The End, and the Beginning (6)
Ian sharpened his sword and returned to the white horse. In his hand was the head of the top-level monster that had returned to its original form.
His appearance, lifeless like a broken doll, was eerily beautiful.
The moment he tied the head to the horse's back, something fishy flowed back down his esophagus.
Blackened blood soaked his hands. As he looked down at it, he coughed again.
"Cough...!"
His stomach felt like it was burning. His whole body was feverish, and cold sweat ran down his back.
It was a typical symptom of addiction. Ian let out a bloody sigh.
"..."
Is that why the top-level monster was so relaxed?
"Killing me won't change anything. We will come again. At that time, you will face us, who are much more powerful and weaker than we are now."
Then he remembered what he had said.
From the beginning, its purpose was not to appease them, but to exterminate the "Keepers."
To prepare for the next Great Rift, it's best to get rid of at least one Guardian.
"I've caught up."
Was he poisoned the moment he came into contact with it? Or from the time they spread their black wings?
He doesn't know when or how much he became addicted, but he didn't have a good feeling.
Should he run to Rahon right away?
However, eliminating the top-level monsters does not mean that all monsters will disappear.
There were still many monsters left to fight. At least until all the advanced monsters disappeared.
Ian looked up at the snowy sky and pulled out a handkerchief.
"Please come back without a drop of blood on this handkerchief."
"..."
Millenia, who was waiting in the barracks, grew in front of him. His golden eyes sank deep into the handkerchief.
"Commander!"
A familiar voice came from behind. The Marquis Astrod was running towards him.
Ian's expression changed resolutely, as if he had shaken at some point.
He had wiped his mouth and hands with a handkerchief when the Marquis of Astrod jumped off his horse.
His face was reddish and frozen from the cold wind.
"What if you act alone during the battle?"
lan replied, casually putting his handkerchief in his pocket.
"Dealt with the top-tier monsters."
"What's that...!"
The Marquis of Astrod, who belatedly discovered the head of the top monster, stopped talking.
His eyes, which had been beaked at first, widened, and he smiled widely.
"Well done, well done!"
The Marquis Astrod tapped Ian on the shoulder. Ian laughed softly.
"I have to make this much effort to be treated like before. I'm sorry, Marquis."
"If I treat you comfortably, will there be a hierarchy? There is a certain rank in the military."
"What is the situation?"
The Marquis of Astrod, who had returned from his friend's father to his immediate soldier form, quickly reported.
"The wires were pushed back."
"How many enemies are left?"
"There aren't many intermediate monsters, but the problem is the advanced monsters. Twenty-five appeared."
"They've increased even more."
"It suddenly increased immediately after the commander left the front."
It seemed that the top-level monsters were also expected to disappear. So they must have brought out all the remaining advanced monsters before luring Ian in.
"We are currently blocking it with the remaining mines and explosives, but it won't last long. We don't have time. You must return quickly."
"..."
Will he be able to hold out until the end of the war?
lan swallowed the blood that was bubbling up inside him and climbed on his horse.
"Let's go."
***
Boom!
Thunderous explosions and piles of dirt erupted from all directions.
At first glance, the situation was not good.
The soldiers were dealing with intermediate monsters with explosives and mines, but the knights were too tired to attack the advanced monsters properly.
In fact, no matter how much they killed, they continued to come back to life, so they gave up attacking the advanced monsters altogether.
In the end, they were putting all their efforts into defending the front line from being pushed back any further.
Nevertheless, the monsters gradually advanced and shortened the distance from the main base.
If the defense line collapses, they will attack the main base where Millenia is.
Ian's eyes were bright blue.
"Oh no!"
"Commander, be careful!"
Everything in his way turned to ashes and was scattered. Luckily, the monsters, which were out of the range of their power, began to scream and run away.
A white horse ran down the road in the middle of Whitefield.
Ian stood up from his galloping horse. Standing on the saddle, his gaze was fixed on the advanced monster that had been turned into a one-legged monster by its power.
Kugugugugugung!
The enormous, uncentered body tilted with a heavy sound. Soon, he crushes the monsters under his feet and kicks their buttocks.
Ian jumped out of the saddle at a reasonable distance.
Using the elbow of the advanced monster on the ground to balance, he climbed onto the shoulder and took over the top of his head in an instant.
Kwajik!
Before the advanced monster could shake Ian away, the silvery Sword sank deep into his eyeballs.
Ugh!
The screams of the advanced monsters did not last long. His body turned into a rock and collapsed.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
The Marquis of Astrod, who was decapitating the intermediate monster from behind, was also surprised and stopped his sword.
'Was he like this?'
If Ian had become stronger, he should have been happy, but he was strangely anxious. It's like a flame that burns brilliantly just before it goes out.
'What am I thinking...'
The Marquis Astrod shook his head and followed closely behind him.
The Allies were also watching Ian's inaction. Everyone knew that Ian had returned, but they weren't overjoyed.
After all, it will come back to life.
"Huh? Isn't it alive?"
"What, what? Just a second. Isn't it real?"
The soldiers roared. Contrary to everyone's expectations, the advanced monster did not come back to life anymore.
Whip!
Ian whistled sharply and called out to the white horse. He jumped on the fast-running white horse and spurred on.
The speed of the white horse, which was running with its mane swinging, became as fast as the wind.
The frightened Intermediate monster couldn't even get close to Ian. Instead, they were busy running away from Ian.
The only thing that could stop Ian was the high-level monster.
But it was a speed they couldn't keep up with.
Some of them tried to attack Ian and fell on each other. Snow instead of dirt fluttered like dust here and there. The intermediate monsters crushed by the advanced monsters screamed.
Ian ran through the white field in a straight line and raised his head high.
"The top-level monster is dead!!"
With that one word, the mood of the Allied forces changed rapidly. The fastest reaction was from the knights.
"The Keeper has killed the supreme monster!"
"Attack the whole army!"
"Kill them! Destroy every single one of them!"
The Allies launched a volley attack. The waves of humans that washed into the white field engulfed the monsters.
The most brilliant of them all were Ian and the Knights of the Eldern.
Ian turned the legs of the advanced monsters to ashes and sliced the intermediate monsters.
Meanwhile, the Knights of the Eldern, including Beorn, climb on top of the fallen advanced monsters and destroy the eyeballs.
Even though they didn't discuss each other, they got along well.
Now, before Ian used his powers, Beorn was leading the Knights to clean up the monsters around the advanced monsters.
The battle began in the morning and continued until the end of the day.
As the surroundings were getting dark, the last advanced monster fell.
Kung!
The Intermediate monsters that had survived until then lost their will and began to flee.
For a moment, the white field was enveloped in silence.
After a while, blue smoke rose from the side of their nest. It was a sign that the Great Rift had vanished.
"Wow, it's over!"
"I won! We won!"
"Hurrah! Long live the Guardians! Long live humans!"
A huge roar erupted.
The three-month-long war against the monsters has finally come to an end. What had gone through was flowing like a kaleidoscope in everyone's heads.
At this moment, status was not important. The Allies hugged each other and shared their joy.
The Marquis Astrode was also controlling his emotions as he watched the blue smoke.
It was the second time he saw it, but he was equally thrilled.
"Whoa..."
A soft sigh came out of his bearded mouth.
"Now that it's safe, I can pretend I don't know for the time being."
He was surprised to see the maid in Ian's barracks the other day
He almost yelled without any pain.
'Millenia, why are you here?'
How can parents not know their children because their hair length has changed, and their voices have changed?
He managed to pretend he didn't know, but he really couldn't understand it.
Why did she come to the battlefield? Why is she in Ian's barracks?
'I think I know why now...'
The Marquis Astrod turned his head to look for Ian.
Ian stood firm among the jubilant soldiers. Looking at the wide backside, he sighed again.
"Why the 'Keeper'... What are you going to do with your fate?"
Just in time, Ian plunged his sword into the ground.
Then he grabs the hilt of his sword and kneels down on one knee. Like a knight who swears allegiance to a lady.
'What are you doing?"
As he tilted his head, Ian lowered his head. The Marquis Astrod held his breath.
"Ian!"
Dark red blood was slowly dripping from Ian's slightly open mouth.
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