The Inquisitor

“Are you going to join the battle yourself?”

Celia murmured blankly.

In her eyes, Daniel was like a cunning fox. He was an incredibly arrogant noble who would not hesitate to sacrifice human lives for profit and looked down on anyone he deemed worthless.

She could hardly believe that such a person would personally head to the front lines to fight.

“Everything I have exists only for that esteemed one.”

Daniel chuckled softly and placed his hand over his chest.

“The Goddess truly exists. I should have died from an innate disease, but I survived because of Her. Thus, living the rest of my life for Her is my mission—even if it means offering up my life.”

Everything Daniel had done until now was driven by a faith that would never waver under any circumstances.

Before Celia could even speak, Daniel drew his sword and charged forward alongside the paladins toward the front lines, where the mutated ants had finally begun their massive assault.

She tightly gripped her staff, forcing herself to summon her power once more.

Just as Daniel said, it was not over yet.

Accompanied by a brilliant golden light, their hope still shone brightly amidst the surging black torrent.

...

【The servant forces have deployed across a wide area, launching a surprise attack on the enemy's flank. The servants' goal is to eliminate all prey.】

Lin Miao had a bird's-eye view of the massive battle unfolding across the vast plains, taking in the entire scene.

Watching the scattered ant swarm break through the fierce magical bombardment and rain of arrows to engage in the close-quarters combat they excelled at, he murmured softly.

“This is only possible thanks to the sheer pressure of numbers.”

【The Queen Ant senses that everything is going according to plan and begins to prepare for the future.】

Of course, it was not just Lin Miao; the swarm also foresaw victory.

The reason, ultimately, lay in the disparity of combat power.

Compared to the subjugation army that had been attacked first, the sheer number of ants surrounding them from almost all directions was simply too overwhelming.

There were massive soldier ants covered in spiked armor, gladiator ants immune to holy power, and ants armed with venom and stingers.

Furthermore, the swarm engaged in meticulous and organized combat based on the hive mind, which was an advantage they had demonstrated many times in previous battles.

This time, building upon that foundation, the fundamental difference of sheer numbers alone tilted the battlefield.

“No, hold your ground!”

“The right flank has fallen! Monsters with venomous stingers have breached the defensive line!”

“Mages! Quickly, cast defensive barriers...”

Lin Miao zoomed in slightly, hearing desperate screams and urgent shouts rising one after another.

Layers upon layers of the ant swarm surged forward relentlessly, as if they could never be fully killed or turned back.

Even if they lost a leg, even if their mandibles were shattered, and even if their heads were severed, the ants acted solely to execute the colony's command to kill the enemy.

However, just as the main force of the subjugation army was on the verge of annihilation, a powerful flash of light spread out, and a brilliant pillar of light soared into the sky.

“What?”

Lin Miao widened his eyes, looking at the magnified screen.

A robust, blonde man raised a glowing sword, his entire body radiating holy power.

The light was so intense that mutants born from magic power were instantly burned to ashes, while common species or blood vitality-based mutants were crushed or blown away by the force.

“The evil Outer God and its servants shall face the judgment of the Goddess!”

Daniel's sword light pierced the sky, sweeping across a wide area in an instant.

It was a power that transcended common sense. The compressed force was so immense that even the mutated ants immune to holy power were sliced in half with a single strike.

“What on earth is going on!?”

“The Goddess herself has bestowed divine grace upon the Inquisitor! This is our chance!”

Not only was Lin Miao surprised, but everyone on the battlefield was plunged into shock and confusion by Daniel's sudden transcendent awakening.

【Your servants have fallen into panic. An event transcending their comprehension has occurred; this unexpected variable has, by itself, disrupted all of their calculations.】

That dazzling light on the battlefield continued to slay ants, forcefully tearing open the suffocating, airtight pressure of the swarm.

Putting everything else aside, the most important thing was that he had completely turned the tide of morale on the battlefield.

Unlike the ants, who shared a single goal and action under the hive mind, human combat strength naturally fluctuated wildly depending on morale.

“Damn it, how can this be? Just because of one person, the situation has turned out like this?!”

Lin Miao, thoroughly rattled, could not stop his eyelids from twitching.

The defeat of the ants he had supported and nurtured to their current scale would be equivalent to his own defeat.

And for a lower-tier god like him, who was still severely lacking in territory and servants, defeat was synonymous with death.

Lin Miao forced himself to calm down.

If he became agitated and panicked, the swarm's confusion would only worsen.

Having experienced several instances where his own emotions triggered the swarm to run wild, he did his utmost to suppress the waves of anxiety in his heart.

Lin Miao desperately told himself that just as Goddess Hestia, a fellow deity, would protect her servants, he too had to provide aid to his swarm.

But he was completely unable to offer direct assistance to the ants on the battlefield like that Goddess could.

“If only I had been given a little more time.”

Having suppressed his panic, anger began to surge instead, causing Lin Miao's face to contort.

The Queen Ant, the core of the entire swarm's evolution, had only just completed her latest evolution.

Thanks to this, Lin Miao had obtained more options and research opportunities to evolve the ants, but the impatient swarm had launched this campaign without waiting for him.

“This... should be enough...”

But just then, Daniel, who had turned the tide of battle with his briefly awakened transcendent power, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of black blood, his body stumbling as he nearly collapsed.

“Lord Daniel!”

“Their encirclement has loosened, and most of the most threatening monsters have been eliminated. Everyone, retreat now and save yourselves. The price for this overstepping power is merely my life. What does it matter if I surrender this life, which was saved by the Goddess long ago, once more?”

Daniel, who had been swinging his sword frantically moments before, finally collapsed into his companion's arms.

Before closing his eyes for good, Daniel looked at Celia, who was covering her mouth with her hand, and managed a faint smile. “Do you see? The hope of this world... lies solely in my Lord...”

All of this was a sacrifice he had long prepared for, solely to allow everyone to retreat and save as many lives as possible.

Daniel did this only because it was the sole path of survival he could pave for the people he believed in and protected.

“Quick! Issue the order to retreat!”

“The enemy attacking the flanks has temporarily retreated! Now is the time!”

The holy flames burning from Daniel's lifeless body rapidly dimmed over time.

The members of the command staff, including Baron Radion who was known for his ruthlessness, were well aware of this. Seizing the gap while the swarm's morale was temporarily halted, they hastily organized their forces for a full retreat.

Pale-faced Celia was grabbed by the arm by her butler and practically dragged off the battlefield, her heart filled with the same bewilderment.

She did not know whether this miraculous power Daniel displayed should be viewed as a hope they should cling to, or despair that even with a miracle, they ultimately could not defeat that massive army.

“But one thing is certain! To stop those monsters that keep growing stronger and multiplying endlessly, we must all unite, no matter the cost!”

Sebas, who was dragging her away, gritted his teeth and spat out those words as if giving an answer.

At least, no one present would ever deny again that those ants would eventually become a threat to the entire world.

【Your servants have seen through the enemy's intentions and have begun their pursuit.】

“Before the full-scale war officially begins, we must wipe out as much of their effective strength as possible.”

Not only Lin Miao, but the swarm also knew this.

A chase where one side pursued frantically to kill one more person, while the other fought desperately to save one more life, continued all the way to the foot of a nearby fortress.

Although they had ultimately secured victory, Lin Miao's expression remained tense without the slightest relaxation.

Unlike before, he was not unsettled by the swarm's brutal slaughter of humans, but was deep in thought.

What must he do to make the swarm grow faster and stronger than they were now?

[Goddess of Light: All you gods still on the Terra continent, get the hell in here! I want to recruit people who can crush those ants. Things have already reached this point, and you're still thinking of infighting?]

And another deity, who had personally intervened in this battle and lost a large number of precious servants, harbored the exact same thoughts at this moment.

【The Queen Ant is planning a new round of growth based on the resources and combat experience obtained this time.】

【Your servants are highly satisfied with the abundant food supply.】

In the end, the only ones who seemed to have obtained a satisfying result in this battle were the ants, whose minds were entirely set on devouring their spoils of war.