Genius Corpse-Collecting Warrior - Chapter 248

248

Flame of the Knights (2)

[…Divinity.]

Jinryong purred softly. A large creature that slightly curls its tail and lowers its posture. Red energy flickers between the teeth.

The monsters lined up behind the dragon also exposed their teeth while making different cries. The air tightened and the half-molten valley shook.

“…….”

Lucia slowly caught her breath as she looked at that scene. The past few months passed quickly in her mind.

The offensive of the dragon army rushing from the crack was fierce.

So much so that a total of seven forts, including three newly built forts by the Knights after the fight against Cheonglin, were steadily falling every few weeks.

When she arrived, all seven fortresses had already collapsed. There was only one bone left.

But the Knights held out. It was none other than the sacred barrier of the main group.

‘A barrier that was used to draw on the power of the relics that are abundant in the treasury, as well as the power of the relics of the Sandwind Dynasty.’

Since it was a barrier set up by the leader, I didn’t know the detailed principle, but I thought it was roughly a similar concept to the barrier in the labyrinth city.

In any case, thanks to the sacred barrier, the group has endured even after several months.

The problem arose about 15 days ago. It was a problem outside the Wall Mountains, not inside the rift.

‘Sir Lucia. Not only did the commerce coming from beyond the Wall Mountains stop, but even the Knights’ own supplies were cut off. The reports that were supposed to come from the Gate Fortress every day have also been stopped.’

‘There’s a problem. What was the last report from Gate Fortress?’

‘It said that a large number of monsters were coming from outside the Wall Mountain Range.’

It was a conversation with Edgar Reinhardt, the leader of the Holy Knights.

In short, the story is that the knights were isolated from the outside world due to attacks by unknown monsters.

Of course, as the headquarters was located in a vast basin inside the Barrier Mountains, self-sufficiency was possible even while isolated from the outside world.

Nevertheless, it is an undeniable fact that foodstuffs such as seafood and spices brought in from outside help boost morale.

‘Would you please lead the detachment and identify the problem?’

‘yes.’

Lucia immediately led the detachment to the Gateway Fortress, the entrance to the Barrier Mountains.

The gist of the mission is to identify and solve problems along the supply route, and if there is a situation that cannot be handled with just a detachment, reconnoiter and request a larger force.

Of course, even assuming the worst case scenario, the likelihood of needing additional support was small.

As long as she is a 5th rank paladin, even if the fortress falls to a monster army, it will be able to be recaptured quickly.

With her skills, she could have taken on two or three subdragons by herself.

‘…It won’t be easy.’

But Jinryong was a different matter.

Her eyes, sparkling with white light, calmly scanned the enemy’s power.

The most threatening thing was the large true dragon that filled the valley.

The problem was that behind him, about four or five sub-dragons were getting their fill, and hundreds of monsters, including trolls, were also lined up.

Even a subdragon’s breath is threatening, and a troll’s fist is enough to crush plate armor in one go.

Assuming she is in charge of the true dragon, the remaining troops must deal with the sub-dragon and the monster.

‘But it’s not impossible.’

The moment I thought about that, Jinryong moved his front paw.

Boom────!

Before the paladins could react, a huge claw struck the spot where Lucia was.

“Interrogator!”

The paladins shouted. The dragon grinned and raised its front paw.

[……!]

The crushed corpse of the Paladin was not visible. What I heard instead was the sound of footsteps running along the cliff.

[Like a loach…!]

The dragon quickly turned his head. The vertically slit red eyes reflected a slender divine figure running along the wall of the valley.

Footsteps that accelerate over the irregularities and crevices of the cliff.

In an instant, the gap of about a hundred meters narrowed. Every step taken was filled with divine power, leaving a white scar.

[――!]

The dragon’s breath flickered from its snout, but Lucia’s sword was a little faster.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-gak!

A sword strike in which the body is thrown diagonally. The scales collide with the holy sword and sparks fly out.

Normally, no matter how holy a sword it was, the true dragon’s scales could not be easily cut. However, the holy sword imbued with divinity was different.

[Kaaaaaa—!]

A long stab wound left on the elongated body. Red blood flowed like a waterfall from between the cracked scales.

The dragon spread its wings wide and flew up. The movement shook the narrow valley as if there had been an earthquake.

Swinging front feet. Lucia stepped on the cliff once again and dodged the front foot like an acrobat.

After taking a few more steps, the new figure reversed in the air and climbed onto the dragon’s back. With the sword fixed to her body, she glanced at the contingent left behind.

“Follow the sharpest sword of the God of War!”

“from now on! For God’s sake!”

“charge! charge!”

Paladins and crusaders risking their lives to charge. Lucia gritted her teeth.

Kujijic!

I swallow the cursing that was up to my chin and add strength to my sword. The divine light penetrated through the scales and began to crush the underside of the dragon’s skin.

[――――!]

A term that was almost like a scream rang in my ears. It was an order.

Fireballs formed in the air and were aimed at Lucia. Raining fire arrows. Lava pouring over your head.

Lucia ran here and there to avoid them. Each and every movement on the back of a rapidly rising dragon was no different from a stunt that risked one’s life.

Wedge!

Leaning back, he narrowly lets go of the flame spear and cuts off the head of the fire snake that is trying to bite his leg.

Doo doo doo doo!

As I barely managed to avoid the small flames that rained down like Bjorn’s shotgun, fire spirits created from the scattered dragon’s blood blocked my view.

The moment I swung my sword at the spirit, the dragon reversed its body. A large object that repeatedly dives and rises, ignoring the laws of physics.

Coo coo coo coo…!!

Lucia’s body rose into the air as she hit the cliff of a narrow valley.

The dragon shook her off his back and soared into the sky, widening his snout toward the valley.

[――!]

Short and bold verb.

Magical power suddenly twists inside the snout.

Spells rain down from all directions, restricting movement. I couldn’t avoid it because I was thrown into the air.

Moreover, there was an order of knights below her. Paladins and crusaders charging at the dragon and monsters in the valley.

If she avoids them, they will be the ones swept away by her breath instead of her. I was sure I would melt without even being able to resist.

“What the fuck!”

There was no choice.

Hold the sword forward to add divine power.

The sacred tattoos on her entire body were activated to their maximum level, making her body shine like a small star.

The power of the secret sword contained in the holy sword Reredonatel guided her body. She became a ray of light and soared towards the dragon’s snout.

Quaaa─────

Red breath splits the sky.

━━━━━━━!

A beam of pure white light split the breath.

[Kyahaaak…!]

The place where the beam of light was stuck was in the middle of the dragon’s chest.

The divinity contained in the holy sword exploded beneath the scales and skin, turning the dragon’s heart and internal organs into a mess.

The dragon rises into the sky for a moment and then begins to fall headlong, vomiting blood.

Lucia also fell together in one piece, with her sword stuck in the guy’s chest.

***

The fall was over soon.

Bang!

The dragon’s massive body crashes into the steep ridge of the Wall Mountains.

The body, which bounced like a water swallow, soon began to slide down the mountainside like a sleigh.

Coo coo coo coo–!!

Rocks being ground like mud by the overwhelming mass. The dragon that hit the top of the mountain skidded for hundreds of meters before barely stopping.

“…….”

The dust rose up like fog. Lucia barely raised her head.

The dragon, whose heart was bursting with divinity, did not even move. She stumbled off the dragon’s body.

Cheeeeee…….

Burnt smell stung my nose. Even without looking in the mirror, I could tell that my body was completely ruined.

The reason you barely feel any pain is probably because most of the nerves are damaged.

Since Jinryong’s breath was pierced from the front, it could be said that it was a miracle that it stopped at this level.

‘If it wasn’t for the armor Dallen gave me… I would have been roasted whole.’

Something like armor made from dragon scales. While all of his white silver armor and even his cloth clothes had melted, the only thing that was still intact was the Yongrin armor he was wearing.

“…God, give me a wind of healing.”

For a moment, I smiled at the fact that I was saved once again. Lucia placed her trembling hands on her head and prayed before it was too late.

A refreshing feeling covered me from head to toe as my divine tattoo shone.

With an itchy feeling, scabs form and new skin grows.

It was a high-level healing prayer that could only be used by some even among the Holy Knights, and was incomparable to regeneration potions.

“…Ouch.”

She sat down for a moment due to the belated return of pain, but then got up and approached the edge of the cliff.

The place where the dragon’s body stopped was on the high slope of the Wall Mountain Range. As the cloudy dust settled, the area beyond the barrier mountain range surrounding the Holy Knights came into view.

“…Oh God.”

Beyond the mountains was hell.

A horizon with flowing lava. A sky filled with snowstorms.

The forest surrounding the Wall Mountain Range had become a swampland boiling with deadly poison. After that, a dry, hard desert followed.

The gateway fortress visible below was also completely collapsed.

It was only understandable that it had melted when the true dragon appeared, but the fortress did not just melt and collapse.

A ruin that looks like it melted in the heat, then froze, and was not only swept away by a huge silt, but also baked to a crisp by lightning.

“…….”

It wasn’t the act of one true dragon. Even if you can’t do it, it’s more than double digits.

Since reports from the Gateway Fortress were cut off 15 days ago, this means that this vast area was reduced to ruins in just 15 days.

How about an army of dragons that are supposed to be chained inside a rift? The reason was quickly found.

‘The dragon army bypassed the rift barrier.’

The crack was a huge valley-shaped terrain leading to a labyrinth.

The reason why Cheongrin, who was a flying monster or true dragon, could not crawl out of the valley was because of the invisible wall of magic that covered the upper part of the valley.

The wall of magic built at the birth of the Holy Knights was called the Wall of Cracks and was under the management of the Holy Knights.

And for the past thousand years, there has been no way for any monster or demon to break through the barrier.

Until Everlock Glasden, the vice-captain of the Knights several years ago, stole the key to the barrier and ran away.

‘You damn traitor.’

It was a serious situation.

What does it mean that the key to the barrier, which could not be found even after defeating Cheonglin, has now fallen into the hands of the dragon god?

If the Dragon God’s army had bypassed the crack barrier, the main group blocking the crack entrance had virtually lost its meaning.

Nevertheless, turning the area around the headquarters into a hellish road means that they intend to surround and kill the Holy Knights.

‘I have to report to the leader.’

Breaking through the supply route was not the problem.

Lucia pulled out the sword from the dragon’s chest and stepped to the edge of the cliff.

The detachment she led was still fighting against monsters in the valley near the fortress.

There is no telling when Jinryong’s army will attack additionally. Will I be able to survive the next attack like I did now? Lucia was skeptical.

I don’t mind dying with my comrades, but I can’t help but spread the news that the dragon army has surrounded the headquarters.

‘…You can’t abandon your comrades and return.’

The moment when you are about to jump off the cliff after a short conflict.

Coooooooo!

A true dragon landed next to her.

“…….”

It was a bloody true dragon. The neck was cut in half, the chest had a gaping hole, and the scales were covered in soot.

Only after half-drawing her sword in surprise did Lucia realize that this was the corpse of Jinryong.

Jinryong’s corpse? Who killed Jinryong…

“It’s been a long time.”

The correct answer appeared by stepping on Jinryong’s corpse.