Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: The Protagonist's Ambush
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Enemy forces charging straight toward us. Their numbers looked to be around six thousand.
I tried to think through the tactical implications, but nothing came to mind.
Tactically speaking, this was a blunder on their part.
But on instinct, I could feel it. The enemy was moving with a clear purpose.
"Don't panic! Engage them!"
The first to confront that force was Fourth General Pelaini.
"Charging in like idiots! I'll bury you all right here!"
He met them with gusto. Numerically, we held a clear advantage. He figured that if they steadily whittled down the enemy's numbers, victory was assured.
But he failed to account for their destructive power.
"Hraaaah!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! With every swing of the protagonist's sword, soldiers were sliced to pieces.
Individual Strength: 97. Even in the game, the protagonist was one of the top powerhouses. His character rank was SSR, but by the time he graduated from the academy, he'd reach the highest rank, UR.
Trailing behind him were his retainers.
First up, Liser Haldras.
Wielding a sleek polearm, he used its unique reach to deny the soldiers any chance of closing in, staunchly guarding the protagonist's side.
Another powerhouse with Individual Strength 93. Character rank: SSR.
And that wasn't all.
"I'll help too!"
"Don't rush ahead, Cassius!"
They were twin sisters named Tena and Lina.
The protagonist's childhood friends, one wielding a sword and shield, the other a rapier.
Tena, the rapier user and younger sister, had Strength 85, rank SR.
Lina, the sword-and-shield wielder and older sister, had Strength 87, rank SSR.
A flood of game characters.
And among them was a hulking mystery man.
*That guy's...!*
He was the man who'd protected Prince Eldric when I'd met him before.
*His name was... Crans, I think?*
I managed to recall it, somehow.
"I'm taking the enemy commander! Everyone, follow me! Crans! Clear a path to the target!"
"Got it."
The protagonist's group began tearing through our lines.
*Damn it...!*
From my position, this was a complete surprise attack.
There was nothing I could do in this situation.
The right wing's actual command was under Fourth General Pelaini.
*This is dangerous!*
The enemy's momentum was unnatural.
I decided to make the best possible response I could.
"Olaf! Prepare to counterattack the enemy! Brother Fudge! Support the troops from behind!"
But it was just a bit too late.
I'd assumed we were the attackers in today's battle. So I hadn't prepared for something like this.
I never dreamed the enemy would pull a tactical blunder just to try this stunt.
But whether their numbers made it a blunder or not no longer mattered.
Not after Fourth General Pelaini was killed by the protagonist.
"Cough!?"
Pelaini had thought the same as me—that we were the attackers.
That's why he'd positioned himself unnecessarily far forward.
And that became his downfall.
"General!"
"You bastards...!"
The enraged soldiers. Cassius had probably hoped the general's death would break their morale, but Pelaini might have lacked ability, yet he was a beloved leader with great renown.
The soldiers burned with fury, charging at the protagonist's group to kill them.
"Tch! I'll hold them here! Crans! Everyone! Go for the target!"
As Cassius stayed behind to tie up the other soldiers, every eye among the enemy officers turned to me.
*So the target was me!*
I had few guesses as to why they were targeting me.
*Revenge for Christian Feltz?*
If Feltz had close ties to the protagonist's group, it made sense.
*Or maybe Prince Eldric remembered me?*
Whatever the reason, if the enemy was gunning for me, I had to respond.
"Dorothy, head to the center army right now and get reinforcements."
"Y-Yeah!"
I sent Dorothy—who couldn't help in combat—as a messenger, then faced the enemy.
"Haaaah!"
Tat-tat-tat! Like lightning crackling.
Tena's rapier pierced the soldiers' heads.
"Sis Lina!"
"Got it!"
Lina, behind Tena, smashed approaching soldiers' heads with her greatshield, sending them crumpling to the ground in agony.
Dalmore Sting methodically finished off the incapacitated soldiers.
"Whew! Tena! Don't get so worked up! It's chaos!"
"Hehe, Dalmore, you just support us from behind like always."
"Jeez. You two are impossible."
Beyond them, Liser Haldras and Crans pressed forward, showcasing their overwhelming might.
*At this rate, our losses will be too great!*
No helping it now.
"Counterattack with everything we've got! Here we go!"
A direct clash between the protagonist's retainers and mine.
The kind of event that only happened at the game's climax.
Als's retainers versus the protagonist's retainers.
First, the rampaging Tena, Lina, and Dalmore faced off against Aegert, Gaspar, and Lisitea.
"Raaah!"
Clang! Aegert roughly batted away Tena's rapier. Even Tena could only stagger back from that brute force.
"Finally, the core forces show up...!"
"Heh, what're you talking about, lady? I'm just a freeloader here. No core force or anything."
"Lady!? You insolent—!"
"What, anyone older than me is an uncle or auntie."
"Y-You've got spirit! Let's see if you say that after tasting my rapier!"
"Come on, then!"
Nearby, Gaspar squared off against Lina.
Gaspar narrowed his eyes.
"A greatshield and sword, huh. Girl, don't tell me you're Woodmore's kid?"
"You know my father?"
"Know him? All too well. Stubborn bastard to the core. And his wife was a rapier user, right?"
"My mother too...? Who are you!?"
"Why the wide eyes? Don't tell me you thought I was some friend of Woodmore's? You'd be wrong. I never got along with that Woodmore brat!"
Boom! Gaspar's greatsword slammed against Lina's greatshield.
Lina slid back.
Between Dalmore and Lisitea, a lighthearted air hung.
"Huh! A woman after my tastes!? P-Please, could you remove your helmet!?"
"What are you?"
"Ahaha, when you ask like that, I don't know what to say... Just a lowly grunt. Feel free to pass by."
Tena and Lina snapped, "Do it properly!" Dalmore reluctantly raised his sword toward Lisitea. She shook her head and aimed her weapon in turn.
Lina's group, feet bogged down.
Eonia took on Liser Haldras.
"What are you?"
"..."
Eonia wanted to declare her name as Rania and shout that she was Als's loyal retainer, but after getting scolded for that after the last battle, she held back.
"No need to know. You'll be dead on my spear soon enough."
"Ha! Fine, show me what you've got!"
Their duel was evenly matched.
Finally, Ymir and Als stepped up to Crans.
*
*
*
"Young master, fall back!"
"No can do."
I felt a prickling sensation.
The pressure from this Crans guy was far greater than I'd expected.
*This guy's stronger than Fischer Partin!*
By my estimate, he might be below Anton, but compared to Master Illya, he was equal or slightly superior.
Estimated Strength: 96. One wrong move, and I could lose my life, so from the start, I had to wield both sword and spear.
"Chester Style, huh. That Guderian fool, spreading his arts everywhere."
As expected of Prince Eldric's man, he seemed well-versed in Western affairs.
"You're Prince Eldric's bodyguard, right?"
"Hmph, you remember. Well, I remembered you too, you punk who dared mouth off to His Highness...!"
Whoosh! It was like a massive steel beam swinging.
"Ugh!?"
His halberd aimed for my neck.
I crossed spear and sword, trying to use Sun-Moon Union to disarm him, but he knew Chester Style too—he deflected and pulled back.
"Ymir, don't rush in. Just holding out puts us at an advantage."
"Yes, young master."
If we held, we'd win. Dorothy was heading to the center army for reinforcements.
At most, thirty minutes.
They knew that too—their impatience grew with time.
At this rate, a breakthrough would come somewhere.
Aegert and Lisitea held no clear edge, but Gaspar's veteran skill was pressing his foe.
Lina's greatshield was dented in places from the attacks.
The protagonist's group on the defensive.
Then it happened.
"Don't give an inch!"
Dalmore, dueling Lisitea.
He bellowed to rally morale.
"This isn't our place to die! If we unite our strength, face the enemy as one, we can overcome any desperate crisis! Believe in yourself! Believe in Cassius! Believe in us, your comrades!"
The kind of shout straight out of a shonen manga.
"Fight for our brothers!"
"Rawr!"
Burlang's soldiers roared.
The protagonist's group grinned bitterly but surged with renewed vigor.
That was Dalmore's role in the unit.
Frivolous yet reliable. Unmatched in loyalty. He was the unit's lifeblood.
*Dalmore Sting...*
For a moment, I glanced that way.
"Where're you looking?"
"...!?"
Clang! Failing to fully block, I rolled across the ground.
His halberd came crashing down after me.
I angled my spear shaft against my sword diagonally, deflecting the blow and springing back to my feet.
*Dangerous...*
Without my duel with Fischer Partin, I might've died already. This opponent was that formidable.
Even with Ymir, it was this close; alone, I'd have been done for.
*Still, my side can hold...*
The problem was elsewhere.
Dalmore's morale boost had evened the odds. Gaspar, who'd been pressing, faltered under counterattacks.
Disaster could strike.
That's what gnawed at me.
That's when it happened.
"Urk!"
A fallen officer, mustering his last strength, stabbed Eo's calf with a dagger. Losing balance, Eo began getting pushed back hard.
I shouted to Lisitea, who had some leeway.
"No...! Lia! Go help her!"
"Got it!"
Lisitea kicked Dalmore away for distance and rushed toward Eo.
"Whoa there! Think I'd let you?"
Dalmore doggedly pursued. Lisitea, trying to aid Eo, got her feet tangled and stopped.
In that gap, Eo dropped her spear to Liser's precise strike and hastily drew her waist sword.
She was skilled with a sword too, but it paled against her main spear.
No way she could hold off an equal like Liser with it.
"It's over, girl. I'll cut your head off and see that face."
"Urk!"
Liser advanced slowly on Eo, intent on finishing her.
Eo glanced my way, sensing death.
Her eyes said it all.
*It was an honor serving you. Sorry.*
"Come at me!!"
Even in death, Eo poised to counter, aiming to at least scratch the enemy as her head fell.
*Eo dies...? No way!*
I couldn't even imagine it.
To save her, I'd do anything.
Gritting my teeth, I yelled.
"...Hornet! Unleash the hidden stinger!"