"To be honest, I don't particularly like this place."
Within the radiant sanctuary, a woman dressed as a monk spoke expressionlessly.
Standing opposite her were several knights in armor.
"Why is that, Xuanzang Sanzang?" The knight at the front, clad in black armor and wearing a stern expression, calmly questioned the monk before him.
His hand never left the hilt of his sword.
The woman called Xuanzang Sanzang paid no heed to the black-armored knight's hostile intent. One hand was held before her chest like a Buddha's, while the other gripped a monk's staff. She frowned slightly.
She gently raised her staff, then struck it against the ground.
Clang—
The crisp, pleasant sound rang out, yet it also put the other knights on guard.
Especially the red-haired knight holding a longbow, his eyes closed.
"Rest assured, I bear no hostility. I also understand what it means to make enemies of you here." Sanzang closed her eyes and lowered her head slightly. "This humble monk simply cannot bear living with these beasts—"
She opened her eyes and looked beyond the sanctuary.
Roar—
Awooo—
Whoosh—whoosh—
Perched atop the palace were drakes.
They adjusted their wings, tearing at one another as they fought.
Yet no one drove them away.
Because—
"I cannot bear living in the same city as these man-eating beasts."
ROAR—!!!
Clang—
Anno once again cut down a flying drake from the sky, silently wiping his Chalk Holy Sword.
The number of drakes had been steadily increasing. Anno could even see quite a few powerful ones among them.
Opponents that had once required only one slash now took two.
What exactly was causing this?
Anno vaguely felt that this journey would not be easy.
This journey... to kill the King.
"Hm?" Something in the wilderness seemed to have caught Anno's attention.