Chapter 4

Through the depths of the Labyrinth Corridor, a single Earth Dragon barrelled forward with breathtaking momentum.

It was Moguta—blasting through the subterranean gloom at several times the speed of a normal Earth Dragon, his colossal frame shaking the tunnel walls with every bound.

Upon his broad back rode six figures.

"Not a single monster has shown up."

Scanning their surroundings with a discerning gaze, Ars muttered softly.

Even as he sharpened his focus and expanded his [Hearing] Gift to its limits, he couldn't detect the faintest trace of a beast.

"They are frightened, no doubt. Frightened so deeply that not even a common earthworm dares crawl from the rock."

Moldin, the elderly dwarf retainer, replied while stroking his gray beard.

"Frightened?"

"Hmm...? Ars, do you truly... feel nothing at all?"

Moldin's eyes widened in genuine disbelief.

"What have you guys been talking about this whole time?"

As Ars tilted his head in honest confusion, the old dwarf stood with his mouth agape, completely struck dumb.

Taking over with an exasperated scowl, Sigi chimed in.

"It's the presence of Special Designated Monster No. 4! We're getting close to its lair, and the sheer crushing pressure is already suffocating! Ars, are you seriously telling me you can't feel any of that?!"

Sweat beaded across Sigi's forehead, while her sister Regi had buried her entire face into Sigi's shoulder, trembling from head to toe.

Yet despite the sisters being terrified to the bone, Ars genuinely didn't register a thing.

Being left out of the loop like this almost made him feel an odd sense of loneliness.

"Is it really that overwhelming?"

"'Overwhelming' doesn't even begin to describe it! It's the exact same dread as when Fenrir chased us down! A Special Designated Monster is on a whole different level, I'm telling you...!"

"...I-I shouldn't have come. We should've just gone home..."

Regi whimpered, her voice quivering on the verge of tears.

Though seeing as she still had the energy to voice her grievances, Ars figured she was still holding up well enough.

"Are you holding up all right, Karen?"

Ars turned to Karen, who stood beside Shion observing how she steered the massive beast.

Glancing back over her shoulder, Karen offered a wry, slightly helpless smile.

"I'm not doing too bad, honestly. I've spent so much time around you, getting dragged into absurd situations, that my sense of danger has gone numb. But if I were on my own, I would've turned tail and run for the hills. Right, Shion?"

"I'm in a 'subordinate' pact with Ars, after all," Shion stated nonchalantly. "Fear doesn't really register. In fact, I feel heavily protected, so I'm completely fine. ...Though yeah, if I were alone, I'd bolt in a heartbeat."

With that, Shion gently patted Moguta's scaly nape.

"Moguta's the same way. Thanks to the 'subjugation' bond, he's able to push through this terrifying aura without flinching. Any ordinary Earth Dragon would have fled ages ago."

"Well, Regi and Sigi will get used to it sooner or later. We're going to clash with the Earth Empire regardless, so they won't have time to stay scared."

Karen shrugged casually before looking back at Ars.

"More importantly, what's the plan? We're almost at our destination. Are we going to keep the Transfer Gate from the Earth Empire, or blow it to pieces? Do you actually have a concrete strategy, Ars?"

At Karen's query, Ars crossed his arms and answered in a completely earnest tone.

"Personally, I'd love to fight Special Designated Monster No. 4 head-on."

"Riiight... Of course you would. And?"

Hearing him spout absurd nonsense yet again, Karen wore an utterly deadpan expression and urged him to continue.

"If we engage it first, the Earth Empire will definitely meddle and launch a flank attack."

"Obviously. Whether you win or lose, they'll just exploit the opening."

"That's why we shouldn't make the first move. Instead—we destroy the Transfer Gate right while the Special Designated Monster and the Earth Empire are busy ripping each other apart."

"...I see. So we focus entirely on sabotaging them?"

"Yeah. They gave me plenty of grief back at the palace, so it's only fair I return the favor."

"Hmm... What's this about grief?"

As Karen tilted her head curiously, Sigi leaned in close.

"Karen, let me give you the quick rundown."

"What happened?"

Sigi pressed close and whispered softly into Karen's ear.

—She recounted everything that had taken place in the banquet hall.

She told her how Ars had constantly shielded both Regi and Sigi from Zelgius and his imperial knights.

Sigi conveyed the sheer irritation and anger that Ars had bottled up after being toyed with by opponents who refused to face him head-on.

"Ah, I see... In that case, we definitely can't let them off easy. They have it coming."

"Right?! And when all is said and done, I'm landing a solid punch on each of their faces!"

"Hehe, I'll happily back you up on that."

Listening to Sigi's explanation, Karen gave a resolute nod of agreement.

Ars watched the two bond over their shared vendetta, but—

"Ars, could you come here for a second?"

Suddenly called by Shion, he lifted his gaze.

"What's up?"

"...Looks like this is as far as we go on mount."

The moment Shion spoke, Moguta came to a complete halt.

The beast's colossal frame shuddered faintly, its broad claws failing to grip the rock beneath, scraping helplessly against the stone.

Unable to muster the traction to dig forward, its claws merely skidded across the bedrock with a hollow clatter.

Evidently, even the bonded beast could no longer endure the sheer oppressive weight of Special Designated Monster No. 4's presence.

"Guess we proceed on foot from here..."

"That's for the best. We can't bring Moguta into what's about to become an active warzone."

Reaching a swift consensus, the party dismounted one by one.

"Moguta, I'll call you when we head back. Find a safe spot to hide and wait for us until then."

Shion stroked the dragon's neck as she gave the order, and Moguta let out a brief, obedient rumble before spinning around and dashing back the way they came in a flurry of churning dust.

"He really was scared out of his wits, poor thing..."

Watching Moguta vanish with staggering speed, Karen muttered with a mix of awe and sympathy.

Sigi waved her hand dismissively, scoffing as if it were the most natural reaction in the world.

"Can you blame him? Anyone taking the full brunt of this ridiculous aura would lose their footing. Just look at Big Sis—she's still glued to my waist and won't let go!"

"Sigi-chan, Big Sis is experiencing profound, existential terror right now. If at all possible, I would like to go home immediately, take a hot bath, and go to sleep."

"Well, if you've still got the breath to talk that much, you two clearly have plenty of energy left."

Ars chuckled wryly, though his gaze remained fixed on the looming dark ahead.

The glowing light of the magic stones embedded along the tunnel walls had ceased partway down the passage.

They had likely been omitted intentionally; illuminating the area any further risked provoking the dormant beast.

It was a sound judgment.

The sheer, palpable pressure bleeding from the cavern's abyss was enough to bypass reason entirely, warning every instinct in a person's body never to step beyond this threshold.

"...All right. Let's find a spot to conceal ourselves until the Earth Empire army arrives."

All traces of casual banter vanished instantly.

Every member of the party nodded, their expressions hardening with quiet resolve.

In that silent cavern lingered the solemn determination of warriors who instinctively knew the impending clash was upon them.

＊

The Labyrinth Corridor—Abandonment City No. 1.

The ancient city was already in an advanced state of decay, the vast majority of its buildings long reduced to piles of rubble.

As it served as the territorial domain of Special Designated Monster No. 4, even wild monsters dared not approach, leaving the ruined metropolis utterly devoid of human presence under normal circumstances.

Today, however, an eerie, overwhelming clamor had completely overtaken the ruins.

Countless military tents stood packed closely together like a dense forest, while barked commands and the steady clatter of iron-shod boots echoed endlessly through the cavernous gloom.

Into the largest of these pavilions, a lone imperial messenger dashed with breathless urgency.

"Pardon the intrusion, Your Highness!"

His high-strung shout resonated sharply within the command tent.

"Lady Ceres Chevalier has arrived!"

Every officer gathered around the grand strategy table turned to fix their gaze upon the messenger all at once, causing the young soldier's shoulders to stiffen with anxiety.

Sensing the tension, Prince Zelgius, seated at the head of the table, raised a hand to ease the suffocating atmosphere.

"Thank you for the report. Show Ceres in."

"Sir!"

The messenger snapped a crisp bow as if released by a spring, hastily beating a retreat from the tent.

"I can't say whether he's a fresh recruit, but enthusiasm for duty is hardly a crime," Zelgius remarked playfully. "...So stop glaring at him like that, Charles."

Zelgius shot a wry smile at Charles, whose piercing gaze remained fixed on the entranceway.

"We are in the middle of a strategic conference," Charles countered sternly. "Barring an absolute emergency, such disorderly conduct into your presence should never be tolerated."

"You really are as stiff as a board," the prince sighed. "You should learn to take a page from Sigismund's bo—actually, scratch that."

Zelgius swallowed his words before finishing.

Following his line of sight, the man in question was slumped comfortably against his chair, snoring away with a blissful look on his face.

"...Good grief," Charles muttered, pressing a hand to his temple in exasperation.

He let out a heavy sigh at the sight.

Outwardly, Sigismund looked every bit the part of a calm, calculating strategist—yet beneath that refined facade lay the heart of an uncompromising brute who settled everything with sheer brawn.

Fourth Seat of the Imperial Five Swords, Sigismund—that was simply the kind of man he was.

"Pardon the interruption. Ceres Chevalier reporting."

The moment her quiet yet resolute voice cut through the air, the tent flap was drawn back with a swift, decisive motion.

A single woman stepped into view.

Her features possessed the flawless, chiseled symmetry of a sculpted marble statue, while her lustrous magenta hair, bound high in a ponytail, swayed with the supple sheen of spun silk under the lantern light.

Her eyes were no less striking; their deep reddish-purple depths harbored both an icy detachment and an innate nobility, radiating a commanding presence that naturally compelled anyone before her into hushed silence.

She was clad in a pristine military uniform as white as freshly fallen snow.

Crimson piping traced its edges, and the gilded epaulets resting upon her shoulders gleamed brilliantly with the insignia of a commanding general.

The sword strapped to her waist was no mere ornamental token of knighthood, but the proven companion of a consummate swordmaster, with every spare, efficient motion she made testifying to years of relentless discipline.

With a posture devoid of the slightest opening and an aura of effortless authority accompanying every stride, she made her way toward the heart of the tent.

"Second Prince Zelgius, please accept my sincere apologies for my delayed arrival to the front."

"Hahaha, think nothing of it!" Zelgius laughed warmly. "Your presence alone feels like an army of a million strong has joined our ranks!"

Rising from his seat, Zelgius threw his arms wide to welcome her.

"What a pity. Were it not for this great table standing between us, I would have gladly embraced you to show just how overjoyed I am."

"I must respectfully decline," Ceres replied coldly. "You are welcome to embrace one of the tent poles instead."

"Always so serious, Ceres," the prince teased. "Taking a harmless jest to heart like that."

"Hardly," Sigismund chimed in, having awakened without anyone noticing and struggling to suppress a smirk. "Knowing Your Highness, without that table in the way, you would have lunged right for the hug and taken a fist to the face as part of the routine."

As Sigismund interjected with a wry grin, every officer around the table nodded in silent agreement.

"How cruel. To think even my long-standing comrades have so little faith in me..."

Zelgius shook his head with mock sorrow, instantly shifting the mood of the room.

"Well then, let me welcome you properly. Ceres Chevalier."

Settling back into his chair, Zelgius addressed the assembly with solemn gravity.

"With this, four of the Imperial Five Swords are finally assembled. Our preparations have entered their final phase."

He swept his gaze across the officers surrounding the table and crossed his legs.

"Let us move to the final briefing. Charles, resume the meeting with Ceres included."

"At once, Your Highness."

Prompted by the order, Charles gestured toward the tactical map laid out across the table—specifically pointing to a large stone positioned squarely at its center.

"The first vanguard has already surrounded Special Designated Monster No. 4. Lady Ceres's second wave is slated to deploy behind them in support. As for the main army, the Crown Prince has entered the capital of Stolhard to oversee city defense and guard against potential rebellions."

Supplies were fully stocked, and all weaponry and equipment had been meticulously tuned to perfection by the accompanying dwarven craftsmen.

Everything was proceeding without the slightest hitch.

"All that remains is to await Your Highness's signal to attack."

"Very well. That we have come this far without issue is entirely thanks to the tireless efforts of everyone here. On behalf of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and the Crown Prince, I offer you my gratitude."

Standing up from his seat once more, Zelgius inclined his head slightly in a gesture of profound respect.

"Prince Zelgius, someone of your stature should not lower their head so lightly," Charles cautioned, offering a polite reprimand.

Zelgius raised his face and met the knight's disapproval with an easy smile.

"One's standing is irrelevant when offering genuine thanks," the prince replied smoothly. "While such an act would certainly be forbidden for an Emperor, I am merely the second prince. Surely my station is still humble enough to bow my head to those who serve us."

With a light shrug of his shoulders, Zelgius stepped leisurely toward the exit of the tent.

"Besides... it has been a long road. We have finally reached this milestone. For the sake of this moment, I would bow my head a thousand times over."

Emerging from the command pavilion, a breathtaking spectacle unfolded before him—countless tents arrayed in immaculate formation, and beyond them, a colossal army stretching to the very edges of the subterranean horizon. One hundred thousand strong, including ten thousand elite Magic Knights.

They were the finest forces the empire had to offer, assembled specifically for the subjugation of Special Designated Monster No. 4.

The Magic Knights were invaluable assets; their casualties had to be kept to an absolute minimum.

The common infantrymen, on the other hand, were little more than disposable shields of meat to be fed into the grinder.

"Heavy sacrifices will surely be paid," Zelgius murmured, a chilling pragmatism settling over his heart. "Yet even their deaths will serve as the bedrock of our future hegemony. ...I can only hope they perish with pride."

In the prince's eyes, this cold calculation was merely an inevitable necessity.

Ascending the high dais erected before the assembled legions, Zelgius stepped to the forefront.

As a taut, breathless hush fell over the entire cavern, he projected his voice with commanding clarity.

"Heroes of the empire! On this fateful day, we rise to challenge a legend!"

His opening roar shook the very air of the battlefield, soaring toward the cavernous ceiling like a thunderclap.

"The foe standing before us is a beast that defies human comprehension—yet we have naught to fear! We are the chosen blades of the empire, the pioneers who shall forge our future! Even should you fall in battle, your blood shall flow like a mighty river, nourishing the bedrock of our nation! And should you seize victory here, your names shall be praised for a thousand years to come!"

Spreading his arms wide, Zelgius looked down upon the hundred thousand soldiers with fiery conviction.

"Carve your valor into the annals of history! Raise your swords, lift your shields, and carve open the path to our glorious future! For starting today, we shall become legends ourselves!"

As his resounding voice thundered across the plains, the hearts of the vast army swelled as one.

The soldiers thrust their weapons toward the sky, and the deafening clatter of steel striking armor rippled outward in massive waves.

The rhythmic stamping of their iron boots shook the earth like rolling thunder, while an overwhelming storm of roars and cheers surged through the ranks.

Men clapped comrades on the shoulders with tears brimming in their eyes; others thrust their blades high, drunk on the intoxicating fervor of immortalizing their names in legend.

A maelstrom of fanatical frenzy consumed the entire encampment, searing an unyielding resolve into the soldiers' very souls that left no room for retreat.

"Now, march!"

In answer to Zelgius's battle cry, a hundred thousand throats erupted into a unified, deafening roar.

Raised swords and spears caught the glow of magic stone lamps, shimmering in undulating waves that banished the deep shadows of the cavern.

The earth-shaking footsteps gradually synchronized into a singular, colossal heartbeat, and the imperial army surged forward like a living, breathing leviathan.

It was no longer a mere military force, but a monolithic colossus forged to strike down a beast worthy of legend.

＊

"You don't get to see an army that huge every day," Sigi commented, leaning over the cliff edge. "Quite a spectacle, honestly."

She muttered the words while gazing down at the Earth Empire's forces marching across the valley floor below.

There was a faint trace of excitement in her voice—perhaps swept up in the lingering heat of that fiery speech.

Small wonder, really.

Even watching from afar, Ars couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer grandeur of the display.

"So that's Zelgius..." Ars noted quietly. "Seems he lives up to his reputation."

"The guy basically tells them to go die, and morale still goes through the roof," Karen chimed in with a scoff. "His troops must worship the ground he walks on."

Karen had reacted immediately to Ars's remark.

Pouting with evident displeasure, she kicked at a pebble resting near her boots.

She clearly had no desire to shower honest praise upon the Earth Empire, let alone its second prince.

"So Special Designated Monster No. 4 is lurking just ahead..." Ars murmured.

Ars and his companions were navigating the high cliff ledge hugging the cavern wall to avoid detection.

From the look of things, the imperial forces were maintaining practically zero vigilance over their surroundings.

In all likelihood, the thought of anyone interfering with their grand campaign hadn't even crossed their minds.

Having already seized the Underground Empire's capital and deployed an overwhelming force, a distinct hubris had clearly begun to seep into their command.

"Heh, I can't wait to crash their little party," Karen said with a mischievous grin. "I'd love to see all that fiery hype freeze over in a single second."

A wicked smile danced across her lips as she spoke.

Considering everything she had endured, Ars had no intention of reigning her in.

She might as well go all out and have her fun, he thought.

"Still... were these tunnels carved out while prospecting for ore? They branch off in every direction. Makes you wonder where they lead," Karen mused, peering at the perforated cavern walls.

"Rumor has it that every tunnel here leads back to the capital of Stolhard," Shion answered.

She offered the explanation with a shrug.

"Well, that's half true and half nonsense," Sigi interjected breezily.

At her casual remark, Karen's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, seriously?" Karen asked.

"Yep. Most are dead ends, but a few actually connect to the city," Sigi explained. "They were mainly excavated as escape routes for the royal family. Back in the day, monster raids on the capital were pretty common, so they kept secret exits ready just in case."

"In that case, we'd better stay sharp," Shion warned, surveying the pockmarked walls with narrowed eyes. "If they connect anywhere, imperial soldiers could come bursting out of those tunnels at any second."

As Shion voiced her caution, Sigi burst into laughter.

"Ahaha! As if!" Sigi chuckled. "Unless they handed out maps to every single grunt, there's no way they'd trust common soldiers with classified routes. ...Here, watch. I'll prove there's nothing in there."

Though there was no real need to prove anything, Sigi playfully bounded forward and moved to peek inside the nearest tunnel opening.

"Huh?"

"Whoa?!"

Two bewildered gasps overlapped in the exact same instant—and Sigi's petite frame went flying backward from the impact.

Seeing her land squarely on her rear, everyone drew their weapons in a flash.

"You've gotta be kidding, imperial soldiers for real?!" Shion shouted in disbelief.

As she cried out, figures leaped forth from the cavern entrance.

The tension in the air spiked to the absolute limit in an instant.

A bloody skirmish was on the verge of erupting at any second.

Yet right then, both sides froze in their tracks.

"Ah."

"Oh."

Silver hair—the familiar figure of a young girl stood before them.

Behind her stood a large contingent of elven Holy Knights, with Elsa pressing a hand to her forehead as she looked up at the ceiling in utter exasperation. Among their ranks were several other familiar elven faces.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Sigi yelled reflexively as she scrambled to her feet. "What if you bruised my butt, huh?!"

The complaint flew from her mouth almost on instinct.

The next moment, however, she froze mid-rant and tilted her head.

"Huh? Wait, Julia?! What are you doing here?"

Her anger vanished into thin air, replaced entirely by pure shock at the unexpected reunion with an old friend.

"Sister!" Karen gasped, her eyes lighting up. "Why are you here...? Wait, even Elsa... and more elves?!"

Karen moved to rush toward her beloved elder sister.

Her voice trailed off, however, and the instant she fully registered the assembled Holy Knights, she ground to a complete halt.

An awkward tension settled over the tunnel, leaving everyone hesitating over who should speak first.

It was Verg who shattered the silence.

"Well, well, well! Lord Ars!" Verg exclaimed theatrically. "What sheer, unadulterated fortune that we should cross paths in a place like this!"

Stepping forward with exaggerated deference, he dropped to one knee before Ars, took the boy's right hand, and pressed his lips to the back of it.

"It is an absolute honor to be in your presence once more."

"Uh, yeah... long time no see," Ars stammered, pulling his hand back slightly. "Thanks again for bailing me out back then."

Ars was reminded of their previous encounter.

That day, he had recklessly pushed himself to test what lay beyond Domain Expansion, only to fail spectacularly and pass out cold—a mortifying memory that still made his face burn with embarrassment whenever he recalled it.

And during that helpless state, it was Verg who had stood guard over him.

That was why Ars felt he owed the man a proper word of thanks.

"Think nothing of it! To be of service to Lord Ars is my greatest joy," Verg swooned, clutching his chest. "...Besides, to watch over your slumbering, defenseless form was a bliss beyond measure. Saving your life was one thing, but gazing upon your innocent face from such close proximity was true paradise... Even now, just reminiscing about it makes my heart flutter with ecstasy."

Verg's entire demeanor exuded an intensely theatrical, deeply suspicious eccentricity.

Truth be told, it was outright creepy.

Yet remembering that the man had saved his life, Ars couldn't bring himself to treat him too coldly.

"A-Ars... um..."

Julia stepped closer, her eyes darting about evasively with an awkward, hesitant demeanor.

This had likely been a secret she had kept hidden from him all this time.

Now that the truth had been laid bare in such a place, her flustered behavior was only natural.

"I've got plenty of questions, sure, but..."

Ars gave Julia's shoulder a gentle, reassuring pat and offered her a warm smile.

"Ever since that night, I haven't doubted you for a single second. So please, don't look at me like that."

From the day they first met, Julia had been a benefactor who taught him so much.

And the vow Ars had made that night was no lie.

—Even if it means turning the entire world into my enemy, I will always stand by her side.

Whether Julia was scheming something behind the scenes or keeping secrets from him, he had no intention of breaking that promise.

Even if people laughed at him for being a fool, he refused to betray the feelings they had shared that day.

Whatever she might be up to, Ars had already resolved not to let it bother him.

"Anyway, if there's anything you need help with, just say the word. I've always got your back."

"A-Ars! Thank you so much!"

Overwhelmed with joy, tears welled up at the corners of Julia's eyes as she threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

Ars gently patted her back, glancing over her shoulder toward Elsa.

"That goes for you too, Elsa."

He was indebted to her in countless ways as well.

Table manners, dining etiquette, bath rituals—she had even dragged him into an all-night discussion dissecting the intricacies of stuffed animals once.

Bizarre quirks aside, she remained one of his most cherished benefactors.

"Understood. Should the need arise, I will not hesitate to rely upon you," Elsa replied.

A faint, subtle smile touched the lips of the usually expressionless knight.

"Ars, once this matter is resolved, I will explain everything properly," Julia promised softly. "Please, just wait a little longer."

"Take all the time you need," Ars replied easily. "More importantly, what brings you all down here?"

"We came to thwart the Earth Empire's ambitions," Julia answered. "These gentlemen informed us that the empire's true goal is the Transfer Gate leading to the Deep Territory."

Julia gestured toward Verg and the elf standing behind him—a figure shrouded beneath a deep hood, who offered a quiet, respectful nod.

"I am Shelff, the Tenth Apostle, Ashiyora."

"I'm Ars. Good to meet you."

After exchanging brief introductions, Julia tilted her head quizzically.

"And what about you, Ars? What brings your group here?"

"We caught wind of the Transfer Gate too," Ars explained. "Decided we'd head down and throw a wrench in their gears."

"Magnificent!!"

At Ars's answer, Verg barged into the conversation with bubbling excitement.

"To think the day has finally arrived when I might fight shoulder to shoulder alongside Lord Ars!"

"Uh, right... Verg, wasn't it? You're lending a hand too?"

"Why, of course! The Earth Empire's vile schemes trampled upon the sacred honor of our Great Forest to begin with. Which means Lord Ars is effectively joining our cause—ah, what sublime glory!"

"Ah... right..."

Finding it far too exhausting to match his energy, Ars simply nodded along half-heartedly.

"Truly wonderful...! Should Lord Ars brandish his blade, I shall gladly become your shield, your path, and prostrate myself in the dirt to support your very footsteps! Now then, do you have a plan of action in mind?"

"...Yeah, more or less," Ars replied.

He gave a concise summary of the strategy he had worked out with Karen and the others earlier.

Verg listened with solemn attentiveness, nodding vigorously the moment Ars finished.

"Flawless...! There could be no finer strategy! It is perfection itself—perfection incarnate! Truly, Lord Ars was born to conquer victory!"

"You think? It's really not worth that much praise," Ars muttered, scratching his head.

"Lord Ars, my sincerest apologies," Elsa cut in with a deadpan expression. "This man is somewhat touched in the head. Engaging with him is a waste of effort; it is best to simply ignore him."

Though Elsa provided the calm warning, Ars had already figured out long ago that Verg was an eccentric weirdo without needing to be told.

And so, happily heeding her sound advice, Ars resolved to casually brush the man off going forward.

＊

A staggering torrent of radiance flooded the subterranean cavern.

Layer upon layer of magic crests bloomed across the air like blossoming flowers, unleashing blinding flashes of light.

It was a coordinated volley of offensive spells unleashed by the Magic Knights.

Their target was the towering, grotesque tortoise-like monstrosity looming before them—Special Designated Monster No. 4, Genbu.

Spanning over three hundred meters in length, its colossal body resembled a floating island, its massive carapace overgrown with a dense, sprawling forest.

"Is the Transfer Gate somewhere on its back?"

Zelgius asked as he studied the map, and Charles gave a solemn nod.

"Yes, Your Highness. It is reportedly installed near the center. The ancient records left behind in the Underground Empire corroborate that."

"...They certainly chose an annoying place to build it," Zelgius remarked with a sigh. "Why on earth did the ancients pick such a location?"

To secure the Transfer Gate, they had no choice but to slay Genbu.

If it were only a person or two, slipping past undetected might have been an option.

However, for the Earth Empire, which intended to march hundreds of thousands of troops into the Deep Territory, there was no chance Genbu would simply look the other way and grant them passage.

"I finally understand why it's known as the guardian of the Transfer Gate," Zelgius muttered. "...I always intended to bring it down, but this is proving to be far more troublesome than I anticipated."

Right before Zelgius's eyes, a volley of spells detonated against the behemoth.

The earth was gouged open with a deafening roar, churning up billowing clouds of dust.

Yet Genbu, shielded beneath its colossal carapace, had not sustained so much as a single scratch.

"Good grief... So it's not just a mountain of meat after all," Zelgius murmured.

"What are your orders, Your Highness?" Charles asked.

"What else can we do but—"

The moment Zelgius tried to finish his thought, a seismic roar shook the cavern, completely drowning out his words.

"Tch, here comes its counterattack...!" Zelgius barked. "Deploy defensive barriers at once!"

At Zelgius's command, the defensive mages standing on standby behind him began weaving their incantations in unison.

At that exact moment, Genbu shifted its colossal bulk and opened its massive maw wide.

When its foreleg slammed down, the very earth trembled as if groaning in agony.

A single step—yet a shockwave akin to a collapsing mountain surged forth in all directions.

Immediately following the tremor, an enormous magic circle materialized, hovering high in midair.

Its intricate glyphs represented the absolute pinnacle of geometric design, brimming with the radiant, terrifying wisdom of the ancients.

And then—a cataclysmic gale swept across the entire battlefield.

Soldiers on the vanguard were hurled into the air like ragdolls.

The sheer number was impossible to count.

Over ten thousand soldiers were swept up by the tempest all at once and hurled into the open air.

After hanging suspended in the air for a horrifying moment, gravity claimed them, violently slamming them back into the earth.

Armor shattered alongside bone, spraying dark red gore across the cavern floor.

It went without saying that not a single soul survived.

"How many layers of the barrier were breached?" Zelgius demanded.

"It was a multi-layered barrier woven by thirty mages, Your Highness... but only three layers remain standing," Charles reported grimly.

"Monstrous," Zelgius murmured.

Rising from his command chair, Zelgius fixed a sharp, calculating gaze upon the battlefield.

Even after losing over ten thousand comrades in a heartbeat, the soldiers of the Earth Empire raised fierce battle cries and resumed their relentless charge.

Trampling over the corpses of their fallen allies, they closed the distance to Genbu, unleashing desperate flurries of attacks.

Providing covering fire for the vanguard, mages stationed in the rear detonated an overwhelming barrage of spells in rapid succession.

The soldiers were by no means acting out of suicidal desperation.

There was a clear, calculated objective behind their relentless charges.

—To carve a viable path up to Genbu's back.

There was no reason to try and crush such a heavily armored beast from the front.

In fact, doing so would be a foolish blunder that would only end in their total annihilation.

That was precisely why the soldiers were constructing a ramp, allowing a strike team to scale its shell.

Shatter the carapace and sever the vital organs lurking within—that was their chosen strategy.

And achieving that required the direct application of Zelgius's own Gift.

Thus, it was imperative that he board the beast himself.

"Once the scaffold is ready, only the Imperial Five Swords will board," Zelgius declared.

"Are you certain of that, Your Highness?" Charles asked.

Zelgius narrowed his eyes in contemplation for a moment before waving a dismissive hand.

"There's no reason to throw away our soldiers' lives needlessly," Zelgius replied. "Just ensure they maintain relentless covering fire."

"Understood. You heard the prince, men!" Charles commanded the nearby officers.

The officers nodded at Charles's order, immediately dispersing to see that every unit executed their assigned duties.

"Ceres, Sigismund. Get yourselves ready as well," Zelgius instructed.

"Understood," Ceres replied simply.

"Right away, Your Highness," Sigismund said.

After receiving their acknowledgments, Zelgius turned his attention toward another figure.

"Lady Third Apostle. Will you be joining us as well?" Zelgius asked.

She was a formidable warrior who had defected from the Great Forest.

While her full capabilities remained an unknown quantity, the title of 'Third Apostle' alone was irrefutable proof of her prowess.

"If you deem me a hindrance, I shall stay behind," she replied coldly.

"Perish the thought. I could never consider you a hindrance," Zelgius said with a light chuckle. "However, are you truly fine with this? I was under the impression you elves worshiped Special Designated Monsters like the White Wolf Fenrir."

"That applies only because it is white," she stated flatly. "Were our opponent Lord Fenrir, we would never dare raise a hand against it. However, this Genbu is green. I confirmed as much from the magic circle it deployed earlier. Slaying it presents no religious conflict."

"That is a relief," Zelgius smiled. "...Our relations with the elves are strained enough as it is. Turning an elf who has allied with us into an enemy is the last thing I want. Otherwise, my brother would get summoned by those high-strung elves to smooth things over yet again."

When Zelgius offered his playful quip, she merely scoffed through her nose and returned to her preparations without offering a single word in reply.

Watching her retreat, Zelgius gave an exaggerated shrug.

"...Apparently my sense of humor failed to amuse her," Zelgius sighed.

"Prince Zelgius, that topic is far too delicate to be joking about..." Sigismund remarked, shaking his head.

Sigismund stepped up beside him, wearing a look of profound exasperation.

"Is that so?" Zelgius mused innocently. "I was merely trying to lighten the mood."

"The fact that you can say such things completely unbothered proves you truly are something else, Your Highness."

"Flattery won't earn you a reward, you know," Zelgius chuckled.

"What a pity—ah, here comes a messenger," Sigismund noted, gesturing ahead.

Following Sigismund's gaze, a messenger came sprinting toward them in a frantic hurry.

"Reporting, Your Highness! We have successfully constructed a foothold leading from Genbu's leg up to its carapace!"

Hearing the long-awaited report, Zelgius clapped the messenger on the shoulder in sheer delight.

"Splendid work! Order the men to fall back so they don't damage the ramp," Zelgius instructed. "From here on, simply have the artillery units harass Genbu from a distance so its attention isn't drawn to its back."

"Sir!"

After watching the messenger sprint away, Zelgius turned around to face his retinue.

The gathered elites of the Imperial Five Swords stood assembled and ready before him.

"Are you all ready?" Zelgius asked, a sharp grin forming on his lips.

"At your command, Your Highness," Charles affirmed.

With Charles's reply serving as the signal, Zelgius surged across the battlefield with blistering speed.

The other four members kept pace without losing a step, weaving through the barrage of spells unleashed by their bombardment units as they closed in on the titan's towering foreleg.

A massive staircase crafted from compacted earth and mud stood before them, sculpted entirely through magic.

It was a crude, uneven structure with irregular footing.

A single misstep would send anyone plunging to the cavern floor far below.

Even so, the sheer skill required to erect a stairway of this scale in the midst of such fierce combat was worthy of high praise.

"Now then, let us go pay our respects to this ancient Transfer Gate, shall we?" Zelgius declared.

Paying no heed to the precarious footing, Zelgius sprinted up the makeshift staircase with effortless agility.

Violent tremors wracked the ramp every time Genbu shifted, but the Imperial Five Swords deftly navigated the shaking steps, finally arriving atop the summit of its shell.

"My word... this is truly magnificent," Zelgius marveled. "To think a lush forest actually spans its back. If not for our mission, I would gladly spend a week exploring this."

From the ground below, it had appeared as little more than a distant haze, but standing atop the carapace revealed a dense, primeval forest stretching as far as the eye could see.

"How shall we proceed, Your Highness?" Charles asked.

"First, we locate and secure the Transfer Gate," Zelgius outlined. "Once that is done, we shatter the carapace and finish Genbu off."

"There don't seem to be any monsters around. Shall the five of us split up and search?" Sigismund suggested.

"A sound idea. First, let us head toward the center—"

Zelgius's voice abruptly trailed off.

In the periphery of his vision, he had caught sight of someone who had no business being there.

He slowly turned his head to fix his gaze upon the intruder.

"...Why are you here?" Zelgius uttered, his tone dropping dangerously low.

Clad in black attire, a youth stood before him with arms crossed in an insolent, unapologetic posture.

Yet the boy offered no answer to Zelgius's question, merely watching him in silence.

A heavy silence gripped the clearing, fraught with a tension so thick that time itself seemed to freeze.

Losing his patience, Zelgius pulled his lips into a tight smirk, enunciating each word with deliberate, venomous precision.

"—Ars... I asked you a question. Why are you here?"

"Well, I heard you guys were having all the fun," Ars replied casually. "And since you went through the trouble of building such a nice stairway for us, I figured I'd tag along and play too."

Ars flashed a mocking grin. Behind him, the figures of his companions emerged from the treeline one after another.

"...The Saint," Ceres murmured under her breath.

Recognizing the silver-haired girl, Ceres let out a low, grim mutter.

Right at that moment, the frantic screams of imperial soldiers echoed from below.

Glancing down over the edge, they could see the imperial battle formations descending into total disarray.

Under unexpected assault from a third party, the ground troops had been thrown into sheer chaos.

Assailed by far too many developments at once, Zelgius found himself momentarily thrown off balance.

How should he respond? How should he bring this back under control?—Plan after plan flashed through his mind, only to be rejected as completely futile.

Eventually, Zelgius dropped his shoulders in resignation, tilted his head back toward the ceiling, and let out a long sigh.

"Ah... whatever," Zelgius muttered, shaking his head. "...Honestly, it's foolish of me to even overthink it. I never imagined someone would actually get in my way at this eleventh hour."

His shoulders shook with laughter, yet his eyes remained dead cold.

Burning deep within his pupils was an inferno of pure, unadulterated hatred.

"Even I... feel like I'm about to lose my mind from sheer fury," Zelgius hissed.

"Is that so?" Ars replied coolly. "You really ought to calm down, though."

Even bathed in that suffocating murderous intent, Ars's smirk only widened.

"No matter what you do, the outcome isn't going to change, right? —After all, that's what you told me."

At that searing piece of irony, Zelgius's face went blank with shock for a split second.

The very words he had once smugly thrown in Ars's face had been served right back to him verbatim.

"Kahahaha! Splendid... Yes, I truly do want you!" Zelgius burst out in manic laughter. "Ars, surrender to me!"

Even as he desperately suppressed his boiling rage, Zelgius flashed a smile bordering on lunacy, persisting in his attempt to recruit him.

"You are the very first person to ever make such a mockery of me," Zelgius said, his voice trembling with manic delight. "...Which is why I shall swallow my rage. To claim you as my own, I will rein in this fury."

Zelgius extended an inviting hand. But Ars made no move to take it.

In the next breath, all traces of emotion vanished from Zelgius's expression, replaced by a gaze of frigid, unfeeling cruelty.

"—Such a pity," Zelgius said softly. "To think I must put down a man of your caliber with my own two hands."

"You're welcome to try if you think you're up to it," Ars scoffed.

Ars stood in supreme composure, tossing out a brazen provocation.

"Who knows? Those words might end up coming right back to bite you too."

That venomously mocking taunt struck Zelgius right where it hurt most.

Unleashing a wordless roar of fury, Zelgius lunged straight at Ars.

Drawing his sword in a fluid blur, he brought the blade down with savage momentum.

Ars brought up the daggers in both hands, intercepting the ferocious downward cleave head-on.

Yet Zelgius's monstrous strength was relentless, driving Ars backward through sheer physical power.

Steel clashed against steel in a shower of brilliant sparks as their tangled shadows vanished into the depths of the forest.

＊

"Now none may enter, and none may leave," Verg announced with a theatrical flourish. "...Lady Saint, does this meet your satisfaction?"

"Yes, Verg-san. You have my sincere gratitude," Julia replied.

"In that case, I shall take my leave and spectate from a safe distance," Verg said smoothly.

"You are more than welcome to take on one of the Imperial Five Swords, you know," Julia noted with a faint smile.

At Julia's suggestion, Verg shrugged his shoulders with an amused chuckle.

"I think I shall pass on that honor," Verg demurred.

"Yeah, yeah! Count us out too!" Sigi chimed in immediately.

"Mhm, leave the perimeter to your big sisters! We'll kick down every single imperial soldier trying to climb up here," Regi added cheerfully. "We'll knock 'em flying so they don't get in your way, Julia-chan, so don't worry about a thing!"

"In that case, this old man shall humbly serve as escort to the young mistresses," Moldin offered with a respectful bow.

Chiming in on the refusal were the twin sisters, Regi and Sigi, alongside Moldin. Since Julia had never counted on them as frontline combatants to begin with, she had no intention of objecting.

"Very well. The four of you please fall back and make sure you do not get injured," Julia instructed gently.

"In that case, count me in for the fight," Karen said, stepping forward.

Shouldering her beloved spear, Karen stepped up to take her place at Julia's side.

"Ars is giving it everything he's got," Shion declared, rolling her shoulders. "As a Schüler of our guild, I can't afford to slack off either."

Shion stepped forward, rolling her neck and loosening up her limbs with practiced ease.

"With my inclusion, that makes it an even four-on-four," Elsa stated with cool composure.

At Elsa's deadpan assessment, the gathered elites of the Imperial Five Swords openly grimaced.

"Are we being mocked? ...Do you honestly mistake this place for an arena duel?"

Ceres, the First Seat of the Imperial Five Swords, spoke with chilling detachment as she quietly drew her sword from its scabbard.

"This is an execution ground. A place meant to claim your heads."

"I had no idea the leader of the Imperial Five Swords harbored such vulgar tastes," Julia retorted with cool elegance.

Hearing Julia's barbed sarcasm, Ceres allowed a thin, razor-sharp smile to grace her lips.

"It has been some time, Princess Julia," Ceres remarked. "—Appearances can be deceiving, after all."

"Indeed, it has been quite some time," Julia replied smoothly. "Considering all the debts I owe you from back then... I truly have longed to see you again."

"Is that so? Then let me ask—do you genuinely believe you stand a chance of defeating me?"

"That is precisely why I honed my strength," Julia answered without a tremor of doubt. "That smug, complacent look on your face—I shall wipe it away without fail."

Julia drew her own sword in response, settling into a poised, graceful stance.

In that instant, the overwhelming fighting spirits radiating from both women clashed violently, rattling the surrounding air.

A skin-pricking pressure surged outward in waves, compelling everyone present to hold their breath as they watched the standoff.

Yet before their blades could cross—

A solitary shadow violently cut in between them.

"'Saint' Julia! Do you remember me?!"

"............Yes, I remember you quite well," Julia answered evenly.

Glaring at her with a face contorted in raging fury was the Third Apostle, Auresia.

"All this time... all this time, claiming your severed head was the only thing I dreamed of!" Auresia shrieked. "My father's dying regrets! The bitter grudge of my father, murdered by a disgrace to chivalry like you—I shall settle it all right here!"

Drawing her blade in an explosion of raw fury, she leveled the tip straight at Julia's throat.

"Could that sword... belong to the First Apostle, Wahed?" Julia asked quietly.

"It is!" Auresia snarled. "With my father's sword, I will sever your head and offer it before his grave!"

As Auresia screamed through tears of burning hatred, Julia merely regarded her with cold, untroubled eyes.

"How pitiful," Julia murmured. "It is precisely because you remain entirely ignorant of the truth that you can bark so loudly."

"Wh-What did you say?!"

"Unfortunately, I have no intention of entertaining you," Julia said dismissively. "Step aside and stand down."

At that icy dismissal, Auresia's face flushed bright crimson with indignation.

"Do not mock me!" Auresia roared. "Killing you is the only reason I drew breath! Lady Ceres, I beg of you, yield this opponent to me!"

She pleaded desperately with bloodshot eyes, but the response she received cut her down without mercy.

"No," Ceres said flatly.

"...What?"

"The Saint is my opponent. You will find someone else."

"B-But why...?!"

A mixture of frustration and malice bled into Auresia's eyes.

Ceres took a step forward, brushing past the stunned elf without a second glance.

"You cannot defeat her," Ceres stated bluntly. "It is as simple as that."

That merciless verdict froze Auresia's fury in its tracks, leaving her standing rooted to the spot in utter shock.

With the interruption dismissed, the ferocious auras of Ceres and Julia collided once again.

"Princess Julia. I will not let you escape this time... are you prepared?" Ceres asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Those words belong to me," Julia replied without missing a beat.

Julia cast aside all extraneous emotion, fixing an unyielding gaze straight upon her adversary.

"Unlike that day, you cannot rely on any of your underhanded tricks here—are you prepared for what comes next?"

"Bold words for someone in your position..." Ceres murmured, her voice turning frigid. "I will not hold back."

Ceres kicked off the ground, lunging forward with the speed of an arrow loosed from a bow.

Her hurtling blade drew a brilliant arc of light, tearing through the atmosphere with a piercing shriek.

"And like I said—that is my line!" Julia cried.

Julia did not yield an inch, channeling every ounce of her fighting spirit as she swung her sword down in a ferocious arc.

The instant steel met steel, the air detonated in a shockwave, sending an ear-splitting roar rumbling across the cavern floor.

Sparks erupted in blinding cascades, shattering the ground beneath their feet from the sheer force of the impact alone.

Neither blade gave way, and as their opposing forces locked in vicious deadlock, a crushing weight akin to an earthquake rippled through the clearing.

Their eyes remained locked in a fierce duel of wills, the tension stretching so taut that not a single observer dared to blink.

Everyone present on the battlefield understood immediately.

This was no ordinary contest—it was a violent collision between two titans whose might had long since transcended the mortal realm.

Frigid resolve blazed in Ceres's eyes, met in kind by the unwavering, incandescent battle spirit burning in Julia's.

Their twin auras crashed together like roaring torrents, finally raising the curtain on the clash of destiny.

---

Toc