Chapter 77

The incident later recorded as the Heretic Holy Knight Case was simultaneously kept secret.

Daria Silverblade and Rose Silverblade, who had become heretics, were executed by the Church. The heresy of holy knights could not be made public, and they were secretly eliminated by the Inquisitors.

In their final mission, Daria and Rose believed in love until the end.

"Hey... calm down and listen to me."

"You're not the captain anymore. Don't get in the way!"

The holy knight who believed that monsters should be exterminated tried to capture Daria. He didn't kill her here because he thought she should be judged by the law.

"This monster doesn't harm people indiscriminately. Please understand!"

"There's no guarantee that a disaster-level monster won't harm people. Rose, please understand!"

Not all fifteen holy knights were trying to capture Daria and Rose. Some were trying to kill the demon knight and the boy.

The demon knight defended with a massive shield.

He deflected attacks from weapon-type magical armors with his shield and parried with his sword. He protected the boy from long-range attacks by using his body as a shield.

As expected of a disaster-level monster, it didn't flinch.

Being of the undead type, it had high durability and a body that didn't feel pain, making it well-suited for defense.

"You're doing well. Then I don't need to hold back."

The demon knight activated his magic. The magic, a unique ability of the monster, had a faster activation speed than magic and was uniquely powerful.

In the case of the demon knight, it was the ability to control the dead. This meant he could manipulate corpses like zombies. If the demon knight destroyed a village, all the villagers who died would become zombies. He could lead these zombies to destroy towns and even large cities. This was why he was feared as a disaster-level monster.

The combat power of the created zombies depended on their state in life.

If the holy knights were turned into zombies, they would become a formidable force.

Most importantly, holy knight zombies could even use the power of magical armors. However, since the corpses had no remaining magic power, they would have to use the demon knight's magic. They couldn't use it recklessly.

"Don't touch the boy!"

The demon knight's power, when he was serious, surpassed even that of the holy knights. He was a powerful individual that even S-class magical armor users could barely defeat. Ordinary holy knights couldn't stand against him.

One of the holy knights fighting with sword-type magical armors had his heart pierced.

A holy knight who attacked with a spear-type magical armor had his neck cut off after being deflected by a shield.

A holy knight who used a fighting style with lightning had his abdomen torn open and his head crushed.

Then, the demon knight's magic revived them as zombies. Zombies with holes in their hearts, headless zombies, and zombies with their internal organs spilling out and heads split open became the demon knight's followers.

"Look, Daria! Monsters are evil, after all!"

The holy knight who was fighting Daria accused her.

With the appearance of casualties, the half of the holy knights who were unsure of which side to take made up their minds. They all decided to eliminate the demon knight and the boy.

In an instant, a包围圈 formed, and Daria, Rose, the demon knight, and the boy were surrounded. There was no way to escape now.

"Uncle! It's bad!"

"I know. Don't move, boy."

The demon knight had the zombie holy knights protect the boy and then charged out, trying to kill more holy knights to increase his zombie followers.

"Hey! Stop!"

Daria tried to stop the demon knight. She couldn't cover up any more killings. In fact, the situation was already beyond her control, turning into a chaotic battle.

Of course, Rose was in the same situation.

"Stop! End the fight! Demon knight, stop fighting!"

"Rose, just let yourself be captured."

"Three of our comrades have been killed. Monsters are evil, after all!"

"Damn... it's no use..."

The monster protecting the boy.

Daria and Rose trying to protect the monster and the boy.

The holy knights trying to kill the monster and neutralize Daria and Rose.

In the chaotic battlefield, only the demon knight had a clear target: to kill the holy knights while protecting the boy.

He slashed the holy knight in front of him.

And created the fourth zombie follower.

However, there were still over twenty holy knights targeting the demon knight. A disaster-level monster could be defeated by multiple A-rank magical armor users. Gradually, the holy knights' attacks began to reach the demon knight.

"Capture him!"

"Aah!"

Using restraining magical armors, they immobilized the demon knight and inflicted damage with attack-type magical armors. Other holy knights defended against the demon knight's attacks.

The division of attack, defense, and support cornered the demon knight.

The demon knight wanted to effectively use the zombie holy knights he had turned, but they were protecting the boy.

The holy knights began to stabilize their battle, and he couldn't create more zombies after the fifth one.

"Ugh..."

They damaged the demon knight, even breaking his armor. Being of the undead type, he didn't feel pain, but injuries to joints and other areas slowed his movements. His body wouldn't move as he wanted, and he felt frustrated.

His left arm was cut off from behind.

The demon knight lost his shield.

A holy knight saw an opening and shattered his left knee.

The demon knight lost the ability to stand.

"Knight uncle! Keep it up!"

"Hey, don't push it, boy... but leave it to me."

He fought with only his right hand and right foot.

If the demon knight died, the zombies he controlled would disappear. The boy would then be killed by the holy knights. The demon knight, who had shown affection like a parent, was willing to sacrifice his life to protect the boy.

The monster had the same love as humans.

(Why... why is this happening...)

Daria was also troubled.

She believed that monsters had hearts and could become like humans. She had found a demon knight who had actually connected with humans.

Now, she couldn't find a reason for the fight.

Her hesitation created an opening.

Daria was captured by magical armors. Ice covered her limbs.

"Damn..."

"Daria!"

"Behind you, Rose! Be careful!"

Her attention reflexively shifted to her husband, and Rose was also caught off guard. She was immobilized by ice-type magical armors.

All that was left was to defeat the demon knight.

"The zombies won't move to protect the child. Prioritize killing the monster!"

They formed a formation and didn't give the demon knight a chance to attack. They continuously attacked, shattering his tough armor.

"Die, monster!"

"Almost there!"

"Don't let your guard down."

"Right."

"Secure the legs."

"Leave the attack to me."

"I'll attack from behind."

"Aim for the right arm!"

Attacks from all directions cornered the demon knight.

Losing his left hand and left leg, and being surrounded, defeat was only a matter of time. The only thing important to the demon knight now was the boy.

(What a shame...)

He launched a final, desperate attack.

His sword, swung with all his might, made the holy knight flinch slightly. Until now, he had been agile, but this attack exposed a huge opening. The demon knight couldn't defend himself anymore.

However, he had prepared this final attack for this moment.

All for the boy's last message.

"Live... the world is for you!"

As he spat out the words, he was stabbed by multiple holy knights.

His cracked armor was pierced, and the demon knight stopped moving. His magic power began to dissipate into the air. When a monster dies, it turns into magic power.

"Uncle!?"

The zombies protecting the boy fell like puppets with their strings cut.

The magic disappeared, and they returned to being corpses.

This meant the demon knight had been eliminated.

With the monster gone, the holy knights' target shifted to the boy.

"He's been a handful. Let's just kill this kid and be done with it."

"Wait!"

"Daria, be quiet! You're not the captain anymore!"

There was no mercy.

To the holy knights, the boy was evil. He had accepted a monster and was corrupt. They had no qualms about killing him.

Only Daria and Rose opposed it.

"It's over. Feel the regret of your comrades...!"

A sword was swung down.

The young 'Hawk Eye' closed his eyes. The only regret was that he couldn't fulfill the demon knight's last words.

He thought he was going to die.

But a warm liquid splashed on his face. There was no pain.

The boy cautiously opened his eyes.

"Ugh..."

In front of him, Daria had been slashed in the back, protecting him. It took a few seconds to realize she had saved him.

"To break free from my restraints!"

Daria used her magic power to shatter the ice with brute force.

She protected the boy.

Rose then activated her magical armor. A lightning girl appeared as a servant-type magical armor and floated above to protect the boy.

"Knock her out!"

A holy knight struck Rose's neck with a hand knife, knocking her unconscious.

Daria was also knocked out the same way.

As a result, the lightning girl disappeared, leaving the boy defenseless. There was no one left to stop the holy knights from killing the boy.

"That took some time."

"It's because of Daria and Rose's betrayal."

"Yeah, four of us died."

"Damn... it's this brat's fault."

"Let's kill him quickly. This will be the end."

"Right."

A holy knight stood in front of the boy.

He raised his sword.

All that was left was to bring it down to complete the mission.

The boy wished with all his heart, as the demon knight had said.

(I have to live... absolutely! There's no time to be scared or cry!)

The world was for him.

Then, he was free to take revenge on the Demon God Cult that had killed his surrogate father.

This became the boy's wish.

Dormant magic power took form and manifested as a magical armor.

The necessary magical armor for survival, the power of teleportation, activated.

"Die."

The holy knight brought down his sword.

But the sword missed the boy and stabbed the ground.

◆◆◆

'Hawk Eye' had a nostalgic look in his eyes.

"I was saved by her parents. But Daria and Rose were executed by the Inquisition. I lost the people I wanted to repay. So I decided to repay their daughter instead."

"You're very principled or serious..."

"That's the teaching of the person who raised me. He was a knight."

"I see."

But it also meant that 'Hawk Eye' respected and admired the demon knight greatly. To Shu, it was a surprising side of him.

"What's the point of telling me this?"

"I thought I might get a little sympathy."

He returned to his usual unreadable expression and continued.

"Would you accept a commission from me? The assassination of a country called Sacred Grinia."

He proposed a grand assassination.