563
Chapter 563
"Zeke Draker!"
Alicia was the first to spot Zeke appearing on the battlefield.
She had ventured deep into the monster frontline to eliminate the dark mages when she saw flashes of lightning burst forth, anticipating his arrival and rushing over immediately.
Zeke greeted Alicia with a smile.
"Grand Duke, it's good to see you again."
However, he quickly erased the smile from his face. Though he was happy to see Alicia again, there were more pressing matters to attend to first.
"I'll leave the battle here to you."
At those words, Alicia casually rested her Wolf fang sword on her shoulder and said:
"Hmm? The gate has collapsed and the monsters have already begun to scatter. Wouldn't it be better to head to the base together?"
Zeke shook his head at Alicia's words.
"I've heard about Jupiter's current situation. This crude method must be Castro Pollock's scheme. He's not the real danger."
Alicia's expression hardened at Zeke's words.
"Don't tell me the Enemy King used Castro Pollock as bait for another plan?"
"He managed to hold off the mighty Muruk Empire's great army with just one shabby castle. This certainly won't end here."
As Alicia nodded with a serious face, black shadows erupted from beneath Zeke's feet.
As he lifted himself into the air, he said to Alicia:
"Grand Duke, tell Duke this don't march toward Jupiter, but hold position here."
After delivering his message, Zeke immediately flew through the air toward the front lines.
Seeing this, Alicia shook her head.
‘He changes every time I see him. I wonder if I could even last one sword strike now.’
After briefly lamenting, she firmly gripped her spirit sword and took stance while watching the scattering monsters.
"Clear as still water! Every movement must be precise! Old Sword King, I'll do as you say, so make me stronger than Zeke Draker!"
When Alicia swung her wolf fang sword again, the area where the monsters had been was completely devastated.
The gate suddenly created to shake the Allied Forces was easily suppressed thanks to the efforts of the Black Sword Knights and Himonas Knights.
The battlefield situation seemed to be resolving more easily than expected.
Just as she was wondering if Zeke might be overthinking things, something caught Alicia's eye.
"What's that now?"
Black shadows were flying across the sky toward the Allied Forces' position.
* * *
BOOM!
Castro Pollock was observing the battlefield situation through a telescope from Jupiter Castle when he struck the solid castle wall railing with his fist.
"Damn it! What the hell are those Abyss bastards doing?!"
His original plan was to open a gate in the rear to throw the Allied Forces into chaos, then send the Dracula Knights and mercenaries to completely break them apart.
However, contrary to Castro's strategy, the Black Sword Knights and Himonas Knights had too easily blocked the monster wave from the rear.
Castro shouted at the Abyss dark mage beside him.
"Contact the mages immediately! Tell them to summon stronger magical beasts!"
But the dark mage, with his pale face and blackened lips and nails, shook his head.
"Summoning magical beasts isn't that simple. We're already overexerting ourselves and consuming a great deal of magical power."
At the dark mage's words, Castro became even more agitated and jumped around.
"Damn it! Who cares about consuming magical power?! The monsters are all dying out there right now!"
Castro took some rough breaths before turning to his aide.
"Damn, can't be helped. Tell the Dracula Knights to prepare for battle ."
The aide made a troubled expression and pondered before nodding.
He went down below the castle to deliver the battle order to the Dracula Knights.
However, not long after leaving, the aide came running back to Castro with a hardened face.
"Commander!"
He spoke to Castro while catching his breath.
"When I went down to check... the Dracula Knights had already left the castle."
Castro's face instantly turned red at the aide's words.
"What?!"
Even though the Enemy King's reputation was higher than Castro's, he was currently the lord and person in charge of Jupiter Castle.
Despite this, the Enemy King and Dracula Knights moving on their own meant they completely ignored Castro as the person in charge.
Trembling with clenched fists, he said to his aide:
"...Bring out Emperor Nero's secret weapon."
The aide was startled at Castro's words.
"Commander, that's..."
When the aide hesitated, Castro grabbed him by the collar.
"The monsters are defeated, the Allied Forces' morale is soaring, and the Enemy King has vanished! What is there left to consider in this situation!"
Though frustrated, the aide had no choice, knowing this situation could have been avoided by simply staying in the castle.
"...Understood."
Castro then turned to the Abyss dark mage with fierce eyes and said:
"The monsters failed. We need to summon stronger ones to break their ranks."
The dark mage replied with an unchanging, wax-like face:
"Further monster summoning is impossible. However... we can call forth magical beasts."
Shocked at the dark mage's words, the aide spoke to Castro:
"Commander! Monster waves can be denied as random natural disasters. But... using magical beasts will surely bring continent-wide condemnation. We may lose what little justification we have."
Castro pointed beyond the castle walls.
With blazing red eyes, he shouted:
"The entire continent has already turned their backs on me! You want me to worry about others' criticism in this situation?"
Though a racist, Castro was normally a rational and intelligent commander.
But as the situation grew dire, he lost his usual composure and dignity, frantically trying to solve only what was right in front of him.
The aide nodded, realizing it was pointless to stop Castro in this state.
"I'll follow your orders."
Resigned, the aide went down to relay Castro's instructions.
Left alone, Castro watched beyond the walls, biting his nails and muttering unstably.
"Must kill them. Must destroy them quickly."
The dark mage, who had been quietly observing Castro, sent a magical message.
[Castro's mind is nearly broken. Report to the Enemy King and release the magical beasts.]
* * *
In the otherwise orderly battlefield, Helen faced an unexpected obstacle.
"How can a knight retreat elsewhere with enemies before them?! For a knight's honor, this cannot be done!"
The Central Noble cavalry refused to follow the Commander-in-Chief's order to move to the rear.
It was a battle of pride, others wouldn't move, so they wouldn't either.
As a Draker Guardian Knight renowned as the Steel Knight, Helen couldn't understand this, but with so many noble knights acting this way, she felt like the strange one.
'I knew of Central Nobles' arrogance and ceremony, but to think they'd be like this even on the battlefield.'
The cavalry should have been the first to face the monsters that appeared in the rear.
But they left it entirely to the Black Sword Knights and Himonas Knights, refusing to move from their position, negating the purpose of the Allied Forces gathering.
The Steel Knights' Vice Commander beside Helen spoke with a troubled expression:
"Commander-in-Chief, give the order and we'll move them by force if necessary."
Even the Central Nobles couldn't resist if the Draker Knights intervened.
However, this could easily break apart the already poorly united Allied Forces.
'Though the rear is well defended, the Enemy King won't miss this chance.'
Helen needed to move the Central Nobles to prepare for the inevitable attack.
She dismounted reluctantly.
"I'll persuade them myself. We'll start moving those supportive of the Alliance to the rear..."
As Helen calmly explained her plan, something strange appeared in the sky.
Looking up, hundreds of dots hung in the air.
No, they weren't hanging they were flying toward the Allied Forces' position.
BOOM! BOOM!
Moments later, hundreds of shells exploded throughout the Allied Forces' position.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
BOOM! BOOM!
The palisades, temporary storage warehouses, and barracks were instantly destroyed by the shells.
"ARGHHHH!"
The massive shells falling around the position devastated the area where the Allied Forces' cavalry were stationed in the center.
Those who had been complaining from luxurious tents finally moved their heavy bodies into defensive positions, startled by the sudden aerial bombardment.
"Fall back! Retreat beyond the shells' range!"
The shells fired from Jupiter Castle had an unbelievable range, penetrating deep into Allied Forces' positions at impossible distances.
This long-range artillery was Emperor Nero's secret weapon that Castro had ordered to deploy - developed with House Jiemens, it could strike accurately at unprecedented ranges, perfect for hitting complacent enemies at a distance.
BOOM! BOOM!
Helen tried to minimize casualties by controlling the panicking Central Nobles and cavalry with the Steel Knights.
Raising her Dragon Buster to deflect incoming shells, Helen shouted:
"Fall back, don armor and shields! More attacks are coming!"
Though Helen gave clear orders, the Central Nobles didn't properly heed her words - or rather, couldn't. Most had rushed out without proper armor or shields.
More shells came from Jupiter Castle.
BOOM! BOOM!
The shells flew in higher arcs than before, but with different effects.
Surprisingly, they exploded in mid-air.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Shrapnel scattered in all directions.
Those who heeded Helen's warning and had armor and shields could block the fragments, but others fell dead instantly, riddled with holes.
"URGHK!"
Many collapsed bleeding from sharp fragments piercing their bodies.
Helen surveyed the rear situation and shouted to command the chaotic forces:
"Move the wounded to the rear! With the monsters scattered, it's safer back there!"
The wounded nobles hesitated despite their injuries.
More shells came again.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Even more shells than before.
Helen gritted her teeth and channeled power into her Dragon Buster.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Her armor broke down into pieces, forming a massive shield.
"HAAAAAH!"
Helen deployed her special technique, Steel Technique.
The shield became a steel wall, blocking shell fragments.
RATTLE! RATTLE! RATTLE!
But blocking all fragments was impossible.
Even Helen, who had turned all her armor pieces into shields to save as many as possible, was pierced by fragments.
"UGH."
Blood flowed from where the fragments struck, but Helen endured the pain, raised her sword and shouted again.
"Get the wounded to the rear while I hold them off!"