Chapter 59 Irz in flames (1)
Head Shione had already lied down on her bed but the moment one of the vigilantes knocked on the door, she jumped back to her feet.
The village itself had not faced any incident for several decades now, but she had experienced emergency calling incidents countless times in her long life.
The village head called the person inside and heard the situation in her usual composed manner.
“……I see. Then I’ll leave towards the gate at once.”(shione)
Even after hearing something shocking like a mysterious army marching towards here, she did not show any signs of astonishment or bewilderment on her face.
She hadn’t been living for so long just for show after all. She understood that even in emergencies, the head should always stay calm and composed first.
But still, just because no emotions were shown outside, didn’t mean that her heart was also calm.
As she prayed that no blood of the villagers be spilled, she put on her aged dark green robe and left the house with her long staff that had an emerald coloured stone embedded on its tip.
That robe and staff were battle equipment that she hadn’t used in a long time.
“Eh……..What does that mean?”
Nino, who should have returned with Claydor, suddenly returned back with a changed expression which surprised Nyarko and others, but without paying that any attention, he briefly yet precisely explained the situation to them, or rather, shouted in a loud voice so that every guild member could hear it.
Nyarko remained dumbfounded but Aten and Harry, and all other adventurers that were sitting and drinking, immediately started moving.
“Nyarko, hurry up and contact the Guild Leader and round up every adventurer here in Irz village guild!”
“I, I’m on it!!”
On Nino’s words, Nyarko ran towards the counter.
“Ah, maybe I should have asked her to run away.”(nino)
“What are you saying? Nyarko-san is also a member of the Guild. During evacuation, she would be second last to do so.”(harry)
‘And the last ones would be us’. Nino understood that without even saying.
“But, this time I’m really getting a bad——“
*DODON!!*
At that moment, a load thunderous sound resounded in the guild, no, in the whole village.
“This certainly feels dangerous.”
“The sound came from the direction of the gate, right?”
“Shit! Hurry up and let’s go! Aten, Harry!!”
Each and everyone picked up their weapons and started running towards the gate.
“Anathema Hammer – Destruction Hammer.”
A Union magic used by 10 magicians together in cooperation, as its name suggested, smashed the Irz village gate into smithereens.
The vigilantes standing near the gate were blown away and instantly killed.
The village head who was coming towards the gate to talk with the mysterious army was protected from the blast by the vigilante corps leader by using his own body as a shield and somehow escaped being heavily injured.
Cries of pain and agony of the injured resounded in the dark night.
Even before the dust of the blast settled, the Crusaders dressed in white and with the man on a horse as its leader, boldly entered the Irz Village.
“Hm, there are quite a lot of demons here.”
Atop his horse, Kievan said as he looked towards the Vigilante corps with a scowl.
Among them, he saw an old elf woman with a long staff come towards him along with a giant lizardman.
He stopped the soldiers behind him, who were about to fire arrows, with a single wave of his hand. Along with his aide, Corvus, Kievan took a step towards them.
The surroundings were still noisy, but Irz village representative Shione along with vigilante corps leader Grint and Crusaders representative Priest Kievan and Deacon Corvus were still silent.
But, one side was due to fear and anxiety, and the other due to contempt and scorn. There was clear difference in their mental states.
“Are you the head of this village?” (Kievan)
The first to speak was Kievan, impolitely while looking down on Shione from the horse.
“Yes, I’m Irz village’s—-“
“Don’t talk anymore. I’ll get corrupted if I talk to demons any more. What I’m about to say are the words of God. I’ll say only once so listen carefully.
We, the holy Crusaders have killed the evil dragon Gaevinal and have liberated this land of Daedalus. And as per the wishes of our great Lord, this land will be offered to him.”
At those words, the Village head could only stiffen while widening her eyes.
Basically, the Dragon King Gaevinal had been killed by the human army called Crusaders and have captured Daedalus.
She knew they were fighting humans, but it was hard to believe that the powerful Daedalus army led by the Dragon King himself had been defeated.
“Oh my, it seems you don’t even understand what you have to do. It can’t be helped so I’ll explain in words you low-witted demons can also understand.
Quickly bring all gold, silver, weapons, provisions, everything in the village and give it to us Crusaders.
Also, if there are any humans then bring them as well, I’ll specially treat them as salves and let them live.”
A chill ran down Shione’s spine.
If they were thieves, then their eyes would be shining with greed right now. But in his eyes, Shione could only see a clear contempt. This man does not even have the guilt of ‘stealing’ things from others. He is already certain that everything here is his possession.
And it seems her instincts were unfortunately correct as well.
In other words, there was no scope for negotiations.
Shione decided, while apologizing to the Irz village that was about to be destroyed and to the people who were about to die.
“…….Grint, ring the bell.”
Grint clearly heard those simple words. At the same time, she shouted towards the sky.
“Ring the bell!!!”
*GOONG!* *GOONG!!*
The bell resounded throughout the village. It’s meaning was known by everyone in the Irz village.
Emergency situation and evacuate. That was the meaning behind the bell.
“Tch, don’t cause us trouble.”
Kievan said as he brought down his raised hand.
The moment the bell rang, he took it as a show of resistance and instantly ordered to attack.
Behind him, arrows were nocked, spears were taken in stance, chants of magic began, and the signal of battle was given.
And, a battle had started in the place Kievan stood as well. In front of him, stood Grint whose body had been pierced with numerous arrows.
“Fuun!”
Grint removed the arrows in his body forcefully with his bare hands.
The arrows had pierced even through the gaps in the scales but he defended against mot with steel like scales and flesh.
Grint who belonged to one of the sturdiest race and was also a trained soldier, his life would not be in danger just because of some arrows.
“Demons really are uselessly sturdy. Truly repulsive.”
Kievan said with a bored expression. And with a shout Grint jumped towards him.
A lizardman who was much powerful than a human, could display charging strength equal to that of a whole human troop with his own body. And, currently, he was using it to its fullest.
“oooooo—- Charge!!”
With the activation of a martial art skill, an attack that could already pierce steel was powered up even further. And the spear that was going in a straight line to pierce Kievan was,
“Slash.”
It was reflected by the swing of a long sword.
To defend Kievan, Corvus had stepped in between.
“Is physical strength enhancement – Full Burst necessary?”(Kievan)
“No, something of that level, I can deal with my martial arts alone.”(Corvus)
Even after taking the powerful blow of the lizardman warrior Grint, Corvus replied calmly.
“I see, الدرع الأبيض لمنع ضوء — Lux Shield.”
The moment Kievan deployed his defensive magic, the shield of light was struck with a blade of wind.
“To think that even that old hag could fight. These demons really are troublesome.”
In front him, Shione stood who had fired the Wind Blade – Air Sagita.
“Too dangerous. I’ve decided Corvus, the demons of this village—–“
Kievan laughed. Rather than getting gold, rather than making women into his slaves, killing evil demons was a much happier thing for pious follower of the church.
“—-Annihilate them all.”
“Shit, Shiiiitt!!!”
Drenched in sweat and blood, with his blade that had started losing its sharpness, he stabbed his sword once more in another one of the soldiers dressed in white.
Nino had already cut apart 10 of them. But their numbers were only increasing instead of decreasing. And to top it off, everything was in flames now.
There was not a single soldier who could use a single martial art, but the difference in numbers was too big to cover with just his skills.
If it goes on like this, it’s only a matter of time before he will be surrounded by flames and enemies.
Nino, after the bell had been rung, was now running towards the gate that led to the north-west highway while defeating enemies that were coming up one by one.
But, maybe because the gate had been blown away, soldiers were appearing from beyond the darkness of the night.
“Nino! We can’t go on like this! Let’s return to the guild!”
You don’t even have to tell me that, but,
“Idiot! Claydor is still near the gate!”
“Calm down Nino. The vigilantes are also there near the gate, then we don’t have to go to reinforce them unnecessarily—–”
I know that as well. The vigilante corps, that is the strongest force of the village, is already at the gate. It’s not like much would change even if just we joined them.
No, maybe, attacked by such a big number, they might have been annihilated already.
“……let’s go back to the guild.”
If we can’t go to the gate then, the next thing we should do is regroup and collaborate with other adventurers and help in the evacuation of civilians.
Like that he could save people like Nyarko or anyone else.
“Sorry, Claydor…….”
Looking back towards the burning gate one last time, Nino and the others started to go back the way they came.