## Chapter 979 – Ancient Valkyrie

While discussing these matters, I tried to piece together the situation.

It seems the first sighting of the Valkyrie was about four weeks ago.

Naturally, in a world without long-distance communication, news travels slowly. The initial incident occurred on the westernmost edge of the Merqudia Kingdom, and reports trickled in through a chain of messengers.

Apparently, a knight from the kingdom’s dispatched order urgently brought the intelligence.

In any case, the Valkyrie is flying at high speed, scattering destruction as it heads east. At this rate, it might soon reach the Karga Kingdom.

The only hope is that the Valkyrie will exhaust its power before reaching us… but as a messenger of the gods, it undoubtedly possesses a powerful energy source. Hoping for it to run out of power is unrealistic.

More than that, the Merqudia Kingdom is smaller than the Karga Kingdom and has fewer churches. It’s only natural that the Valkyrie, having completed its destructive activities there, would come here. But what’s most irritating is the Merqudia Kingdom’s response.

This Merqudia Kingdom, where religions with more moderate tendencies than the Order of the Bronze Celestial Angel are prevalent, is facing a crisis of division in the face of the unprecedented threat of the Valkyrie. Many of its religious followers are showing opposition to the subjugation. Hence, the lukewarm response.

Therefore, we can’t expect them to deal with it.

That’s the gist of the situation – it seems we’ll have to go.

I immediately rummaged through the warehouse and found the magic defense artifact Risha had made for me when I fought Salverein.

Since the Valkyrie is said to be flying around spamming holy spells, I figured I’d need it this time. I hadn’t been carrying it around on purpose. I thought relying on equipment would hinder my growth.

But I need it now.

“Risha, can this block holy spells? I heard the Valkyrie uses them.”

Asking what suddenly came to mind, Risha stroked her lips.

“Hmm… This one hasn’t seen the Valkyrie directly, so I cannot say for certain, but as with all defensive magic, it should be able to block them. Did this one not block the bombardment magic of the Otherworld Beast King with her barrier? Even if the nature of the power is different, defense is still possible, I believe.”
“I guess that’s true.”

Anyway, it seems useful.

I prepared other necessary items as well. It seems I’ll be moving with the army, but there’s a high probability I’ll end up running around and fighting on my own. I should properly stock up on potions and the like before heading out.

“Ah.”

And I should probably do a combat power check.

* * *

Having achieved remarkable growth in the meantime, my body’s durability has been strengthened to the point where it’s truly worthy of being called steel. But as much as I’ve grown, I need to update my understanding.

Let’s test how strong my body’s durability has become.

I need to check my combat power.

“W-Wait! Where are you taking me…!”

So, I grabbed Liztina’s wrist and headed straight to the backyard.

“Liz-noona. I have something to say.”
“Y-Yes?! W-What is it you want to say…?”

For some reason, she seemed quite flustered. Anyway, I explained the plan I had just come up with. The explanation that I needed to test my body’s durability.

After finishing the explanation, I let out a loud shout.

“Alright, Liz-noona!!! Hit me!!!!”

Liztina’s moderate punch would be sufficient as a test subject. Of course, if I took a full-power attack head-on, I might die, but she’s a woman who knows how to control her strength.

“H-Hit you…”

Liztina, her face flushed at my request, twisted her legs and covered her mouth with her hand. What kind of reaction is this?

I calmly explained again.

“It’s a procedure to test my body’s durability. Of course, don’t hit me too hard. Hit me with a power that I can withstand. I want to see how tough my body has become.”

I haven’t had a proper beating in a while.

When was the last time I got hit? When I was brawling with that Cyclops bastard last time, I got hit, and he got his ass kicked. That really hurt back then. But I could withstand that much. I’m definitely okay up to that point.

ㅡSwish.

I took off the tank top I was wearing.

“W-Why are you suddenly taking off your clothes…”
“I need to see the impact point properly. Alright! Start quickly!!!”

ㅡPapapap!

I immediately took the deadly stance of the Siljang martial arts. Bending my legs at right angles, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and raising both arms. Thus, placing my half-fisted right hand above my head and my left hand at neck level.

“Here! My chest where my heart isn’t! Hit me with moderate power!”
“Ugh…!”

Liztina, her face flushed, slowly approached me.

“Y-You’re really going to hit me, then?”
“I’m really going to hit you!!”

ㅡDejaaaaat!!

Drawing up the power of my whole body and concentrating mana to protect my chest. This was already in the realm of Bodyguard Aura. An extremely hardened body. Unless she uses the Meigajungsu technique, she won’t be able to penetrate it.

More than anything, I have an abundance of mana these days.

The feeling that what had been steadily increasing was piled up like a mountain.

“…”

Soon, Liztina seemed to have made up her mind and took a stance. Even though I asked her to hit me directly, she must have felt reluctant. Her thoughtfulness is so kind.

But it’s okay.

I should be able to withstand it to some extent.

“Alright, Noona!!! Now’s the time!!!”
“E-Eeeh!!!”

And.

ㅡTap.

She reached out and gently touched my chest.

“Hmm?”

Too gentle, isn’t it?

“Noona? I said hit me?”
“C-Can’t.”

Can’t?

“I can’t do it!!!”

Her face flushed, she brought her hands together and shouted cutely, then suddenly hugged my chest and began rubbing her face against my neck.

“Noona, I asked you to hit me, what’s with this suddenly.”
“How can I hit you! And you took off your clothes first!!!”
“Does taking off my clothes mean you can’t hit me?”
“I don’t know. I can’t hit you…”

Oh dear.

“Hehehe, it seems my masculine charm has broken down Noona’s heart.”
“Q-Quiet and let’s go to bed quickly…”
“Aigo. Noona. I need to test my durability, you know. I’ll give you plenty later, so bear with it for now.”

I gently stroked Liztina’s butt and soothed her.

“…Put your clothes on. I don’t think I can hit you at all.”
“You used to spar with me well during training.”
“It’s because you cut your hair. The atmosphere has changed too much.”
“It was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

I resolved to continue managing my hair, picked up the tank top I had taken off, and put it back on. And when I took a stance again, she nodded as if she was feeling a bit better.

“O-Okay. Then let’s try hitting you.”
“Yep.”
“But first, get rid of that shitty martial arts stance, please.”
“Are you disrespecting Siljang martial arts right now…”
“Y-Yes, yes. Quiet. It’s really weird to take that stance with that face. Drop the stance. I won’t accept any objections.”

I felt like I was about to cry because Siljang martial arts was being denied. Anyway, I obediently dropped the stance and took a proper stance again.

That was the beginning.

“Hap!”

Starting lightly.
Her punch struck my chest.

ㅡPaang!

“Det.”

But my body didn’t budge. I felt pain, but it was bearable enough, and it wasn’t enough to disrupt my concentration. I quickly checked my body. Not even a bruise.

“Can you withstand it?”
“Yeah. This much is okay.”

It hurts less than when I got hit by the Cyclops last time. Back then, both I and that bastard were brawling with all our might… I want to get hit to that extent at least.

“Raise the power a bit more.”
“Then I’ll go.”

She threw another punch.

ㅡPeok!

“Keureureuk…!”

This… it hurts like hell, but I can withstand it.
This much is nothing.

“A-Are you okay?!”

Startled by my groan, she cried out while stroking the point of impact.

“Yeah. I’m okay. Just about 10% stronger from here.”
“10% from here… If you can withstand that much, it seems like it will be worth the test.”

Receiving such comfort, I gradually increased the power.

ㅡPeok!
ㅡPaang!
ㅡKuuung!

I felt severe pain, but I could bear it somehow. In battle, the moment you groan in pain from a hit, a follow-up attack comes in. You have to know how to endure.

Having lived while repeating such things, not only my physical durability but also my mental strength has become stronger.

I continued the experiment like that.

ㅡKwaaaang!

“Teeeeeeeeeeeng!!!”

In the end, my body, unable to withstand it, flew away. While flying, I spun around and landed safely. Liz-noona ran over with a worried look, but yeah… this is probably enough.

“Ah! Did it hurt a lot!!”
“I’m okay. No problem.”

I can withstand up to this point.

If I get hit just a little harder than this, I might lose my concentration. But I should still be able to withstand it with my bare body. It’s not enough to die. To put it bluntly, my durability is better than iron armor.

“This much… should be okay. I understand well. Let’s stop here for today.”

If I just wear my armor properly, even if that Valkyrie, that motherfucking bitch, beats me like a dog on Dog Meat Day, I should be able to withstand it.

That means I win.

I don’t even consider the thought of losing.

I will definitely bring that bastard down.

* * *

Two days later.

“Military consultations have been completed.”

When I visited the Saintess in the morning, I heard those words.

“From today, we will organize a subjugation force centered on the Royal Knights, including high-ranking mages. Once completed, we will advance to the border region immediately.”
“Oh, that’s a relief.”

It was concluded quite quickly.

“But high-ranking mages?”
“They are very skilled mages. There are reports that the Valkyrie has high magic resistance, but even so, having mages will make the task easier.”

The Saintess briefly explained military magic such as wide-area binding magic and wide-range explosion magic. High-ranking mages forming teams and using a large amount of specialized equipment, magic stones, and scrolls to activate high-level magic can have a very large effect.

Sounds promising.

“What about the Holy Knights?”
“For now, the Holy Knights will also be dispatched… They know the necessity of subjugation, but they seem to be in a reluctant mood.”

They know the necessity but are reluctant.

“Then isn’t that okay? Even if they’re reluctant, if they know they have to do it, the Holy Knights will move.”

The Holy Knights don’t value rational or reasonable judgments. What’s important to them is only religious doctrine. They just act accordingly.

“But just in case, there isn’t a clear doctrine like, ‘You must not attack the Valkyrie,’ is there?”

When I asked that, the Saintess shook her head.

“There isn’t.”

That’s a relief.

“So, you can move the Holy Knights. If there was such a doctrine, everyone would have refused to go.”
“That’s terrible.”

Bound by doctrine.
Everything has its pros and cons.

“Is the preparation going well? We will be dispatching the subjugation force in the near future.”
“Yes. It’s going well. So, please explain the outline. Since there isn’t someone on-site with the authority to give me orders, I need to hear the guidelines in advance.”
“You’re very meticulous. Good. I will explain the outline and the operation.”

The operation name is Valkyrie.

“First, we have agreed to build a large number of temporary churches and sanctuaries near the border region.”
“Is it to lure it out?”
“Correct. You’re quick to catch on.”

That Valkyrie bastard will come to destroy them like a fish biting at bait. If you know the pattern of behavior in advance, you can come up with a way to deal with it.

“If the Valkyrie comes to the border region, it will react. We will use that to lure the Valkyrie and cast large-scale binding magic. And if we start a concentrated attack… the analysis is that subjugation is possible.”

An optimistic analysis.

“The main force of the attack is the Royal Knights. Paladin, I want you to help them.”
“The Holy Knights are support?”
“That’s right.”

I roughly understand.

“The workers are going to have a hard time.”
“The Holy Knights will also be deployed to construct the temporary churches and sanctuaries.”

Shit.

Then I have to do it too.