Chapter 376: The Unknown Brings Hesitation
Blazing lights descended and struck five locations, precisely covering the second tier. Only the aftershocks hit the city wall between the second and third tiers.
The battle mages operating the magic cannons had already received the entire layout of Doyle City. The bards, following their guidance, placed markers at key positions on the second tier.
With those markers guiding them, the second tier was struck with perfection.
The second tier was nearly six times the size of the castle's footprint, and it lacked tall buildings. Even when struck by magic cannons, there was no risk of falling debris.
Moreover, most people in the area were knights. Their bodies were strong. Apart from those standing directly near the markers—who were obliterated along with their armor by the direct hits—the rest suffered only partial shockwave damage.
This second round of magic cannon bombardment finally awakened the knights driven into madness.
They wept bitterly, as if mourning their lords, as if in agony from their injuries, or perhaps from realizing some unseen force had manipulated them.
They finally confronted their inner fear.
Just like this unknown force—akin to a Sacred Relic—that had bombarded them, the influence that had quietly taken hold of their minds was even more terrifying.
Becoming knights had filled them with pride. They clutched tightly to their knightly privileges according to the old customs.
After completing a series of affairs, with the Church's priests arriving to take over, mercenaries who accepted missions would assist in certain duties. The bards who traveled among noble territories and the three great knight orders praised by them...
These developments, different from the customs they followed before, only began after the founding of the Church of the Sanctuary in the New Testament Era. This shift made them feel the strangeness of the era.
That unfamiliarity felt like they were confronting some unknown presence. From the bottom of their hearts, fear emerged.
Perhaps they were simply unwilling to explore the unknowns of the New Testament Era.
So, in halting their steps, they committed the sin of Greed.
When they were finally jolted awake by the magic cannon bombardment, they cried, clutching the crosses they carried.
Some took them from their collars, others retrieved them from within their armor, and others still from carefully wrapped cloth pouches.
Their faces were twisted with fear and tears as they trembled, gripping the crosses in repentance.
Even if they refused to keep exploring, even if they stayed motionless, the fact they had become knights, earned their own fiefs, and strengthened their families, was all thanks to the Church of the Sanctuary overthrowing the old era.
But now, those who had gained benefits had become the very embodiment of the buried past.
From the skies, another five arcs descended, striking the same coordinates again.
This impact tore apart the officials who had survived the earlier bombardment and were now writhing in pain.
They were not knights. Indulgent in power and feasts, their physical capabilities barely qualified as Tier Two.
Even knights unprepared for the shockwaves could be knocked down.
As if by fate, the fallen knights subconsciously let go of their crosses.
Those still alive struggled to their feet. Their faces bloodied, eyes wide open, they stared at the ruins, and at the crosses on the ground.
Some wailed in terror.
The scene was eerily silent. No more arcs streaked the sky—only the occasional clatter of falling rubble.
Suddenly, a knight stood up. Clenching his fist, he struck the iron plate on his gauntlet against his armor, producing a piercing sound that cut through the ruin.
He shouted loudly, "The Lord has said! All life in this world is a gift from Him, and thus one must not give up life lightly, for that would be a betrayal of the Lord's gift!"
He stood tall, digging his sword, spear, and shield out from the rubble.
It was clear he no longer intended to wait for death here.
At last, they had calmed down.
Given the scale of the bombardment, the city guards in the third tier had shown no reaction, nor had the garrison outside the city charged in.
Clearly, this was a trap set especially for them.
Following that knight's shout, the other knights began moving.
If there was still a chance to live, who would willingly wait for death here?
The knights, having regained composure, displayed the military discipline expected of them.
Those less injured retrieved weapons from the ruins. The more wounded treated their injuries as best they could.
The knights assembled and naturally formed a phalanx. Their remaining combat-capable numbers were now apparent.
Even after enduring two rounds of magic cannon fire, nearly two hundred knights still stood.
Nearly two hundred—each one a knight conferred with title.
Such strength! Even before the New Testament Era—or even now—a knight order that could gather over a hundred for a charge was nigh unstoppable.
That was why the Doyle Knight Order, with over a hundred knights, was one of the Three Great Knight Orders.
Dong... Dong... Dong. Some knights began rhythmically striking their spears and shields.
The sound spread quickly. Others joined in, syncing their strikes from chaotic noise to harmonious rhythm.
Once unified and rising in tempo, their movements abruptly ceased.
Then, in unison, they charged toward the gate leading to the third tier.
Some had already inspected it—barred shut from the outside. Combined with four-meter-thick solid brick walls, the first and second tiers were effectively a sealed fortress.
No knight cursed the design, lamenting the absence of a wall access point.
By now, even the densest knight understood: this had likely been prepared during the very construction of Doyle City.
As if by silent agreement, the rear knights slowed, while the front ranks accelerated into a charge.
Though lacking warhorses, their charge still made the tightly sealed gate groan under pressure.
The first wave of knights held back their pain, stepping aside with their now-deformed armor.
The second wave charged forward without hesitation.
It wasn't that they didn’t want to build siege tools—after three volleys of magic cannon fire, the only intact items left were the iron-clad knights themselves.
They didn’t even have wood suitable for ladders.
They could’ve piled rubble to form a slope to scale the wall—but they had no time.
Knights with military acumen knew: if trapped here, annihilation by a larger army was inevitable.
So they had to escape—fast.
The knights launched charge after charge. On the sixth, a crack echoed as the iron-reinforced wooden gate shattered. The pillars and stones bracing the door—and those guarding it—were all hurled aside.
They ignored the trembling, terrified people nearby and charged down the path.
Though their numbers had dwindled, over 150 knights remained.
They dashed toward Doyle City's gates, plundering usable items from roadside residences—like hemp rope.
The terrified residents dared not resist.
The blood-drenched knights who broke into their homes looked terrifying. They were mere commoners—how could they stand against such brutal knights?
Some knights ignored the screaming residents. Others, enraged, killed them on the spot.
Their presence threw the third tier into chaos.
...
Doyle Great Cathedral.
Knight Paul pushed open the door, gasping for air, and said, "Bishop! The knights broke through—we couldn’t stop them."
Jeremiah looked over. Knight Paul's armor was dented.
He had physically braced the gate when the knights charged.
When it broke, he was sent flying by the force.
And while the knights passed by, they didn’t hesitate to kick him for good measure.
Thankfully, unlike the other two warriors who also used their bodies to block the gate and were trampled to death, Knight Paul had survived. It allowed him to report to Jeremiah despite the pain.
Jeremiah looked at Paul with a hint of guilt. He blessed him with Divine Word, then said, "I am, after all, not a knight. I didn’t realize they could possess such strength. I hope this alleviates some of your pain—but after this is over, you’ll still need a healer to realign your bones."
Knight Paul adjusted his breathing. Strength surged through him, soothing his pain.
"My injuries don’t matter," said Knight Paul. "The knights have charged out. They're heading straight for the city gate. They'll likely find more weapons in those houses. I don’t think the gate will hold."
Jeremiah replied, "Then let it fall. I am, after all, a man of the Church. War is not my expertise. Gather the Church knights and warriors at the other two gates—drive them out, but do not let the Allied Nobles outside enter."
"Within Doyle City, my battlefield is finished. Outside Doyle City belongs to the Kingdom’s army and those rebellious knights."