I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 688: The Desire to Achieve (2)

As the cardinals began to storm in, the tide of battle changed.

The brainwashed ones who received the divine power they bestowed ran wild with tremendous momentum.

The demon army, which had been focused on holding back their opponents' ankles and buying time as much as possible, collapsed helplessly due to the cardinals' appearance.

The Dream Walkers retreated en masse, and the pursuers followed after them.

"Never let them escape! Capture them all alive!"

"If they resist, you may kill them!"

At the murderous sounds coming from behind, the Dream Walkers panted and shouted.

"Oh my! These bastards! Don't you have any respect for the elderly? Any respect!"

"Instead of talking, run more!"

"Back in my day, what? I used to fly around!"

"Oh my, these old folks still have their mouths alive even in this situation, alive they are."

Though they acted cheerfully on the surface, the distance with the pursuers was gradually narrowing.

They couldn't be caught like this, so it seemed right to at least resist, but they couldn't even do that.

The difference in numbers was too great.

Even if they fought like this, they would clearly not last long and collapse helplessly.

At that moment, a ship appeared from the sky with the sound of a horn.

Unlike the steel warships of the era, the ship of the line that decorated the last era of wooden warships opened all three rows of gun ports simultaneously upon its appearance.

"Fire the cannons!"

The cannons roared and fired projectiles made of blue magic power toward the ground.

Like meteors pouring down on a night full of stars, the blue magic projectiles swept across the ground.

The earth flipped from the explosions, and thick dust clouds rose.

The pursuers who had been chasing had no choice but to be startled by that momentum and retreat.

Meanwhile, the Golden Monarch dropped anchor on the ground and quickly docked to rescue the Dream Walkers.

"Old folks! Hurry up and get on!"

"Oh my, how can there be such a welcome sight."

Once all the Dream Walkers had boarded, the Monarch raised anchor and flew back up into the sky.

"Don't let them escape!"

"Intercept them!"

The mages couldn't let them go like this and cast magic.

Even if it was a flying ship, with that size it was no different from a target asking to be hit.

However, the magic was blocked by a barrier generated outside the Monarch just before it could collide with the ship.

The Golden Monarch flew using Caroline's magic power, but when she wasn't present, it used the magic power and magic stones stored inside the ship as power.

Cannon attacks also consumed magic power, and deploying such barriers was the same.

Naturally, large quantities of magic stones were stockpiled inside the ship.

It was truly no different from a super-large artifact shaped like a ship.

The Monarch Mercenary Group, having barely escaped to safety, turned their bow away from the battlefield.

"I say, where are you going?"

"Our role is already finished. Getting as far away from this battlefield as possible is our next objective."

"Are you saying we should leave our allies like this?"

"We'd only be a burden anyway if we stayed."

The Monarch Mercenary Group didn't want to do this either, but they had no choice.

Not only was the difference in military strength overwhelming, but they also recalled the orders given by Caroline, whom they respected and followed most.

-Hold out as much as possible, and when it seems dangerous, get out. Protect this ship and your lives.

The Monarch mercenaries had no choice but to follow those words.

No matter how uneducated they were and how poorly they listened to others, they couldn't disobey the orders of their captain who had taken in such lacking individuals like themselves and truly cared for them.

"Just what is about to happen?"

Several mercenaries muttered as they looked at the scene unfolding below beyond the ship.

A shining castle.

A tsunami that occurred at the coastline.

And even the strange divine power that arose throughout the battlefield.

What was more surprising was that all of this was merely the beginning.

"Well now."

Luther clicked his tongue while standing at the center of the giant gray dome.

"I thought you were pulling some kind of trick, but who would have thought you'd secretly plant spies like this."

He already knew that the Bretus Holy Kingdom had brainwashed people.

Most of the leaders of each country were brainwashed, and besides that, some of the soldiers, knights, and mages participating in this war were also brainwashed.

A situation where colleagues who had shared hardships together might have been brainwashed.

That's why Luther had deliberately spread a giant gray dome to block the view and was quietly waiting inside.

-Grrrr.

The fusion cryptid standing before him bared its teeth and made a wary sound.

At the thoroughly bristling reaction, Luther clicked his tongue.

"What an excessive reaction. I deliberately blocked the view to spare your life, and you're baring your teeth?"

If Luther wanted to kill the fusion cryptid, he would have done so long ago.

The reason he didn't and deliberately created such a giant dome through Jet Stream was to block the view from outside.

Under the pretext of engaging in fierce bloody combat inside.

Perhaps realizing this, the fusion cryptid hid its teeth and became docile.

"Oh. You're smarter than I thought. If you weren't a cryptid, you'd make a perfect pet."

-Grrrr!

"Oh dear. Do you understand words? It was a joke. You look cool, so I just said it."

Even looking at the fusion cryptid that made even knights' knees buckle, Luther was full of leisure.

If he had wanted to from the beginning, Luther could have chopped the fusion cryptid into thousands of pieces on the spot or twisted its body like a pretzel.

The reason he didn't kill it and kept it alive was a kind of insurance he left behind because he didn't know how this war would unfold.

"The cardinals who were hiding outside have made their move. Seeing that high priests and other bastards have all appeared, they must be quite desperate."

Luther gazed at the light flowing from Galahad Fortress beyond the wind barrier.

While the inside couldn't be seen from outside, Luther, who had created this dome, knew what the situation outside was like.

Luther had no choice but to deliberate.

He could continue to stall for time here while observing the situation further, or he could intervene somehow.

Since the Holy Kingdom had begun to show its true colors, there was sufficient justification for this side to move as well.

At that moment, one side of the dome split open and a group walked inside.

Yes.

They walked in.

Though not at full power, they had pierced through the wall of Tempest deployed with Gladius Arts.

Knights and paladins, priests and mages.

Their number was less than 10, but their power was different.

"We're fighting, but you enter without even knocking?"

Luthers asked, but instead of an answer, a question flew back.

"Captain Luther Wardot. Why haven't you defeated that monster yet?"

The one who asked that question was Maximilian, a master from the Kingdom of Durman.

The middle-aged man with a sharp, well-groomed beard had eyes that seemed somehow unfocused.

"This monster is quite tough. I've been having trouble fighting it."

"A fighter of your caliber couldn't handle a single beast like that?"

The fusion cryptid growled at those words, but Maximilian didn't even glance at it.

It wasn't just Maximilian.

Those around him were master-level knights from various countries, high-ranking mages from magic towers, archbishops of Lumensis, and vice-captain-level paladins.

"I guess I've gotten old too. My skills aren't what they used to be."

"So it seems."

"But why are you all looking at me with such murderous gazes? If you keep looking at me like that, I don't know how this old man might react."

"We're just trying to help you defeat that monster."

"But why is the tip of your sword pointing at me like that?"

Luthers lightly spun Jet Stream above his hand.

"I was thinking of watching the situation and moving cautiously here, but since you're making justification for me, this is both grateful and regrettable."

"Luther Wardot. Did you think we wouldn't notice that trick of deliberately stalling for time?"

Maximilian.

No, it was someone who had taken control of his mind and borrowed his body who said that.

Otherwise, there was no way divine power would flow from him, a master-level knight.

If they could manipulate a master-level knight like that, the opponent must surely be a cardinal.

That meant the other side had also deployed cardinals.

Who were the cardinals?

They were the power holders second only to the Pope. Though they were pushed back by the Saint and were on the same level as the High Priests, their influence and power were not to be taken lightly.

The seven cardinals who stood alongside the seven High Priests.

One of them had died at the hands of Demon King Heathcliff, but there were still six cardinals remaining.

They had begun to intervene in earnest in this war.

"I knew this situation would come, but it's faster than I thought. From the looks of it, you seem anxious because of what happened in that castle. Is that such a big problem?"

"Think whatever you want."

"Hmm. Since you said that, I'll think whatever I want. I find this war quite irritating. To be honest, I don't like it."

"Are you now desecrating the holy war?"

"Desecrating?"

Luthers let out a snicker.

"Well, let's say that's the case."

"Then, Luther Wardot. I will define you as a heretic here and dispose of you."

Maximilian's confidence in speaking as if he could easily take care of this side was sky-high.

Just looking at the people gathered here, it was understandable.

Master-level knights.

High-ranking mages from magic towers.

Archbishops who were just below cardinals.

And even vice-captain-level paladins who, while not reaching captain level, were not inferior to them.

There were as many as 10 such people gathered.

There was no way they could lack confidence.

"Ha. You planned from the very beginning to capture me, didn't you?"

At the point where they sent such a variety of people to him instead of using them in the war, he could tell what their purpose was.

"Were you planning to eliminate me, or control me with that fine brainwashing of yours? That's quite an interesting idea. I'm having quite an enjoyable experience in my later years."

Luther grinned, baring his teeth.

His face twitched and his muscles bulged.

"So it's really fucking annoying."

-Kiiing.

That vicious fusion cryptid made a whimpering sound and unconsciously stepped back.

The tremendous killing intent emanating from Luther' s body made the surrounding air ripple like a mirage.

Just by expressing his emotions, an enormous sense of pressure as if the surrounding atmosphere had dropped several degrees in an instant.

The moment it glimpsed Luthers' true feelings, the fusion cryptid became as docile as a puppy.

"You're going to catch me with just that level of people?"

Air currents swirled above Luthers' sword, Jet Stream.

"You should have brought at least three times more than that. Then you might have been able to hold me down."

"Huff. Huff."

Cardinal Aldre Lilly was panting.

She had now fled with staggering steps all the way to the inner castle.

Yes. She had fled.

She, who had risen to the position of cardinal, desperately as if being chased by something.

Aldre looked back.

No presence could be felt beyond the quiet corridor where nothing existed.

"Did, did I barely escape?"

Aldre trembled.

She had no way of knowing what had happened to Joseph Powell and Sehar Galnia, who had been with her.

They were all outstanding cardinals, but they had probably been defeated because the opponent was that Great Demon Surna.

'A demon was that strong?'

When Surna first revealed himself, she had thought to herself that this was good.

Three cardinals had gathered, so she thought they could easily win thanks to the opponent's arrogance in revealing himself.

Moreover, this side was fully prepared.

They had artifacts, holy magic, and even sacred relics.

No matter how much of a longtime enemy of the Lumensis Order this archfiend was, she didn't think they would lose.

It took only a short five minutes to change that thought.

'We're all defeated.'

Thanks to making a quick decision and fleeing, Aldre was able to survive.

Fortunately, Surna didn't chase after her. Whether he couldn't or had no intention to, she didn't know, but for Aldre, it was fortunate that she had preserved her life.

'I can't retreat like this. I must somehow stop the Demon King.'

Aldre steeled her resolve.

Since she had come to the inner castle, she would rather defeat the enemy leader, Demon King Heathcliff.

Of course, it was something that didn't make sense logically.

Three cardinals had been defeated by that Surna, yet she alone would face the Demon King, an opponent who might be even stronger than Surna but Aldre also had something she believed in.

'I've been saving the sacred relic for this.'

Aldre took out a small rosary from her bosom.

'With this, I can definitely defeat the Demon King.'

All that remained was finding the Demon King's quarters.

At that moment, footsteps could be heard from the corridor ahead.

'Who?'

It wasn't the sound of someone chasing from behind, but someone from inside coming to find her.

Just as she wondered if there were still subordinates of the Demon King remaining, Aldre had no choice but to widen her eyes.

"Demon King."

Black hair and blue eyes.

A man so beautiful, as delicately crafted as a sculpture, stood before her with dignity.

Heathcliff van Bretus.

The Demon King, who should have been hiding his appearance, had appeared before her of his own accord.

"I sent him to handle it, but the bug he let escape has crawled all the way here."

Heathcliff evaluated Aldre with those words.

Calling a cardinal a bug, no less?

As Aldre bit her lip at that shocking insult, Heathcliff muttered as if throwing the words away.

"Should I clean it up myself?"