Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 964

[This is Albatross Nine! Falcon Eight, respond! Falcon Eight!]

Kendrick’s face, as he stared at the radio, hardened like a stone statue.

The radio was in chaos.

It was a radio that supported more than three channels, but it couldn’t handle the flood of transmissions. Due to excessive channels trying to connect simultaneously, the messages weren’t being delivered properly.

‘What the hell is going on?’

One thing was certain.

The numbers of the panicked voices were getting pushed further back. The transmissions that were first heard at the edge of the forest were moving closer and closer to the center.

Then what about those who were in front of them?

Kendrick bit his lip.

There was no need to think about it. The fact that those who were sending transmissions were no longer doing so meant only one thing.

At least combat-incapacitated.

And objectively, dead.

‘I can only hope they’re alive.’

[Message from Alpha.]

Kendrick looked at the radio with tense eyes.

It was a message from command.

[Everyone on guard duty, move to Eagle One immediately. I repeat, all forces, move to Eagle One. Move it!]

The urgency was palpable.

Of course.

Command had more information than they did. This forest might look like just a forest, but it wasn’t just a forest.

It was closer to a fortress, with numerous booby traps, CCTV, and even satellite surveillance that could be used when needed.

But…

[They’re pushing through! We can’t stop them! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Oh, don’t come! Aaaaaaaah!]

Kendrick’s face hardened.

‘Where was that just now?’

This time, even the outpost name wasn’t heard.

Judging from the previous transmissions, the enemy was penetrating the forest. It took them only ten minutes to break through 5km.

‘Is that even possible?’

It was impossible for Kendrick.

Even if he ran at full speed without any interference, he couldn’t break through 5km in ten minutes. It would be possible on flat ground, but this was a forest with a primeval ecosystem. He couldn’t even reach half his normal speed.

It was a speed that would be barely possible even if an individual moved at full speed. But for that many people to maintain this speed while facing resistance?

Did a legion from hell arrive?

‘I, is it time to move?’

‘Let’s go!’

Kendrick gritted his teeth at Wilsher’s trembling voice.

‘Where is Eagle One?’

He drew a map in his head. Then, he turned and started running at full speed.

Wilsher followed him, running.

‘Damn it.’

Even while running, Kendrick gritted his teeth.

He couldn’t quite understand what was happening. He knew someone had invaded. It was hard to accept, but he wasn’t stupid enough to deny what was happening right in front of him.

But what he couldn’t accept was the enemy’s advance speed.

‘Is this even possible?’

The reason he couldn’t accept it was simple.

Knight LeBeau had ordered excessive security to the point that the British warriors openly complained. The people guarding this forest weren’t just any random people.

They were the elite of Britain.

They were deployed so densely that they complained about the excessive work schedule.

Even if Knight LeBeau led the elite French soldiers himself, they wouldn’t be able to achieve this speed. It would take them a long time just to defeat those blocking their path.

But…

[Aaaaaaah! Aaaah!]

[S, save me! They’re coming! R, run away!]

Only terrible screams could be heard from the radio. What made Kendrick even more bewildered was the desperate voices coming from the radio.

‘Aren’t they knights of the British Empire?’

They were people who had trained in martial arts for decades to protect their country and the world. Their strong mental fortitude was incomparable to that of ordinary soldiers.

But those screams!

This was impossible.

‘What the hell did they see?’

There was no way the British warriors had all become cowards. Kendrick himself didn’t have such an exceptional mental fortitude that he could laugh at those who were screaming.

But at least, he was confident that he wouldn’t scream like that at the moment of his death.

Yet his comrades were showing such weak appearances.

This wasn’t their problem. It was the problem of those who were invading. And it was at that moment.

KWA-AAAAAAANG!

A deafening explosion engulfed Kendrick. Kendrick, still running, turned his head to look at where the explosion had occurred.

Something was flying up.

Kendrick’s mouth hung open.

In the darkness where even the moon hid, something huge was soaring into the sky. Only after squinting did Kendrick realize that it was a huge, cut-down tree.

‘This is insane!’

A huge tree with a diameter of over 2 meters was bouncing like a toy. And it wasn’t just one or two.

What was that sight?

It wasn’t a sight that could be created even with heavy equipment. How could a tree of that weight be thrown up so easily?

He couldn’t even imagine what kind of event would have to occur to create such a sight.

The only fortunate thing was that the place where the trees were flying up was quite far from Kendrick…

Kendrick was startled and shut his mouth.

‘Am I relieved right now?’

It was a humiliating thing.

A warrior who was supposed to stop the enemy’s invasion was relieved that he was far away from the enemy. It was a feeling he had never experienced since learning martial arts.

Kendrick gritted his teeth.

‘No.’

He wasn’t relieved. The order given to Kendrick right now wasn’t to engage, but to join up. He was just relieved that he could be faithful to the order he was given. That was all, really.

Kendrick repeated the excuse that even he thought was ridiculous as he ran and ran.

‘W, wait up!’

Wilsher was starting to fall behind. Kendrick frowned and slowed down a little.

He cut through the vines in front of him with his sword, stepped on the tree stumps, and jumped forward. But even then, he couldn’t gain proper speed. There were too many trees to run straight, and too many things to trip over to gain speed.

‘Even running without engaging, this is all the speed I can get…’

What were they doing to move at such a speed?

KWA-AAAAAAANG!

The moment another explosion was heard, Kendrick’s head reflexively snapped back.

‘Damn it!’

The place where the trees were flying up was much closer. Even just by eyeballing it, the distance they had moved was much greater than the distance he had moved.

‘Is this even possible!’

His mind couldn’t process it anymore. The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. Kendrick pushed away the thoughts that were rising and focused on one thing.

Join up as quickly as possible.

Join up and…

Join up and what?

What was he going to do after joining up?

Kendrick’s trembling eyes looked to the side again. He couldn’t see anything. This dense forest had even stolen their vision. They were clearly the ones blocking, but they couldn’t see the enemy.

An unknown, mysterious enemy.

An enemy that no one could stop.

He had to stop them. With his own hands.

Kendrick gritted his teeth and ran forward.

‘L, let’s go together!’

Now, Wilsher’s complaints were no longer heard. If he slowed down his current speed, he wouldn’t be able to run anymore. He would only get slower and slower.

Because he didn’t want to go.

It was impossible to organize his thoughts. It wasn’t something that could be done with willpower. With his mind in a jumbled mess, Kendrick ran and ran.

And finally, he reached his destination.

‘Albatross Post, arrived!’

His voice was filled with strength, as if to shake off the sticky anxiety that was clinging to him. Many people had already arrived at the scene.

Kendrick wasn’t late. It was inevitable since everyone had different distances to travel.

And…

Kendrick thought that maybe it was a good thing that he was a little late.

The atmosphere was heavy.

Even though many people had gathered, the atmosphere was as heavy as it could possibly be.

‘Form up at the front! Join the formation!’

He didn’t even know who gave the order. He couldn’t hear it properly. But his body, which had been responding to orders for a long time, was moving before Kendrick could even make a proper judgment.

‘Formation?’

The huge open space in front of the outpost.

Nearly a hundred people were lined up there.

Like a barricade.

It was a reasonable formation at first glance. Kendrick was a knight. He blocked or attacked the opponent with his body. So, it was only natural that he stood at the front. The mages or clerics would stand at the rear. Because they had to provide support.

It was reasonable. Of course, it was reasonable.

Except for the fact that the faces of those standing at the front were all filled with anxiety and fear.

Of course, they would be.

What truly terrifies people isn’t a powerful enemy. It’s an enemy that can’t be seen or predicted.

What if you had to face someone, but you didn’t know who that enemy was? What if you couldn’t predict how or in what way they would attack?

That makes people more terrified than an enemy that can’t be faced. Because it means you might not even know how you’re going to die.

Kendrick’s legs trembled slightly.

He knew.

Orders were absolute, and deserting from this place was impossible. He had trained until now to endure in this kind of situation.

But…

‘What am I protecting this place for right now?’

It was a ridiculous thing.

The enemy’s intention was too clear. Invading at this time clearly meant that they intended to strike the core of the Round Table or rescue the Master.

Because the timing was too coincidental.

In other words…

Right now, Kendrick had to risk his life to protect Knight LeBeau and prevent the Master from being released.

‘Why me?’

He couldn’t understand. He couldn’t accept it.

But his body was already part of the formation.

He had heard it before. That drills weren’t learned to make the formation look neat. If you were told to go forward, you went forward, and if you were told to turn around, you turned around. Drills were to make your body move before your head could even think when an order was given.

At this moment, Kendrick could understand what that meant. He was forming a line to block the enemy without even knowing what was happening.

What kind of ridiculous situation was this?

‘N, no!’

It was the moment Kendrick was about to say something.

‘They’re coming!’

His words were drowned out by a huge shout. At the same time, the forest in front of him began to shake.

The endless, vast forest made of trees was reminiscent of the sea. And now, that sea was heaving as if a huge wave was crashing.

And then.

KWA-AAAAAAANG!

The trees blocking the front were shattered like straws with an explosion and scattered in all directions.

Kendrick’s eyes widened as if they were about to tear.

Through the dust cloud caused by the explosion, something huge walked out.

Huge arms and legs like giant trees, a huge body reminiscent of a sculpture, and…

‘KRAAAAAAAAH!’

Red-stained eyes, and an unknown dark aura surrounding that monstrous body.

Seeing the appearance as if a demon from hell had descended into the world, Kendrick unknowingly made the sign of the cross.

Lord.

Watch over your lamb.