Chapter 541 – Attack
In the Demon King’s Castle, there was a long staircase and a large entrance at the end.
The entrance had its mouth wide open as if asking people to come in, and there seemed to be no other place to enter.
In the current situation, I couldn’t think of any other way other than going in there.
There, Burwell took a step back.
It was decided to set up a camp for the punitive force some distance away from the Demon King’s Castle.
“… Additional Holy Knights will arrive soon.”
What Burwell was talking about was the Holy Knights Division that had been mentioned in advance in Payson and was planning to attack Crea.
“I think it would be better to join them and then discuss the operation in earnest.”
Burwell said only that much and broke up the operation meeting.
After finishing the strategy meeting, I came out.
You can see knights gathered here and there in groups.
Perhaps because we were in front of the Demon King’s Castle, the atmosphere was a little more tense than usual.
Looking at the armor they were wearing, I could see that they were knights belonging to the same organization.
I walked past them.
A bonfire is lit in a corner of the camp, and women can be seen sitting around it resting.
Three knights and a wizard.
I headed there.
Starting with Karen, who noticed me approaching, their eyes focused on me.
There were unspoken questions in their eyes.
“… I decided to wait here for a while. They said they were waiting for the Holy Knights who were supposed to attack together.”
“What do you think will happen, Bark?”
Hilda asks carefully.
If the Paladins were from the demon world, their eyes would turn upside down, but they were not stupid.
And the entrance to the Demon King’s Castle was a place that seemed to anyone to be Gregory’s target.
There’s no way Burwell didn’t know that.
That’s probably why I didn’t move too hastily.
Burwell seemed to be making a reasonable decision up to this point, but it was hard to think that he would go back and make a simple judgment after getting this far.
It is a difficult decision to make even if any commander, not Burwell, comes.
The general, who led his troops majestically, decides to retreat without even fighting because it seems dangerous?
Even if it was a wise decision, it is difficult to avoid censure.
Burwell, although not for that reason, is a Holy Knight facing an enemy called Demon King Gregory.
There was a high possibility that the word ‘retreat’ did not exist in one’s mind.
“Well… If you don’t have sharp means, you’ll end up inside the Demon King’s Castle.”
I looked at the black Demon Castle looming in the distance.
I tried to extend my consciousness to look inside the Demon Castle, but something blocked my consciousness.
It seems like a thorough preparation was made.
I can’t see it as an attempt to target my abilities.
Probably, they won’t even allow any type of reconnaissance, be it magic or spirits.
I have experienced feelings similar to this. It was in a dungeon created by a warlock from the old Slover Labyrinth.
However, like back then, there won’t be a trap that blows you towards the Demon World… That is, Zephyria.
Liliana said that the reason it was possible was because of the unique nature of the labyrinth.
In the end, what I rely on is the community information I picked up from Zephyria…
I recall the information about the community I looked at when I briefly logged out of Ramona.
First, the demons seemed to know that the Terra Cult’s punitive force was coming.
There seemed to be no special operation.
Maybe Gregory didn’t tell us.
Still, what stands out is that there was another unconventional quest notice given to the demons inside the Demon Castle?
It was a notice that if we were successful in stopping Terraism’s offensive, we would be able to restore the avatars that were destroyed in the battle.
It was a quest with unconventional conditions.
It seemed like the demons were afraid for their lives, so it seemed like they had given such a quest.
I don’t know what they were doing, but the operator seemed to have made up his mind about this.
What was disappointing was that the demons didn’t seem to know the exact function of the demon castle.
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Less than two days after waiting in front of the Demon King’s Castle, the six Holy Knight Divisions that were supposed to enter from the east and west joined.
The Holy Knights of Terraism usually seemed to consist of around 10 people, so it can be said that approximately 60 additional Holy Knights joined.
If Crea had been in a similar situation as before, they would have crossed the castle wall and attacked from different directions.
The appearance of the Demon King’s Castle being tightly closed on all sides made the Holy Knights unite into one mass.
Even when we were waiting for the Holy Knights and even though the Holy Knights joined, there was no movement from the Demon Castle.
When many Paladins joined, Burwell immediately took action.
Nine Holy Knights gathered together and activated large-scale sacred magic.
-Heavenly Wrath.
A huge pillar of light falling from the sky with Burwell’s solemn mantra.
Even if you don’t look at it, it looks like it’s 100 meters in diameter.
The rest of the Laun Kingdom’s punitive force was looking at the minister with their mouths open.
To me, it felt like a satellite beam from a satellite.
The same goes for the Sword of Heavenly Punishment that Hestia used last time, and it seemed that when the Holy Knights gathered together, they could unleash amazing divine magic.
It was a sight that made it clear why even nobles had a hard time with Terraism.
Demon King Gregory must have decided that this could not be ignored, and he appeared above the Demon Castle for the first time.
Gregory extends his right hand towards the falling celestial fury. With him, the sword-red mist rising from the Demon King’s Castle blocks the falling pillar of light.
-Quaaa!!
It looks as if a huge black umbrella is blocking the falling waterfall of light.
A fragment of energy that could not be offset fell to the side, but it was blocked by the shield that arose on the Demon Castle.
– Kugugugeung.
“It’s finally come out.”
Dwarf Norman mutters like that and takes out a weapon that looks like a rifle. It had a similar shape, but it seemed two to three times heavier than a rifle.
Norman was one of three different races in the Demon King’s subjugation team.
Although she was full-bodied as a dwarf, she was wearing full-body armor that looked luxurious to anyone, and she was as strong as Priscilla.
He was also the first dwarf I saw when I came to Pantera. There was no particular friendship.
He didn’t seem to be interested in me either, and I had no desire to be friends with his not-so-beautiful grandfather.
Perhaps because Norman is a dwarf with good technical skills, he had quite modern weapons.
In addition to rifles, various weapons such as axes and hammers are hanging from the body.
Norman aimed the big rifle at Demon King Gregory and pulled the trigger.
-Boom!!
From Norman’s rifle, a bullet of bluish light flies towards the devil with a large explosion like a cannon.
When Gregory saw this, he waved his left hand, and a black and red fog covered his body.
The bullet that penetrated the fog was just silent.
“Tsk.”
When Norman sees that, he clicks his tongue as if he doesn’t like it.
Soon, Priscilla’s giant spirit Elestra flies towards the Demon King.
When Gregory waved his left hand again, the fog that arose in the Demon King’s castle pushed Elestra away as she tried to approach.
After seeing the elves and dwarves performing brilliantly, I look at Khan, the wolf beast, and he also looks at me blankly.
“What are you looking at? I’m not good at long-distance attacks.”
It is said that it is.
-Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dwarf Norman fired his rifle several more times, but the bullets were blocked by fog and did not reach the Demon King.
Priscilla’s spirit was also unable to approach the Demon King due to the constantly pushing fog.
Even the heavenly wrath of the Paladins could not last forever. The pillar of light gradually decreased in thickness and disappeared.
Demon King Gregory saw this and immediately disappeared into the castle, as if he had done his job.
His actions gave off a strong will that he had no intention of leaving the Demon King’s Castle.
… It seems like it’s wasting time.
He was using typical ‘Nigawa’ tactics.
What we could tell, though, was that Gregory didn’t have the confidence to face the Demon King’s subjugation team.
Strictly speaking, it could also be said to be overwhelming confidence.
If Gregory could overwhelm the Demon King subjugation team, he would have no reason to do such a thing.
So, if he is inside the Demon King’s castle, does he have confidence?
I guess it would be right to think that way.
It is difficult to say that he is holding on in the Demon King’s Castle because of his pride.
It seemed like he would be at a disadvantage before, so looking at the way he pulled away… He seemed like a guy who could figure out the estimate.
Whatever Gregory’s reason, it looks like he’ll have a hard time getting him out of the castle.
I wouldn’t know if powerful divine magic like Heavenly Wrath could be used without restrictions… But looking at the tired faces of the Paladins, that seemed impossible.
Burwell, the leader of the demon lord’s subjugation team, also doesn’t seem to like this situation.
It seems clear what Demon King Gregory is aiming for, but he doesn’t seem to like being dragged along according to his intentions.
“… We will enter the Demon Castle in exactly two days. We don’t know what will happen inside. In the meantime, each knight should get plenty of rest.”
In the end, Burwell chose to enter the Devil’s Castle according to Gregory’s obvious intention.
