The Count’s face turned pale.

Most of the Passages leading out of the Castle were in the outer Castle.

The enemies would come to the Capital City and the Count himself would reside in my Castle.

Therefore, my Castle only had a few Passages known only to Nobles.

All those secret Passages were destroyed.

I had an idea who did it.

The Noble who escaped.

No one else could have destroyed them.

Their intention was to kill anyone who might speak up, because if it became known that they had fled from this place, they wouldn’t be able to show their faces.

The Count gritted his teeth.

Other Nobles also understood the situation and became enraged.

There was no turning back now.

To live, they had to kill the Orcs.

The Nobles steeled their resolve.

They now had a reason to win this battle.

They absolutely had to survive, if only to punish the fleeing traitor later.

They had determined faces, which they hadn’t shown until now.

Those in the Office went out to command the Soldiers.

I walked following him.

From now on, it was the decisive battle.

There was no place to retreat, unlike in the outer Castle.

If they lost this time, everything would be over.

He looked around.

People were gathered in Buildings everywhere.

They were women and Old Men.

They were trembling, clutching each other.

Some closed their eyes and prayed.

The most they could do was rely on God.

It wouldn’t be long until the outcome was decided.

The Orcs’ offensive was getting stronger.

It seemed they intended to settle it before sunset.

The City Gate was slowly crumbling.

I looked up.

The sun was directly overhead.

It was still a long time until it would set.

I had a feeling I might not see the sun tomorrow.

It meant I could die.

But strangely, I wasn’t scared.

Before, I would have been trembling with fear and crying.

It was like that when I faced the Goblin.

But now, even looking at the Orcs gathered in front of the City Wall, I felt nothing.

It seemed to be because Amelin was next to me.

Charlotte was there too, and many other people.

Even if people didn’t know, I thought dying with them wouldn’t be so bad.

Before, I was alone.

I was afraid of dying.

But now, I wasn’t alone.

I could be calm even in the face of death.

I haven’t given up.

The Protagonist will live.

Just like always.

They will save everyone and the Protagonist will also survive.

Even if it was greedy, it didn’t matter.

If you had power, you could satisfy your desires.

The Protagonist had power.

He looked around.

The spears and axes flying towards the City Wall stopped.

The Orcs climbing the Ladder had also stopped at some point.

Someone walked out in front of the Orcs.

It was an Orc even bigger than Grak.

He had a unique axe at his waist.

It was the Black Axe that Grak had warned him about.

“I am Garkus.”

“Garkus…”

Someone murmured.

“Where is the Mage!”

His voice spread to every corner of the Battlefield.

The Orc had an incredibly loud voice.

The people around looked in his direction.

He hesitated, then walked forward.

He was curious what the Orc’s purpose was in looking for the Protagonist.

“I heard that you killed Omar, the Chieftain. And also that your wicked Golem smashed and killed the Troll’s skull!”

“…”

“If I defeat you, I will be one step closer to the gods! I hope you don’t disappoint me like this fellow.”

Garkus threw something he was holding in his hand onto the City Wall.

Someone picked it up and screamed.

It was a human head.

“Ku, Sir Kunt…”

It’s Sir Kunt’s head.

Some Knights who knew whose head it was spoke with trembling voices.

The name Sir Kunt was not unfamiliar.

It was the name of the intermediate Knight who was mentioned first when Viscount Hobbs called the Warrior’s name earlier.

He swallowed hard.

The opponent had declared war.

It was a declaration of war to kill the protagonist.

“Warriors!”

Garkus shouted.

He was addressing his kin, not those present.

“The Sky God watches over us.”

“…”

“We must be honorable without a hint of cowardice! Only then, even if my body perishes and goes to Warrior’s Hill, there will be no sadness or regret. That is the life of a Warrior!”

“Ohhh…!”

“Let’s go! Warriors! The time has come to prove our purity!”

Whoa!

The Orcs roared. Their bodies trembled. Not out of fear. It was because the roar the Orcs let out was so immense. He even felt as if the entire City Wall was shaking as if there had been an earthquake.

The Orcs began to rush the City Wall again. The Soldiers belatedly shot arrows and threw stones, trying to stop them.

Meanwhile, Rael went down the stairs of the City Wall.

He had to prepare for the decisive battle with the Chieftains who would storm the City Gate.

It seemed that all the strongest Orcs intended to attack the North Gate. With so many Chieftains gathered, his knees felt weak.

There were eight Chieftains.

Among them were Black Axe and Grak.

Even though all the forces within the Castle, besides the protagonist, were planning to gather and stop them, he was afraid.

As he walked down the City Wall, Charlotte grabbed his hand.

She pulled the protagonist into a nearby building.

It seemed like she had something important to say.

“Rael.”

“If you have something to say, do it later.”

“This is something I must say now.”

“What is it?”

“How about we run away like this?”

“Run away?”

“You’re not someone who should die here.”

“So?”

“Don’t you understand what I’m saying? He was sure that if such a strong person killed you, he could become stronger. You shouldn’t die here.”

“People will die.”

“We’ll lose something even greater!”

Charlotte shouted, placing both hands on the Wall.

Before he knew it, the Protagonist was leaning against the Wall.

“I’ve become afraid of losing.”

He looked up at her.

Her expression was a mess.

“It’s because of you. You have to bear the burden of being the Book.”

“Charlotte…”

“If you run out of strength and perish on the Battlefield, that’s all it is. Anyone can die. I’ve always been prepared for it since standing there. But now, I’ve become cautious. It’s because of you.”

“…”

“Run away with me, for my sake.”

“Can we even run away?”

The secret Passage that led out of the Castle had disappeared.

The Nobles brought them down.

“There might be an escape route left. Just give me some time…”

“It’s alright.”

She gently pushed him away.

“I heard about the god from the Count.”

“You mean Goddess Skadi?”

“Skadi?”

“I don’t know much about it either. Only that there’s a group in the North that worships a Goddess.”

“A group that worships…”

“Don’t rely on gods. Humans must stand on their own. Only the weak rely on gods. Even if you pray, gods won’t answer. That’s the truth I realized on the Battlefield, where people died like insects.”

“I don’t think so.”

The Protagonist had been saved many times.

In desperate situations, the god had answered.

It wasn’t even like she had prayed as he said.

Yet, the Protagonist survived.

He felt he would survive this time too.

It was certainty.

The Protagonist would not die.

He wouldn’t let others die either.

“Are you really… going?”

“Yes.”

“If that is your will… I will also brace myself.”

Charlotte’s expression changed.

His face was free of distractions.

“You’re back to your usual self now.”

“Hmph.”

I exited the building.

Amelin was standing outside.

“Amelin.”

“Rael.”

“I’m sorry. I made you stay because of my greed.”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re going to win, aren’t we?”

“That’s right.”

The castle’s alarm sounded.

Charlotte’s expression changed.

“The city gate has been breached. People are fighting.”

“Let’s go quickly too.”

Outside was chaos.

I left the Golem right in front.

As I advanced with it leading the way, Orcs came into view.

They were engaged in a chaotic battle, all mixed together.

Screams erupted from everywhere.

Although the veteran soldiers all gathered to defend, their numbers were insufficient.

On this side, even with the intermediate knights, there were only five.

In contrast, there were nine chieftains on the opposing side.

The quality of the soldiers also differed greatly.

At this rate, it was dangerous.

Even if they had superior numbers, it would be a disadvantage if the skilled fighters died first.

Chieftains were capable of changing the flow of the battlefield.

At that point, the numbers no longer mattered much.

The number of strong individuals must be reduced.

Hahahahaha…

Laughter was heard nearby.

It was the voice of Garkus, who had previously declared war.

He cut down everything around him.

He swung his axe faster than Grak.

He was so fast that by the time his shoulder twitched, he was already splitting the opponent’s torso.

In front of him, a Knight in a Cloak stood, holding a Bastard Sword with both hands, facing the Archives.

He seemed to be struggling even with sacrificing the Soldiers.

No, more than that, there was a strong feeling that he couldn’t endure it.

Compared to Garkus, the intermediate Knight was an amateur.

I didn’t know Swordsmanship, but it was clear to see.

The Orcs were toying with their opponents, like Gnolls.

It was an incredible skill.

Garkus’s head turned.

It was in the direction of the Protagonist.

“Mage!”

The shout shook the Battlefield.

“There you are! I’ve been looking for you!”

I involuntarily stepped back.

Someone was behind me.

I turned my head and saw Charlotte with a hardened expression.

“Looking at his size, he’s a guy who’s received a Blessing three times.”

“Three times? How do you know that?”

“I’ve faced Orcs many times on the battlefield. So I know. That one… is stronger than me. This might be the last battlefield I ever stand on.”

“Charlotte.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve never lost to Orcs.”

For the first time, she looked like a fragile woman, not an incredibly strong knight.

Charlotte stepped forward.

She was going to join the intermediate knight.

If it were just one, maybe not, but with two, the scales would tip.

He was stronger than the chieftains, but he was still a chieftain.

There was nothing to fear.

Just then, someone burst out from the middle of the battlefield.

It was Grak.

“You…!”

“Let’s finish the match we couldn’t earlier.”

“You, who are weaker than me!”

Charlotte was stopped by Grak.

It was dangerous.

The intermediate knight fighting Garkus was like a candle in the wind.

Several knights stepped forward, announcing their names, but as soon as they approached, they were chopped to pieces by the axe blades.

The protagonist had to help.

He sent out a Golem.

There were no people visible around. It meant that Orcs were surviving the melee, and only soldiers were dying.

There was no need to worry about accidentally killing allies.

The Ice Golem brought its arm down.

Garkus blocked it by crossing his axes. The ground was deeply gouged, but he wasn’t crushed.

He was incredibly tough.

“Interesting.”

I was dumbfounded to see him grin.

This time, I cast a spell and shot an Ice Arrow.

Garkus swung his axe and blocked it.

His hand wasn’t frozen.

His axe was fine to begin with.

It seemed to be a special axe.

Just in case, I cast more spells.

However, Garkus calmly batted away the Arrows while dealing with all of them.

“Is this it?”

He looked at me as if he was disappointed instead.

I shut my mouth.

“Kuntra was better. I’m disappointed, Mage.”

When the Protagonist remained silent, Garkus pulled out a spear from the quiver on his back. He was about to throw it.

Orcs were excellent at spear throwing.

The spear thrown by Garkus, the strongest Warrior on this Battlefield, seemed incredibly powerful.

Goosebumps rose as he took the spear in his hand.

“Just die.”

As the Orc flexed his arm, his muscles swelled and looked twice their size.

In that state, Garkus threw the spear.

My body froze.

I was intimidated by the opponent’s Killing intent and couldn’t move.

Taking advantage of that moment, the spear flew through the air.

I’m going to die.

“Rael! Avoid it!”

Then someone pushed Protagonist away.

It was Amelin.

She groaned as she lay on the floor.

His mind finally caught up.

“Amelin. Thank you.”

No answer came.

It was chilling.

Only then did he remember she had pushed Protagonist.

She threw herself into the path of the incoming spear.

Protagonist avoided it, but she couldn’t.

It meant she took the hit for him.

He looked at Amelin.

She was lying there. Blood was flowing from the floor.

His body trembled.

“Amelin!”

“Was I… useful?”

“Wh-why…”

Tears streamed down.

He never imagined she would sacrifice her life for Protagonist.

She was dying because of Protagonist.

It was just like with the Guide Old Man.

Amelin’s face was pale.

She was bleeding.

Life was draining away.

If she bled any more, she would die.

There was still hope.

Upon closer inspection, the spear had pierced her shoulder.

All he had to do was stop the bleeding.

He pulled out the spear.

She let out a whimper.

There was a potion in his pocket.

He poured it all on her.

Amelin’s complexion improved. What a relief.

It was fortunate that there was still some of the potion Lorina had given him.

He wiped his tears with his sleeve and stood up.

He couldn’t lose Amelin.

He couldn’t repeat what happened that time.

He wouldn’t let her die like the Old Man Guide.

He gritted his teeth.

He looked at Garkus.

In his hand was a head wearing a helmet.

It was the head of the intermediate knight who had been holding the bastard sword.

Next to them was another chieftain.

There weren’t just one or two of them.

What had been a chaotic battle had somehow turned into a fight between battle lines.

This was because the humans were gradually being pushed back.

They were slowly being cornered.

The situation was desperate.

Garkus laughed.

“Mage. Is that your woman?”

She chanted the spell.

The Orcs batted away the incoming Ice Arrow.

It was no use.

“If I kill her, you might put in a little more effort.”

Garkus pulled out another spear.

His gaze was fixed on Amelin.

But the Orcs couldn’t help but flinch.

Suddenly, armor appeared on the Mage’s body.

‘What kind of magic is that…?’

It was a magic they had never seen before.

The Orcs felt exhilarated by that fact.

They had never seen such a thing in their thirty years as warriors.

They wondered how strong it would be.

Perhaps it was magic that could end Garkus’s life.

Apart from his heart pounding, there was someone whose expression twisted in displeasure.

It was Grak, who was confronting Charlotte.

Grak shouted.

He knew what that boy had done.

He also knew that he shouldn’t make him any stronger.

Garkus’s actions were madness.

No matter how much he wanted an opponent worthy of a blessing, he shouldn’t cross the line.

He had crossed the line.

“You… idiot… there was no need for that.”

“Haha… Young Warrior. Are you perhaps interested in that Human woman? Put that aside for now. I’ll give you a useful woman later.”

Grak didn’t respond.

He just gripped his axe.

He was already struggling to deal with the woman across from him.

Rael infused mana into her Ring.

Then, as armor enveloped her body, she felt the mana within her flow rapidly.

She chanted the spell.

Due to the effect of the Black Armor, the Magic was completed in a short time.

But once wasn’t enough.

Three Ice Arrows couldn’t kill an ordinary Chieftain.

‘One more time.’

With them suspended in the air, she chanted the spell again.

The number of Ice Arrows increased.

Three more were added, making six floating in the air.

It wasn’t enough.

She needed more.

‘One more time.’

She chanted the spell.

She kept chanting.

The Protagonist chanted to her limit.

Still, it wasn’t enough.

She gritted her teeth. If the Protagonist failed, Amelin would die.

‘More… even more…’

Something flowed from her eyes and mouth. It seemed to be blood.

It didn’t matter.

He could do more now.

The Black Armor supported his body.

The effect was much greater than expected.

He even wondered if it was far more powerful than high-level Magic.

He thought his head might burn up and he’d go mad, but he endured.

Normally, his concentration would have broken the moment he chanted the spell one more time.

But now, he was doing it.

He didn’t think about what would happen next.

He was angrier than he was in pain.

It was rage against the Orcs.

The anger made him forget the pain.

The flow of mana continued to accelerate.

Now he only chanted the incantation.

Each time, more Ice Arrows appeared in the sky.

They were so dense they even obscured the sun.

Well over a hundred Ice Arrows were cast.

Garkus swallowed.

The hand clutching his axe was trembling.

‘Am I feeling fear?’

Since receiving the Blessing for the last time, he had never felt fear on the Battlefield.

He was strong, and no one was his match.

But now, he was afraid. He felt like a rookie standing on the Battlefield for the first time.

At the same time, he felt it.

If he survived that Magic, the Protagonist could receive a Blessing.

Everyone looked up at the scene.

The warriors didn’t even notice their axe-wielding hands had dropped.

They were facing such an unbelievable sight.

The humans were no different.

Something impossible was happening.

Everyone watched, speechless.

“Wh-what in the…”

Benedict’s voice trembled.

He was a mage.

He knew, to his very core, just how absurd this sight was, a knowledge forged by the years he had dedicated to magic.

People’s eyes changed. The despair slowly coloring them brightened.

It was a magnificent sight, enough to inspire hope.

Many also changed their expressions.

Among them, the Count’s expression changed the most.

Even his beard trembled.

“Ice Bolt.”

Hundreds of ice arrows rained down from the sky.

It was almost as if rain were pouring down.

Even the chieftains’ reactions slowed at the incredible sight they had never witnessed before.

One of them stepped back and urgently shouted.

It was Grak’s cry.

“Everyone, take cover!”

It was a belated cry.

The orcs’ screams followed.