Chapter 178
Chapter 178
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Arrival of the Lefon Mage Corps
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***
“The second defensive line has fallen!”
“Hmm...”
Sahajana’s face twisted in dismay.
Just as Emperor Ruan had predicted, the moment Marquis Tano pulled back his forces, the Namschar Empire came charging down like they’d been waiting for it.
They’d rushed out in haste, managing to intercept the enemy not far from the border.
But the foes’ strength was beyond imagination.
Leading with the Tornado Knight Order, they pressed forward relentlessly, while mages from the rear unleashed a barrage of spells.
The Namschar Empire had traditionally favored spiritists over mages in their forces.
As a result, mages had been fading into obscurity—until this unexpected mage corps assault hit them like a thunderbolt.
And even without their main spiritist corps showing up, they were still being overpowered.
“They came prepared.”
Sahajana gritted his teeth and turned to Gutun, the knight order commander.
“Deploy the mage corps. Our goal is to hold them off until reinforcements arrive.”
“Understood!”
Gutun bowed respectfully and stepped outside.
Moments later, a white-haired elder entered the command tent.
It was Bishop, the leader of the Lefon Mage Corps and the duke’s guardian mage.
He approached Sahajana, who was staring intently at the map spread on the table, and bowed.
“Your Excellency, have you ordered the mage corps to deploy?”
Sahajana looked at Bishop with a grim expression.
“At this rate, we’ll be pushed back.”
“Weren’t the mages our last bastion?”
“Initially, the plan was to annihilate them. But now, it’s changed to just holding this line.”
“Is the situation that dire?”
“Atisan’s forces have far exceeded my expectations. The damage from that unaccounted-for mage corps is especially devastating.”
“Understood. We’ll handle them.”
As Bishop bowed and turned to leave, Sahajana spoke up.
“Don’t push too hard.”
“...!”
Bishop’s eyes widened.
Unlike his usual demeanor, there was a sense of grim resolve about him.
He knew things were serious, but it felt almost like facing the end.
“I’ll shift the tide of the battlefield, so don’t worry.”
“Retreating when it’s too dangerous is a strategy in itself.”
Bishop bowed silently and exited.
Outside stood about a hundred Lefon members, radiating a chilling aura.
Alpes, the vice-leader of Lefon, approached.
“Preparations for deployment are complete.”
Bishop fixed his stern gaze on the mages and declared,
“We will face the Namschar Empire’s mage corps. Show them the power of true battle mages.”
Pure white aura flowed from Bishop’s eyes, and a powerful aura rose from his body like shimmering heat haze.
The mages simultaneously drew up their mana.
Their presence spread through Sahajana’s camp like spiderwebs.
“Hold the line!”
“Don’t fall back!”
“Shield unit! Advance!”
“Raaah!”
The shield unit pushed forward with all their might, followed by the knights.
Namschar’s mages came into view ahead.
The distance was just over a hundred meters.
“A bit further!”
As they gritted their teeth and pressed on—
A massive fireball hurtled toward them from the front.
“Brace! Second row, push up tight!”
The soldiers behind the shield unit shoved hard to keep them from buckling under the attack.
“It’s coming!”
Boom-!
“Argh!”
“Gaaah!”
The shield unit crumbled helplessly.
Soon, fireballs rained down from the sky like a meteor shower.
“Scatter!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Urk!”
“Gaaah!”
“Assault unit! Charge!”
Raaah!
The soldiers charged toward the Namschar lines, swords and spears at the ready.
Jidori, commanding the second wave, kept shouting.
“Shield unit! Form a defensive wall!”
The rear shield unit moved up front, building a wall as they advanced.
They were forging a bridge of blood.
But under the relentless barrage of Namschar magic, they fell like dominoes.
At this rate, they’d be wiped out without landing a single blow.
Jidori glanced toward the commander’s first wave.
They were locked in fierce combat with the Tornado Knight Order—dead even.
Each swing of Commander Gutun’s sword, at mid-level Sword Master, severed limbs and toppled foes.
But Namschar’s Pigeano was no pushover.
The Silverado Knight Order was helpless against his strikes.
The knights fought back fiercely, refusing to yield.
Screams and blood sprayed everywhere in the brutal stalemate.
“Damn it!”
If his own wave collapsed, the first would follow suit—it was obvious.
They had to take out the enemy mages somehow and link up with Commander Gutun to crush them.
He shouted once more.
“Don’t retreat! Shield unit, advance!”
At Jidori’s cry, the struggling shield unit mustered their strength and moved forward.
That was when—
Swoosh—swoosh—
An eerie whistle echoed across the sky.
Gigantic fireballs soared high, blotting out the heavens as they descended.
“Damn...”
If they couldn’t block this one, it was over for real.
Despair settled on everyone’s faces.
‘Damn! Is this how it ends...?’
‘Without even landing a proper attack...’
As indignation and rage boiled in the knights’ chests—
A fierce aura surged from the rear like a tidal wave, sweeping over them.
The knights’ eyes snapped wide.
“...!”
They all turned back in unison.
Robed figures were flying through the sky.
It was the duke’s strongest combat unit: the Lefon Mage Corps.
Guardian Mage Sir Bishop was with them.
As he spread his arms wide, a massive transparent wall rose before the defensive line, reminiscent of a city gate.
Then, orbs of various lights appeared in the hands of the mages behind him, flying toward the enemy lines.
Dozens of spells crashed into the foe’s camp.
Boom! Boom! Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
The area turned to rubble, and enemy attacks rained down on the Silverado lines.
But Bishop’s barrier blocked them all.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang-!
Huge fireballs hammered the barrier relentlessly.
Yet it held firm.
The Silverado Knight Order’s morale, which had hit rock bottom, soared to the heavens.
Raaah!
Jidori seized the moment.
“Everyone, charge!”
Raaaah!
The assault unit in the shield group bolted forward first.
With Lefon’s entry, the battlefield flipped in an instant—and the momentum spread to Gutun’s wave.
“They’re finally here.”
Gutun’s lips curled up as Alpes and dozens of mages flew overhead toward the enemy lines.
It seemed Bishop was handling the weaker second wave, leaving Vice-Leader Alpes here.
The forces were evenly distributed.
“Time to get serious?”
As Gutun channeled mana, red aura enveloped his blade.
“Everyone, attack! Push them back to the border!”
Gutun led the charge, raising his sword before his face in salute.
The red aura around the blade flared like flames.
It gradually formed the shape of a massive red manta ray.
Red aura streamed from Gutun’s eyes as he declared firmly,
Lantiusti First Form.
Blood Fear.
He thrust the sword with all his might.
Pang-!
The red manta ray flattened against the ground and shot toward the enemy like an arrow.
The legs of the Tornado Knights charging ahead were sliced clean off, sending riders crashing down.
Soldiers following the knights were bisected.
Then Alpes unleashed a volley of spells.
Boom! Kwang! Boom! Boom!
“Argh!”
“Raaah!”
The path of the red manta was pure hell.
The Silverado Knight Order pressed the attack mercilessly.
The battlefield turned in a flash.
Just as Namschar morale began to crack—
Pigeano raised his sword and bellowed at the top of his lungs.
“Don’t retreat! The Immortal Knights fear no death!”
‘Immortal Knights!’
Fear vanished from the knights’ faces, replaced by grim resolve.
Pigeano knew Atisan was getting real-time updates.
Duke Terry’s reinforcements would arrive soon.
They just needed to hold until then.
Pigeano glared at Gutun, who’d just unleashed his ultimate, as if he’d devour him.
“Take this back.”
He gripped his sword tight.
Deep blue aura blazed like flames.
“Great one, grant me your burning, fierce power.”
Dozens of tiny flames flickered around the blade.
“Eat this!”
Pigeano swung with everything he had.
Papang-!
With a deafening roar, the deep blue aura took the form of a massive scythe and flew forth.
Gutun frowned upon seeing it.
It was Pigeano’s ultimate: Sword Scythe.
Its power rivaled his own ultimate.
But with Alpes and the mages, he wasn’t worried.
Sure enough—
Alpes and the mages layered barriers over the Silverado lines.
The attack slammed into them.
Kwang!
The first barrier shattered, then the second.
But its power had visibly weakened.
Kwang! Kwang!
It destroyed the third and fourth, heading for the fifth.
“That level of power won’t cut it.”
As Gutun was certain the attack would fail—
Red objects trailing the Sword Scythe caught his eye.
“What are those?”
The moment the question arose, the Sword Scythe hit the final barrier.
Kwaang!
It shattered along with the barrier.
At the same time, the energy from the destroyed Sword Scythe was sucked into the red objects.
The red things swelled like fireballs, radiating immense power—then detonated.
Kwa-kwaaaaang-!
The flames turned into tiny daggers raining on the knights.
Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-.
The knights died instantly, without a scream.
Each one pierced only vital spots unprotected by armor. Gutun’s eyes widened in horror.
“Spirits!”
Alpes grimaced at the sight.
“The ultimate was bait!”
He cast toward Pigeano.
“Fire Rain!”
As fiery rain poured from above, Pigeano swung his sword skyward.
“Great Ifrit! Show them the true power of fire!”
With his cry, a small firebird appeared and flapped its wings.
The flames vanished.
“Damn it!”
Alpes’ face twisted—not from the failed spell, but from realizing the enemy had contracted with a fire spirit.
But it wasn’t a top-tier like Salamander, so no need to fear.
Alpes ordered his mages.
“Spirit attacks are coming. Target them only.”
The mages aimed at the Namschar lines, bracing for the spiritists.
Gutun tensed for the incoming assault, blade at the ready.
Meanwhile, Pigeano smirked, seeing the enemies’ momentum broken by his attack.
‘Hook, line, and sinker.’
Now they wouldn’t dare move rashly. Regroup the knights and wait for reinforcements.
A red sunset spread across the sky, the moon tinged crimson.
When darkness fell, the terror would begin.
“The real fight starts now. Heh.”