Starting with the defeated female knight

"Her main problems right now are, firstly, the loss of control over her power caused by the shattering of the Holy Seal, and secondly, the damage caused by this uncontrolled power within her body..."

"That is to say..."

Edith glanced at Cecilia, who remained silent for a moment before nodding.

"If you can use your tentacles to enter her body, you can help stabilize her condition."

"Then she will be able to temporarily regain some of her strength."

【...】

【what? 】

......

The fog erupted very suddenly.

Perhaps it was because the concentration had reached a certain level, perhaps it was to launch a surprise attack, or perhaps it was for some other reason.

In any case, the fog that had been slowly approaching suddenly spread out after getting close enough and rushed towards the defensive line.

"ignition!"

Although the fog erupted suddenly, the humans, who were well-prepared, reacted immediately, and after giving an order, more than a dozen bonfires were lit.

Under the influence of the firelight, the originally dense fog was instantly weakened, and the crimson eyes hidden within it paused instinctively due to their fear of fire, their fighting spirit also diminishing.

"Don't leave the vicinity of the fire, as it can block the effects of the demonic mist. Also, don't go too deep into the demonic mist. Try to keep the fire burning!"

Although the imperial high command hadn't paid much attention to the demonic tide, after so many years and so many interactions, they had eventually come up with some methods to combat it.

For example, Edith's miracle, and the bonfire now.

Although the campfire temporarily protected them from the fog, the most deadly threat still remained.

As the flames burned, the fog gradually thinned, revealing what was hidden within.

Jackals drooling, crows stretching their claws, enormous camel-like beasts, and even humans wielding weapons, living like zombies...

But everything has one thing in common.

Those were bloodshot eyes, and within them, a visible madness.

puff-

The jackal was the first to rush forward, opening its rotten maw and lunging to bite at a man's neck.

But the next second, a sharp sword emitting a dim golden light pierced its abdomen from below, and then with a swift slash, cut it in half in mid-air.

"Keep the formation!"

The knight shouted, then swung his sword again, the light from the blade flashing out and severing the wing of the clawed crow that was about to launch a sneak attack.

While the knights were fighting, the others weren't idle either.

Hunters and archers stood on high ground, aiming at their targets and shooting down monsters that entered their range one by one.

The priests stood behind, holding holy seals, and repeatedly chanted miracles of healing and blessing.

Some mage apprentices, though they might be able to cast small fireballs and magical shocks at most, found it was these small fireballs that were key to keeping the campfire burning.

Whenever a monster rushed up to try to put out the fire, the apprentices would throw a fireball at it, and even if it was successfully extinguished, it could be rekindled immediately.

Through their combined efforts, the western demonic tide was firmly halted, and even the fog, under the combined effect of the bonfire and the miracle, was unable to continue spreading into the mountains.

From this perspective, the Demon Tide doesn't seem so terrifying.

But that's only because the demonic tide hasn't exerted its full force yet.

The Demon Tide, the Demon Tide, just like its name, is like a tide, continuous and ever-rising.

At first, there were only ordinary wild beasts, but after a while, monsters with special powers began to appear.

A bull that can strengthen itself with the power of the earth, a basilisk that can become invisible to some extent and spit venom, and a hedgehog that can charge up its magic from 800 miles away and then unleash a barrage of steel needles at its target location...

For most teams, by this point, they should be starting to suffer casualties or be routed.

But those stationed here today are all people Cecilia rescued from the demonic tide. They may not be seasoned veterans, but they are at least quite skilled.

After spending a few days recovering to full strength, this level of demonic tide, while causing them some trouble, posed little threat.

"Generally speaking, small to medium-sized demonic tides usually end around this wave, with a few more high-level monsters at most as the final curtain call."

"After dealing with those monsters, although the demonic tide won't dissipate, it will at least keep it quiet for a while."

But it's clear that this demonic tide is no ordinary event.

After surviving the medium wave, there wasn't even time to catch our breath before a huge shadow emerged from the thick fog.

Upon closer inspection, its appearance was revealed.

"Chimera!"

Someone exclaimed.

Chimera is not the name of any particular creature, but rather a specialty of the demonic tide.

An existence born from extreme mutation, possibly even from the hybrid mutation of multiple organisms.

Because they are mutated monsters and are deeply affected by the demonic tide, chimeras generally do not have a long lifespan, and often disintegrate before the demonic tide dissipates.

But in exchange for a short lifespan, he gained power far exceeding that of other monsters.

Especially looking at this mountain of flesh, a chimera whose body has been mutated by countless monsters, even someone who knows nothing about the demonic tide can see its terror.

boom!

Without any hesitation, the moment the chimera appeared, more than a dozen explosive arrows struck its body.

It did have an effect; the chimera's skin was ripped open quite a bit, and some of its organs fell off as a result.

But the next second, more organs poured out of the wound, not only filling the previous damage, but also growing a lizard-like head, which sprayed a large mouthful of acid at a fire.

zizi——

The acid instantly covered the fire, corroding not only the flames but also the combustibles underneath, completely eliminating any possibility of reignition.

Immediately afterwards, a festering giant claw emerged from the chimera's body, grabbing at what was in front of it. The immense force tore through the human defenses, creating an opening for the other monsters.

But just as the flames died down, the defenses collapsed, and disaster seemed imminent.

With a violent tremor, a giant tentacle burst forth from the mountainside. One tentacle slammed into the defense line that the chimera had just breached, smashing the monster that tried to break through the gap into a bloody pulp, like swatting a fly.

The next second after the tentacles appeared, golden light also rose up.

A blonde girl slowly emerged from the opening of the tentacle, holding a sacred book in her hands.

With a soft murmur, light shone, instantly dispelling the surrounding mist and restoring the warriors to their full strength.

"Lady Edith!"

Edith nodded, then positioned herself at an angle, holding the holy book in one hand and reaching into her bosom with the other to grasp the tentacle within.

Then gently sway it.

boom--

The tentacles beside her did the same thing as the tentacles in her arms, lashing the chimera hard in the side.

Even with such a powerful blow that could split mountains and shatter rocks, it failed to completely tear the chimera apart. Although it was severely injured, it was still roaring and even trying to fight back.

but.......

"Do it."

Edith gave the order.

All the firepower on the defensive line was redirected, working in conjunction with the giant tentacle to tear the chimera to pieces.

boom--

After the chimera's body disintegrated, the thick fog finally stopped spreading.

Although a few monsters were still trying to break through the defenses, they no longer posed any threat.

"Is it over...?"

Someone spoke uncertainly.

But before anyone else could answer, a huge sound came from the sky in response.

Thump, thump, thump.

A huge shadow swept across the ground, and my heart pounded like thunder.

Its outstretched wings are enough to blot out the sky, and its sharp claws can easily tear through steel.

That's a dragon.

The enormous dragon, covered in pale gray scales, was, to most people, a creature that existed only in legends.

Moreover, this dragon not only has bloodshot eyes, but its once beautiful body is now covered with signs of mutation, making it look bizarre and disgusting. It even has two heads.

But this terrifying entity did not attack the humans below; instead, it swept them aside like ants and rushed straight toward the light curtain to the north.

Upon approaching, it raised its head, spread its wings, and then—

dive.

boom--

The sound was like shattering glass.

The light barrier shattered under the impact of the flying dragon.

Meanwhile, the true main force of the demonic mist, hidden outside the light curtain, finally began its advance.

In the distance, besides the flying dragon, there were no fewer than ten giant chimeras.

Upon seeing this scene, the people who had just won the victory fell into a deathly silence instead of celebrating.

ended.

That's what they think.

Edith thought so too.

The next second, under everyone's gaze.

A beam of light rose from the mountaintop and then fell.

boom!

The light that descended from the sky struck the flying dragon like a meteor, shattering it into pieces with a single blow. The fragments flew everywhere and were burned to ashes by the holy flames before they could even fall.

Then, the light fell to the ground.

As the smoke cleared, a heavily armored knight in silver-white armor strode out, golden flames surging on the greatsword in his hand.

"Although it hasn't fully recovered yet..."

Cecilia raised her head and stared directly at the terrifying monsters before her.

His face was expressionless, and his tone was indifferent.

"But it's enough to deal with trash like you."

Book 1: Chapter 10: Not the End

As a village girl from a border town, with neither education nor special skills, Cecilia was able to have a place in the church, and no one questioned her status as the 'Chief Knight', for only one very simple reason.

That means she's really good at fighting.

Moreover, her high fighting ability is not due to any special skills, but purely to her stats.

It's important to know that within the Church, the Discipline Knight profession is so prestigious that even a dog would shake its head in disdain.

To put it another way, it's like being in another world with biochemistry, environmental science, and civil engineering skills. It's tiring, tough, and requires following a bunch of rules. Moreover, the job bonuses aren't particularly advantageous compared to others, and the combat effects, support abilities, and job prospects are nowhere near as good as the Paladin next door.

If I had to point out the advantages, it would probably be that it doesn't require much theological talent, nor does it require in-depth study of those obscure and difficult classics.

And that is why Cecilia chose to become a Discipline Knight.