Chapter 171 Mia dashed into the forest

Everything disappeared into nothingness within the black mud.

Mia dashed into the forest.

Vortigern laughed wildly like a whirlwind. He strolled through the forest, and with every step he took, the black mud spread.

“You cannot defeat me.”

“Accept destruction, accept extinction.”

Vortigern pressed on step by step.

Mia wove through the forest; the obstruction of the trees made it difficult for her to use long-distance teleportation.

The young girl panted heavily, as if the air that could support human life had all been transformed into negative things under the power of Vortigern.

Mia seemed to hear a voice—it was the voice of the island itself.

It was the resentment and the past contained within Vortigern’s shadow.

Human civilization was like a plague.

No matter who it was, they hadn’t done anything, but humans were constantly spreading; the number of humans was constantly increasing, and they suppressed the mystery.

The era belonging to mystery had ended; the spirits had left the surface and headed to their own realm.

But the land named Britannia resisted, still living on this land, and the creatures that fed on mystery also resisted.

She had cried, and she had resisted, but nothing or no one had ever responded to her plea.

It was just that the ‘Era of Mystery’ had passed—that was the simple reason.

Just because of such an inexplicable reason, a reason that had nothing to do with them, the creatures that fed on mystery were going to go extinct.

This planet, and the humans on this planet, had passed a death sentence on the mystery on the surface.

‘Unacceptable, unforgivable…’

If that was an inevitable extinction.

Then just go extinct along with the humans! Extinct along with everything on this island!

‘Everyone must die!’

‘Destroy, shatter. Become hell. The earth will offer rebellion to this era!’

The black mud that represented destruction flowed; it was the weeping of this forest, the wailing of this land, the desperate resentment of this island.

The beasts fled in terror. The black mud spread to the trees, and the trees collapsed, swallowed by the black mud. A doe’s foot sank into it; she wailed, and within the black mud, it seemed as if there were countless hands clinging to every creature that had fallen into the black mud, dragging them down, eventually turning into a boiling bubble.

Popping and disappearing into nothingness.

Mia walked stumbling.

The resentment of the land almost tore her consciousness apart.

It was endless hatred, transformed from despair and unwillingness that had reached a breaking point.

Sweat had already soaked the clothes beneath her armor.

“Calm down!”

Mia turned and released a Fire Wall.

She no longer cared that they were inside a forest.

As long as she could obstruct Vortigern’s vision and delay his pursuit, even just stalling for a little time would be enough!

— —

A forced march from Lancaster to that castle would take less than ten hours.

Now, Artoria and Kay were riding Torrent.

Torrent was an excellent horse, as if it had endless energy.

It carried the two of them at a gallop.

Artoria held the reins tightly, and Kay, behind her, had to wrap his arms around his sister’s waist to keep from falling off.

“Its target might be the city!”

Kay looked back at the Stone Giant that had already been left some distance behind.

The monster was truly very tall.

Looking back from here, even thousands of meters away, the upper body of the Stone Giant was still swaying behind the hills and trees.

“Can you go any faster?”

“Torrent, please!” Artoria flicked the reins.

Torrent responded with a wheeze.

Time was slipping away.

— —

The sun was only half a mountain away from setting.

For the residents of Lancaster, this was not an ordinary day.

The news of the war’s arrival had become known to everyone; even the most oblivious Soldier would realize something was terribly wrong upon seeing the refugees and troops marching into the city.

It had only been a few days.

The conflicts erupting between the city dwellers and the country folk had already left the marshals and Guards exhausted.

The normal lives of the citizens had been significantly affected, and to maintain order, the curfew had been extended.

Even during the day, squads of Soldier were patrolling the streets.

The King hoped for good news from the front lines.

The Guards on the city wall saw a horse carrying two people galloping toward them from afar.

When it got closer, they realized it was a strange horse with horns, and the people on it were quite interesting; the one driving the horse was a young girl, while the one trembling in fear on the bumpy back of the horse was a young man.

“Stop!”

Before the two could enter the city, the Guards moved to stop them.

They saw that the two were wearing armor and were stained with blood.

The girl’s beautiful face was obscured by grime mixed with sweat and blood droplets, and her dazzling blonde hair was also dimmed.

She pulled on the reins in front of the city gate, and the arrogant ahoge on her head swayed.

“I want to see His Majesty Braidin!” Artoria shouted: “Blow the horn! Full alert!”

The girl’s bell-like voice sounded somewhat hoarse from shouting.

Faced with the inexplicable order, the captain immediately lunged in front of the two, pointing his spear at them: “Identify yourselves!”

He questioned.

“We are knights who followed Lord Anthony-Britannius to the front lines!” Kay loudly announced his background.

Their bedraggled appearance should not be a lie.

Even with scratches all over, everyone could clearly see the decorations on their armor.

They might indeed be knights.

The Soldier felt a bad premonition rising in their hearts, looking at each other with worried faces, guessing at the possible situation at the front lines.

“What happened?” The Soldier whispered uneasily.

“Could it be…”

“Shh——”

The infantry captain noticed the fluctuation in morale and glared fiercely at his subordinates.

“How can I believe you?” He furrowed his brows, staring at the two in front of him with anger.

“This is a matter of life and death!” Artoria paced anxiously, gripping the reins.

She really wanted to shout directly, ‘The castle has fallen, and now that castle has started moving on its own and is on its way to destroy this city!’

But how could she? Saying such bad news that would cause morale to collapse in public was absolutely out of the question.

She had to find Braidin.

Anxious sweat seeped from Artoria’s forehead: “We went to the front lines with the main army a few days ago, get out of the way now!”

“At least produce a warrant?!” The infantry captain questioned relentlessly.

“There is no such thing!” Artoria said urgently.

She was almost frantically pulling at Torrent’s reins; Torrent wanted to move forward but was forced back by the infantry captain’s spear.

‘I have to force my way through…’ Artoria gritted her teeth.

She made Torrent step back a few paces.

“What are you doing!” The infantry captain shouted.

Clang, Artoria drew her sword: “Move!”

The spirit horse leaped up suddenly after a short run-up.

It easily leaped to a height that no horse could reach.

It was as if the wind was lifting it up; Torrent carried the two people on its back and easily vaulted over the spear tips, as agile as a flying bird.