Whoosh—
The clouds transford into a blizzard in an instant, swirling violently. The monsters flying beneath scattered in all directions, like a school of fish encountering a shark. Ian did not spare them a single glance.
His gaze was fixed on the purple trajectory descending in a smooth curve, carrying the blizzard with it: the archdemon, Akihatara.
Unlike in the vision, the creature possessed three pairs of massive wings. Two long pairs were spread wide behind its back, while the uppermost pair was folded in a cross, shielding its head. The purple glow of its eyes had faded. All that could be seen beyond the folded wings were horns and feathers rising like a crown.
"It’s smaller than I expected. I thought all archdemons were the size of houses," said Thesaya.
Considering that the archdemon she had seen before was Bukikia, it was not a strange reaction. Akihatara’s wings made it appear larger, but excluding them, it was likely about the sa size as Inaskurgl, or only slightly bigger.
"Oh, Karha."
"So that is an archdemon."
Even so, it was incomparably larger than an ordinary monster. To the legionnaires, the sight must have felt utterly surreal.
—I was wondering why I hadn’t noticed it sooner.
Yog’s whisper slipped into the brief gap between Ian’s thoughts.
—With stealth like that, it’s understandable. Amidst this chaos, it could have deceived not only but your senses as well, my friend.
Only then did Ian realize that there was almost no sound of tearing air. It was indistinguishable from the whistling wind.
Unlike other archdemons, this one did not scatter chaos wildly or scream. It blended into the chaos shimring within the storm clouds so completely that the shrieks of the surrounding monsters were louder by comparison.
Rumble—
Whether this was a remnant of harpy instincts or a command from Dharmaraja, Ian could not tell. In any case, it was not important.
Whoosh—
What mattered were the large and small fireballs erupting in rapid succession atop the wall near its path. And the crossbows that had begun firing, as if they had been waiting for this very mont.
As expected, they were prepared.
Ian watched the approaching archdemon curve through the air. Invisible to everyone else, he could see singed feathers clinging to it. He could also see shafts jutting out, likely from thrown spears. That was probably why it had covered its head with its uppermost wings.
Roar—
Regardless, crossbows alone were far from enough to stop Akihatara. The purple trail it carved through the air reached the top of the wall in an instant, crushing several forming flas as it passed.
"Huh?" Thesaya gasped.
Instead of landing on the wall or crashing into it, Akihatara slipped past, veering smoothly along its course.
Four long legs tipped with crescent-moon-shaped talons ca fully into view. Spine-like horns ran along its back, and a long tail trailed behind it, resembling a bundle of writhing tentacles. It looked like a massive, ominous bird of prey.
In any case, the result of it skimming across the wall at an angle was anything but light.
Blood erupted all at once along the path it passed, and soldiers were torn apart and flung outward, their bodies mangled. It was not rely the shockwave of the dive.
So that’s why they called it the blood-soaked wings.
Ian could see fragnts of magic mixed with chaos spreading around the creature. Each fragnt likely functioned as a blade.
Boom, boom, boom!
At the sa ti, fireballs shot out like beams of light, engulfing Akihatara as its speed slowed slightly. Breaking through blinding explosions and thick smoke, it surged upward, flas clinging to it.
Screech—
A sharp shriek was scattered into the sky. Perhaps it scread because all the vassals it had sent toward Ian had been wiped out.
The purple trajectory, wreathed in smoke and fire, shot back toward the storm clouds like an arrow and rapidly pulled away.
"That crazy... holy shit..."
"To think we have to just watch instead of fighting sothing like that!"
"The Great Warrior faced... three of those monsters..."
Gasps of shock and awe rippled through the legionnaires. No one could tear their eyes away from Akihatara’s fading trajectory. Ian’s assessnt, however, was entirely different from theirs.
So it isn’t the type with high defense or a tough lifeline.
He now understood why Akihatara had neither landed on the wall nor pressed the attack repeatedly. It was stealthy, fast, airborne, and overwhelmingly destructive, but it clearly lacked endurance and resilience.
If I could just endure one attack and knock it down to the ground...
Even as counterasures surfaced reflexively in his mind, Ian swept his gaze along the wall stretching far to either side.
"It looks like dozens died just now. Why haven’t they asked for help yet?" Thesaya said, irritation clear in her voice. Her eyes were fixed on the fortress rising from the center of the wall, its gates still firmly shut.
"Do those idiots seriously think they can kill an archdemon like that?"
"It hasn’t been long since the assault began. Until a mont ago, we weren’t exactly in a position to help either," Ian replied.
The fallen troops would soon be replaced, but the scars left behind told another story. The damage was enough to estimate how many tis Akihatara had struck the wall.
—Right. The way I see it, that was at most the third ti just now.
At Yog’s laugh-laced whisper, Ian nodded slightly.
Conversely, it ant the wall had been reduced to that state in only three attacks. Either way, it was clear that Akihatara had reached the front lines only recently.
Thesaya narrowed her eyes, then nodded. "Ah, so that ans it’ll be soon, then."
"They won’t have the leisure for that just yet. They are probably busy on both fronts," Ian said without taking his eyes off the wall.
Yog’s giggling laughter followed.
—Ah, right. Those insignificant things have arrived too.
Ian shifted his gaze and gave a small nod. Keeping a certain distance had allowed him to grasp the situation on the wall to so extent.
Fwoosh— Boom—
The intact ballistas and spells were not being fired only into the sky. They were also being unleashed beyond the wall.
Screech— Screech—
Heavy explosions continued beyond the wall. The faint, wind-like shrieks were likely spreading from whatever lay on the other side.
Snort...
When Ian pulled the reins, Nila wheeled sharply toward the legion, moving as though pointedly ignoring Moro’s gaze.
"If those morons had accepted us from the start—"
"Quiet. The Great Warrior is looking at us."
The legionnaires who had been murmuring among themselves fell silent at once.
Ian stood beyond the reach of the sacred fla’s light, yet that only made him stand out more. Nila seed to glow even in the darkness, and crimson divinity burned across Ian’s form.
As the legionnaires' gazes focused on him, Ian said, "Reorganize your ranks so we can move at any ti."
At the sa ti, he raised the Fang Greatsword at his side. "Make sure everything on that wall realizes once again that we are here."
Cherwyn’s display alone would have been enough to draw attention, but they needed to make their presence unmistakable. By now, the commanders on the wall would have realized that the situation was far from manageable.
"Oooooo—"
"Archdemon, co to us!"
"The Demigod and the Crimson Legion are here! You cursed monsters!"
The barbarian warriors at the front roared as if they had been waiting for the signal. Stepping over scattered monster corpses, they seed to hurl their heat and fury toward the wall.
"Move! Fall in from the rear!"
"Stick close over here!"
anwhile, the legionnaires began repositioning at the rear. The circular defensive formation dissolved, replaced by a rectangle. It was the sa formation they had used before entering the city.
Throughout it all, Ian continued sweeping his gaze across the storm clouds blanketing the sky.
—It won’t co this way, my friend.
As if reading his thoughts, Yog whispered with a snicker.
Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
—Think about the nature of the other one. The pain and fear it desires don’t really suit you or your subordinates.
"Are you saying that big bird is setting the stage for that creature nad Dharmaraja or whatever?" Thesaya asked.
Yog giggled.
—Maybe. It might have lent a hand sohow. That is just my guess, though. I could be wrong.
"And what other guesses do you have?" Thesaya asked, narrowing her eyes at the irresponsible answer.
Ian shook Nila’s reins.
—Or maybe it is simply afraid of you, my friend. At first, it probably sent its subordinates just to buy ti.
As Nila turned toward the wall, Yog continued, snickering as if in mockery.
—By now, it must have realized that the idiots up there are fighting separately.
Ian looked up at the wall, where the battle continued unabated. Blinding explosions and flashes overlapped with thunderous booms and monstrous shrieks, creating a chaotic din.
"Oooooo—"
"We are here!"
Even amid the carnage, the legionnaires’ shouts did not cease. It almost looked as though they were venting their boiling fighting spirit through sheer noise.
Fwoosh—
The sacred fla, which had burned fiercely again at so point, surged and ebbed repeatedly, flaunting its presence.
Still, the gate remained shut.
—Just as I thought.
The monsters no longer flew toward them either. They rely dyed the sky purple with their presence and continued attacking the soldiers on the wall.
Whoosh—
Before Akihatara pierced through the dark clouds once again, Ian located it a step ahead. He looked up at the purple trajectory plunging toward the wall far to the left. It was faster and far more violent than before.
Screech—
A sharp scream echoed even from behind the wings covering its face. It clearly no longer felt the need to hide its presence.
Boom, boom, boom!
A shockwave mixed with a blizzard erupted from the wall where the creature swept past at an angle. Soldiers were torn apart by blade-like wind and flung in all directions like broken dolls.
So this is the form it was holding back.
Watching Akihatara bathed in a thick mist of blood, Ian narrowed his eyes slightly. The divinity wrapping around him blazed hot, as if urging him to rush at the creature imdiately.
Boom! Rumble—
Less than half of the red magic hurled at it managed to land. It wasn't an illusion that the firepower seed to have decreased. The spellcasters were losing their lives every ti the creature attacked.
Kiaaaaaa—
Akihatara spun acrobatically and vanished back into the storm clouds once more.
"Co here, you monster!"
"We are here—"
It did not even spare a glance toward the Crimson Legion, who were shouting themselves hoarse.
Staring at the distant sky, Thesaya clicked her tongue. "Maybe it’s for the best. Once those idiots are all dead, we’ll naturally be next."
It was a very fairy-like perspective.
As Yog chuckled approvingly, Ian said, "Unfortunately, that won't happen."
"Huh?" Thesaya, who had looked back at Ian, soon turned her gaze forward again.
One corner of her mouth curled up crookedly. "Well, look at that. They finally realized it."
The wall gates were opening.
Almost at the sa mont, Ian raised the Fang Greatsword he had been holding at his side. The thunderous cheers echoing across the field died down as if cut cleanly away.
"Follow ."
Looking back at the legionnaires, Ian shook Nila’s reins sharply. Nila reared its front legs, steam bursting from its nostrils like a roar, and then sprang forward, sprinting straight toward the gate.
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