“They are far too powerful. Deploying the Rytsar might turn the tide, but the enemy isn’t just that spider.”
“That mountain-like monster in the rear? Is it even a monster at all? Reports suggest it’s being controlled by someone…”
“Don’t be deceived, brother. Whether monster or man, they are rebels who oppose us.”
“Indeed. And what would you do if they were human? Perhaps beg for forgiveness with tears? We must annihilate all enemies who stand in our way.”
“…Then, it seems we have no choice but to deal with the big boss in the back.”
“Either way, we must disable that cannon. Our Pravabog’s will is not absolute.”
“That cannon, it shaved off ten percent of our reserves with a single shot. We’re replenishing them constantly, but even that isn’t infinite. We have the children (Dyechyi) offering prayers (Maritova), but it won’t last long.”
“….Then, we have no choice but to ask the Bishop (Yepiskop). No, perhaps we should ask the Archbishop (Arhiepiskop) as well.”
“Indeed. I’ll speak to them myself. Unless we destroy that cannon, we have no future.”
◇◇◇◇
The Grand Barrier protecting the Holy Capital. There’s no record of this barrier ever being effective in history. But this time, for the first time, the barrier showed its power.
“Our Pravabog has protected us as promised.”
““Amen.””
At the heart of the Grand Barrier, a massive Holy Stone is enshrined underground. It emits a faint light, illuminating the underground Cathedral dimly.
Hundreds of believers were offering prayers (Maritova) to the Holy Stone.
In response to the faith (Vyera) of the believers who trust in Pravabog and wish for the manifestation of its power, the Holy Stone shows a miracle (Chuda).
“Protect us.”
““Protect us.””
“Grant our wishes.”
““Grant our wishes.””
“Show us the way to the promised land.”
““Show us the way to the promised land.””
“We offer our prayers (Maritova).”
““We offer our prayers (Maritova).””
““Amen.””
The believers offer their prayers (Maritova) with all their hearts. Their prayers (Maritova) become a great surge and are offered to the Holy Stone.
◇◇◇◇
“Annihilate (Zistalloy)!!”
““Annihilate (Zistalloy)!!””
Run.
““Amen.””
Run.
Their speed is imperceptible to ordinary people. With each step, the ground is gouged out, and their bodies accelerate.
Faster, faster, even faster.
They dodge cannon shells coming from the front, slash the cannon shells they dodged, and kick off the air to dodge even more.
The distance between them and their enemies closes in an instant, and they reach their target.
A mountain-like giant with cannons sprouting from its entire body.
The cannon shells fired from those massive cannons are somehow being intercepted by the Holy Capital’s Grand Barrier. But even that isn’t infinite. The believers are offering prayers (Maritova) to restore it, but even that has its limits.
In any case, they must destroy those cannons at all costs.
They kick off the ground and leap into the air.
Cannon shells from behind. Even though the boss they must protect is right in front of them, the children are apparently targeting them without hesitation.
Normally, it would be an unseeable speed.
But he stopped the approaching cannon shell with his foot.
His body, strengthened by faith (Vyera), receives the metal cannon shell, uses it as a foothold, and converts its speed into his own power.
Using the cannon shell as a foothold, he converts its kinetic energy into his own movement speed, and he appears at the base of the large and long cannon as if teleporting.
“…!!”
Slash.
The faith (Vyera)-filled holy sword cleanly cuts through the cannon barrel, which is far thicker than its blade.
He tried to move the instant he slashed, but the high-voltage current released the moment the blade was inserted paralyzed his body. Although his body, protected by faith (Vyera), suffered no major injuries, the current that flowed from the blade to his arm, body, legs, and then to the enemy’s main body scorched his skin, burned his clothes, and stuck the bottom of his boots to the exterior.
A moment of stagnation.
Then, high-temperature, high-pressure toxic gas gushes out from the cut surface.
The toxic liquid rots the skin on contact and burns the lungs if inhaled. The properties of the chemical substance, which should instantly penetrate and denature proteins, are mostly neutralized by the faith (Vyera) that protects him.
Still, that only prevents the denaturation of his constituent materials.
He is continuously injured by being drenched in high-temperature working fluid and having the toxic liquid itself absorbed by his equipment.
“Nuoooaaaaaaah!!”
He couldn’t bear the pain of literally having his whole body melted and screamed. But, he is still a Bishop (Yepiskop) after all. In the end, only his clothes and a thin layer of skin were injured.
He kicks off the enemy’s exterior and escapes from the spot.
Without stopping, he kicks off the air and flees to the ground.
A shattering sound echoes overhead.
Because his slash caused an unexpected counterattack, another Bishop (Yepiskop) performed remote crushing with a long-range attack. The turret, whose base was externally blasted, succumbs to its own weight, and the long cannon barrel falls off from its base with a devastating sound.
Toxic liquid spews out like a fountain from the destroyed opening, but the Bishop (Yepiskop) who did it was already running towards the next target.
Landing on the ground, he strips off the equipment he is wearing while running. He throws away the clothes covered in toxic liquid and chooses to retreat for now. If he returns to the base, he should be able to get healed.
The target’s giant cannon was destroyed by the other Bishops (Yepiskop). As far as he could confirm, there were no casualties on their side. His own injury, as the first attacker, seemed to be the most severe.
He rushes into the base and has a priest (Svisinik) offer a prayer (Maritova) of healing. While healing the injuries he sustained, he puts on new equipment.
Fortunately, his beloved sword, protected by faith (Vyera), is unharmed. As long as he changes his armor, he can return to the front lines immediately.
And so, wearing new equipment, he sorties from the base again.
The Bishops (Yepiskop) who destroyed the southern cannon were heading east. The moment they appeared to approach the giant enemy, a flash of light covered the battlefield.
He saw it.
The moment countless cannons were aimed at the running Bishops (Yepiskop).
The spiders rampaging around them, and the small cannons on their backs, were pointing at him. The cannons that the giant enemy had sprouting from its entire body, all of them were targeting the Bishops (Yepiskop) without a single deviation.
All the cannons flickered. At the same time, the Bishop (Yepiskop) disappeared in a flash of light.
He doesn’t know what happened. But the Bishop (Yepiskop), who was practically their strongest force, disappeared without being able to resist.
The other Bishops (Yepiskop) probably don’t know what happened either.
He saw it because he, who was retreating to the rear, happened to be able to overlook the battlefield.
He doesn’t know the logic, but perhaps they concentrated the attack of many cannons on one spot. Each shot is far more powerful than the cannons he knows. If they overlap, well, it seems that even a Bishop (Yepiskop) can’t withstand it.
While conveying the situation to all the Bishops (Yepiskop) on the battlefield, he also ran.
In order to prevent the current attack, they have no choice but to keep moving as much as possible and continue to share the movements of the turrets.
And again, a cannon is aimed at one of them.
The Bishop (Yepiskop) who noticed it dodged with all his might. He kicks off the air and moves sideways with a technique called Shundo.
At the same time as the ground lights up, a huge explosion occurs.
The bright red molten earth scatters, and white smoke billows out.
But he dodged it.
Even a fatal attack is nothing to fear if you can avoid it.
The enemy is powerful, but they can be countered sufficiently.
Besides, the Archbishop (Arhiepiskop) is waiting in the rear.
They can still win this battle.
He, they, were convinced of it.
And here, he finally noticed the existence of the many cannon shells raining down from the sky.
In a hurry, he looks up at the sky.
Almost at the same time, the sunlight was blocked.
A giant wing covering the sky. The whole body is flickering because the many installed turrets are constantly firing cannon shells.
There was an airborne Fortress that was far too enormous.
Hang in there!
It’s coming from above!