Chapter 1266

Chapter 1266

Brod’s powerful and heavy fist struck Nerva in the abdomen. He did not hold back as he beat the shit out of him, to the point that blood dripped down the man’s mouth.

“Brod! You’re so f*cking petty. Why are you upset over something like that...!”

“Straighten your posture! Spread out your shoulders and open up your chest!” Brod shouted fiercely, his tone without any mercy.

Nerva looked aggrieved. Of course, Brod was furious that Nerva wanted to disguise him as an eunuch. But he also had his reasons for attacking Nerva as if he wanted to kill him.

After a few moments, Nerva’s eyes slowly grew wide from the realization. He sputtered, “You bastard... Just now, you were talking about natural order and shit...”

Nerva came here intending to kill the elite soldiers of the Beyond the Heavens Empire. After all, they were at war and this was a battlefield; killing each other was only natural.

As for Brod? He intended to rip Nerva apart before he could reach the Transcendent Divine Sword State and be able to kill their 20,000 elite soldiers. Regardless, it no longer mattered to Brod how his body would fare later. Ultimately, he would still die from Nerva’s display of his final and ultimate power.

“Even if you came forward, you cannot afford to handle the 300,000 strong elite troops of the Luvien Empire!”

There were only 20,000 soldiers who were locked in a fierce battle against the 300,000-strong enemy troops in this fortress. Although the Beyond the Heavens Empire had sent their elite troops, they might be comparable to the Luvien Imperial Army’s ordinary soldiers, considering they were powerful. That was how significant the difference was between the military forces of the Beyond the Heavens Empire and the Luvien Empire. Or that was what Nerva thought, based on the data that he had on hand.

Alas, when Nerva looked at the fortress that Brod had left behind, his mouth could not help but drop open.

‘Wh-what...!’

The shock rendered Nerva speechless. At this point, he had thought that his 300,000 elite troops would already have set up ladders and would have already started climbing the walls of the fortress. He imagined that they would be already killing the troops of the Beyond the Heavens Empire. After all, even if they had the advantage of being inside a fortress, the army under his command still had the numerical advantage.

Yet that was not the case at all. Nerva’s Luvien Imperial Army was still struggling to fight against the soldiers blocking the wide open gates and the soldiers on the walls.

Nerva’s intel and information about the Beyond the Heavens Empire was only at a shallow level. The only thing he knew about them was the difference in their military forces. He did not care much about the others. After all, a soldier’s physical growth would eventually reach a specific limit. The problem was it was different when it came to skill and proficiency.

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

‘They’re much better than the elite soldiers of the Luvien Empire?’

A soldier of the Beyond the Heavens Empire had to take on at least two soldiers of the Luvien Empire. Even so, they weren’t being pushed back. They were even overwhelming their opponents with their abilities and skill proficiency. Furthermore, there was something that was even more shocking.

“Come!”

“Come in, you f*cking bastards!”

“You think you can break through a place that Sir Brod is protecting?!”

“In life or death, we are Sir Brod’s soldiers!”

They had no fear. Although only 20,000 troops were fighting against 300,000 enemies, they did not lose any momentum.

For these soldiers, their commander, Brod, was not just a commander. He was their idol, icon, and the only person they could entrust their lives with. Their unwavering faith, firm belief, and never-ending trust had sent their morale and momentum sky-high.

‘In the Luvien Empire, can anyone trust someone like that and fight against a huge army without fear?’

Even after realizing this, Nerva could tell that his thoughts, plans, and ideas were not entirely wrong. These soldiers were fighting fiercely and not giving in an inch, but they would eventually collapse.

At the same time, a twisted and sinister thought flashed in Nerva’s mind. If they could not get such individuals to their side, they would be better off dead, right? His sword soared to the sky like a hawk and struck the walls until it collapsed.

Bang!

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

Brod increased his momentum and put more pressure upon Nerva, who no longer held back. He also used all of his power to deal with him.

With the collapse of the walls, the soldiers of the Luvien Empire were now able to push back the elite soldiers of the Beyond the Heavens Empire, who were trying to maintain their ranks and formation inside the fortress.

Slash!

At this time, Brod He looked utterly disheveled. He even allowed an attack to land on his shoulders. Despite that, his mind was only focused on the soldiers behind him. He knew that this was foolish. He would have already regarded this as the natural course of life if this were his usual self. But now? He felt completely heartbroken. He could not bring himself to think about how the poor and pitiful Beyond the Heavens Empire would live once he was gone.

Swoosh!

Nerva slashed Brod’s chest. He had already reached the Transcendent Divine Sword State and was progressing as planned. The only difference was he was giving it his all to attack Brod.

“Hawk’s Dance.”

Thump, thump, thump–!

Nerva’s sword danced as they pierced Brod dozens of times. As Brod was being pushed back by Nerva’s attacks, he turned to look behind him.

‘When I’m gone...’

He could see how the elite soldiers of the Beyond the Heavens Empire were dying one after another. Despite being in a terrifying situation, they were still looking at him with eyes filled with trust and belief.

At this moment, Brod recalled the days he had spent with them.

***

Brod had always figured that he would not always be the commander of this army. After all, he, who had become one of the Absolute God’s Sword and the Fallen Wretched Emperor, had lived far too long for a human being.

“Idiot! Stupid! Are you telling me you cannot even copy something this simple?!”

Back then, Brod did not know that the soldiers would learn the Battle God’s Swordsmanship. The only thing he knew was that he was forcing it. Yet he continued to do it for their sake. He was trying to instill the Mercenary’s Pinnacle Swordsmanship’s Final Chapter in their heads and bodies.

Of course, he also knew that executing the Mercenary’s Pinnacle Swordsmanship’s Final Chapter was impossible just because they wanted to use it. Nevertheless, he still taught them the skill. This was because he knew this would eventually help them live and survive an ordeal one day.

Brod could only sigh after he saw how they failed to learn the swordsmanship. At this moment, Brod realized that although these soldiers had fought countless battles with him, they still had their limitations. In the end, he abandoned the idea and changed tactics. He just began to teach and nurture the soldiers and help them grow.

But there was something that he did not know.

“Nelson, I’ll see you at the training grounds later after dinner.”

“Alright, I’ll see you at the training grounds, Condi.”

During their breaks, on their days off, and even late at night, the 20,000 soldiers that Brod trained and nurtured with great intensity did not stop practicing.

Interestingly enough, there was a reason why Brod was left to take charge of these 20,000 soldiers.

Most of these soldiers had fallen behind others in everything. Some were weaker than others, some were skittish and terrified of the battlefield, and some could not understand the swordsmanship they were being taught. Because of that, they were given the orders to undergo special training.

But because of their deep connection with Brod and the man’s outstanding teachings, these 20,000 soldiers became elite.

These 20,000 soldiers gathered daily to repeat the actions that Brod had taught them. Whether in spring when the flowers bloomed, summer when the sun was hottest, fall when the wind was fierce, or winter when it snowed, they all gathered to train.

Countless seasons had passed yet they continued to repeat what they were doing. Why?

–

How about giving them jobs in the stables or the fields? You can ask them to manage and monitor those areas. I think they are lacking compared to the other soldiers.

–They’re soldiers too. Don’t worry about it, I’ll take charge of them myself.

Because the soldiers knew that despite the others from the Beyond the Heavens Empire wanting to leave them behind, Brod personally stepped forward and declared that he would take them under his wing, and they continued to work hard and train.

All of them were waiting for the day when they could finally show him the fruits of the effort and hard work they had put in over the countless seasons.

***

“Show them the power of the Luvien Empire! Do not lose out to a mere 20,000 strong army!” Nerva shouted sincerely as he activated his unique characteristic.

[All of your stats have increased by 15%.]

[All of your attack and defensive power have increased by 12%.]

A red light flashed and covered the bodies of the troops of the Luvien Empire.

Brod stood tall as he continued to fight fiercely with Nerva. Yet his heart, which was already ridden with disease, made his movements falter and slow.

“You bastard... it seems like you don’t want to die a useless death.”

Humans were weak. They could die at any given moment from anything, even from something as small as their fingernails lodged in their bodies. Nerva knew that Brod would eventually die someday. However, he realized why Brod accepted his offer.

“I knew that I was going to die soon anyway.”

Death was a fate that no human could resist.

When the Beyond the Heavens Empire’s troops saw Brod, the ever-so-stalwart and unmovable Brod, being pushed back, they began to move. The empire's elite soldiers gathered at the front of the collapsed walls. It seemed that they had also sensed Brod's abnormality.

The 20,000-strong troops standing amidst the 300,000 enemies moved simultaneously, just like in a textbook, without an inch of error.

They stepped their right foot forward and pulled the sword from behind them with both hands. And with all of their might, they swung it down at their enemies.

[Crescent Moon.]

[The Crescent Moon can extend up to a distance of seven meters and inflict additional 2,900% damage to a single target.]

[Your cutting power will increase by 40%. Your chances of ignoring all of your enemies’ defenses will increase by 30%.]

The 20,000 elite soldiers of the Beyond the Heavens Empire cut down 20,000 enemies in a single breath. Furious, they took a step forward even if it meant stepping on the bodies of the enemies they had cut down.

“NERVAAAA!!!”

“Don’t you dare touch our commander!!!”

Nerva’s existence was akin to that of an elephant for the elite soldiers of the Beyond the Heavens Empire. Even if all 20,000 stepped forward, they knew they could not deal with Nerva. Even so, they continued to move forward. Their raging momentum and overwhelming morale made the Luvien Imperial Army troops flinch and shake.

They continued forward, with the goal of reaching Brod. All 20,000 soldiers raised their swords and returned them to their scabbards.

Of course, the Luvien Imperial Army troops would not just sit back and relax. They also used their skills and bombed them with their attacks.

Bang, bang, bang!

With that one attack, 3,000 of the 20,000 elite soldiers of the Beyond the Heavens Empire died without leaving any trace. But the explosion and even the ashes of their comrades did not make them waver or falter.

They lowered their knees and pulled the sword out as hard as possible.

[Sword of Flaming Destruction.]

[Fifteen sword lights carrying an additional 2,800% attack power will extend and cover an area with a radius of fifteen meters and cut down all enemies.]

[The sword lights will not stop its advance even after cutting down the enemies and will release blazing flames that will inflict an additional 150% damage per second.]

Nerva’s breath hitched. In just a blink, his 300,000 strong army was reduced to 140,000. But that was not the end. As the flames bloomed, it created a sea of suffering that killed more of their troops, leaving behind only 120,000 surviving soldiers of the Luvien Imperial Army. And the Beyond the Heavens Empire’s soldiers? They stepped on the bodies of the Luvien Imperial Army and continued to advance.

By then, the Beyond the Heavens Empire’s army only had 15,000 soldiers left. In contrast, the Luvien Imperial Army seemed like a vast and overwhelming tidal wave.

Nonetheless, the small ship did not shy away from the tidal wave. They even charged toward it. The Beyond the Heavens Empire soldiers raised their swords above their heads.

[The Butcher’s Sword.]

[The enemies will fall into a four-second stunned state. No one can resist this power.]

[Your attack speed will increase by 40%.]

[Your first attack will have an additional 1,600% attack power.]

The tidal wave suddenly stopped. The 15,000-strong army sent a stun that prevented the tidal wave-like Luvien Imperial Army from moving.

Meanwhile, Brod had already collapsed. He fell to his knees and made eye contact with the soldiers, who desperately wanted to reach him. Not long after, something unbelievable happened. Brod laughed in disbelief and awe. A red light erupted and wrapped around the soldiers as they moved, just as he had taught them.

Then, at that moment, an unknown notification rang in the ears of Brod and the elite soldiers of the Beyond the Heavens Empire.

[The Beyond the Heavens Empire’s soldiers have grown by 473%.]

Although he could not understand why a notification suddenly rang in their ears, it did not stop him from laughing happily. He was delighted to learn that the soldiers he had raised had grown this much.

As for the soldiers? They left behind the notification and focused on what they were doing.

At this moment, the Mercenary’s Pinnacle Swordsmanship’s Final Chapter, a skill that both the knights and the Luvien Empire’s Sword of the Gods believed would never be mastered by someone else, unfolded. They began showing the power they had carefully learned after practicing for countless seasons.

“Brod’s Pinnacle Swordsmanship.”

“...”

The soldiers, who named the swordsmanship after Brod, did the same action simultaneously. They all ran while pulling the swords above their heads and raising the red energy that surrounded their bodies. At the same time, they created thousands of wolves that were comparable in power to the hundreds of wolves that Brod created.

“Wolf of Death!”

Although much weaker than Brod’s wolves, the thousands of red wolves could devour their enemies. And these very same red wolves charged and devoured the overwhelming tidal wave before them. They did not stop and continued to rip apart anything and everything in their path.

They devoured the tidal wave in their wild rampage and even moved to eradicate the sea. The Luvien Imperial Army, which was at 140,000, was now reduced to 40,000 with this strike alone.

“Th-this is ridiculous...” Nerva stammered, unable to form any other retort.

The 300,000 Luvien Imperial Army troops were reduced to 40,000 just by 20,000 elite enemy soldiers.

However, Brod was still distraught. He feared the remaining 40,000 enemy troops would kill the already exhausted Beyond the Heavens Empire troops. Amidst his concern, he finally realized why the notification rang earlier.

[The easter egg: Warriors Who Grew 450% Stronger has been completed.]

[The hidden Absolute Demigod Class has revealed itself.]

[This is the only class that can and will be applied to several people.]

[They will be recorded as weak soldiers who have been reborn to become strong in the continent's history.]

[Their new name is...]

[They are rejecting the name of the new Absolute Demigod Class.]

[Rejecting...]

[Rejecting...]

[They do not want the name of the Absolute Demigod Class.]

[The Absolute Demigod Class King of the Absolute Army listens to their opinions.]

In an instant, Brod figured out the entire situation. The Absolute Demigod Class bestowed upon them would display a weaker power when alone. This was because the power of the class was applied to a large number of people. But if all of them were together, they would not even be afraid of the 40,000 remaining troops of the Luvien Imperial Army.

Nerva, who had reached the Transcendent Divine Sword State, was still moving and following the plan as scheduled. With gold light covering his entire body, he raised his sword and stabbed Brod straight through his heart.

Stab–!

“To protect you, they grew up and became Absolute Demigods.” Nerva smiled bitterly. “I’m so jealous of you Brod. And you...”

Nerva’s expression grew complex.

“...you chose to die like this for their sake, no?”

Brod chose death at this time to protect the Beyond the Heavens Empire. Of course, he would come back to life after this death, but they did not know that.

Thud–!

A faint smile appeared on Brod’s face as he looked at the soldiers running toward him until his eyes slowly closed.

[Their new name is...]

[Brod’s Knights!]