Chapter 262: If You’re a Hero, Act Like One (1)
Chapter 262: If You’re a Hero, Act Like One (1)
The Pergio Plain.
This was the site chosen for the total war between the Caesar Kingdom and the Allied Forces of Yuzef and Decatur.
One might have expected at least one side to entrench themselves in a fortress and fight a defensive battle, yet both armies had taken up positions on the wide-open plains.
It was as if they had planned it that way.
“Quite a sight.”
Sierion smirked as he looked at the enemy forces spread out before him.
Though they had lost face against Patrick, the Caesar Kingdom certainly possessed underlying strength.
He didn’t know how or where they had scraped them together, but they had managed to raise and arm a massive army of 150,000.
They had mobilized more than ten knight orders, and there were even forces that appeared to be mage units.
In contrast, the Allied Forces totaled 60,000.
They could have gathered more troops if they had pushed for it, but considering the supplies needed for arming and maintaining such a force, this was their limit.
The difference in numbers was more than double.
If the presence of mages was taken into account, it was likely closer to triple.
“And considering that as well… Hmph, even I have to admit this is madness.”
But it had to be done.
The Great Famine was lasting longer than expected, and the food situation had worsened.
They couldn't drag the war out any longer; they had to settle it here.
By any means necessary.
“Your Highness, they say all preparations are complete.”
At that moment, the Black Knight Matthias Carvan approached Sierion from behind and spoke.
“I see…”
The Overlord mounted his horse and spoke.
“Then let us begin.”
“Yes, Sire.”
Sierion then rode his horse to the very front.
The vanguard.
No matter what kind of war broke out, this was always his place.
Behind him, the Ryan Knights—the elite knight order of the Yuzef Kingdom led by Matthias Carvan—lined up in formation.
Clad in black armor and holding helmets decorated with ornaments reminiscent of a lion’s mane under their arms, not a single trace of anxiety could be seen on their faces.
To any observer, they did not look like men about to commit the madness of charging into a massive army of 150,000.
Sierion nodded at their reliable appearance, then raised his sword high and shouted.
“Heroes of the Yuzef and Decatur Kingdoms!”
The Overlord’s raised sword swept down, pointing forward. A resolute cry rang out across the battlefield.
“Follow me!”
The Overlord, standing at the very front, began to gallop.
The Black Knight and the Ryan Knights followed behind him.
And behind them, every soldier of the Yuzef Kingdom charged forward without a moment’s hesitation.
The sight sent shivers down the spines of even the Decatur Kingdom’s soldiers watching from the rear.
The Yuzef vanguard, who had volunteered for the front, numbered 40,000.
They formed a massive wedge and charged toward the 150,000-strong army of the Caesar Kingdom.
*
“The moths are flying into the flame.”
The man muttering as he watched the Overlord and his soldiers charge was a middle-aged man with a sturdy build and blonde hair.
Marquis Beretto Zigler.
He had originally been a count, but he had recently been promoted to marquis.
Furthermore, he was currently the strongest knight in the Caesar Kingdom.
Among the 7-Star knights who had faced Patrick Schneider in battle, he was the only one still alive.
As a result of being tempered through fierce combat on the battlefield, he was recently on the verge of reaching the 8-Star Realm.
He was the commander-in-chief currently leading the Caesar Kingdom’s army.
He stared intently at the Overlord charging at the head of the formation and spoke.
“…This won’t do.”
They couldn't win.
He could only vaguely sense the momentum from a distance, but he could already gauge the situation.
He didn't want to admit it, but he had to.
That Overlord, Sierion, was stronger than him.
If they clashed head-on, he would undoubtedly be defeated.
He gave a short, dry laugh and said, “…Seriously, that generation of theirs…”
Before meeting that monster Patrick Schneider, he would never have thought this way.
Even seeing the reality before his eyes, he would have searched for reasons to deny it.
No matter how much of a genius he is, isn't he just a greenhorn who hasn't even reached thirty?
There’s no way I, with all my experience and years, could lose.
He would have escaped reality in that manner.
But after being burned once by Patrick, he realized something.
There were monsters in this world that he couldn't possibly measure.
He had to accept that now.
And once you recognize that your opponent is a monster, a corresponding method of dealing with them arises.
“Issue orders to the entire army. Deploy the Crescent Formation.”
The Crescent Moon formation.
It was a classic formation used to surround and annihilate the enemy when one's own forces outnumbered them. However…
“Marquis, only the enemy’s vanguard has struck so far.”
“I am aware.”
“Even if we surround the vanguard led by the Overlord, as long as the Decatur Kingdom’s army has yet to move, the encirclement won't function properly. If we are attacked from both inside and outside the encirclement simultaneously, our forces will be the ones in danger.”
The staff officer’s opinion, delivered with spit flying from his mouth, was extremely valid and reasonable. However…
“I will take responsibility. Deploy the formation.”
“Marquis…”
“Quickly! That is an order!”
At Marquis Zigler’s command, the staff officer bit his lip hard and bowed his head.
“Yes. Understood.”
The staff officer thought this was a mistake, but as long as it was the commander’s order, he had to follow it.
*
“Out of my way!”
Lord of Sword.
The Overlord’s strike, which had grown so massive it seemed to pierce the heavens, crashed down upon the enemy lines.
“Aaaagh!”
“Noooo!”
K-Boom!
The Caesar Kingdom’s soldiers had been holding their shields firmly and maintaining their formation, but what meaning did that have before the Overlord’s strike?
The enemy line was split in half with a single blow, and the Overlord rode into the gap, swinging his sword of light.
“Those who value their lives, drop your weapons!”
At the Overlord’s shout, which thundered across the battlefield, the Caesar Kingdom’s soldiers almost obeyed without realizing it. However…
“What are you doing? Block him!”
“Even a single scratch on the Overlord’s body will change your lives!”
“Go! Kill the enemy!”
From behind, knights held their swords and barked orders.
They told the soldiers to throw away their lives and rush the enemy.
Under normal circumstances, it was a mad command that would have been met with protests. However…
“Uwaaaaah!”
“Dammit all!”
The battlefield was a place where such madness was carried out.
Leaning on fear and frenzy, the soldiers rushed at the Overlord.
Looking clearly into their miserable faces, the Overlord muttered.
“I will not let it be in vain.”
Your blood.
Your deaths.
I will not let any of it be in vain.
So, for now, forgive the coldness of my blade.
Hardening his resolve, the Overlord swung his sword.
“Haaaaah!”
The King’s greatsword swung horizontally.
For those caught in the trajectory of that sword of light, only death awaited.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Aaaargh!”
“Kwahak!”
Having buried hundreds with a single attack, the Overlord continued to gallop forward and shouted.
“Heroes of the East! Follow me!”
In truth, there was no need for such a command.
The soldiers of the Yuzef Kingdom were already following him as if possessed.
Wherever the massive sword of light was swung.
That was where their King was.
Following that sword was their mission.
“Ryan Knights! Follow His Highness!”
“Let’s go!”
“Move!”
Led by the knight order under Matthias Carvan, the 40,000 soldiers of the Yuzef Kingdom plunged into the enemy’s front without hesitation.
Following their King…
*
“Impressive. As expected of the Overlord.”
Watching the Overlord’s exploits from the rear, there was someone whose body seemed to itch with the desire to join in.
Surprisingly, that person was a woman.
Aside from her hair, which had turned pure white, she maintained a youthfulness that would make one believe she was in her thirties.
Though she currently used the surname of her late husband, she was a proud royal who had originally used the name Decatur.
The strongest knight of the Decatur Kingdom.
The heroine who was evaluated as the only one among the 7-Star knights of Decatur that the Double Dragon avoided because they couldn't guarantee a victory.
The strongest female knight on the continent.
Sword Queen Riona Mayvers.
She was present here.
Since this was a war that mobilized the entire nation’s power, it was only natural for her to be here.
Beside her, Marquis Adolf Raines and Marquis Dustin Lobsky, both also 7-Star knights, sat side-by-side on their horses.
She spoke to the two beside her.
“What do you think? In your eyes, is the Double Dragon a man comparable to that Overlord?”
At her question, the two answered simultaneously.
“He’s more, not less.”
“He’s just an ill-mannered brat with a trash personality.”
When two different answers came back, the Sword Queen burst into a pleasant, loud laugh.
Then, shaking her head, she said, “Truly, what a shame. I should have crossed blades with that fellow as well.”
During the time Patrick was performing his knight training in the Decatur Kingdom, she was the only one who hadn't dueled him.
The world said that Patrick had avoided her because he couldn't be sure of winning.
But she knew the truth.
The royal family of the Decatur Kingdom had stopped Patrick.
By the time she found out and went to the royal castle to protest to the King, Patrick had already left the kingdom.
What she truly regretted was the state of Marquis Adolf Raines and Marquis Dustin Lobsky, which she confirmed later.
Both of them had clearly ascended to a higher realm after their duel with Patrick.
She had watched them for a long time, and they had shown no signs of overcoming their plateaus, yet they had done it.
How surprised she had been at that sight.
In fact, the reason Marquis Dustin Lobsky was able to defeat Count Helios Gilsian of the Caesar Kingdom was because he had grown further.
Even though Marquis Dustin Lobsky had reportedly suffered quite a humiliating ordeal during the duel…
What does that matter?
For those who had achieved the Supreme Realm, how important was a wall to climb higher?
For that, she would have been willing to give up her entire fortune.
“Once this war is over, I’ll have to go find him myself and have a match.”
In any case, this war would end today.
Either in victory or defeat.
It was then.
“Duchess Mayvers. The enemy has deployed a Crescent Moon formation to encircle us.”
“Ho… A blunder.”
The Sword Queen’s eyes flashed sharply.
It was standard practice to use an encirclement when facing a smaller force with a larger one.
But that was something to be done after drawing the enemy in enough to fully surround them.
The Overlord had set out with 40,000 Yuzef troops, but 20,000 Decatur troops remained in the rear.
And those 20,000 included three 7-Star knights.
“If the enemy closes the encirclement, we will set out as well. All troops, prepare.”
“Yes, Ma'am!”
The Sword Queen gave the order. But just then…
“A messenger! A messenger is here!”
A messenger carrying a flag proving he was the King’s messenger came galloping in haste.
“What is it?”
At the Sword Queen’s question, the messenger replied.
“A royal decree from His Majesty the King. All our forces are to remain on standby until further notice.”
“What does that mean? We’re about to head out!”
“…I am merely delivering the decree… Hic!”
The Sword Queen grabbed the messenger by the collar and lifted him up.
“Tell the truth. Are you a spy from the Caesar Kingdom?”
“I… I am His Majesty’s personal chamberlain.”
“……”
“And this is undoubtedly His Majesty’s decree. So…”
“Arren, has that boy finally lost his mind?”
“D-Duchess!”
“What? Can I not even call my own nephew by his name?”
“……”
Even if she was his aunt, calling the King by his name was, of course, not allowed.
But regardless of that, the others present couldn't help but understand the Sword Queen’s feelings.
What on earth is he thinking?
If our forces don't intervene here… could it be?
This might be…
The military advisors of the Decatur Kingdom present here all thought of the same possibility.
A possibility that no one dared to voice, unless they had two lives to spare.