《The Heretic that brought God down with him》 Chapter 1 A group of individuals that looked emaciated and were on their last reserves of energy staggered across the dull white desert. It was remarkable they could last this long with their mere strength due to the iron rule in Tartarus, strength rules all. Strength is essential but along with it takes stamina to fend off constant raids from enemies varying demons to beasts. The group went down to their knees and were riding on their last fuel. They lay down and searched around studying the vacant desert that envelops them. ¡°When will this ever end? Running away from them¡­ The annihilation of one settlement after another.¡± a man with white rags said with a parched throat. ¡°It will never stop. We kill those demons for materials and cores. In return, they retaliate twofold on us regardless of the size of the settlement, a never-ending cycle. Even if we stopped attacking them, they will never cease. Those damn demons have been non-stop tracking down one settlement after another. They have despised sinners and will never stop to eliminate us.¡± a towering black-cloaked man in his 50s spoke with his voice sounding as if he was in agony. ¡°This realm is unsuited for humans and there seems to be no exit.¡±He continued. The desert was bright despite the never changing black sky. The group was probing around where their next stop should be until one of them spotted a figure in the distance. ¡°Hey look! There¡¯s another sinner out there.¡± a woman that looked to be in her youth said. They observed a humanoid of pale white skin with black rags laying atop on a hill staring at the sky with his back faced towards them. He had long grey hair running down his back reaching his waist, a pair of shackles on his wrists with no chains binding them and wielded a shattered sword that had a brown hilt and a fragment of its blade. He had blade shaped bones attached to his forearm that could be a weapon. He turned his head to the sound behind him and peered at the tarnished group for a moment before closing his eyes. The sinners moved and sat down in front of him letting their guard down as they realized he was a sinner. A term they used loosely due to the presence of the man. ¡°You seem to be alone. Did you get separated from a group or were they¡­¡± the white ragged man spoke with his voice fading near the end. The pale humanoid opened one of his eyes and looked at him in question ¡°Group? Never was part of one.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way you could¡¯ve survived on your own here. There are many class 2 demons that roam these deserts and even some class 3 are blended in their groups. It takes several class 1s to take down one class 2 demon here.¡± the white ragged said in disbelief. ¡°Class 2? Is that what people classify strength in this world? Do you people not use levels?¡± the humanoid asked curiously. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Looks like you really had no contact with other settlements. For quite some time due to the mass amount of levels, the system created a ranking system of classes 1-7 with Vagrant being the starting point. In this world, class 1 is achieved when you reach level 10 and the peak would be level 100. This is where most humans are at, well at least in this realm.¡± the white ragged man explained as he drew a diagram on the sand with the butt of his sword. ¡°Class 3 starts at 200 and ends at 400. We call them Saints or Demon Kings and can handle small groups of class 2s but even then they won¡¯t manage to take the class 3 down.¡± ¡°As for class 4-7, we¡¯ve never heard of them before and you could get a better idea in the mortal realm as knowledge here is scarce.¡± the white ragged man¡¯s eyes dimmed a little at the end. ¡°Seems pretty impressive that you could explain at least that much¡± The humanoid said and wondered where he stood at in the power rankings and decided to bring up his status window which could not be shown to others unless he willed it. Name: ??? Age: ??? Level: 3199Hp: 100,000,000/100,000,000 Mana: BLOCKED STR: ??? (+???) INT: 50 (+50) DEX: 50 (+50) -Broken Starforge: Increase all Stats by 200%, Increases Movement Speed by 15%, Can penetrate any newly formed formation. Status: 50% of the bonuses are applied. -Instantaneous Regeneration: Ability to regenerate any limb or organ. Regeneration will reduce max HP -Blood Pact: At the cost of the usage of mana, health will be sacrificed to use skills -Absorb: Naturally regens health by converting energy from the atmosphere. Catalog: Ability to analyze and recreate weapons with 80% of its original stats Chains of Hell: Applies a debuff and slows down enemies. Dwindles their strength in half every time they execute an attack/spell. Locked Skill: Skill will be available when more memories have been recovered. Locked Skill: Skill will be available when more memories have been recovered. ¡°Ah, we forgot to introduce ourselves, my name is Tigris and I¡¯m at the peak of class 1, the old man is Izaro with class 2 ranking and the woman is Ivara who recently reached class 1.¡± the white ragged man introduced. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°I do not remember my name but you can call me whatever you like. As for my class? I am not too sure but you can think of me at the peak of class 3¡± the humanoid answered and hid some info on his actual strength. ¡°Then we¡¯ll call you Pallidus since you seem so pale.¡± the woman decided while the other two men looked at each other with astonishment. ¡°P-peak of class 3? No wonder you can survive alone. With your strength, you can hold a settlement for a long time.¡± Tigris was shocked and they couldn¡¯t find out his level meaning he was way above them making it believable. Just as he finished speaking, a small burst of sand came behind them from the ground revealing a red tiger. Instead of having a fur it was covered in scales making it look like it specialized more in defense than attack. ¡°Oh shit.. A class 3 beast..¡± Tigris fell back on his ass and shivered in fear. It raised its claw and was about to swipe it at the white ragged man until Pallidus took action. His speed was far too fast and his movements could not be perceived by the group and struck with a palm attack at its exposed chest. A large bang could be heard and resulted in a gaping hole in the center of the tiger revealing an undamaged purple sphere. Pallidus walked up to the corpse and tossed the core into his mouth which snapped the group out of their bewilderment. ¡°You just killed a class 3 beast in one strike! And not only that you just ate the core! Won¡¯t you combust from the amount of energy absorbed?¡± Tigris was baffled to see him munching on a core and casually absorbing the core. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it my body can contain it.¡± Pallidus thought nothing of the group¡¯s reactions. ¡®It¡¯s best that I don¡¯t tell them that I eat these as snacks..¡¯ The group has seen many warriors falling miserably to class 3 beasts as they were much stronger than their demon counterparts. Yet this one lone person casually kills one and thinks nothing of it. They were unsure of the current circumstance whether they should consider themselves lucky to be in the vicinity of this warrior or face a quick death in the not so distant future. Chapter 2 ¡°You¡¯re really strong! Hey, do you mind if we tag along with you? It¡¯ll make our lives easier in this desolate place.¡± Ivara shamelessly asked with an optimistic expressionand twirled one of her hair strands. In the past, their settlement was destroyed and wereforced to be on the run, she had a bleak perspective on her life and was awfully close to giving up. Now that they have found a powerful individual with no affiliations she started to have confidence in her future. Just when Pallidus was about to speak he was cut off by a violent explosion. The sounds of cries and swords clashing against each other can be heard from a distance. Pallidus frowned as the sounds started getting stronger, the sinners were getting ready for another battle until a hand stopped them. ¡°Stay behind me.¡± Pallidus materialized a black spear that exerted an aura that made the sinners feel a chill. Pallidus spread out his energy towards the battle to observe the scene. He soared towards the battle with the trio attempting to catch up with him. ¡°Damn, he¡¯s too fast, how much energy does this guy have?¡± Tigris said with a shocked expression. In the direction of where the skirmish was taking place was two massive groups clashing against each other with an array of weapons and spells. ¡°No more running, Sinners¡­ Your existence in this realm is over!¡± a demon growled. This demon resembled a scrawny bipedal creature with long claws and an abnormally shaped head burrowed into the ground. He appeared behind a man that was covered in bandages that could be misinterpreted for a mummy. Right as when the demon would pierce the man¡¯s back, a black spear cleaved off his arm. Out of nowhere a pale man with black rags appeared, this was Pallidus. With no effort, he finished off the demon in an instant. The bandaged man grunted as a way of thanks with a steady expression on his face however he was indeed scared inside ¡®I didn¡¯t even feel his presence¡¯. Pallidus silently nodded before continuing to cut down another group of demons that had the strength of class 2s. This did not leave unnoticed by the demon king as he saw their numbers dwindling fast despite the fact that they outmatched the sinners 3 to 1. He was bewildered at the same time enraged and looked at another company of demons being decimated by a single man. The leader flapped his wings and flew towards him while taking out his large sword that can be considered as a modified claymore. He was a tall, muscular creature wearing white robes that give off a military semblance. The demon had a sheath meant for the large sword at his side and horns protruding out of his head. Due to Pallidus¡¯ level being far higher than the demon¡¯s, he could see the stats of the creature in front of him. However, if the demon had possessed any hidden skills or blessings he will not be able to see them. Name: Realis Age: 110 years Level: 390 (Class 3) HP: 95000/95000 Claymore: Increases all stats by 30%, Requires at least 40 points in STR in order to use. ¡°You are strong and quick if it weren¡¯t for your opposition I would¡¯ve considered recruiting you. However since you are so bold to resist me, Realis, the commander of lord Cyrus you shall fall here where your remains are desecrated forever!¡± the demon king bellowed at the still man who snorted at him, this small gesture irritated him. ¡°Lord Cyrus? Lord of what? All I see is a vast emptiness of desert. There is nothing here to rule.¡± Pallidus retorted causing the demon king to glare at him. ¡°You¡¯re just an insignificant being unworthy of the lord¡¯s ambition¡± the demon swung his blade downwards to Pallidus. The pale humanoid noticed that the demon most likely possessed the strength of a 4th class due to the force being greater than the beast he recently killed. He dropped his bloodied spear which dispersed into particles and brought out his shattered sword which caused others nearby look at him as if he was senseless. Stolen novel; please report. ¡®A broken sword against my weapon? You¡¯re only going to meet your death faster¡¯ the demon king thought the man before him was foolish and little did he know he was far off the mark. A resounding clang, with sand spewing out everywhere from the clash, could be heard that silenced the battlefield. ¡°There¡¯s no way he could fight against that demon.¡± ¡°Sigh. Another strong sinner lost in our ranks.¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯s still alive?¡± Ivara asked with worry evident in her voice. ¡°He should be capable of withstanding the strike since he¡¯s at the peak of class 3. However, I do not know if he will be seriously injured or not.¡± As the dust settled, a figure could be caught standing unharmed with his shattered sword at his side. The strike didn¡¯t kill him and was even parried much to Realis¡¯ shock. This was the first time a sinner had lived a single one of his blows. Pallidus had a bored look on his face as he expected this to happen. Before Realis could regain his composure, Pallidus moved at an incredible speed and sliced off his head which went tumbling across the desert. The battlefield went silent, the two groups along with the trio of sinners that was with him stared at him. They all had a mix of emotions; fear, awe, respect, and admiration. << Demon King Realis has been slaughtered! >> [Morale of demon army goes down by 50%] [Morale of Sinners goes up by 50%] [Rewards: Realis¡¯ Claymore, Map Fragment] ¡°The leader has fallen! Retreat! We must Retr-ACK!¡± a demon shouted and was slammed to the ground by the strike of a hammer from a sinner. ¡°Do not let them leave! Kill them all!¡± a scrawny sinner yelled and proceeded to chase after the demons seeking to flee the battlefield. The sinners let out a battle cry and charged through the group of demons. Normally the demons¡¯ overall strength would let them be able to crush the sinners. However due to Pallidus¡¯ presence and the fact that their leader fell made them lose reason and were overwhelmed by fear. Most of the demon army was annihilated with a few escapees most likely going to report to Cyrus. The sinners cheered as they had finally retaliated once against the demons. ¡°My name is Elreon and I¡¯m the leader of this group. On the behalf of my companions, you have our thanks for freeing us. Were it not for you we may have lost many people and perhaps all of us would¡¯ve fallen to the demon army.¡± A middle-aged man had walked to Pallidus with a look full of gratitude. ¡°It is no problem. I was only in the area and was helping out those that can¡¯t fight back.¡± Pallidus was cutting open Realis¡¯ chest to find a core only to end up disappointed. Seeing this, Elreon decided to offer him a couple of cores from other beasts they¡¯ve hunted over the years due to him helping them. Pallidus accepted the gift and stored them in his inventory. Tigris and his group arrived with looks of relief that their savior was unharmed. ¡°Holy shit man! You¡¯re one hell of a warrior! To slice down a class 3 casually, how much strength is needed to do that?¡± Tigris exclaimed with a look of respect. He was not the only one wondering as the other sinners nearby were curious about how he obtained his strength. Pallidus did not know how to answer to this question as he really had no idea due to the loss of memories. Fortunately for him, Ivara mistook his silence for him being uncomfortable and decided to intervene. ¡°It''s fine if you don¡¯t want to talk about it as everyone has their own secrets. Anyways enough of that, you didn¡¯t answer my question back then! Can we tag along with you?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case then I would also like to request your assistance until we have established a durable settlement,¡± Elreon added considering his group¡¯s safety would be guaranteed. ¡°I do not mind but in compensation of my protection, I would have to ask you guys some questions concerning this place as I am sorely lacking information¡± Pallidus was really out in the dark regarding the situation in the regions which can be rather inconvenient. ¡°That is no problem, we have plenty of travelers in our group who are knowledgeable including me. But first, let¡¯s leave this area before more demons appear. I fear they have heard the sounds of our clashes.¡± Elreon suggested which everyone nodded in agreement. ------ ¡­ a ruler of a poor region that could not challenge his rule yet with his strength he cannot challenge those major territories. It was quite a pity but over time he will gain strength and become a threat to them. ¡°M-my king,¡± a one-armed man with the head of a goat kneeling spoken with hesitation ¡°Commander Realis and his group have been wiped out.¡± ¡°...And why aren¡¯t you?¡± Empty sockets coldly observed the inferior demon in front of him. Cyrus was not content and was annoyed. He recently developed into a peak 4th class demon, the highest stage in the local area no one should be his equal and everybody should know his fury. The eradication of one of his battalions in charge of capturing sinners was a failure extended to him. ¡°I-I..There was a chaos everywhere. I was fortunate to be n-not close to the fight.¡± ¡°So you ran and deserted from the battle?¡± Cyrus¡¯ voice sounded calm but carried a coldness with it. Cyrus stood up from his throne and gazed across his armies. His crimson robe that looked like it was dyed in the blood of his foes. Small plots of pitch black fur could be seen on his shoulders and wrist areas. Every part of his robe swayed with every step he made towards the goat demon. The demon paled as he felt his gaze upon him and knew he was finished. ¡°Let this be a lesson and a message to all of you,¡± Cyrus said as he slowly moved his palm towards the trembling demon. ¡°To bring such shame and disgrace upon my rule is a sin worthy of death.¡± A bright blast could be seen and the demon was obliterated before he could utter a word. He turned towards one of his subordinates that looked like a praying mantis with an ugly brown color scheme. ¡°Who killed Realis and his army?¡± Cyrus asked with curiosity surfacing within him. He knew that Realis was at least near the peak of the 3rd class and with his claymore, he should be able to contend against 4th classes. The mantis demon stroked his chin for a moment on how to answer him. As he was in charge of logistics, he had an abundance of information circulating through him and identified the previous location of the decimated army. ¡°It is a whisper in these lands,¡± the demon paused before continuing ¡°But there is a rumor floating around that the sinner from the Plains of Deprivation has exited out of his domain.¡± The praying mantis demon gained the full attention of Cyrus. ¡°...The Sinner of Obstruction, the fallen god of the shattered realm.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 In the desert lay a small hill where there were several groups of people hanging around. In the center was the Elreon and Pallidus along with his company. The sinners around them were sitting down whispering and were clearly talking about the events that conspired a few days ago in the battle against Realis. They even gave him a nickname, the Sinner of Execution. Tigris and his friends were shifting uncomfortably as they were somewhat related to the person of the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s have a proper introduction shall we? As I have mentioned before I am the head of this group. We were once part of a settlement called Avarice Port placed at the edge of a large sulfur lake. That place was ransacked and we were forced to relocate to another place however we were troubled by the local¡¯s forces here which were Cyrus¡¯ army.¡± Elreon spoke solemnly when he mentioned about his home. ¡°As for me you can call me Pallidus, the other three with me are acquaintances. I came from a vast empty plot of the desert and have not had any contact with any form of civilization.¡± Pallidus stretched out a hand and had it shaken by Elreon. ¡°Seems like you need to know about this land. Cyrus is the current ruler of Harrow¡¯s Desolation which is the area we¡¯re in. It stretches for several thousands of kilometers of pure desert with a few hills here and there. As far as I know from other sources, he is currently at the Early Sovereign stage which is near the beginning of the 4th class.¡± Elreon continued Pallidus listened attentively and knowing that as long as he did not meet a fellow 6th class, he was confident in taking down anyone unscathed. Regarding the terrain, he remembered that he received a map fragment. He pulled it out of his inventory. ¡°Can you tell me where this is?¡± Pallidus asked as he handed the fragment to Elreon. Elreon took a moment looking at the contents and his eyebrows furrowed. He shakes his head a couple of times. ¡°It¡¯s nowhere near here as far as I¡¯m concerned. This piece seems very unfamiliar to me but then again I have not ventured to other locations. It could be adjacent to the other territories nearby.¡± Elreon answered while handing back the fragment which resulted in a disappointed look on Pallidus as he could not gain any information on it. ¡°Will keep that in mind then. As thanks, you should take this with you, got it from killing the commander.¡± Pallidus took out Realis¡¯ claymore by the blade and facing the hilt towards Elreon. Elreon shook his head ¡°You killed him. It belongs to you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I have other weapons at disposal.¡± Pallidus placed the hilt closer to Elreon. ¡°Then if you insist I shall take it.¡± Elreon equipped it and saw the buffs on the weapon making him astonished for a moment before sending it into his inventory. Elreon seemed very satisfied with the gift and see what he could to return his kindness not only from the sword but as well as saving his group from demise. ¡°What is the fighting strength of your group if you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± Pallidus did not have a purpose originally but now that he has one he may as well build upon it by expanding his influence and creating an army. This way he would have access to more information regarding the status of Harrow¡¯s Desolation. ¡°We originally had 50 sinners in our group but ever since the fight, we lost a considerable amount. Currently, we have 20 class 1 warriors and a small elite force of 6 class 2. I myself is just a step away from class 3. Although I am not much of a warrior I am a blacksmith but as you can see there are not any metals nearby much less a forge to work with.¡± Elreon explained resulting only 27 survivors from the encounter with Realis¡¯ company. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll first have all your class 1s reach class 2s with you reaching class 3. The others can reach the peak of their class. During this time we¡¯ll send out groups of four to hunt and recruit other sinners. For now, we¡¯ll focus on strengthening our group.¡± Pallidus planned out and attracted the attention of the class 1s as they have been at a bottleneck for quite some time. The idea of having many class 2s in one spot was exciting. However, this sparked a curiosity in Elreon.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I really appreciate the help but I know we requested for your protection but why? What is the purpose of this?¡± Elreon asked. ¡°I¡¯ll be transparent with you. The first reason is to make my job easier as you will have a higher survival rate in these lands. The second reason¡­ Is to destroy the demon¡¯s stronghold.¡± Pallidus could just start traveling to the fortress and slaughter the entire army himself but he needed to give the group proper battle experience and perhaps test out military formations. Also, he would need the demons to be wary of sinners making the possibility of meeting others higher. ¡°Destroy the stronghold? This is a very risky move. Even if we do reach the levels you promised we still won¡¯t have enough firepower to decimate them. We¡¯ll also have to consider the casualties. Not only that we would also catch the attention of other small territories once they find out that Cyrus is gone if we do manage to defeat him.¡± Elreon was okay with his first reason but the second was absurd to him. Almost like a pipe dream. He knew the forces of Cyrus were not to be trifled with. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I have the strength to handle him.¡± Pallidus exerted a bit of his strength around the peak of 4th class. ¡°My god.. Peak Sovereign? With this amount of strength you can definitely handle Cyrus.¡± Elreon was shocked that there was such a powerful being in front of him. He recomposed himself and felt more confident in rebuilding his settlement. ¡°I¡¯ll let you organize your group as you know them best. Start with patrols and scouting parties.¡± Pallidus left to meet Tigris and his group and told them about the situation. ¡°We¡¯ll help out!¡± Ivara seemed to be very excited at the idea of a new settlement and perhaps it won¡¯t be destroyed by the demons. ¡°You can count us in. With your strength, I have no doubts that we will rise.¡± Tigris said with confidence and Izaro nodded in agreement. ----------- Several weeks later The settlement was flowing with people and small buildings made out of wood were made. Ever since Pallidus laid out the plan, Elreon was constantly busy at trying to improve the settlement and he knew very well that they needed a strong foundation as fast as possible in order to grow. They called this place The Intrepid Sinners. Over a few weeks, they found vagrants, those that have not reached class 1, and helped them gain strength while implementing them in their group. With Pallidus¡¯ strength and protection, their population turned from 31 sinners to 100. Almost all of them at least had the strength of class 1 and some have reached class 2 while Elreon broke through to the 3rd. Pallidus helped Tigris and his friends reached the peak of Class 3 with the cores he received from Elreon. He slowly let them absorb the energy and had them spar against him as training resulting in an increase in their stats. ¡°Pallidus?¡± Ivara turned her gaze to him as he made an expression of hostility. ¡°There¡¯s a demon approaching. Very fast but seems to be weak.¡± Pallidus reported he sensed that the demon had no bloodlust but he remained cautious. Ivara squinted her eyes and then narrowed as she recognized it. ¡°Shoot it!¡± Ivara yelled and urged ¡°It¡¯s a scout from Cyrus¡¯ army! We can¡¯t let it any closer!¡± ¡°A scout? Seems like he has caught on with the decreasing numbers of sinners on the field.¡± Pallidus materialized a red bow and a black spear he used previously in the fight with Realis. He pulled the string back and used the spear as an arrow and released. The arrow hit its mark, a blast came out of it eliminating the advancing demon. Elreon and a couple of guards arrived due to the blast catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°What happened? What was the large blast?¡± Elreon asked as he had only seen Pallidus destroying his enemies with a spear. ¡°It was a scout from Cyrus. He has discovered our location and is most likely going to come here.¡± Tigris answered. Elreon frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. He had an idea of Cyrus¡¯ strength and the influence he possesses on the demons. Cyrus should have numerous armies and squads patrolling. For him to send a single scout meant¡­ ¡°Light surveillance.¡± Pallidus finished Elreon¡¯s thought. ¡°Light surveillance?¡± Tigris repeated with a inquisitive look. ¡°The settlement isn¡¯t Cyrus¡¯ target. He most likely thinks that a small group of sinners isn¡¯t much of a threat.¡± Elreon turned to look at Pallidus ¡°It seems Cyrus considers you a dangerous threat and a powerful assailant.¡± ¡°He is irrelevant.¡± Pallidus said with so much confidence that you could almost call it arrogant. ¡°As long as there are people here, I will not fall nor will I break.¡± Elreon stared at Pallidus for some time. The pale man in rags still, truly had overwhelming strength and he was confident in taking on Cyrus. Despite knowing this, he was worried that something unexpected will happen. Pallidus was a beacon of hope for the sinners as they were tired of being killed over and over again. When a sinner was killed, he would have to start over from the beginning at level 1 in a random location in the realm. Not only that they would also slowly lose memories of their time. Under such harsh circumstances, it was considered lucky to even reach class 1. The Sinner of Execution governed over the haven he created for stray sinners where they could grow strong without being hunted non-stop everyday. Elreon had an idea of what Pallidus was like. If there was something that could benefit them he would immediately take the chance. If push comes to shove he will do what is needed to be done. ¡°Elreon, I want you to prepare the sinners.¡± Pallidus said as he broke the train of thought in Elreon. ¡°Prepare? Prepare for what?¡± Elreon asked even though he knew the answer. ¡°For battle.¡± Chapter 4 Pallidus stood from his position and was shocked to see how much the town grew, he remembered the town had reached the 100 population mark but did not expect a larger number to appear. He saw hundreds of sinners in front of him wielding shields, spears and swords. Although only half of them had reached class 2s it was still a formidable army to see. The small group that was once class 2s became class 3s and the same applied to Tigris¡¯ group. Pallidus realized how much weight he held in protecting these people. Now that he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t remember how long it¡¯s been since the beginning of the construction to now. It was quite difficult to tell the time of the eternal night. ¡°Long live the Executioner of the Sinners! Long live the Executioner of the Sinners! Long live the Executioner of the Sinners!¡± The sinners gave him that nickname to represent them. To strike down the demons for the sinners. To execute them in blood. Their voices grew louder as more and more sinners joined in. Such feelings cannot be described in mere words or actions of their gratitude¡­ Their loyalty. The reason the settlement could exist was that of him. It was their home and they had hope for the first time in their miserable lives that something good could happen. A small group of sinners came out from the crowd with Elreon leading them. A lone sinner beside Elreon was dressed in red rags dyed in blood from the beasts they hunted. The group kneeled down in front him while Elreon stayed standing. The sinner spoke out with deep respect ¡°My liege, we are your sword and shield. Wherever you have us strike, we shall decimate them in full force.¡± Pallidus was touched and at the same time uncomfortable with them kneeling. Their display of loyalty and resolution was admirable. ¡°Rise. There is no need to kneel before me. An army without its leader is nothing. But the same goes with the leader. Without an army he is nothing. We both support each other.¡± ¡°Yes my liege.¡± everyone stood up and felt that they had placed their lives in the right person. Someone that wasn¡¯t arrogant and selfish. With his strength and protection over the past few weeks, they felt weak and undeserving. They were hunted by the strong, suppressed by the hunters, yet they grew in strength thanks to him. He had been with them through the hardships they had to face. They wanted to return his kindness and if their lives could be used to benefit their savior, they will not hesitate. ¡°I have one condition for you all. You are not allowed to die. You are part of the foundation of this settlement. All of you are crucial to this place. Every sinner we lose, our overall strength falls.¡± ¡°Yes my lord!¡± ------------- Cyrus sat atop on his throne that was made of the bones out of the sinners he has killed. He held a small purple core harvested from a large beast. He played around with it in his hand with a bored expression. The Sinner of Execution. He placed the core down on a bowl to his right. How Infuriating He was the sole ruler of this land and planned to grow his strength to challenge the others. The sinners that travel in his land became slaves, cannon fodder for his army. Yet these inferior creatures dare to resist him. He laughed as he thought a mere group of ants could threaten him. The demon that was in charge of logistics arrived breaking his thoughts. ¡°Lord Cyrus¡± the praying mantis demon spoke out. ¡°There has been a fluctuation in the lands.¡± ¡°Hoh? And what would this be?¡± Cyrus asked while narrowing his eyes. ¡°It seems that Your Majesty is not the only one with an army.¡± ¡°So they have started to move. Prepare the troops.¡± Cyrus ordered with a cold gleam in his empty sockets. ¡°All of them?¡± the demon asked. ¡°All of them. Make them an example for those that dare to oppose me.¡± Cyrus remained still on his throne. --------- Situated at the front of the settlement The sinners were outnumbered four to one. It was without a doubt that the army Pallidus possessed was not small. The progress in the growth of his army could not be denied and was more impressive due to the vast empty desert. It was a miracle that a group of 50 could be held but a thousand? It was an absurd dream yet it became a reality. However, Cyrus¡¯ army was far larger. They were composed of 4 battalions each holding a 1000 demons varying small humanoids to giants to insects and beasts, all that held a minimum strength of class 2. Each of those battalions was led by peak class 3s who were in front that wielded similar claymores to Realis¡¯. They held a considerable amount of strength and battle experience. They were not to be underestimated. In front of the army was Cyrus in red robes swaying against the wind. He had his large axe that was as tall as his figure on his back. His army was positioned a few miles away from the sinners. The sinners¡¯ were divided into four divisions. Each held 250 sinners with two class 3s leading them. The remaining two class 3s was Elreon and Tigris who stood on each side of Pallidus was remained in the front. In war, opportunities multiply as they are seized. The first preemptive strike was what the sinners¡¯ needed badly otherwise they would be placed in a defensive position leading a slow path to defeat. With Pallidus¡¯ abilities, he can strike from a distance. He materialized his red bow and black spear from the other time with their encounter with the scout. Pallidus fired off multiple spears in succession that soared off into the sky massacring the frontlines of the enemy with massive pitch black explosions. [Eliminated Demon Class 2] [Eliminated Demon Class 2] [Eliminated Demon King Class 3] ¡­ The messages continued to pop up in the corner of his eye and ignored them as he continued to release his ¡®arrows¡¯. [Morale of Sinners boosted by 50%! Due to killing a massive amount of enemies in a short period of time your comrades¡¯ morale has increased. Bonus overall stats have been temporarily applied by 10 to all sinners!] Before the battle, Pallidus was actually worried that the people will suffer heavy casualties but now he had full confidence in protecting them.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The demon army¡¯s leaders responded swiftly to the attack and immediately scattered to reduce casualties. The first battalion of demons started to move forward at incredible speeds and made contact with Pallidus¡¯ army. Due to the demons were adept at speeds they had horrible defenses and the main purpose of this unit was to pierce through the weak points of the army. However, the sinners had increased their strength over the few weeks massively and had a major boost to their stats due to their morale. They were not to be underestimated. The sinners stood firm and held the frontlines unyielding. With two class 3s, Pera, who was part of Elreon¡¯s elite force, and Izaro handling the class 3 demon, they quickly diminished the strength of the battalion without losing a single warrior. Pallidus sighed in relief as the initiation of the battle did not amount to any casualties. ¡°Charge!!!¡± Pallidus and the two people at his side almost spat as they saw Ivara being piggybacked on a tall man¡¯s shoulders while pointing her crooked sword forward with a whip in her other hand. She led a division of sinners towards the advancing battalion of demons led by a demon that had scales. You would expect her to be on a mount when leading an assault. Keep calm. Just ignore it. Yep. Ignore it. Nothing out of the ordinary. Tigris had a helpless expression and looked at Pallidus. He nodded to him and Tigris immediately followed after Ivara. Pallidus cleared his mind and focused on the battlefield ahead of him. Even after decimating a battalion Cyrus¡¯ army still held the number advantage. He was unsure to display overwhelming strength to even the playing field. If he did this, a good portion of sinners would lose out on an opportunity to grow against pressure and not only that they would become more dependant on him. If he didn¡¯t, the army may suffer heavy casualties and perhaps he would be forced to decimate the entire army anyways. ¡°Hoh, so this is the sinner that came from the Plains of Deprivation. I was expecting a lot but it seems I have been overestimating you.¡± Pallidus turned towards a demon flapped his wings as he descends. He was plated in red armor indicating he was a general. ¡°You have the strength to annihilate large groups of warriors within seconds with that bow of yours. But even with that, your army shall fall before Cyrus as he eradicates your settlement.¡± the demon said with glee and snorted at him as if he was looking at a piece of trash that insulted him. ¡°Tell your king that if he doesn¡¯t withdraw,¡± Pallidus said unyielding. ¡°He will regret stepping forth in our territory.¡± He looked at the demon general and identified his stats. < Demon King > Name: Xern Age: 200 years old Level: 405 HP: 500,000/500,000 ¡­ He didn¡¯t bother looking at the other stats however he did take a look at equipment. Armor of a Flying Lizard: Boosts defense by 30% He noted that he should take it and hand it to Elreon to see if it was worth reforging. ¡°You overestimate yourself.¡± the demon general would¡¯ve striked at the arrogant man before him but he was ordered by his lord to only ascertain the man¡¯s identity. ¡°If that bow of yours is your trump card. Then you have already lost this war. My name is Xern, the general of Cyrus¡¯ army, be honoured to die at the hands of my lord.¡± Xern flew off making a few tactics but did not focus too much as he saw who the victor was already. ----- Tigris had developed a new skill where he could form orbs of energy around him and fire away at his enemies. A class 3¡¯s physical attacks were no joke but their energy attacks were far more dangerous as they were just below a class 4¡¯s physical power. He had been friends with Ivara for a long time and he had always known her as a cheerful and innocent girl. She wasn¡¯t brought down here in this realm like him. She didn¡¯t have a choice as she was born here. He would be damned if he let anything happened to her. ¡°Haha! Go Tigris! Send them to hell! Oh, wait..¡± Tigris stared at Ivara as she was piggybacked by the tall man who was recognized as part of Elreon¡¯s elite force. What was his name again? Something about Daes? He shook his head and focused on the safety of his friend. ¡°Impossible! There¡¯s no way a class 3 can easily decimate large groups at a time! ¡± the leading demon shouted. He himself was a class 3 and he knew very well the energy reserves of one. To consistently fire off energy attacks can easily empty out one''s own reserve. Yet the sinner in front of him was continuously forming balls of energy around him. The scaled demon slowly backed off as he saw his own unit weaken in numbers. Sweat started to travel down his face as he knew he was no match for the sinner before him. He needed to escape but he looked across the battlefield towards the commanding general. The demon knew that if he were to retreat he would be blasted off by Cyrus just like the demon from Realis¡¯ group. The other was to stay and continue to fight resulting in his death. Before he could make a decision he was blasted off by one of the orbs and his body could not be seen. --- Xern looked towards where Tigris group was and immediately assessed him as a threat. ¡°Relay my order. Regroup two battalions worth of demons near the eastern flank.¡± Those orbs of energy were certainly dangerous. He had planned to overpower the division of sinners with 2,000 demons. Perhaps killing the energy blasting sinner would raise the morale of his troops. ¡°Surround that unit and make sure to space yourselves!¡± Xern shouted with his orders echoing in the battlefield despite the loud clashes. He severely underestimated the sinners but he noticed the lack of organization in the army. Therefore it should be easy to send them in shambles. Xern was slightly perturbed by Tigris¡¯ energy attacks but shook his head as he rationalized that a single sinner could not possibly take down 2,000 demons by himself. What happened next baffled him and he widened his eyes. Tigris noticed a large shift in the land and started to increase his fire rate of his energy orbs. Xern had seen Tigris fired off his energy attacks in rapid succession but now it was way faster than before and the two could not be compared. He levelled small plots of sand placing the demons in disarray. Ivara took the chance to slash at the dazed enemies while the tall man named Daes focused on defending. The sinners fought harder when they saw this despite being surrounded by overwhelming numbers. Two divisions were focused on defending against the demon¡¯s assault while one unit was charging towards the encirclement of demons to assist Tigris¡¯ group and attacked from the rear. Bodies were slashed apart and obliterated by energy attacks from several individuals. Weapons smashing against each other as sparks filled the sky. The battle was longer than the demons expected. They thought they could demolish the sinners in the first part of the battle yet they were the ones that had lost numbers. As the battle dragged on with their superior numbers dwindling almost to the sinners¡¯ level, the morale of the demons fell to rock bottom. Xern was in a dilemma, it was out of his expectations that he would face this situation. Their army was frightening, even they had stronger leaders of their divisions. They were pillars of the small units compared to their battalions. He saw the formation breaking and the loyalty that held the demons together. Xern knew that the only reason Cyrus was able to amass a large army of demons was through oppression and fear. The demons in front of him would desert him. Desert their lord, Cyrus. Such actions were punishable by death. An idea popped up into his mind and he looked towards Ivara and the tall man. He vanished and sent a suppressed energy blast towards the duo and grabbed Ivara by the throat. Xern launched a kick towards the injured Daes resulting in him being blasted away from the group. The wind blew away the dust showing Xern gripping Ivara¡¯s throat and the nasty wounds on her pale skin. Tigris burned with rage. He didn¡¯t expect the commander of the army to personally go after his friend. He stood still as he knew a single step can lead to Ivara¡¯s death. Xern laughed at Tigris¡¯ motionless figure and he felt no shame in using underhanded tactics. Tigris knew his strength was not enough to match him and he could only grind his teeth. ---- Pallidus was not happy as he surveyed the battlegrounds. He knew that people would die for him despite him promising that he would protect them. His eyes reached the area where Tigris was. His fury welled up within him and he flashed in front of Xern who was startled by the sudden appearance of Pallidus. Tigris¡¯ anger vanished as he was relieved and joy filled him as he saw that his friend arrived. Pallidus grabbed him by the face forcing Xern to let go of Ivara who was in a tattered appearance. They both went up towards the sky, visible to everyone. ¡°You have made a big mistake in not leaving.¡± Pallidus¡¯ voice was eerily calm and could be heard from everyone despite how quiet his voice was. The pressure around him increased steadily forcing those on the ground to back away from the area despite the distance. ¡°Adding to that by bringing forth your army closer.¡± Elreon realized that Pallidus was going to unleash his power and knew that the sinners could not handle it. He warned the others to back off as the path before them would be decimated. ¡°Manifest¡± A large two-handed sword emerged with a small rectangular compartment of red energy embedded in the pitch black blade. The hilt was filled with gold and silver patterns and its glow was as bright as the moon in the sky. The sinners had never seen their savior become serious as he had only used his spear and bow casually. I¡¯ll stop you from your carnage you bastard! Sacrificing those around you for what? A phrase flashed in Pallidus¡¯ mind as he furrowed his eyebrows. A very small piece of memory returned to him. ¡°Despair for all eternity and witness the results of your foolishness. It will be the last thing you¡¯ll ever see in your pitiful life¡± Pallidus raised his sword while the pressure locked Xern¡¯s movements. The man before him was truly angered beyond belief yet looked so calm on the outside. It was frightening for Xern as he never experienced such power before him. Not even Cyrus¡¯ strength could compare to Pallidus. ¡°My body drenched in the blood of my enemies, the call of my strength and duty, the weight of a thousand souls. Punish those that caused you harm.¡± The sword began to radiate a red light that blinded those that watch. He had seen the growth of the town. Seen the empty eyes of the sinners turn to more lively ones. Had people that relied on him. ¡°Sinner¡¯s Redemption!¡± A pouring wave of energy expanded outwards and spiralled down towards Xern and his army with the intent of erasing their existence from the realm. A blast of red energy, that could make mountains looklike hills, filled up the dark sky. Chapter 5 The two-handed sword, Sinner¡¯s Redemption, scaled with the strength of the wielder and doubled it. However, in the hands of Pallidus, it only retained 80% of its original strength and was missing the crucial 20% which was multiplying the user¡¯s strength. ¡°One battalion down, two more to go.¡± Pallidus raised the sword once more with red energy gathering at the blade. A class 6¡¯s energy reserves were unimaginable. Almost limitless. He swung his blade once more, killing battalion after battalion as more reinforcements came to assist the demons. Xern was heavily injured to the point where even a class 2 weakling could kill him. He flapped his wings away while yelling ¡°R-Retreat! Fall back!¡± Fuck honor, fuck this war, I can¡¯t die here.. This shouldn¡¯t be happening! I¡­ I...I can¡¯t d- Xern¡¯s head was cut off by a wave of energy while his body started to fall down while spraying blood upwards from the neck. With the death of their leader, the demons that had been together due to the oppression of Cyrus started to fall apart. Each and every one of them despaired and scattered in different directions trying to escape this overpowered monster¡¯s killing spree. << Demon General Xern has been killed! >> [Morale has fallen for the demons! With their leader killed and faced with a death god their bonus stats from their leader have been stripped!] [Temporarily bonus stats applied to all sinners have expired] [Exp has been provided to all sinners that have participated in the battle] [Event: Defend the Settlement! Has been completed] [Reward: General Xern¡¯s Armor of a Flying Lizard, one 4th class core] The Sinner of Execution¡¯s power was overwhelming. Strike after strike, he crippled the cowering army to nothing. He stopped his assault and scouted around the battlefield that was filled with bodies, craters, and trails of smoke everywhere. He did not bother with the rest of the fleeing demons as he considered that they will never return to hurt his friends.Stolen story; please report. He slowly released the two-handed sword which slowly faded away into particles and disappearing before it reached the ground. The conflict was over for now. Cheers could be heard all around him chanting ¡°Glory to the Rising King! Glory to the Rising King!¡± The sinners let loose their praise for their leader that led them to this path. He had descended to the ground and started heading towards Ivara¡¯s location with a worried expression. ----- A chalice was thrown across the floor and echoed in the empty halls. ¡°What?! The army has been decimated? What were you fools doing this entire time? Where is Xern? Where is he?!?¡± Cyrus shouted with rage as he gripped the arms of his throne. A crack could be seen. ¡°H-he has been killed on the battlefield, Your Majesty.¡± the mantis demon stuttered and kept his gaze down. ¡°That fool. Couldn¡¯t even handle a mere group of sinners.¡± Cyrus sighed at the losses he had. It was a massive blow to his rule as it made him step back from his plans. He started to calm down and decided to wait for his challenger to arrive. ----- Pallidus saw Ivara being tended to by Tigris and was in a better shape than before with some of her wounds healed up. Beside Ivara¡¯s body was Daes, the tall man that was carrying her, his chest was charred but he has recovered from the blast. Tigris noticed Pallidus standing in front of them and looked in distress not knowing what to do. ¡°I-I couldn¡¯t protect her¡­ I was careless..¡± Tigris was disappointed in himself and he knew he lacked strength still even after the weeks of progress he made. Pallidus moved his hand silently towards Ivara¡¯s body and emitted a gentle green light which surrounded her. The rest of her wounds were sealing up and her skin started to look more healthy. Ivara looked as if she was never part of the battle. [Healed Ivara] [Healed Ivara] [Restoring vitality] [Restoring vitality] [All status ailments removed] Tigris was speechless and he could not thank more as Pallidus time after time helped him. He looked worried as Ivara wasn¡¯t waking up immediately. ¡°She¡¯ll wake up tomorrow with all her energy recovered.¡± This made Tigris sigh in relief and looked up to Pallidus. ¡°She is my friend as you are mine. I know what you¡¯re thinking but you have a whole lot of time ahead of you. You¡¯ll grow stronger as time progresses, enough to protect her from all the dangers we¡¯ll face in the future.¡± Pallidus said trying to comfort Tigris. He wasn¡¯t very good with words but for a friend, he will try. This warmed Tigris¡¯ heart as he knew that Pallidus was not really the social type. ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you. I swear I¡¯ll be stronger.¡± Tigris said softly while his eyes were filled with resolve. He picked up Ivara with both of his arms as if she was a princess and walked away towards the settlement. Pallidus gazed across the field looking at the joy in the sinners¡¯ expressions. They had started to salvage what was left on the field; equipment, fallen comrades, and weapons. He remembered about asking Elreon on reforging the equipment. Perhaps now was not the time, he¡¯ll ask him later. He looked towards where the demons came from and decided to finish this farce as quick as possible. He stepped forward and vanished into the far distance. Notice With some friends'' suggestions, I''ve decided to take a step back for a bit in the story and focus on writing some chapters in between saving Elreon''s group and the large-scale fight. I realized I have rushed the story at an extremely fast pace and have not taken the time to really introduce the characters and the development of the town.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. So for a while, the story won''t progress from chapter 5 for a bit and I may have to move things around. Though this was supposed to be a casual writing now that I see some people gaining some interest I might as well try and improve. This note will be removed after everything has been settled. Think of this as me "strengthening my foundation" lol for all of those that read xianxia.