Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Rebel Subjugation (2)
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"...Is this really right?"
"...You tell me."
Everyone inside Rakla Fortress was trembling with some form of anxiety.
It stemmed from the terror and unease of having become rebels overnight.
They had once been the proud Northern Army, but with the sudden revelation of treason suspicions against the Northern Army's leadership—the Northern nobles—and the Northern Grand Duke, they had instantly fallen to rebel status.
And now, as "rebels," they had no choice but to face the Imperial Army.
"...Hah... If we die like this, I'll have too many regrets."
"..."
"From the start, did the nobles and His Excellency the Grand Duke really stage a rebellion?"
Rakla Fortress was currently cut off from all external information.
Thus, they only knew that, at the outset of the incident, the Northern Grand Duke and the Northern nobles had received a summons to the capital for investigation and trial on suspicion of treason.
But then information was abruptly blocked, plunging the entire Northern Army into wartime readiness without knowing why.
They had no idea what the specific charges were or what exactly had happened. The information blackout applied equally to enlisted soldiers and officers alike, so they truly knew nothing and were about to fight the regular Imperial Army in the dark.
All they could do was speculate that something or other must have gone down.
"...It'll be fine."
"..."
Though they said it would be fine, no one actually believed it.
A quick scan outside the fortress with a telescope revealed the Imperial Army densely encircling them.
...They might hold them off temporarily if they were lucky, but in the end, they'd be crushed like ants under a giant's foot, forced to open the way.
As the officers in Rakla Fortress's command center shared this anxious silence, a soldier suddenly burst through the door.
"E-emergency report!"
"...What is it?"
"Th-that...! A knight has appeared in front of the fortress!"
"...!!"
A knight.
Each one was an undeniable superhuman, symbols of martial might even in this era of firearms that had supplanted cold weapons.
And for such knights to appear right in front of the fortress...!
"The assault is imminent...!"
The officers' eyes widened as if it had finally arrived.
"Numbers—how many? How many knights?"
Rakla Fortress had to respond regardless. Compared to the Imperial Army eyeing this place greedily, the number of knights would be few, but the fortress had knights of its own.
Only knights could face other knights.
"Th-that... just one."
"...What?"
One...?
Before the officers could retort that it was a joke, the soldier squeezed his eyes shut and shouted.
"But that one is presumed to be Sword Master Marquis Banus...!"
".....!!"
"A m-master is here?"
"This is insane—"
The moment shock erupted inside, a chilling sensation crawled up their spines.
As if prey had been set before a predator. An inescapable terror approached.
And at that instant—
S slash—
Roooooooaaaaaaaaar———!!!!!!!!
Ruuuumble——
With a deafening roar, the fortress was breached.
...The officers who survived by the barest margin from that strike remembered only a colossal black sword beam descending like divine punishment from the heavens.
"..."
At this moment, the pinnacle of martial power had descended upon Rakla Fortress.
Ever since Second Prince Russel had treated him like some siege weapon.
Surprisingly, Yujin had accepted it. No matter how much he thought about it alone, no rebuttal came to mind, and it was true that his personal involvement minimized casualties.
In the end, Yujin received formal orders from Russel and headed for Rakla Fortress.
"So this is Rakla Fortress."
Mountains flanked both sides, and the fortress itself sat atop a surprisingly high hill.
"First time seeing it in person, but it lives up to the name of a natural stronghold."
Defending was always harder than attacking to begin with. With terrain like this...
"...Yeah, it's definitely right for me to step up."
He could feel the Imperial Army behind him going on alert at his sudden appearance. Though distant, it was close enough to sense.
The unit was...
'...The 7th Legion.'
...The 7th Legion, huh.
A famed legion that shone in the war against the Eastern Coalition. At present, calling it the empire's elite wouldn't be amiss.
"His Highness the Prince ordered them to support me... but the command hasn't reached them yet?"
...
...Whatever, it doesn't matter.
The fortress had to be breached either way. Whether now or after a short wait made no difference.
Yujin slowly walked toward the front of the fortress.
Bang—!!
A bullet from a rebel soldier atop the fortress struck near his feet.
"Hmm..."
The rebel soldiers were terrified.
"D-don't come any closer! Any further, and we'll have no choice but to shoot!"
Even as they shouted, their eyes wavered.
They were probably realizing a knight had come—and that they had suddenly become rebels.
"No thought of surrendering to the Imperial Army? You might still save your lives if you do it now."
The soldiers wavered at his words. But an officer behind them yelled something, and they squeezed their eyes shut, aiming rifles at Yujin.
"Wh-what nonsense...!"
In the end, multiple shots rang out.
But.
S slash—
Every bullet flying toward Yujin was bisected midair before they even registered, clattering to the ground.
Plink plink—
"Gasp...!"
"Wh-what the...!"
"..."
Yujin stared silently at the soldiers atop the fortress walls.
"I see. So that's your choice."
He slowly drew his sword and channeled mana.
Ruuuumble———!!!!!
The black sword beam swelled massively in an instant, shooting endlessly into the sky.
The fortress soldiers, pale as ashes, unleashed indiscriminate rifle fire and cannon barrages from then on—but
...they inflicted no damage on him whatsoever.
'...Pitiful.'
The rebels—formerly the Northern Army—weren't the regular Imperial Army, but private troops who bore the mission of holding back northern monsters.
...Yet for the mere crime of misguided loyalty, they became rebels and now faced death. Nothing but pity came to mind.
That said, he couldn't stop what was about to happen...
'......No helping it.'
Yujin swallowed softly and murmured as he slowly swung his sword down.
"...At the very least, I'll send you off without pain."
...Their deaths would be unjust, so the least he could do was make it painless.
May they find a proper master in their next life.
At last, the colossal black sword beam descended upon Rakla Fortress.
S slash—
Roooooooaaaaaaaaar———!!!!!!!!
Ruuuumble——
A deafening roar filled the air with dust clouds.
Whoooosh—
When the dust settled somewhat, what emerged was
...Rakla Fortress, cleaved straight through.
The survivors inside Rakla Fortress froze as if time itself had stopped.
The fortress had split in half between blinks; it was hard to feel real.
But this was stark reality.
He infused mana into his voice and shouted.
"Surrender."
The survivors sent gazes filled with dread toward him.
As if beholding a demon descended to the mortal plane.
But in the end, this was unavoidable.
If one sought the root cause, it lay with the Northern Grand Duke and Northern nobles who had engaged in espionage for so long that they ultimately joined hands with Pandemonium.
...
"I'll say it again: surrender."
Yujin shouted once more, mana amplifying his voice.
This time, he unleashed his presence, crushing the entire fortress.
"Surrender now, and you'll keep your lives."
Ruuuumble———!!!!
Overwhelmed by Yujin's presence and the vast gap in power, the soldiers began dropping their rifles one by one.
Their eyes held resignation, faint resentment, and relief at survival.
And so Yujin single-handedly devastated Rakla Fortress and accepted its surrender.
Fortunately, the rebel leadership stationed there survived the initial strike, making disarmament straightforward.
The Imperial Army troops, arriving late after grasping the situation and entering the ruined fortress, saluted Yujin.
They gazed at him with awe, reverence for his overwhelming prowess.
"Loyalty! An honor to meet you, Your Excellency."
Nod—
"Our Commander wishes to meet Your Excellency the Marquis. May I guide you?"
Commander—did that mean the legion commander?
Or the Northern Front Army commander?
"It's the Northern Front Army Commander, sir. He instructed us to escort Your Excellency comfortably without inconvenience."
"I see. Understood."
Yujin nodded readily.
The few officers who had come to greet him visibly relaxed. Soon, they moved together toward the command post at the rear of the 7th Legion.