently heard that, following Helena Holden, even Sevenus Holden had become a follower of the Kyros Church.
And only now did he begin to understand, even just a little, why they had become followers of the Kyros Church.
***
Meanwhile, near the northern city tower, a black manticore with the face of a human and the body of a lion appeared.
Its grotesque appearance made the knights flinch, but they did not retreat in fear.
Clang---! Clang---!
The manticore's razor-sharp claws clashed against the knights' swords.
The knights were confident they could continue the battle without difficulty.
For an intermediate-ranked monster, the manticore wasn't particularly strong.
Because of this, Troy chose not to join the battle.
Instead, he observed the overall battlefield from the city tower.
'The knights of the Holden family are quite strong.'
The fact that they were holding their ground against intermediate-ranked monsters---not just lower-ranked ones---without suffering significant losses without any holy power meant they were truly skilled.
As he continued observing the situation, the number of manticore corpses piled up like a mountain.
Moreover, no more monsters were pouring out from the rift that had opened in the north.
In other words, the attack that had begun from the rift was now practically over.
However, Troy did not let his guard down.
The wild instincts ingrained in his body kept warning him---
It wasn't over yet.
Squirm.
At that moment, Troy detected movement from the pile of manticore corpses.
'...What is that?'
Just as Troy sensed something was off, the manticores began merging into one, as if they were made of clay.
The corpses rapidly fused into a single form.
In an instant, a colossal manticore, towering over the buildings, was born.
"Wh-what is this?!"
"My god! They fused into one!"
It wasn't just a simple fusion of manticores.
New wings, which hadn't existed before, sprouted from its back, and it took flight into the sky.
The giant manticore swiftly descended and charged toward the knights.
"Argh!!"
At that moment, a black panther leaped into the sky.
Crunch---!
The black panther immediately sank its fangs into the giant manticore's neck.
Thud!
Overwhelmed by the searing pain, the massive manticore crashed to the ground.
The Black Panther, Troy, did not stop his attack.
With his sharp claws, he struck down the manticore's head.
Thump!
Though his movement seemed light, the sheer force behind it was immense---causing the giant manticore's head to twist more than halfway around.
'Unbelievable...'
'That black panther... It definitely came down from the city tower.'
The knights watching the scene stared at the black panther in shock.
"It's surely the Kyros Church's..."
Amazed by the miraculous power of the Kyros Church, they watched the battle between the giant manticore and the black panther unfold.
***
Thud!
After striking down a house-sized ogre with my mace, I let out a soft exhale.
After receiving reports on the situation in each area through the communication channel, it seemed that there hadn't been any major damage so far.
There were occasional injuries among the knights of the Holden family, but nothing severe enough to require my intervention.
'It's a relief that our senior members and knights are fighting well.'
The knights of the Holden family and the officers of the Kyros Church were working together to swiftly eliminate the intermediate-ranked monsters appearing across different areas.
As for the majority of the monsters that had appeared in the central region---I had taken care of them myself.
'Fanatic and his unit were about to step in as well.'
But I refused their help.
It was simply easier for me to deal with it all at once than for them to step forward.
As I continued battling the intermediate-ranked monsters, the rain eventually stopped, and the time neared the dead of night.
'I've fought this much, yet it's just nighttime yet...'
With the battle against the intermediate monsters over, I looked up at the sky.
There was still a considerable amount of time left until the attack was over.
Just as I was thinking that---
Crack---
Among the five rifts, the four in the east, west, south, and north---excluding the central one---began to crack even further.
And what emerged was...
'Are things really starting now?'
They were the Children of the Demon God.
There were four of them in total, and every single one of them had a form I was all too familiar with.
"Damn it."
I cursed.
Because all of the Demon God's Children that had appeared were in the tens in terms of their rank.