I Aggressively Stack Steel of the Heart in the Knight Order

Only a Knight could sense the aura of Knight Power.

But the terrifying pressure carried within that aura of power could be felt with stark clarity by even the most oblivious mortal.

It was as if they were being stared down by a terrifying, monstrous beast.

The instincts imprinted in their very genes constantly screamed with fear and panic, spreading rampantly through their blood and souls!

The soldiers stationed at front-line Fortress 27 were, for the most part, experienced veterans. Many had fought in the Rebino campaign, and some had even personally killed New Recruit Knights from the Imperial Administrative Region.

Yet even amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, facing the large-scale assaults of the Administrative District Legions, they had never felt such overwhelming fear.

The oppressive impact of the imposing figure descending from the sky was unprecedented, like a tiger loosed among sheep. In fact, the Mortal Soldiers’ limited imaginations couldn’t even begin to describe the feeling.

Even the very air seemed to turn to lead, becoming suffocating.

Finally, a veteran came to his senses, raised his weapon, and yelled, ”He’s an Imperial Knight! Not an ally! Quick—”

But he would never finish his sentence.

The veteran watched in horror as the Imperial Knight appeared before him in an instant. He desperately hammered his fists against the Knight’s arm, but his Iron Fists, which could shatter a wooden plank, felt as weak and powerless as a toddler’s against his foe.

He could only watch helplessly as the Knight gripped his jaw. The immense pressure on bone and mandible made his eyes bulge and his face twist in agony, but he couldn’t utter a single word, only a muffled, whimpering cry from his throat.

CRACK—!

As the garrison soldiers watched in terror, the veteran’s jaw was crushed. The sound of shattering bone sent an involuntary shudder through every Mortal Soldier present.

A spray of blood gushed down the Imperial Knight’s wrist.

But he showed no mercy for the veteran’s cries, casually tossing him to the ground. Then, his Black War Axe—as large as a grown man’s torso—viciously hacked into the soldier’s body.

Reinhardt planted a foot on the veteran’s mangled remains and wrenched his Black War Axe free.

The fortress soldiers erupted in terrified screams and scattered like startled animals, fleeing in every direction.

They had fought against the Knight Battle Groups of the Imperial Administrative Region before, but they had never witnessed an Imperial Knight so brutal. He was nothing short of a bloodthirsty Demon!

But to Reinhardt, these traitors had long ago defected to the Void Realm. Their souls and bloodlines were tainted by Demons, and they deserved no mercy.

Just then, Raphael’s voice sounded in his ear.

”Two Knights are approaching. Inside the fortress, on the second basement level, an officer is calibrating the Radiant Beacon. Don’t let him send a distress signal.

Manon Knight, intercept those two.”

To say that a Mind Mage was a Think Tank’s greatest asset was no exaggeration.

This shared Telepathy was not only instantaneous but also completely secure.

With Reinhardt’s power, it wouldn’t be difficult to annihilate the enemy if they put up a desperate resistance in the fortress. But he also understood that if they routed, nothing could stop the deserters from scattering.

But he had anticipated all of this.

The strength of Mortals was insignificant in a planetary-scale war.

Two front-line fortresses that appeared close on the holographic map were often over two hundred kilometers apart in a straight line, not to mention the obstructive terrain between them.

The plan was to take out the Radiant Beacon before it could draw attention, and then execute the rescue.

For Grand Lord Kles’s Legion to react, they would first have to realize this was an invasion, not just a mutiny or desertion.

Following Raphael’s guidance, Reinhardt unfurled the Aikacia Nozzles from his back, which flared like Angel’s Wings. He became a streak of light, bursting through the fortress’s thick outer wall and shooting toward the second basement level.

Just then, however, Raphael suddenly cried out, ”Lord Reinhardt! It’s too late! The Radiant Beacon has been activated! I—”

He didn’t get to finish.

Raphael realized in horror that the mental link between him and Reinhardt had been forcibly severed by an extremely powerful force!

In his mental sight, a spherical black hole was collapsing in on itself at Reinhardt’s location. Any Mind Sensing he projected toward it was captured by this power and completely annihilated.

’This is...’

「Meanwhile, inside the fortress.」

The officer had just managed to activate the Radiant Beacon, attempting to notify the Conqueror Battle Group that an Imperial Knight had landed and was attacking front-line Fortress 27.

But he never imagined that the Radiant Beacon would fail at such a critical moment.

In planetary communication mode, no matter how he tried to contact the Legion, every message he sent vanished without a trace.

”Come in—! This is Fortress 27! Come in—! Can anyone...”

BAM—!

The iron door, secured by three deadbolts, was kicked open as if it were made of paper. Then, the officer saw a tall, War Axe-wielding figure appear in the doorway.

Dark purple energy pulses rippled through his vision, one after another, like waves of water.

He then realized with horror that the Radiant Beacon was failing precisely because these dark purple energy pulses were absorbing its power. He could clearly see the Beacon’s light being consumed, dimming rapidly before his very eyes.

And these dark purple energy pulses were none other than Reinhardt’s first Ring of Earth, an extension of the Special Ability from his Extraordinary Armament, the Defeated Demon: Forbidden Magic Force Field.

Within the range of the Force Field, all Magic, Witchcraft Technology, and Energy-Activated Weapons and Equipment of a Level lower than Reinhardt’s would be nullified, until the Defeated Demon’s energy absorption limit was exceeded.

Even certain aspects of Knight Power were heavily suppressed by the Forbidden Magic Force Field.

...

「In the underground interrogation room.」

The Interrogator could faintly hear the clamor of running feet from within the fortress, as well as the terrified screams of dying soldiers.

He shot a vicious glance at the barely breathing woman, then walked to the door and said to the soldier standing guard outside, ”Go out and see what’s happening.”

’The Imperial Administrative Region’s entire defensive line has already fallen back.’

’He wasn’t worried in the slightest that those lackeys of the Old Empire would suddenly come charging back.’

’A disgraceful rout of this magnitude couldn’t be reversed with a few inspiring platitudes.’

However, neither of the two soldiers he sent out returned, and the faint screams grew steadily clearer.

The Interrogator’s brow furrowed. ’A mutiny? But with a Conqueror Knight presiding, have these Mortal officers gone insane?’ He took the Radiant Beacon from his pocket, hesitating. ’Should I notify my superiors?’

’But I haven’t gotten a single piece of useful information out of her. If my superiors find out, won’t it just make me look incompetent?’

As the Interrogator hesitated, a scream suddenly echoed from the deepest part of the sixth sublevel.

”Lord Leslie! Run! It’s—”

The scream cut off abruptly.

All that remained was the thud of a heavy weapon hitting the ground, followed by the horrifying scrape of metal on bone and flesh.

When the Interrogator heard the muffled footsteps approaching, he frowned and threw open the interrogation room door. His eyes, not yet adjusted to the gloom, couldn’t make out the situation in the dark corridor. He could only squint and bellow, ”I am Interrogator Leslie, sent by Great Lord Baze and Great Lord Kles!

In the name of the Great Lords, I order you to stop immediately!”

As he spoke, he pulled out his Radiant Beacon, preparing to contact Legion high command and report the mutiny at the front-line fortress.

But it was too late.