Rage and despair at being deceived were written all over their faces. At this moment, their hearts were filled with the pain of having betrayed their Kingdom and their oaths.
Some of the Knights glanced guiltily at their former comrades in the retreating Arevalo Clan, their expressions complex.
Finally, their gazes turned resolute.
A middle-aged Knight abruptly drew his notched Knight’s Sword and roared hoarsely at the sky, "For glory! We fight to the death! No retreat!!"
"Fight to the death! No retreat!"
"We’ll fight them to the bitter end!"
"Cadus above, please forgive my sins!"
The surviving Knights shouted in unison, their voices filled with grim resolve. They turned their horses, tightened their grip on their weapons, and without a moment’s hesitation, began their final charge toward the Abyssal Rift that was continuously spewing forth Demons.
They left themselves no way out. They left no final words, nor did they expect to return alive. Their horses’ hooves trampled the scorched earth, their armor reflecting one last gleam in the churning lava.
It was the incandescent red of fire.
Just as they had sworn in a solemn oath before the statues on the day they became Knights—they loved the land beneath their feet, and they loved the homes and families behind them.
When a powerful enemy invaded, when evil descended, they would defend it resolutely, not yielding a single inch of ground, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives.
This was the way of the Knight, engraved deep within their souls. It was the source of their strength, and at this moment, the final pillar supporting them as they faced hell itself.
Of course, a few Knights were struck with fear, hesitating to move forward or even quietly shuffling backward.
Their spirits faltered and their auras dimmed. The weapons in their hands felt as if they weighed a ton.
Having lost their conviction and betrayed their ideals and oaths, they had ultimately lost the greatest strength a Knight possesses.
Watching the figures charge heedlessly toward hell, many of the Arevalo Clan’s Knights subconsciously tightened their reins, wanting to surge forward.
Levin raised an arm, stopping them. He watched the charging figures and shook his head. "Let them go. It’s not our time to charge yet."
"This might be the only way left for them to defend what little honor they have left."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "Although they were deceived by Dominic and led astray, they still did wrong and walked the wrong path. They must pay the price for their actions and bear the consequences."
"If they can’t face their own hearts right now, if they can’t wash away their shame and atone for their mistakes through action... then they can’t be called true Knights."
Under the death-defying charge of these Knights, combined with the suppressive fire from the Demon Legion at the rear, the tide of Demons pouring from the Abyssal Rift was actually pushed back for a moment. The charging Knights acted as a reef, temporarily holding back the black tide.
Just then, Arthur and the other three returned and regrouped with the Arevalo Clan’s Knight Team.
Alice stared at his figure, at that familiar yet alien Undead shell. She remained silent, saying nothing, but her hand gripping her Knight’s Sword unconsciously loosened, and her tense shoulders slumped slightly.
Facing his son, who had become one of the Undead, Levin’s emotions were equally complex. He stepped forward and firmly slapped his palm on Arthur’s iron-clad shoulder, producing a dull thud.
"Go on. Your companion is still over there, waiting for you."
The Gloomy Blue Soul Fire beneath Arthur’s helm flickered slightly. He was silent for a few seconds before finally nodding. He turned his horse and galloped toward the Demon Legion’s position in the rear.
Glen glanced back at Levin and Alice, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. He muttered quietly, ’So alike. They’re really just too alike.’
Calvin shot him a look. "Alike in what way?"
Anna, who was beside them, also looked at Glen with curiosity.
"None of them like to talk, of course," Glen said as if it were obvious, shrugging.
"..."
Arthur’s soul fire paused for a moment, then he continued onward.
...
Back at the legion’s position, Chen Yu spotted the approaching Arthur on horseback from a great distance and waved a small Gel hand at him.
’Arthur escaped. To be honest, the main objective of our attack on Storm Fortress has been achieved. There’s no need to keep fighting these Demons to the death. Maybe we can just retreat back to the swamp now.’
’Although Count Brand hasn’t returned with the Crown yet, with how clever he is, escaping safely shouldn’t be a problem.’
’As for the Golden Grain Plain... he was starting to understand. The situation in the White Horse Kingdom was far more complicated than it seemed, with hidden Extraordinary individuals and tangled factions everywhere.’
’If the Slime Kingdom really tried to occupy the prosperous Golden Grain Plain now, it would be incredibly troublesome. They would face a fierce backlash and a siege from the Kingdom’s various factions. At the very least, the timing isn’t right for his kingdom as it is now.’
’His original plan had been to quietly occupy the relatively remote Storm Territory first, establish a foothold, build up his strength, and then find a way to get involved in the Kingdom’s internal conflicts to gradually infiltrate and annex the Golden Grain Plain.’
’But now, it seemed the tenacity of these Demon’s Claws was beyond his imagination.’
’Not only did they control most of the Garrison Legion’s power and have the support of the Demons from Golden Glow Valley, but they were also connected to the royal family.’
’The chances of occupying Storm Territory right under their noses were slim.’
Princess Louisa, who was standing to the side, seemed to notice his burgeoning thoughts of retreat. She stepped forward, gave Chen Yu a solemn bow, and spoke in a serious and earnest tone, "Lord Slime, I need your help."
Chen Yu gave a little bounce, gesturing for her to continue.
Louisa’s expression was grave as she looked toward the distant Abyssal Rift, which was still expanding and spewing forth Demons:
"This Abyssal Rift isn’t as simple as you think. It won’t close on its own just because the Kasa Coin was taken by the Demons or disappeared."
A thought struck Chen Yu. "Are you saying this rift will remain open permanently?"
"That is precisely what I’m saying." Louisa nodded, her tone heavy. "Unlike the unstable rifts to the Elemental Plane that occasionally open naturally from chaotic Magic Power, these passages to the Abyssal Plane tend to be far more stable."
"Abyss Demons crave to invade the Material Realm and plunder souls. Once a rift appears, nearby Demons will spontaneously work to maintain and reinforce it, even actively sending more Demons through to prevent it from closing."
"If the rift isn’t forcibly closed in time, it will grow wider and wider under the Demons’ maintenance. More and more Demons will pour out, until their grand army completely occupies this land and turns it into a new abyssal outpost."
She looked at Chen Yu, her eyes filled with deep worry. "Dominic and these other Demon’s Claws have completely revealed their identities now. They will no longer try to hide behind the legitimate facade of the Garrison Legion. They will reveal their true purpose and summon a powerful Demon Lord to this land."
"Then, using the Demon Lord’s power, they will annex Storm Territory, invade the White Horse Kingdom, and even spread the flames of war to the swamps and the Dark Land, turning this entire area into a paradise for Demons."
Hearing this, Chen Yu finally understood the gravity of the situation.
’If the Demons were really allowed to put down roots here and establish a stable foothold... forget Storm Territory, even the Dark Land he had just conquered would face a direct threat from the Demon army.’
’He was still eyeing that vast plain behind Storm Fortress. How could he let these evil octopus tentacles reach in and snatch his territory?’
’Dammit! These evil bastards were actually coveting his future territory.’
’I have to strike back hard.’
’Let them know just whose turf this is.’
Chen Yu’s round body puffed up with resolve. He looked at Louisa and gave a firm bounce.
"Miss Louisa, I must say, your words are as persuasive as a Demon’s. But you’re right. We certainly can’t allow these Demons to build a foothold here."
"We need to make these noisy bastards crawl back into the Abyss."
Meanwhile, in the distance, Dominic and his followers had not left. They seemed unwilling to let the war end just like that, and were clearly waiting for something to appear.