A priest colossus swung its wand, casting down a red radiance that accurately covered the entire battle formation. All the knights, warhorses, and giants were coated in a crystalline sheen.
Their mobility was multiplied several times over, and the entire army surged forward at a much faster pace than before.
Another priest colossus activated healing spells that likewise showered down over a wide area, soothing whatever strain and exhaustion the rapid enhancement might cause and allowing them to remain in peak condition.
Only the knights of the order, relying on their generally exceptional physical conditioning, were fit to receive blessings and healing simultaneously; anyone with a weaker constitution would easily succumb to overexertion and collapse.
Above, the giant eye kept scanning in all directions while falcon knights formed hunting squads to protect the formation's airspace. Yet their efforts were destined to be in vain: though there was no lack of creatures capable of flight among the dragons, not a single one had dared to launch an attack so far.
As for below, no matter how fast the main army advanced, they could not outpace the auxiliary troops. These were the cheapest cannon fodder, shouting and charging ahead in chaotic disorder.
Because of the racial diversity within the Church of the Crypt, the spectacular battlefield scene unfolding below instinctively reminded Karen of the Lord of the Rings movies he had seen in his past life.
The difference was that the Church of Order's battle formation clearly felt one or even two tiers above them—a sheer dimensional strike.
Of course, from the looks of it, the main reason behind this massive gap was that the dragons had no intention to resist in the first place; they probably hadn't even drafted a battle plan before the fighting started.
The auxiliary troops soon breached the mountain defense line and began charging downward in a highly scattered manner. Beyond the mountains lay the core stronghold of the dragon lineage. As Augie flew over, Karen saw the urban area within: every building was several times larger than conventional structures, with ancient palaces and, at the dead center, a colossal, towering temple.
Carved atop the temple was a giant dragon roaring to the heavens, exuding a majestic aura—evidently a statue of the Rebel Dragon God.
By the time the Knights crossed the mountains and began reforming their ranks on the other side, the auxiliary forces had already stormed into the urban district, slaughtering and pillaging without restraint.
Only here did noticeable resistance finally emerge from the dragons, and true battle in the conventional sense finally began.
Daina looked at Karen and asked, "I'm thinking... this isn't because of me, is it?"
Evidently, she did possess some self-awareness.
Karen shook his head. "No."
Layinao had thrown his lot in with Norton long ago, back before Norton was High Priest, and he had also received support from the skeleton. Backed from multiple sides, he had rapidly risen through the ranks among the dragons;
once in power, his ambitions swelled, and he sought to lead the dragons here to break away from the Church of the Crypt and establish an independent Dragon Clan.
Thus, while Layinao seemed submissive on the surface and could drop to his knees before Daina, he was actually an ambitious schemer. One could hardly judge such a figure in terms of right and wrong, only by perspective and faction;
the Church of the Crypt was somewhat like a kennel built by the Church of Order. When a dog inside grew fat and wanted to break out to build its own doghouse, it would naturally draw the ire of the kennel's master.
Strictly speaking, this war—if it could even be called a war—was a pacification campaign launched by the Church of Order to quell rebellion within a subservient vassal church.
What made it even more ridiculous was that the pretext used was "avenging Layinao."
Indeed, this had been one of the primary objectives of Karen's special task force during the past few days. Investigating the assassination and tracing the skeleton were secondary; the true goal was to manufacture a conspiracy theory and redirect blame back onto the dragon lineage. That was also why Neo, Alfred, and the others had been able to seize the opportunity to take bribes.
The fighting inside the city grew fiercer. Faced with their home being overrun, the dragons within finally displayed the mettle befitting their race. Seeing such ferocious resistance, the auxiliary troops instinctively began to fall back, especially when a dozen or so massive, elderly dragons suddenly appeared and turned the tide in several skirmishes.
Such cannon fodder was only good for pressing an easy advantage; the moment they hit a snag, they could not be relied upon.
Yet at the sound of a bugle, the archers in the Knights' formation drew their bows and nocked arrows. An array master conjured a refractive mirror surface suspended overhead. When a volley of arrows shot through this mirror, every shaft was imbued with lightning-attribute magic; as the rain of arrows struck the ground, it exploded in a rolling cascade of thunder.
And the target was not the city, but the retreating auxiliary troops. Like a barrier detachment, it forbade them from retreating, forcing them forward.
A fractured Church of the Crypt was far easier for Order to control. Thus, this campaign to weaken the dragon lineage could not be carried out solely by the Knights of Order. Driving the underground factions into mutual slaughter and fostering internal hatred would allow Order to remain safely perched above the fray once the dust settled.
The Wien Empire had used this exact method in dealing with its colonies: dividing, undermining, striking down, and co-opting to maintain rule at minimal cost. That was why certain newspapers in other countries loved to nickname the Wien Empire "the Imperial Shit-Stirrer."
The bloody, brutal slaughter raged on. Daina watched with rapt attention, genuine excitement visible on her face; if permitted, she would probably have leaped down to join the fray herself.
After his initial surge of excitement wore off, Karen suddenly felt a touch of weariness.
He was accustomed to mentally dissecting whatever unfolded before his eyes. On a moral level, initiating a conflict simply to cull a population was undoubtedly unjust;
yet considering how aberrant demons were rare oddities in the secular world, and monster beasts were scarcer still, creating an illusion of a civilization that belonged exclusively to humankind—wasn't all of that because the Church of Order had successfully suppressed organizations like the Church of the Crypt?
The subterranean world possessed distinct character and an artistic charm, but if this place were truly so wonderful, why did the dragons wish to leave and become independent?
And who had imprisoned an entire church in such a barren place to begin with?
In church mythologies and the folklore of many places today, there was no shortage of dark tales about rampant monster beasts and humans reduced to food. Had such things truly never happened?
As a human, Karen understood he had no right to judge too harshly—or rather, one could only criticize the methods, but could not deny the necessity of the act itself.
Just as Karen had once replied to Augie: *I'm sorry, but your idea of racism and mine aren't quite the same thing for now.*
Daina nudged Karen's arm and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Karen ignored her.
The stalemated battle finally tilted entirely into a one-sided slaughter upon the arrival of the Knights' battle formation.
The cavalry detached from the formation and mobilized, six detachments forming six points of entry. Their combat style was extraordinary: as each detachment charged, black light emanated from their bodies and linked together, forming six literal, razor-sharp blades.
They trampled through buildings blocking their path and cleaved the dragons in their way, completely unstoppable, scrambling the deadlocked battlefield like whisking eggs.
*Wuuu...*
A horn sounded once more from the army's formation. The charging cavalry began their withdrawal, deliberately trampling through clusters of dragons along the way.
The giant eye in the sky began radiating a purple luster. From the battle formation below, phantom silhouettes of nameless women drifted upward, condensing into unique lightning that merged into the eye.
Within the ranks, glowing rings of magical arrays appeared, each centering around a magic crystal cannon as soldiers rapidly deployed and loaded them.
*Bzzzt!*
The giant eye fired a beam of light that landed on a specific spot in the city.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Below, the magic crystal cannons unleashed their fire, hitting the targeted area with pinpoint precision.
Immediately following, the giant eye locked onto new coordinates, directing the cannons in targeted bombardments.
With every round of strikes, that section of ground seemed to be scooped out by a massive spoon. The subterranean bedrock and buildings were generally rock-hard, but now they resembled soft foam; every falling ember instantly melted out a crater.
Karen recalled that during the war between the Moon God Church and Samsara, a Temple Elder of the Moon God Church had appeared, but even his faith dharma body could not withstand a volley from Samsara's magic crystal cannons.
Facing the targeted, synchronized volleys of the Knights of Order, Karen had the feeling that even a Temple Elder might be obliterated in an instant.
Thus, on every formal campaign of the Knights of Order, a Temple Elder accompanied them. It was not a matter of an adult babysitting a bunch of children...
It was truly just to uphold a tradition: in the previous era, a "branch god" under the Church of Order, accompanied by a knight legion, could hunt down any deity judged to be an evil god.
Seeing this, Karen felt his emotions swell once again.
In Purr's view, the Knights of Order's method of warfare made any individual advantage gained through personal effort seem utterly pale; but in Karen's eyes, it proved that mortals could truly challenge beings on the divine tier through such means.
Under two waves of strikes from the Knights, the dragons' scattered resistance finally crumbled. They began to rout, while the auxiliary forces seized the momentum once more, cheering as they surged forward.
When they finally pressed into the city center—the site of the Rebel Dragon God's temple—an armored Dragon Imperial Guard Legion finally appeared. They repelled the auxiliary forces attempting to breach the perimeter, making those blood-crazed auxiliaries pay a heavy price.
Then the auxiliaries parted, naturally leaving this tough bone to the advancing Knights behind them.
The true strength of the dragon lineage had shown itself. Had this legion been deployed at the mountain pass or along the city's outskirts, they could have mounted a highly effective defense and rallied the spirits of their kin. But that had not happened.
It seemed this legion had chosen to surrender from the very beginning—surrendering their home, their clan, and their duty.
"Tch, so boring."
Daina was clearly dissatisfied. A one-sided steamroll was thrilling to watch at first, but without any challenge, it quickly grew tiresome.
Yet now, the enemy's most formidable force had appeared, only to show no intention of putting up a fight.
Across from them, Madame Anser began her descent. The falcon knights opened a path through the airspace, allowing her to approach the battle formation. Karen noticed, however, that the giant eye kept a sidelong watch on Madame Anser, which meant some of the magic crystal cannons below were locked onto her as well.
"Lord Commander, I implore you to spare a few seeds for the dragon lineage of the Church of the Crypt! They are willing to obey the command of Order and march onto any battlefield!"
Seated atop his thunder-horned rhinoceros, Commander Daan nodded and replied, "Your request is accepted."
"Thank you, my lord. Praise be to the great God of Order."
Madame Anser flew forward. Reaching the sky above the temple, she let out a roar.
Immediately, the Dragon Imperial Guard Legion began shedding their armor, laying down their weapons, and prostrating themselves on the ground one after another.
Originally, Layinao had hoped to rely on them to break free from the Church of the Crypt and establish a Dragon Clan. Now, they had turned their backs on their own people and surrendered en masse.
This was certainly no spur-of-the-moment decision. Over the recent period, Karen's special task force wasn't the only one at work; Madame Anser had long since reached an understanding with the dragon leadership.
Just as she had told Karen in his office, she would cooperate with all of the Church of Order's arrangements concerning the dragon lineage.
First, cull the population. Then, pull the Imperial Guard Legion—the gathering of the clan's young, prime elite—away from their homeland and send them wherever lives were needed to feed the meat grinder, grinding them down at Order's behest;
the remaining dragon population would continue to live in the subterranean world, dwelling in this region, unable to harbor hatred toward the Church of Order, clinging even tighter to Order's coattails just to survive here.
The fate of a clan had long been decided, yet they had not even been granted the right to observe the trial.
The Knights halted their advance and made camp on the spot, sending out cavalry to establish a perimeter. The surviving dragon population was now corralled in the core area around the temple, while the rest of the city was left to the auxiliary troops to pillage.
As for the Dragon Imperial Guards, like prisoners of war—no, like slaves—they walked forward voluntarily before the Knights and fastened onto themselves the shackles that had been tossed down beforehand.
Augie descended from the sky and landed on a building. Below, a troop of the Knights' cavalry happened to pass by. Daina laughed and hopped down; the cavalry captain evidently recognized her and readily yielded his mount for her to ride.
Karen remained on the roof with Augie, looking directly at the rows of Dragon Imperial Guards kneeling in shackles they had placed on themselves.
Augie chuckled. "Look. Don't they look like a whole flock of me?"
Karen sighed. "There's no point in lamenting this now."
"There's no point because you're human, and I'm a dragon."
"Yes, exactly. We can try to put ourselves in each other's shoes, but it changes nothing."
"Look at who I am right now. The only reason I can stand here talking to you instead of kneeling over there is that I became the Whip-Wielder's... servant a long time ago."
Karen fell silent, wishing to drop the topic.
Augie shrugged. For such a massive body, her voice carried a hint of a sob: "I used to blame you for how your attitude toward my kind changed. But you were never wrong. I was the one clinging to delusions. You were the ones who saw things clearest all along."
Karen took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, lit it, and took a drag.
He didn't like this place. He disliked this suffocating, bloody subterranean world. It seemed to possess a foul magic, staining everyone who entered with its own grim hue.
He missed Wien, missed Yorktown, missed the bustle of the streets, the blare of steam whistles, and the scent of printer's ink on newspapers. He longed to return to that secular society he was far more accustomed to and willing to embrace.
Augie lowered her head, looking at Karen's face, and suddenly asked:
"Coming here this time... did it shake you deeply?"
Karen remained silent.
Augie pressed on, "Has it made you doubt the meaning of Order, even just a little?"
Karen blew out a smoke ring, smiled, and said, "Not at all."
"Not at all?"
"On the contrary, it made me understand all the more clearly what Order exists to protect. This was the most explicit lesson possible."
"Isn't this place part of Order's sphere of influence too?"
"Perhaps, but do you believe in Order? Do you worship the God of the Crypt, or the Rebel Dragon God?"
"I..."
Just then, Karen saw a magic crystal cannon set out alone in the center of the military camp. Commander Daan rode his thunder-horned rhinoceros up behind it.
Karen also spotted Madame Anser and a host of dragon elders in lavish robes prostrating themselves on the ground. Faint weeping could be heard drifting from their direction.
Above, the giant eye swiveled and cast down a beam of light, illuminating the statue of the Rebel Dragon God atop the dragon temple.
Commander Daan dismounted in person, placed a magic crystal into the cannon's energy port, and activated the array.
*Bang!*
The magic crystal cannon fired, and a beam of horrific destructive power struck the statue of the Rebel Dragon God.
*Boom!*
First came a web of cracks spreading rapidly across the stone, followed by a deafening roar as the statue collapsed, its massive dragon head tumbling down.
The instant it hit the ground, though it triggered a violent tremor, the entire area seemed to plunge into an eerie silence.
When the dust cleared, crimson fluid was trickling from the eyes of that severed dragon head.
Inside the Twilight Hotel, Little Kanna, who had been playing with Purr and Kevin, suddenly sat bolt upright. A profound surge of grief washed over her, and she felt like crying.
But she snuffled hard, wiped her eyes vigorously with the back of her hand, rubbing them bright red to force back every single tear, and muttered stubbornly:
"Must not cry!"
...
(End of Volume)
Chapter 646