Before they were called the Eroded, it was in the era of their ancestors’ ancestors.

If one were to ask why they served the Demon God, it was because that ancestor, when first settling here, had been aided by that very god. There was little lacking in the justification for their devotion.

The Demon God demanded sacrifices and offerings, yes. But by now, those sacrifices were necessary for survival, and there was no turning back.

O Demon God.

They did not even know the name of the Demon God. They worshipped a symbol carved into a statue, yet they had no idea if it truly resembled the god they served.

A round, charred piece of wood placed atop a long stick—this black sun—it was said to be for the god who would one day erase this world’s light and claim this land.

That was what the so-called priest had taught them. The very priest who had told them how to live as they do now.

“Revere.”

The priest had spoken, and they obeyed.

If they didn’t, death was the only outcome. There was no one else to protect them in this land.

And looking like they did now, there was no way they could return to human society.

Without someone to serve, all that remained was death.

Even if, for the rest of their lives, neighbors, family, and friends vanished into the Demon Realm...

Even if the priest came to take some of the newborns...

It was all something they had to endure.

They had given up thinking for themselves.

Having decided to be content with simply surviving, they entrusted all decisions, all judgments, and all choices to another being.

That kind of dependence could not be erased in a single breath.

In truth, it was fair to say it was impossible.

These were people who could not live without relying on someone.

A fish cannot live outside water.

A life dulled by decades of habit cannot be changed overnight.

The village of the Eroded was the complete opposite of the secluded village Enkrid had seen in the Pen-Hanil mountain range.

***

There had been some who tried to punish the Eroded’s village in the name of justice.

But they had all died.

The monsters sent by the priest had always judged them swiftly.

***

If the Demon God truly protected them, then how far did that protection extend?

Did it intervene if a monster crossed the border?

Was it watching the whole time?

It wasn’t like that.

“There’s a relic buried here.”

Even before Jaxon spoke, Enkrid had sensed something strange. Shinar had complained of a headache the entire time they stayed here.

“My head hurts. Fiancé, I need something to lean on.”

It wasn’t bad enough that she needed physical support, though.

Even so, Shinar hadn’t been disappointed that her usual tricks didn’t work. Instead, she deduced the identity of the relic Jaxon had found.

Beyond Jaxon’s sharp senses, Shinar’s fairy perception and ability to manipulate spirit made her well-suited to identifying the relic buried underground.

Especially given that she had once been offered to a demon and had spent a significant amount of time in their presence.

You could say she was the most skilled demon detector among all fairies.

“It’s demonic.”

A firm and decisive statement. She wasn’t saying the relic was a demon, but that it was an artifact made by one.

“I agree.”

Jaxon nodded.

When Audin was brought to the spot, his body emitted a faint white light on reflex. A spontaneous manifestation of divinity.

“There’s an unpleasant aura here.”

He didn’t describe it in detail, but it was clear even Audin found the atmosphere oppressive.

Was it only him? Of course not. They all felt it.

They were simply patient and respectful enough to endure it.

When you see them swing swords at each other normally, you’d think patience only matters in select situations...

Enkrid strolled around the outskirts of the village, observing the surroundings. Lua Gharne had been right.

If you use this place as a base, it’s ideal for sweeping roaming monsters and small demon realms.

The village sat on flat land, providing a clear view of the surroundings. Behind it lay a forest, and in the distance, peaks of black mountains tinged red could be seen.

Most importantly, this was a no-go zone for nearby monsters and beasts. The buried relic acted like wolf urine or bear dung—in other words, a potent territorial marker.

Now, what needed to be done was simple, intuitive, and obvious.

“No need to stick together, right?”

Enkrid asked. Of course, the question wasn’t to the air. He was walking with Shinar on his left and Lua Gharne on his right.

They were his walking companions for the day.

Rem, for some reason, was excited - he said there was a lot of interesting magical stuff nearby and was scurrying around the village outskirts.

Audin and Teresa had decided this was the perfect place for constant prayer and had entered into quiet meditation.

“That’s right,” Lua Gharne replied.

They had stayed for several days and gathered information about nearby demon realms. The villagers knew a lot.

More precisely, anywhere they deemed dangerous had either colony-class monster packs or minor demon realms.

Even with the Demon God’s protection, venturing into such areas without knowledge often led to disappearances. So the information had accumulated naturally.

To Enkrid’s eyes, this place was semi-stabilized.

There were many monsters and beasts that lived here in a strange but stable balance, not encroaching upon each other.

Monsters crossing over from the South...

You often encountered those kinds of beings across the continent.

That was why Viscount Harrison, who held land in the southern agricultural zone of the Kingdom of Naurillia, had spent his life fighting off the encroaching monsters—which, from his perspective, were no different from natural disasters.

Some of those monsters were probably born in places like this.

At any rate, with their side boasting a full knight order, there was no need to group up.

“Put Rophod and Ragna in one unit. Lua Gharne, Teresa, and Pell will be another.”

It wasn’t something Enkrid calculated—he just spoke based on instinct.

Even on the battlefield, Enkrid had a knack for sensing the enemy’s intentions with nothing but intuition. That sense, honed over time and through experience, applied here too. Though the assignments were made on a whim, the arrangement was sound.

“Very good.”

Lua Gharne nodded.

The next step was similar to before, but with a difference. In other words, it had become easier.

Even if it wasn’t easy, these people would push forward until they achieved results. The Mad Order of Knights immediately set out to strike the nearby demon realm.

They moved at dawn and finished before sunset.

“There was a group of Scalers. They didn’t use any special abilities, but their scales were particularly tough.”

That was Rophod’s report.

They had wiped out a demon realm in under half a day. Ragna’s Sunrise had torn through the marshes—burning, searing, and slicing it apart.

“I thought Sir Kraiss would’ve liked it if we brought back some of those Scaler scales... Shame.”

Rophod added, to which Enkrid simply nodded indifferently.

They were too bulky to carry. If they had some way to transport the monster byproducts from here, it would be helpful.

If those scales could be processed into armor, it would significantly enhance the equipment of the Border Guard’s standing troops.

Judging by what the villagers were wearing, it seemed entirely feasible. Somehow, they had crafted clothing from hides and scales, and the finish was quite refined.

“There was an interesting beast—a snake with small wings. It had a triangular head and spat venomous needles.”

Lua Gharne shared after returning. Apparently, Teresa had blocked the venom with her shield, closed in, and ripped off its head with her hands.

“She relied on brute strength more than technique, but it was still impressive.”

Lua Gharne added.

Just from that, it was clear that Teresa’s skills had advanced. If physical strength was her advantage, it only made sense to capitalize on it. Her tactics now fully utilized her monstrous strength.

Audin had gone with Jaxon. They had been searching for a roaming beast-type and, by luck, found one within two days.

A giant centipede. When they fought it, it supposedly used telekinesis, but for those two, that meant nothing.

“Was it troublesome?”

“Not at all, Brother.”

Enkrid had asked just in case, but all he got in response was Audin shaking his head and Jaxon shrugging.

The demon realm’s inhabitants were astonished.

And it was hard not to be, after seeing what they had done.

They had literally torn through the surrounding demon realms, monsters, and beasts.

Some of them were demons in disguise who lured in humans. There were over five demon realms led by ghouls. Several formless spirits.

One of the most notorious monsters in the area was a creature called the Twilight Witch, who commanded the Maiden of Plague.

She was said to be strong enough to become a demon herself if left unchecked.

Her presence was so overwhelming that even the Red Cloak Knights had her on their hunt list.

But then... three big men and one fierce-looking guy went out and came back after dealing with her in a flash.

Ironically, Frokk had seemed the weakest of them. Though the villagers wouldn’t have known the difference.

All they could do was wonder what on earth was going on.

And through all this, Enkrid was once again reminded of the savagery of the southern demon realm. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

A land unfit for humans.

And yet, people lived there.

The village of the Eroded was born of that contradiction.

The Ferryman of fantasy asked—no, for days now, the Ferryman had been asking:

“What will you choose?”

A demand for choice, born of cruel reflection.

Were these people to be protected?

Or were they to be cut down?

Or simply left behind?

Whatever the choice, the knight’s oath remained.

Oaths and beliefs ultimately required inner rationality.

A single misstep would damage one’s Will. He knew that instinctively, and through experience.

Valphir Valmung, the Imperial Knight, had told him many things. Above all, he had often spoken of the difference between flower knights and imperial knights.

“There are plenty of flower knights on the continent who scoff at their oaths, you know? Ones who compromise all too easily? Those types can’t rise any higher.”

It had come from Valmung’s mouth, but history itself proved it. Failing to uphold one’s oath reduced a knight’s worth—which meant damage to the Will.

So he had to find the answer to the Ferryman’s question.

The demon realm’s inhabitants were shocked, but they didn’t reject Enkrid or his companions.

Because they had no reason to.

Just as the villagers had feared—the relic of the Demon God had been watching the village, and now it had sent a cleaner.

Mmm-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

It came from the village outskirts, where even fences were sparse. A giant bull entered, passing through the villagers’ fields. A flock of startled sheep ran off to one side, and a few dogs whined and cowered.

“A Minotaur?”

Jaxon was the first to spot it. A pungent beastly odor mixed with a sharp tang had filled the air before it appeared.

The monster announced itself with a thunderous roar. And the meaning of that roar was unmistakable.

Fight.

No one could ignore that powerful bellow.

It was the hour of twilight. A murky dusk.

With its bellow splitting the damp air, the monster’s shadow stretched long across the earth.

It was massive enough that one had to crane their neck to look up.

And its presence made it seem even bigger than it was.

“When your mind’s all tangled, there’s nothing better than moving your body.”

Enkrid stepped forward and spoke. He meant to handle it himself—everyone else could just watch.

“You’re always hogging the good stuff.”

Rem grumbled. Even so, he wouldn’t defy Enkrid’s command.

As the sun set, two moons began to peek out from behind.

While the others watched, the Minotaur placed its hands on its waist, craned its neck, and looked up.

Umm-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

A roar that made everyone’s legs tingle.

Its essence: killing intent and primal rage.

Enkrid instinctively activated his Will of Rejection, ignoring the beast’s ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) roar and radiating pressure in return.

His shaped pressure became a wall—an iron wall of defense.

“Well, would you look at that,” Rem muttered, somewhat surprised.

The bull had two wide-bladed swords sheathed at its waist.

Blades shaped like glaives but with shorter grips—Modified weapons.

Where had it gotten such things?

The Minotaur drew both swords and took its stance.

Could wild instinct blend with swordsmanship? Usually not. But this monster was no ordinary beast.

If there were Scalers with tough hides and monsters with telekinesis, perhaps this one had a unique power of its own.

Or maybe, being part of the demon realm, it simply made sense.

A monster that used swordsmanship.

Typically, its raw power exceeded that of an ogre, and its threat was ranked near that of a medusa—and now it wielded swords.

Legs spread wide, one sword raised higher than the other—

Everything about its posture showed it could wield blades.

Enkrid raised Dawnforge.

The Minotaur could use swordsmanship. So what?

At the moment, Enkrid was more curious whether that bull’s next scream would also be “Umm-MOO.”

Aside from its stance, the weapons it carried were not normal. They could rightly be called relics.

More precisely, they were demon-infused relics, or even demon swords.

Facing the Minotaur, Enkrid began a low and steady breath.

Dawnforge vibrated. As if to say, Hurry up and cut that beast down.

Enkrid decided to oblige his engraved weapon’s wish.

Without a sound, he launched forward. In an instant, the distance closed.

The Minotaur’s arm muscles bulged as it swung its sword, slicing the air.

All of it happened in a single breath.

BOOM!

A thunderous crash followed, ringing through their ears.

But by the time that sound exploded, man and monster had already exchanged blows.