Chapter 222 Discovering The Demon Gate

-----

(Blake's POV)

The moment we finished our small break, I immediately received several messages from Eleanora through Telepathy. Not only she had found the village where the demons were coming from, but she also found an Artificial Demon Gate. These are great news and finally, at long last, we had discovered the dens of these damned cockroaches! I felt happy, but immediately composed myself and calmed my heart, that was beating fast. I looked into the distance and continued to listen to what Eleanora was telling me while realizing there was something very bad happening right now around the entire forest.

"Not only the village has the Demon Gate, but it also has the same mark that we once saw from the documents found in Cassandra's room, my lord!" She said. "This probably means that the cult behind her has also been preparing this Demon Gate for a long time!"

"So that's how it was." I said to her. "Eleanora, do you think you can destroy the Demon Gate before coming back? If you engage against too many demons you'll surely die, it would be better for you to come back to me, as I need your help in here."

"Well, the thing is… there's a massive army of at least four hundred demons running straight towards the village right about now!" Said Eleanora.

In that moment, I felt a chill run down my spine. My family was still in the village, everybody related to my friends as well, and even the stupid priests and the knights and soldiers. I was in the third layer as of now, running straight back to the village could take a few minutes, but I should be able to outrun the demon army and quickly bring my family out of the danger… But what was truly happening right now? Eleanora had only found the village right now, who was commanding the demons to invade it? Why haven't they done it before if they had so many numbers?! And… were the cult planning to destroy the village now that their spy (Cassandra) had died?

So many questions were overflowing through my head, I felt dizzy and almost sickly by thinking about the many possibilities that this could cause to everybody in the village. I had to hurry! I perhaps should be able to rescue Erika, Eric, and Chris families as well, the carriage I had prepared was big enough, but more than that is futile. I will have to leave the village behind. There's no way I can defeat an army of four hundred demons by myself, and the knights and soldiers seem unprepared-

"But there's something else happening!" Eleanora interrupted my train of thoughts as she spoke once more about something happening right before her eyes. "The Priests… Knights… Soldiers… Even Hunters! My lord, there is an army of almost two hundred men rushing and clashing against the four hundred demons!"

"What?!" I asked in surprise. I, for once in my lifetime, was genuinely surprised about this and reacted rather childishly about it. I was simply concerned and at the same time intrigued about what was happening. I had not attended the church for a week as I was busy with my friends… to think the old man of Ellergest would pull out a two hundred men army in that time. He's really incredible for being an old human.

"I can see Ellergest, and all the priests you've befriended… There is also Lukas the knight and… HUH?! T-This is your father and his hunter friends all wearing armor and holding iron weapons… they're charging against the demons with the knights and soldiers! T-The Priests are staying behind using healing magic and readying wide-range holy light magic… Impressive, the entire formation seems unbreakable, and they're already clashing against the demons!" Said Eleanora. I felt my heart beating faster once more out of the emotions I felt. I cursed my human body for being so overly sensitive, as I swallowed saliva.

"My father is joining the cause? And Lukas as well…? What's the meaning of this? I…" I muttered, quickly losing myself in my own train of thoughts.

Once more I forcefully calmed myself and sighed, closing my eyes and opening them once more. It seems that my own father had joined the army that went against the demons. To think that that's what he has been doing lately every time he went off the house at around 5 PM… he went to train with the knights and his other hunter friends. I should had paid more attention to my own father. Maybe… I underestimated him. I thought he wasn't someone that would willingly join an almost hopeless battle against such a big army of demons. Perhaps… I thought my father was a coward.

I was wrong. My father seems to be, in fact, an idiot. And also, someone incredible at the same time. Such a convoluted combination of traits… Hah, but I can't help but smile a little bit. Is this… pride? I feel prideful for my own father for being a brave man capable of risking his life to this extent for us. He's surely thinking about my mother and the child inside of her womb, grandmother, and… me. He's fighting for me.

My father…

I never had a father in my previous life, so I was never able to truly experience what it felt to have one. I now understand once more what it feels to love a father for their bravery and strength. I suppose… As a man myself, I must go assist my father. As the eldest son, I cannot simply let my old man do all the work. I'll join and ensure his survival.

"Then we are going there." I told Eleanora.

"B-But it might be dangerous, so many demons…!" Said Eleanora.

"Don't worry… We got two hundred men with us as well, Eleanora." I said. "Don't underestimate humans."

"…You've really changed a lot." She sighed. "…Ah! It seems I was found out by the Gray Oni I told you about! He's incredibly strong- Eh?! He's a Demon General with a powerful Aura Spirit!"

"Hm?!"

-----