C527
The enemies were taking positions everywhere.
The guard knights continuously reported the scale and dynamics of the enemy, communicating swiftly.
"Activate the defense equipment!"
"Helter Family, unsheathe your swords!"
"Lofermos, support the rear. Form up!"
Whoa-!
The defense artifacts installed in Sword Emperor Castle activated, causing vibrations and resonating sounds.
The blue shield of the artifacts and the white shield from the swords wielded by the knights quickly enveloped the entire Sword Emperor Castle.
Dante observed the reinforcements appearing at the main gate.
More than five thousand knights and magicians, and about twenty dragons.
And over four fifty cannons of Yellow Dragon-class or higher.
Although it called itself an "Empire," it had been pushed back by Runcandel and Zipple and was now even behind Kinzelo.
Nevertheless, no one denied that Vermont was one of the four major factions.
Regardless of the quality of the troops, the Empire was the only force that could mobilize so many people in a short time.
Dante's eyes, staring at the Emperor, were filled with bloodlust.
Even though the Imperial Army was surrounding Sword Emperor Castle with more than ten thousand soldiers, Dante and the knights of Hairan didn't feel intimidated at all.
Since the appearance of knights and magicians in the world, there had never been a war where the number of heads was the most crucial factor.
In front of a superhuman, even thousands of knights below 5-star rank were no different from fallen leaves and insects.
Although Dante was not yet a superhuman, he possessed a sword comparable to one.
With the Five Sword Saints, including Dante, and other Hairan knights, suppressing those numerous sub-5-star rank knights was not a difficult task.
The crucial factor was the enemy commanders.
If all the knights and magicians who could single-handedly sway the battlefield were eliminated, they could win even if the number was overwhelming.
And Dante estimated there would be around a hundred such individuals.
The main force of the Imperial Army entered the plain in front of the main gate.
And among them, there was a massive cannon led by five dragons and a hundred knights.
"Young Patriarch, this...!"
The main cannon of the Imperial Guard.
It was the "Dragon Spear," a war equipment exclusive to the Emperor, existing only in the empire.
Originally installed in the center of the Imperial Palace, the cannon had firepower comparable to Zipple's battleship Kozec.
Since its withdrawal from the imperial palace, the Dragon Spear couldn't exert its full power.
However, the appearance of the Dragon Spear meant that the Emperor himself had stepped forward.
"Confirm the Dragon Spear's charge!"
The voices of the knights observing the Dragon Spear trembled.
It was only a matter of time before it could pierce through the current defense artifacts of Sword Emperor Castle, which were not fully restored and couldn't even properly face Yellow Dragon-class cannons...
But Dragon Spear was on a completely different level.
Dante silently looked at the rear of the Dragon Spear.
Somewhere across the plain, it seemed as if he could see the Emperor, with a face soaked in greed and arrogance, waiting for the report of victory while sitting on a high platform.
"Young Patriarch! Dragon Spear is soon...! Evade it!"
"To them."
Dante slowly unsheathed his sword.
Claank..!
At the moment Dante's sword shimmered, the ominous sound of Dragon Spear covered the battlefield.
A slight earthquake occurred throughout the area, and those in the midst of fighting turned their gaze towards Dragon Spear.
"I will show you the dignity of Hairan."
Baaaa-!
Dragon Spear spewed out a massive mana projectile.
The place where the projectile landed was exactly on top of the castle wall where Dante was standing.
The shield layers of the artifact shattered like glass.
It was so fast that those who didn't reach the level couldn't follow it with their eyes, and Dragon Spear's cannonball seemed to destroy Sword Emperor Castle in a single blow.
Dante did not dodge.
At the moment Dragon Spear's projectile approached dangerously, he swung his sword.
Emperor Sword's Secret Technique
Divine Radiance - Dante Hairan
Dragon Spear's cannonball split in half.
Not even the knights standing beside him could perceive the moment Dante swung his sword.
All they could do was watch as the cannonball split in half followed the trajectory of Dante's sword, which soared into the sky and disappeared.
And, true to the name of the secret technique, a long and radiant streak remained in the increasingly dark sky.
Everyone present on the battlefield looked towards the light for a moment.
Hairan's admired sword was right there.
For a few seconds, time seemed to stand still, and those on the battlefield only felt the beating of their own hearts.
Awe.
Recalling the word that symbolized Hairan in the Empire.
Wooooow-!
The knights gathered under the banner of Hairan shouted in unison.
Then, when Dante jumped off the wall and onto the plain, the approaching enemies hesitated and stopped moving.
"I have no intention of showing mercy to those who have forgotten their honor. So if you're afraid, flee. Hairan won't pursue those who retreat."
The knights gathered behind Dante.
"Young Patriarch... Are you okay?"
The leader of the assault squad asked while looking at Dante's face. Blood was dripping from his blue lips.
However, Dante nodded slightly.
'Even with the technique my grandfather designed for me, to think it would come to this after using it just once.'
Although everyone around him was amazed...
Dante knew better than anyone that the true power of Divine Radiance was not something he had fully unleashed.
It was regrettable.
It wasn't the regret of not being able to execute a better sword; it was the sudden realization that he could no longer dedicate himself to this land, to his grandfather, to the knights and servants.
'For some reason, my body feels lighter....'
Perhaps because he bore everything his ancestors and his grandfather had built and protected, accepting the perspective of death, Dante entered a kind of awakened state.
Until the war ended, he felt confident in maintaining the best sword he could execute, even at the cost of his life.
"First, I'll destroy the Dragon Spear. I'll cut my way to the front, so that the assault squad follows me."
While the Hairan knights began their charge, the Emperor monitored the battlefield in real-time from the rear.
"Oh, oh, oh...! Truly, Ron-nim's successor is remarkable!"
Standing next to the Emperor was Johncena Ferrell, the Imperial Army's chief commander and leader of the Imperial Army's Dragon King Knights.
Unlike the Emperor, who was very excited, he had a somber face.
Johncena Ferrell was the reason why the Emperor appointed Kevin Ferrell as the Vanguard Army's commander.
He believed that his relative's death was necessary to alleviate the guilt of the Imperial Sword of Justice.
"You must have heard the report, Johncena Ferrell-nim. Dante Hairan killed your younger brother, and he even killed the rank knights who tried to maintain their faith in Hairan...."
Johncena nodded heavily.
He wasn't foolish.
The reason why the Emperor placed his younger brother at the vanguard, the fact that Dante couldn't have killed the rank knights, and how unreasonable this purge was.
Johncena never knew.
"I definitely gave Hairan a chance. However, what returned was your younger brother's neck and betrayal of faith. If we don't end this today, that venomous and arrogant wolf will plunge the entire empire into death and terror."
Yes, Johncena followed the Emperor not for personal reasons.
He followed because it was a path for the Empire, or more precisely, for the people of the Empire.
"Your Majesty."
"Speak, Johncena-nim."
"Please keep your promise. Also, make sure they keep theirs......"
In response to those words, the Emperor smirked.
"Of course!"
As Johncena got up and headed towards the battlefield, the Emperor waved his hand in farewell.
And as soon as Johncena disappeared, he wiped away his expression.
Dante and the Hairan knights were already heading towards the Dragon Spear with blood all over them.
All that blood belonged to the rank knights who threw themselves in their way.
Except for the vanguard, all the main force knights believed that Dante had killed the knights trying to maintain faith with Hairan.
There was no time to correct misunderstandings and reveal the truth in the midst of a brutal and ruthless battle.
In the end, the rescued hundred knights couldn't survive the onslaught of sword blows and magic.
In the new battle that started as soon as the main force arrived, the Hairan knights couldn't afford to charge through all of them.
This was because the main force arrived earlier than expected.
In the eyes of the Imperial Army's main force, it seemed as if Hairan had indiscriminately massacred the vanguard.
If disobeying the Emperor's order was death, and fighting against Hairan was death, then the latter was better.
To avoid a future where all their family and relatives would be executed as traitors later.
Blood and war breed madness.
The knights who blocked Dante's path, even facing imminent death, had chosen madness over fear.
So did Dante, who cut them down.
The path of righteousness.
The words that summarized Dante's character's humanity were tainted in red and dark.
'How many have I cut down already?'
Even in the moment of sudden doubt, Dante's sword brought down the rushing necks.
The burden of guilt, heavier than blood, pressed on his back, but he dared not acknowledge it.
Like many others swept up by war.
Dante naturally substituted that immense guilt for hatred.
There's no turning back now.
My clan, my grandfather, and I never betrayed the Empire.
'Why do you try to stab us with your swords...!'
Dante stopped for a moment, catching his breath, with about five hundred steps remaining between him and the Dragon Spear.
Until then, the assault squad following Dante was unharmed.
However, as they tried to advance again, someone infiltrated their flank.
"Argh!"
"Stop them!"
In golden armor, they were members of the Imperial Guard.
As soon as they appeared, they quickly cut down the two Hairan knights at the rear.
Dante stood for a while looking at the dead Hairan knights.
"There's no devil like you, Dante Hairan. Was everything you showed so far false? I never knew you would be so familiar with killing innocents... Huuk!"
Dante lunged at him like a shot and swung his sword.
The opponent showed no signs of panic, but as Dante increased his speed, his arm was soon severed.
The Imperial Guard knights, who had appeared confident, couldn't help but shudder at that moment.
The knight Dante disabled in a few seconds was the leader of the Third Division.
"Shut up. I have nothing to say to trash like you," Dante said coldly as he beheaded him.
"Bastard!"
"Young patriarch, we'll take care of this place. Go to the Dragon Spear!"
Without hesitation, Dante took a step forward...
Leaving the Hairan knights behind.
He realized that if he hesitated even a little...
The Hairan knights would die even faster.
Moreover, he felt that he had to keep eliminating those who stood in his way to keep his spirit from going insane.
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SYS (Novel)