Just as the demon’s rough, clawed fingers were about to brush against Ansol—
Flash!
In that split second, the sword plunged into the ground blazed with searing white heat, and a sudden burst of pure white light exploded outward.
In the next moment, the radiant blast shot up like a towering pillar, soaring majestically straight into the sky. It surged with the force to pierce through the cosmos itself, and upon reaching the heavens, it painted the vast blue expanse with its brilliant glow.
Who could have acted in that moment? In less than five seconds, the entire world was bathed in a pale, ghostly light.
Everyone nearby—the demon, Ansol, Kim Yuhyun who was strategizing, Erwin who anxiously watched Ansol—all were overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the spectacle.
No, everyone in the arena was blinded by the dazzling light, forced to close their eyes and halt their movements. Naturally, the final battle that was about to ignite fell into a sudden lull. The unknown phenomenon Ansol had unleashed was that overwhelmingly majestic.
Ssshhh, ssshhh…
After a while, the light that had claimed the area began to fade, and sparkling particles of light rained down onto the ground. To be precise, they fell at an unnatural speed, almost like a downpour. The countless shimmering specks blanketing the earth created a scene so breathtaking it was almost sublime.
Then, in that instant, another transformation took place.
The light particles settling on the ground swiftly began to gather, spreading through the empty air as if seeping into it, reforming into distinct shapes. Faces, arms, bodies, legs—even weapons and armor—everything was being reborn from pure light, newly materializing on the battlefield.
And just as this process neared completion—
Figures emitting a soft, lingering glow stood in a circle around Ansol.
There were thousands of them.
Though their forms were translucent, making it hard to call them living humans, they resembled spirits more than flesh and blood. Yet the sacred, solemn aura radiating from each one made it clear they were beings beyond mere mortals.
Ansol remained kneeling in a prayerful pose. Among the crowd surrounding her, a man with light brown hair slowly turned his head.
“Finally, you have called us, Benefactor.”
When their eyes met, filled with warmth and kindness—
“Ah…!”
Ansol’s dazed expression deepened, a complex emotion flashing across her face.
“I was worried you might have forgotten us, since you hadn’t called for so long. Ha ha.”
The man spoke with a teasing tone, smiling gently at Ansol, who could only gape silently. Though she was speechless, her eyes shimmered with gratitude and relief.
“Don’t look at it that way. It is I—or rather, we—who should be thankful. At last, we have the chance to repay the favor we received in the mountain range where the dragons sleep.”
Indeed.
This sudden phenomenon was none other than the activation of the Oath Sword.
『Oath Sword』
(In the distant mythic age beyond ancient times, dragons and humans waged a great war for dominion over the continent… Through miracles wrought by the Radiant Priest, heroes of legend were freed from endless suffering.
The Oath Sword is a sacred pact sworn to the saviors who guided the heroes with light. Its wielder may summon these mythic heroes once, at will. Though the freed heroes have earned the right to return to their spiritual home, they will answer the call of their savior without hesitation.)
The sword Ansol had treasured and preserved was the very one obtained by rescuing the spirits in the dragon-sleeping mountain range. She had chosen to use it now, at the most critical moment.
In truth, the current inhabitants of the land held little status compared to those ancient times. The humans who existed in the mythic era, far before the golden age of the whole plane, were completely different beings—almost the polar opposite of today’s residents.
No need to elaborate further. These were the mighty heroes who had fought dragons for control of the continent and ultimately claimed victory. Thousands of such heroes had been summoned. The impact of such a force on the battlefield was obvious without a doubt.
“So, what shall we do…?”
Despite being summoned right in the heart of the battlefield, the man remained composed, calmly surveying the surroundings. Then—
“What business do ancient spirits have in this world?”
Erwin’s sudden shout shattered the heavy silence like a sharp blade. The man showed a flicker of surprise but quickly composed himself. He looked up at the platform from which the voice came and spoke leisurely.
“‘Ancient spirits,’ you say. Not the most flattering term.”
“Not inaccurate, though. It’s unsettling that remnants from the mythic age still linger…”
Erwin’s voice sounded cold, but beneath it trembled a hidden anxiety.
The moment the Oath Sword was activated, Erwin instinctively recognized the summoned beings. After all, the arrangements made in the dragon-sleeping mountain range had involved some influence from Satan’s breath.
“Events of an era always have their own reasons and circumstances. But your time ended long ago.”
Erwin spoke desperately, almost without realizing it. He had thought victory would be easy, but with such reinforcements suddenly joining the enemy, the tide of battle was clear to anyone. He had to stop them at all costs.
“Return to where you belong. You have no right to interfere in this age. You must know yourself that it’s unnatural.”
“Ha ha ha ha. Wait a moment. You’ve been spouting nothing but slick nonsense since earlier. Don’t you realize how absurd your words sound?”
The man retorted smoothly, causing a stifled chuckle to escape Erwin. He had hit a nerve. But he had no intention of standing idly by.
“It’s a pity. After suffering for thousands of years and finally being freed, if you were to vanish here, you’d never reach the home of your heart you long for so much.”
That was a weak point, to be sure.
Yet the man remained unshaken.
“How laughable. Did you think such words would frighten us? If you truly believed that, I can only laugh.”
He sneered coldly and slowly extended a staff from his hand.
Then—
“…And even if that were so.”
His voice dropped to a low, almost reverent tone, unlike before.
“I have died twice, no, three times already. If I return to nothingness fighting for my benefactor, that too would be a worthy end. We would accept oblivion gladly.”
Erwin’s ears nearly betrayed him at the calmness of the words.
“What did you say?”
“You probably don’t know.”
The man smiled faintly.
“Yes. We are, quite literally, spirits.”
As if recalling the past—
“Wandering the mountain range for thousands of years, having forgotten even the single belief in restoring peace.”
His voice was faint, almost ethereal.
“But.”
Suddenly, he fixed his gaze on Ansol.
“Here and now stands the only one who recognized us, who truly cared for us, and freed us from endless suffering.”
“We still hold that gratitude deep within our hearts.”
With that, the man looked back at the platform and spoke clearly.
“This is proof that we have the right to join this battle.”
And at that very moment—
“This is why we must fight.”
Without exception, the heroes drew their weapons in an instant, taking battle stances.
“What…!”
Erwin, about to shout, clenched his teeth as he watched the spirits ready themselves for combat.
The man, as if deeming further talk pointless, withdrew his gaze quietly and said:
“Comrades, the curtain rises at last on our true final war!”
There was a time like that. An age of darkness where the mighty dragons crushed them, and even their own kind turned their backs in betrayal. A time when even the faintest light was hard to find.
“Do you remember when we faced the dragons in our last battle?”
Before that final confrontation, every one of them volunteered to enter the mountain range, knowing full well they might never return.
“I won’t say much. Those who fear, leave now! I won’t hold you back!”
They had fought with everything they had in life. Betrayed even by trusted commanders. And after death, they wandered the mountain range alone for thousands of years, forgotten by the world, denied what they deserved.
But now, finally freed—
“If the belief you held then still remains…!”
Though they could go anywhere they wished at any moment, they waited.
And at last, the heroes of myth answered their savior’s call, united by a new conviction to repay their debt.
“Raise your weapons, all of you!”
They chose once more the path of battle.
Perhaps their long wait would end in vain, but they feared not even eternal oblivion. The myriad weapons soaring skyward without hesitation were proof enough.
What a cruel twist of fate. All they ever longed for was the peaceful rest that comes after death—something anyone should be able to claim. Yet their lives, from beginning to end, were defined by war: born in it, and dying in it.
—Drrrrrrr….
Despite knowing this better than anyone, the man didn’t look back. He didn’t need to; he already knew what choice his comrades had made. Half-raised, his arm shot up in a sharp salute.
Then, with a face unburdened and full of resolve, he shouted out loud.
—Ea—Yaaaaaal!
And so it was.
As a thunderous roar echoed in every direction, a grinding sound slipped from Erwin’s lips.
At the very moment the souls cheered, welcoming their final battle, the battlefield—momentarily still—began to stir once more. Though, unfortunately, not in any way favorable to the demon forces.
Still, Erwin kept his cool. It wasn’t that he was at a loss; rather, he felt the need to revise his strategy. In truth, his mind was racing faster than ever.
To be blunt, the tide of war was no longer in their favor. Since the hero’s summoning, the battle had reached a near stalemate.
That said, it wasn’t a hopeless situation yet. The allied forces remained strong, and more importantly, their secret weapon—the unsealed Thanatos—was still in play. Didn’t they pour nearly eighty percent of the corpses from the last war into it, just in case?
The only regret was having to divert the fairies—once considered a reserve force—elsewhere.
“The encirclement must hold at all costs… No choice. If things go south, there’s always Thanatos. Tch.”
In the end, Erwin decided to abandon the fairies. Originally, mid-level demons were supposed to disrupt the enemy’s main base while striking from the flanks, but they couldn’t just leave those souls unchecked. He couldn’t guarantee victory, but at least they could buy some time.
But did Erwin truly know?
While he was focused on these developments, something was unfolding on the fairies’ side as well.
“Lord Erwin!”
As if on cue, a demon came rushing up the stairs, out of breath.
“It’s an emergency!”
“Emergency?”
“The fairies’ behavior—it’s… strange! No, you have to see it for yourself…!”
“…What did you say?”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
The Old Northern Continent, the Sword of Oath, the fairies, and…
Anyway, Episode 1 is slowly coming to a close.
I’m feeling a bit restless.
;ㅅ;