Level Up Inquisitor [EN]: Chapter 190

190. Holy War (4)

As the full-scale Holy War began, the believers in the underground moved.

The situation was the same not only for the residents of Eltriss but also for Sidna, nestled under the southern swamps.

With divine magic to counter the undead being delivered and personnel from the Order being deployed, the stabilization of the region was mostly complete.

At just the right moment, the warriors of Sidna set out without delay at the call of the proclaimed Holy War.

It was a large-scale expedition, with most of the warriors venturing above ground.

However, they did not join the residents of Eltriss.

Their destination lay elsewhere.

“All the major strongholds in the rear are under simultaneous attacks. Because of that, we had no choice but to divide our forces like this.”

The adjutant on horseback spoke to the knight commander at the head of the column.

These were reinforcements sent by the Earth Order to the rear strongholds.

It was an elite knight order composed of Freya’s exclusive classes. [Classes unique to Freya’s followers, signifying high rank and power.]

Just as the Inquisitorial Office, where inquisitors gather within the Light Order, is the best military group, the Earth Order also had a knight order composed of exclusive classes as the force representing the Order.

Among them, hundreds of knights headed to the important strongholds attacked by the Eltriss异种族 [Yijongjok – literally “different races,” implying monsters or non-human entities].

Because they departed late due to the chaotic situation, the possibility of holding out was low, but they couldn’t just leave the rear areas being 초토화 [Chotowa – scorched earth, meaning utterly devastated].

“I heard that barbarian warriors have appeared in some strongholds?”

“Yes, they are all warrior NPCs over level 200. We don’t know where such individuals appeared and allied with the Light Order, but they are a more powerful force than ordinary users.”

“Still, now that we know their classes are only physical, it will be easier to deal with that problem.”

The knight commander glanced sideways and spoke.

Some believers from the Water Order were mixed in with the support force consisting of the Earth Order’s knight order.

The reason for including them was simple. The Water Order was an Order specialized in healing and summoning magic, and summons with physical resistance were no different from counters to warriors.

“However… we can’t predict their movements through conventional methods because of the rat-like demihuman’s tunnels. With the believers of the Light Order pouring in from the front, it is impossible to cope with all of them with our current forces. It seems we need the help of Apollyon.”

“To be struggling to handle just the Light Order… At this rate, there might be a problem with the relics we were promised as compensation for participating in the war.”

Apollyon, who was simultaneously facing two of the Six Great Guilds, was already pouring its forces into the upper front.

In this tense situation, Apollyon would not welcome further requests for reinforcements.

However, if they were to lose the war as it was, the promised relics would be forfeit.

If the lower front was completely breached, they would have no choice but to ask for help from Apollyon to prevent a disaster.

“I guess we have no choice. But that doesn’t change our mission. Speed up and defend the strongholds we are in charge of.”

Kwaak!

Heeheeheeing!

The axe that flew in at that moment struck the leading horse and knights.

“What…!”

“Uwoooo!”

Hundreds of tribal warriors who had been lying in ambush revealed themselves from the bushes.

The forest became a mess due to the completely unexpected raid.

The barbarian warriors of Sidna that they had only heard about.

Warriors of at least level 200 were rushing in in enormous numbers.

Their power was beyond imagination, and if they were careless, trusting in their defense, they would show the 괴력 [Goeryeok – monstrous strength] of cutting down even knights wearing magic armor along with their horses.

“It’s them! Summon the summons!”

The knight commander shouted in the urgent situation.

Then, the believers of the Water Order who heard his cry quickly began to move.

Tsutsutsut!

The wave casters who used summoning magic began to summon summons that were resistant to physical attacks and only took damage from magic.

It was not easy to summon summons with the special characteristic of physical resistance, but it was not difficult if several high-ranking wave casters here joined forces.

Chwaaaak!

Three high-level water spirits appeared from the floor.

The water spirits who stepped forward rushed at the warriors, and the swords wielded by the warriors passed right through them as they had complete physical resistance.

“As expected…!”

The knights rejoiced at the sight and clenched their fists.

If the barbarian warriors’ attacks didn’t work, it was as good as winning the battle.

But that was only for a moment.

Hwareureureuk!

Flames ignited on the warriors’ swords all at once.

“What, what is it?”

The swaying white sacred fire.

The flame, which was an excellent divine magic and also a symbol of the Inquisitorial Office, rose from their swords.

Those who had even learned the sacred fire as inquisitors to fight against the undead.

There was no longer an absolute weakness for tribal warriors who had learned to handle divine magic.

Kieeeeek!

Even the high-level water spirits with physical resistance were useless in front of the swords with the sacred fire burning.

The movements of the warriors who rushed in fiercely with superior physical conditions were tremendous, and the cries of the crazed warriors shook the earth.

“For the light!”

The warriors who survived in the terrible underground environment of the swamp.

To these people who had always fought against the undead army, this kind of war was nothing.

Moreover, there was nothing to hold back the warriors who now had firm beliefs.

“T, this is crazy…”

“Don’t stand there blankly! Hurry!”

The battle was far from over.

At a colleague’s cry, the wave casters hurriedly proceeded with the next summoning operation.

They did not forget to cast large-scale attack magic there.

While the knights held out in the front, the firepower of the magicians in the rear had to be maximized to bring a chance of winning.

While they were preparing magic in the rear.

Arrows from some warriors flew to stop them.

Kaang!

But the knights of the Earth Order blocked it.

They were professional tankers who focused on defense even among the knights, and their mission was to protect the dealer lines in the rear. [Dealer lines refer to the back-line damage dealers, typically mages or archers.]

There was no powerful long-range means of 견제 [Gyeonje – checking or hindering] for those consisting only of warriors to penetrate the tankers.

“Hoo, it’s not the first time, but I’m nervous.”

At that time, Leah appeared on the hill overlooking the battlefield.

She, who had been waiting with several tribal warriors from Sidna, concentrated her mind and raised her staff.

Tsutsutsut!

The mana that had been gathered to the fullest was emitted.

A huge meteorite that fell from high in the sky.

It was ‘Meteor Shower’, a unique-grade wide-area attack skill.

Kwaaaang!

A huge explosion occurred as the meteor fell.

Overwhelming damage and a wide range of impact.

As befitting it, it was a magic that required a very long casting time, and even the grown-up Leah took as much as 16 seconds.

“Keuheok…….”

Thanks to that, the wave casters of the Water Order who had been preparing magic in the rear 폭사 [Poksa – exploded and died] at once.

It was because they were careless that the opponents were all muscular warriors, and they had not properly prepared for magic defense rather than arrows.

Most of the dealers in the rear were gone.

But the ruthless Leah didn’t stop there.

She cast and poured out huge range magic such as Hellfire, Seeds of Destruction, and Blizzard in succession.

Kwagaagwang!

“What kind of monster is that…!”

“I… is that woman an NPC?”

The knights who were horrified as their colleagues were swept away looked up at the hill.

It was no wonder that they mistook her for an NPC because it was an unbelievable hail of upper magic and she was not a named player whose face was known.

But now, Leah had a casting speed much faster than the highest-ranking magician in Warlord.

If they knew she was a user, they would have suspected her of being a bug user that could not exist in Warlord.

Kwaaaang!

“Damn it! The healers…!”

Moreover, Leah’s strengths were not only her fast casting and powerful power.

High-firepower large-scale magic was generally not easy to control the range.

However, Leah showed accurate accuracy without even an inch of error even at a distance somewhat away from such high-firepower magic.

Above all, the magic bombardment she dropped accurately targeted only the opponent’s weaknesses.

The ability to strike the right places at the right time to inflict maximum damage.

In addition to her extraordinary talent, she had shown remarkable achievements in her judgment and sense in battle through playing with Aile’s 고인물 [Goinmul – literally “stagnant water,” referring to highly skilled or veteran] party.

“T… this is.”

Resignation was in the eyes of the knight in the front.

Powerful warriors were rushing in from the front, and behind them was a monster scattering large-scale magic all over the battlefield.

Leah perfectly filled the long-range or wide-area firepower that was lacking with only warriors.

Given her characteristic of being able to pour out large-scale magic indefinitely as long as the protection against close combat was certain, it was virtually like having a walking cannon with them.

“Retreat! Fall back!”

The knight commander of the Earth Order, realizing that there was no chance of winning, shouted.

But it was the opponent who had set up traps here in advance, and it was not easy to retreat.

Kwaak!

The arrows and axes that flew in.

The retreating knights were hit by them and collapsed.

They were already surrounded from the front and back, and even the retreat was under control.

“N, no way…….”

Even if they tried to resist in a situation where even the commander’s will was broken, it was helpless, and they could not avoid annihilation.

* * *

The troops of the Order’s underground forces that had poured in from all over as the Holy War was proclaimed cut down the enemies with tremendous momentum.

In particular, the warriors of Sidna, who began to take control of the rear, easily climbed over the walls and captured the strongholds.

Thanks to the 땅굴 [Tanggul – tunnels] of the Raters, the opponent was struggling even to respond properly.

Even the head-on match between the Orders fought in the front was being won by the Light Order in succession.

The Light Order was pushing through the lower front in this northeastern region without any obstacles.

Kkaakkkaak!

Inside the collapsed fortress filled with corpses.

The believers of the Water Order who had defended the stronghold in the front were all executed, and the fortress was filled with the stench of blood.

And Aile, standing in the middle of it, leaned on his longsword.

“Apollyon has sent mercenary groups to our front. It seems they urgently sent reinforcements because the two Orders continued to be pushed back, and it’s quite a large number as if they’re thinking of completely reversing the situation. There were also a few elite guilds like Onyx and Lunatic.”

The report of the inquisitor, Mei, was made.

Onyx and Lunatic were among the mercenary guilds specializing in war and had considerable fame.

It would be natural for a mercenary guild of a level that could be mobilized in a war between the Six Great Guilds, but in particular, they emphasized a small number of elites and included famous individual rankers even in the guild leader.

‘Rankers…….’

Aile pulled out the longsword he had stuck in the floor and gripped it.

The thick blood 묻었던 [Mudeotdeon – stained] on the longsword dripped down.

“Let’s go out and intercept them ourselves. We need to push harder at times like this.”

If they had moved the mercenary guild, it meant that they had now reached a level that was very annoying even from Apollyon’s point of view.

But this was just the beginning for him.