Chapter 347: A Nation That Lost Its Romance (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 347: A Nation That Lost Its Romance (5)
Hernad.
The city was engulfed in flames.
Under a relentless assault that had begun at the break of dawn, the sturdy castle walls finally crumbled.
Boom!
Rumble!
"The wall has collapsed!"
"Charge!"
It was a crucible of chaos.
The soldiers of Hernad hurriedly rushed to block the breach, but at the vanguard of the rebel army stood an unstoppable monster.
"Out of my way!"
Thud!
Crack!
The head of the first soldier he encountered was instantly crushed.
The man, sporting a fluttering white beard and bronzed skin, swung a halberd larger than his own body, sweeping away the enemies blocking his path. Those caught in the weapon's trajectory were torn apart, regardless of whether they wore sturdy armor or possessed fragile flesh. Even without violently erupting his Aura, he brutally shredded most of his opponents.
"B-block him!"
"Kill Duke Vieto!"
The man was none other than Duke Vieto.
Though he was approaching seventy, with the marks of time deeply etched into his face, the fierce momentum he radiated was no different from his prime. He was an existence no longer listed on the Valhalla Ranking. Having officially declared his retirement, he was considered out of the running. Yet, as a 5-Star Swordsman, he was once a formidable warrior who had comfortably ranked within the top ten.
Behind him, the rebel army surged forward.
The soldiers of Hernad were formidable, but they were no match for a rebel force of two hundred thousand.
"Follow me!"
Duke Vieto led the charge. He and other powerhouses, like Valderas, who was ranked 10th in the Valhalla Ranking, threw themselves into the fray to pave the way.
Just a few days ago, they had made their decision.
"The Valhalla Emperor's forces are gathering at Hernad. It is only a fraction of their total strength for now, but if more troops assemble, our chances of capturing the city will become slim. Now is our chance. With Roman Dmitry's whereabouts still uncertain, the Valhalla Imperial Court will assume we wouldn't dare attack with only the strength of the rebel army. Therefore, if we make a bold move now, we can take Hernad."
It was a sound judgment.
Having learned of the future plans through Roman Dmitry, Duke Vieto had gathered his forces in advance to launch this surprise attack. He did not yet fully trust Roman Dmitry. However, plotting a rebellion meant taking a gamble whenever even the slightest opportunity presented itself.
The enemies rushed in.
Duke Vieto charged wildly, unleashing an explosion of Aura that swept them away.
Boom!
Rumble!
"Aaargh!"
"Aaaah!"
Screams erupted from all directions. Dozens of soldiers were slaughtered in an instant.
Here in Hernad, there were no top-tier rankers to stop him. Although they had gathered the Emperor's soldiers and established a solid defense for a siege, Valhalla's leadership—including Marquis Belfir—had never expected Duke Vieto to launch such a reckless assault.
To simply call it a complacent judgment would be an understatement. Given the overwhelming disparity in military strength, the Imperial Court had assumed the rebels would resort to political maneuvering and swaying public sentiment rather than waging an outright war. Because of this, they were caught completely off guard. It wasn't that Hernad's forces were weak; they simply couldn't stop a rebel army charging forward with their lives on the line.
Ultimately, the castle gates were completely breached.
A one-sided slaughter ensued, and Duke Vieto, fighting at the absolute vanguard, locked eyes with Hernad's commander.
And then—
Crack.
He crushed the commander's head.
As blood splattered in all directions, Duke Vieto roared in a beastly voice.
"The enemy commander is dead! As fellow Valhallans, those who surrender shall be spared!"
The fierce siege battle. This was the moment it finally came to a close.
* * *
Hernad was also a city of ordinary citizens.
The people gathered. Instead of cowering in terror at the fall of their castle, they flocked to the streets to lay their eyes upon the rebel army.
Amidst the commotion, Duke Vieto stepped forward like a triumphant general, raising his voice to the crowd.
"People of Valhalla, listen! Valhalla has been a nation of warriors for generations. We took pride in Valhalla's tradition of resolving matters fairly through strength and purely competing in might. But what has become of Valhalla today?"
Just as Marquis Belfir had anticipated, public sentiment was crucial. Now that they had won the battle, they absolutely had to win over the hearts of the people watching the rebels' movements.
"The traitors crying out for 'progress' have destroyed Valhalla's legitimacy! By colluding with the Kronos Empire, they have proven themselves blinded by filthy power. The prime example of this is what happened at Valhalla's festival. Roman Dmitry expressed his desire to attend and grace that glorious occasion, but how did Valhalla treat him? They did not show him an ounce of respect. They wanted him dead! Instead of treating the festival stage as sacred, they used it as an execution block to dispose of him!"
"Filthy traitors!"
"That was unjust!"
A few raised their voices. Though they hadn't swayed everyone yet, a fierce desire began to burn in the eyes of the crowd.
"Roman Dmitry won! As a true warrior, he seized victory and shattered the filthy traitors' intentions for all to see. Yet, the Valhalla Imperial Court still mobilized the Kronos Empire in an attempt to kill him. Since when has Valhalla fallen so low? If they wanted to deal with Roman Dmitry, they should have defeated him fairly on the stage through sheer strength, in the true Valhalla way! That is the reality of Valhalla today. That is why I took up arms. Because I could no longer stand by and watch Valhalla rot, I, Vieto, have made my decision!"
Grip.
He held his halberd firmly. Looking around at the crowd, he raised it high and roared.
"Follow me! I, Vieto, shall reclaim the glory of Valhalla!"
"Vieto! Vieto!"
"Vieto! Vieto!"
A few people were the first to raise their voices. The intense passion spread like wildfire, and soon, everyone who had poured into the streets began chanting Duke Vieto's name.
This was the power of public sentiment. In a situation where they were outnumbered more than ten to one by the Emperor's forces, Duke Vieto had resolved to rebel relying solely on the belief that the people's hearts would support him.
The streets overflowed with enthusiastic cheers. The rebels were certain. The desire to reclaim Valhalla's roots would restore Valhalla to its rightful place.
* * *
Once the situation was settled, the leadership of the rebel army gathered. Though they had put on a confident front before the crowd, they knew the reality of their situation was not so hopeful.
"What is the status?"
"The Valhalla Imperial Court has issued a general summons. They sent a portion of their forces to the North and formed a subjugation force with the remaining troops, numbering nearly one million. They have no intention of caring about public sentiment. It seems they plan to sweep this place clean in one fell swoop and crush the rebellion entirely."
One million.
Considering the vast territory and the forces needed to protect the Capital, they had sent almost everything they could mobilize. It was devastating news for the rebels. Facing a million-strong army before a full-scale uprising had even begun meant there was no way Hernad's walls could withstand their assault.
At that moment, Duke Vieto turned to Sanchez and asked, "Sanchez. Do you truly believe Roman Dmitry's plan will succeed?"
"Yes, I am certain of it."
Sanchez was the core of the rebel army. As the one who had spearheaded this plan, his words carried significant weight.
"Roman Dmitry declared the Valhalla Empire a hostile nation, just as he promised. As proof, the Valhalla Imperial Court dispatched a portion of their forces to the Northern Front. It is undoubtedly a decision made to prepare for Roman Dmitry leading his troops to attack. And just moments ago, thanks to the instigators, we were easily able to secure the people's support."
During Duke Vieto’s passionate speech just moments ago, Roman Dmitry's people had been hidden amidst the crowd.
Members of the Hao Sect were scattered all over the continent. They had watched the situation unfold and casually tossed out remarks to rally support for Duke Vieto. The Emperor of Valhalla was a symbol of terror. No matter how noble Duke Vieto's cause was, the people of Valhalla might have remained silent, paralyzed by fear.
The Hao Sect had incited the crowd—not by fabricating lies, but simply by fanning the flames already burning in their hearts, causing the people's desires to flare up wildly.
Looking back at the situation, Duke Vieto had no choice but to acknowledge it. Though he had initially been displeased with the instigators' intervention, Sanchez's advice had convinced him that such strategic moves were necessary. The result was a resounding success. He couldn't help but feel a fresh wave of admiration.
Roman Dmitry lived in a far-off foreign land, making it incomprehensible how and when he had managed to plant his people so deeply within Valhalla. What was certain was his chilling level of detail. Dispersing the enemy forces to the North and mobilizing instigators to sway the masses—all of it had originated from Roman Dmitry's mind.
Duke Vieto spoke. "For now, things are proceeding as we anticipated. Always keep this in mind: ultimately, it is our own strength that must bring about this rebellion. To reclaim Valhalla's traditions, we must bleed, fight, and win it ourselves. Only then will this fight have meaning. Only then can we stand proudly before the people."
"We will keep that in mind."
"We will keep that in mind."
Rebellion. They had agonized greatly before making the decision. But now that they had gathered as a rebel army, they were prepared to lay down their lives for Valhalla.
"Begin preparations to meet the enemy here in Hernad."
"Your command is received."
For now, they would observe the situation while holding the line in a siege defense. If the other plans Roman Dmitry spoke of were executed in the meantime, the flames of rebellion would truly roar to life.
* * *
Meanwhile, the subjugation force was on the move.
The leader of the army tasked with executing the rebels was Count Gomez. He took command and immediately received a report on the situation in Hernad from his subordinate.
"Just moments ago, Hernad fell. Duke Vieto has occupied Hernad and seems intent on using it as a base to stage a siege defense."
"To think Hernad has already fallen." Count Gomez scowled.
He had been keeping a close eye on the rebels' movements. That was why he had gathered troops in Hernad, but they were not enough to stop the rebel army surging forward with Duke Vieto at the helm.
The man certainly lived up to his reputation as the "Giant Rock." Duke Vieto possessed a heavy presence and rarely made hasty moves, but once he made a decision, he crushed everything in his path like a giant boulder rolling down a hill. It was that very boldness that had once elevated him to a position of supreme power, before he stepped back when the Emperor of Valhalla seized control.
He was a formidable opponent. If they failed to suppress him early on, the rebellion would drag out and eat away at the Valhalla Empire.
"We will pour all our strength into a single assault. Summon all of Valhalla's top-tier rankers, excluding Cesar. The only powerhouse the enemy can field is Valderas. If we mobilize our overwhelming numbers alongside the top-tier rankers, Duke Vieto won't be able to withstand the subjugation force's attack, no matter what preparations he has made."
"Understood."
Cesar was the number one ranker and Valhalla's greatest sword. Since he was tasked with defending the Capital, summoning every other top-tier ranker was a truly unprecedented move.
However, a problem arose from an entirely unexpected place.
The subordinate who had left to deliver the orders returned to Count Gomez, blurting out an absurd report.
"Count Gomez! We have a major problem! The top-tier rankers have just been summoned to a Decisive Battle!"
"...A Decisive Battle?!" His eyes widened.
A Decisive Battle. That was a term that should not—and could not—be brought up at a time like this.
* * *
What was a Decisive Battle?
It was a unique tradition in Valhalla that could only be invoked by those recognized as top-tier rankers—the top ten. Once the authority of a Decisive Battle was invoked, the challenged party could not refuse.
The reason Count Gomez was so shocked was not simply because a Decisive Battle was taking place. The real issue was that a Decisive Battle did not end with an opponent's surrender; it only ended with the death of one of the participants.
Who on earth would declare a Decisive Battle at such a critical juncture?
Count Gomez demanded, "Who the hell is it?! What bastard committed such an absurd act?"
No one came to mind. Most of Valhalla's current top-tier rankers were loyal followers of the Valhalla Emperor, and they had no reason to make a decision that would surely draw his ire. Furthermore, they were all on the same side. Killing one another just to move up a single rank made absolutely no sense unless there was a deep-seated grudge.
A wave of dizziness washed over him. Faced with Count Gomez's furious questioning, the subordinate hesitated repeatedly before finally squeezing out a name.
"Ares," the subordinate stammered. "Ares, ranked 3rd, has declared a Decisive Battle against Alvarez, who is ranked 2nd."
Ares.
At the sudden mention of that single name, Count Gomez's expression froze ice-cold.