Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 2000, 1972: The Blood Flame Tide

The strongest demigod, the strongest power!

Based on this alone, even if Laqad were an emotionally detached person, he would never distance himself from his brother.

In fact, he takes great care in maintaining the relationship between his brothers.

Even though they were far apart, they often exchanged gifts, and Laqad even hung a portrait of his brother in the Volcano mansion.

That's how relationships are maintained and cultivated.

That is why, although they came to the city of Rodel together to besiege the royal city.

However, unlike Gevya, which only held a legal title and possessed a vast territory of Nymgford, it was actually isolated and helpless.

Laqad has allies and strong support, which is one of the reasons why he always appears more relaxed and less pressured than Goffea.

It doesn't matter if time is delayed. When his brothers also arrive at the city of Rodel, that will be the peak of their demigod status as relatives of the emperor!
But the key question is, among the demigod alliance, the side of the maternal relatives demigods is strong, so how should Ge Fuya position himself?

Laqad had already placed him at the forefront of the negotiations beneath the walls of Rodel, using his line of succession as the primary claim to the war.

Will Laqad's allies continue to grow stronger?
Gavya was not his son who had been taken hostage. He had been managing the border region of Nymgfu, which was only conquered by the Golden Dynasty, for hundreds of years without ever making a mistake.

He could see the difficulties and dangers he faced.

The longer Laqad delays, the more confident he becomes; the longer he delays, the more dangerous it becomes for him!
This very gap between abundance and urgency became the fundamental contradiction between the two demigods.

Laqad could kill time at the walls of Rhodel, just like clocking in for work, until his brother arrived.

Griffith was not in the mood for that.

So even though a mysterious madness was spreading in Nymgford's army, and the madness was clearly problematic, he insisted on attacking the city every day.

In the distance, the towering and magnificent walls of Rodel seemed to know that under this gloomy sky, the demigod alliance was about to turn back.

Therefore, many of the Rodel defenders on the city wall withdrew, and few torches and braziers were lit.

The premature slackening of the Rodel defenders made Goffia feel as if a fire was burning in his chest.

“The clouds are thick tonight,” Griffia glanced sideways at Lakad beside him. “Lord Lakad, why don’t we disperse these clouds? Isn’t it a bit too early?”

For a demigod, even one like Griffia who is not known for his strength, dispelling the dark clouds in the sky is not a difficult task.

But Laqad acted as if he didn't see Gofia's eyes and expression beside him.

“It’s not worth it, Lord Gefuya.” He continued methodically, “There’s still a long way to go, and a day or two won’t make a difference. To recklessly expend power for a single dark cloud is a bit impulsive.”

He had no intention of sending the messenger back.

At this point, it was no longer appropriate for Griffith to take a further hard line.

So the demigod could only continue to endure it, wearing a sour face, and was about to turn around and leave first.

Laqad didn't stop them.

Because the Grand Justice was confident, he knew that Griffith needed him and Rataen more than the two brothers needed him.

Griffith isn't a fool, so he'll put up with it... at least for now, he'll put up with it.

So when Goffia turned and left, Laqad didn't react at all.

The messenger sent out by Laqad has arrived, and the buglers and standard bearers who received the orders have skillfully carried out their tasks.

"duo~"

The highly recognizable bugle call echoed in the dim twilight, and the flag bearer also pulled the flag back. Together, they issued the order to retreat to camp.

The demigod alliance, which had been fighting the Rodel defenders on the city walls for a day, began to slowly retreat.

They were all seasoned soldiers, and their retreat would not be so haphazard.

The tasks were clearly assigned: some were to move the wounded, others to stand guard with shields.

Suddenly, the intensity of the roar on the battlefield dropped abruptly, leaving only the quiet footsteps and the soft clattering of armor.

But just when things seemed to be about to quiet down completely...

A strange commotion suddenly broke out among the soldiers who had just withdrawn from the front lines and arrived at the central command position.

In that instant, Rakad, who had been going through the motions with a completely calm expression, suddenly widened his eyes in fury!

Ge Fuya, who had turned to leave, was still turning his head in surprise and hadn't had time to see what had happened.

"Crackling sound!"

The commotion that erupted in the center of the demigod alliance wasn't particularly explosive. It was more like a knife being plunged into a large, juicy, and bloody chunk of flesh, the skin of which was torn apart, and a massive amount of blood inside was sprayed out under high pressure like a water pump!

That was in the army, where patients suddenly developed a mysterious mental illness and started attacking others!

Having experienced suppressing patients in the military camps in the past, the soldiers in the Demigod Alliance should not have been too flustered.

But this time... it's different!
"Ahhh!"

This outbreak of madness was unprecedented in its concentration! At least seven or eight hundred knights and soldiers suddenly went mad in the center of the army!
Moreover, their madness seems to have brought a different kind of power this time!

Longswords, greatswords, spears... In the hands of a madman, when these weapons are swung in mid-air, their trajectories do not show the supernatural white afterimages that appear when using War Ash.

Instead, it brings out a spray of blood! As if those weapons had just been pulled from some blood-soaked chunk of flesh!
and……

"Waaaah! Pfft!"

In the sudden outbreak of conflict, those attacked and wounded by these madmen let out shrill, painful screams from within their armor.

Immediately afterwards, the fine and tight armor seemed to have something trying to get out from the inside, and each part began to shake irregularly.

Finally, amidst the hissing and splattering sounds, it was as if the blood of these people had gained a sense of self, and it all gushed out of their bodies!

Within this densely packed army, a massive hemorrhage, like waves and fountains, occurred!

The blood was abnormally bright red; some of it even ignited with pure scarlet flames!

In the gradually darkening night sky, the light emitted by the blood was both eerie and alluring.

And it's very, very eye-catching!
"what is that?!"

Laqad cursed angrily. He was usually very well-groomed, but in the face of this sudden turn of events, profanities were about to spill out at any moment.

Before he could even utter a curse, Ge Fuya's aggressive questioning was already looming over his head!
"What's this plan of yours now?!" The twisted and enormous demigod with extended limbs, dragging his king's axe backwards, approached Rakad directly. "Rakad! You want to fight me now, huh?!"

The heavy golden axe cleaved the ground, and the furious, roaring Gevya really did look a bit like the first king of the Golden Dynasty.

In reality, the army was in chaos and dimly lit. Griffith couldn't immediately discern how many of the crazed men were Nymgford knights and how many were Volcano knights.

However, for such a long period of time, the outbreaks of madness in the camp were all caused by his men.

In that extremely brief and intense moment, he was unable to think of anything else and naturally assumed that things would be the same as before.

Lakad's composure and calmness were now shattered, and he was utterly speechless in the face of the aggressive Gevya.

The army, which should have been retreating, is now in complete chaos due to the indiscriminate attacks of the madmen.

This was an unexpected event not part of the evacuation plan, and no one had rehearsed it beforehand. Even though everyone in the demigod alliance was a veteran, their first reaction at this moment was to protect themselves.

And then... "Boom boom boom!"

The roar of power erupting came one after another, as battle ash, prayers, and magic exploded simultaneously!
The land, which had calmed down after today's siege, was suddenly ravaged and trembled again by the force!
Deafening screams, battle cries, and the roar of battle erupted at the same time!

Chaos began to sweep across the land that was gradually calming down!
“This is…” Dolores adjusted the brim of his hunter’s hat, his eyes gazing intently at the blood flames surging like a crimson tide in the distance, his mouth slightly agape, “The ‘different blood’ that Ampach spoke of?!”

"Hmm, it seems so." Lan En remained as composed as before.

As he spoke, he made the Qilin, who had been lying down enjoying being groomed, stand up and mount the horse.

"Krepp! Get ready! Let's buy some more time to advance!"

"Viherer, obey my command!"

Lann shouted at the two faded ones, and at this point, everything became chaotic, and no one cared about silence anymore.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Christopher, the Ancient Dragon Knight, brandished his golden lance from horseback: "Knight Rodel! Mount up! Mount up! Prepare to charge!"

The sounds of armor and warhorses seemed to naturally carry a chilling, bloody scent.

Or perhaps, that's simply the smell of gold and metal.

Standing at the very front of the formation, Krepp had now completely uncorked the small bottle at his waist. At the same time, he himself held a [Finger Holy Mark], knelt down, and chanted incantations.

Two concentric rings composed of glowing runes flashed past him. These were badges belonging to two-finger spells.

Two-finger prayer - darkness!
A thick, ink-like darkness, under Krep's ultimate spellcasting, spread across the ridgeline of the hillside and continued forward.

The small bottle at his waist, its cap fully open, filled with thick, dark gray mist, plunged the entire area into a supernatural silence.

The sound of hundreds of heavy cavalry hooves could not be heard at all, but the powerful Rodel warhorses and Rodel knights were full of tension and power in their charge!
The contradiction between silence and tension creates a bizarre and poorly made silent film.

(End of this chapter)