Chapter 205

“I'd like you to remember that you are bound by a covenant.”

“Kugh…!”

Gilbert, who had drawn his sword, flinched and paused as his entire body creaked with a rejection reaction.

Lina hurriedly supported him.

“Lord Gilbert!”

“Kugh, Lina….”

“Are you alright?”

“…No, I'm not, alright…!”

How could he be alright.

He couldn't be.

With the sword he had trained with, vowing to protect his precious people, he was now in a position to stop his comrades!

“Don't resent me too much. I said to stop them, not to kill or injure them.”

“You, of all people, were you a fanatic of the Demon Lord Cult?”

“Of course not. Absolutely not. So don't worry… just go have a good fight.”

As the Director waved his hand, the thousands of holograms disappeared, and only one remained.

“Didn't you want to fight this man seriously at least once?”

Martin von Targon Ulvhadin.

He held dual pistols and was cloaked in a pure white robe.

The Stellar Force and Mana emitting from his entire body were as fierce as a wild beast.

[Ene….]

As soon as the mechanical scout found him, a bullet was lodged in it.

Belatedly, the main force arrived and rushed at Martin, but how much they looked like moths rushing into a bonfire.

Martin raises his head.

His hawk-like sharp eyes were so overwhelming that it felt as if he was making eye contact beyond the mechanical soldier's output device.

Mechanical infantry, mechanical cavalry, mechanical magesoldiers.

The overwhelming military force filled the narrow passage without a gap and pressed in on Martin.

Martin ran into their midst as if he had given up on life, and then he rampaged like a runaway locomotive.

He dodged hundreds of attacks flying from all directions with fluid movements that reached an artistic level I could have never imagined, while ceaselessly firing bullets from the dual pistols in both hands.

He annihilates the agency's mechanical army.

He jumped in alone, and after a few turns, there were no operating mechanical soldiers in sight.

“….”

Gilbert felt a thirst.

His dry throat cracked as he swallowed hard.

After reaching a higher state, he could see it.

Every single thing that made up Martin was a marvel.

How long had it taken to perfect those movements?

How much harsh training had that body been forged through?

‘If only I were stronger.’

Elisha wouldn't have had to lose her arm so futilely.

“You don't have to worry, Sir Gilbert.”

He stimulated the inferiority complex, guilt, and longing that Gilbert secretly held.

It was a situation where he had to fight anyway.

The Director's words that it couldn't be helped were so sweet….

* * *

I tried to find an exit somehow while fighting against the endlessly swarming mechanical army.

Even when I followed the map drawn by Know-It-All and ran according to the intuition shouted by Wild Instinct, the result did not change.

When the Director changed the structure of the maze, everything returned to square one.

[This is Lukfels.]

Just then, a voice came from the signaler.

It was a privilege unique to Lukfels, who served as the base station.

[Our policy was to explore while minimizing damage to the agency, but the agency's entrance appears to be an environment no different from a maze fortress for anti-intruder defense. In the current state, defeat is expected.]

The content of the communication was practically a declaration of surrender.

[Changing the policy.]

And it was a declaration of war announcing the start of round 2.

[We will permit some loss to the agency. We will change the policy from dispersed exploration to concentrating our forces and breaking through to the Director's office at once.]

It also meant that it was okay to use our full power.

[Everyone, assemble.]

“….”

Lilac and I, who were running forward, came to a stop.

“You heard that, Lilac?”

“Yes, Master.”

Lilac sat down and tinkered with the settings of her anti-materiel sniper rifle.

She changed the bullet in the chamber to a magic bullet and strengthened the output of the built-in mana stone.

“Where should I aim?”

“Left.”

Soon, Lilac aimed her anti-materiel sniper rifle at the left wall.

Boom!

With a huge explosion, the wall collapsed.

Of course, the recoil of the sniper rifle was also considerable.

The barrel heated up red and smoked.

Lilac hurriedly activated the cooling system.

“It will take 1 minute until the next shot.”

“That's enough.”

Rumble, thud!

Vibrations and roars were heard from all over the agency.

It was proof that the people who had been limiting their power were starting to go all out.

‘Yes, it didn't make sense in the first place.’

The fact that a force of this magnitude was being blocked.

[Director’s approval confirmed. Opening the maze.]

At that moment, along with the agency's broadcast announcement, the bulkheads began to rise.

Meaningless paths also disappeared, revealing a huge cavern that seemed to be a combination of dozens of large sports fields.

Looking around, I could see the people who had infiltrated with us.

In the center of the space, a single research institute was visible.

I was certain that the Director was there.

[Director’s approval confirmed. Activating Hostile Entity Intrusion Response Lv 4. Deploying the Buster Order.]

‘What…?’

Buster Order.

Why, was that coming out here…?

A red crest appeared on the back of my left hand.

It was the Buster Order.

But at the same time, the signaler behind and below my ear grew hot and began to suppress the Buster Order crest.

Belatedly, Principal Lukfels' voice rang out.

[I had considered the possibility, but to think he would actually use it. The time the signaler can block the Buster Order is 10 minutes, so we have to finish before then.]

Buster Order.

The all-out war command right that was mandatorily worn by humanity's strongest forces.

The fact that this was activated meant that….

- Wild Instinct (Master) is ringing the alarm like crazy! Run! Right now!

Simultaneously, Sebastian, who had read my thoughts, ran to my side and grew larger.

I got on his back.

“Lilac! Hurry!”

“Ye, yes!”

At the same time, Sebastian ran forward.

Towards the central research institute!

But was it too late?

Soon, lights flashed in various parts of the agency…, and dozens of people dropped down.

All of them were Platinum Knights with Platinum Numbering.

The Buster Order crest flickered on the back of their left hands, the undisputed strongest force of humanity.

The atmosphere in the hall, which had seemed to relax for a moment, instantly became heavy and as precarious as a thread about to break.

“Everyone run! Run to the central research building!”

The Star Child ran with the speed of lightning.

On the other hand, Lukfels sighed where he stood and raised his magic staff.

“I'll buy some time.”

“Principal!”

“The laws of this sub-space are different from the continent, so space magic cannot be used. I can't run with these old legs, so I'd rather….”

Dozens of huge magic circles armed his surroundings.

“Block these indomitable heroes.”

The infiltration team made quick judgments and acted even in the sudden situation.

However, the Platinum Knights summoned by the Buster Order were just as bewildered.

“What, is this?! Isn't this the Humanity Preservation Agency?!”

“Block entry to the central research institute…?”

“What's going on? I don't see any opponents that look like enemies.”

These individuals, called heroes in their respective countries, looked around with their swords, spears, and bows in hand.

But isn't it strange?

No matter how they looked at it, there were no humans who looked like enemies.

Academy Principal Lukfels, the Knight of Flames Hectia, the Star Child who had been greatly active during the Demon Lords' invasions.

No matter how they thought about it, it was difficult to identify them as enemies.

However, were they Platinum Knights for nothing?

“Wait!”

“Stop where you are!”

Their insight, which had reached a higher state and transcended the ordinary, pierced through the situation even with insufficient information.

Above all, the Buster Order on the back of their hands.

On the backs of Lukfels', Hectia's, and the Star Child's hands, the Buster Order was silent.

“Wait. You all will have to deal with this old man.”

Lukfels' magic flew in and tied down many of the Platinum Knights who were about to move.

“Principal Lukfels! What is the meaning of this?!”

“Great Sage Lukfels!”

Lukfels.

The knight with Platinum Numbering No. 2.

The self-proclaimed Great Sage.

There were many who became Platinum Knights as mages, but none of them held the title of ‘Great Sage’.

And he was such a busy person that only a handful of people had properly seen him fight.

“Don't worry. I have no intention of betraying humanity. Rather, it is only to peel off the Director's deception.”

“Kugh, Principal Lukfels! I'm disappointed!”

“Damn it, let me go!”

More than 10 Platinum Knights rushed at Lukfels.

But they had to know.

Even among the same Platinum Knights, their levels were different.

Lukfels instantly fired hundreds of intermediate-level spells and began to buy time against the 10 Platinum Knights.

However, there were still dozens of Platinum Knights left.

“You shall not pass from here.”

“Ah, aah…!”

“Bianca! Dodge!”

Bianca and Nerjin encountered Frost Knight Daine and began to fight.

Nerjin's cards, which had learned celestial magic, pushed back the Frost Knight, but there was no way for them to get out of their position.

Nerjin looked at me and shouted.

“We'll take care of this place! Hurry!”

Nerjin volunteered to be a breakwater.

Sebastian ran without slowing down, but someone else rushed in.

“Hey, hello?!”

The Moonlight Sword is swung.

Just before the sword strike of Celina, the Knight of Moonlight who reveals lies, could reach.

“Master.”

A young boy swordsman takes the moonlight in his stead.

“Huh?!”

Celina, flustered that such a young boy had blocked her sword, blinks her wide-open eyes.

“Please go ahead. I will block her.”

“I'm counting on you…!”

The research institute.

I have to reach the research institute.

There must be an item there that will help in the search for the Star Maiden.

No, it doesn't matter even if there isn't.

‘Having come this far, I can't back down anymore!’

“Everyone, stop!”

However, Gulat, a Platinum Knight from the Guaguar Kingdom, blocked the front of the research institute.

As befitting his title of Knight of the Earth, the ground behind where he stood began to squirm and build a castle wall on its own.

His intention must be to completely block the path to the research institute.

“Damn it, run without resting!”

The moment the Star Child drew his dual pistols to support me, who was closest to the wall, and was about to fire at the castle wall in front.

“I can't let you do that!”

“Hap!”

A blue flash grazed the Star Child's body here and there.

“…?!”

Red roses came down and stuck in the places where the Star Child dodged, and in the place he dodged to again, a huge mountain blocked his path.

The Star Child, who was always at ease, frowned for a rare moment.

“…You dukes….”

The previous duke, Frohadin, and the newly appointed duke, Arnold, were not there, but the other three were.

Red Bow Wilhelm, Blue Spear Layton, and Shield Karok.

The pillars that supported the Imperium Empire.

“I wanted to spar with you at least once.”

Layton's blue spear pushes the Star Child back.

Then Wilhelm snipes at him, and Karok restrains the Star Child from moving.

When the spear was swung, the sound of a jet was heard, and where Wilhelm's arrow landed, a mushroom cloud bloomed.

“…Alright, you want to go at it, is that it?”

The Star Child and the three dukes engage in battle together.

But who was the Star Child?

He dodged all 15 spear thrusts delivered in one second from the stabbing blue spear, then dodged Wilhelm's snipe without even looking.

After that, Karok's shield blocked his path.

“Frontkeeper!”

A mature mana giant, different from Bord's, pops out.

The giant raised both hands and brought them together as if to crush the Star Child.

The very essence of might, the empire's shield, blocked his view, but.

Rather, the Star Child was waiting for it.

“I am, the Diamond Knight.”