Chapter 92: The Sun Rises in the East (Part 2)
The imperial front army was in disarray. All the brave or desperate souls who fell to the ground, fighting in place, were soon torn to pieces by dragons and bloodthirsty demons.
In the hell knight squad to which Elena belonged, they were fighting fiercely, with constant casualties, dying under claws, talons, and flames, in various gruesome ways.
Elena roared as she smashed a chosen one’s head, utterly exhausted.
The chaotic rout had persisted for nearly twenty minutes.
She lifted her head, relying on her height advantage to look ahead, and saw the once retreating army scattered across the hills now reduced to heaps of corpses. The chosen ones were galloping forward vigorously, their weapons scything down the defenseless imperial soldiers.
Survivors fled in panic from her side.
All around were the figures of the apocalyptic army: colossal beasts, monsters, demons, and demonic armor, along with severed heads…
They resembled beasts with gaping, bloody maws, feasting on the flesh and blood of the imperial army.
This was the last field army of the empire, so many veterans enduring hunger and hardship, only to nourish hope with their blood.
But now, they had become food for the dogs of the world-ending army!
Elena could not help but shout, “Where are the secret weapons? What happened to the plan?”
Her heart was filled with rage.
The emperor’s presence was absent from the sky; it was said he had died. In her line of sight, there was no sign of the hero George…
“Boom!”
The sky erupted with another thunderous blast.
Elena saw hero George being blasted to the ground by the enormous demon dragon Mawvo, like a bead in the “Dual Dragons Playing with Pearls.”
Is he going to die?
Ha, this is the person I put my faith in. How foolish I was to believe him. To trust the demon lord Jima, who conspired with him?
How ridiculous it is that in front of the true demon lord, in the face of an eternal chosen one, even if demon lord Jima destroys four demon armies, what does it matter? In front of the eternal chosen one, she is as feeble as a goblin!
Filled with both anger and despair, Elena swung her great sword and split a bloodthirsty hound in half!
A fervent wave rushed in from behind, brushing against her silver hair.
“For Sigma!”
“The Day of Judgment has arrived!”
“Souls return to Sigma!”
Led by the Grand Oathkeeper, a huge crowd of flagellants charged forward.
They screamed fervently, their faces filled with ecstasy, some excitedly whipping their own backs, and leaping onto livestock, while others bled from the wounds they inflicted upon themselves. Some fervently waved scraps of scripture.
The Grand Oathkeeper stood atop a cart modified into a mobile altar for Sigma, loudly shouting while flipping through the book of Sigma’s sacred words:
“Today is the end of days! All souls shall be judged!”
A frenzied roar responded: “Waaaah!”
The imperial army had not completely lost its order; the fleeing soldiers avoided the group of fanatic flagellants, who were charging toward the end-of-the-world army with mace-like weapons.
They were nearly naked, lean as iron, yet they pressed on, crashing into the chosen one’s army like a steel wall, shattering like eggs, but the “eggs” had no fear and kept coming.
In a moment, they became nothing more than flesh and blood, clogging up the jaws of the world-ending army.
Elena’s superior shouted:
“Retreat! Retreat! Everyone fall back, our mission is complete, return to the camp!”
Elena turned her head, mounted her wounded warhorse, and, with the other twenty or so hell knights, galloped toward the camp established among the hills.
Her silver hair stood on end, and a deeply unsettling tremor echoed through the air.
With her injured left hand, Elena pulled aside her visor and held the horse’s reins, looking back.
She saw fleeing soldiers, many of them flagellants. How could they feel fear? They were running away. Not only were they escaping, many soldiers from the imperial forces who stayed behind to cover their retreat were also fleeing!
For a moment, Elena thought she was hallucinating. But she quickly caught sight of the source causing the flagellants to flee.
It was a massive demon war chariot pulled by a Gor beast, on top of which stood a black iron cross, with a person nailed to it using red-hot iron spikes, used as a human shield at the front.
That person was pure and of noble standing—at least once was.
Even the cold-hearted Elena gasped in shock: “Vokma?”
The figure nailed to the black iron cross was none other than the former leader of the Sigma Church, the merciless Vokma! His soul was forged from steel, and some believed even his chest hair was formed to combat the demon race, with others believing that his ancestors were illegitimate children of Sigma.
He fought on the Plague Bridge, battling alongside Sigma’s priesthood, leaving behind reports from many eyewitnesses of his valiant sacrifice.
Everyone believed that his sacrifice was glorious; his indomitable spirit escaped the torments of the mortal world to meet Sigma.
But now, the minions of the Four Dark Gods revealed to all the people of the empire that even the leader of the Sigma Church couldn’t escape the devil after death.
A legendary Blood God demon lashed Vokma’s body with a whip, and he stubbornly struggled to break away from the affixed cross, while the legendary Blood God demon laughed loudly:
“Foolish mortals! The false god you believe in cannot protect your souls! Look at this pathetic one resurrected by our master!”
The only response was the cries of those fleeing, whipped along the way. Their faith shattered, the atonement was a deceit, if even sacrifice could not save their souls from the grip of demons.
Amid the legendary Blood God demon’s laughter, the chaotic symbol wrought of steel on Vokma’s head emitted a red light, illuminating his now-shorn head, showcasing his tragic fate to all.
“No!” Elena pulled on the reins. “We cannot retreat! Hell knights, follow me to oversee the battle!”
“Elena!” her superior roared. “Obey the order! You are not the chief knight anymore!”
“The situation has changed! Commander!”
“No change! We must hold the camp in the mountains!”
Her commander raised his bloodied right hand, pointing towards the nearby camp, where infantry stood ready.
But Elena had no doubt that, with the emperor incapable of divine intervention and so many fleeing soldiers, the fleeing would likely collapse the camp.
“No! The camp will be compromised by the rout!”
“Crack!” The commander struck her armor with a whip. “Elena! You disobeyed orders; you must receive twenty lashes!”
Yet Elena sensed her commander’s weakness. His voice trembled; he just wanted to hurry back to the seemingly safe camp, where there was still a glimmer of hope, instead of staying to oversee the battle, which, to put it nicely, was directing troops, while to put it bluntly, it was dragging others to their death.
And the outcome of that sacrifice…
Look at Vokma, the former leader of the Sigma Church.
Elena said coldly, “You have grown weak.”
“What? You dare to disobey?”
Without a second thought, Elena launched a surprise attack, roaring in anger, her hammer crashing into his face, caving it in.
Her superior had no time to react and fell straight off the saddle.
The surrounding hell knights were astonished, some instinctively aiming their sword tips and polearms at Elena.
Uprising against superiors and murdering them was a severe crime within the hell knight order.
But Elena did not feel she had committed any great sin; though she had violated regulations, she had upheld the spirit of the hell knight order.
She declared, “I hereby announce my reinstatement! Execute this knight who wishes to be a deserter!”
The swords and spears had yet to be lowered.
Chief Knight Elena continued, “I was merely executing a secret mission, cooperating with hero George to persuade everyone to agree with his plan!”
She began her speech.
“This plan can annihilate the world-ending army and drive the demons from the mortal realm forever! Now that the plan has changed, I must be reinstated to my position!”
Saying this, Chief Knight Elena looked around with her blind eyes. Her face was beautiful, but the scars made her appear ugly; her milky blind eye coldly and firmly surveyed the hell knights that surrounded her.
Like a lone wolf.
Chief Knight Elena was almost a legend in the hell knight order; her various deeds had been passed down for a century. Most members of the hell knight order had felt her whip.
They lowered their weapons.
Chief Knight Elena shouted, “Show me your respect! Knights!”
“Yes! Commander!”
“Count off!”
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three…”
From an expected sixty, only thirty-eight had gathered! All were assembled!
“Very well!” Chief Knight Elena said. “John! Immediately contact all the hell knights and subordinates you can reach, push them forward to stop the deserters! Stay in place and hold your ground until you fall!”
“Yes! Commander!”
“We move!” The twenty-eight hell knights, including Elena, surged against the tide, brandishing their longswords and hacking at the fleeing soldiers! They roared, demanding all deserters return unconditionally to continue the fight!
Chief Knight Elena shouted:
“Slay the retreaters!”
“Follow my banner!”
“Hold your post! Cowards!”
With Chief Knight Elena’s efforts, she miraculously steadied an entire squad of flagellants, turning to face the chosen army and using her very flesh to fill the meat grinder.
They dismounted to engage in combat, holding their positions.
Chief Knight Elena roared, rising to a height of four meters, her silver hair billowing, overseeing the battle while slaying enemies.
The knights standing beside her dwindled, one after another falling, but no hell knight took a step back.
She stood like a rock against the tide before a wave.
Her troops were similarly inspired, continuing to fight hard, while the fleeing soldiers gradually halted, turning around to throw themselves into the meat grinder.
The eternal chosen one Marus stood high atop the dragon demon, surveying the scene below.
Before him, the imperial army was a wave of rebellion, truly a fearsome sight, although he had foreseen it.
Though demon lord Jima died pathetically, his greatest value lay in teaching Marus how to slay the forms and bodies of the enemy army. All elite forces suddenly attacked from the sky and the ground, and then used Vokma’s corpse to shatter their morale…
Amid the chaotic battlefield, the silver strands stained with blood drew Marus’s attention.
He remembered her; she was Chief Knight Elena of the hell knight order.
She had actually halted his chosen army.
Eternal chosen one Marus glanced at her future: she would buy some time for the imperial army, causing more stubborn imperialists to stop fleeing and hinder his chosen army.
But the future could change.
Eternal chosen one Marus pointed a finger, commanding, “Kill her!”
Three bloodthirsty demons flapped their wings, raising a storm as they assailed.
Stepping on the bodies of friends and foes, Chief Knight Elena was battered and bruised. Now, faced with an assault from three bloodthirsty demons, they unleashed flames, and suddenly, her silver hair was reduced to ashes in the blazes.
Was it really time to give in? The burns, curses, and deeply visible wounds gnawed at her life.
Around her, there were no allies left; she was isolated and helpless.
As for hero George, his plan, his secret plan, now showed no signs of success.
Had she misjudged the person she believed in?
She roared, swinging her great sword at the bloodthirsty demons, gritting her teeth:
“George!”
“Powerful!” The bloodthirsty demons were immensely thrilled, continuing their assault.
Chief Knight Elena could no longer hold her ground; she sustained fatal injuries, dying faithful to her cause, taking down one bloodthirsty demon in the process, only to have the remaining one sever her head.
The force was so great that Chief Knight Elena’s head was hurled high into the air, her long silver hair trailing behind.
She was so stubborn and powerful that both remaining bloodthirsty demons flew toward her head, fighting to seize her head; which demon would not covet such a strong opponent’s head?
Elena’s head spun in the air, her eyes wide open, filled with unwillingness.
Just at the moment she was beheaded,
Eternal chosen one Marus cast a ray of sunlight.
Ah, just as I foresaw, no one could stop the advance of the chosen army, whether in timing or manner of death.
He thought, instinctively looking at Chief Knight Elena’s head, examining her future.
Was it to be taken for corruption? To stain her, making her fight for the end of days army? Or—
Suddenly, the vision was flooded with blinding white light, consuming all, obliterating everything.
Simply encountering this scenario in foresight brought such pain that Eternal chosen one Marus threw back his head, all three eyes bleeding.
He roared, “Jima!”
Above him, an unknown magic was channeled to Jima as she materialized in the air.
She cradled a nuclear warhead, descending from the heights towards Eternal chosen one Marus, her head downward, her chest constrained to reduce air resistance, her black hair whipping wildly in the gale.
Now was the perfect moment to unleash the full force of the Teral, to inflict maximum damage on the world-ending army.
“Ha, is the foreseen nuclear explosion pleasant?”
Jima awaited this moment; the misty pain filling her from Marus’s form drove her to hasten her speed, as if she indeed heard the raging waves.
Eternal chosen one Marus dared not predict the future any longer; he brandished his blade at Jima.
“Break!” Jima uttered a single word.
Atop Marus’s head, the crown of false shards shattered instantly, the complete power of the crown leaving him, causing his body to become limp, stumbling a step.
No! I cannot fail! The world awaits my destruction! I still need to annihilate the ignorant!
Eternal chosen one Marus held on for a moment, raising his head and bellowing, slashing at the descending Jima with a sword.
Beside him, a chosen guard, slow to react, asked, “What’s happening? Your majesty?”
Everything happened too fast; the surrounding guards hadn’t caught on.
In the distance.
A bloodthirsty demon cleaved another bloodthirsty demon in half, flapping its wings, it flew towards Chief Knight Elena’s head in the sky, extending its filthy and fallen hand, fingers splayed, ready to grasp her pure silver hair.
“Thud!”
Chief Knight Elena suddenly burst forth in the air, so swiftly that it seemed time had leaped; that ray of light transformed into a rising sun.
Brilliant light engulfed everything, covering Chief Knight Elena’s face, eclipsing her milky eye. In her final moments, a hint of relief curved her lips into a smile.
Then, her pure silver hair blended into the light, while the body of the bloodthirsty demon transformed into a black silhouette amidst the illumination.
The chosen army advanced.
He thought, instinctively glancing at Chief Knight Elena’s head, contemplating her future.
Was it to be taken for corruption? To stain her, making her fight for the end of days army? Or—
Suddenly, the vision was flooded with blinding white light, consuming all, obliterating everything.
Just the premonition of this scene caused such pain that Eternal chosen one Marus threw back his head, belching white smoke.
He roared, “Jima!”
Above, some unknown magic detected Jima as she manifested in the air.
She grasped a nuclear warhead, plummeting towards Eternal chosen one Marus headfirst, her chest bound to minimize drag, her black hair whipping in the rushing air.
Now was the moment to unleash the power of Teral to maximize the damage to the world-ending army.
“Ha, is the forecast of a nuclear explosion enjoyable?”
Jima awaited precisely this moment; the misty, painful energy from Marus invigorated her as she poured all her pain into increasing her speed, even hearing the violent waves yelling.
Eternal chosen one Marus dared not gaze into the future any longer, wielding his blade toward Jima.
“Break!” she uttered.
Marus’s crown shattered; the false fragments instantly broke away, the full force of the crown departing from him, collapsing his body as he staggered.
No! I cannot fail! The world is waiting for my destruction! I must kill the Four Divine Beasts!
Eternal chosen one Marus managed to hold firm for the moment, raising his head and roaring toward Jima as she descended, swinging his sword.
Beside him, a chosen guard finally asked, “What’s happening? Your majesty?”
Everything happened too quickly; the surrounding guards hadn’t reacted yet.
In the distance.
A bloodthirsty demon cleaved another bloodthirsty demon; flapping wings, it soared toward Chief Knight Elena’s head in the sky, extending its dirty, fallen hand, fingers splayed, ready to grasp her pure silver hair.
“Thud!”
Chief Knight Elena seemed to “see” a muffled sound.
A ray of light erupted suddenly in the air; it was so swift that time seemed to leap, and that beam of light became a rising sun.
Brilliant light engulfed everything, covering Chief Knight Elena’s face, eclipsing her milky eye. In her final moments, a hint of relief curved her lips into a smile.
Then, her pure silver hair blended into the light, while the body of the bloodthirsty demon turned into a black silhouette in the radiance.
