The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 392: Operation Holy Water Showdown (1)

– The death of Lloyd Frontera…

– The downfall of Frontera Territory…

– The ruin of Kim Suho…

These were the ominous predictions reverberating through Hell.

This was Hell’s side of the Hellgate.

A place where flames roared and the air reeked of brimstone.

Hell Knights bellowed in anticipation, mounted on steeds more ferocious than any ogre, quivering with excitement at the thought of drenching themselves in the blood of humans and other surface-dwelling creatures.

The Second Legion Commander of Hell, Sir Khalidus, was no different.

**”Today is the day. The day we welcome a new commander.”**

He recalled his master’s grand plan—Kim Suho, a mere human, was to be brought to Hell. This human was to be given the highest position, the supreme commander, with full authority over Hell’s operations.

Initially, the plan had shocked Khalidus, and he had dared to voice his opposition. But he could not sway his master, the Hell King. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that one day he would serve under a mere human.

**”But there’s no choice.”**

It was his master’s will, the will of the mighty Hell King. Khalidus was nothing more than a sword, an extension of his master’s will.

**Shing, clang!**

Sir Khalidus drew his twin swords, forged from the bones of demons, radiating a dark and ominous energy.

As he stared at his swords, he made a vow.

**”If I must serve a human master, then I will be the one to take his life. I will be the one to sever his head and mount it on a pike. That will be my welcome to our new commander.”**

With that resolve etched into his bones, Sir Khalidus stepped forward, following the vanguard of Hell Knights toward the Hellgate.

As he crossed through the gate, the air changed instantly. The familiar, stinging air of Hell was replaced by something unnervingly fresh and clear. The air was so pure it was almost offensive.

**”Tch. What a disgusting place.”**

Sir Khalidus leapt from the Hellgate, gravity pulling him toward the ground 100 meters below.

During his brief freefall, Khalidus quickly scanned the ground below.

**”As expected, there’s no one here. They don’t know we’re coming.”**

That’s what he thought. The humans couldn’t possibly have known about their plan, something that had been meticulously orchestrated in Hell.

**”Even though our master has been unable to monitor the surface due to inhabiting the Lich’s body recently.”**

But that didn’t change the outcome. Today, the humans here would be slaughtered.

**”By my hand!”**

With a savage roar, Sir Khalidus prepared to land—only to find himself plunging into deep, cold water instead.

**Splash!**

**”What…?”**

Khalidus was bewildered. Why was there deep water right beneath the Hellgate? His jaw clenched in frustration.

**”This is ridiculous. Did the Hellgate open over a river?”**

It seemed so, but Khalidus wasn’t overly concerned. He figured he could just swim out. After all, Hell Knights didn’t drown.

**”Just need to swim up and…”**

Suddenly, a searing, unbearable heat surged through his entire body, followed by a biting cold. The pain was so intense it felt as if he’d been struck by lightning or crushed by a giant boulder.

**”Guh… Grraah!”**

Sir Khalidus convulsed as excruciating pain gripped his entire body. His bones screamed in agony and shock.

It was then that Khalidus realized this wasn’t just any water—it was holy water.

**”H-Holy water?! Guaah!”**

**Sssszzzz—**

The holy water burned his entire body, like acid eating away at his flesh. Khalidus twisted and writhed in agony, the pain overwhelming him.

But this wasn’t just any holy water. It was special, made from the tears of a Third-Rank Angel.

The Hell Knights who had dived into the pool after Khalidus shared the same fate, writhing and convulsing in the holy water as if possessed.

Ten, twenty, thirty knights… Their numbers grew as more of them fell into the trap.

It wasn’t until Khalidus managed to push through the pain and shout that the others realized what was happening.

**”There’s a holy water pond here! Get out!”**

His furious and desperate cry echoed through the sky, reaching those still crossing the Hellgate.

The Hell Knights above hesitated, finally looking down to see what awaited them below.

They quickly relayed the message to their comrades behind them.

**”There’s a holy water pond below! Jump further to clear it!”**

From then on, the Hell Knights leaped through the gate with greater caution, arching through the air to land far from the deadly pool.

But even so, another holy water pool awaited them where they landed.

**Splash! Splash!**

**”Gaaah!”**

The Hell Knights, who had avoided the first trap, found themselves immersed in another, screaming in pain and fury as the holy water seared their bodies.

But the worst wasn’t over yet. While they struggled in the water, a bizarre, dreadful song filled the air, assaulting their senses.

**”Splash! Splash! Let’s throw a stone! Secretly throw a stone at the stream~!”**

**”What…?”**

**”Oh, stream! Spread wide and far!”**

**Splash! Splash!**

The atrocious harmony seemed to come from nowhere, mixed with a dissonance that made the pain in their eardrums unbearable. There was a mocking, off-beat rhythm that only heightened their suffering.

**”Our sister! Her hand! Let’s tickle it now!”**

**Splash!**

With each line of the ghastly song, more Hell Knights were forced to dive into the holy water, their bodies contorting in agony.

As they suffered, the Hell Knights realized something crucial.

**”Kim Suho!”**

**”It’s him!”**

**”That bastard is nearby!”**

The Holy Water had drawn them into a trap, and now their ultimate target was close.

They couldn’t let this chance slip away.

Sir Khalidus, leader of the Second Legion, stopped thrashing and dove deep to the bottom of the pool. With a powerful kick, he launched himself out of the water, landing on solid ground.

**”Huff… Huff… Dammit!”**

The pain from the holy water was intense, but he pushed through it. The water hadn’t reached his bones—just the surface. He could endure it. He wasn’t out of the fight yet.

**”Grrrraaaah!”**

With a roar, Sir Khalidus planted his twin swords into the ground, forcing himself up. His eyes scanned the area, locking onto the figure singing in the distance.

**”Kim Suho!”**

At his shout, part of his armor transformed into a Hell Steed. Mounting it, he charged toward Lloyd, intent on cutting him down.

Behind him, the other Hell Knights followed, all fixated on their shared goal—slaying the human who had lured them here.

And Lloyd? He was smiling, satisfied.

**”Good. Just as planned.”**

His trap had worked perfectly. Everything was going according to plan.

**”Don’t you think so, Your Majesty?”**

There was no response.

**”Your Majesty?”**

Lloyd called again, and only then did Queen Alicia remove her fingers from her ears.

**”The song… Is it over?”**

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

**”Thank goodness. I was contemplating ripping out my own eardrums.”**

“…”

**”So, shall we proceed with the plan?”**

“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

The battle had begun well. Their plan had worked—the Hellgate had opened right above several massive pools filled with holy water.

It wasn’t enough to kill the Hell Knights outright, but it had enraged them.

**”We need to lure them into the real trap.”**

Holy water alone wasn’t enough to defeat the Hell Knights. To deliver a truly crippling blow, they needed to break bones and get the holy water into their marrow. Or they needed to submerge the knights in it for a long time.

Here, that wasn’t possible with the pools alone.

**”We need to lead them to the prepared site.”**

“Then it’s time to run. You ready?”

**”Ppodong!”**

Ppodong, the giant hamster, gave Lloyd a thumbs-up with its fluffy paw. Lloyd patted its sturdy neck.

**”Great. Let’s run. Your Majesty?”**

**”I’m ready. Let’s go.”**

The Queen, mounted behind Lloyd, had already drawn her sword, exuding a deadly aura that screamed, “I’m ready for battle.”

Seeing her readiness, Lloyd slapped Ppodong’s neck.

“Go, Ppodong! Let’s move!”

**”Ppodong!”**

With a mighty push, the giant hamster took off, its four legs pounding the ground with incredible force.

**”Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”**

The landscape blurred past them as they accelerated at an astonishing speed. Wind whipped against their faces, but Lloyd urged Ppodong to go even faster.

“Faster! Don’t let up!”

Behind them, the Hell Knights’ Hell Steeds were closing in. At the front, Sir Khalidus, brandishing his twin swords, was gaining ground.

“Your Majesty!”

At Lloyd’s shout, Queen Alicia shifted to the back of Ppodong, her sword ready.

In that instant, her sword was enveloped in a brilliant, sharp aura that extended a full six meters.

**”Hup!”**

With a shout, Queen Alicia swung her sword horizontally, the extended aura slicing through the air and crashing into Sir Khalidus.

**”Boom! Boom! Boom!”**

Sir Khalidus’s twin swords clashed with the Queen’s aura, creating shockwaves that rippled outward. His Hell Steed stumbled under the impact, while Ppodong surged ahead, gaining distance.

The Queen remained almost perfectly balanced on Ppodong’s back, barely swayed by the clash.

Lloyd couldn’t help but marvel at the sight.

**”Wow, the Queen isn’t even being pushed back.”**

Despite the unstable footing and the formidable opponent, Queen Alicia held her ground, not even flinching.

It was clear—she had grown stronger since mastering the Asrahan Method.

**”She’s not quite a Grandmaster yet, but she’s close.”**

She had surpassed the level of a Swordmaster and was nearing the next stage. This made Lloyd feel more confident but also concerned.

He couldn’t help but shout out his worry.

“Your Majesty! Just a little further! But please, don’t overexert yourself!”

He was worried that the Queen might get too caught up in the battle and overextend herself.

Her reply came swiftly.

**”Hah! You weakling.”**

“…”

**”Think about it. How could I leave you, this frail thing, alone to fend off our pursuers? That’s why I’m here, to share this hardship with you. And yet, you dare worry about me?”**

“Th-that’s not…!”

**”I’m more worried about you, really. How could someone so feeble as you think to undertake such a dangerous task?”**

“Weak? I’m a Swordmaster too!”

**”Yet you can’t even handle a single Hell Knight. A fragile man, indeed.”**

“…”

**”So be content to stay under my protection.”**

“…”

**”Answer me.”**

“Y-yes, Your Majesty! Your grace knows no bounds!”

Lloyd felt slightly indignant. Calling him weak just because he couldn’t take on a Hell Knight? That would make almost every man on earth weak, except for Javier.

**”Tch!”**

Lloyd swallowed his complaints and focused on urging Ppodong forward.

As they passed through the center of the village, Lloyd looked up.

**”Ggoming, now! Go tell Javier!”**

He signaled to Ggoming, who had been waiting in the air. The lazy dragon circled once before flying quickly toward the Eastern Mountains to deliver the message.

Lloyd kept Ppodong running, heading south, past another village, across the exposed Prona River, and into the vast Marez farmland.

By then, Ppodong’s breaths had become labored.

**”Ppodong! Ppodong! Huff, huff!”**

The relentless pace was taking its toll on the giant hamster, its legs losing strength.

Meanwhile, the Hell Knights showed no signs of fatigue. Their pursuit grew even more relentless, especially Sir Khalidus, who had clashed with Queen Alicia multiple times.

**”Do you think you can keep running like this forever?”**

**”Boom!”**

Sir Khalidus closed in on Ppodong’s hind legs, swinging his twin swords to cripple the creature. Each time, Queen Alicia intercepted his attacks with her aura, but Khalidus was in no hurry.

He was like a predator, slowly tightening the noose around its prey.

**”Kim Suho! You’ve always acted so clever, but today, you’ve made a grave mistake!”**

Lloyd immediately retorted.

“What mistake? What are you talking about?”

Khalidus’s voice grew more triumphant.

**”Did you really think you could escape our pursuit like this? And in an open area like this, no less? You’ve essentially chosen your own grave!”**

From his perspective, Khalidus was right. It seemed like Lloyd had led them into an open field, where they could easily be run down by the Hell Knights’ superior mobility.

It was pitiful, really.

**”If you wish to die here, then so be it! Stop your disgraceful fleeing and face me! I’ll grant you an honorable death!”**

Khalidus offered him a warrior’s death, one befitting an opponent. He was confident that this was Lloyd’s final stand.

But Lloyd’s response was a scoff.

“Me? Run? Why?”

**”What?”**

“I didn’t come here to die. I came here to kill you.”

**”…What?”**

Khalidus was puzzled. He looked at Lloyd, who glanced back with a smirk.

**”Is he… smiling?”**

Yes, there was no doubt.

Lloyd was smiling brightly, confidently, as if he was pleased with how things were going. It was not the expression of someone resigned to death.

In fact, if Khalidus had to describe it…

**”Ah, this is exactly it. The feeling you get when you corner a cockroach and finally aim the bug spray at it.”**

Lloyd grinned as he muttered to himself.

At that moment, a deep, thunderous rumble began to roll down from the Eastern Mountains, shaking the ground as 2 billion liters of water surged forward.