novelzi Chapter 135: Holy Knight Antoine (2)
Chapter 135: Holy Knight Antoine (2)
Chapter 135: Holy Knight Antoine (2)
The silt of the wilderness is transformed into a meadow of steel.
They had witnessed the Holy Knights’ frenzied violence before, but the miracle before them was enough to make even the Demon Lord Caracael cringe.
A miracle that mended the world. If it were just turning dirt into steel, it would have been a bit of a spectacle.
But
This is no mere trick of the eye.
[My lord. That is──]
The landscape changed with the Iron Oath.
[That’s not the end of it.]
Caracael looked at the humans, small as earthly worms, but there was a presence that made even a Demon Lord like himself nervous.
Layers upon layers of the highest magical barriers that would make even the Magician Queen cringe, preparing for the enemy’s actions. But Caracael felt uncomfortable.
“Fall first.”
[────!!]
The next moment, Caracael and the Archdemons realized they were being pulled by something.
It was an overwhelming gravitational pressure, far beyond planetary gravity that crashed the Archdemons who were flying with their wings.
-Kaaaah!
All the evil beings who were arrogantly flying in the sky crashed to the ground.
Reversal of gravity? Generation of attraction?
No, these are not laws of physics.
Holy Knights are lawbreakers. They rewrite the laws of the world according to the divinity they believe in.
[Iron and Blacksmiths.]
Caracael willed his magic.
Alchemy
The artifacts containing ‘iron’ that he wore all over his body had their nature changed.
With that, each and every one of the artifacts that were dimensional treasures were reduced to useless trinkets.
[Lord...!]
The Archdemons changed the nature of the trinkets on their bodies to follow the Lord’s lead. These are artifacts they’ve worked so hard to create, but they can’t help it.
All the ‘iron’ in this holy place is controlled by them.
[Indeed, your judgment is swift, fiends]
The timbre of the voice was not human.
It was not merely a change in appearance, but a change in content.
He had taken on the nature of gods in his human body.
Holy Law──
The pupils of the Archdemons’ eyes filled with horror.
Until now, the Holy Knights’ holy power had been centered on their bodies but now, that knight is changing the landscape itself, radiating an infinite amount of holy power.
It is the beginning of a miracle that seems to have gathered the power of the entire world.
A glowing hammer is swung. The hammers carved into the landscape fall toward the demons.
Great Magic
The barrier deployed by the five Archdemons is a formidable one, a great wall of invincibility that can never be broken. But──
-Bang!
The hammer smashed through the barrier and crushed the demons. With a single blow, the two Archdemons burst into horrific shapes.
[What...!]
[This can’t be happening!]
Demons of Wisdom and Exploration, masters of magic casted an absolute defense by using a formula that was perfected after tens of thousands of years of research by sages with the highest magical power.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com
However Antoine broke not one, but five of them at the same time?
Their bodies tremble from the terrifying attack that makes them want to deny reality.
They know they won’t survive the second attack but worst of all, even those who just survived that blow seem to have been shaken to the core.
It is terrifyingly strong. How can mortals who can’t even live a thousand years possess such great power?
[Surprising]
And yet the Lord of Wisdom is alive and well.
[.......]
Antoine clicked his tongue at the strength of the demon that had been struck by the direct hit. The nearby Archdemons had been crushed, but the Lord had taken the blow and was unscathed.
The absolute strength of the destructive power wielded by the Iron Concept had transformed the moment it met its barrier from a bending of the laws to a mere blow
[Let it begin, the greatest battle of this century is yet to come]
With a wave of his hand, Caracael activated the magic circle carved into the expanse.
* * * * *
-Kiie-e-e-e-e-e!
-Forward!
The forces of evil cry out. Forward.
-Strike!
-Hold on until the magic is complete!
The forces of righteousness call out. Defend.
-Kwakkakkakkakkakk!
A hail of magical blades strikes the ground.
It seems that no living creature can survive the intensity of the Demon Lord and Archdemons’ magic.
Holy Law
Holy Law
But even more powerful than magic is the holy power of this land.
[Crush it!!]
“Whoa...!”
-Whoosh!
Poured out of it were three people and a horse.
“It... worked!”
Beatrice was relieved that she had managed to escape and Yappy updated the database with this miraculous achievement.
“Hmm.......”
-Hmm?
A groan was picked up by the high-powered sound system. The pulsation of the thumping heartbeat they’d been picking up earlier faded.
“Lord Antoine?”
Beatrice stares at him, noticing the anomaly as well.
The Holy Knight of the Iron and Blacksmiths stood steadfast despite the gaping hole in his heart.
“Apparently...it wasn’t perfect.”
Antoine scratched his head, even as he stared at the dripping blood.
“Lord Antoine, hurry up and treat him...!”
Beatrice tried to help him up, but Antoine waved her away.
“Go to the forge.”
“What?”
-What?
Even as the two stood there puzzled, Antoine strode toward the forge carrying the moon shards that had cost the lives of many soldiers and knights.
Arriving, he picked up a hammer from the forge, ignoring the sound of the blacksmith priests.
“From now on I will forge stardust.”
-Unavailable. Your life activity will cease shortly.
“It was ordained from the moment you descended from divinity into mortality.”
It was a miracle only a living demigod with a Lionheart could have pulled off.
Only a living saint could maintain that temporary miracle o, to put it another way, in this fleeting moment Antoine is a “dying demigod.”
“Holy Knight of Iron, time is running out for this master, and he has only one chance to teach his pupil.”
-.......
“I will show you once. This is my first and last lesson.”
Antoine raised his hammer.
-Bang!
“I set out on the path to receive the quest.”
Even if his missing heart can’t produce oxygen.
-Bang!
“Along the way, I met the future Lionheart King, and we shared an honorable journey.”
Even if his trembling arms can’t power the hammer.
-Bam!
“I was taught by the greatest blacksmith of all, and I challenged him.”
Even when his bloodshot eyes can’t even see.
-Bam!
“In the end, I did not surpass him, but my sword-bearers have slain the enemies of the kingdom, and my spear-bearers have defended it.”
He didn’t doesn’t stop but moved slowly and intensely, as if to inscribe each movement.
-Bang!
The iron is forged with the divine will.
His every action is history.
“I have shared glory with the greatest of kings, the Lionheart King, and I have been loved by the gods and honored beyond measure.”
The hammering continues.
His blurry vision now turns to the next blacksmith.
“Put your faith in iron. Imagine the future you will create with your hammering. The sword you forge will cut down the kingdom’s enemies, and the armor you forge will protect your comrades.”
He throws his hammer, a very old, worn, saccharine hammer with the history of a blacksmith.
“A weapon is a tool for killing, but in the right hands, it is a shield to protect the world.”
May the sword and shield you forge protect the world.
The holy power in his body scatters as the life force he’d held on to is gone, and his hair has faded to a blazing white.
His crumbling body leaned against someone else’s, unable to keep from collapsing.
“.......”
He felt a heartbeat and Antoine knew who it belonged to.
“Is it Sir Leon.......?”
“Yes, it is Lord Antoine.”
“In a man’s arms...Gildus would be disgusted if he saw it.”
“Who would doubt a man with children?”
“That too.”
“And your son... do you have any words for Aren?”
“.......”
The words made Antoine pause for thought.
He was a great father, a loving husband, and a brilliant teacher.
He had given his son love, respect, and instruction, so if he had anything else to say-─
“To the end. Defend the kingdom, defend the king!”
Just his life’s attitude.
“.......”
Leon sighed, staring at the flame of his friend that had been extinguished in my arms.
“I’ll tell him your last words.”
In Leon’s 85th year Sir Antoine, Holy Knight of the Iron and Blacksmiths ascended.