How to Live as a Genius Knight in a Fantasy World

38.

Clad in iron armor and armed to the teeth, the appearance of the demons was beyond unfamiliar, but what truly posed a threat was their sheer number.

Despite the casualties suffered in the first expedition, many demons met their end, the warlocks had already raised new demons using the flesh and blood of those long departed.

The issue of corpse dragons lingered.

What seemed to be about half-devoured dragon remains now were almost entirely tainted with a dark hue.

The commanders’ expressions hardened, sensing an imminent movement as if the remains were about to be fully infused with the power of darkness and start moving.

“For now, we’re fine. And even if they do start moving, we have the Master on our side to handle them adequately.”

Dragons were once a dominating race in the world, but the Master stood at the pinnacle of humanity.

There was no doubt that they could overcome the long-deceased remains.

Furthermore, the knights they had mustered now numbered close to 600.

A force drawn from territories across the kingdom, including knights directly affiliated with the royal family, the quantity was substantial.

Not only was the number significant, but the qualitative level of the forces had also risen higher compared to the first expedition.

“It won’t be easy, but we can definitely win this. There’s no reason to delay any longer.”

Having made his decision, the Marquis issued the order to advance.

With the knights at the forefront, the kingdom’s army began to move towards the demons.

The demons, upon confirming the approach of the forces, did not remain idle.

As if freed from the restraints they had been under, they charged towards the kingdom’s forces with a fierce movement that did not befit their colossal stature.

“Ah…”

The sight of hundreds of gigantic demons rushing forward, incomparable to humans, was shocking in itself.

Whimpers of fear escaped the soldiers who had never imagined witnessing such a spectacle in their lifetime.

The only consolation was the fact that facing off against such monsters in combat would not be a frequent occurrence.

The main force of the kingdom’s army consisted primarily of knights and wizards.

Soldiers were tasked with logistical support and containing minor demons, among other auxiliary roles.

On the other hand, the knights who had to engage the demons directly maintained a stoic expression.

Even for knights, it was no easy task to fend off groups of creatures of similar mass charging collectively.

When wielding weapons meant for ordinary human adversaries, the situation was different.

The Arden Kingdom, a country that had experienced the machinations of warlocks merely thirty years ago.

Prepared to counter their forces, the country had preserved items for such a purpose.

The pillar-like object held by the leading hundred knights was one of those “preparations.”

An item created for group combat against large-scale demon creatures, unnecessary in usual circumstances.

Once considered a weapon in the royal armory, it had been relegated to an artifact, tucked away in a corner for thirty years until now, when it finally saw the light of day again.

Measuring five times the height of an average adult male, boasting a thickness comparable to a knight’s forearm, the massive lance.

Enchanted with lightweight and durability spells, the pillar’s true identity was a grand demon-slaying weapon designed for ease of magical energy transfer, enhancing the wielder’s ability to channel aura to the utmost.

Originally crafted with knights in mind, despite the high-level lightweight enchantments, it still carried considerable weight.

The knights at the forefront, surveying the approaching demons, grasped the two handles attached underneath the pillar and drove it deep into the earth.

Adjusting the height of the lance tip to the neck of the large creatures, they drew the aura circulating within their bodies and infused it into the handles.

One by one, blue lights began to flicker at the imposing tip of the lance.

Despite covering a much larger area compared to a sword, the amount of mana consumed by the spear was not as much as one would think, thanks to the excellent mana conductivity of the weapon.

The sturdy and sharp spear aimed precisely at the chariots made of blood and flesh, more robust than any shield.

As the monstrous faces of creatures rapidly approached, Rohan tightened his grip on the sword.

Although it was a spear of a size fitting for the term “giant,” the opponent was undoubtedly a creature belonging to the large species.

It would serve its purpose well in stopping their charge, but there was no way a single spear could block all those huge creatures.

As the ground tremors grew stronger, creatures approaching the street, emanating a nauseating smell, hurled themselves at the tip of the spear without a hint of hesitation.

“Crack!”

“Snap!”

Even the tough leather, boasting durability to befit the term, couldn’t withstand the grand power imbued with mana.

The creatures, charging with their full mass, were impaled by the spear, unable to even let out a proper scream before meeting their end.

While the vanguard creatures met their demise in an instant, there was no halt in the onslaught of the creatures behind.

The spear that penetrated thick flesh continued to emit a blue light, and the creatures completely consumed by dark magic hurled themselves successively at the spear tip as if skewered.

Hundreds of creatures were crushed in a moment, yet the number of remaining creatures was so vast it was impossible to gauge.

The spears with the bodies of several large creatures stuck to them could no longer function, but they excellently fulfilled their role in completely crushing the charge of the creatures with overwhelming defensive power.

Furthermore, the bodies impaled on the spears acted as a barrier, creating a similar effect to a shield wall in a siege.

One by one, as knights released their spears and drew their swords again, they began to strike at the creatures thrusting their bodies through the corpse barrier.

Rohan and the other knights were not idle either.

Countless knights’ swords rained down competitively on the creatures who had barely managed to emerge from the densely packed area, like predators attacking prey in a confined space.

As they faced the creatures diving into narrow gaps from spacious areas, it became much easier to kill the creatures compared to the first wave of suppression.

Gustaf, the viscount, sighed with a touch of regret as he watched the knights swiftly reducing the number of creatures, as if slaughtering livestock.

“So effortless…”

After sighing heavily at his own mistake, the viscount moved once more.

Although not much time had passed since the battle began, the tide had clearly turned in favor of the kingdom’s army.

Rohan, as a member of the kingdom’s army, was relentlessly cutting down the creatures.

“It’s definitely much easier than before.”

Rohan, who had already ended the lives of dozens of trolls, looked down at the hand holding the sword, feeling the additional effects gained by maxing out the proficiency of his R-grade skills were giving a sense of satisfaction beyond mere numbers.

Compared to when facing trolls in the Taloon Mountains for the first time, he felt much more comfortable.

He could inflict fatal damage on the creatures without needing to resort to the Warrior King’s Strike.

Watching the creatures dying helplessly, Rohan recalled a game he used to enjoy long ago.

One of the UMS maps he occasionally participated in from a strategic game where he even heard the sounds of folk games.

‘It feels like blocking the entrance.’

By guarding the hilly terrain well, it was not difficult to easily block off enemy units with poor AI, no matter how many of them gathered.

Even the rain of various spells onto the densely packed creatures was reminiscent of that game.

‘It seems like the first button is well fastened… I hope we can win as easily as in the game.’

As the bodies of countless dying creatures piled up like mountains and the knights’ bodies were dyed in various colors with their blood, the front line gradually retreated, but the remaining space was still plentiful.

The knights, who had become accustomed to the creatures attacking in a similar pattern, were now mechanically surpassing them.

They even had enough leeway to rotate with the rear knights for stamina preservation.

“Hey! Exchange!”

Rohan, too, readily accepted the invitation of an unknown knight to take a brief rest.

As if itching to move, the knight who filled Rohan’s vacant spot swung his sword fiercely.

While Rohan savored the sweetness of rest, Viscount Frederick, standing on the makeshift watchtower prepared for command, surveyed the situation.

“It’s going smoother than expected. Perhaps it was due to inadequate preparation that we suffered such losses.”

Though still difficult to count the remaining number of demons, a significant amount of knights were already lying on the ground, engaged in battle.

The decrease in numbers from the beginning was distinctly noticeable.

The creatures under the control of warlocks were certainly threatening even with just their numbers, but they were not without weaknesses. To organize an army, they had to suppress the wild nature inherent in them, inevitably leading to a decrease in the combat power of each individual.

Furthermore, their intelligence was subtly lacking compared to their wild state, so pushing through with sheer numbers was almost the extent of their tactical prowess.

Just as the Viscount’s expression began to relax, thinking they could secure an easy victory, the situation suddenly started to change.

As the knights passed the bodies of the large creatures they had defeated, the corpses seemed to tremble as if soaked in oil, then suddenly swelled up.

In the midst of the knights’ instinctive hesitation, the bloated large creatures, larger than siege engines, began to explode without warning.

“aaargh!”

“Kweeck!”

“Kwuek!”

The sudden roar filled the battlefield, obscuring the view with a mist of blood and flesh.

Simultaneously, like shrapnel from a grenade, sharp bone fragments indiscriminately attacked the surrounding living beings.

Both knights and demons suffered immense losses from the indiscriminate powerful attacks, rolling on the ground, their screams mingling in the mist of blood.

In an instant, dozens of knights lost their combat capabilities, leading to a massive disaster.

But even that was considered a stroke of luck.

As the large creatures, following orders, flew into the midst of their fallen comrades, they absorbed a considerable amount of shrapnel meant for the knights, limiting the extent of the damage.

Before the mist had fully dissipated, the chaotic surge of dark magic erupted, revealing its presence with explosive force.

Sharp bone fragments and flesh scattered in all directions, and the shattered bodies, caught in the explosion, rose into the air following the flow of magic, then gathered into a single form.

The monster that had driven the first punitive force to the edge of the cliff, the corpse giant, once again revealed its form.

“He’s back, he’s back again.”

As painful memories resurfaced, Gustaf, the Viscount, shook his head as if having a fit.

“Huh…”

Viscount Frederick, who had been surveying the situation from the watchtower, also let out a sigh mixed with concern.

It was clear that the previously solid advantage was beginning to falter.

As many as five corpse giants appeared, starting to dominate the battlefield, while the corpses of the large creatures that had served as barricades flew away due to the corpse explosions, unleashing a flood of demons.

However, the knights were not simply being pushed back.

Veterans who had reached the rank of senior knights stepped forward to divert the attention of the corpse giants, while the concentrated bombardment of the mages struck the creatures’ bodies.

The gaps left by the wounded were quickly filled by knights resting in the rear, and the well-organized knights themselves formed a solid barrier, halting the advance of the demons.

The front line, which seemed on the verge of collapse, once again became entrenched, allowing the command to breathe a sigh of relief as they observed the situation.

As fierce combat continued in the heart of the Taloon Mountains.

The residents of the capital city of Arden enjoyed a peaceful daily life as if wars were of no concern to them.

Though the founding ceremony had ended triumphantly long ago, the festive atmosphere lingered, and the people’s faces were still full of vitality.

In the city that had long prospered, nobles, merchants, knights, and mages naturally gathered, each building mansions reflecting their tastes to display their status.

Many outstanding individuals exist, but even among them, there are different levels of excellence.

Among the numerous mansions built near the kingdom, there was one that stood out for its remarkable size and splendor, a prestigious building worthy of being called a grand mansion, steeped in history.

Passed down through generations as property belonging to the royal family since the founding of the nation, it was now known as the “House of the Royals,” where King Philip Arden currently resided.

For a long time, this building, considered a symbol of the royal family alongside the palace, held a secret known only to a select few.

A secret passage connected to the sewage system of the entire capital city.

As centuries passed, the forgotten passage, evading persecution, was discovered by those wandering through the sewers, eventually becoming part of their “grand scheme.”

Numerous dark rituals had lingered on the grimy stone walls of the sewers, awaiting their time, finally unleashed at the command of their master.

Beneath the capital, a vast darkness stirred, breaking its long silence.