Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 398 - 397: Unfriendly Guests

The roar of the giant cannons from the south bank of the White River could faintly be heard at the dock square.

The residents of Cecil knew that it was the sound of the Combat Corps’ unique magical weapons, and each thunderous boom signified an earth-shattering explosion. Even an archMage’s Flame Burst couldn’t compare to the power of those giant cannons. Those who had witnessed the explosive power of the Rebecca Crystals firsthand, and read analysis articles about the war in the newspapers, believed that Count Hosman and his ragtag group had no chance against those formidable giant cannons—just like the aberrations that twice attacked the territory but were defeated both times.

The people of this era had not yet experienced an information explosion, nor did they have the habit of questioning their leader. The impact of a life with scarce information and heavy labor still lingered. Now that they finally had access to external information and the ability to read and think, they almost instantly and unconditionally believed everything the newspapers and the leader said. They didn’t care, nor did they consider what the two armies totaling seventy thousand troops organized by Count Hosman truly meant. If the leader said they would win, then they would surely win.

With the advancement of education and cultural development, this situation will surely change someday. But at least for now, this nearly blind trust and following is a necessary condition to ensure the unity and high morale of the Cecil people.

Half the city had gathered near the dock square, listening to the cannon fire echoing from upriver. However, the remarkably effective discipline of the Cecil Clan still bound those residents with work tasks. Most people stayed at their posts, continuing their duties while waiting for tomorrow’s "Special Edition" to bring the latest updates from the front lines.

A pair of pale golden, ethereal eyes floated above the South City Wall. Its color was very faint, almost completely blending into the sky’s backdrop. After lasting for several seconds, the eyes, which were condensed by Holy Light Power, gradually dissipated.

In a small grove near the South City Wall, adjacent to the Dark Mountain Range, an elderly man in a white robe with gold edges and a complex three-tiered crown slowly opened his eyes. A flash of pale golden light flickered in his pupils.

"It’s truly astonishing. Despite being shrouded in war, with invading enemies even outnumbering the entire city’s population, this city remains so peaceful..." The elderly man in priest robes couldn’t help but express admiration, "I truly wonder what method Duke Gawain Cecil used to charm the hearts of the people, keeping such orderly conduct in the city..."

A middle-aged Priest beside the old man couldn’t help but shake his head, "I fear the people in the city don’t even know about the war news. If they knew what kind of army was heading towards their city, they would have already fled."

"Using deception and concealment tactics... that indeed aligns with the Duke’s behavior of shielding heterodoxies," the elder said with a gentle, calm expression, "I suppose those sinners who defy the will of the Lord and believe in heretical gods are hiding in the city now... Everyone, come with me. It’s time to make those heretics face reality and realize that even if they flee to the southern borders and hide in the city of the Cecil Clan, they cannot escape the Lord’s punishment."

The elder spoke as he stepped out of the forest, and behind him, one fully armed figure after another emerged from their concealed positions.

There were a total of twelve fully armored Church Knights, with powerful Holy Light Power surging over them. They wore sacred enchanted armor made of Adamantite and Light-Cast Iron, with light gold cloaks embroidered with Holy Light proverbs over the armor. The enchanted longswords in their hands surged with original, pure Holy Light Power. Even their war horses were clad in the highest quality steel armor—each knight possessed powerful Order-level strength. With rich experience and skilled coordination, combined with their lavish equipment, they could hold their ground for long enough even against a legend!

These were the Holy Light Church’s greatest pride—the foundation for this faith-centered, priest-dominant "healing" church to become the most powerful church in Anzu. The mighty Church Knights were both wielders of Holy Light Power and skilled, robust warriors. They proclaimed the power of Holy Light in a special way—usually by cutting down those who didn’t believe in it.

Bishop Leimont, wearing a gold-edged priest robe, glanced with satisfaction at the troops he brought—the Holy Light Church’s power in the southern region was weak, but not without resources. Half of the twelve knights who broke through to powerful Order were reinforcements from the central parish, with the other half being the Southern Diocese’s own force. These devout and fanatical warriors would fight to the last breath for their faith, and today, was the moment for these noble warriors to prove their faithfulness to the Lord.

Even the kingdom’s Grand Duke cannot hinder the Lord’s glorious work!

The elder led his Attendant and the twelve knights out of the forest, with an overwhelming Holy Light erupting from their bodies. Although there were only fourteen of them, they exuded a powerful force as if a thousand troops, and an undeniable presence—these church combat personnel had no intention of hiding their tracks at all. They even deliberately made a show of themselves!

Because their task was to openly appear before this city—they knew there was a legend guarding the city, and covertly moving to the outskirts of the city’s forests as a small unit was already the limit for powerful Order Transcendents. Trying to infiltrate the city under the eyes of a legend to cause damage was almost impossible, hence it was better to openly show themselves. Furthermore, their mission wasn’t to capture this city—they only needed to hold up Gawain Cecil, the legend!

Bishop Leimont knew that the battle in the northern parts of the mountain range had already begun. Count Hosman and his fifty thousand troops might have already captured the Kant Region and were marching south along the Wilderness Way, while Earl Peibo, descending west along the White River, should also arrive at the Cecil domain soon. Once the seventy-thousand troops merged, capturing this city, established less than a year ago, would not be difficult—even though the Cecil Clan had built tall city walls and also had the natural barrier of the White River, seventy thousand troops could still siege the city to death.

Everything was securely in control, except for the legendary powerhouse himself, Gawain Cecil, who was a massive threat.

Leimont knew the kind of "allied army" that Earl Hosman had gathered. The southern borders, having been at peace for so long, could barely muster a decent army. They might be able to rely on sheer numbers to overwhelm ordinary opponents, but once they faced setbacks, they would likely collapse immediately. A legendary powerhouse could easily move through such a ragtag army. If Gawain Cecil were to appear, wreaking havoc among the allied forces or disregarding the aristocratic rules to directly kill the nobles within, the tens of thousands of troops might very well fall into chaos.

Ordinary nobles might not engage in sneak attacks or kill other nobles on the battlefield, but Gawain Cecil was different. Ever since he rose from his coffin, he had rarely adhered to the rules of the nobility. Though it sounds amusing to say, the nobles of today’s southern borders all knew this fact: The old ancestor is defying the ancestral system!

To avoid this sole unexpected occurrence on the battlefield, Bishop Leimont and his church knights had to appear at the Cecil Main City during the heat of battle, holding Gawain Cecil there firmly!

As long as the allied forces could dismantle all of Cecil clan’s resistance, leaving Gawain Cecil alone as a legend wouldn’t stir much trouble.

In his heart, Bishop Leimont was silently contemplating how the Holy Light should carry out activities in the Southern Diocese once this ancient and stubborn clan of Cecil completely collapsed. Then he raised his head, looking at the towering Cecil City Walls not far away—the soldiers defending the city had of course noticed the arrival of uninvited guests. Now, figures were scurrying about on the wall. Bishop Leimont simply watched those running figures with a gentle and compassionate expression.

He raised his hand, and a powerful Holy Light immediately shot into the sky—such an obvious provocation would surely be seen by the leader hiding within the city.

Then he opened his mouth, ready to use the Divine Arts "Voice of the Heavenly Realm" to announce why the judgment of the Holy Light had descended upon them: it was because they harbored heretics, provoking the wrath of the God of Holy Light and thus inviting calamity.

But just as he was about to recite the prayer, a humanoid creature glowing with an equally incomprehensible light appeared not far on the city wall.

That creature was tall and terrifying, his whole being radiating the brilliance of Magic Power. His body resembled a shapeless mass of arcane energy and retained a roughly human shape by relying on pieces of armor inscribed with magic symbols. He appeared in a floating form high on the wall, and before he spoke, a powerful Arcane Lightning suddenly tore through the sky.

"It seems the ’unfriendly guests’ the leader spoke of are indeed you," the astounding energy being spoke, his voice booming like thunder, "Halt your steps; you are trespassing on the lands of Cecil!"

"Wherever the light of the Holy Light shines, it is the land of the Lord!" Bishop Leimont gripped the staff in his hand tightly, watching the energy being on the wall with caution. He originally thought the first to reveal himself would surely be the legendary leader, but unexpectedly, it was a creature akin to an elemental or magic creation that appeared on the wall. "I am Leimont, the Southern Archbishop of the Holy Light. In the name of Holy Light, I am here to negotiate with your leader!"

"Negotiate?" Kamel’s voice boomed, "Coming to negotiate with twelve fully armed knights? And you have already unsheathed your swords!"

"Because of what Cecil has done in recent times, we are compelled to face you with the utmost vigilance," Bishop Leimont proclaimed loudly, "You have sheltered the evil cult followers exiled by the Holy Light Church. For the purity of the Holy Light, I am tasked to carry out judgment on those heretics."

Kamel shook his head—in truth, he wished to display a mocking expression, but having no facial features, he could only shake his head: "Then it seems you will return empty-handed, Bishop. The heretics you speak of have undergone the fair trial of Cecil’s law and are found innocent. They are now legal citizens of this land, and your actions are challenging Cecil’s laws."

Bishop Leimont seemed to be waiting for this exact statement—he needed a reason to make the knights’ actions of "enacting the Holy Light’s power" seem somewhat justified. Now, the complete harboring of heretics by Cecil and the energy being’s words had provided him with the pretext: Since when could a leader’s law judge a District Bishop?

The bishop could not help but smile: "In that case, we shall have no choice but to resort to force."

The knights raised their longswords, with the surging Holy Light beginning to flow among them.

But before they initiated their attack, Kamel had already spoken: "Just right, I can use you to test my new project. Rainbow Light Units, prepare to overload the capacitors!"

(Book recommendation time! "Dimensional Expedition," a story of pioneering and construction in another world, the author’s previous book was "Cultural Invasion of Another World," guaranteed quality. I’m telling you, this author has honed his skills through the previous book, now solid as gold, steady as can be!)