novelraw Chapter 223: Abyssal Holy War - The Longest Week (5)
Chapter 223: Abyssal Holy War - The Longest Week (5)
Episode 223. Abyssal Holy War - The Longest Week (5)
"Th-that man, could he be Paimon?"
Paimon.
Long, blood-red hair, a white gown worn over a dress—an appearance so excessively distinct that anyone would remember it at a single glance.
"Ooooh, it is the very image of the demon's vile form, as recorded in the Holy War!"
At the same time, a Great Demon who had already revealed his cruelty in the war 400 years ago.
Not only was he recorded in detail in the scriptures of the Holy Theocracy because of it, but according to Marquis Lafayette, he was also the developer and command tower of the Drones.
To the agents of the God whom humanity serves, he was the very definition of an enemy more than worthy of being targeted, even at the cost of their lives.
"That man is the leader of the demons! Paladin Order, strike him down!"
At Alejandro's shout, the entire Paladin Order changed direction in unison, forming a rhombus and assuming a charging formation."Paladin Order! Do not change your target so rashly!"
The urgent shouts of Marquis Lafayette held no value to them.
What was more important: immediately slaughtering the Great Demon recorded in the Holy War, or trampling the soulless puppets of the demons?
Not a single member of the Paladin Order mistook the answer, and at their commander's order, they immediately began to gallop.
And as the distance closed, the Paladin Order clearly saw the demons behind Paimon preparing to fire.
"Is that... a cannon?"
Something with multiple gun barrels, mounted on a cart like a cannon, was being secured, and the demons began to slowly turn a handle.
"Prepare for their fire!"
Alejandro and the Paladin Order were confident.
Even an ordinary knight's magic barrier could easily block something like a musket bullet.
Let alone the protection afforded to the Paladin Order, who not only wielded Divine Power but were also armed in mithril-laced armor and plastered with the blessings of priests; it was beyond comparison to that of a mere knight.
Even grapeshot fire, a death sentence for knights, was something the Paladin Order could partially survive and continue their charge.
However.
Tu-du-du-du-du-
As the multiple gun barrels began to rotate, spewing a rain of bullets with a terrible noise, even their thick protection of Divine Power began to waver so perilously it seemed futile.
"What... this is absurd..."
The firing doesn't stop.
Even though they rode the finest warhorses, everyone realized that before the slow-moving Paladin Order, clad in full plate armor, could reach them, the endless rain of bullets would shatter their divine protection first.
"G-God..."
"C-Commander! What do we do?!"
They should have listened to Marquis Lafayette's warning.
Alejandro realized this too late, but there was nothing to be done.
But were they to turn their backs now?
Amidst that storm of bullets, turning back would only present a future where they all died horribly, receiving a barrage of bullets in their unprotected backs, which had no divine protection.
Above all, they were the Paladin Order.
The agents of God, the pride of the Holy Theocracy, those who stood on the battlefield in the name of God and the Saintess Queen—for them to die a miserable end, running from demons like cowards just to save themselves.
If they met such an end, it would spell the eternal demise not just of themselves, but of the Paladin Order itself.
Alejandro grit his teeth, then raised his lance high towards the front and cried out.
"Honor over glory!"
The slogan of those who valued honor above all else, not as knights who chased worldly glory, but as monks who followed God.
Instantly understanding, the other paladins cried out as if singing.
"Death over dishonor!"
Even as he watched cracks finally form in the barrier of Divine Power amidst the rain of bullets, Alejandro spurred his horse on and shouted.
"Paladin Order, charge! Deus Vult! (God wills it!)"
"Deus Vult!"
*
The rotating gun barrels, the terrible noise, and the rain of bullets.
I knew the moment I saw it what a horrifyingly calamitous weapon that was.
If a rain of bullets like that poured down on the line infantry fighting in their dense formations, it would be utter destruction.
No, even before that, I didn't think a magic barrier could withstand such a rain of bullets either.
"Orders to all artillery corps! Target, the enemy's new weapon to the front!"
"Yes, Sir! Orders to all artillery corps!"
At least its form was closer to a cannon than a gun, and its range was also far shorter than a cannon's.
It would be much easier to handle than counter-battery fire.
But that would be too late.
The charging Paladin Order would be wiped out far faster than we could turn the artillery batteries, aim, and fire.
No, it was an order given with the assumption that we would deal with it by bombardment only after the Paladin Order had already been wiped out.
I immediately spurred my horse, took the bow from my back, and nocked an arrow.
A bow shot with mana infused into it has a range incomparable to that of a mere musket—and the Divine Power flowing through my entire body surpasses that of the arrow Eris blessed for me long ago, on the Blue Knight's Last Battlefield.
The target was a weapon too large to be a gun, yet smaller than a cannon.
In that case, I can definitely hit it!
The arrow left the string and soared like a burning comet of mixed Divine Power and mana, tracing a parabola down onto the enemy's new weapon and the demon firing it—and exploded on impact, shattering the weapon and the demon into pieces.
Even as that happened, before the rain of bullets, the divine barrier collapsed, and dozens of paladins fell from their horses with screams.
The pandemonium of paladins being crushed under horses that tripped over their fallen steeds and comrades.
But, even so.
Not one of them stopped, crying out God's will as they charged.
The distance closes.
I continuously nocked and fired arrows, destroying more of the unidentified new weapons.
To weaken the field of fire on the side where more of the Paladin Order might survive.
If I could just create an opening—
"Ahahaha, to not even look at me, how disappointing!"
"Kuh!"
Paimon, who had at some point furiously sprinted across the ground, lunged at me with his claws raised, and I hastily drew my sword to block.
However, because of that, the bow I let go of was flung far away.
"Look at me, Marquis Lafayette. Now, now, now you have finally answered my invitation and come, yet your gaze is fixed on such insignificant trifles instead of me. How could you be so cruel?"
His red eyes glinted with madness.
Damn it, I was reminded once again, how does that deceptively slender body produce such brutish strength—!
"That damn bastard, for someone in charge of Sloth to be developing new weapons again, there's a limit to overstepping your authority!"
As I shouted and struck Paimon's hand away with my sword, he used his other hand to slit my horse's throat even as he was thrown back.
"Tch!"
As the horse screamed and collapsed and I leaped off, Paimon did an elegant somersault, landed slowly, and laughed with his arms spread like an actor.
"Ahahaha, I am no longer in a position bound by Sloth. Arrogance, Jealousy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, Craving, and Sloth, all of them are mine. Ahahahaha... More importantly, I'm glad you recognize it. It's called a machine gun. What do you think, Marquis Lafayette? Your thoughts on my new invention?"
"Horrifying."
He was a madman who created the Drones while spouting nonsense about 'achieving true Sloth' when he was only in charge of one sin, and now all the reins holding him back have been released.
Even while we were having this leisurely conversation, the screams of the paladins were echoing.
I glanced over and saw the Paladin Order, no longer receiving even my covering fire, piling up a mountain of corpses.
Nevertheless, they had charged without stopping, reached the enemy position, and begun to crush the demons firing the machine guns, but a good number were blocked by Drones—and tu-du-du-du-du—the demons began firing indiscriminately, mowing down the Drones fighting the Paladin Order along with them.
"Tch!"
No sooner had Paimon rushed in and clashed with me than a sharp pain shot through my arm.
This damn bastard, back in Iberica he at least toyed with me at first, but now he's coming at me seriously, not holding anything back!
"Again, again, you look away! Look at me, Pierre. Look at me, I said, look at me!"
"I don't recall giving you permission to use my name. Besides, you've become quite broken since I last saw you."
I readjusted my grip on my sword, glanced at the purple mana circuits glittering like a spiderweb on Paimon's horn, then looked at the severed horn on the other side and added with a smile.
"Seeing you become like this just from losing one horn, I'm actually a little curious to see what will happen if I cut off the other one."
Hearing my words, Paimon covered his cheeks with both hands and his body shuddered.
Anger? No...
"Ah, ahhh, I, too, am looking forward to it. The thrill of being humiliated by you was truly..."
...This guy is completely insane, isn't he?
As a chill ran down my spine, Paimon spoke again.
"I'm looking forward to it. I'm so, so, so, so looking forward to seeing what kind of expression you'll make when I violate and tear apart your most precious people right before your eyes—"
This time, it was I who lunged.
"Ahahaha, yes, this is it! Look at me, and only me, Pierre! On this gloomy island, hate only me, curse only me, and unleash your killing intent only upon me! It is I, and no other, who is your adversary! Your enemy!"
Paimon never stopped running his mouth, even as he ceaselessly parried my sword.
And I became certain.
In Iberica, an enraged Paimon who used his full power was difficult to face.
But, now.
My sword and Paimon's claws clashed again, and some distance opened between us.
Watching Paimon leap back as if flying, I readjusted my grip on my sword and said.
"You're weaker than I thought."
If I hadn't fought against Barbatos, I might have struggled this time as well.
"You can't even compare to Barbatos."
But I fought one who was among the strongest of the demons.
A desperate struggle against one with overwhelming power that a human could never hope to match, one with overwhelmingly greater battle experience and sense than me.
And after facing Paimon in Iberica, the countless times I've been on the brink of death, and the Divine Power amplified to its limits within my body from the proportional blessings and healing I received from Eris and Gremory.
And even the mana coursing through my entire body.
"With the me I am now, it seems possible to defeat the likes of you."
Instead of growing angry, Paimon laughed maniacally, filled with ecstasy.
"Ah, ahhh. A mere human, a mere noble, a mere knight, Pierre, who could have imagined you would reach this point? Who would have dared to expect this? Truly an Anomaly, an Anomaly itself! If by some chance this system, Abyss Corporation, were to be destroyed, it would surely be because of you! You are truly worthy of being called the hero of humanity!"
Hearing the shout of Damien De Millbeau from behind me, I chuckled lightly.
"No."
Soon, the sound of cannon fire that shook the very axis of the earth erupted—
A roaring sound passed over Paimon's head and mine, then landed and caused an explosion.
I glanced over and saw the spectacle of the machine guns and demons that had been tearing the Drones and the Paladin Order to shreds being blown into fragments of metal and flesh.
"You're mistaken. I'm not a hero, I'm a commander, Paimon. Not I, but we will bring about your destruction."
Paimon grinned, then gave me a polite bow.
"Indeed. My apologies, Pierre. I, too, shall not dare look down on you as a mere human, but will face you with my utmost effort and sincerity."
"No, frankly, it's easier to fight you when you're being arrogant and careless like before. —Like this!"
I lunged, swinging my sword while throwing out a joke, but Paimon dodged it with a needlessly elegant movement and created distance again with a somersault.
I tried to charge again, but had to stop as the purple circuits engraved on Paimon's horns flashed and a swarm of Drones appeared from beyond the fog.
"Huhu, huhuhu. Coincidentally, I too am an engineer and a commander. I may not be able to entertain you with overwhelming power like Barbatos, but I can entertain you with brains and skill."
"So that pathetic excuse for a delaying tactic was your effort to entertain me, was it?"
As I deliberately sneered at the slowly retreating Paimon, the demon opened his mouth, smiling as if thoroughly satisfied.
"Do try your very best for that futile and feeble hope you all chase, Pierre. If you fail to achieve it..."
The red demon, his eyes shining with an indescribable madness and obsession, declared.
"I shall devour your pride, your good intentions, your morale, your love, your efforts, your hope, and in the end, even your despair. Without leaving a single fragment behind."