Chapter 913
Episode 228: The Fierce Battle at Groshé Castle (9)
Inside Groshé Castle.
The demons were relentlessly reporting the progress of the battle to Sachiel. She monitored dozens of crystal orbs in the command room, dispatching reinforcements to each defensive line.
“Lady Sachiel! The right first defensive line has completely collapsed. Baekgyeong is leading the charge, with Runtia Runkandel, the minor lord of the Rune Bow, and Ziphl’s fleet pushing forward relentlessly!”
“You’re late with that report. They’re already hammering the second line. Move faster and send the 13th army there immediately.”
“Yes, understood!”
“Up front, Jin Runkandel’s forces have begun breaking through the third defensive line. Most of our artillery is already neutralized, and Millius Kitalin, the Demon King who tried to hold them back, has fallen in battle.”
“Kitalin’s full summoning just completed. Open the dimensional gate and send reinforcements directly to the front third line. Since the entire family is coming, they should buy us a little more time than Millius did.”
“At the rear, after the first line was breached, Ziphl’s advance has slowed somewhat. That’s because their fleet is currently dispersed, but reinforcements are arriving. Once regrouped, they’ll likely speed up again.”
“The left side is similar, though Orgal hasn’t shown himself yet.”
Though her expression was calm, Sachiel’s chest felt unbearably tight.
The defensive lines were falling far faster than expected.
“If this continues, we’ll last at most ten days. No… maybe not even a week.”
The current situation was nothing like the outcome Sachiel had hoped for.
She had been granted full authority over the Inse invasion by Jito, meaning all success and failure rested on her shoulders.
More precisely, on both her and Paelito’s. She could endure if she and Groshé fell, but she was determined to prevent Paelito from suffering punishment at all costs.
“The rate at which our troops are dying far exceeds the rate at which we can summon reinforcements. And the true Demon Kings—the top-tier ones—aren’t being replenished.”
Summoning the highest-ranking Demon Kings and massive forces was beyond Sachiel’s power. Only Jito and a select few like Paelito could manage that.
“What on earth is Jito thinking? Even if he’s saving Paelito’s physical body in the Holy Kingdom, he could still send more high-ranking demons and troops.”
If the goal was to defend the Demon Realm’s main base, then Groshé Castle—the gateway—was about to fall.
“Is he holding back forces to keep Biseps in check? No, that can’t be. No matter what hidden power Biseps has, it’s not enough to threaten Jito. They’re just desperate fugitives clinging to life like mayflies.”
Sachiel had sent multiple requests for support to Jito, but no response came.
So she had no choice but to resolve this crisis with the remaining troops and her own abilities.
“I’m going to prepare a grand spell.”
“Lady Sachiel, a grand spell…?”
“The Field of Oblivion.”
The demons’ eyes widened.
The Field of Oblivion was one of the most forbidden magics among demons—a forced reenactment of the ‘Cycle of Forgetting.’
Because it was an unnatural reproduction, it carried countless side effects. Unlike the original cycle, the Field of Oblivion erased not only memories but also the powers and strength of its targets.
It could not distinguish friend from foe, and the cost to cast it was devastating.
“…Lady Sachiel, are you seriously considering self-destruction?”
“There’s no other way.”
“Even if we sacrifice all the fallen soldiers and generals, it won’t be enough to cast the Field of Oblivion.”
“If I add myself and the essence of Jito that I possess, the sacrifices will be sufficient.”
“We can’t lose you, Lady Sachiel. We’d rather—”
“If your abilities were as strong as mine, I’d let you. But you know well that sacrificing only you won’t be enough. This is a choice for Jito, and for the entire Demon Realm. There’s no reason to suffer.”
The demons bowed their heads.
“When they reach us, we’ll activate the Field of Oblivion, sealing off all of Groshé Castle and destroying the dimensional gate to the Demon Realm.”
“But if you do that, won’t Jito be unable to return to Inse later?”
“No. Even if I destroy it, Jito is currently capable of quickly forming another dimensional gate. If we deal a successful blow through the Field of Oblivion, Inse will become a much easier place for Jito to carry out his will.”
If the plan succeeded, Sachiel would inflict irreversible damage on most of Inse’s forces.
“They don’t understand the darkness magic of our Demon Realm well. So they won’t be prepared for the Field of Oblivion. But… Ziphl’s Demon Stone worries me.”
The Demon Realm had already gathered intelligence on the Demon Stone’s ability to manipulate history. To Sachiel, it seemed the Demon Stone might be capable of countering even the Field of Oblivion’s higher functions.
“Even if the Demon Stone can nullify the Field of Oblivion, Ziphl will have to pay a heavy price. If they could manipulate history without cost, they’d already be the sole rulers of Inse, or even the world.”
She was also concerned about Jin’s presence.
“Jin Runkandel… maybe it’s just paranoia from his past feats, but I feel like he might have something that can withstand the Field of Oblivion.”
Of course, even if that were true, Jin would still have to pay a price, just like Ziphl. Even if Jin survived the Field, he couldn’t protect others from its effects. Sachiel had come to that conclusion.
If they couldn’t win, this was the best option.
“From now on, inform all demons defending the lines that sacrifices are forbidden. All the fallen will be used for the Field of Oblivion. And recover all of Jito’s essence as well. That too will be a sacrifice.”
“Understood.”
“We also need to confuse the enemy. They must be made to doubt that we’re on the defensive.”
“How do you suggest we do that?”
“The right and rear defensive lines, where Kinzel and Ziphl are fighting, are still engaged in proper battles compared to the others. Send the troops on standby there out for a counterattack.”
With the front and right lines being slaughtered by top-tier superhumans, sending troops there would only cause chaos.
Unless it was Demon Kings like Paelito, Ridolos, or Videluce, anyone else would be quickly killed by the allied superhumans, including Jin and Luna. But it was a necessary risk.
“If the right and rear lines start to push back, the Bamel Alliance will have no choice but to pay attention. Nothing is more exhausting for them than our troops breaking through Kinzel and Ziphl’s fleets and entering Inse. That was proven during the dimensional rift. They’re most wary of civilian casualties. We need to make the alliance hesitate even briefly by forcing them to help Kinzel and Ziphl.”
“Understood, Lady Sachiel. We’ll prepare immediately.”
“Send Druga to Kinzel’s side, and Lagal to Ziphl. Let’s hope they die at the right moment and become successful sacrifices.”
Front third defensive line.
The Bamel Alliance’s superhumans were still easily breaking through the defenses. Jin was only assisting Murakan and the superhumans in battle, yet the demons were helplessly dying.
“If this keeps up, they’ll break through the third line by today. After a day of regrouping, we can re-enter without issue.”
Jin carefully observed the battlefield.
The third line seemed to have fewer key enemy forces than the first and second lines. No Lagal-class demons appeared, nor any demons using Jito’s flesh.
“Jin.”
“Yes, Sister Luna.”
“It looks like soon our breakthrough speeds will match. But it’s strange—I expected stronger enemies as we advanced, but the real heavy hitters aren’t showing up.”
“Is it the same on the right side? It’s the same here.”
“Hmm, maybe they realized having many defensive lines is pointless and concentrated their main forces inside or within the castle?”
“That’s possible. I’ll keep a close watch.”
“If anything unusual happens, I’ll contact you again.”
After ending communication with Luna, a message came from the Golden Ship.
{Commander! Reports say powerful demons have suddenly appeared on the right and rear defensive lines.}
“Kinzel and Ziphl’s sides? Paetel?”
{Yes. It seems they pulled troops from our side to send there. That’s why the fighting is fiercer there than with us.}
Jin felt a strange unease.
“They seemed barely holding on, and now a counterattack? Do they really think they can break through Kinzel and Ziphl and reach Inse? If they want to strike Inse and take civilians hostage, using the rift would be more effective.”
The allied forces’ sectors suddenly had fewer Demon Kings, and the use of flesh had disappeared. Also, no demons were seen using sacrifices for any special attempts.
“Whatever it is, Sachiel must be preparing a trump card. Since they’re not using flesh or the fallen, it’s likely something that requires a large number of sacrifices.”
Then there was only one reason Sachiel was launching a counterattack on the right and rear lines.
“She wants us tied up supporting Kinzel and Ziphl.”
Jin immediately grasped Sakiel’s intention. While he couldn’t be completely certain, no better guess came to mind at the moment.
And in moments like this, Jin’s instincts had never been wrong.
{Commander, should we send reinforcements to those guys?}
“No. We won’t send support. It’s better if we put even more pressure on the defensive line we’re holding.”
{But what if they break through and escape through Inse? Especially if they manage to breach Kinzel’s side—that’s right next to the Alliance’s territory.}
“Kinzel may look like an easy target, but they’re far from weak. Not to mention the Ziphl side. Unless some high-tier demon shows up, they won’t be broken through easily. If the demons do manage to break through Kinzel’s fleet and head for Inse, we can send Mott and the Red Owl to back them up immediately. But we need to monitor the situation on Kinzel’s front in real time.”
{Ah, I see what you mean. I’ll send the Nameless King.}
“That would be best.”
Jin then contacted Dante. The moment Dante picked up the comm, he said,
{Jin, is it my turn to join the fight?}
“Yes. I’ll be sending the Red Owl soon, so come to the battlefield. Our ancestors will cover your position.”