Chapter 89: Those Who Remain (2)
They rode on horseback to the Demonic Realm.
As it was a mission where every mont counted, four warhorses were requisitioned, even though the mission was to head to the Demonic Realm.
Of course, they had to send the horses back at the entrance to the Demonic Realm, but just riding that far greatly reduced their travel ti.
“We'll have to walk from about here.”
As Edric dismounted, the other Special Task Force mbers followed suit and dismounted as well.
Although there was no fixed border for the Demonic Realm, there was an ominous feeling that was instinctively felt when one ca near it.
That was probably due to the sll and traces naturally emitted by the demonic beasts' territory.
“Alright, go back.”
When Edric slapped the horses' rumps, the four horses galloped away as if fleeing in the direction opposite to the Demonic Realm.
“Is it okay to just send them off like that? They looked like pretty good horses.”
“They are well-trained warhorses. They can find their own way back to the Winter Castle.”
At that, Conlan's expression beca peculiar.
“Then why did we walk before? We could have just ridden horses then, too.”
“Now, let's move out. We're short on ti.”
“But……”
Conlan protested sothing, but regardless, Edric started walking.
“It's quiet.”
Edric's gaze fell on the Sea of Trees spread out within the Demonic Realm.
Normally, the demonic beasts that guarded their territory would have been glaring from inside the bushes, but for so reason, no presence could be felt at all right now.
Conlan and Albino must have sensed it too, as they showed weary expressions.
“Mm, definitely.”
“The Demonic Realm is always like that, but it's even worse right now.”
Edric spoke.
“From now on, do not lower your guard.”
“I've been that way since before we ca.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Edric said.
“The signs are ominous, but a mission is a mission, so we'll keep going. If the stirrings of a demonic beast horde are confird, we must report it imdiately and inform the Winter Castle.”
Edric added.
“Even if so of us die.”
No one here was unaware of the gravity of the situation, so no one voiced any dissent.
The 4th Special Task Force began to enter the Demonic Realm in earnest.
Although they didn't know anything like the path of the boundary, the outskirts of the Demonic Realm were currently as good as empty, so the 4th Special Task Force was able to enter deeper into the Demonic Realm much more easily than expected.
The deeper they went into the Demonic Realm, the more the sinister aura intensified.
In particular, the fact that the presence of demonic beasts, which should have been there, was not felt at all, amplified that eeriness even more.
“……It seems quieter than I thought, so wouldn't it be better to start heading back?”
To Albino's words, Edric replied.
“I also agree, but unfortunately, we haven't grasped the enemy's scale or level yet. Mustn't we complete the mission?”
“What good is that after we're dead?”
“There are tis when a soldier must embark on a mission even knowing the danger. aningless sacrifices must be avoided, but now is the ti to take the risk.”
“……Damn it. I know what you an, but if it gets dangerous, I'm running away imdiately. Soone has to survive to report to the Winter Castle anyway, so you'll understand that much, right?”
“Such a splendid attitude, vowing to complete the mission. Do so.”
At Edric's answer, which was like a soldier to the bone, Albino shook his head as if he was sick of it.
This was even more so because he knew well that the Edric he had seen so far was far from being a true soldier.
“Let's keep moving.”
Everyone held their breath and carefully moved deeper into the Demonic Realm.
They didn't say it, but the place where the Special Task Force was now was originally a place far from safety.
Perhaps that was why.
It didn't take long for the silence, which had felt like an old friend, to break.
Ooooooooooh───
The cry of a demonic beast, heard from sowhere, echoed through the Sea of Trees.
With it, as if in response to the silence that had been, small vibrations began to occur.
Guung─
Kung! Kung!
At first, it was a vibration so faint that even Edric could barely notice it, but that vibration soon grew large enough for even Albino, whose senses were the dullest, to notice.
“Hey, big guy. Do you hear that?”
“Sothing is coming.”
“Be careful.”
Even Alicia, who rarely opened her mouth, warned of sothing that was about to happen.
“Commander? What do we do now?”
“We must run.”
Edric answered the mbers' call.
“All units, retreat.”
Edric made a quick judgnt.
The Special Task Force mbers also sensed that this was no simple matter, so they imdiately turned their steps without dissent.
“Run!”
As if the arduous running training they had done until now was for this day, the Special Task Force mbers began to run all at once.
Albino, who was running at the very back, spoke as if complaining.
“Didn't you say we were investigating? If we were going to run away like this, why did we co all this way?”
“With this, we have grasped the enemy's level and scale sufficiently. Judging by the size and interval of the vibrations, there is a force of at least ten thousand in the western part of the Demonic Realm alone, with many dium-sized species and even large-sized species mixed in. It seems we're at a level where we must request support from the Imperial Household.”
“Pardon?”
“It's just as you heard.”
Albino didn't know how Edric had figured that out when they had been together the whole ti, but Edric being strange was a common occurrence, so he didn't say any more.
It was a feeling that, should he bother to care, he would only be at a loss.
“Ehyu……”
He didn't know if he should say 'like commander, like subordinate', but Vell Blackwood was one, and Edric was another; the 4th Special Task Force had many strange guys in many ways.
Of course, Albino himself, who said such things, was also a person far from universality, but people were always generous to themselves.
The expression of Edric, who had been running, turned cold.
“Tsk. This is.”
“What's wrong?”
“It seems we've been caught.”
With that, a demonic beast with its maw wide open revealed itself from between the bushes.
[Kaaaaaaak!]
“Watch ou─”
Before Alicia's shout could even finish, a line of blood was drawn on the demonic beast's face.
Chwaak─!
And the demonic beast's head split in half, and a fountain of blood gushed out.
It was Edric's handiwork.
“Are you alright?”
“Uh…… Yes, well.”
Conlan still couldn't hide his dumbfounded expression and stared blankly for a mont at the carcass of the demonic beast whose head was split in half.
He was sure he hadn't even seen him draw his sword…….
“Get a grip.”
“Ah.”
“We must hurry. The demonic beasts are still coming.”
Conlan nodded his head slightly with a stiff expression and continued to move forward.
Just as he said, now was not the ti to rest here.
[Krrr…….]
[Kahak, kahak!]
As they ran, the presence of demonic beasts was felt from between the bushes.
It felt as if demonic beasts were closing in from all sides.
Only then did the Special Task Force mbers recall.
Where they were.
This was the middle of the Demonic Realm, and it was originally a forbidden zone among forbidden zones that did not permit human footsteps.
As if in judgnt of those who had recklessly set foot in such a place, the presence felt from all sides gradually tightened the siege.
[Guuuuuuuuuu──]
[Geureung! Geureureung!]
In the end, only after their escape route was completely blocked did Edric grip his sword.
“It can't be helped. I will break through, so find a way to escape.”
“Are you going to be alright?”
“Don't worry about .”
“No, I think it will be a bit difficult for us to escape without you, Commander. We're surrounded by demonic beasts.”
“Hm. Just do as I say.”
As Edric said that, he threw his body towards the demonic beasts blocking the escape route.
Chwaak!
Every ti Edric's sword flashed, the demonic beasts' necks flew.
It was truly an enormous display of prowess, but despite Edric's performance, the escape route did not open easily.
This was because the new demonic beasts revealing themselves far outnumbered the demonic beasts Edric cut down.
“These damn bastards……!”
The demonic beasts relentlessly surged in.
“Uooooo!”
Conlan let out a bestial roar and swung his axe with his usual ferocious montum, but this was the Demonic Realm.
Kaang!
Naturally, the demonic beasts' level also far surpassed the level Conlan had dealt with until now, and as soon as Conlan's axe touched the demonic beast's scales, it bounced off.
“What kind of scales……”
Conlan swung his axe again with a weary expression, but this ti the demonic beast's attack was faster.
The demonic beast's claws grazed Conlan's chest, and red blood droplets scattered in the air.
“Keo-heok!”
“Damn it! Big guy!”
Albino hurriedly stretched out his hand and used magic on the demonic beast with iron-like scales.
[Ke-ek? Ge-eee-ek!]
The demonic beast, hit by Albino's magic, beca disoriented for a mont and began to shriek and rampage alone.
Proof that its senses were disoriented.
And Albino had already done this kind of hunt very often.
Puk!
In an instant, Albino's longsword dug into the rampaging scaly demonic beast's eye.
Although its power was a bit lacking, and the longsword didn't reach the brain, the demonic beast rampaged and sent Albino flying, but Conlan's axe, which flew in imdiately after, struck the demonic beast's head haphazardly.
Kang!─
Kaang!!
No matter how hard the scales were, they couldn't completely absorb the shock from that mindless axe-wielding, and the demonic beast's body staggered.
[Geureureuk…….]
“Just die!”
[Kreu-eok!]
Only after Conlan shouted and swung his axe several more tis did the demonic beast, unable to withstand the shock, collapse.
“Hoo…… damn it.”
Conlan gritted his teeth as he looked at his axe, which was now full of nicks.
One beast.
He had only dealt with one, but the axe's teeth were all gone, making it unusable.
Of course, it wasn't as if he had no other weapons, but they were only secondary armants.
Considering that other demonic beasts were still approaching from all sides, the situation was truly nothing short of desperate.
At that point, a thought naturally ca to mind.
‘In a place like this…… can humans really survive?’
When Vell Blackwood first said he was heading to the Demonic Realm, he thought that guy would do well.
Although Conlan didn't know much about the Demonic Realm, he had at least been to the outskirts of the Demonic Realm once before.
That's why he figured that even if it was called the Demonic Realm, a mage like Vell Blackwood would be able to go.
However, coming here himself, it was different.
Conlan was feeling it in his bones, why the Demonic Realm was called the Demonic Realm and why it was considered a forbidden zone by humans.
“Get a grip!”
[Krrak!]
Chwaaaak─!
With the shout heard at that mont, the neck of the demonic beast that was about to attack Conlan was severed.
Only then did Conlan forcibly shake off his montary distracting thoughts and draw the dagger from his waist.
“……Hey, Commander. Can we get out of here alive?”
“We have to.”
It was a peculiar answer for Edric, but Conlan didn't say any more.
We have to.
That statent was enough of a reason to believe they could get out of here alive.
“Let's definitely get out of here alive!”
“It's been a while since you've said sothing I like, big guy!”
“You just worry about yourself!”
Conlan let out a bestial roar and swung his weapon with Albino to sohow create an escape route.
[Kururu!]
anwhile, Alicia also moved through the demonic beasts without stopping.
But just as Conlan did, Alicia also couldn't easily handle the surging demonic beasts.
This was partly because the level of the demonic beasts she was facing was incomparably higher than usual, but the biggest reason was the gap in personnel.
If it were normal, aning if Vell Blackwood had been here, they might have been able to break through this level of demonic beast attack and escape.
But now, far from breaking through the demonic beasts, they were being pushed into a defensive position as the encirclent gradually tightened.
Perhaps that's why she felt it anew.
Just what an amazing mage Vell Blackwood was, and what a big role he had played in the 4th Special Task Force until now.
‘I can't die here.’
Now, Alicia had no goals left to achieve, but she still didn't give up.
Alicia had promised.
That soday she would beco strong enough not to be a hindrance to Vell Blackwood.
That's why she couldn't die in this place.
[Kaaaaaaak!]
“Die.”
Alicia, giving off a nacing killing intent, swung her sword at the charging demonic beast.
Pa-ak!
But its hide was so thick that Alicia's sword couldn't cut the demonic beast and got stuck in its body.
[Geureureu…….]
Alicia struggled to pull it out, but the sword, embedded in the demonic beast's muscle, didn't co out easily.
[Kyaaaaak!]
“This─”
As the demonic beast attacked Alicia with its vicious maw open, a dark shadow cast over her face.
“Ah……”
The mont many things were reflected in Alicia's eyes.
Shwiiiiing!
A gust of wind that ca from sowhere swept through the area.
‘Wind?’
Due to the nature of the Demonic Realm, which was surrounded by forest, it was extrely rare for wind to blow in the middle of the Demonic Realm, but what did it an for such a sudden gust to blow at a ti like this?
The question did not last long.
Tang─!
With a loud noise that rang out from sowhere, the demonic beast that was about to attack Alicia collapsed, spraying a fountain of blood.
It started from then.
Tang! Tang!
Every ti the loud noise rang out, the demonic beasts that were surrounding the 4th Special Task Force began to fall, one by one.
Alicia's eyes widened.
‘This magic is…….’
There was no way she wouldn't know this magic.
No, she knew it all too well.
“……Vell?”
Edric, who was watching the scene, laughed quietly and said.
“Couldn't you have co sooner?”
At that, as if waiting, an answer ca from the darkness.
“I wanted to, but there were a lot of things in the way.”
“You cleaned them up before coming, right?”
He, who finally revealed himself from between the darkness, smiled lightly and said.
“All of them.”
Vell Blackwood.
He had returned.
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