It ended. But their resistance was never in vain.
Half of the Stone Golem Legion had been reduced to scrap, and the surviving medium monsters numbered barely twenty or so. Of course, the orc infantry had all been turned into corpses without exception, strewn across the ground. But regrettably, they had failed to kill even a single one of the dragons they had targeted.
The heroes' strength had not been enough to break through the encirclement of stone golems and medium monsters. Now, only two humans remained standing upon the ground in the Northwood Plains.
"So it ends like this after all?"
Damon, the sole human to survive among the heroes, muttered in a subdued voice. On his back hung the unconscious Daphne, slumped limply. The horrific massacre that had unfolded here had forced her to suffer yet another tremendous blow. Had she not fainted, it would have been even more painful…….
Strangely, the stone golems and medium monsters did not so much as approach Damon. Even the orc infantry kept their distance, so the two remained unscathed, not a hair harmed. Of course, Damon knew the reason all too well. Had he not been carrying Daphne, he would have already met his end several times over. He knew well that no matter how powerful the dragons were, they could not kill the Saintess—Berhajel's eyes and mouth.
"How futile."
Damon turned his head slowly. His gaze settled on the fallen corpse of Sergei. Commander-in-Chief Sergei lay in a sea of blood, his head torn off. Damon had witnessed the graphic scene of Sergei's head being ripped off by the overwhelming strength of a stone golem. Such was the final end of Duke Sergei, who had thrashed and struggled so desperately to carry on the fate of mankind. Though he had rushed about, driving countless soldiers to their deaths, he could not overcome the wall that was the dragons. He had fought relatively bravely, but his swordsmanship had been limited to one or two ogres at best from the start. Now he had become like the dullahan they had seen inside the barrier zone. Naturally, he would never move again.
The Four Knights, said to be the symbol of Icarot, could not escape meeting the same fate of becoming corpses strewn about. Of course, their fame was no empty reputation. The most stone golems had been destroyed by their hands, and the number of medium monsters sliced in two at the torso was countless. But regrettably, they were humans of limited strength. As the mana within their bodies gradually ran dry, they were forced to meet their end one by one.
Helvetron lay crushed in a corner, his body mangled by a stone golem's massive fist—a gruesome sight with his skull shattered and both eyeballs popped out. Yet he could be considered relatively fortunate. Reindelph and Primberg had been struck by the dragons' hellfire and hadn't even left corpses behind. Salamis's end had been horrifying as well. Only his upper body remained, draped limply over a pile of rocks that appeared to be the remains of a stone golem. His lower body was nowhere to be seen, and from his severed waist, blood flowed endlessly along with his sliced entrails. Damon stared at the sight indifferently before turning his head again.
Every hero whose face he had familiarized himself with on the way here had become a corpse without exception, strewn across the ground. He was the only human still standing upon the earth. But strangely, the corpse of Schreckheimer could not be seen. No matter how hard he looked, there was no body that he could identify as his.
"I suppose he burned up without a trace, like Reindelph."
Damon shook his head and let out a hollow laugh. Many had died, but he didn't feel particularly sad. Of course, he too had already resigned himself to death. At the heavy sound coming from behind him, he turned his body.
Thud, thud.
Two stone golems approached with heavy footsteps. Their stone bodies were dented here and there, as if to show the fierce battle they had endured. But whether their magic stones were intact, the golems' movements were relatively smooth. The stone golems that came up beside Damon raised their massive arms and pointed in one direction.
"Seems they want me to go that way."
Damon walked on in silence. Ordinarily, he should have seized an opening in the midst of battle to flee, but he could never do that. For one, he could not leave Daphne behind and go alone.
At this very moment, Daphne was an existence more precious to Damon than his own life. Yet taking her with him was similarly impossible. Not only could he not escape this place, but he also lacked the strength to protect Daphne from an ice troll. Of course, the very idea of escaping from the dragons' clutches was one without the slightest possibility.
With such thoughts, Damon pressed on. The dragons lined up in a row came into clear view. Between them stood liches that appeared to be the Guardians of Verkis, lined up like an escort. But among them, there was no sign of Gedenhyde, whom he had seen before.
When Damon approached, Verkis's eyes gleamed. He already knew Damon's identity clearly. Thanks to having taken Venites as his familiar.
"So you are the Sword Master brought from that other world. How astonishing, to behold an existence from another world……."
"………."
In Verkis's eyes as he looked at Damon, a light of triumph seemed to linger.
"I shall not be bored. After I destroy Arcadia five hundred years from now, it seems I shall be able to enjoy myself once more."
The corners of Damon's mouth curled up faintly.
"Then may I take it to mean that you intend to invade the Central Plains once again?"
"Of course. We have already concluded that the existence known as humanity has no value in living. That fact undoubtedly applies to the humans of the world you lived in as well."
Having finished speaking, Verkis observed Damon's reaction carefully. Usually, human reactions in such cases were predictable. But his opponent did not act at all as he had expected.
"It should be interesting to try it once. There is one request. There should be a fellow there by the name of Sajunhwan. If the opportunity arises, could you kill him in the most miserable way possible? I have a debt to settle with him, you see."
Verkis was bewildered by the unexpected reaction. Because of that, he forgot that the other was addressing him so rudely. This was toward an existence that even Sergei would not have dared to address so casually. The intimidation of a dragon, the strongest being in the human realm, was truly that immense.
"Interesting. In this situation, other humans show reactions entirely different from yours."
"Naturally. I am completely different from them."
Damon sneered, a shrill laugh escaping him. Having already abandoned any attachment to life, he had nothing left to fear. At his audacious attitude, Verkis finally began to seethe with rage.
"A mere pup that knows no fear of tigers."
"Is that so? Aren't I a bit big for a pup?"
A smile flickered across Verkis's face as he glared at Damon as if to devour him. He already knew all there was to know about Damon through Venites. Along with that, he also knew exactly what Damon cherished most.
"Very well. We shall see if you maintain that attitude shortly. Put the Saintess down."
Verkis's words took immediate effect. All color drained from Damon's face.
"W-what are you planning to do to her?"
"Naturally, I must proceed according to plan. I shall take her to the lair of Dragon Lord Cranus. Lord Cranus will turn her to stone……. She will likely enjoy her eternal rest until the day the world ends."
"No."
Damon let out a despairing scream. He could not tolerate even the thought of Daphne being turned to stone. Feeling Daphne trembling faintly against his back, Damon unhesitatingly fell to his knees.
"Please release her. I shall see to it that she brings you no harm. I already harbor no affection for the human race, just as you do. I shall hide deep in the mountains and never emerge no matter what happens, so please……."
The smile that stained Verkis's face deepened. Of course, he had not the slightest intention of accepting the offer.
"Betraying one's race for love……. An interesting phenomenon."
"She is more precious to me than my own life. If you wish, I shall die in her place. So please, send her back to her homeland."
Damon's plea was almost a scream. But Verkis merely watched him with an amused gaze.
"Are you saying you would endure any agony?"
"I am. Even if you tear my body to shreds, it is fine. I have already been trained in pain to the utmost. I will never dull your interest. So please……."
Verkis, who had been staring intently at Damon, slowly nodded his head.
"That would not be bad either."
A look of hope spread across Damon's face.
"Th-thank you."
But at Verkis's following words, all color drained from Damon's face once more.
"There is nothing to thank me for. Turning the Saintess to stone is already scheduled. Her fate will not change no matter what happens. So do not mistake my words……. To be precise, it means I will not kill you here. My new plan is to take you to my lair and inflict pain upon you slowly. That is what I mean by not bad."
"You vile……."
Damon, who had been trembling, suddenly flung his body backward. He had wanted to save Daphne by any means necessary. But Verkis seemed to have anticipated Damon's actions.
"Absolute Command—Target-Limited Petrification! (Power word Limitted ovject harden into stone)"
It was quite a long spell, but the magic manifested in an instant. Damon's body, which had tried to flee, became fixed in place. He exerted all his might, but his legs refused to move at all. Cold sweat trickled continuously down Damon's face.
"Urk—"
He had struggled with every last ounce of his strength, but it was futile. His legs, like his arms, were completely beyond his control. When Damon inadvertently lowered his head, his eyes widened drastically. His legs had already turned to stone. Precisely from around the waist down.
"H-how?"
"Do not exert yourself too much……. It would be troublesome if you broke, after all. See that you never forget—from this moment on, you are my toy……."
"Kuaaaaah—"
A scream of despair finally burst from Damon's mouth. It was born of the desperation of lacking the strength to protect a woman. And not just any woman, but the most precious existence in the world to him. But Verkis continued speaking without a hint of agitation.
"The Saintess shall also be turned to stone by the same method. Of course, it will be Lord Cranus who casts the spell himself."
Having finished speaking, Verkis flicked his eyes. At that, several ogres lunged toward Damon. Their purpose was to take Daphne off his back.
"Kwauuuu."
The moment he felt the ogre's touch, Damon thrashed in frenzy. But since he could not move his four limbs, there was nothing he could do.