Chapter 155: Chapter 155 - Battle Between Enemies ( Part 1 )
The sky above became pitch-black with incredible speed, obscuring the sun in thick layers.
From warmth, it turned cold.
Chilling wind blew across Rosario.
Children found themselves hiding behind their parents.
Dogs whined.
Horses refused to move.
Even mountain birds took off in massive groups heading east.
Tempest trembled.
Divine Sword emitted a low hum.
Luka frowned.
"...What’s wrong?"
For the first time in his life, Tempest talked to Luka in his head.
His happy voice sounded very serious and grave.
"Enemy."
Luka’s eyes narrowed.
"...Who?"
Strong gust surrounded the sword.
"Demon General."
At the same time...
Excalibur talked in Jennie’s mind.
"Leonis."
She quickly understood.
"I know."
"This presence..."
"...isn’t Azrael."
And Leviathan also joined the conversation.
Calming voice of the legendary sword carried some unusual tension.
"This one loves war."
"He destroys for the sake of destruction."
Jennie slowly reached out for the hilt of Excalibur.
"...Draven."
The trembling became stronger.
Western forest exploded apart.
Towering trees collapsed while thousands of armored soldiers were revealed in their shadows.
Demons.
Hundreds of them.
Thousands of them.
Black flags with red symbols flapped under storm clouds.
Frightening monsters walked side by side with armored warriors.
Flying demons formed a cloud above the army.
Large siege creatures marched in the middle.
Unending army that could stretch beyond the horizon.
One villager said in whispering voice,
"...Impossible..."
"There are too many..."
Fear ran across Rosario.
Some people instinctively reached for their weapons.
Others protected their children from the threat.
Ex-bandits.
Mercenaries.
Hunters.
Everyone knew that the same thing.
They weren’t going to have a raid.
They were about to see an invasion.
Snow began transforming.
Bright white light surrounded him.
He became bigger.
His muscles started shaking beneath snow-white fur.
Nine majestic tails grew behind him.
Gigantic white wings unfolded with deafening rumble.
In seconds...
Divine Beast became much larger than everyone else around.
The children were staring in astonishment.
Even having seen his true form many times before...
That view was never getting boring.
Snow growled deeply.
"...Stay behind me."
Roxy grabbed her staff.
Ancient magic circles appeared under her feet.
Dozens of them.
Hundreds of them.
Magic mana filled the air.
"I’m going to protect our village."
Jennie smiled warmly.
"I know you will."
Luka drew Tempest.
The Divine Sword started shining silver-blue.
Strong winds surrounded him.
Villagers looked at him in shock.
Their ruthless leader...
Now he was holding one of the legendary Seven Divine Swords.
Then...
Marching army suddenly stopped.
Complete silence followed.
Storm clouds parted a little bit.
One man started walking in the center of the demon army.
Every step resonated unnaturally on the battlefield.
Heavy black armor was covering his body.
Red cape was fluttering behind him even without any wind.
Dark horned helmet was covering his face.
Large black spear was resting across his shoulder.
The ground cracked with every step.
Even high-rank demons were bowing to him.
Nobody dared to speak.
He stopped right at the distance of less than a hundred meters from Rosario’s gates.
Then...
He took off his helmet.
Black long hair fell down on his shoulders.
Burning scarlet eyes were shining with inner fire.
Cruel smile appeared on his face.
Jennie immediately recognized him from the ancient battlefield of a thousand years ago.
"The Third Demon General..."
"...Draven."
His eyes looked right at her.
Recognition flashed.
He smiled even more widely.
"So..."
"The rumors proved to be true."
With his spear he pointed right at Jennie.
"Sword King Leonis."
"This time..."
"There won’t be a seven-day duel."
"There won’t be mercy."
"There will be only your death."
Thousands of demons behind him hit their weapons against their shields.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Echoes sounded like thunder across the whole valley.
Draven raised one hand.
All the Demon Legion shouted in unison.
Their voices were shaking the mountains themselves.
Over Rosario, black clouds completely obscured the last rays of the sun.
Peace after Derresa’s funeral ended.
Storm before the new battle had finally come.
An unnatural silence hung in the air.
The rumbling of the Demon Legion soon faded, replaced only by the sound of the cold wind blowing past Rosario Village.
Thousands of red eyes gazed towards the wooden walls.
Hundreds of weapons gleamed under the dark clouds.
Jennie stood in front of the village.
Her silver hair was fluttering in the wind.
Excalibur and Leviathan were slumbering peacefully in the sword sheaths at her sides.
She would draw them out only if she had no other choice.
Snow stood next to her in his gigantic Divine Beast form, his nine tails swaying slowly behind him.
Roxy gripped the shaft of her staff; magic circles rotated quietly under her feet.
Luka stood a bit ahead of them.
Tempest shone in his right hand.
Although he had awakened as the wielder of the sword just recently, it felt as though the Divine Sword had belonged to him forever.
On the other side of the battlefield...
Draven smiled.
Scarlet eyes flickered over the defenders before they focused on Tempest.
"So..."
"It finally awakened."
His voice easily carried throughout the valley.
"It took centuries..."
"But the Blade of Storms chose its master again."
Tempest quivered.
In Luka’s mind, the usually joyful sword spoke in an unusually serious tone.
"I don’t like him."
Luka replied silently.
"Nor do I."
Draven slowly spun his huge black spear before resting it on his shoulders.
"You see..."
"I’ve spent years looking for that sword."
His eyes did not leave Tempest.
"I have razed kingdoms."
"I have slaughtered knights."
"I have searched through the ruins of the past."
He laughed.
"And in the end..."
"It turned out to belong to a mountain bandit."
A few demons laughed ruthlessly behind him.
Luka’s eyes narrowed.
"I was wondering when you were going to finish talking."
Draven chuckled.
"You are brave."
"That I will give you."
His smile disappeared.
"But bravery will not save you from your fate."
Demonic pressure exploded from his body.
The earth cracked.
The nearby trees bent as though they were hit by a hurricane.
Several villagers were forced to kneel down.
Some mercenaries could hardly breath.
Roxy gritted her teeth.
"...He’s stronger than Azrakiel."
Jennie slowly shook her head.
"No."
"He’s not stronger."
"But he’s a lot more ruthless."
Snow snarled.
"And he’s a lot more impatient."
Draven took one more step forward.
His steps sounded like a beating of war drums.
Finally, he came close enough to begin his speech.
And he raised his spear.
Its black blade was pointing at Luka.
His voice was cold.
"Hand over Tempest."
His words carried across the entire valley.
Then...
The spear moved slightly.
It changed its direction to point at Jennie.
"And..."
"The Sword King."
A mocking smile appeared on his face.
"Give me both."
"And I’ll spare this insignificant village from destruction."
Gasps rung among the villagers.
Children were clinging to their parents.
Former bandits tightened their grips on rusty swords.
Nobody moved.
Draven continued calmly.
"My mission has changed."
"Markless Maiden is no longer interesting to me."
He locked eyes with Jennie.
"You have become too dangerous."
So I will remedy this mistake."
His words conveyed absolute confidence.
"I was ordered to capture you once."
"But I ignored that order."
"This time..."
"I came to kill you."
Jennie remained absolutely indifferent.
"Why do you think I will simply surrender?"
Draven smiled.
"Because I don’t."
"That is why..."
He gestured at Rosario casually.
"I brought an army."
Behind him, thousands of demon soldiers started to strike their weapons against the shields again.
The deafening rhythm echoed in the mountains.
This way he emphasized the disparity in numbers.
Luka rested Tempest across his shoulders.
"You talk too much."
Draven looked at him.
"I wasn’t speaking to you."
"Unfortunately."
Luka shrugged.
"You stand in front of my village."
"So, you speak to all of us."
A few villagers were surprised.
Their harsh leader was always straightforward.
But now...
There wasn’t a hint of fear in his voice.
Tempest chuckled in Luka’s mind.
"I knew I made the right choice."
Luka smiled faintly.
"Right choice?"
"Affectionately."
Draven sighed dramatically.
"I absolutely hate heroes."
Luka frowned.
"I am not a hero."
"No."
Draven nodded.
"But you are."
"...Someone who can become one."
His scarlet eyes narrowed.
"And that makes you dangerous."
Jennie stepped beside Luka.
"You don’t have to fight."
Luka looked at her.
"I know."
"You can leave."
"I know."
"This is not your battle."
He looked at the Demon Legion.
"Perhaps not."
He slowly raised Tempest.
"But..."
"It became my battle the moment they threatened Rosario."
Strong wind exploded around him.
The blue crystal of the sword shone brightly.
The wind responded to its master.
The black storm clouds in the sky trembled slightly.
Draven watched with interest.
"So."
"You have already synced with the sword."
"Earlier than I expected."
Roxy stepped forward until she stood next to Jennie.
Then Snow bent its huge body in front of the village protectively.
One by one...
The villagers stepped forward.
Thieves.
Mercenaries.
Blacksmiths.
Farmers.
Hunters.
Even old men with hunting bows.
None of them ran away.
One scarred man spat on the ground.
"I have spent my whole life stealing."
"I am not going to let demons steal my home."
A woman held a mining pick in her hands.
"They have taken enough from us already."
Another villager shouted,
"Rosario is united!"
Soon dozens of voices joined him.
Then hundreds.
Draven looked genuinely amused.
"How inspiring."
He slowly clapped.
"Very touching."
His smile disappeared.
"It does not change anything."
He raised his spear into the air.
Dark lightning struck from the black clouds.
The entire Demon Legion instantly went into battle formation.
Siege beasts roared.
Winged demons flew into the air.
Magic circles ignited under mages’ feet.
The valley itself was shaking in anticipation.
Draven’s voice thundered across the battlefield.
"I will ask only once more."
He pointed his spear at Luka.
"Hand over Tempest."
His spear turned towards Jennie.
"And hand over the Sword King."
There was silence for a while.
Then...
Jennie smiled faintly.
"No."
Luka grinned.
"Not interested."
Snow showed its fangs.
"You’ll have to take them."
Roxy spun her staff; hundreds of glowing magic circles appeared in the sky.
"You can always try."
For the first time after arrival...
Draven laughed.
Not politely.
Not mockingly.
But in pure delight.
"Excellent."
"I hoped you would refuse."
He lowered his spear to Rosario.
The blade was pointing at the village gates.
His scarlet eyes gleamed with bloodthirstiness.
"Then let this battle be remembered..."
"...as the day Rosario disappeared from history."
With one movement of his spear, the Third Demon General gave his first order.
"Advance."
Thousands of demons attacked simultaneously.
The Great Demon reached Rosario Village.
