118. Haven't I Seen You Somewhere Before?
Several mana cannons had exploded, claiming some of their own troops, but aside from that, about eighty percent had done their job admirably.
"What kind of cannons blow up twenty-one out of a hundred?"
"Because they lack the dwarves' craftsmanship."
"Then why not just buy them from the dwarves?"
"They don't sell them."
Mana cannons were treated as strategic weapons in the Berft Kingdom and were strictly embargoed from export.
Shells arced through the sky behind Berge's hollow laugh, turning the enemy lines into chaos.
Their weight, acceleration, and gravity crumpled the knights' shields before detonating and swallowing everything around them.
Honestly, in Berge's view, they paled in comparison to Roger's creations, but they were mana cannons nonetheless. More than enough to swing the battle decisively in their favor for now.
The enemy formation collapsed completely, and the third prince drew his sword.
"Charge! Show these traitors who dare rebel against the empire the might of the Empire!"
Waaaaah!
The roar of cheers opened the barrage from Rozel Charnt and her flames. Massive fireballs plummeted into the inferno, turning it into hell itself. Blue Eagle mages followed with a relentless volley of spells.
Then came Hillun Kargil with the Red Eagles and White Eagle knights charging in.
Crackle-crackle!
Lightning surged. The two forces closed in rapidly.
The humans' crude mana cannons (from Berge's perspective) weren't that powerful. That's why a fair number had survived.
Especially the knights shielded by aura—most of them made it through. But they weren't unscathed.
Even with aura cloaking their bodies, they were still human flesh pitted against cannon shells.
Boom!
Dented shields flew through the air. Knights without any crests screamed as they were hurled back.
Hillun gripped his reins tighter, urging his horse into a wild gallop. Sword in one hand, lightning in the other.
The White Eagle knights supported him perfectly, keeping the path he carved from closing up by severing enemy necks.
Then a knight wielding a massive aura blocked his path.
Claaaang!
The shockwave tore the air apart.
Horses reared, disrupting the charge formation.
"Hillun Kargil...!"
The venomous rage came from the man who'd been conferring with Martin.
Pure white aura clashed against lightning. Sparks flew wildly, forcing the knights back a step.
"Cowardly bastards, firing mana cannons...!"
"Doesn't seem like something a traitor who attacked an imperial prince should say."
"It's a shame things are like this. Otherwise, I'd have faced you honorably with the sword."
"So, you're the first prince? Or maybe the first princess?"
"No idea what you're talking about."
A retreat horn blared from the enemy lines.
"We'll pull back for today, but next time, we won't go down so easily."
"Who said you could retreat?"
Hillun's strikes grew fiercer. But he couldn't finish it.
The third prince had forbidden pursuit to the end, wary of ambushes.
"Failure?"
"Yes."
"Is that all the White Lion's might amounts to?"
"The third prince prepared mana cannons."
"Mana cannons?"
"Yes. Dozens fired at once, sending the soldiers into panic. Then Hillun Kargil led the White Eagle knights in a charge."
"Mana cannons, mana cannons..."
Ruphus let out a hollow laugh.
Mana cannons weren't commonplace. Most human nations rarely used them, and even the Empire only deployed them in a few key fortresses.
Outside the Berft Kingdom, their inventors, the Akan Kingdom used the most—but still far inferior in number and quality.
So no one had expected them to bring mana cannons.
Let alone unleash them on Ruphus's own forces, not undead.
'They were bustling about for a reason.'
From Hillun Kargil finding the third prince to the prince reporting the black mage's schemes to the emperor, quite some time had passed.
Probably prepared then.
But preparation and resolve were different. The once-meek third prince had bared his fangs openly.
He hadn't been like that before.
Why the change?
'The eighth prince.'
His death had clearly shifted something. Ruphus was certain.
'Interesting.'
Time to get serious?
"Casualties?"
"They were routed without a proper fight—one-sided losses."
"I asked for casualties."
"About forty-one."
"Dead?"
"Includes severe injuries, minor wounds, and deaths."
"A hundred fifty went in, and forty-one killed or wounded..."
Not insignificant. Especially against a duke's elite.
"What was the knight commander doing?"
"Regrouping after retreat. Awaiting Your Highness's orders."
"And Martin?"
"Picking up speed."
"With Hillun Kargil there, no hesitation, right?"
"Yes."
"Can't have that."
"Pardon?"
"I said no."
One skirmish wouldn't decide everything. Martin's foundation still dwarfed his anyway.
But even once going against his plans irked him.
"Just stay content in your lane."
Humans were too greedy.
Why covet what wasn't theirs?
"Tell Sir Kalum to look after my brother well. And not disappoint me twice."
"Yes."
"What about Floyan?"
"No word yet."
"All incompetent."
Tsk. The reporting noble flinched at the tongue-click.
"Pick up speed. No monsters to slow us anyway."
Everyone knew they'd face everyone at the end anyway.
But Ruphus was confident. In his own abilities, and the hero he'd brought.
"You there."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The silent guardian behind the first prince bowed.
"Even at full speed, no issue taking a black mage's head?"
"Of course. My sword will always deliver as Your Highness desires."
"Reliable."
He burst into satisfied laughter.
"Hillun Kargil and you—who's stronger?"
"..."
"That hard to answer?"
"It was so obvious, I was pondering how to phrase it."
"Phrase it?"
"He's a hero who slew two demon kings, after all. Gotta preserve some honor."
Kuhahaha!
The prince roared with laughter.
"Everyone hear that?"
"Yes!"
"Advance."
His eyes turned ice-cold.
Boom!
Red flames smashed into the gorge rocks. A soldier hiding behind, firing arrows, melted without a scream.
"Ugh, annoying!"
Rozel Charnt bit her lip and leaped into the air. Incoming arrows were devoured by her flames as if waiting.
But arrows were just the opener. Spells flew wildly, constantly disrupting her casting.
If she pushed through, risking injury to burn them all, they'd flee like cowards.
The once-defeated enemies had changed tactics.
Collapsing the upper gorge with magic, digging pit traps, luring with scarce monsters, ambushing relentlessly—they blocked the third prince's advance with infuriating persistence.
Hillun, Rozel, the sixth prince, White Eagles, and Blue Eagle mages gave their all, but couldn't prevent delays with monsters joining in.
And that's what the enemies wanted.
"At this rate, His Highness the first prince will arrive after they've beheaded the black mages."
"We should ignore them and push forward."
With time dragging, the aides' arguments held merit.
"Hmm."
But blindly charging ahead wasn't ideal. Their harassment was manageable with precautions, but ignoring it meant unacceptable losses.
"It's fine."
Hillun Kargil eased his concerns.
"Fine?"
"The gorge is a maze. Without a guide, you can't rush straight to the center."
Hillun had zipped through thanks to Berge, but alone, he'd have wandered the labyrinthine terrain for ages.
"I know, but relying on that alone is too risky. Second brother hired Daphne Philian. I doubt first brother prepared less."
"Of course, Your Highness. But that's not my point."
"Not your point?"
"Arriving first isn't advantageous."
"You think the black mages are that strong?"
"Yes."
"I know they've gathered here with lingering magic points, but they're just black mages, right?"
"Do you really think so?"
"I suspect demon king involvement. But still, nothing impressive."
Demon kings were demon kings; black mages were black mages. Even with borrowed power, they had limits.
And in a millennium of history, black mages hadn't been noteworthy.
"This time's different."
"Different?"
"I admit black mages are weak. Until now, they were always demon king minions."
"True."
"Exactly."
Nobles nodded in agreement one by one.
"But not this time."
"What's different exactly?"
"Hamstline Gorge is vast. Rugged terrain, overrun with monsters. That's why the Empire banned it."
"Yes."
"But since entering, has the gorge lived up to its forbidden status?"
They'd met plenty of monsters. But nowhere near ban-level hordes.
"The black mages gathered them. Hundreds at least, maybe thousands. No one here underestimates that feat."
They'd dismissed it because they undervalued black mages—seeing it as a last gasp.
"...!"
"...!"
"Of course, with Your Highnesses and the Empire's elites, it's undoubtedly their final struggle."
They couldn't have gathered everything. True monstrosities would be uncontrollable. Berge had said so himself—reliable intel.
Forcing control meant undead conversion, lowering quality.
But the sheer numbers couldn't be ignored. Hundreds, maybe thousands of undead pouring out—then, after clearing them, years-worth of real undead emerge?
Couldn't gauge other princes' forces precisely, but massive losses were certain.
"Better to go slow, let the first prince handle them first."
"But if he takes them down..."
"I've seen them up close. Not easy. These black mages aren't like the ones we knew."
That sealed it.
Martin listened to his men. Hillun's experience-based realism carried weight and trust.
"No need to rush, then."
"That's my view, at least. Can't be sure what other Highnesses bring or do."
"Obviously. Alright, we'll follow Duke Hillun's advice. Not to dawdle, just drop the impatience."
"Understood!"
Nothing changed much. The third prince's army advanced steadily, alert for ambushes.
Days later.
Five paths split.
"Which way?"
"This one."
"Your Highness, someone's coming."
"That's..."
A group emerged from another direction. The wary third prince's forces tilted heads—they didn't match previous attackers.
The imperial dragon crest gleamed clearly.
The thousand-strong army exuded immense pressure.
But something was off.
"Wounded."
Not just one or two. Eyes and aura weren't friendly.
'Attacked.'
As distances closed, the other side slowed. A rider advanced.
Martin galloped out upon spotting the dragon-crest armor.
"Fancy meeting you here."
"Brother."
"Looks like..."
His gaze swept the third prince's army.
"You've been ambushed too?"
"Yes. You as well, it seems."
"Yeah, same. Marlene really got under my skin."
Kuhuhu. The second prince, Floyan Jespain, grinned ferociously.
"Went for you too, huh?"
"I think so."
"Same mother as the first bitch, always bickering but teaming up against us."
Battered by the first princess, Floyan ground his teeth.
"How about we team up?"
"What do you mean?"
"Literal. If big bro and Marlene allied, why shouldn't we?"
"You don't like me much either."
"Better than those two. Temporary anyway—I'll crush you after dropping them behind."
"I like your honesty, brother."
"Not praise—answer."
"Temporary alliance. Fine."
No reason to refuse.
Alliance formed in seconds; the groups merged.
After brief regrouping, they pushed toward the gorge center. Then, a shadow slipped toward the heroes' gathering spot.
"Long time no see, Lady Rozel."
"Daphne?"
One of the Stars, Daphne Philian.
"Duke Hillun, long time."
"Daphne."
"Heard you slew two demon kings. Shame I missed it."
"Would've been reassuring with you."
"You pulled it off without me. Never thought I'd see a hero of my era kill two demon kings."
"Praising each other like idiots."
Rozel snorted at the heroes' mutual flattery.
Then.
"...Huh?"
"Daphne?"
Daphne's gaze shifted past Hillun.
"You."
Red Eagle members.
"You look familiar..."
He pinpointed Berge amid them precisely.
"Us."
His green pupils shimmered oddly.
"Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"