Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Phoenix Knight Order
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‘What is it?'
After pushing through the thick underbrush and climbing the mountain path for about thirty minutes, Poshe suddenly stopped.
Ramni and Perry, who had been following behind, along with the Devil Squad members, all halted at once.
They watched Poshe closely, observing his reaction.
Poshe whispered to Ramni and Perry, who had approached him on either side, in a voice only they could hear.
"Something's up ahead. I'll go check it out."
Poshe dashed forward, stepping as quietly as possible to minimize any noise.
About thirty meters from where the squad waited, he spotted a large boulder.
'I can hide there.'
Reaching the rock, he cautiously scanned the surroundings. Then, hunching down, he climbed onto it and peered ahead.
'It’s quiet.'
That was when nothing unusual caught his eye.
Rustle-.
The sound of brush being parted reached his ears.
Poshe's face hardened instantly.
'That!'
Mysterious men emerged from the underbrush.
Their clothes were so plain, worn, and filthy that they hardly looked like knights.
They resembled a band of beggars.
'What are they?'
As he frowned in confusion, moonlight illuminated them.
In that instant, sharp swords glinted at their waists.
A bolt of realization struck his mind.
'Mercenaries!'
Poshe quickly leaped down from the boulder to head back to the Devil Squad when something jumped onto the rock and landed in front of him.
One of the men had blocked the path.
"A rat hiding, huh?"
"Damn it!"
Poshe charged at the man while hurling a shuriken from his belt.
It was the shuriken Arthur had given him for his brothers in the squad.
"What the?"
The man swiftly dodged to the side, evading the shuriken.
With the surprise attack failing, Poshe's face stiffened.
'He dodged that?'
These were no ordinary foes.
He had to escape this place quickly and report to his comrades.
He sprinted with all his might.
The man rose swiftly and pursued Poshe, whistling sharply as he ran.
Wheee!
Ramni and Perry spotted Poshe racing toward them as if being chased.
"Damn it!"
Perry spun around and shouted.
"Retreat!"
At his command, the Devil Squad turned and fled back the way they came.
Dark and Latel approached Perry at the same time.
"We'll buy time. Hurry and report to the Captain."
Perry nodded and led the squad away at breakneck speed.
Dark focused beyond Poshe, who was running toward them.
After a moment.
A man charging with murderous intent came into view.
"I'll handle that one. Go with Poshe."
Dark kicked off the ground and shot forward.
Seeing Dark charge, Poshe frantically shook his head and yelled.
"No!"
"......?"
As Dark looked puzzled, dozens of men burst from the thick brush.
The killing intent radiating from them was so intense it made his body hair stand on end, accompanied by a thick stench of blood.
Their movements were anything but ordinary.
He instantly realized they were no opponents he could face.
Dark hurled his shurikens at them and shouted.
"Run!"
Latel, spotting the men, widened his eyes.
"W-What......"
After throwing all his shurikens, Dark fled with Poshe and asked.
"How many?"
"At least a hundred. Maybe more."
As Latel joined them, he asked.
"What do we do?"
"The Captain said they're no pushovers. We avoid them and shake them off."
"Got it."
They ran down the steep mountain path with everything they had.
The man chasing Poshe stopped running and watched them with a sinister smile.
His comrades, who had arrived at his signal, approached him.
One of them asked.
"Julius Count's men?"
"Probably."
"Looks like the Count's got someone with a brain."
"Yeah."
The man turned with a smile playing on his lips.
He looked at Alteon, whose massive build resembled a bear, and asked.
"What now? Capture them?"
Alteon shook his head.
"We follow Hazan's orders. We hit the Count's place when he gives the signal."
"Got it."
The man grinned and continued.
"Shall we get back to scouting then?"
***
At that moment.
Dark, racing down the mountain, suddenly stopped.
"Hold up."
He turned and scanned the surroundings.
The thick blood scent the enemies had carried was gone.
Aside from the ragged breathing of Poshe and Latel, it was deathly quiet.
"Something's off."
"What are they planning?"
Latel grimaced.
"Should I go check?"
Dark shook his head at Poshe's suggestion.
"Better to head down and follow the Captain's orders."
"You think that'll be okay?"
"Going back won't change anything."
Dark turned without hesitation and descended.
"Felt like monsters were tailing us."
"Bad vibes."
Poshe and Latel glanced back up the path for a moment before following Dark.
***
"The scouts are coming."
Skevin, leading alongside Arthur, spotted the scouts and halted the troops.
The scouts approached Arthur and reported.
"Enemy tents near the border line."
"Already here?"
Skevin's face twisted.
Intel said they'd arrive tomorrow at the earliest.
This was too soon.
Arthur asked the scouts.
"What affiliation?"
"No banners. Couldn't identify."
"How many tents?"
"Ten."
"Ten......"
Arthur pondered briefly.
Yarve Count's force was over a thousand knights alone—a massive army.
Ten tents were too few for his full arrival.
Likely another territory's knight order had arrived first to secure the site.
No banners meant they were hiding their identity.
It reeked of battlefield savvy.
If one of them had that caliber......
One name came to mind.
Capo Mars.
Probably the Steel Knight Order had arrived ahead, awaiting Yarve Count.
If he led the vanguard and pushed in.
Arthur glanced at Skevin.
Skevin met his eyes and bowed his head.
"Speak."
"Can you handle the Steel Knight Order?"
"Hmm......"
Skevin's face hardened.
Capo Mars was the strongest among the empire's top ten powerhouses.
The Britannicas could sow chaos in the Steel Knight Order, but only briefly.
Once Capo crushed them, the knights' morale would surge.
This wasn't his fight.
"Looks tough."
"Got it. I'll take him. You handle the knight order."
"If you'll allow, I'll join you."
"No. I face him alone. You crush their knight order completely. Kill them all if needed."
"Understood."
Murderous intent gleamed in Skevin's eyes.
Arthur turned to the scouts.
"Relay to Phoenix Knight Order: We sortie upon reaching the border."
"Yes, sir!"
The scouts swiftly went to the trailing knight order to deliver Arthur's command.
Arthur nudged Khan's side with his foot.
Khan began moving again.
Drakan and Linda glanced at Arthur before hurrying after him.
Linda whispered to Drakan.
"Shouldn't you take him on, brother?"
"If the Family Head didn't ask me, there's a reason."
"Just say you'll handle it."
"First, something to confirm."
"What?"
Linda tilted her head.
Drakan eyed Arthur suspiciously.
"I want to see with my own eyes if he's truly strong enough to fell an ogre."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want to live blindly like Father did."
"No way!"
Linda's eyes bulged.
Drakan stuck close to Arthur, staring at him intently while thinking.
'To be Lanister's true master, you must prove it. Otherwise......'
His gaze chilled.
'Or I won't follow you.'
His grip tightened on the Black Spear.
The spear let out a wailing cry.
At that moment, Arthur stopped and turned toward Drakan.
'He sensed that?'
As Drakan's eyes wavered.
Millerph stared far beyond Drakan with a grim expression and spoke.
"It's them."
"He's spotted the enemy."
Arthur nodded and shifted his gaze to Drakan. He eyed the Black Spear, then told Skevin.
"Hold position."
"Yes, sir!"
Skevin drew his sword and stopped the knight order's march.
Moments later.
The Devil Squad reached Arthur.
"Huff, huff, huff."
They had rushed nonstop after hearing Arthur had sortied with troops from the castle.
The Britannicas let them catch up in one go.
Dark bowed briefly in greeting, then reported.
"Spotted them. Couldn't confirm exact numbers, but over a hundred at least."
"As expected."
Arthur's face hardened slightly.
This raised the chance Yarve Count was using a pincer attack.
Capo on the vanguard, mercenaries hitting the Count's estate.
Hector guarded the castle, but against infamous mercenaries.
Where they passed, only death remained—they were that ruthless.
The castle's defenses might not hold.
He'd have to split the forces.
As Arthur alternated glances between Skevin and Drakan.
Dark continued grimly.
"They weren't ordinary. No armor, just plain clothes, but thick blood stench......"
He relayed every detail.
All moved nimbly, their aura unlike any before.
Chillingly cold eyes as they pursued.
Skevin and Millerph looked gravely at Arthur.
Arthur gazed toward the western mountains where the enemies were, deep in thought.
With a Sword Master alongside Yarve Count, he couldn't divert forces lightly.
Sending minimal troops might not even block them.
Both fronts were critical.
As always in such binds, prioritize the one that ends the war.
"Helot!"
At Arthur's call, Helot hurried over.
"Speak!"
"Take fifty knights back to the castle and face the mercenaries."
"Yes, sir!"
Helot replied without hesitation and dashed to the knights.
Arthur turned to Drakan.
"Who's vice captain?"
"Me."
Linda approached.
"You too, with fifty knights back to the castle."
"Yes."
Linda bowed politely.
Millerph watched her head to the Lanister knight order and asked.
"Them alone sufficient?"
"You go too."
"......!"
Millerph's eyes widened.
Arthur met his gaze and continued.
"They need a commander."
"But this force against Yarve Count......"
"Don't worry here. With troops thinned."
Arthur alternated looks at Skevin and Drakan, giving a silent signal.
Then he drew on his mana.
Skevin and Drakan responded in kind, radiating fierce auras.
A Sig Sauer materialized in Arthur's right hand.
"No point waiting now. We sweep them."
"My lord......"
"Hold until I arrive."
Arthur yanked Khan's red mane hard and charged forward.
Skevin and Drakan thrust sword and spear forward, roaring.
"Charge!"