Alexander tensed up at the mention of the Imperial Army appearing.
However, his initial tension quickly turned into a deep sneer.
“Haha, what’s this? Is this really the main force of the Empire that’s trying to stop us?”
“Yes, it seems so.”
The Imperial Army before him appeared to be of considerable size at first glance.
But with Alexander’s transcendent perception as a Demon King, he could see through the facade.
Despite the outward appearance, the army gathered there was nothing more than a disorganized rabble.
In any army, the most important thing was discipline.
It was the ability to stand firm and wield weapons without wavering when facing the enemy.
However, the soldiers he saw before him showed no such discipline.
Their ranks were in disarray, and some were even trembling in fear, sitting down in place.
The enemy army, despite having numerical superiority, was clearly more driven by fear and a desire to flee than any true resolve to fight.
In this situation, where the fear and disarray were almost palpable, Alexander issued a decisive command.
“We don’t need to be afraid just because they’re numerous. These fools are nothing more than scarecrows. We’ll cut them down with a single strike. Attack without delay.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Hah… But Alexander, isn’t it a bit too dangerous to attack right away? We should at least observe the situation for a moment…”
Charlemagne urgently tried to stop him.
To her, their forces were exhausted from a long march, and they still didn’t fully understand the enemy’s strategy.
Rushing in recklessly after spotting a gap in the enemy’s formation would be an incredibly dangerous move.
However, despite her objections, Alexander’s resolve remained unchanged.
“We don’t have time to waste. Now is the perfect opportunity! We strike immediately!”
Now, with the enemy’s discipline in tatters, it was the right moment to attack.
If a skilled general were to emerge from the enemy’s ranks and restore order, it could lead to a far more dangerous situation.
The basics of strategy were to strike when the enemy showed a weakness.
Despite his friend’s concerns, Alexander gave the order to charge.
“Advance!”
“Let’s sweep these filthy humans off the battlefield!”
The demon forces quickly surged forward.
At the front of the charge was none other than Alexander himself.
“De… demons!”
“The demons are coming… Ughhh!!!”
“Die, human scum!”
Mounted on his grotesquely twisted warhorse, Alexander swung his massive spear, sweeping through all those in front of him.
The outer edges of the enemy’s weak defenses were quickly breached, and
Alexander became like a spear himself, tearing through the enemy lines.
With each swing of his weapon, enemies were swept away in droves.
The enemy, unable to form even a proper formation, were swept away like falling leaves in the wind.
This only heightened Alexander’s exhilaration.
“Don’t leave a single one alive! I’ll show them what happens when they dare to resist the demon race!”
The crimson mana swirling around Alexander’s spear.
Every time it swung, several human soldiers were killed, and the demon knights racing behind him continued the massacre.
With the momentum to tear through the enemy lines entirely, Alexander pressed forward.
His appearance, shattering one of the Empire’s flanks, resembled a wild beast rampaging across the plains.
“Keep pushing forward! Today, the Empire will fall here!”
The enemy’s formation was utterly obliterated, leaving no trace behind.
Even though the Imperial army had nearly double the numbers of their own, at this point, it was like the enemy had already lost their limbs.
Just as Alexander and his soldiers were beginning to be swept up in the victory that appeared before them, an unexpected turn of events occurred.
Pah!
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
Suddenly, waves of mana surged from all directions.
At first, Alexander felt some confusion, but he didn’t consider it to be a significant threat.
It was common to see magic being used during war.
Moreover, they had already entered deep into the enemy’s territory.
While surrounded by enemies could be dangerous, it also meant they were surrounded by what could be considered a shield of the enemy itself.
Even in the heat of battle, he didn’t believe there would be any crazy person who would unleash magic upon their own side.
But then…
“Ughhh!”
“Eh?”
“Wh-what… Ughhh!”
Suddenly, people began collapsing with a groan.
It started with the frail humans under his feet.
And soon, it spread to the demon soldiers following behind him.
“W-what’s happening? Why suddenly… Cough!”
It was at that moment that Alexander began to feel the strange reaction.
A pain that felt like his whole body was burning took over him, and he realized something was terribly wrong—too late.
The damage had already been done.
“Hero… Hero, are you… really okay?”
“The fate of the Empire hangs in the balance. There is no other way to save this country.”
“But… Cough…”
Hero Anor spoke firmly.
With those words, he took the holy sword in his hand…
Brynnac, and plunged it into the ground.
Immediately, a surge of dark blue mana flowed from the sword.
At first glance, it seemed like a few lines were drawn on the ground, but…
Those witnessing it knew better.
The mages and witches from the Magic Tower, who had participated in this war, understood.
They knew it was the power of Brynnac, the forbidden weapon, which had been sealed away by their former master, the Great Witch Mari.
They recognized that this was the moment its power was awakening.
And they also knew what that meant…
“Oo… O…”
As silence filled the air, those watching began to tremble, letting out low groans.
The emotion they felt was not fear or anger.
It was guilt.
Even though the orders came from above, the deep sense of guilt they felt for being involved in such a thing was undeniable.
Despite that, they had no choice but to proceed, their bodies trembling with unease.
To them, the hero spoke in a calm voice.
“I understand your hearts completely. However, all of this is for the sake of the country… If we lose this war, not only the soldiers here, but everyone in this nation will weep blood. If your hearts are still uneasy, then leave it to me. I will carry all the sins that you must bear.”
“Hero…”
“Cough”
Hero Anor spoke to ease their guilt.
At his words, the witches and mages gathered here, and even the priests observing from a short distance, were deeply moved.
“Truly, it is the hero…”
“To think that he would bear even our sins… How noble can one person be…”
As they wept in gratitude, overwhelmed by his words, they whispered among themselves.
“Indeed, the goddess sent a saint for the Empire in its time of need…”
Meanwhile, the one receiving these tearful praises.
Hero Anor, despite his sorrowful expression, was struggling to suppress the tingling sensation in his heart.
‘Foolish people. To think they’d fall for a few words like that.’
He had spoken of carrying the sins, but he knew better.
He knew full well that such things didn’t exist in this world.
There was no such thing as sin.
There exists only the successful and the foolish losers.
With such thoughts, the hero activated the power of Brynac…
Shortly after, tens of thousands of beings on the battlefield began to perish.
The mana of Brynac flowed along the pre-installed magic circles.
Like a greedy monster, it devoured the souls of all who stood within its range.
From the weak militia.
To some of the Empire’s elite soldiers.
And even.
The demons who had infiltrated our ranks.
Yet, the hero felt no guilt for those whose souls were being drained before their eyes.
The demons, of course, deserved no such consideration.
The militia were nothing more than cumbersome sacrifices, only getting in the way.
The loss of a few of the Empire’s elite soldiers might be regrettable, but it was a manageable sacrifice.
And amidst these dry, emotionless reflections on the dying.
Only one feeling stood out clearly.
The intense exhilaration of being able to awaken the true power of Brynac.
The power that Mari had spoken of in the past…
The sensation of holding the power to destroy this world in one’s hand.
As tens of thousands of souls were devoured, the hero’s lips finally began to twist into an expression of irrepressible joy.
‘This is my era!’
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.