Chapter 207: Are Kings, Dukes, Generals, and Ministers Born or Made? (Part 2)
O’Niens had never felt such excitement, such a craving. A powerful urge surged within him, a desire to destroy everything he saw, to tear throats and bathe in the spray of crimson, to truly experience the thrill of death. No longer would he furtively strangle nuns in the dark; he would revel in slaughter, openly, like Qin Chu.
He was surrounded by the Holy Knights, priests, and nuns of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess. They were here to protect him, their Saint Son. Even Inas, the new member of the Hero Squad, who should have been fighting alongside Qin Chu, remained by O’Niens’s side, her eyes fixed on him alone.
The bloodlust within O’Niens became unbearable. With a bestial roar, he burst from the protective circle of knights.
Caught off guard, they called after him, but he ignored them, his focus on the carnage ahead. Inas, her face pale, followed close behind.
Consumed by a manic excitement, O’Niens charged into the fray. He raised his foot and stomped down with tremendous force.
The earth heaved, and giant earthworms, dragging soldiers into the ground, were flung into the air. O’Niens felt a perverse urge to bite into one of the writhing creatures.
He crouched, one hand pressed against the earth.
Sharp earth spikes erupted, impaling the earthworms, their bodies exploding in a shower of foul ichor. A strange satisfaction filled him. He trembled with excitement.
Inas watched him, a chill running down her spine.
Athena hovered in the air, her staff glowing, chanting a rapid incantation, her voice sharp. Dark clouds gathered, blotting out the sun, and a torrent of rain began to fall, each drop imbued with her magic, piercing the Demon Beasts like shards of ice, leaving bloody wounds. Yet, the same rain fell harmlessly upon the human soldiers.
Norma summoned the Wrath of the Earth Mother Goddess, a giant fist crushing countless Demon Beasts.
Natia, even more direct, unleashed a Meteor Shower, a fiery inferno consuming her enemies.
Angelica and Anastasia, although weaker, fought with newfound ferocity, their strength having grown considerably.
With the arrival of these powerful allies, the tide of the battle turned.
Tears streamed down the faces of the human soldiers. Reinforcements had finally arrived.
Qin Chu seized the opportunity, plunging into the heart of the enemy horde. The Devourer extended, its tentacles wrapping around the Demon Beasts, draining their power. Dozens fell victim simultaneously.
Even powerful Trolls were consumed in seconds.
Qin Chu moved like a reaper, leaving a trail of pristine corpses, their undisturbed surfaces somehow more terrifying than mangled remains.
He absorbed an immense amount of experience, yet his level increased at a frustratingly slow pace. He didn’t realize the parasites within him were feasting on his gains.
Violet also fought, but she killed few directly, instead herding them towards Qin Chu with powerful gusts of wind, increasing the Devourer’s efficiency.
With the sheer number of Demon Beasts, Qin Chu experienced an endless feast of experience points.
After a time, he felt a shift within.
His consciousness turned inwards, and he saw the small sprout within him had sprouted a second leaf. He was so moved he almost cried.
The roots now extended into his flesh and bone. Will it grow into a tree inside me? he wondered, a disturbing image flashing through his mind.
But the second leaf wasn’t without its benefits. The Devourer now absorbed not just energy and abilities, but also life force, most of which was consumed by the sprout, a small portion nourishing his body, replenishing his stamina, perhaps even extending his lifespan.
And his Star Flame Battle Qi broke through to the third level.
The soldiers, initially overjoyed by the arrival of reinforcements, had been disappointed by their small number. But they soon realized that these few hundred were incredibly powerful.
The Demon Beasts, though numerous, lacked any Demon Generals, and they couldn’t withstand the onslaught. Even ferocious beasts feared death, and seeing their companions fall in droves, they panicked and began to flee.
The battle, a bloody, muddy mess of severed limbs and corpses, was nearing its end.
Loseweisse, Shirley, and the nuns tended to the wounded.
A burly man counted the survivors, his armor gone, his body covered in wounds. He was a hardened warrior, but he broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, tears mixing with the blood on his face.
His cries echoed across the desolate battlefield.
The surrounding soldiers stood in silent mourning.
Only the knights and clerics from the Imperial City sneered and whispered, mocking his tears.
These pampered nobles, who had fought half-heartedly at the edges of the battle, now acted bravely, waving their weapons and boasting of their prowess, collecting trophies from the slain Demon Beasts.
And now, they mocked the commander’s grief.
Qin Chu sighed and approached him, squatting down and placing a hand on his shoulder.
The commander sniffed, suppressing his sobs, and looked up with a pained smile. “Hero…”
“How is the situation?”
The commander’s body trembled. “One hundred thousand brothers… now… less than seven thousand remain.”
Over ninety thousand dead. No wonder he grieved. They were commoners, mostly untrained, who had fought with only their strength and will.
Footsteps approached.
It was Carol, holding a black whip stained with Demon Beast blood. This girl was more capable than those knights.
Her face, however, was grim.
“Why are your weapons so damaged? Why are you wearing beast hides instead of armor? Why are so many soldiers emaciated?”
“What is your name?”
The commander looked at her, surprised by her questions. He didn’t know her identity, but he sensed she was someone of importance.
“Barnal Swift, acting commander of the Empire’s 107th Army, stationed at Nueva Vista.”
“Acting commander?” Carol was puzzled.
“I was originally just a chiliarch…” This was the highest rank a commoner could achieve. Higher ranks were reserved for nobles.
“But when the Demon Beasts attacked a few months ago, Commander Marta returned to the Imperial City with all the officers, appointing me acting commander.”
“We’ve been holding out for months, our supplies cut off. We sent messengers, begging for reinforcements and supplies, but they never arrived.”
“Our weapons are rusted and broken. Some of my men had to use the claws and teeth of slain Demon Beasts as weapons.”
“We can make weapons, but armor is more difficult. Some of my men had to use beast hides.”
Barnal explained. Wearing beast hides in this heat must be unbearable, but they had no choice.
“Our food and water supplies ran out weeks ago. We’ve been surviving on Demon Beast flesh.”
A truly barbaric existence.
And the taste… nauseating.
Carol’s face darkened, her fingers clenching. “That’s impossible,” she said, “Marquis Bunyan is in charge of logistics here. The Empire sends supplies every month. How could…”
Before she could finish, she, Qin Chu, and the experienced Barnal all understood.
Marquis Bunyan hadn’t delivered the supplies. He had sold them all…
Weapons to other countries, other nobles, bandits, and robbers. Food, at inflated prices, to starving commoners.
He had lined his own pockets, knowing that if the soldiers on the front lines all died, there would be no witnesses.
His ill-gotten gains would be safe.
Understanding this, Carol was furious. Humanity was teetering on the brink of destruction, and this bastard was profiteering, sacrificing ninety thousand soldiers. He didn’t care about humanity, about the Empire, only about his own wealth.
Barnal’s eyes were filled with sorrow. To the nobles, the lives of commoners were worthless.
At this moment, Qin Chu casually said, seemingly unintentionally, “It’s all because of that damned Marquis Bunyan. So many people died because of him!”
“If this were my world, there would have been a rebellion long ago. ‘Are kings, dukes, generals, and ministers born or made?’”
Barnal’s eyes flickered.
Are kings, dukes, generals, and ministers born or made?
Leave a Reply