Nergal, the Demon Lord
Clang!
The clash of weapons reverberated through the air, a metallic symphony echoing from every corner of the battlefield. It wasn’t just a single sound; it was a cacophony of chaos, a testament to the ferocity of the ongoing battle.
The sounds that followed were as varied as they were intense.
Roars of fury, screams of agony, curses spat in anger, and desperate cries filled the air.
Explosions and flames erupted all around, sending wet earth and sand flying, while flesh and blood splattered the ground. It was a chaotic melee where distinguishing friend from foe was nearly impossible. The forces of the East and West were so entangled that the battle had become a frenzied blur.
“Hold your ground, you bastards! Don’t run, hold the line!”
Thwack!
A butcher’s cleaver sliced through the air, and with a mournful scream, a vagrant fell. As the headless body hit the ground, a man let out a deliberately rough laugh.
“Ha ha ha! Come on, come on! Kim Deok-pil, the Vagrant Slayer, will take you on!”
The man wielding the cleaver was none other than Kim Deok-pil, the Vagrant Slayer. Piles of decapitated bodies lay before him, and as he brandished his blood-dripping weapon, a few enemies flinched in fear.
But bolstered by the cheers of their allies, they began to advance once more.
The battlefield still favored the Western Continent and the Vagrant Alliance. They had the upper hand in morale and numbers, making it a miracle that the Eastern forces had held out this long.
In fact, a miracle had indeed occurred.
Thanks to Kim Soo-hyun buying precious time, the East managed to regroup, and An Sol’s unique ability, “Miracle,” had a profound impact on the battlefield. It not only elevated the allies’ morale to its peak but also eradicated the remnants of the “Demon Bullet.”
Despite their current advantage, the alliance was growing anxious as time dragged on. Just when it seemed the Eastern defenses would crumble, their resistance suddenly intensified.
It was unexpected and abrupt.
The alliance’s plan to break through the Western gate had effectively failed, and with reinforcements on the way, a reversal of fortune was imminent.
“Break through! Do whatever it takes! If you can’t, just bypass them!”
“Damn it.”
Seeing the enemy surge like a tidal wave, Kim Deok-pil cursed under his breath. He glanced beyond the advancing foes, his eyes a mix of madness and a flicker of desperate hope.
Gripping his blood-soaked cleaver tightly, he shouted with determination.
“Hold together! Just a little longer, and reinforcements will arrive!”
Though they didn’t know how much longer they had to endure, the Eastern forces clung to that sliver of hope.
As the Eastern warriors raised their voices in unison, their shouts clashed with those of their enemies.
And amidst it all, a change that would alter the course of the war was drawing near.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
In a place slightly removed from the fierce battlefield, the sound of countless footsteps could be heard.
As the sound passed, the wet ground, trampled by the enemy, was once again marked by thousands of footprints.
(Faster.)
As the amplified voice echoed, the rhythm of the footsteps quickened, and the march accelerated.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The advancing force, nearly six thousand strong, was the contingent from the Southern and Northern gates. Having assessed the situation and regrouped, the reinforcements had finally arrived.
“Phew. The situation’s a mess. It’s complete chaos.”
“Hmm.”
A man nodded in agreement with a user’s comment. Even from afar, the precarious state of the battle was evident.
The man sighed softly.
“I hope they’re still alive…”
“Clan Lord, we’ve received word from the Eastern forces. They’ve taken their positions and are waiting for us.”
“Not Clan Lord, Commander.”
With a curt correction, the man amplified his voice once more.
(We need to announce our arrival before the charge. Shout as loud as you can.)
The unexpected order made the users exchange glances. But as the man began to run, they matched his pace, quickening their steps.
The orderly formation began to shift, the center pushing forward. The man and the unit leaders took the lead, followed by melee and ranged classes.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The march of six thousand users turned into a swift advance.
As the distance closed, tension etched itself onto their faces, and their hearts pounded in their chests.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Now, they were in a full sprint. The man, sensing the time was right, drew his sword and shouted.
(The rescue of the Western gate begins now. Prepare for battle!)
As his voice rang out, weapons were raised, and incantations echoed across the ranks.
As the battlefield came into view, the man swung his sword down and shouted with unprecedented volume.
(Attack!)
Waaaaaah!
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Simultaneously, the Southern and Northern forces let out a collective roar and charged across the field.
The six thousand users surged through the ranks of the alliance, crashing into their rear like a tidal wave.
Meanwhile, at the same moment.
Waaaaaah!
A tremendous cheer shook the entire field. As the sound reached him, Seong Hyun-min slowly rose. As he stepped forward, someone quickly joined him.
“Han Lord, it seems to have begun.”
“Yes. They moved right after receiving the message. Quick, aren’t they? Haha.”
Watching Seong Hyun-min’s easy smile, the woman beside him wore a curious expression.
“Won’t you regret this?”
“Regret?”
But at his immediate response, the woman fell silent.
After a brief pause, Seong Hyun-min spoke again.
“I acted according to my beliefs and followed the plan.”
”…Still.”
“So my answer is… no, I don’t regret it.”
With that, Seong Hyun-min leisurely surveyed his surroundings.
The Eastern forces numbered about 3,500, gathered in a rectangular formation, as if waiting for something.
In truth, Seong Hyun-min had sensed something was amiss from the moment the anomaly occurred. When the wall crumbled and the enemy charged through the Western gate, his suspicion turned to certainty.
However, instead of rushing to aid with his 3,500 troops, Seong Hyun-min chose a different path. He sent messengers to the Southern and Northern forces to inform them of the situation and positioned his troops to intercept the enemy’s expected retreat.
While his actions didn’t deviate significantly from the plan, they were open to debate. Yet, Seong Hyun-min acted with intent, known only to himself.
As the ground began to tremble, Seong Hyun-min, who had been watching the front, spoke calmly.
“They’re finally coming.”
“Can we win? They seem to outnumber us.”
“We can win now.”
Seong Hyun-min’s eyes were filled with confidence. The woman sighed at his inexplicable assurance and quietly cast a voice amplification spell.
The users waiting nearby wore varied expressions. Some looked frustrated, while others seemed puzzled.
Though they hadn’t yet engaged in the chaotic battle, they were well aware of the Western forces’ struggle.
Seong Hyun-min quickly scanned them and spoke softly.
(The enemy is approaching.)
At his words, the tense atmosphere began to stir with anticipation.
(No need to worry. We’re fully prepared. You’ve all been on expeditions before, right? Just do what you always do.)
Though Seong Hyun-min’s tone was light, no one laughed. The ground’s tremors grew stronger, and movement was detected in the distance.
The vanguard of the alliance, having broken through the battlefield, was beginning to appear.
Even in such a situation, Seong Hyun-min remained composed. The choice was simple: the enemy could either veer left or right to escape or charge straight ahead.
In truth, it didn’t matter. From the Eastern forces’ perspective, the alliance was the one pressed for time. They were fully prepared, ready for an organized battle rather than a chaotic skirmish. It was time to showcase the prowess of the Northern Continent’s users. Of course, there was a strategy behind it.
After a moment’s thought, Seong Hyun-min smiled coldly.
(The time for long-awaited revenge has come. You’ve all been patient. Prepare yourselves.)
As the enemy vanguard slowly came into view, Seong Hyun-min wasted no time in issuing his command.
Creak, creak!
“───. ───. ───.”
The sound of archers readying their arrows and mages chanting spells began to resonate with a solemn intensity.
Some of the more impatient fighters attempted to fire warning shots.
(Stand by for now.)
But Seong Hyun-min quickly stopped them, his eyes sharply fixed on the front.
The allied forces seemed to have noticed the Eastern Gate unit blocking their retreat. They paused momentarily, but as if driven by some unseen force, they soon charged straight ahead.
Watching them, Seong Hyun-min thought they were foolish, but he remained vigilant. Their reckless charge suggested that other enemy units had already broken through elsewhere.
(Stand by, stand by.)
Thud, thud, thud! Thud, thud, thud!
Just as Seong Hyun-min had predicted, a significant number of allied troops appeared behind the vanguard. Even at a glance, they outnumbered the Eastern Gate unit by about 1.5 times.
Though their approach was chaotic, it was undeniably threatening.
Some of the fighters began to visibly waver. Hands holding bowstrings trembled, and the chanting of spells was marred by nervous stutters.
(There’s no need to fear. We can win this. We’ll become heroes in this war!)
Finally, the enemy vanguard fully emerged.
As soon as they entered range, Seong Hyun-min shouted without hesitation.
(Don’t let a single one through! Attack!)
Whoosh! Whoosh, whoosh!
In an instant, the arrows that had been prepared flew into the air.
The arrows arced gracefully before raining down on the charging enemies.
‘What’s going on?’
As I ran, I was puzzled by the sudden increase in corpses. The ground was torn up by arrows and spells, and the bodies strewn about were mostly from the allied forces.
I had considered this area the toughest part of pursuing Simon. While a direct path allowed for a quick crossing, I expected more enemies to have passed through the battlefield ahead. And our numbers would dwindle further.
Yet, there were hardly any enemies in sight. This meant…
‘Ah.’
The answer became clear as I broke through the pile of bodies. In the distance, I could see a chaotic battle unfolding, indicating that reinforcements had arrived.
‘Well, it was about time…’
This meant the unit ahead wasn’t a rescue but a blockade for the stragglers.
Though something felt off, the clashing of weapons grew closer, and I shook my head.
It didn’t matter. The users of the Western Gate unit might find it harsh, but for me, it was a stroke of luck.
Simon was fleeing desperately, and enemies were blocking the way at every turn. But now, their attention would be diverted. I could break through without any interference.
I hesitated for a moment but decided to charge straight through the battlefield.
Despite being constantly tracked, Simon’s eyes seemed to know I was the one who would kill him.
But as far as I remembered, Simon wasn’t a close-combat type. More like a mage, if anything. Without the interference of the enemies swarming like moths to a flame, I was confident I could catch up within ten minutes.
Dust rose before me. The ground beneath my feet was dry and parched.
Without delay, I plunged into the dust-filled chaos of battle.
To buy two more years.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Don’t worry about Simon. There are plenty more characters to come. (?)
I’m dying to write the next chapter, but I had to stop just before the climax. Adding more would have delayed it too much. (I swear it’s not a cliffhanger. Trust me.)
Looking back, October was a slump for me. It was a tough month in many ways. But writing today, I feel like I’m slowly coming out of it.
I think it’s thanks to the unwavering support and constructive criticism from you, the readers. Haha.
I have so much to say, but I’m just grateful to all of you. Ah, it’s embarrassing to say this all of a sudden. Why am I like this? Hahaha.
Anyway, thank you, and thank you again.
I’ll keep pushing hard until the end of Part 1!
PS. The next chapter might be quite brutal. Our protagonist is about to unleash some madness again. If you’re sensitive to that, please keep it in mind.