Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The Unyielding Enemy (3)
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Veris, a high-ranking executive of the Doomsday Society, mobilized eight executives and over two hundred elite combatants to assassinate King Ludel of Jaist. Command of the operation fell to Neria, the highest-ranking among the regular executives.
But the assassination plan went awry from the planning stage. They'd pinpointed King Ludel's position before attempting the hit, only to discover his tent was right next to the Emperor's—a major problem.
They'd expected heavy guards, but not to this extent, leaving Neria flustered.
"Lady Neria. What are your orders?"
Her adjutant approached cautiously, having confirmed the unexpectedly tight security. He was asking if there were any changes to the attack plan on King Ludel.
"We attack, of course. With the Philius Imperial Army finished preparing to cross the border, we have no other options."
Neria's voice was sharp. They couldn't back down just because success seemed unlikely.
If the Philius Imperial Army broke through the border, Neria herself would face execution from the Doomsday Society.
The Jaist Mage Kingdom's border forces were already doomed against the assembled Philius Imperial Army—it was a foregone conclusion. In essence, Neria was as good as condemned.
Her only shot at salvation was pulling off the assassination, which explained her desperate resolve.
"Relay to the combat teams: the plan stands. We attack at the scheduled time."
"Understood."
The adjutant nodded slightly and withdrew, spreading Neria's decision to all combatants.
True to their deep loyalty to the Doomsday Society, there were no complaints or dissent—just uneasy glances.
No one spoke. An ominous silence stretched on until the moment Neria had planned for the attack to begin.
"It's time."
Neria muttered to herself and raised her left hand in signal. Her right gripped a jet-black longsword.
The hand signal rippled through the team leaders, and the combatants began moving in earnest.
They slipped into the shadows, burrowing deep into the Philius Imperial Army's camp.
The outer sentries failed to detect the Doomsday Society combat teams' approach. The knights fared no better, but they couldn't evade Azure Tower Lord Risefield Dior's watchful eyes at the center.
"Enemy raid!"
Risefield shouted, his voice amplified by magic summoning patrolling troops and rousing the sleeping.
"We're under attack!"
"Where's the alarm coming from?"
"The central area!"
"Damn it! Isn't that where His Majesty the Emperor is? Move, now!"
The Philius Imperial Army sprang into action. The first to block Neria and her combatants were the Imperial Army troops.
"Who dares threaten the imperial family?!"
Leading them was Cassias.
"Lady Neria. It's the Imperial Army..."
"Sacrifice doesn't matter. We break through in one go."
"Pardon...?"
As the adjutant's eyes widened in shock, Neria had already kicked off the ground and leaped into the air.
A few quick-witted combatants followed her, charging the Imperial Army.
The Imperial Army's formation was solid. Neria and the Doomsday Society executives were highly skilled, and their subordinates elite, but piercing the Imperial Army's iron wall was no easy feat.
As the Imperial Army bought time, mages from the Azure and Crimson Towers joined with knight squadrons, worsening the situation.
"Lady Neria! Breaking through like this is impossible!"
One of the Doomsday Society executives bellowed amid the chaos. Their subordinates kept falling, yet the Imperial Army's formation didn't budge.
If anything, reinforcements made it stronger with time, and Neria couldn't hide her growing anxiety.
"Cut the tail! While they stall, a small team breaks through!"
"But Lady Neria! That means facing the 'Royal Guard' with just a few!"
The shield of the imperial family, the Royal Guard, was leagues above the Imperial Army.
Unlike the era of the previous Emperor, Ronald Philius, the Royal Guard had been steadily strengthened under Raymond's reign.
Even if a small team broke through by sacrificing the rest, they stood no chance against the Royal Guard.
"But we can't just get wiped out here!"
Neria was resolute, and the other executives couldn't sway her stubbornness.
In the end, after sacrificing most of the combat teams, Neria and the eight executives broke through the Imperial Army's formation.
"W-We broke the formation!"
One executive shouted in exhilarated frenzy. But Neria's face was taut.
They'd pierced the Imperial Army, but only eight remained. Elite executives or not, they were meager against the formidable Royal Guard ahead.
"Stay sharp. The real fight starts now."
Neria barked sharply. The executives scanned their surroundings tensely. But no Royal Guard pursued—not even Imperial Army chasers.
"Lady Neria...? Gahk!"
As one executive approached Neria, a sharp blade pierced his throat from behind.
Blood sprayed, and the executive collapsed with a pained groan, a hole in his neck. From the shadows emerged a silver-haired middle-aged man with a monocle over one eye: Bishop Rishiver.
"Long live His Majesty the Emperor. With this chance granted to us, we shall prove our worth."
He wielded a sinister chain-sickle. As he raised his head, heretic extermination enforcers in black priestly robes appeared one by one from the darkness.
Enforcers were the elite combatants holding executive rank within the Heretic Extermination Corps.
Dozens had appeared, each radiating a chilling aura that even cowed the Doomsday Society's brutal executives.
"Is this... the end...?"
Neria murmured softly. She had no confidence in breaking through those black priests.
Even if luck favored them, the Royal Guard waited beyond—an unwinnable fight.
"Heretics daring to challenge imperial authority. Strike without mercy."
Bishop Rishiver commanded coldly, and the enforcers surged forward.
With every swing of their weapons, the Doomsday Society executives who'd infiltrated with Neria died gruesome deaths, screaming.
"Arrrgh!"
"Gaaah!"
When the screams ended and Neria came to, not a single executive remained alive. All lay cold on the ground.
"Ha... haha..."
A hollow laugh escaped Neria's lips. It felt like yesterday they'd ravaged the Philius Empire's capital, yet now they couldn't even reach the Emperor.
"Bishop. One left."
"Take her alive?"
"No need. We have enough intel, and these types just off themselves anyway. Might as well kill her now—no hassle."
Their conversation drifted over. Black-robed priests approached, weapons trained on her.
She should resist, but the will and strength were gone. She could only accept death.
The enforcer swung, and her body crumpled lifelessly.
Right after the Doomsday Society's attack ended in futility, Cassias visited Raymond's tent to report.
"All enemies eliminated."
"Well done, Sir Cassias. No stragglers hiding in the camp amid the chaos?"
"Central Intelligence is confirming, but they say there's no need for concern. Rest assured, Your Majesty."
Cassias bowed politely, easing Raymond's worries.
"Remember this: as we advance across the border, no obstacles allowed."
Raymond declared in a quiet but firm voice. Conquering the Jaist Mage Kingdom was their top priority.
Recon from Haipel Special Forces had detected multiple Doomsday Society executives and members active within Jaist.
The kingdom had become a region needing purification through a grand extermination campaign, led by the Imperial Church.
"We shall remember and heed it well!"
Cassias replied loudly. With firm assurance from Count Potas of Philius Central Intelligence that there was nothing to worry about, he answered without hesitation.
"That's enough. Imperial Army Commander Sir Cassias, return to your unit at once and ready the troops."
"I shall obey the imperial command!"
Cassias saluted crisply, bowed, and returned to his forces.
The next day dawned amid tense quiet.
The Philius Imperial Army, including the Imperial Army proper, completed preparations. Over eighty thousand troops crossed the border en masse.
Marquis Hellings, commander of Jaist's border forces, met them with thirty thousand and iron resolve.
Five squadrons of flying ships from the Aerial Force supported the border troops.
"It's King Ludel's turn. Marquis Hellings has the border forces locked down, but if we invoke legitimacy, the lower officers and soldiers will waver badly."
Raymond nodded at Count Denitz's suggestion. King Ludel appeared before the Jaist border army.
Mid-level and higher officers showed no reaction, but rank-and-file soldiers and junior officers wavered visibly.
Surrenders trickled in from small units across the border region. Before proper battle could begin, Jaist's border forces were gravely weakened.
"Execute deserters on sight."
Frustrated, Marquis Hellings resorted to extremes.
He formed lone wolf squads. They ambushed and mercilessly executed deserting small units.
Composed of the border army's most loyal elites, the lone wolves were unstoppable by small groups.
But their rampages only plummeted the border army's morale further.
Marquis Hellings knew it, yet couldn't disband them.
Without them, there'd be no stopping the desertions.
"No further defections expected from Jaist border forces."
On the seventh day after crossing, Count Potas of Philius Central Intelligence reported.
"The time has come."
Raymond murmured softly. All at the command meeting nodded in agreement.
In the quiet hush, Raymond spoke calmly.
"Count Denitz."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Issue the advance order to all forces. Tomorrow morning, we crush the Jaist border army."
"I shall obey!"
Count Denitz shouted firmly, bowing. His subordinates saluted sharply.
The next day, the Philius Imperial Army advanced. Marquis Hellings's forces held firm, sparking fierce combat.
The outcome was predictable: Philius victorious, Jaist defeated.
After three days of bloody battle, Hellings retreated with barely ten thousand survivors. Raymond figured they'd advance unhindered to the next territory.
But he was wrong.
"Behold the true undying army."
As the Philius forces rested and regrouped before marching on a corpse-strewn battlefield, the Doomsday Society's necromancer Rodin appeared.
He grinned at the myriad bodies, then traced a magic circle in the air with his bone staff.
A sinister green circle formed, and the corpses stirred from eternal rest one by one.
"Kekeke! That's it!"
Rodin laughed maniacally. Another circle appeared, splitting space to reveal a void beyond.
From it poured elite undead legions clad in black steel.
"Undying horde! Annihilate my foes!"
Rodin's cry echoed. The death-scented army marched on the Philius camp.
A patrolling cavalry unit spotted them and galloped back. Within thirty minutes, word reached the Emperor.
"Night's Executioners..."
Raymond muttered, biting his lip. An annoying forgotten foe had resurfaced—not welcome at all.
"Their numbers are considerable. Orders?"
Marquis Kreier asked cautiously. Raymond closed his eyes, gathered his thoughts, then spoke evenly.
"Take out the necromancer first. Find him."