Chapter 105: The Unfinished War (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 105: The Unfinished War (2)
Immediately after the battle ended, Roman fell into deep thought.
'There are still many things in this world that I do not know.'
This was an unknown world.
Experiencing magic firsthand had been a fresh shock. He had read countless books in the library, repeatedly imagining what magic was like and how to prepare for it, but the knowledge in his head felt entirely different from reality. He knew that Mother Nature responded to a mage's touch, but tree branches moving like snakes and intense, roaring flames went far beyond his imagination.
It was a domain completely different from shamanism.
It was impressive.
While both shared the same root of utilizing the energy of nature, the Murim had developed martial arts, whereas this world had created a new domain called magic.
'Magic is a power I cannot judge hastily. If Edwin Hector had been a far more powerful mage, I might not have escaped alive even if I exerted all my strength. I have not yet fully recovered my martial arts as the Heavenly Demon Baek Joong-hyuk. Hasty judgments could drive me straight into the jaws of death.'
The pincer attack from Edwin Hector and Butler had been a genuinely dangerous moment.
Edwin Hector's magic struck from unexpected angles, and Butler was the first truly strong opponent he had faced in this new world. Heavenly Demon Sword Technique - First Half Third Form. Even the strike he had unleashed with the absolute intent to kill had been blocked by Butler. Had Roman made a single mistake, he could have lost his life to the immediate counterattack.
If he could turn back time, what choice would Roman make?
'Even then, I would have made the exact same choice.'
On the battlefield, wishing for safety was a luxury.
The Heavenly Demon Baek Joong-hyuk had risen to the absolute peak by overcoming countless deadly situations, and his mindset remained unchanged. He needed experiences where his life was on the line. He knew that if he died due to a lack of ability, then his vessel was only ever meant to be that size. But if he overcame the trial and survived, he would advance to the next stage.
His blood boiled.
He knew there were still many mountains left to cross in this new world. Watching the morning sun rise, Roman Dmitry could not contain his boiling blood.
"Chris."
"Speak, my lord."
"The Hector Kingdom will not give up here. This war is not merely a battle of pride; it is a matter of Hector's very fate. They will likely rest for about a day and then move quickly to clear out the defense positions on the Southern Front."
"Should we prepare our troops immediately, then?"
"No." He shook his head.
Edwin Hector was no easy opponent. If he chose to continue the war despite experiencing Roman's martial prowess firsthand, it meant he was sufficiently prepared.
"The enemies we fought through the night are only a fraction of their forces. The Hector Kingdom still possesses overwhelming military power compared to the Southern Front. If we rashly descend the mountain, we risk being wiped out. From now on, this is not a situation we can handle on our own. The Cairo Royal Family will surely send their main army to subjugate the Hector Kingdom, so we need to maintain our strength and get enough rest until then."
He was not drunk on victory. He looked at reality with cold eyes.
The safety of the other troops on the Southern Front? That was none of his concern.
Risking his life to save them would be an incredibly foolish decision right now.
'Despite my warnings, the commanders of the Southern Front chose to remain in their castles. From now on, that burden is theirs to bear. If they can hold out for ten days, they might save their own lives, but even if they are entirely wiped out, it won't have a major impact on the overall situation. The real question is whether Cairo's main army can recapture the Rear Base. I just need to conserve my strength until then and make my move once the stage is set.'
His decision was made.
Chris nodded. "Understood."
Leaving him behind, Roman climbed higher up the mountain.
"I will take some time to myself. Do not disturb me under any circumstances until I give the order."
That was the last command Roman gave.
* * *
He set up a formation.
Having secluded himself in his own space, Roman sat cross-legged and sank into deep meditation.
'Edwin Hector. He anticipated my attack and waited, spinning a web like a spider.'
He caught his breath.
His consciousness sank deep. As his five senses faded, the sensations around him began to distort.
'It started with intense flames.'
Flash.
He opened his eyes.
Before him, intense flames erupted, sweeping directly toward Roman.
"Inferno."
Whoosh!
Roar!
A heat so intense it could melt skin on contact. Roman dodged swiftly. Right then, exactly as he remembered, Edwin Hector attempted to corner him using Memorize magic.
'What if I had attacked without giving him an opening here?'
Rumble!
He channeled his mana. An explosive movement. In an instant, he penetrated the opponent's space, deflecting all attacks with concise movements even as flames raged right before him. He accepted a certain amount of damage. Though his skin turned red-hot, he prevented severe burns by protecting his body with mana.
And then—
'Lightning.'
Flash.
The ultimate fast sword technique. Aura erupted from his blade, and in the blink of an eye, he slit Edwin Hector's throat.
However, the attack failed.
Edwin Hector vanished using Blink, just as he had evaded Roman's final blow in reality. And Butler did not miss the opening exposed immediately after the strike.
In an instant, Roman's body shook violently. Enraged that his liege had been attacked, Butler unleashed his 5-Star Aura to its absolute limit and struck.
Boom!
Crash!
The atmosphere shuddered.
It was undeniable. Butler was a step above the current Roman. Even though this was merely an imaginary entity, the pressure was vivid. Roman countered Butler's relentless strikes while utilizing his footwork.
But the moment he let his guard down even slightly, Edwin Hector's magic exploded.
It was a severely disadvantageous situation. To preserve his life, retreating would be the correct choice, but Roman made a decision entirely different from reality.
'Now.'
An opening in the attack. He penetrated that space. Channeling the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, he aimed to sever Butler's neck.
As a result—
Slash!
Thud.
Roll.
Roman's head flew off.
The conclusion of his simulation was brutal: the Butler Roman had faced could easily react to an attack of that level and launch a fatal counterattack.
The surroundings reverted to the beginning once more.
Before Roman Dmitry's eyes, Edwin Hector was casting Inferno. Facing the scorching flames that filled his vision, he made a different choice this time.
Repeated choices.
He died over and over again.
In the world of his mind, Roman repeated the scenarios. Regardless of victory or defeat, he witnessed firsthand the consequences his choices would bring.
Boom!
Roar!
He was engulfed in flames. The pain of his flesh burning was identical to reality, yet Roman found himself enjoying the situation.
'In this world, I am not absolute. My final years in the Murim were incredibly tedious, but as Roman Dmitry, I must risk my life against Butler, who isn't even the strongest in the Hector Kingdom. Perhaps I wished for this kind of situation. New challenges, new powerhouses. I am an existence that cannot live satisfied with a comfortable life.'
He smiled.
From the absolute bottom to the very peak, he had overcome countless crises. A child who might have once been ordinary had become an extraordinary being by living a thrilling, intense life.
Therefore—
'Once more.'
Charging through the flames, Roman rushed toward his enemies.
* * *
The battle in his imagination.
He could no longer remember how many times he had repeated it. He simply kept fighting. How the opponent would attack, how they would react to his own strikes—countless scenarios accumulated in his mind based on the memories he had personally experienced.
His attacks did not fail every time.
There were scenarios where Roman slew both of them and emerged victorious, but he was not satisfied and reset the situation once more.
The law of the jungle.
This was how he had survived. Whenever he encountered enemies too difficult to handle, Baek Joong-hyuk would constantly reflect and devise various ways to slaughter them.
Whoosh!
He attacked Edwin Hector.
It was a trap. He exploited Butler's fierce loyalty. Targeting the opening Butler created as he rushed in to block the strike, Roman drove his sword straight into the knight's heart.
Stab!
"Ugh."
A heavy groan escaped Butler's lips as he staggered and collapsed. Left alone, Edwin Hector was no match for Roman.
He cut both of them down. By the time Hector's soldiers arrived, Roman was already gone.
The next scenario.
This time, he utilized Edwin Hector's attack. He drew Butler in just enough, engineering the situation so that Edwin Hector's magic blasted his own knight.
Bang!
Roar!
Flames erupted. As Butler was engulfed in the inferno, Roman took his head.
An act repeated countless times.
All possible scenarios were calculated and accumulated. It might differ from reality; the actual enemies might possess even greater hidden strength. But at the very least, he had systematically figured out the perfect solutions to the moments he had already experienced.
Finally—
Slash!
He took off the opponent's head in the shortest possible time.
He caught his breath. Having accumulated as much experience as he desired, his consciousness rose back to the surface, and his surroundings returned to normal.
However, Roman's physical condition was not good.
Even though the battles had taken place entirely in his mind, red, swollen wounds remained all over his body. Pain rushed in. His dry lips were cracked, but Roman stood up with an indifferent expression.
'It is time to go back.'
Not yet.
The war was not over.
* * *
Upon Roman's return, Chris briefed him on the situation that had transpired in his absence.
"Just as you predicted, my lord, the Hector Kingdom launched simultaneous attacks on the frontline defense positions of the Southern Front. In just one day, the 3rd and 4th Defense Lines collapsed, and not long after, the 2nd Defense Line also fell into enemy hands. And just yesterday, after packing up all their war supplies, the Hector Kingdom gathered at the Rear Base. It seems they intend to make a desperate stand there."
A siege.
It was the best choice they could make. For Roman, it was an expected outcome, but for Henry Albert, it was a completely different story.
"Lord Roman! The Cairo Royal Family is in an absolute frenzy right now. They thought the defense positions of the Southern Front would hold out until Cairo's main army arrived, but they all collapsed in less than three days. There is no hope for the Southern Front. If we stay like this, our lives will be in danger as well!"
Soon, Cairo's main army would arrive.
However, the Hector Kingdom had already completed their preparations for a siege. From this point on, heavy sacrifices were unavoidable.
"The Cairo Royal Family is desperately waiting to contact you, Lord Roman Dmitry. We have done enough! So, why don't we leave the rest to Cairo's main army? A siege battle is a meat grinder where sacrifices are inevitable. If the Hector Kingdom is pushed to the edge of a cliff, they certainly won't fall alone!"
Henry Albert showed clear signs of anxiety.
He was terrified that Roman might suddenly decide to do something reckless on his own. Having resolved to stay by Roman's side no matter what, he desperately hoped Roman would make the safest choice possible.
About a week had passed. While Roman was taking time to himself, the tide of war had drastically changed.
Roman spoke.
"Establish communication with the Royal Family."
For now, it was time to speak with the Cairo Royal Family, who must have been burning with anxiety for the past week.