Paladin of the Dead God-Chapter 400: Beneath the Lamp (4)

“Get lost.”

Isaac shoved another of his creations—a grotesque creature resembling a dog, though its back was split open to reveal massive, tentacle-like appendages—and implanted it with a parasite. The tentacle-dog stumbled briefly before breaking into a frantic run southward, repeatedly screaming the words Isaac had whispered to it.

“The traitor has come!”

Isaac watched as the tentacle-dog disappeared into the ashen wasteland.

This land, once a cradle of civilization, had been overtaken by the Outer Boundary over centuries as the center of human activity shifted to Lichtheim. Fertile lands, once capable of producing three harvests a year, had become desolate. Twisted plants and stone formations added to the eerie, unnatural landscape.

Ancient structures from an unknown civilization still stood, but they, too, bore the marks of the Nameless Chaos, their shapes contorted into forms that defied physics and reason.

This was the Outer Boundary, Isaac’s chosen hunting ground.

It was also his training ground, designed to wreak havoc upon both the Codex of Light and the Immortal Order.

***

“What shall I do with these, Master?”

Hectali spoke as she gestured to the grotesque creatures lying at her tree-root-like feet.

As soon as Isaac had arrived at the Outer Boundary, he was assailed by a swarm of monsters. Unlike the relatively organized creatures encountered in the Salt Desert or the Wastelands, these monsters, untouched by the constraints of order, were wildly unpredictable.

Fortunately, Isaac’s minions had grown strong enough to handle them. But Isaac remained cautious.

These were nothing more than the equivalent of rabbits or rats in the domain of civilization—barely above nuisances like spiderlings. The true terrors of the Outer Boundary dwelled deeper within, and Isaac had no intention of venturing into their lairs.

Even if he did, there was no guarantee he would return intact.

“May I consume them, or would you prefer I extract their essence for you?”

Hectali licked her lips, her hunger evident.

Anyone would think I’ve been starving them…

Isaac found it absurd, but he understood that their insatiable hunger was simply their nature. Still, he had no intention of letting Hectali feast just yet.

Isaac gazed at one of the creatures lying at her feet. It was roughly the size of a small wolf, with a bizarre form resembling a jellyfish attached to spindly, drumstick-like legs. Its dagger-length claws shredded prey before its massive tentacle-like appendage consumed them whole.

Amusing as it looked, Isaac didn’t consume it. Instead, he summoned parasitic worms from the Parasite from Beyond and injected several into the creature.

As the parasites took control of the monster’s nervous system, Isaac issued his command.

“Go to the Holy Land Lua.”

The tentacle-chickens immediately obeyed, sprinting southward in the direction of the Holy Land Lua.

Isaac had no intention of trekking directly to Lua himself. The distance was too great, and the results wouldn’t justify the effort. Instead, he planned to send a series of terrifying gifts to deliver his message.

He was just getting started.

At first, it would be the Immortal Emperor who would find himself troubled by Isaac’s antics. But soon enough, the Lighthouse Keeper would also be forced to react. And then? He’d deal with the Watcher’s Council, sitting idly while the Dawn Army hesitated to act.

With one move, Isaac was setting two factions against each other, forcing them to act.

"Run now, all of you."

"Did you think I was isolated?"

Isaac smiled coldly.

The Immortal Order likely believed the Issacrea Dawn Army, now separated from the main forces, could be easily crushed without the pressure of the main Dawn Army.

But Isaac had a Plan B.

And the Outer Boundary, with its endless supply of monstrous entities, provided the perfect army.

These creatures required no training—it was impossible anyway—and while their voracious appetites posed logistical challenges, they could sustain themselves on the battlefield. Most importantly, they were endless.

As if on cue, the endless horde began to surge toward Isaac.

***

Thud. Thud. Thud.

From the south, a massive, multi-limbed giant wriggled its way forward, its seven twisted limbs squirming unnaturally. What appeared to be intestines burst through its skin, extending outward as makeshift limbs. The creature resembled a mockery of humanity, as if something entirely alien had tried—and failed—to mimic human form.

Behind it came a swarm of other creatures: night stalkers resembling inverted jellyfish with bat wings, and countless others defying any recognizable taxonomy.

“The bait worked well.”

If Isaac couldn’t venture deep into the Outer Boundary, he could lure its inhabitants out instead.

The creatures Isaac had sent south, infused with parasites, had served their purpose as bait, drawing these horrors toward him.

“■■■■—!!”

The seven-limbed giant let out a guttural roar—whether of rage or joy, it was impossible to tell—as it charged. Isaac immediately recognized it as a formidable opponent and readied himself for combat.

Turning to his minions, he issued a new order:

“You may kill that one and eat it. Leave nothing behind.”

With Isaac’s permission to consume even the essence, his minions erupted in enthusiasm.

The creatures of the Outer Boundary, despite their absurd difficulty, provided equally absurd experience and resources.

An infinite army meant infinite experience and an endless supply of sustenance.

From here on, the process was straightforward: kill, consume, and convert the creatures into new minions to send outward.

Isaac looked forward to seeing how the Immortal Emperor and the Lighthouse Keeper would react when the "gifts" he sent reached Holy Land Lua.

When the Holy Grail Knight had made moves toward Lua before, they had let it slide. But what would happen when the Outer Boundary’s monstrous hordes suddenly began threatening Lua instead?

Based on what he knew, Isaac was confident of one thing.

The Outer Boundary lay beyond the reach of order—beyond even the Lighthouse Keeper’s sight. Moreover, the Immortal Order’s territories were so interwoven with Urbansus that they couldn’t even adapt Urbansus to respond to it.

The Immortal Emperor, meanwhile, wouldn’t immediately recognize the anomaly either. After all, incursions from the Outer Boundary were not unprecedented, having occurred sporadically over the past 300 years. Furthermore, the creatures of the Outer Boundary left behind no harvestable souls.

Even if the Emperor realized the truth, what could he do? He was the enemy, and nothing about that would change.

The darkest place, after all, is beneath the lamp.

“The trials are mine to give, not yours.”

Isaac smirked to himself, regretting only that he couldn’t see their reactions firsthand.

***

As Isaac had predicted, no one yet noticed the changes in the Outer Boundary.

Thus, everything proceeded as if nothing had changed.

The Issacrea Dawn Army, advancing steadily, suddenly found itself enveloped in a thick fog.

Winter mists were not uncommon, so the soldiers didn’t find it particularly suspicious at first. The fog rose slowly from their ankles, seeping through their ranks like creeping water.

As visibility dropped, Tuhalin dispatched additional scouts. However, less than half of them returned.

Realizing the potential danger, “Isaac” immediately halted the army and ordered them to assume defensive positions.

“Enemies are near. It’s likely the main force. Prepare your defenses.”

At the same time, Isaac sent Nel into the skies to assess the situation.

“Hesabel, what’s the scale of the enemy forces?”

Though Nel swiftly broke through the fog, the unnaturally thick mist made it difficult to discern anything.

“Hmm… It’s hard to see clearly through this fog, but… Wait!?”

Hesabel’s sudden burst of shock reached Isaac through their connection.

At the same moment, a blizzard of ice particles swirled down over the Issacrea Dawn Army, created by the rapidly freezing upper atmosphere.

Hesabel’s alarmed report followed.

“Bone dragon! There’s a bone dragon! The enemy has a dragon!”

Peering through the mist, Isaac caught sight of a dark silhouette above. Its frame resembled a massive bird with thin, skeletal wings. Part of the Bone Dragon contingent once stationed to defend Capital Ushak had been redirected to confront the Issacrea Dawn Army.

The Immortal Order was clearly taking Isaac’s forces very seriously.

"The deployment of the Lord of the Graveyard was expected. But the size of his force is critical…”

A Bone Dragon’s presence signified the deployment of the highest-class relics and divine beasts to this battlefield.

What about the ground forces?

Soon, the sound of marching boots began to echo ominously. The Immortal Order was no longer bothering to conceal its movements.

“Commander Rottenhammer, clear this fog!”

“Understood!”

At Rottenhammer’s command, the paladins and priests began chanting hymns. Warm, radiant light spread out, breaking apart the fog and pushing it back.

But as the fog receded, an eerie and discordant hymn emerged from beyond. The sound of bone scraping against bone, accompanied by haunting, chilling voices, pushed back against the light, halting its advance and keeping the fog at bay.

“Knights of Elil, prepare for battle!”

“Bones are coming! Ready to chew them apart, everyone?”

Far from being discouraged, the Issacrea Dawn Army maintained its fierce spirit, bolstered by unwavering confidence.

Even the regular soldiers, not just the knights and priests, shared this sentiment.

They had fought without a single loss so far, winning every battle decisively.

Even the appearance of an Archangel from the Immortal Order posed no significant threat in their minds. After all, they had withstood worse—including Archangel Pallor, who had been annihilated by the Holy Grail Knight and their allied heroes.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The footsteps that echoed around them grew louder, unsettling the soldiers.

In war, soldiers marched in unison not just for discipline but to intimidate their enemies.

The deep, resonant sound of marching boots shook not only the earth but also the hearts of those who heard it.

For the undead, who lacked independent will, matching their steps was a trivial matter. However, the sheer weight behind these footsteps suggested an army of heavily armored elite troops.

Then, abruptly, the footsteps stopped.

The Issacrea Dawn Army felt as though enemies were hiding in every direction, shrouded by the lingering fog.

Yet the commanders remained calm, their gaze fixed on a single point.

Finally, the fog parted like water, revealing a towering figure.

It was the Lord of the Graveyard, a colossal giant composed of a mountain of skeletal remains.

Flanking him were ranks of Death Knights, marching in a wide line. Each Death Knight carried a tattered and blood-stained banner.

Seeing these banners, Edelred and Rottenhammer let out low groans.

“Those are the banners of units once assigned to the Dawn Army—those that never returned.”

“And some of those are the banners of noble families from the Kingdom of Elil who never came back from their campaigns.”

The banners represented countless failures in the history of the Dawn Army.

Their message was clear: You will share the same fate.

More than that, it was an announcement that the Immortal Order had sent its most seasoned veterans to this battle.

Edelred thought of the infamous Eclipse Army, composed of conscripted veterans buried beneath the earth after losing the will to live following their conversion. These soldiers were forcibly reawakened only at the Immortal Emperor’s command.

The army that could never be discharged.

The Lord of the Graveyard slowly surveyed the Issacrea Dawn Army.

He had approached the battlefield with caution, heeding the Immortal Emperor’s stern warnings. He had chosen the fog, selected an open plain ideal for battle, and brought elite troops while ensuring the capital’s defenses were not overly weakened.

The Issacrea Dawn Army did not disappoint him.

They had detected his approach early, responded swiftly, and maintained their morale even in the face of an Archangel’s presence.

Their discipline and unity impressed him.

"A well-disciplined army, to be sure. But…”

It was not without flaws.

The largest weakness lay in their composition as an allied force. Separate chains of command and differences in faith and culture caused soldiers to form cliques. Such divisions could not be forcibly eliminated. To the Lord of the Graveyard, this was a glaring vulnerability.

Yet despite this, they had come this far without a single loss.

In the Lord of the Graveyard’s estimation, there was only one reason for this:

"The presence of the Holy Grail Knight bridges their gaps. Truly, he is a hero.”

This realization left him puzzled.

"But where is the Holy Grail Knight?"