"We're charging in! Secure the 'Curse Caster' immediately!"
The elite of the Kingdom of Aiwood's royal army, led by Vareiya, infiltrated the castle conjured by magic.
It was a rugged and simple castle made of sand and earth. However, the interior was more intricately designed than it appeared from the outside.
A spacious room like a hall. Several stone statues stood within, greeting Vareiya and his group.
The statues depicted warriors about two meters tall. They wore armor and gripped greatswords with both hands.
"There's no sign of people, but... Wha!?"
"OOOOOOAAAARGH!"
Then, a low roar echoed from all directions.
The statues placed throughout the room began to move. Emitting a deep rumble whose source was unknown, they closed in on Vareiya and the others, greatswords in hand.
"Magic dolls... Golems!"
Vareiya tightened his grip on his spear.
A golem is a doll created by magic that moves autonomously.
Some were created for simple chores, while others were made for combat.
The golems in this room were large, armed, and clearly meant for battle.
"Counterattack! Get them!"
"OOOOH!"
Receiving Vareiya's orders, the soldiers of the unit began to move.
Each of them readied their swords or spears and confronted the golems.
"Guh...!"
"Watch out, they're strong!"
While fighting the golems wielding greatswords, the soldiers shouted.
Every soldier here was an elite. They had the strength to defeat ten average soldiers.
But even for them, the golems on site were powerful.
The slash of the greatsword was intense. It was fast, too, to the point that one wouldn't think it was made of stone.
"Don't let your guard down! These aren't ordinary golems!"
While urging his subordinates, Vareiya thrust his spear into one of the golems.
"Groar!"
But immediately, the golem swung its greatsword up.
Although the golem was pierced in the chest... it was, after all, an artificial doll. Even an attack that would penetrate a human's heart and kill them did not deal a fatal blow, and it attempted to counterattack.
"Explode!"
However, Vareiya immediately exploded the tip of his spear.
The golem was blown apart from inside, shattered into pieces.
"Trash like this. I can't be held up forever."
Next, another golem was cut to pieces.
The remains of the stone statue scattered on the floor.
"Almakain Sword Dance Technique: 'Scattered Blossoms'"
The one who demonstrated dismantling the golem in an instant was the 'Woman-Hating Sword Saint'... Wilhelm Lubeth.
Wilhelm muttered in his usual calm tone while glaring at the enemy through his long bangs.
"If I play around, that guy will get ahead of me again. I can't afford to keep eating his dust."
ROOOOOOAR!
"Chapter."
Another golem slashed at Lubeth's back, but Wilhelm's sword flashed.
A single line was carved in the air. The golem was split in two, greatsword and all.
"Magnificent...!"
"We can't be outdone! Charge!"
Vareiya and Lubeth.
Following the lead of the two powerhouses, the other soldiers also roused themselves.
The momentum, which had been slightly pushing them back, was reversed. They destroyed the golems one after another.
"No weak soldiers under a mighty general." Soldiers led by an overwhelming powerhouse display greater strength than they originally possessed.
The soldiers, who were already elites, fully unleashed their potential.
"Alright, we've cleaned them up! Now to find that so-called Curse Caster—... Huh!?"
Vareiya and his group had mostly finished off the golems, but they soon stopped in their tracks.
ROOOOOOAR!
"The golems are regenerating?!"
Yes... the destroyed golems repaired themselves.
Their bodies, which should have been broken to pieces, were stitched together and stood up as if being lifted by invisible threads.
Faint lines remained at the cut and shattered parts, but they swung their greatswords and attacked again.
"Is someone using magic from somewhere to regenerate them? Or were they pre-equipped with an automatic repair function...?!"
While deflecting a golem's greatsword, Vareiya gritted his teeth.
They had created a castle from sand. A castle that possessed the hardness of steel and regenerated even when destroyed.
Furthermore, they had installed golems for defense. Nearly twenty powerful golems, all fitted with a regeneration function as well.
Just how accomplished a mage must one be to make such a thing possible...?
"It would seem the enemy is far more powerful than I had imagined...!"
The tide of battle, which should have turned, was reversing once again.
Vareiya and his group began to be pushed back. No one had died yet, but some had started to sustain injuries.
"This is bad. At this rate...!"
"Kill them alllll!!!"
"Ngh...!?"
But... that was when unexpected reinforcements arrived.
Warriors charging in from a different direction swung their clubs, smashing the golems apart.
"The oni tribe...!?"
The reinforcements were, in fact, the oni tribe who had been assaulting the fortress from a different direction.
These were the ones Vareiya and his party had used as a diversion for their infiltration, and now they had struck the golems from behind.
—————————————— The continuation of the episode is being posted on the limited status notes.
If you are interested, I would appreciate it if you checked it out there as well!