Chapter 114: Ahead Lies Hell (Two-in-one)
[Important Figure “King of Knights” Favorability increased by 5 points]
[Current Favorability: 50 (Trust)]
Finally, I’ve achieved it.
Looking at the information appearing in his mind, Shaya couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.
For the past half-year, he had transformed into a master of time management.
On one hand, he served as a Holy Knight in the Dawn Holy See, occasionally going out on duty, and coincidentally, increasing the favorability of the legendary-ranked Cardinal to over 50.
On the other hand, as the founder of the Dawn Organization, he traveled through Escarnia, spreading the will of the dawn.
And then, he transformed into the Black Knight, fighting in battles both north and south.
Even his companions like Yin had to be deployed everywhere as members of the Dawn Organization, working around the clock.
Fortunately, the results were not bad.
Shaya’s gaze settled on the lines of text displayed on the screen in his mind.
[Historical Legend Status – Light of Dawn]
[Rarity: Purple (Upgradable)]
[Owner: Shaya Egut]
[Territory: Escarnia]
[The “Dawn” you created has become the dawn illuminating this chaotic world, and the destinies of countless disaster victims have been changed because of you.]
[And the will of that dawn is sung by the people of this land because of your existence.]
…
[Black Knight Cain]
[Rarity: Purple (Upgradable)]
[Title Holder: Shaya Egut]
[Territory: Escarnia]
[You are the embodiment of darkness, the strongest knight bathed in blood, and in the eyes of outsiders, a frenzied, fearless demon god.]
[You have experienced a hundred battles without defeat, broken through myriad tribulations without being destroyed… “No one can harm that Black Knight,” this phrase has become a curse, a nightmare in the hearts of countless enemy generals, striking fear into them at the mere sight of that black-haired, black-eyed figure.]
[Title Attribute: When you appear as the Black Knight Cain, all enemies who have heard the name of the Black Knight will feel fear towards you.]
…
“Light of Dawn” and “Black Knight” – these two legend statuses and titles were the greatest recognition of Shaya’s efforts over the past year.
“However, it’s still not enough…”
Shaya looked at the two purple legend statuses and titles in his mind and shook his head slightly.
In his previous life, there was a saying: the higher you stand, the harder you fall.
Onlookers were often like this, shamelessly praising and deifying someone, elevating a flawed good person to godhood.
At the same time, when that person showed flaws, they would attack with the most malicious and harsh words, wanting to see the revered saint fall to mortal dust, thus satisfying their need to point fingers.
From heaven to hell, it was just a moment…
To others, this was a great disaster and blow, and many with poor emotional resilience might even commit suicide due to such a huge drop.
But for Shaya in the historical echo, he wished for precisely this.
Falling to the mortal world was good, being pointed at was good.
I wish everyone would step on me fiercely then.
If you don’t deify me fiercely and then destroy me, how can I obtain that negative legend status?
As for eternal infamy and leaving a bad name for thousands of years…
He had confirmed it multiple times, this King of Knights did not live to a thousand years later and could not come back to seek revenge on him.
And even if he did come back…
They are scolding Cain, what does it have to do with me, Shaya Egut?
For the sake of this eternal infamy and the final mission reward, Shaya had gone to great lengths.
During this period, the first thing he did every morning upon waking was to use Tsukuyomi in front of the mirror to hypnotize himself, making himself truly play the role of a flawless saint.
Humility, Honor, Sacrifice, Valor, Compassion, Integrity, Loyalty, Justice.
He embodied all eight virtues of a knight.
This was all in preparation for when the reversal happened, his reputation could plummet harder and harder.
“So all those previous days were just an act!”
“He pretended so well just to make us careless, how hateful!”
“I even considered the Black Knight my idol, but now I see I misjudged him back then.”
“I can’t believe Cain was that kind of person!”
Just thinking about it made him feel good.
“However, the time is not yet ripe.”
“The entire Escarnia has not been unified yet, and my reputation has not reached its peak.”
“Only when the empire is truly established, and the Dawn Organization and the Black Knight, as loyal subjects, have their prestige soaring will it be time for the harvest.”
Shaya, endure!
“Of course, it’s not bad to be an upright knight and expand territory… but being a villain allows me more freedom.”
…
“Lord Artorius, Lord Cain.”
A voice came from a distance.
A knight in armor walked not far from the two, kneeling on one knee.
“Intelligence has been received from the Dawn Holy See.”
“Those scattered Abyss Monsters that have been hovering around our defensive line and harassing border villages have, for some unknown reason, disappeared in the past few days and have not attacked.”
“Moreover, even the army of King Vortigern stationed on the other side of the wilderness has shown signs of actively retreating.”
The knight’s words were respectful.
He looked through his helmet at the two figures standing side-by-side on the city wall.
There was no need to elaborate on the King of Knights, and Cain’s renown was solid, forged through countless victories.
Moreover, it was because of Cain that the Dawn Holy See had a friendly attitude towards this newly formed allied army, often exchanging supplies and intelligence.
After all, they were all members of the order faction and were in a disadvantaged position within Escarnia, so they naturally helped each other.
It was a pity that Lord Cain seemed to be male.
Thinking this, the messenger knight couldn’t help but feel a trace of regret.
If not for this…
Lord Cain would have been the perfect candidate for the Queen.
…
“Cain.”
“What do you think of the intelligence just now?”
After the messenger knight departed, Isadorella spoke softly.
She had to admit that in this timeline, her dependency on the Dawn Organization and Cain had become quite high.
Many decisions could not be made without their input.
“It’s very abnormal, isn’t it.”
Shaya looked at the desolate wilderness and narrowed his eyes.
“Those Abyss creatures are bloodthirsty beasts, impossible for them to flee actively before being truly threatened.”
“From the Dawn Organization, some information has also been received… King Vortigern’s army at the Royal Capital has also shown signs of being mobilized.”
“I think…”
Shaya’s words paused slightly.
“It’s probably that our allied army has finally truly caught the attention of that mean king.”
“I’m afraid something big is coming – a crackdown targeting us.”
“Just as I guessed.”
Isadorella closed her eyes and nodded, agreeing with Shaya’s assessment.
For the past half-year, the allied army of knights and lords had been able to develop so smoothly largely due to blockades of information.
Under such a chaotic situation, information flowed extremely slowly.
Before the mean king in the Royal Capital could react… their army had spread like wildfire.
But now, as the fame of the King of Knights and Dawn grew, a growing number of people, even ordinary civilians, had heard of the Dawn Organization and even become its followers.
It was no longer realistic to develop stealthily.
Unlike the Dawn Holy See, which held its ground… the allied army, as a rising power supported by countless commoners and lords, was truly capable of shaking King Vortigern’s rule.
If one were to put themselves in his shoes, if such a rapidly growing rebel force appeared in their territory… then launching a full-scale encirclement and suppression, sparing no cost, would be almost a certainty.
In fact, Isadorella was well aware of this.
Although her allied army of knights and lords appeared strong now, there were still significant hidden dangers.
The biggest flaw was that they had been too smooth sailing all the way.
This was a double-edged sword. Continuous victories had boosted morale and cohesion to the highest point, allowing every knight and soldier to perform beyond their normal capabilities.
However, these people were, after all, just nobles. The allied army formed by knights spontaneously was, to put it bluntly, a mob of scattered soldiers in the past. In just one year, they were far from being integrated and trained into a disciplined elite force…
Fighting advantageous battles was fine now, but once the situation turned unfavorable, morale could collapse, leading to defeat.
Another hidden danger was the lack of top-tier powerhouses.
This was a world where extraordinary power belonged to the individual. It was said that soldier fought soldier, general fought general, and king fought king.
However, her body was still too young. The power sealed by the Holy Sword had only been unlocked to the peak of the Sixth Ring.
Although she had now regained the Holy Sword and should be able to contend with ordinary legends…
At the Titled level, their side was at a significant disadvantage.
Abyss Monsters were bloodthirsty and ferocious, prone to losing control.
But their combat power should not be underestimated… Each Lord-level creature from the Abyss was equivalent to a Titled rank on the Western Continent.
With only a handful of Titled Great Knights in the allied army, they could not contend in numbers.
And once an Abyss Lord was not contained and broke into ordinary soldiers or even civilians, it would be equivalent to a great catastrophe.
“Abandon our current territories and let our soldiers and people break through in multiple directions.”
Isadorella gently closed her crimson eyes.
When she opened them again, she had made her decision.
Isadorella knew very well what her order meant.
Dividing into multiple forces to break through meant a terrifying casualty rate.
Perhaps less than sixty percent would manage to break through the encirclement and escape.
However, this was indeed her only choice at the moment.
Their military strength was at a significant disadvantage. If they didn’t scatter, it would be equivalent to waiting for death.
The only outcome awaiting the allied army was annihilation.
What they needed most was time.
As long as they successfully broke through, and given her three more years, both Isadorella’s personal strength and the allied army’s military power would undergo earth-shattering changes.
However—
The next moment.
“This kind of breakout at all costs will result in heavy casualties…”
“Even if it ultimately succeeds, you, who made such a decision.”
“You will be burdened with rumors of being cruel and inhumane, unwilling to let your subordinates and civilians die just to save yourself…”
The still hazy words came from Cain’s vortex-like mask.
This made Isadorella pause.
In the nearly one year they had spent together, Cain and the Dawn Organization behind him rarely questioned her judgment, only offering silent support.
This was the first time he had so directly opposed her order.
However, Isadorella’s will would not be so easily shaken.
“As a king, one must have the resolve to bear infamy.”
“No one in this world is perfect. Whether it’s infamy or praise… Since I have chosen to walk this path of kingship, no matter my reputation, I will continue to walk it.”
Her solitary voice echoed on the city wall.
“Is that so—”
“But to the knights who chose to follow you, to your people.”
“What they expect is precisely such a perfect king, a sun that always shines, without the slightest flaw.”
“If the sun has shadows, everyone will be sad.”
“Artorius, do you remember what I said to you earlier.”
Cain’s hazy words once again echoed in Isadorella’s ears.
“You are the leaf bathed in sunlight, and I am the root buried deep underground.”
“And the mission of the root is to pave the way for the prosperity of the leaf.”
“So.”
His long black robe with red clouds fluttered in the whistling wind on the city wall.
“Leave the rearguard work to me.”
…
“Cain.”
The moment the other party spoke, Isadorella sensed the resolve in Cain’s words.
These were not casual remarks, but genuine intentions.
“What you are about to face… is hell.”
“You will die.”
She looked at the black-haired masked man in front of her with her crimson beautiful eyes and couldn’t help but speak.
As a king, Isadorella should have stripped away her personal emotions when making decisions, relying solely on reason.
She also knew Cain’s abilities very well. Perhaps he could indeed draw attention, allowing the rest of the army to withdraw unharmed.
Exchanging a knight who was not yet Titled for the preservation of other vital forces… Rrationally speaking, this was the best choice.
However, looking at the thin figure in the black robe before her, Isadorella felt an inexplicable sadness in her heart.
Although the Black Knight Cain had a reputation for never losing,
this situation was completely different from all previous battles.
Vortigern was stationed in the Royal Capital and might not easily make a move, but among the Abyss Monster army he commanded, there were no shortage of Titled Abyss leaders.
Even…
According to intelligence vaguely collected by the Dawn Organization.
Not long ago, an Abyss Lord had descended from the Abyss and headed towards Escarnia.
An Abyss Lord was equivalent to a Legend rank.
Facing a Legend with an strength less than Titled.
That was a situation with zero chance of survival.
However.
The response to Isadorella was only the receding figure.
And the calm laughter drifting in the wind on the city wall.
“So, if you are reluctant, King…”
“Then please give me the gold and silver treasures you promised first.”
