Season 2 Chapter 3: The Path of Holy Knights

[4th Week of March 2021 — Meadowville City — Gateway 1 — Day 3]

"And there he goes again. He always protects us whenever we are in danger. It's very rare for a nobleman to act that way; I really don't know why," a middle-aged man said, referring to Count Winchester. "I apologize; my name is Atlas. You must be Knight Commander William von Mondragon." Atlas saluted and introduced his military rank. "I am Royal Squire Atlas of the 12th Meadowville City Guard Captain whose job is to watch over the Gateway 1, like a Gatekeeper."

William noticed something familiar in the way Atlas spoke, which reminded him of Count Accel. Suddenly, William's daughter pulled William aside and whispered in his ear, "Father, that man is Accel's father." William was taken aback but maintained his composure, planning to introduce himself properly once the monster elimination was over.

"All Range Attackers, begin charging your long-range attacks! As for my support units, cast all stat boosts on the range attackers to increase their damage, critical hits, precision, and range attacks!" With Knight Commander William's orders, everyone started moving. Knight Supreme Marshal Accel was now preparing to engage the Mutated Golem Army. 

"Vanguards! Raise your shields! The golems have started using their long-range earth elemental spells. Form a Shield Formation!" Accel commanded, instructing them to cover the front, above, and the back as the golems launched barrages of earth-based attacks. "Steady yourselves! Once we reach them, dismount your horses and charge with me!"

"I bestow upon myself Light Aura Enhancement + Light Armor Enhancement = Empowered Light!" This combination increases damage for sword users, enhances light damage, boosts defense, and raises the user's HP. The effect of Empowered Light temporarily doubles these enhancements. 

"Everyone, we are almost there! Activate Luminous Strike!" Accel called out as he used the ability to shoot the Luminous Strike upwards, creating a signal fire for Knight Commander William. Upon seeing the signal, William immediately gave the order to fire. All the ranged attackers began unleashing barrages of high-speed arrows, enhanced with penetration and cluster explosions, bombarding the golem armies.

[Outside of Meadowville City — Battlefield Frontline]

The ground trembled as the 75th Valkyrie Company marched forward, their armor shining in the sunlight. Accel led the way, pushing toward a horde of corrupted monsters made of stone and earth, with a massive golem looming behind them.

As they closed in, the frontline fighters clashed with the smaller golems. Shields banged against tough stone, spears aimed for glowing weak spots, and greatswords struck hard against their elemental armor. Meanwhile, the vanguard maintained a strong shield wall, protecting their comrades as the golem army advanced.

"Frontlines, get ready! Vanguards, advance with shield drive!" Accel shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

The soldiers moved quickly, tightening their formation as they charged forward. Swords clashed rhythmically, and polearms twirled with deadly accuracy, quickly taking down the first wave of ordinary golems.

But the mutated golem was a different story.

Its body was marked by dark, corrupted veins, with mana crystals glowing in its chest and shoulders. It moved with purpose, its strikes precise. For a moment, it stood still, observing the battlefield, then raised both stone fists and slammed them into the ground, sending a shockwave that cracked the earth beneath the frontline.

"Regroup!" Accel commanded. He dismounted smoothly, drawing his greatsword and shield. The corrupted energy from the golem made the nearby mana unstable, but he steadied his breath and stepped forward without fear.

The clash began as the Vanguards and Frontline Attackers started eliminating the golems. "If you run out of stamina or mana, use your strength to bash them! They are just rocks mixed with manastones!" The fight intensified as the Vanguards and Frontline Attackers began to waver. In response, Accel activated his advance-tier ability called "Call of Arms." This ability fully restores stamina, mana, and health points, and resets all cooldowns, but it can only be used once per day.

Regarding support from the backline, the ranged attackers have now switched to snipe mode. Since they can no longer unleash a barrage of magic penetration arrows due to the clash between the Vanguards and Frontline Attackers and their enemies, snipe mode allows for a significant decrease in attack speed to a sub-sonic level. This enhances precision, enabling direct hits on the weaknesses of the golem army while also preventing allies from being hit by stray arrows during the battle. Additionally, snipe mode includes a special ability that enhances visibility in foggy or dusty conditions.

After an hour of battling the golems, the giant mutated golem ceased producing them and began counterattacking. It swayed its rocky arms, slamming them down onto the ground, heavily impacting the Vanguards and Frontline Attackers. Fortunately, thanks to the Shield and Defensive Formation, they were able to withstand the blows. 

Accel called upon his light magic ability, "Shackles of Light," which restrained the giant mutated golem and neutralized its powers. "Everyone, attack now while I hold this golem! One hundred Knights, keep sending me mana potions to prevent my mana from depleting during this ability! Send a messenger to Knight Commander William to initiate another barrage of magic penetration!" 

As sweat dripped down his face from the exertion, Accel focused on restraining the giant mutated golem, while the 75th Valkyrie Company and the 85th Drakeshire Platoon launched their coordinated attack. "Fuck, this giant mutated golem is goddamn heavy, it's breaking my arms." The Shackles of Light are very useful for restraining a single enemy or multiple foes. However, the downside is that the user must bear the weight of the opponent. The heaviness of the enemy or the number of enemies being restrained reflects the amount of mana being used.

After another hour of battling the giant mutated golem, it began to crack piece by piece. "Everyone, back off! Shield Formation!" With great timing and coordination, all the Vanguards and Frontline Attackers formed a line of shields. "Use your mana to reinforce your shields!" As the giant golem finished cracking apart, a massive explosion erupted, destroying everything within a 1-kilometer radius. 

In the aftermath, Accel fired a flare to signal their victory, and everyone erupted in cheers. All the soldiers who fought, including those who provided support but did not engage directly, received experience points. As a result, at least 1,500 soldiers from both the Valkyrie and Drakeshire divisioned troops underwent class evolution. Meanwhile, Accel was also experiencing a class evolution, as the conditions had been met, transforming from a Veteran Knight + Priest into a Holy Knight.

[Caelvaron (Europe) Continent — Sanctuary of the Luminescent Faith]

"Another young lamb has joined us, Supreme Matriarch." The Supreme Matriarch of the Sanctuary of the Luminescent Faith is the highest spiritual authority in Elysiara (Earth) and is revered as the living vessel of the Divine Light's will. Chosen through divine revelation and anointed by the Luminescent Council, the Supreme Matriarch serves not only as a religious figurehead but also as a guiding hand for the world's moral, political, and metaphysical balance.

"I understand. Send the Envoys of Light. The Lumen Disciples will convey the message so that this young lamb can receive the blessing and baptism of the Luminescent Faith." The Lumen Disciples are trained in sacred arts, combat doctrine, diplomacy, and spiritual purification. Each disciple must bear the Mark of the Light, which is granted only after they survive exposure to raw divine mana.

[Velthuria (Asia) Continent — Ilvarra Empire — Darnathi Third Island]

The Ilvarra Empire, previously known as the Philippian Empire, is a stunning archipelago celebrated for its enchanting history and strong connections to elemental forces. Among its territories, Darnathi, formerly known as Mindanao, is the third-largest island in the Ilvarra Empire. This region is abundant in natural resources, minerals, and mana-conductive lands, making it both strategically important and often underestimated.

"Your Majesty, King Ramon Ignacio Deguerra, we have received a message from the Sanctuary of Luminescent Faith, sent by the High Priest of the Keepers of the Word. The Envoys of Light, the Lumen Disciples, will soon be arriving here to find a certain individual for blessing and baptism."

The ruler of the Ilvarra Empire was not surprised. "If they are sending the Lumen Disciples, it means this individual has met the criteria for walking the path of holy knights. Contact the Imperial Military Council to provide protection for the Lumen Disciples as soon as they enter our territory. Tell them to protect them at all costs; after all, one single mistake could sever our ties with the Sanctuary of Luminescent Faith. Everyone is dismissed!"

The 16 only Archmage Generals within the Ilvarra Empire, known for holding the 5th Military Rank, who were present at the meeting, will deliver the King's message.