Chapter 189 – The Barrier (2)

The surge of mana outside the barrier was so powerful that all mana users nearby turned to look.

The sudden burst of divine power was so sacred that the priests healing soldiers behind the barrier instinctively drew holy signs.

Naturally, Count Kolbe, who was blowing away skeletons on top of the barrier, couldn’t help but feel that mana and divine power.

“Why is such mana bursting out over there? Is there a Sword Saint I don’t know about?”

Though it was far away and obscured by the undead, the sword aura that shot up was enough for him to recognize the skill of the knight who had suddenly appeared.

“That’s not just a knight at the level of a Sword Saint—that’s clearly a Sword Saint. Was there such a young superhuman? What do you think?”

Finally, as he looked up and spoke, an answer came from the sky.

**Kwa-rur-rung.**

Lightning struck, once again sweeping across the ground.

The undead that had gathered to climb the barrier were blown away in droves, and a person descended from the sky.

“I am also a Sword Saint, and now that I’ve aged a bit, perhaps you could show me some respect.”

“Haha, not yet. It’s only been ten years since you became a Sword Saint. Where do you get off asking for respect?

I brought you from the countryside into the Imperial Magic Corps and raised you to become an Archmage. Now that you’ve aged a bit, you think you’re on equal footing with me?”

As the Count spoke, slumping his shoulders, Archmage Gunter let out a sigh.

This had been the Count’s constant refrain for the past twenty years, ever since Gunter had refused to become the territory’s mage.

Given that Gunter was also a mage with a less-than-pleasant personality, if anyone else had spoken to him like that, he would have blasted them with magic.

But he couldn’t do that to the Count.

As the Count had said, it was he who had brought Gunter into the Magic Corps and supported him until he became an Archmage.

“I tried to raise one proper territory mage, but you just flew away. There’s no point in working hard to raise people.”

So, once again, Gunter had rushed to the Count’s call and was diligently blocking the enemies, but he had his own thoughts on the matter.

‘There’s no way someone with the skill to become an Archmage would stay as a territory mage.’

In fact, it would have been absurd for him to become the Count’s territory mage.

In any case, as he landed beside the Count, he answered the Count’s question.

“It’s not just the knight who’s impressive. The mage also seems to be above my level.”

At Gunter’s words, the Count once again infused his eyes with mana and looked at the group rushing toward the barrier.

While the followers were ordinary civilians and soldiers, the few at the front were clearly special, even from this distance.

Aside from the knight he had immediately recognized, the only mage he could see was the beautiful daughter of the Divine Tree next to the knight.

“Huh? Is that elf also at the level of a Sword Saint? But the elves who remained here after the Gate disappeared were all mediocre.”

“That’s what I thought too. But that daughter of the Divine Tree is clearly above my level.”

Before the Archmage could finish his assertion, the daughter of the Divine Tree began casting a spell.

A powerful blade of wind extended in all directions, shredding the undead rushing toward them.

In an instant, the surrounding horde was swept away.

“Wow. Impressive. She’s a proper battle mage. It’s like looking at you. Even in terms of casting speed, she’s on a different level from the old mages in the tower.”

At the Count’s words, Gunter smiled bitterly.

This was all thanks to the desperate struggles he had made to survive his sparring sessions with the Count.

A desk-bound mage couldn’t survive the Count’s training.

Thanks to that, he had become an Archmage and even risen to the position of a Sword Saint, but even now, the thought of those sparring sessions made his body tremble.

“A knight and a mage. So there are two at the level of a Sword Saint? Wait, what’s that?”

As the human group rushed forward, the undead that had been swept away couldn’t easily approach them.

Moreover, the faint light flowing over the entire group. The Count realized what that light was.

Surprised, the Count asked the priest beside him.

“By the way, that’s divine power, right? To not even think of approaching in such a chaotic battle, that’s truly incredible divine power. Are all the priests over there at the level of bishops?”

“Well… The other priests are helping, but most of that divine power is being produced by one person. That person over there.”

When the priest pointed to the woman, the Count’s expression turned serious.

“One person? Has a saintess come? Could it be a new hero’s party?”

At the Count’s words, the Archmage shook his head.

“I heard the hero’s party went to the capital with the expeditionary force.”

“I heard that too. Then what is that?”

At his words, both Gunter and the priest were at a loss for words.

They had never heard of such a powerful party before.

“Anyway, it seems we should help. Most of the people following are civilians. If we leave them like this, the followers will be in danger.”

Even with a priest wielding incredible divine power, a knight at the level of a Sword Saint, and a mage together, the only others with them were a few young apprentice knights and priests.

They couldn’t protect nearly a thousand people in this chaotic battle.

At Gunter’s words, the Count waved his hand.

“Let’s wait a bit. They’ll only show their true strength when things get dangerous.”

As he spoke, the Count’s eyes gleamed like a leopard that had found new prey.

Looking at the Count, Gunter sighed.

“Sigh, your personality… Many people dislike you because of that personality.”

The reason he hadn’t wanted to become the Count’s territory mage was also because of the Count’s personality.

Who would like someone who worked you to death or made you fight to the death just to test your strength?

Because of that, skilled knights and mages kept running away from him, and his territory was always short on manpower.

Gunter was no different.

Thanks to the Count, he had grown quickly, but he had also suffered under the Count’s relentless training.

Honestly, the reason he hadn’t wanted to become the territory mage was because of the Count’s reckless personality.

“I can’t let those people die, so I’ll go cause a bit of chaos up front and come back.”

With those words, the Archmage rose above the barrier, and soon after, a barrage of lightning began to strike in front of the barrier.

**Kwa-rur-rung.**

As the knights and soldiers watched this, the Count clicked his tongue and gave orders to the soldiers.

“We’ll start our attack too. Pour out all the weapons we have to draw their attention here.”

The soldiers ran in all directions to relay the Count’s orders, and oil and arrows began to pour down from the barrier.

“After the battle, I’ll have to catch them and spar with them.”

The Count glanced at the human group still rushing forward and then spoke to the knights waiting behind him.

“We can’t open the gate, so we’ll charge in like this. Knights, follow me!”

“Understood.”

At the Count’s words, the knights drew their swords, and as always, he threatened the eager knights.

“Anyone who gets isolated gets an extra hour of sparring. Be prepared to not be able to walk back!”

The knights’ morale surged, now filled with killing intent, and the Count, chuckling, leapt down from the barrier.

Following him, the knights slid down the barrier.

Unlike the Count, who jumped down in one go, the knights used the protruding parts of the barrier to quickly descend.

—

‘Thankfully, they’re moving.’

Just a moment ago, I had been truly startled when the Sword Saints’ attacks suddenly stopped.

I had planned to use the chaos caused by the Sword Saints to get inside the barrier, but when they stopped fighting, the undead’s attention almost turned entirely toward us.

Thankfully, the mage started dropping lightning again, the soldiers fired arrows, and the Sword Saints and knights came out of the barrier, which significantly reduced the undead’s attention.

Of course, there were still many undead between the gate and us, but now the distance itself wasn’t far.

If I were alone, I could reach it in a single step, but for the group to arrive, we still needed time.

“They’ll open the gate for us, right?”

“If they don’t, we’ll just break it down, so don’t worry.”

“Wow, you really are a medieval knight! So tough!”

Yerim laughed excitedly as she spoke to me.

But in truth, it wasn’t because I was a medieval knight that I had said that.

In fact, in my past life, I wouldn’t have even thought of such a thing.

Breaking down the Imperial barrier gate? Considering the consequences, it would have been unthinkable.

But now, I didn’t worry about such things.

Partly because I had gained enough strength, but more importantly, I no longer considered such worries important.

‘If it really becomes a problem, I can just flee to the southernmost country.’

There was no place that wouldn’t need me, no matter where I went.

In the worst case, I could just go to America, so there was no reason to be tied down by the Empire or the nobility.

But thankfully, there was no need to break down the gate.

**Puuuuu!**

As our group approached the gate, the sound of a horn echoed, and the gate began to open.

Beyond the opening gate, hundreds of soldiers holding shields came into view.

The soldiers, holding shields and densely packed behind the gate, were terrified.

It seemed that instead of opening the gate, the defenders of the barrier intended to use the soldiers to block the undead.

Like the wartime tale that saving civilians required an equal number of soldiers, they were willing to sacrifice soldiers to save us—no, this group.

That was probably because of the strength of me, Zahina, and Yerim at the front, rather than the civilians following behind.

It was a noble stance, and it would make for a great story of sacrifice, but I didn’t like it.

After locking eyes with a frightened young soldier, I made a decision.

“Damn it!”

Right in front of the nearly opened gate, I stopped in my tracks.

The people passing by me.

Instead of following them, I turned around.

“Zahina! Yerim! Protect the people going inside!”

I gave orders to my party members and infused my sword with mana.

As long as possible. Enough to cover the entire open gate.

“Not a single undead will get past me.”

And then, I swung my sword at the undead rushing toward me.

Zombies, skeletons, undead monsters, and even skeletons with guns.

Pressed by their numbers, my armor cracked, and bullet holes appeared, but I didn’t take a single step back.

I didn’t stop swinging my sword until all the people had entered the gate and the gate closed again.

That day, I didn’t let a single undead pass me until the gate closed.

None of the soldiers holding shields behind the gate died.

Most of the people following us also survived.

And I gained another nickname.

The Gate Knight.

It was a ridiculous nickname, but I quite liked it.