Chapter 139: Kalosia’s Holy Land (9)

A few hours later, Rakuza returned to the holy land accompanied by several wagons filled with essential supplies and food. “Welcome back!” The followers cheered loudly, their faces glowing with happiness. Their situation had gradually become desperate; clothes had grown filthy due to lack of proper washing, and food supplies had started running dangerously low. In such circumstances, this delivery was nothing short of life-saving rain after a long drought. “You’re back. Were there any troubles?” Ketal calmly asked Rakuza. “Not particularly. We faced some interference, but managed to return without major issues. Although we paid quite a hefty price, it was well worth it,” Rakuza answered cheerfully. “I see. That’s good news,” Ketal murmured quietly. With the supplies issue resolved, they could now comfortably hold out until the encroaching darkness surrounding the holy land disappeared. The dark mages seemed to realize this fact as well, and launched one final, desperate attack. The faces of the holy knights turned pale with shock. Countless monsters appeared from beyond the plains, rushing toward them as though everything prior had merely been child’s play. Rakuza shouted, his expression turning serious, “Everyone! Raise your swords! Pray to the great Kalosia! We shall emerge victorious!’ “Yes!” Everyone instinctively knew this would be the final stand. The knights roared vigorously, their voices echoing in unison. “For Kalosia!” The holy knights collided fiercely against the surging wave of monsters. The monsters poured forth relentlessly, but the knights quickly rallied, working together to repel the assault. This wave far exceeded previous attacks, both in number and ferocity, yet surprisingly, the battle proceeded smoothly. After enduring numerous invasions, the knights had grown accustomed to their enemy’s tactics and knew exactly how to counter them. Moreover, fighting desperately for survival for over a month had significantly improved their individual skills. Several Intermediate holy knights had even ascended to Advanced ones. The knights skillfully rotated shifts, using the holy barrier around the sanctuary as a defensive pivot to hold the monstrous horde at bay. However, above all, their greatest advantage remained Ketal himself. Each movement Ketal made scattered monsters effortlessly. Simply by stepping forward, he advanced through the battlefield like an unstoppable war chariot, tearing apart every creature that dared to block his path. Numbers alone were meaningless against an overwhelming force like Ketal; the outcome was already decided. Even the dark mages had exhausted every conceivable method to kill or even hinder Ketal, but nothing worked. Finally, grinding his teeth in frustration, a dark mage shouted angrily, “Fall back!” The monsters hurriedly turned and fled in chaos. Seeing their undeniable victory, the holy knights erupted into joyous cheers. “We’ve won!” “Victory is ours!” This moment felt sweeter and more intense than any before, as they truly believed this had been the final hurdle. It wasn’t only the knights who felt this way. As the knights returned triumphantly to the sanctuary, every believer welcomed them with shouts of delight. A small festival soon broke out, fueled by their newly received supplies. For the first time in a long while, everyone allowed themselves to relax, finally letting go of their accumulated anxieties. They had triumphed. Although not officially confirmed, deep down, everyone already felt certain of it. They reveled in their victory, joyfully calling out the name of their god. “All hail the great Kalosia!” They praised their valiant holy knight as well. “All hail Sir Rakuza!” And finally, they honored their powerful ally who had helped save them from doom. “All hail Ketal!” Their joyful cries echoed throughout the entire holy land. Barrels of beer were cracked open, soaking everyone present in joyous celebration. Watching the celebration unfold, Rakuza smiled contentedly. He, too, finally allowed himself to relax. Turning his head, he decided to find the central hero of this celebration to speak with him personally. However, as he glanced around, he suddenly stopped, confused. “Hm?” In that instant, Rakuza realized something was amiss. The hero everyone was cheering for was nowhere to be found. *** “So, you were here.” Rakuza found Ketal shortly after searching the holy land. Ketal stood atop a watchtower at the edge of the sanctuary, silently gazing out across the open plains. “Why not come and enjoy the festival?” Rakuza suggested cheerfully. “Everyone would be thrilled to have you join them.” “Festival, huh?” Ketal murmured quietly. “Yes.” Rakuza nodded. “Come join us. Everyone wants to express their gratitude to you.” “Hmm.” Ketal’s expression remained uncertain. “I think it’s too soon to celebrate.” “Really? Personally, I believe it’s already over,” Rakuza replied confidently. They now had plenty of supplies, enough to last until the enemy’s territory dissipated. With Ketal’s presence, even large-scale attacks posed little threat. Rakuza believed that the enemy would soon give up and retreat, having realized the futility of their efforts. “They will surely withdraw soon. They can’t breach our sanctuary,” Rakuza said with conviction. “Do you really think so?” Ketal asked him with a subtle smile, causing Rakuza to falter slightly. “Excuse me...?” “When I first arrived, you told me the dark mages numbered two Transcendents, over a dozen Advanced ones, and many Intermediate followers,” Ketal stated calmly. However, the enemies he actually encountered here were far fewer. He had seen just one Transcendent mage and perhaps two or three Advanced ones. This discrepancy made him suspicious. “So, where did the rest of them go?” Ketal asked, his voice filled with quiet suspicion. “According to you, this was their final assault. Yet, many of their strongest haven’t even appeared.” At the very least, one Transcendent and nearly ten Advanced dark mages were missing from the battle. “Perhaps they realized it was impossible to achieve their objective and left early?” Rakuza suggested uncertainly. “They prepared this grand-scale attack and simply withdrew without much effort?” Ketal questioned skeptically. “An assault on a holy ground is no trivial task. They must have prepared extensively.” The Cradle of Darkness, followers of the Demon King, had rarely revealed themselves on such a large scale. Their target was a divine sanctuary—if successful, it would shake the entire continent. Considering the potential repercussions, they had to have meticulously planned their strategy. “Judging by their approach, they were clearly expecting a prolonged siege from the start,” Ketal explained further. “They isolated the holy land by surrounding it with darkness. Their intent was clearly to wear you down slowly.” And the longer such a siege lasted, the more variables could appear. For instance, the lord of Barcan Estate could’ve decided to lend assistance, despite the risks. Or other kingdoms could unite briefly against the common enemy of evil. Even without Ketal’s intervention, Kalosia’s order could have potentially survived. “Their attacks weren’t even that fierce,” Ketal noted thoughtfully. Even without him, it was conceivable Kalosia could have held out on its own, though suffering heavy casualties. “Yet, they attacked with only minimal preparation, despite anticipating a prolonged struggle. Doesn’t that seem odd?” Ketal’s words deepened Rakuza’s anxiety, causing his face to gradually stiffen. “Most of all, their methods were foolishly simple. They employed numerous elaborate strategies to kill me specifically,” Ketal continued, recalling vividly. “They created giant monsters, sent parasites to burrow into brains, and even attempted to bury me alive in deep pits.” They had clearly tried everything imaginable to eliminate Ketal. Yet, their attacks on the sanctuary itself were laughably straightforward. “All they did was send waves of monsters blindly. They didn’t capture or brainwash knights, nor did they attempt clever diversions or ambushes.” The dark mages simply wasted their monsters, as if their sole purpose had been to distract attention. “That’s...” Rakuza’s voice faltered, realization dawning on him. Looking back, the enemy’s strategy was indeed suspiciously simple. Even when Rakuza left to fetch the vital supplies, the dark mages had barely attempted to stop him. For those aiming at a siege, allowing supply lines to succeed made no sense. Yet, they did nothing, behaving as though it didn’t matter at all. “Ah...” Rakuza drew a sharp breath. Now that he thought clearly, Ketal’s suspicions were justified. “You’re right,” Rakuza admitted anxiously. “Something feels off.” “Perhaps you’re correct and the danger really has passed,” Ketal conceded, “but it would be best to verify.” “Yes.” Rakuza quickly nodded, looking at Ketal with genuine admiration. “Did you come to these conclusions entirely on your own? You truly are remarkable.” Victory had dulled everyone else’s senses. All within the sanctuary firmly believed the threat had ended, except for Ketal, who maintained a calm, objective view. “It wasn’t anything special,” Ketal replied lightly. “I just felt it would be boring if things ended like this.” “Understood,” Rakuza said urgently. “We must confirm the situation immediately. I will instruct the knights to prepare their gear and remain alert.” “Good. It would be wise to scout the enemy’s territory as well,” Ketal suggested, gazing toward the dark plains. The black barrier still lingered around the area. “It’s late today, so we'll go together tomorrow.” “Yes, of course,” Rakuza replied, quickly turning to relay orders to the holy knights. Although the knights were initially confused, they trusted Rakuza and promptly began preparations. *** The next morning, Ketal and Rakuza set out onto the plains together. “Let’s scout the area first,” Ketal instructed calmly. “Understood.” They carefully surveyed the surrounding plains. Rakuza murmured to himself quietly. “This is my first time venturing so far out.” Previously, his duty had always been confined strictly to protecting the sanctuary. Now, as they moved, the dense darkness tried to press inward, but Rakuza’s divine energy effortlessly repelled it. “There’s no sign of any monsters,” Rakuza remarked hesitantly. The beasts that had filled the area seemed to have vanished entirely. “Maybe they’ve genuinely retreated?” “Perhaps,” Ketal replied quietly. “Wait a moment.” Ketal closed his eyes. As Rakuza watched him curiously, his own eyes widened in shock, instinctively stepping back. “Ugh!” A strange sensation suddenly swept across Rakuza. He felt as though every inch of him was being thoroughly scanned, from head to toe. An immense wave of heightened perception rapidly spread across the entire plain. “There,” Ketal said as his eyes snapped open. “There’s something hidden underground beneath the plains.” “What? Really?” Rakuza gasped in astonishment. “Yes, it’s nearby. We should investigate.” “You can even sense something like that?” Rakuza asked him, deeply impressed. Ketal’s perception had clearly extended across a vast area. Such a feat required extraordinary skill, something only specialists could achieve. With genuine curiosity, Rakuza asked him eagerly, “How exactly do you handle Myst to achieve such an incredible level of perception?” “I simply closed my eyes and focused my senses,” Ketal replied plainly. “That’s all...?” Rakuza asked him, nearly speechless. Ketal nodded casually, leaving Rakuza completely at a loss for words.