Chapter 401: The Nephilim War (1)

“Here!”

Kay Rothschild rushed back to the fortress wall, holding the gem of the Necklace of Revelation she had pulled from Zarka Hochi’s heart.

But suddenly stopped in her tracks.

“...”

She looked up at the sky, seemingly lost for words.

The Rothschild family’s puppetry was similar to necromancy. They had been disregarding death for generations, seeking answers from within the rotting corpses.

Raised under such teachings, Kay had come to reject divine providence. After all, a god descending among humans was nothing more than a fairy tale—a legend no one had ever truly witnessed.

Corpses always lay beneath her feet, and yet the gods were silent to it all.

The Rothschild family embodied the rejection of divinity, an ideal Kay had come to embrace, even taking pride in it.

But now...

Gulp—

Kary Rothschild froze up, a single word slipping from her lips.

“God...”

Magnificent

—the only way to describe the sight unfolding before her eyes. A mass of light descended from the heavens. Though its form was unrecognizable, the warmth it radiated melted away any trace of winter.

She felt nothing else, as if she stood in a void. There was no mistaking it—a god had descended before her eyes.

It was a sensation unlike anything she had ever felt.

[Do not be afraid.]

An icy hand fell on her shoulder, sending a shiver down her spine.

[It is unseemly for my master to falter against something like this. Weren’t you going to become the Queen of the Dead?]

It was Zarka Hochi.

Unlike before, his face bore signs of vitality, but the rest of his body was deathly cold, as though frozen. Hagane’s new gem was embedded in his heart, its red glow pulsing visibly beneath his skin.

[That’s exactly why we must reject a god. If Yula governs life, then we shall walk the path of death.]

“...”

[Even now, there is one who stands tall before the god.]

“...!”

The moment Zarka Hochi finished speaking, Kay gave herself a firm slap on the cheeks.

“You’re right,” she affirmed, looking at him. “I still can’t stop shaking, though. I guess it’s only natural, facing a god and all.”

She was afraid but not ashamed. After all, humans were bound to be overcome with awe and fear when faced with their maker.

“Are you alright?”

[I can move well enough, thanks to this gem from the Demon Realm. It seems this power can resist Yula’s oppression.]

“Then help me. I must deliver this gem to him.” She gripped the gem even tighter.

[You are my master. I do not help you; I obey your command.]

With that, Zarka Hochi lifted Kay Rothschild onto his shoulder.

***

KABOOOOOM...!

“How dare you raise your sword before a god...?! Do you not fear death?!”

Judex stared at Karyl in disbelief. Ever since Yula’s Divine Decree had been invoked, all humans had been paralyzed, suppressed by its power.

Except for Karyl.

Despite the overwhelming presence, he kept striking at the angels without hesitation. Rage fueled him—his eyes blazing, his speed increasing with every stride.

“Death? Of course, I fear it,” Karyl replied, adjusting his grip on his sword. “That’s exactly why I’ll survive.”

Judex couldn’t suppress a shudder as he looked into Karyl’s eyes.

“You monster...”

The other Nephilim from the Celestial Fortress began flooding toward the ground en masse.

“Hyaaaah...!”

“Die!!”

“Kneel before our god!”

Emboldened by the reinforcements, Maron, Karanon, and Elanion raised their weapons, shouting in unison.

The Nephilim army blotted out the sky, the mass of white feathers bordering on grotesque.

“Nephilim overhead!”

“Shield-bearers, form ranks! Archers, magic units, prepare to fire!”

The Free Army did not falter; its troops moved in perfect coordination. Though fear still lingered, none of them succumbed to it, responding with the discipline forged through countless drills.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Boom...!

Soldiers armed with massive tower shields braced themselves to form a barrier, while arrows with razor-sharp heads shot out from the gaps.

Thwish! Whooosh...!

Thousands of arrows filled the sky, and as if on cue, the flames of the magic battalion—composed of members from the Ulkas Guild, the Immortal Council, and the Academy—followed suit.

Fwoooosh...!!

The magic flames surged forth and merged with the arrows, turning them into deadly fiery projectiles that hurtled toward the Nephilim.

Crunch! Crackle...! CRASH!!

The enchanted flames scorched the wings of the Nephilim, sending them plummeting.

“It’s working...! Fire at will!”

“As long as they’re not higher-level Nephilim, we can handle them!!”

“Show them what humans are capable of!”

Kinu Mukari, Thompson, Nain Darhon, and even Kadin Luer joined the commanders of the ranged units, rallying their troops and igniting their fighting spirit.

“All units, hold formation!!”

Rumble... Clank!

As the drawbridge of the fortress gate lowered, the Imperial Knights, led by the Golden Knights in gleaming armor, rode forth with their swords drawn.

“Hear me, all of you!” shouted Belin Vallention, the Grand Commander of the Imperial Knights. Though his face was worn and weary, his eyes gleamed fiercely.

“We have been defeated! Our lord lies cold, and our homeland is no more. Yet, the people we must protect are still here.”

Clank!

The knights pressed their swords to their chests, the clinking of armor reverberating through the air.

“I do not command you to follow a new king. He himself does not demand our loyalty. How funny is that! I bet he sees us as weaklings!”

Belin Vallention slowly pointed toward the village within the fortress.

“Yet, as knights, we have a duty that goes beyond any king’s command. You all know, yes?”

“Yes!!”

“Then fight. Never let those fiends breach the fortress!”

Belin then swiftly yanked the reins, turning his horse around and shouting, “CHAAAAAARGE...!!!”

“WAAAAAAAAHHH...!!!”

The Nephilim watched in dismay as the knights’ cries echoed across the battlefield, rivaling their own roars from before.

“You wretches...!”

The Four Archangels were taken aback by the unexpectedly fierce resistance. Now, they had to divide their forces between Karyl and the army closing in on them. They were at a loss.

“Maron, Karanon. Lead Divisions One and Three to annihilate the humans on the ground. And Elanion, you take the rest of the divisions and stop that one.”

“What about you, Judex...?”

“I shall spread the divine Oracle.”

He pointed toward the sky, where the white light rippled like an aurora in the night.

“Once the revelation comes and Yula’s voice resounds across the earth, the lowly humans will have no choice but to obey.”

“Understood.”

“Yes, sir.”

At Judex’s command, the Nephilim scattered in all directions.

“For the glory of Yula.” He placed his right hand over his left chest and slowly bowed. As he did, the light from the sky concentrated on him.

“Defend him...!!”

“Let no one near Lord Judex!”

Elanion raised his greatsword and charged at Karyl. Upon his command, hundreds of Nephilim flapped their wings, joining the assault.

“Who gave you permission?”

It was then—

“You think the likes of you can stop Karyl?”

“...!!”

Hearing a voice from behind, Elanion quickly turned his head, swinging his greatsword.

Whoooom...! Clang!

To his astonishment, a figure pushed back against his blade, standing firm as though rooted to the ground.

It was Miliana, her upper body covered in scales.

Screech...!!

Her claws scratched against the blade with a piercing sound.

Crack!

Seemingly unfazed by the magical energy Elanion had poured into the sword, Miliana only tightened her grip, her claws digging into the thick steel.

“You insolent...!”

Elanion tried to shake her off, twisting and swinging his greatsword wildly, but the more he struggled, the deeper her claws sank into the blade.

Crack...!

As the blade began to crack, Miliana yanked the sword toward her and then launched herself forward.

“...!!”

Clinging onto the Nephilim’s back, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“It’s

you

who should never even think of approaching

him

, you dumbass pigeons!”

“Gah...! Grrk!”

Elanion struggled to shake her off, gripping her arms and thrashing in panic against her unexpected strength.

How... How is she this strong...?!

He couldn’t believe he struggled to throw one human off his back.

“I’ve been pissed off ever since that first encounter at the coronation,” she growled, grinding her teeth.

“Warriors of Digon, are you just going to stand and watch?!” she shouted at her comrades. “We’ve always been the first on the battlefield! We can’t afford to be outdone by those knights!”

“HAAAAAAA...!!”

Spurred by her cry, the Digons charged forward on their Cargons.

“How does it feel to be pushed back by the humans you’ve always looked down on?”

Karyl strolled through the swarm of Nephilim, positioning himself directly before Judex.

“Judge Judex, leader of the Nephilim. Only you can wield Yula’s power. Still you need time to perform the ritual to harness that Divine Power. Isn’t that right?”

“...”

“I wonder if her blessing will reach you in time. Let’s see which one is faster, Yula’s grace or my blade?”

“You... insolent...”

Karyl swung the sword of Polsetia with all his might.

[Stop.]

But a voice halted his swing.

Her hair, her face, her figure—her radiance was so majestic it almost seemed unreal. Karyl instinctively knew that the luminous figure blocking his path was an incarnation of Yula.

“You’re finally here. It’s my first time seeing you in person,” Karyl remarked, looking forward.

“Go-Goddess...!!” Judex bowed hastily, unable to contain his reverence.

Karyl, on the other hand, spat on the ground, making it clear how he felt about the encounter.

“Here!”

A small gem flew through the air in an arc, and Karyl caught it. He opened his palm, gazing at the gem—the final relic of the prophecy.

“So what prophecy do you have for us humans?”

[It grieves me deeply to see you fighting because of some misunderstandings. Soon, the world will fracture, and a colossal tower called Phrael will emerge.]

The figure didn’t speak aloud; rather, her voice echoed in the minds of everyone present.

[This upheaval is not limited to our world; it extends across all dimensions. Rather than pointing swords at one another, you must unite and fight together.]

Karyl glared at her with venomous eyes. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to drive his blade through her neck, though he knew that wasn’t Yula’s true form.

“Is that so? If this world truly faces a crisis, then yes, we’ll fight.”

“...What?”

Judex looked at him in surprise, taken aback by Karyl’s unexpected response.

“But not with you. Instead of those winged fools, hand over the Celestial Fortress. That would be far more helpful.”

With a predator’s gaze, Karyl raised the gem Kay had thrown, holding it right before Judex's face.

“As the price for the Celestial Fortress, I give you this.”

“You... You madman...!!”

Judex was utterly bewildered.

“Casually spewing blasphemy before Yula...!!”

“Blasphemy? I’ve never spoken lightly of anything,” Karyl argued, tightening his grip on the gem.

“Listen well. I’m always serious. I only jest with my people, not with the enemy. If you can’t hand over the fortress...”

His glare pierced through Judex, his sword flaring with a fierce aura.

“I’ll just take it by force.”