Chapter 148

The cavalry unit powerful enough to raze a decently large estate to the ground was annihilated in seconds. For the subjugation squad, the one-sided slaughter barely qualified as a warm-up.

Isaac glanced at the battlefield, now resembling a slaughterhouse, and quickly assessed the situation.

“Centaurs are a hunting race. There’s no way a hostile group would exist within the Divine Territory, so they must have come here thinking they could catch some prey. But I see no evidence of a successful hunt.”

“Are you saying they were on their way to hunt, not returning from one?”

“Exactly. If we proceed in the direction they came from, we’ll likely find the centaurs’ encampment. If we’re lucky, we might come across Castor sooner than expected.”

From that point on, things progressed rapidly.

With Isaac leading, the subjugation squad picked up the pace, searching in the direction the centaurs had come from. Their swift advance bore results within minutes.

“Found them.”

Isaac stopped in his tracks, having spotted something with the corner of his eye.

It was a vast plain, a meadow that stretched for several kilometers in every direction. Hundreds of centaurs were swarming beyond the serene landscape, each one a cavalry warrior of exceptional skill, equivalent to an army on their own.

However, what halted the five knights in their tracks wasn’t the centaurs themselves. It was the overwhelming presence among them.

“Is that Castor...?”

“We’re lucky. I didn’t expect to encounter him within an hour of entering the Divine Territory,” Isaac replied to Leonard with a nod.

I’ve felt the oppressive aura of a Void Deity before, during Tyr’s subjugation mission. But as expected, this is different from a Transcendence Tier knight or an Archmage.

Sensing the presence that was assumed to be Castor, Leonard shook off the pressure weighing on his shoulders, his eyes gleaming.

If the presence emitted by a Transcendence Tier knight or an Archmage was akin to a raging storm, the presence of a Void Deity felt like a colossal hand descending from the heavens to crush its opponent.

The direction of the force was different.

“There’s no need to hide our presence. Although he’s considered a Lesser God, he’s still the fragment of a god. He’s likely sensed us already.”

Isaac then called out with a fierce smile, “Isn’t that right, Void Deity Castor?”

In response, a voice boomed from several kilometers away.

—A mere mortal dares to utter the name of a god with such insolence?!

It was Castor’s voice. His wrath burst forth, rippling through the air and smothering the gentle breeze that once swept the meadow. Grass stood on end, and the clouds, which had been leisurely drifting across the sky, scattered under the sheer force of Castor’s fury.

Castor had merely unleashed his divine power, and it seemed like nature itself bowed before it. Leonard, observing this, finally understood what Calantha had meant earlier.

There’s a strict hierarchy between a mage who uses the laws of the world and a Void Deity who can distort those laws at will.

Unless one was a Class 10 mage, equivalent to a deity, or a Class 9 mage, akin to a demigod-level warrior, engaging in battle with a Void Deity would be nearly impossible.

However, having a Class 9 mage on every subjugation mission was impractical, so full reliance on the Cardenas family was inevitable. Even so, aside from issues concerning the Order of the White Dragon and the Order of the Red Dragon, Wickeline mages were likely making active contributions.

—You dare utter my divine name with that filthy mouth without offering worship, you blasphemous mortals! You all deserve death!

Castor roared thunderously, declaring war on the five knights.

—Mortals of a faithless era! I shall feast on your flesh and blood! Centaurs, hear my command! I, Castor, order you! Use all your might to bring down the enemies!

Castor’s roar, resounding and oppressive, was not merely for intimidation. The aura of the centaurs, previously overshadowed by the presence of the Void Deity, surged dramatically, nearly reaching the level of the Transcendence Tier.

Sensing the power within them, Leonard and the others immediately realized that this was not going to be like their previous battle.

Castor had used the authority of Command, capable of pushing his subordinates beyond their limits.

Rumble—!!

The ground shook beneath the squad, even from several kilometers away. As the centaurs charged, the sharp clopping of their hooves echoed in the air, the intense resonance creating a shockwave.

It was a cavalry charge.

The centaurs, in a lance-charging formation, were closing in at near-sonic speed. A spectacle like this would make even five Transcendence Tier knights hesitate to face them head-on.

“Leonard?!”

But Leonard, who had stepped forward as if to protect the four White Dragon knights, took out several swords from his subspace pouch. Adding four more to the one already in his grasp, five swords now hovered in the air.

Facing the cavalry charge, now roughly a hundred meters away, Leonard fearlessly completed his sword formation. He positioned the swords according to the flow of the Five Elements, sealing off the surrounding space and constructing a defensive formation akin to an impenetrable fortress.

Five Elements Lock Formation

Strengthened further by the Five Elements Augmented Qi, the formation exhibited several times its usual defensive power as it met the centaurs’ lances.

Kabooom!

The centaurs, crashing into the unyielding barrier, were crushed and violently flung away with even more force than their initial charge.

—What?!

Castor was equally shocked at the incomprehensible sight, momentarily losing his composure.

The White Dragon knights seized that brief opening and charged in.

Thud! Crash! Boom!

The rear line, having witnessed the failure of the cavalry charge, halted gracefully. However, cavalries were most vulnerable when stationary.

Grady unleashed a few rays of sword energy, piercing through the hearts and heads of several centaurs and clearing a path. While Castor’s authority had enhanced their physical abilities and aura output, the centaurs hadn’t gained regenerative abilities or immortality.

Janet followed half a beat later, swirling like a whirlwind.

Swoosh!

She rotated dozens of times in place, unleashing a flurry of slashes and beheading the centaurs around her. A few managed to block or evade, but none could escape her follow-up strikes.

“Prepare for the shockwave.”

Hugo, his muscles taut and swollen, lifted his greatsword and advanced a step, swinging it horizontally. It was no special technique—just a raw, full-force strike that anyone could execute, but with strength that no one else could muster.

Boom!!

Striking not the centaurs but the air itself, a massive shockwave erupted, sending dozens of centaurs flying through the sky. They were already dead before they even hit the ground.

Hugo’s swing mirrored the principles of sound arts—unleashing a devastating shockwave that bypassed external defenses and tore through the internal organs.

—Move aside, you lowly creatures!

No one had anticipated Castor’s spear piercing through the shockwave and aiming directly at Leonard. Castor charged like a bolt of lightning, targeting Leonard, whom he had identified as the most dangerous prey.

He’s fast...!

Leonard, in the process of releasing the Five Elements Lock Formation, was a half-beat too slow. In a situation where he would suffer significant damage, if not a fatal wound, he instinctively unleashed an augmented energy shield around himself.

Clang—!

Isaac jumped in to block Castor’s spear, and the force of the strike knocked him back.

“Ugh!”

Though he was knocked back only around ten meters, it was enough to put him out of position to block the next attack. However, the initial attack of a cavalry charge was the most powerful, the follow-up always losing momentum.

In the end, Isaac’s intervention had given Leonard the chance to recover.

“Thank you, Captain Isaac!”

Retrieving his two swords, Leonard dashed forward like an arrow.

Five Elements and Six Divinities Arts

Crimson Crow Sun

Light Burning Heat Stride: Explosion

Stone Fire Flash

Leonard stomped the ground as if tearing it apart, and the energy that flowed into his Yongcheon point exploded violently, propelling him like a cannonball. This was the pinnacle of Burning Heat, a movement art.

His movement, more like a berserk charge than a dash, pushed back the lance that was aiming for a second strike, sending Castor flying. Or rather, both of them went flying as their weapons clashed.

Castor wasn’t particularly strong when it came to raw power, so Leonard, who was rapidly depleting his internal energy, was able to overpower him momentarily.

Within seconds, Leonard and Castor had left the battlefield.

—You cunning bastard! What a petty trick!

Castor’s eyes blazed with fury as he realized Leonard’s intent.

“If you think you can escape, you’re welcome to try,” Leonard said as he locked his sight on Castor, observing his every movement.

With his Dragon Eyes, Leonard could foresee the path of his opponent, allowing him to easily cut off Castor before he could accelerate.

An army was significantly weaker without its commander, and the same applied for a commander without their troops.

In a duel, Castor was not Leonard’s match.

—You arrogant fool!

Perhaps understanding this from Leonard’s gaze, Castor raised his lance and charged at him.

Unlike a centaur, Castor rode a horse that was clearly extraordinary at first glance, undoubtedly a remarkable spiritual creature. The horse enhanced Castor’s combat power by majestically shifting its center of gravity to match its rider’s movements.

Clang!

Leonard struck the side of Castor’s lance as it extended like a flash of light, all while analyzing his lance technique.

Could it be because his divinity symbolized cavalry? Though Castor’s lance technique was slightly inferior to his horsemanship, it still measured up to Leonard’s swordsmanship. With the additional power from his horsemanship, Castor was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

Realizing that, Leonard decided to catch him off guard.

Five Elements Style, One Sword Style

White Tiger Extra Form: Mountain Deity Strike

A sword emerging from Leonard’s subspace pouch radiated a majestic energy as it targeted Castor.

—An insignificant trick!

Castor stepped back, deflecting the Mountain Deity Strike and thrusting his lance to maintain his balance. It was clear Castor intended to turn Leonard into a beehive if he dared to close the distance.

The gap was too small to approach recklessly. So, Leonard activated his Sword Manipulation Art once again.

Five Elements Style, One Sword Style

Black Tortoise Extra Form: Dragontail Sword

Unlike the Mountain Deity Strike, an inky sword flew silently toward Castor, aiming for his crown. The uproar from the previous attack had been a diversion to conceal this one.

This time, Castor’s face paled, and he gritted his teeth as he desperately swung his lance to deflect the Dragontail Sword. Though it would leave him exposed to Leonard, he had no choice but to block the strike to avoid a fatal injury.

“Got you.”

Leonard had to wrap this up. Since he couldn’t afford to use his mental martial arts in this situation, Leonard decided to unleash something that could be considered an ultimate technique.

A blue augmented sword energy erupted from the blade in his left hand.

One Origin Five Elements Sword Art

Five Elements Style

Ultimate Secret Technique: Azure Dragon’s Flash

A swift sword strike, difficult to defend against even for someone at the Transcendence Tier, shot forward. Yet just as the slash seemed poised to cleave Castor diagonally in half, Leonard’s expectations fell short.

Slash!

The white horse took the hit instead, its head flying off before it collapsed to the ground.

—Y-You...

Drenched in the blood gushing from the horse’s neck, Castor stared at Leonard with a blank expression.

A cavalryman’s horse was part of him, essentially his own flesh and blood, and Castor had just lost his dear mount because of his own error.

Suppressing his anger, Castor became eerily calm, his gaze turning to the centaurs on the brink of annihilation in the distance. The situation was already beyond saving. Though rage boiled within him, his mind remained cold.

—I admit it. I’ve lost.

At Castor’s flat voice, Leonard felt an incomprehensible chill. Though he wanted to finish Castor off right then and there, his intuition urged him against it. He held back his sword.

And then...

—But if it were my younger brother, not me, you wouldn’t stand a chance! We are the Dioscuri! Sons of the almighty Lord of the Sky, Zeus! Come forth, Pollux!

As Castor shouted, an overwhelming presence responded to his call and appeared in the Divine Territory. Its oppressive aura seemed to rival Tyr’s.

—What a shame. Had you taken my head, I could have offered myself as a sacrifice to summon him in a more complete state.

Despite his admission of defeat, a hint of arrogance lingered in Castor’s voice. His figure grew transparent, slowly fading away, suggesting he had run out of strength. Since Pollux was a higher-ranked god, even summoning him through their bond as twins had drained all of Castor’s remaining power.

—My brother Pollux is a martial god whom not even Heracles, the God of Heroes, could defeat in hand-to-hand combat. Consider it an honor to be crushed by his fists.

Almost simultaneously with Castor’s disappearance, a Void Deity was summoned, having received the divine power of his twin brother and the hundreds of centaur corpses as sacrifices.

Pollux, the God of Combat, rose from a pool of blood, his massive frame stained crimson as he raised his metallic, gleaming fist. Hugo was the first to rush in and stand in his path.

“We need to hold out until Leonard can rejoin the—”

Before Hugo could even finish his sentence, Pollux’s iron fist shattered his greatsword and pierced his solar plexus. It was a punch reaching the peak of flawless mastery.

Boom!

Hugo was blasted away, flying hundreds of meters before crashing into the ground, knocked unconscious. If it weren’t for his Dragon Blood-enhanced muscles and bones, his whole upper body would have been obliterated.

Pollux possessed the strength to take down a Swordmaster of Cardenas in a single blow. The White Dragon knights, realizing the sheer might of Pollux, broke in a cold sweat.

He’s at least intermediate-rank!

The squad was faced with a monstrous being, one seemingly surpassing Aiolos, the most dangerous Void Deity assigned to the Subjugation Order.