Free Web NovelChapter 89: Chapter 66: Furious Great Demon Hekatos: A Deathtrap
After hearing Reinhardt’s explanation, Albert’s brow furrowed tightly.
He was an Angel of the Empire and its most devout believer. No one understood better than him the humiliation of having one’s faith trampled upon—even when the ones he found himself empathizing with were a horde of Demons.
Because this was an extremely dangerous way to court death.
Perhaps the long, drawn-out battle had completely numbed their senses.
They fought from noon until dusk, and from dusk until deep into the night. The Demon’s Blood soaked their armor and clothes, leaving a mark of slaughter and death that even a downpour could not wash away.
And yet, when dawn broke, even with corpses piled like mountains under their feet and rivers of blood flowing, all they could see was a still-endless Demon Army and a blood altar radiating evil.
Perhaps the despair of impending death had thrown Reinhardt’s mind into confusion.
No matter how they resisted the Demon invasion or how they defended this world, they were constantly proving their loyalty and courage to the Empire.
But the Radiant Channel remained silent, bringing no news of reinforcements nor any orders to retreat.
It was as if the Empire had completely forgotten them on this desolate border planet... or worse, perhaps the Radiant Holy City itself had fallen, and the once-mighty Human Empire had already crumbled.
All of their resistance here was futile.
In truth, sustaining such high-pressure, high-intensity combat for so long was the ultimate test of a Knight’s strength and Loyalty. Some might choose to desert, but others would choose to stand their ground until the very end. freёweɓnovel.com
The one thing he couldn’t understand was what in the world had gone wrong with Reinhardt to make him choose this moment, on this battlefield, to crack a joke so dark that not even a Demon would laugh.
He took a deep breath.
"This isn’t funny, Reinhardt. Do you even know what you’re saying?"
The smile on Reinhardt’s face slowly faded. He stared at the blood altar in the distance, the left hand holding his axe still trembling.
"Are you hungry? I’m starving."
This time, Albert was completely silent.
He had considered countless possibilities for Reinhardt’s behavior, blaming it on the Abyssal Divine Chosen One or the sheer brutality of the fighting style. But he had completely forgotten that even Knights needed to replenish their Energy.
Especially during such high-intensity, round-the-clock combat.
He took a fist-sized tin can from the pack on his Armor and tossed it over. "Blairder mass-production standard issue. It’s disgusting, but it’ll fill your stomach."
The rations provided by the Imperial Military Affairs Department for the Knights of the Main Battle Corps were not something an ordinary Mortal could stomach.
It was a foul slurry of oil, salt, sugar, water, and high protein.
The texture was like eating pre-digested vomit.
The Energy in one can was enough to sustain an Official Knight through a full day of combat. Rumor had it that the Empire had spent tens of billions of Radiant Gold Coins to develop this infamous military ration, but it was worth pondering just how much of that money actually went into research and development.
Not far away, the blood-summoning ritual for the Great Demon had concluded.
The river of blood surged into the sky before slowly descending. Like a living entity, it roiled and coalesced, forming a gigantic mirror of blood!
THOOM—!
That power, like the very heartbeat of death, pulsed once more as an aura of terror spread relentlessly.
A fury from the Abyss, filled with blasphemy and filth, transformed into invisible whispers. It pierced the Knights’ heavy Armor, carrying with it the most primal bloodlust and madness. It gnawed at their noble faith, seeking to contaminate their very souls and drag them down into the Dark Abyss!
Then, driven by the prayers and Blood Sacrifices of a hundred Commanding Mages, an immense shadow began to materialize on the other side of the sanguine mirror.
Time seemed to freeze.
Not even the wind could pass through this forbidden ground where the Great Demon was being summoned!
Its presence was heard before it was seen.
A brutal, low battle cry and a ragged, whistling breath—more terrifying than all the horrors of the world combined!
The Knights of the Dark Gold Blood resisted the ominous Mighty Power of the Abyssal Great Demon in agony.
Even within the Death Battle Group, which specialized in countering Wizards and Demon invasions, many Knights shut their eyes against the Great Demon’s aura. They silently recited the Great Unity Scripture over and over, fortifying their minds.
In contrast, the unremarkable New Recruit Knight fighting alongside them, Maxim, simply scratched his head. His clear, almost simple-minded eyes betrayed his confusion. ’What’s wrong with these big shots from the Imperial Main Battle Legion?’
Only the most steadfast of the Radiant Angels, along with two... no, three Earth Knights, were but slightly affected.
Albert prayed silently, resisting the influence of the Great Demon Power.
He caught a glimpse of Reinhardt out of the corner of his eye, head down, ravenously devouring the contents of the Blairder can. He found it hard to imagine just how unshakable a Knight’s faith and ideals must be to allow him to act so casually—as if taking a leisurely stroll—within the projected domain of an Abyssal Great Demon.
To even have the presence of mind to make a colossal joke about the whispers of an Evil God.
This was Avernus they were talking about!
The sovereign of the Dark Abyss! The god of rage and Slaughter! The god of blood and death! The Lord of Lords! The very incarnation of fear! The Supreme One!
The empty can fell, landing in the mire with a dull thud.
A behemoth, over ten meters tall, stepped through the blood mirror and descended upon the physical world.
Its skin was the color of dried blood, and its gnarled muscles and veins bulged grotesquely. Its horned head was a picture of savage terror, with countless scraps of flesh dangling from its sharp fangs.
Its thick tail cracked like a steel whip, and its massive, fleshy wings, lined with backward-facing spikes, blotted out the sky when unfurled!
Its War Axe, blessed by Avernus, was strung with human skulls. Every hairline crack on its surface was steeped in the blood of the mighty. An ominous Curse Power emanated from it; a single glance could make one’s head spin, extinguishing the will to resist and causing them to collapse to the ground.
The behemoth’s gaze swept past every other living being, its flame-wreathed eyes fixing upon Reinhardt!
There was no need for superfluous words.
It had no need for the servitude of lesser Demons or worthless Mages.
Only Slaughter! Only the taste of a worthy opponent’s blood! Only then could its insatiable, ravenous hunger for battle be even slightly appeased!
For he was Hekatos, the Fury of Avernus!
Eternal, unceasing rage forged his soul. The thirst for Slaughter reforged his flesh. The War Axe of Slaughter granted him Supreme Power.
His massive claws pierced a lowly Mage who had dared to try and serve him. He bathed in the Mage’s blood, ripped off the man’s skull, and hung it high atop his War Axe!
A deafening roar, imbued with furious Mighty Power, caused the very Bone Mountain and Blood River to tremble!
It was like a clarion call to Slaughter.
The prostrated Demons scrambled to their feet, roaring to the heavens. With throat-shredding war cries, they answered the rage and command of the Furious Great Demon Hekatos!
Reinhardt wiped a crumb from the corner of his mouth, his gaze meeting the terrifying eyes of the Furious Great Demon—a stare powerful enough to obliterate a Mortal’s soul.
An existence of this Level was beyond what he was supposed to handle.
But in this age of chaos, in the name of an Imperial Knight, he would fight here alongside his Battle Brothers from the Knight Order until the very end!
Embrace the glory of battle!
