The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 81

It was a dark behemoth that seemed to plunge the entire night sky into even deeper darkness. Vast clouds of steam erupted from it, accompanied by swirling mist and fierce winds.

The roaring blades of its propellers spun in a relentless rhythm, with the new steam engine pumping power into every inch of this iron giant. Two rows of powerful searchlights pierced through the darkness like the fiery eyes of an ancient titan. And then, it began its descent.

This was a war zeppelin, a terror of the Glorious War period. These colossal machines had once crossed the White Tide Strait, flying at altitudes beyond the reach of ground artillery. Each time one appeared, it was a harbinger of death, raining down divine fire on helpless enemies who could only watch as it loomed above their lands.

Yet this one was different. Lloyd had never seen a war zeppelin of such magnitude. In all the official records of Ingrivig, no weapon of war like this had ever been documented.

Its robust iron armor was reinforced with rivets, and massive sails on either side allowed it to maneuver. Heavy steel plates were slowly raised, and the fixed heavy cannons dropped from their rails, their muzzles extending outward.

This was a product of twisted craftsmanship, named after the mythical beast from the Evangelium that ruled the seas—the Leviathan-class war zeppelin, "Dawn's Path."

Its arrival brought a moment of stunned silence to the battlefield, quickly followed by a barrage of thunderous cannon fire. The zeppelin unleashed a relentless hail of firepower, turning the ground into a scorched wasteland and halting the advance of enemy hordes.

It was a scene out of myth. Fiery rain fell from the sky, staining the gloomy clouds a molten red before crashing to the ground in a series of massive craters, each explosion obliterating everything within its reach.

This was the efficiency of war machines. During the counterattacks of the Glorious War, dozens of such war zeppelins had invaded the lands of the Gaulinaro. Ingrivig's iron giants dominated the skies, razing city after city until the enemy was forced to sign the surrender treaty.

First came the artillery barrage, relentless and thorough, carving out a safe zone amid the chaos of war.

Sky cavalry descended on iron ropes, firing aluminum rifles that left burning trails as they descended, wiping out any remaining demons and quickly establishing layer upon layer of firepower nets to protect the "Dawn's Path."

"It looks like we're safe now," said Shrike, relaxing as he sat back in the carriage, gently releasing his grip on his gun. Seeing his heavily armed comrades, he finally felt the advantage of fighting on home ground.

His mission was over. They had successfully delayed until Lancelot's arrival. Whatever enemies lay ahead, the cold-blooded knight would take care of them, and there was also a formidable demon hunter in their midst.

"The demons aren't all dead yet," Lloyd's voice echoed. He gazed at the warriors descending from the sky. Despite the turn of the battle, he didn't believe it would end so easily. He marched forward, towards the burning rain and the wails of the demons.

"But the 'Dawn's Path' has arrived. The important thing is not the heavy firepower on the zeppelin but its master," Shrike replied lazily, piquing Lloyd's interest.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, this is his mount. The warhorse has arrived. The knight can't be far behind."

And so, a sharp whistling sound came from above, as if something was plummeting rapidly. Lloyd could only see a swift shadow slicing through the night sky, followed by a huge white parachute unfurling, slowing the descent of the knight. But the knight was in a hurry; before fully decelerating, he cut the parachute loose and accelerated downwards again.

Like a meteor falling to earth, his target was the giant emerging from the tidal wave.

This was a colossal demon, an entity that should not exist according to the laws of biology. It should have died from its own heat production before even moving. Yet, as with all things demonic, there was an element of the miraculous about it. Thus, a nightmare creature had manifested in reality.

"Lloyd, have you ever seen a demon like this?" Shrike asked, given that Lloyd had the most experience with demons.

"No, demons were always secretive before, never acting on such a large scale, let alone being this huge," Lloyd replied, running across the burning ground. What he saw tonight shattered many of the truths he had learned in the Order. The world was changing, with more secrets surfacing.

The beauty of the world lies in this—thinking you understand it, only to realize you have only scratched the surface. Everyone is an ignorant, shivering creature in the dark.

The Secret Blood began to surge, but to avoid detection by the persistent Church, Lloyd did not reach the critical threshold. He initiated the minimum level, allowing the black divine armor to slowly cover him, with blazing white flames pouring out from its seams.

【Secret Blood Awakening 17%. Exiting Stable Zone. Bonded Silver Seal Beginning to Melt.】

【Connecting to Stasis Sanctuary.】

【Connection Failed.】

【Retrying Connection...】

Once again, the cold, neutral voice echoed in his mind. Lloyd detested the eerie Bonded Silver Seal, the Church's most precise mechanical creation, like a ghost living within him, ready to kill him if he broke free.

Aed had died this way, with molten holy silver completely destroying his body and sealing the strange Secret Blood within metal.

Gripping his nail sword, Lloyd elegantly spun his Winchester in a half-circle, chambering a round that released a burst of white-hot dragon's breath.

His eyes briefly glanced at the scarred body of his Winchester, where a small poem was engraved, a memory from Florence:

"Do not go gentle into that good night."

And then the colossal demon appeared in his sights. It stood several meters tall, with twisted flesh still dripping with seawater. Strange patterns covered its bloated body, as countless demons seemed to crawl all over it. Eyes of all sizes opened from the seams of its flesh, not just on its head but all over its body, peering into the world.

Pure flames surged as Lloyd fired his gun at the demon, the shot igniting its grotesque head.

Amid the wails and flames, steel and gunpowder clashed with flesh, sending chunks flying and blood gushing from thick veins like torrential rain.

Lloyd didn't see the eerie knight again. As the knight plunged into the darkness, it was as if he had merged with the night itself, leaving no trace.

But Lloyd didn't place his hopes on the knight. He could accomplish much on his own. Facing the towering giant with its countless eyes fixed on him, he raised his gun, aiming at its head.

Just as Lloyd was about to pull the trigger to incinerate the monstrous head, a sinister voice whispered in his ear, filled with demonic malice, familiar yet terrifying.

【Retrying Connection...】

【Connected to Stasis Sanctuary.】

【Confirming Login Status, Login ID...】

The disorienting voice in his mind caused Lloyd to hesitate. In that brief moment, the giant hand came crashing down, bringing with it a gale and turbulence.

The sharp sound of friction briefly deafened Lloyd, his ears ringing painfully, unable to hear the cold, neutral narration in his mind. It was a whimpering, indistinct noise.

Then, sharp hooks embedded themselves in the giant's hand. The knight named Lancelot burst from the darkness, his winch rapidly pulling him closer to the demon before his sword struck.

Blood and shattered bones splattered before Lloyd's eyes. The armored knight, gripping his heavy sword, turned in mid-air to glare at Lloyd, as if questioning why he had hesitated.

But a storm was raging in Lloyd's heart. After six years, his Bonded Silver Seal had reconnected to the Stasis Sanctuary.