Excalibur Chronicle of Raidorl - Chapter 234: Knights of War

“Go!!,Forward!!,Forward!!,Forward!!,Forward!!”

The Zain Royal Army and the Undead Army.

A fierce battle was being fought on the outer wall section of the Royal City, the main battleground for both armies.

Riding his cavalry towards the enemy lines is Justy Oigist, the Chief of the Thousand Horsemen. He is a close aide of Raidorl, a fierce general who has shown outstanding power both as a spearman and as a user of 『earth』 magic.

“【Stone Rush】”

The ground explodes ahead of them as Justy activates his magic without stopping his horse.

The debris of the earth becomes countless stone rubble, kicking the undead in front of them all together, and the enemy line is split in half.

“I’m going to take out the enemy general just like this! Follow me!”

“「「「「「Oooooooooooo!!」」」」」”

A cavalry unit led by Justy runs across the left side of the battlefield, tearing through the undead army.

They do not engage the enemy in a proper fight. If they stop, they will lose the cavalry’s strength, which is its ability to charge. The cavalry’s advantage is that simply running through the middle of the enemy line can break the formation and render the opponent combat-ready.

Justy’s rush causes the undead army to collapse at every turn. The infantry troops following behind the cavalry troops then take out the scattered enemy soldiers.

The undead army, which should have had the advantage in numbers, began to crumble, and the battle situation tilted heavily in favour of the Zain Royal Army.

“Gununununu……..Humans, you’re getting carried away!”

A knight of 『War』 standing on the ramparts – Garbolus – stomps on the ground.

The undead forces are being pushed further by the Zain Royal Army, which has been gaining momentum since the battle began.

The number of soldiers is not decreasing. For the Undead Army, which had turned the entire population living in the Royal City of Athena into undead, soldiers were expendable items that could be replenished as much as possible.

However, far more undead were struck down and defeated by the Zain Kingdom’s army than soldiers were replenished from inside the royal city.

The number of allies on the battlefield was dwindling and the enemy was getting closer.

“At this rate,we’ll be pushed…! Do you think this eagle will be defeated by a lowly mortal?”

It is not that Garbolus is incompetent general.

At first glance, the old general, with his tantrum and red face, may look like an old man who is all pride and no ability. However, it is undoubtedly Garbolus’s skill that has enabled the undead army to hold out against the onslaught of the Zain Royal Army.

But……such excuses are not acceptable. It is unconvincing.

The knights of 『War』 cannot be defeated.

The Great Witch. For Garbolus, the first of the four knights in the service of Osman, Queen of the Underworld, defeat was more unforgivable than death.

“Impossible! I cannot be defeated! I cannot offer the great Queen……Osman a defeat!”

What lies at the heart of Garbolus is unmatched loyalty.

The oldest of the four knights in the service of the Osman, Garbolus’ loyalty is deeper than any other, in proportion to the number of years he has served his queen.

There is not the slightest waver in his loyalty to the point of madness.

He is sincerely disappointed at his own inability to offer the victory his queen desires to an enemy who is struggling to remain quiet and unkilled.

“It is too much power for a lowly mortal, but….it is unavoidable.”

Garbolus immediately made the decision to play his trump card.

He has no intention of playing it safe. He will not show his queen any more disrespect.

“Awake, evil will. Evil spirits who make the underworld their home. ……『Typhon』!”

[TL: Greek Mythos]

Garbolus’ head grows in size. His body remained intact, only his head grew like a balloon, and the mouth opened wide as if out of joint.

“Gaahgguhh”

A viper crawls out of the extremely open mouth with bright red blood.

Garbolus’ body turns inside out, starting from the mouth, and the monster that had been hiding inside the old man’s body reveals its true nature.

“ 『Gigigigigigigigigigigiiiiiii…….!!』”

What appeared with a scream was a giant so large that it could be looked up at.

Numerous vipers sprouted from its shoulders and legs, and the wings on its back spread out in the wind. Its horrifying, demon-like face was covered in flames, and its bright red eyes looked down on Justy Oigist.

The monster of the underworld.

Father of the monsters that even God fears.

The manifestation of the demon of hell – the typhon- is borned.

“I knew you would transform……! So, this is the true nature of Garbolus……What a horrifying sight!”

Justy, who had been charging at the enemy forces, had to stop his horse when he saw the transformation of Garbolus.

“Since the two 『Famine』  and 『Plague』  had transformed, I knew that this old man would also change shape if cornered…..but you revealed yourself sooner than I expected!”

“Commander Oigist! What should we do!?”

“Do not panic! We will continue the battle as planned!”

Justy shouts out instructions to his shaken men and grips his spear tightly.

Looking down on the cavalry led by Justy, Garbolus, who has become a monster, opens his huge mouth.

“『Fragile mortals………! Know yourself the folly of challenging the great Queen of the Underworld!』”

“Muu!?”

“『Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!』”

The giant shouted at them in a low voice that seemed to echo from the depths of the earth, and bright red flames erupted from its split mouth.

Scorching fire was hurled over the heads of Justy and the others, and the whole area, including the undead around them, was engulfed in a sea of flames.

“Now! March!”

“「「「「「Ooooooooooooooo!!」」」」」”

“『Nuah……!?』”

However, Justy jumps out of the flames.

Behind him, the cavalry unit under his command continues to follow, and while being bathed in searing fire breaths, they do not seem to be noticeably damaged.

“Sorry, 『Knights of War』! We have not been sitting on our hands these past few months waiting for the right moment!”

A closer look reveals that …… Justy’s body surface is covered with a faint translucent shield. It was a shield created by magic power that enveloped his entire body, blocking attacks from flames and protecting Justy’s body.

The same applies to the knights under his command. By coating their bodies with magic power, they were able to push through the flames without fear.

“Though we do not possess the divine protection of the holy sword, we can at least protect ourselves by maximising our magical powers!”

It was a new fighting technique that Justy had developed after his defeat against the Knights of 『Famine』.

As the holder of the Holy Sword, Raidorl has a high magic resistance due to its blessing. Justy took this as a reference and mastered the technique of raising his own magic resistance by enveloping his body with his own magic power.

It was a much more delicate technique than simply casting fire or earth……Fortunately or unfortunately, Justy was laid up tending to an injury sustained in a previous battle. He was unable to do his favourite muscle training or spear practice, and the only thing he could do was manipulate magic, thus he was able to learn this technique.

Justy thoroughly drilled the skills he had mastered into the knights under his command. Not many were able to master it, but only the elite who were able to learn it were led as a death squad.

“I knew from Neimilia-dono that you transform into an ancient monster called a Typhon. And that it breathes fire. If that’s the case……I should prepare one or two countermeasures!”

“『Mortallssssaa–aaaaaaahhh! Just dieeee quietttly!!oooohhhhhhhh!』”

“Circle around the enemy! Launch the attack!”

“「「「「「Haaaaaaaa!!」」」」」”

A cavalry unit, led by Justy, gallops around the giants.

As they drive their horses, they cut down the vipers growing from its legs with swords and spears.

“『This……prickly, depressing……』”

“【Stone Rush】”

“『Gugaah!?』”

Justy shot out an oversized earth bullet, which pierced Garbolus’ face. This was also a magic that had been devised against the giant.

“You…YouYouYouYouYouYouYou!! BasssstarddGAAAAAAAA!!!”

Garbolus stomps on the ground in a tantrum.

The giant’s stomping of its legs was enough of an attack, but the cavalry unit avoided the stamping feet.

They drive their horses to confuse Garbolus and attack him with swords and spears, piercing him as if to provoke him.

For the monstrous Garbolus, the attacks of the cavalry units did not do much damage. The vipers growing from his legs were cut off, but new snakes soon grew back, so they did not cause any damage.

Justy’s magic attack has some damage, but when asked if it was also fatal, he could only shake his head.

“『Did you think you could defeat this 『knight of war』, the one-armed …… eagle of Osman-sama, with an attack of this magnitude! Don’t you humans underestimate my power!』”

Nevertheless, it is no fun to have his feet clinging to insects.

Even the short-tempered Garbolus is increasingly ranting in anger, trying to somehow smash the knight at his feet.

“『How long are you going to keep running away? Do you think you can win just by running away!?』”

“Of course, our aim is not to defeat you. We are not so conceited as to think that we can defeat the 『Four Horsemen of Apocalypse』 with this little attacks!”

“『What did you say……!?』”

“If you walk only by looking up, you will trip and stumble over the pebbles under your feet. If so, the opposite is also true! Isn’t that right, 『Knights of War』?”

“『Nuuuuuuu……!?』”

Galboras, who had been distracted by Justy, looked up over his head when he felt a hint of magic power erupt like an explosion above his head.

“It appears that …… enough power has been accumulated. Your Highness Neferte.”

Justy also looks overhead.

Ahead of Garbolus and Justy’s gaze, there was a small figure standing in mid-air, hidden by the clouds that were obscuring the sky.

“I thank you for your assistance…..Justy-tono!

Floating in the sky with wings of mist is Neferte Athena. He is the holder of the holy sword favoured by Mistilteinn, the holy sword that governs 『Water』.

“Thanks to you, I was able to formulate enough magical power to slaughter this formidable foe! You will pay for the crime of trampling on my homeland and my people with your…..life!”

“『You little……!』”

Garbolus groaned.

An enormous amount of magical power erupted from the dagger raised by Neferte, creating a huge blade in the sky.

Since the battle began, Neferte has been hiding in the clouds, storing up his power. The enormous amount of magical power emanating from the dagger was enough to reap the life of Garbolus.

“『Why……didn’t I see it? How could I, a subordinate of Osman, make such a stupid mistake……!!』”

Garbolus’s ugly face twisted even more and he lashed out at his own blunder.

The holder of the Holy Sword was a natural enemy of both the 『Six Witches of Doom』 and the 『Four Horsemen of apocalypse』. Of course, even Garboluswas always wary of their existence.

Normally, it would be impossible to ignore Mistilteinn. And yet, until……this point, they had forgotten about its existence.

‘It’s these guys…. if it weren’t for these bugs…..!’

Garbolus made an unforgivable mistake because he was distracted by Justy and the rest of the Zain Royal Army.

If only they hadn’t fought so hard, and cornered Garbolus.

They must attack the feet of the giant Garbolus with prickly attacks, and do something that will reduce his nerves.

If only they didn’t have to stab Garbolus’s feet and do things that would make him lose his nerve.

Garbolus could certainly notice the holy sword. Even if hidden by the clouds, he could still spot Neferte.

“『I’ve been set up……by a bunch of brats who haven’t lived for a hundred years, and here I am…..!』”

Realising that he was being played in the hands of the enemy, Garbolus bit down so hard that his back teeth cracked.

“It’s over,……you can disappear, 『Knight of War』 Garbolus!”

“『But……it’s not over yet! I cannot be defeatedAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!』”

Neferte swung his dagger down and the huge blade fell like a guillotine towards Gáboras’ head.

Garbolus looks up over his head and tries to intercept it, breathing burning fire from his mouth.

“【Earth cannon】!”

“『Gbaaahhhh ……!?』”

However, Justy shoots magic from below to cover Neferte.

A huge stone bullet shoots through Garbolus’ jaw from below, forcing his mouth to close.

The flames he tries to spit out explode in his mouth, burning Garbolus’ tongue and throat until they are black charcoal.

Grateful for the support of his reliable comrade-in-arms, Neferte swings the water blade down with the words.

“【Fragarach–burial of water】!”

“『………!?』”

Garbolus was blocked from even making a last stand.

A water guillotine was slammed into its head, cutting his head in half.