The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 446 The Sword Saint's Resolve

At dusk outside the city, green banners surrounded the city walls so tightly that even from the highest tower, one could not see the end of the army formation.

The soldiers on the city wall couldn't help but swallow hard, the citizens in the city were filled with despair, and the civilians outside the city simply gave up struggling, or were pulled into the ranks of the Green Forest Army, or became the latter's reserve food.

Uprisings in this forest have always been like this.

This fire will not stop until it burns down nine out of ten houses and causes rivers of blood to flow.

Looking at the army outside the city, Governor Baron Ellaric's face was filled with sorrow as he silently prayed.

Saint Sith above...

At this moment, he had no other choice but to pray and wait...

Outside the city, in the Green Forest Army's camp, the high-spirited Green Turban soldiers were cooking over a fire.

Quartermaster Silas stared blankly at the map, his gaze fixed on the northern wall of Dusk City, seemingly deep in thought.

At that moment, a figure draped in a cloak appeared silently behind him and spoke in a hoarse and shrill voice.

"Aka is dead, in the Wheat Field Village area of ​​Sparrowwood Territory... He was killed by the Sword Saint Gaunt."

Beneath the cloak was a cunning and treacherous rat-like face, with two beady eyes that gleamed with a cold, fierce light.

However, in front of this quartermaster, it became as docile and obedient as a hamster.

There is no other reason.

This was because the human being before him was someone who had passed the test of greed and was the chosen one identified by "Gluttonous Rats" Gellow.

Under the command of the Gluttonous Rat, the "Carrion" clan, which dwells in the Ten Thousand Ren Mountains, will follow his greedy sacrifices and complete the great ritual to please the Gluttonous Rat.

The so-called "Gluttonous Rat" Gello is actually the disguise of "Eternal Hunger Claw" Urgos in the Skaven kingdom.

They are one thing.

This is the real reason why the Green Forest Army's supplies were never interrupted.

It wasn't because they could snatch grains that even lords couldn't obtain, nor because they were more valiant and skilled in battle than their fellow villagers; it was simply because they had a powerful backer behind them, even greater than the kingdom itself.

As Silas's covert supporters, the Carrion Clan not only transported food and weapons to his army through underground tunnels, but also dispatched their elite "Plaguefang Assassins" to the Dusk Province to assist him in intelligence activities and to plan a series of sabotage operations, including kidnapping and poisoning.

The power of a single province was no match for them, and the foolish king was turning a blind eye to the fire...

However, they eventually ran into trouble, and it was trouble even bigger than that of Erin Campbell.

The Sword Saint has left the stage.

After listening to the Plaguefang Assassin's report, Silas narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Gunter, it’s that guy again… Our ‘Butcher’ Malachi seems to have died at his hands as well.”

The Plague Fang Assassin kept his head down.

"Exactly."

Three of the twelve leaders are dead, and there is still one traitor who has betrayed the true God.

However, Silas remained completely unfazed, instead displaying a meaningful smile on his lips.

The logic by which the Chaos Apostles acquire power is completely different from that of the followers of Saint Sith.

For example, the apostles of the mysterious fog need to weave a vast conspiracy to ensnare more people, while the apostles of the eternal hunger need to incite greater and more extreme oppression.

Oppression breeds resistance.

Whether the oppression is passively endured or actively generated by their provocation, the outcome makes no difference; both can infuse them with power from the void.

Including himself, the twelve "apostles" chosen by the ritual were all sacrifices.

Whether it's the Gaunt or the Campbellians, the more they kill, the stronger the power of Chaos will become on this land!
When they have killed down to only one apostle, or even all twelve apostles... then the true Chosen One of Chaos will descend upon this land.

Therefore, Silas would love for Gaunt and Irene to be killed as much as possible, ideally all of them should be killed, and all the other apostles except for him should be wiped out!
Especially if we kill that "green-headed" Kaelan, the Imperials will soon see an Amethyst-level Apostle, and then they'll exclaim like country bumpkins that this is impossible!
In contrast, the unpredictable "Saint Karen" is the biggest threat to Urgos's plans.

And the most regrettable thing is that the sacrificial offering, "Iron Bull" Brennan, was "wasted".

Silas even began to suspect that the guy wasn't Saint Sith's chosen one at all, but rather another force intervening in the situation in the Twilight Province.

But who could it be?
It can't be hell, can it...?

They were indeed commanding the dead, but the Holy Spirit's words and the Sword Saint's attitude left him undecided.

Silas pondered for a long time without finding an answer, and finally decided to start with the problem itself.

He turned to look at the Plague Fang assassin kneeling on one knee and spoke in a gentle voice.

“…Apostles of the Carrion Clan, I need you to do something for me.”

"what's up."

A fierce glint flashed in Silas's eyes.

"Kill her."

The rat-man assassin was slightly surprised and looked up at him.

"Wasn't she your sacrifice?"

"That's right. We did initially give her a glorious mission, allowing her to join the Kingdom of the Great God as a martyr or a submitter, but unfortunately... Akka, who went to persuade her, died on the way."

Silas nodded, speaking with a hint of regret, as if he had made a difficult decision.

"Perhaps she and we are not meant to be. We can only try a different approach and send her to meet her false god."

The Sword Saint's arrival in Sparrowwood Territory is a problem.

But since he didn't go to see the "saint" and instead chose to camp in Maitian Village, which is dozens of kilometers away, it's likely that he had doubts about the so-called "saint's" identity.

In that case, let the ratman assassin go first.

They would never have any concerns.

……

At Quemu Fort, Luo Yan, sitting at his desk, opened his eyes, his bright eyes filled with surprise.

"...Sword Saint?!"

On my turf?!
He did notice the rock inn in Wheatfield Village and the swordsman carrying a greatsword, but he couldn't connect this person with the legendary Rock Sword Saint.

After all, the leap was too great. No one would have imagined that a man who looked like a mercenary would actually have the strength of a demigod!
Luo Yan had met some of the Empire's demigods in the Holy City, such as the renowned Marshal Lako, whose aura and prestige were far superior.

Furthermore, that guy wasn't the only strange person to have come to Wheat Field Village recently; there were plenty of people whose faces were full of stories.

There were impoverished nobles pretending to be farmers fleeing from disaster, farmers pretending to be nobles swindling people, and even guys claiming to be the "Child of God" and the "Second Saintess".

The great swordsman was not the only person he was paying attention to, either directly or indirectly.

Once order is lost in a land, all sorts of demons and monsters will emerge.

Just as Luo Yan was quietly pondering, Youyou's urgent voice and the milky white mist emerged together.

"My Lord Demon King! Something terrible has happened! The Sword Saint is only a few dozen kilometers away from you! What should we do?!"

"What's the panic? There are still dozens of kilometers to go." Luo Yan glanced at Youyou floating beside him and said calmly.

Although he was indeed a little flustered inside, it didn't stop him from maintaining a calm and composed expression on his face.

in fact……

There was nothing to panic about.

That swordsman has been living in Wheat Field Village for almost a month now; if he really had any ideas, he wouldn't have waited until now.

Fortunately, he had played it safe earlier and hadn't used "Myriad Butterflies" to teleport there.

Otherwise, if he were to teleport right in front of the Sword Saint, he would have to put the "Prince Colin" disguise he had just taken off back on.

As for not taking action, that's impossible. He'll personally intervene if at most half the players die. After all, no matter how important the players' gaming experience is, he can't let the Chaos Apostles slaughter his people.

However, to be fair, this demigod-level swordsman is incredibly powerful; he actually defeated the Chosen One of Chaos in a single move.

It didn't even use any domain!

Keep in mind that he was the Chosen One of Chaos, whose strength alone far surpassed that of other powerful beings of the same level within the Saint Sith faith system.

"...But Lord Demon King, what if that Sword Saint comes knocking on our door?" Seeing that the Lord Demon King remained unmoved, Youyou couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Luo Yan replied calmly.

"What's the rush? We still have the Holy Maiden."

Youyou: "...But, that's a demigod! She's just an ordinary person, can she handle it?"

Luo Yan smiled faintly and said calmly.

“She probably couldn’t handle it before, but after my training… she’s fine now.”

Ordinary people can actually have an advantage.

There was no mark of her own on her soul; not only the Sword Saint, but even Saint Sith himself could not see anything.

Moreover, the sword saint was very polite to ordinary people, which was somewhat similar to himself.

If she's lucky, she might be able to win over the Sword Saint to the Salvation Army, or at least help them overcome some obstacles.

Youyou looked at the Demon King with surprise, who seemed calm and composed, as if he had everything under control. A feeling of admiration welled up in her heart.

As expected of the Demon King.

I have to hide behind a woman again...

……

With the death of "Executioner" Aka, the rebels outside Wheatfield Village, terrified by the Sword Saint's reputation, threw down their weapons and surrendered. However, anyone could see the forbearance behind their fear.

It was clear they had no remorse for their crimes; they simply felt they were going to die, so they took off their headscarves.

What to do with these nearly 5,000 prisoners became an immediate problem.

Some players suggested turning them into ghouls to be the safest option, and they could also gain some experience points along the way. However, the vast majority of players felt that this was too extreme, since these NPCs were quite human-like, and it would be a waste to kill them.

However, no matter what suggestions they came up with, it ultimately depended on Her Highness the Holy Maiden's decision, and the Holy Maiden then consulted the Divine Child behind her.

After a moment's thought, the benevolent Flame King decided to give these ordinary people, whose eyes were blinded by chaos, a chance.

Outside Maitian Village, near the logging camp by the river, nearly five thousand people squatted on an open ground, looking around in fear and unease.

At this moment, they were like cattle and sheep on a sacrificial altar, completely devoid of their previous swaggering demeanor.

Salvation Army soldiers, armed with pitchforks and muskets, surrounded them, ready for battle.

Although they were on the same side until a few months ago, they are now fighting for different masters.

If Her Highness had given the order, the saviors, who would have been bloodthirsty long ago, would not have hesitated just because they had eaten their fill for a few days.

As evening approached, the twilight dyed the rushing river red.

The hellish dwarf, lying downstream, still didn't dare to come up from the river, trembling as he waited for the humans upstream to settle the score.

Demon God above...

These people are really ruthless when they kill their own people. The Calamity Fortress on Shattered Rock Peak often changes lords, but... why not just have a fight outside the castle to settle the score?

Why go to such lengths?

This isn't the first time they've had a head transplant, and it certainly won't be the last.

Honestly, in terms of their lower limits, humans are still much better than the dwarves' archenemies, the ratmen. But the ratmen are just too ugly, so it's hard for dwarves to empathize with them.

Just as everyone held their breath and waited, a fast horse galloped in from the horizon.

The messenger dismounted and retrieved the documents that had been sent by carrier pigeon from Sparrowwood Castle to a nearby outpost.

Upon seeing the saint's insignia, the centurion immediately stepped aside and stood with the soldiers, awaiting the messenger to read the divine oracle.

"...According to the laws of the Kingdom of Ryan, rebels should be hanged! However, Her Highness the Saintess said that our Lord has a benevolent heart and has pardoned your crimes. Thank Him for His mercy!"

The rebel soldiers, their knees trembling with fear, were moved to tears and knelt down to express their gratitude, thankful that they had been spared.

At least we've gotten through this hurdle.

Seeing the grateful bandits, the messenger paused, then raised his voice and continued.

"However, you may be spared the death penalty, but you will not escape punishment! Your hands are stained with the blood of your own kind, and to release you like this will not comfort the souls wandering this land! You must work in the fields, or cut down trees in the forest, or rebuild the houses you destroyed on the ruins... until He says, 'You may go back.'"

No one objected. In this land littered with the corpses of the starving, sparing prisoners was already an incredible act of mercy. As for them becoming spoils of war for the victors, that was simply commonplace.

If there was a port, they would usually be branded and loaded onto Imperial merchants' cargo ships to be sold to plantations in the New World.

When there were no ports, they were mostly sent to the lord's mines, and only a lucky few would become serfs again and return to their pre-war lives.

All the rebels were glad they had survived. As for what the messenger said next—labor reform, striving for lenient treatment, and being allocated land after reform—they didn't listen too carefully.

After all, which of you sitting here didn't rise up in rebellion because you've had enough of the lords' sweet talk and can't survive anymore?
They didn't believe the lord's words, nor did they believe anything Kailan said. They only followed Aka because they could get enough to eat.

However, although they didn't listen carefully, Gunter, who was watching from a distance, listened very attentively.

Even when he heard the second half, an expression of disbelief appeared on his resolute face.

He was a mercenary who had traveled all over the country. In his youth, he had fought many battles for the lords. It was not unusual for both sides to send their prisoners to work on farms after declaring victory.

After all, farmers couldn't afford the ransom anyway, so ransom merchants would only target citizens or mercenaries who could afford it.

However, he had never heard of labor aimed at "reforming and reforming people" before, and he had never heard of distributing land to prisoners of war.

At least in this land, Saint Karen was the first to do so.

She did not force them to work in order to enslave them, but rather to make them pay for their past mistakes in order to earn their freedom tomorrow.

The disbelief that lingered in his heart even surpassed his astonishment at the successive arrivals of the Chosen Ones of Chaos, and even more so his surprise at the decline of his own power.

"...Perhaps, she really was sent by Saint Sith."

At least in his memory, there was no lord more benevolent than this saintess.

The Empire might not be pleased, and the Papacy certainly wouldn't acknowledge it, but since she was the most suitable person here, it seemed there was no reason to interfere with people's choices...

As the messenger finished reading the saint's oracle, darkness finally fell completely.

Gunter returned to the hotel alone and found everyone staring at him in astonishment, as if they were seeing Saint Sith himself.

He wasn't surprised by their astonishment; this wasn't the first time he'd faced such a situation.

He calmly returned to his seat, casually placed the greatsword aside, then picked up the wine jug, poured himself a glass of red wine, and forced what he thought was a natural smile at the dumbfounded old Hank, which was actually not natural at all.

"Don't look at me, everyone, keep drinking... haha." He chuckled twice and took the lead in downing his drink.

Everyone got completely drunk that day.

Although this was not the Sword Saint's original intention—he simply wanted to invite everyone for drinks—no one could fathom his true thoughts.

Apart from Euryn, who couldn't hold his liquor and didn't participate at all, and the players who were trying to trigger the hidden quest, who were all volunteers, no one dared to stop.

This chasm between mortals and demigods can only be bridged by time.

This was one of the reasons why he initially didn't want to reveal his identity...

……

One day passed.

On the morning of the second day, a team of a thousand men arrived at the outskirts of Maitian Village, took over five thousand prisoners from the local garrison, and completed the registration of the prisoners' identities during breakfast.

Since this task has been repeated countless times, the military personnel handling household registration are relatively adept at it.

Thanks to the citizens of Twilight City and the priests in the castle who turned a blind eye, the literacy campaign personally planned and even participated in by Her Highness the Saintess went relatively smoothly.

In addition, since the Imperial Common Language itself is not difficult, many Salvation Army soldiers have learned basic spelling and can at least remember a few common names and place names.

After a day of rest, the expeditionary force will lead five thousand captured prisoners of war to the border of Quemu Territory.

There was a village that had once been occupied by ratmen, and the nearby baronies had been reduced to ashes, with only a dilapidated manor left where some useful materials might be salvaged... Otherwise, everything had to start from scratch.

Three hundred returnees will also be traveling with them; they will act as guides and work with their companions to rebuild the land.

Meanwhile, Gunter, who had been thinking for a long time, also set off.

However, his destination was not the border of the Sparrowwood Territory, but the capital of this earldom—Sparrowwood Castle.

The entrance to the newly opened Rock Hotel.

Seeing Yurian's reluctant expression, Gaunt had already prepared what to say, but he forgot the words when they reached his lips.

After a long silence, he reached out his broad hand and placed it on the boy's shoulder, patting it gently twice.

"I'm going on a long trip. Remember to take good care of yourself while I'm gone."

Yurien's intuition told him that this time was different from the past; his master was probably going on a long trip and might not be back for a long time.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have said goodbye so solemnly.

However, despite feeling reluctant to part, Euryn did not ask his master to stay or ask him to take him with him.

He believed that his master must have thought this through carefully before making the decision to leave him here.

Whether it's due to considerations of strength or concerns about potential dangers ahead.

He didn't want to be a burden to his master.

Whether it's someone beside you or someone behind you.

Looking firmly at his master, Yurien spoke with unprecedented seriousness.

"I will take good care of myself and your inn, and wait for you to come back and continue teaching me swordsmanship..."

"...Take care, Master."

Looking at the sensible boy in front of him, Gaunt smiled with satisfaction.

Although they hadn't known each other for very long, he had treated him like his own child throughout their journey.

He was also gratified to see that his child had grown up and was no longer a weed that seemed to be blown away by the wind at any moment, but had become a flame that could illuminate others.

This is good.

"Well, wait for me."

Promises between men don't need to be many. He believed that after he left, Euryn would continue to hone his swordsmanship and keep their inn running, at least not letting down the villagers' kindness and goodwill.

As for himself, he had more important things to do...

A knight in full armor had been waiting for some time by the dirt road on the north side of the inn.

His name was Leiden, and his family had served the local earl for generations and were quite famous in the area, so this generation produced a platinum-level knight.

This situation is not uncommon in some poorly managed count or duchy.

If a lord of a region becomes too complacent and neglects martial prowess for two or three generations, while one of his vassal families is renowned for its chivalrous virtues, there is a good chance that a noble soul will be born into this promising "small family," ensuring that someone can take up the mantle at crucial moments.

Conversely, in families like the Duke of Campbell or the Earl of Weyford, which were known for their martial prowess, the knights around them were mostly of mediocre talent, with little chance of surpassing their lords in strength or ambition to expand their territories.

The Holy Light bestows its blessings upon every piece of land in a balanced way, with only occasional ripples.

According to Salvation Army soldiers, this Mr. Leighton was also one of those who were moved by the miracle of the oracle.

After fulfilling his final vow, he turned his allegiance to "Saint Kallen" and was appointed a Holy Grail Knight by her.

The shield on his back at that moment was indeed radiating a power familiar to Gaunt.

Many of the chosen ones that Gaunt had seen possessed similar "artifacts".

Noticing the approaching Sword Saint, Leiden, who had been waiting for a long time, dismounted, handed his helmet to a squire, and then stepped forward to perform a knightly salute.

"Honorable Rock Sword Saint, Günter Steinggraber, I am Leiden Kechter, and I have long admired your name."

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Leiden. I have often heard stories about you from the local villagers during this time, and you have impressed me as much as the legends say.”

Gaunt returned the courtesy of a commoner from the Kingdom of Rhodes with courtesy, showing no disrespect despite the fact that the other party was weaker than him.

Leiden laughed heartily.

"Really? Then they must be exaggerating."

Gunter smiled faintly.

"On the contrary, after seeing this oasis standing alone in the desert, I felt that what they said was too conservative. Whether it's the legends about you, the Holy Maiden behind you, or the legendary 'Child of God'."

When he heard the term "divine child," Leiden's expression became slightly awkward, especially after realizing that the sword saint was a Rhodesian.

It is said that the Rhodes are known throughout the continent for their rigidity and traditions, even surpassing those of the Empire, hence their nickname "dwarves among humans".

Of course, this swordsman is not short at all; he is two meters tall and his shoulders are as broad as a door.

In short, telling the Rhodesians that Saint Sith has a child is as absurd as telling goblins that the Demon God is actually a succubus.

"There are many stories behind this... Perhaps you can ask Her Highness the Holy Maiden yourself; she would be happy to answer your questions." Renden didn't know how to explain the story, so he simply passed the buck to the Holy Maiden who claimed to have seen the Son of God.

Anyway, having heard the divine oracle, she was particularly eloquent, and every time she could spout profound truths that even left him stunned.

However, to Leiden's surprise, Gaunt just smiled after seeing his embarrassment, and did not get angry like a typical Rhodesian, nor did he investigate further.

“You misunderstand, Mr. Leighton. While I am indeed a devout believer, I have no intention of correcting anything on behalf of the Church. As for Her Highness, I do intend to see her this time, but not to discuss theology and doctrine, but to discuss more practical issues.”

Leiden breathed a sigh of relief, his cheerful smile returning to his face, and continued speaking.

“That’s perfect. Her Highness also wishes to meet you. I can show you the way… But what exactly is the practical problem you mentioned? May I ask? It’s just out of personal curiosity.”

Gunter didn't hide anything and said it directly.

"I want to persuade her to send troops to Griffin Territory."

The air was subtly quiet, and it seemed that only the sound of the wind and the snorting of horses could be heard.

Leiden was taken aback, clearly not expecting the Empire's Sword Saint to say such a thing.

After a long silence, he spoke.

"Can you tell me the reason?"

“The reason is as you can see,” Gunter glanced around and then looked further into the distance, “Even though the king here has abandoned this place, we cannot allow the corruption of chaos to continue to spread.”

He didn't personally interrogate the prisoners from yesterday, but he learned about the terrible state of Griffin Keep from the soldiers who had interrogated them... It was practically hell on earth.

Akka, failing to capture the sacrificial offering, hung the desecrated corpse on the city walls as an insult to humanity's faith and honor, and as a way to appease Chaos...

Without a doubt, it was the altar of chaos, and one of the sources of the Green Forest Army's power.

Now that he knew of its existence, he had to remove it and allow those "heroes who fought to the last moment for the fate of humanity" to rest in peace.

In the past, he would have gone alone, but now he has a better option—

He can also bring order with him!
This will prevent new chaos from arising as soon as you leave.

And most importantly, this Salvation Army is actually operating under the banner of Saint Sith.

In this way, it wouldn't be considered a breach of one's vow.

Leiden looked at the man in front of him in surprise, and his astonished expression gradually turned into admiration.

He remembered hearing Gaunt's story from a bard a long time ago.

That wasn't the first legend he left behind, but it was definitely the most wonderful one; otherwise, it wouldn't have been written into poems and passed down through generations.

A swordsman as steadfast as a rock swore an unbreakable oath with his sword to slay the evil dragon that was ravaging the city of Altai. In the midst of popular demand, he gained a miraculous power comparable to that of a legendary hero!

In exchange for a miracle, he must promise never to use his sword to violate the laws of the empire, never to harm his devout subjects, and never to let any evil spirit bewitched by chaos go unpunished.

Three commandments were inscribed on his sword, which accompanied him in forging many legends as he remained loyal to no lord.

Since then, he has ended his mercenary career and never fought for any lord again. He lives a simple and poor life, only appearing as a great swordsman when the human race needs him most.

Until he became a true legend, known as the Sword Saint...

The truth may be far more complicated than the bards' tales suggest; Raiden did not know where Altai was, nor had he ever seen a real dragon.

However, as the legend says, this sword saint did indeed adhere to three commandments after that, refusing to serve any worldly king and fighting only for those who looked up to him.

Although fighting alongside the Salvation Army did not violate his oath—after all, the Salvation Army was not a lord under the empire's law, and their opponents were not subjects of the empire—it still raised suspicions of interfering in the kingdom's internal affairs.

In other words——

He was willing to take risks for the people here, even though he didn't have to bear them!
Realizing this, Leiden's eyes no longer held just admiration, but also a hint of reverence.

He spoke with an unprecedentedly solemn tone.

"...I will take you to see our princess. I believe that she, being kind, will stand by your side!"

……

(Thanks to reader "东游西荡苗反反" for the generous donation!!!)
(End of this chapter)