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“Understood.”

“Marianne, stay behind me. I’m going to sweep the entire rampart.”

“Yes, sir, as you wish.”

I looked around at our party as I gave my instructions. Georg didn’t need many commands as he was already an accomplished Templar, and Marianne’s skills with the spear were already near the peak. Yet the one making the most contribution was Daphne. Her destructive magic grew stronger and stronger, and her protective magic made the knights fearless. ‘She’s getting closer to the Sixth Circle.’

“Daphne, on your….”

“Ha!”

“…Nice one. You’re doing great.”

Daphne summoned a colossal pillar of ice that pierced through the battlefield, sending corpses flying. She then waved her hand, shattering it into smaller pieces and creating razor-sharp icicle arrows that she fired back into their ranks.

But even with all that, we were still weary. After slaying a climbing crawler, I stood on the edge of the ramparts and gazed at the forest. It has not approached us for some time, staying on the forest’s edge.

“Captain Rhys, have you heard from the….”

A young knight spoke up, unable to contain his anxiety. Rhys didn’t let the knight speak further, slapping the ground with the tip of his sword to silence him.

“We can only trust and wait. The Archduke has given his orders. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten his orders to guard the walls with our life. He has just lengthened his operation. There is nothing to worry about.

Rhys said as firmly as he could. The knight could not hide the anxiety in his eyes through his visor. He took a deep breath, held his hand, and dismissed the knight. I looked at his face, his eyes twitching with a slight unease, but he was trying not to show it to the soldiers and knights.

“Hold your positions, and if you think the defenses are about to fall, shout, and the knights will run to your aid!”

Of course, some soldiers stood their ground and fought to the death despite Rhys’ shouts. I circled the ramparts relentlessly, finishing off the monsters the soldiers had managed to stall. They defended the walls; I protected them. With no reinforcements and the absence of Archduke Quenor, the men’s morale was slipping.

“Do not let your guard down! After defending them so well yesterday, you must not surrender the walls for nothing!”

Rhys shouted sharply as he slashed at a demon.

“The more you let your guard down and act stupid, the harder it will be for us! Don’t act like a bunch of scarecrows, do something with your weapons!”

At his words, the soldiers gained back a bit of their resolve. They cursed and shouted, raising their spirits and facing the creature. Rhys looked at me apologetically.

“…I apologize, Hero. They’re not normally this sloppy, but the battle has been going on for days, and it seems to have taken a toll on their morale.”

“No need to apologize. I understand how they feel.”

I looked at the soldiers pushing monsters off the rampart. I gripped my sword tighter, scanning for any sign of danger,

Suddenly, I saw a shadow loom over me. I raised my sword, blocking the incoming monster.

Heavy. I could tell my opponent was strong with that interaction alone. Before I could regain my posture, my body instinctually moved to parry a blow coming from my side.

However, it wasn’t perfect. I flew off the rampart and into the battlefield. The knights and soldiers watching the engagement shouted my name, and I could see them preparing to jump down, but I held my hand out behind me, signaling them to stay back. Their hurried footsteps stopped, and I pulled myself up to face the creature.

“Give in to fear, foolish humans.”

It was a Yeti. He was smaller than a legionnaire but just as powerful. ‘I must face this one alone.’ I gritted my teeth and readied my Holy Sword. Then suddenly, he threw something at me. I blocked it with my sword, and I heard the sound of an empty bucket hitting the ground. I looked down at the piece of metal by my toes.

It was the Archduke’s helmet.

“Did you think you could halt his advance with that force? Did you believe they could do something?”

I could feel the knights and soldiers behind me stirring in thought, and then I heard Rhys’s voice, burning with rage.

“You dare to touch the Archduke’s helm with your filthy hands…!!!”

“He killed all the knights you sent! And all he had to do was walk, and they were squashed, trampled to death like ants.”

The Yeti laughed. I could hear the soldiers raising their spears. The knights who could use aura immediately drew it up. They wouldn’t listen to my orders even if I told them to stand down.

“Funny how the looks of despair masquerading as anger. Meekly offer us your head, and you shall receive eternal peace in cold slumber.”

“Focus on defending the walls. I’ve got this one.”

I opened the first stage of my Holy Sword and charged at the Yeti. He laughed and swung his arm against my strike.

The blade collided with the skin that covered his fist. It didn’t pierce the flesh, but he grimaced. I pushed him away and created distance between us.

“You… That sword is not like the other knights…!”

The Yeti let out a pained cry, then threw another punch blocked by the Holy Sword. I could see panic slowly creeping into his face. Without missing the chance, I instantly found an opening. I made wounds here and there, causing him to bleed everywhere.

“Oh no!”

Unable to parry with his fists, the Yeti raised his arms to his head. My head felt chilly. My heart ignited with a frozen fire that made my blade cold and sharp. I gritted my teeth and swung my sword harder and harder as the unpleasant images kept replaying in my mind.

“You think you can get away with this!”

The Yeti roared, forcing me back. The monsters nearby noticed and slowly surrounded me. My party and the other knights were fighting hard after hearing about the Archduke. I looked around at the Named monsters surrounding me and grabbed my Holy Sword with both hands.

They flung themselves at me. I felt time slow around me, and my body moved by itself. I launched myself into the air, slicing across the torso of the closest monster, then spun forward with my weight, slashing at the two over my shoulder. I landed beside another, taking off its head, and cut down the two white wolves in the Yeti’s way.

His face was colored with horror. I wasted no time slashing at its left horn and leaping onto its knee. Completely off balance, his body staggers forward.

“It wasn’t just the dark-haired man….”

I don’t have time to admire his expression. I plunge my sword into the Yeti’s skull. He went limp, and I kicked its massive body off the ramparts.

The Yeti was a legionnaire, and the momentum of the charging creatures slowed without their commander. Without extinguishing the fire of my Holy Sword, I climbed and ran around the ramparts, slaughtering all the monsters in sight. I felt dizzy amidst the fountains of blood.

(Elroy.)

I heard the voice of the Holy Sword, who rarely spoke during battle. I let out a tired breath and looked around. Soldiers were dropping corpses off the walls, and the wounded were being carried away. Today’s invasion was over much more difficult than the last. My arm trembled slightly. I was exerting too much energy.

(Keep it together. There is still no confirmation that the Archduke has been defeated. Stay calm and collect your thoughts. If you lose your cool, it will affect the soldiers.)

‘…You’re right.’

I took another breath and looked at the knights approaching me, their faces contorted with anger.

A council of the remaining Evernode officers gathered on the ramparts. I remembered the Yeti’s words and pieced together the truth.

“…The Archduke is probably still fighting.”

I opened my mouth to say. When I thought I was simply offering hope, Rhys narrowed his eyes and asked, his voice sharper than usual.

“How would you know?”

“As of yesterday, the Giant’s advance has stopped. It hasn’t taken a single step closer to the limit, and I can feel it more keenly than anyone else, I assure you.”

The knights’ expressions changed slightly.

“If that’s the case, then why did that talking Yeti speak in such a way….”

“It must have been to demoralize us, to make it easier for him to take the castle. If the Archduke had been killed, our walls would have crumbled long ago as the giant’s advance continued and countless monsters attacked.”

Rhys’s expression brightened for a moment, then darkened again.

“…As much as I would like to believe your words, as the one currently in charge of this castle, I can only assume the worst. What if it wasn’t bluffing, and a stronger assault comes tomorrow?”

No one spoke. It was as if the possibility of failure was beginning to take concrete form and materialize before their eyes.

“…We should prioritize the Archduke’s orders and wait. Since the Giant’s advance was halted, we have more time to wait for reinforcements. Then we can continue our discussions.

Never had the words “wait for reinforcements” made me feel so helpless. I bit my lip so hard it began to bleed.

“We need to organize a rescue party, Captain Rhys.”

The knight, Serene, had been glancing nervously over the ramparts throughout today’s battle.

“We can’t wait for them to arrive with no news. And, as the Hero said, there’s a good chance the Archduke is still alive.”

“How can we expect to reorganize a rescue party, Serene, when the Archduke is the highest power in the castle? And even if they do, there’s no guarantee they’ll bring him back safely.”

“However, the battle here with even more men absent….”

Even among the knights, opinions were beginning to diverge. I closed my eyes. ‘There had to be a way.’ I could taste the bitter taste of blood in my mouth. I took a long breath and opened my mouth.

“Let’s go with this.”

It was a gamble, a considerable risk. But it was the only option I could think of.

“Give me an hour… no, half an hour. Captain Rhys, organize a rescue party.”

“Hero….”

Rhys’ expression changed to one of concern. My party’s expressions changed as well.

“What are you thinking, Elroy?”

“I have a plan. If I succeed, we’ll have enough power to rescue the Archduke. If I fail, we cancel the rescue and prepare for a full-scale assault.”

Daphne looked at me with concern.

“Elroy….”

“It’s okay. One way or another, Evernode will be protected.”

I looked back at Marianne. Her golden eyes seemed to waver slightly as they locked with mine.

“Marianne, help me.”

“…What can I do for you?”

I sucked in a breath and spoke in a steady voice.

“I’m going to get through the trial of the Crown of Thorns.”

By any means necessary.

The wind swept over the deserted city with my words.