Duke Pendragon

Just as with any other army, the army of the Great Territory of Alice was shaped as such – the commander-in-chief, Count Louvre, was located at the rear with his subordinate nobles and around 200 guards. Located in front of the 200 guards were more than 500 mercenaries and 1,000 elite spearmen waiting for orders to cross the bridge while protecting the supply unit.

“This feels a little slow.”

Count Louvre spoke in a slightly irritated voice. Although they started crossing as soon as the sun became visible in the distance, not even thirty percent of their troops had finished crossing the bridge.

“It must be because we have the cavalry leading the army.”

Baron Stones replied. He was one of the vassal lords and an elite knight of the Great Territory of Alice. Although Ronan Bridge was quite wide, it took quite some time for the proud 800 cavalries of Alice to cross.

“Once we finish crossing the bridge, the road will widen up substantially. We should pick up the pace as soon as that happens.”

“What about the griffons?”

“They have been ordered to keep a watch within a radius of 3 miles to the front and back. Nothing out of ordinary has been reported back yet.”

“Good. The Pendragon Duchy should know that our troops are near the bridge, so pay special attention to the surroundings and look over the formation of the spearmen and the mercenaries.”

“Yes.”

Baron Stones saluted before riding his horse forward.

“Lord Louvre.”

Count Louvre turned his head towards the voice. The one who called out with a stiff, tense expression was none other than Count Seyrod.

“The knight of Seyrod…”

“They only need to follow. There will be no need for you, sir, and your knights to step up. It will be quite troublesome for you if you do step up anyways.”

Count Louvre cut off Count Seyrod’s words with a bland smile.

“…got it.”

Count Seyrod dropped his head. He came all this way with only a few accompanying knights after hearing Count Louvre’s words. Currently, his daughter Luna’s soul was in someone else’s body, and there was a chance that she might be revived.

Although he received a definite answer that he did not have to participate in any battles, he felt extremely uncomfortable and guilty to accompany an army invading the Pendragon Duchy. After all, the Seyrod County shared a deep, historical bond with the Pendragon Duchy.

“Ha…!”

Count Seyrod raised his head with a long sigh. The cloudy sky seemed to represent his heavy, burdened heart.

“My lord…”

One of Seyrod’s knights came forward and cautiously called out.

“With all due respect, why don’t we turn around? I do not think it is too late. If the Pendragon Duchy finds out about this, we do not know what repercussions we might suffer.”

“That is right, my lord. Just opening the way for them would have angered Duchess Elena. If they find out that we are accompanying them…”

Another knight stepped forward.

They were true, devoted knights who worried for himself and the territory, but Count Seyrod shook his head while biting his lips.

“I know your hearts and intentions very well. But… but Luna… The child might come back to life. If it’s possible, I do not mind giving everything I have. That child… is my everything.”

“…..”

The knights could not find words to comfort nor convince their lord.

“All the cavalrymen have crossed the bridge, my lord.”

“Hmm. Let’s go.”

Baron Stones reported after returning, and Count Seyrod nodded in response. Soon, the mercenaries and spearmen located in front of them began to slowly march forward like a wave.

Clop. Clop.

It was when Count Seyrod and his surrounding troops began to slowly move,

“Hmm??”

Count Louvre turned his head with puzzlement. The area near the soldiers guarding the rear was somewhat noisy.

“What is going on?”

When the high lord asked with a frown, Baron Stones hurriedly bowed his head.

“I will go and see…”

“Kuwuuuuuughhh!!!”

Perhaps a thunderbolt on a clear day would sound like this. The thunderous roar showed no mercy to the eardrums of the soldiers.

“Ugh!”

“Keugh!”

Count Louvre and Count Seyrod, as well as the skilled knights instinctively curled up while covering their ears. As soon as they recovered from the shock, they turned their attention to the direction of the sound, and they became wide-eyed with shock.

“What?”

“T, that’s…!”

Booooom!

“Kuagh!”

“Ahk!”

Soldiers were tossed into the air along with a loud explosion.

“…..!”

In an instant, dozens of soldiers were thrown into the air and fell to the ground, their limbs bent weird angles. Everyone else stiffened at the sight.

And,

Kuwuuuuuughhh!!

Kyarararara!

As the beastly roar mixed with bizarre shouts, ‘they’ finally came into view. The soldiers felt their hairs standing on end as they heard and saw the monsters.

“O, orc…!”

Kuwuuuughh!!!

An orc warrior was rampaging towards them while scattering a red light even deeper than the color of blood from his eyes. His body was exuding an aura similar to the hellfire of hell as he charged, and three war horses followed right behind.

“S, stop them! Stop them!”

Baron Stones quickly stepped in front of Count Louvre, then shouted while pulling out his long sword.

But the ambush had been unexpected, and the momentum carried by the four warriors was fierce. The soldiers fumbled and panicked when they saw a gigantic orc warrior charging towards them.

“Protect the lord!”

At Baron Stones’ cry, footsoldiers and horsemen hurriedly surrounded Count Louvre and the nobles. The infantrymen quickly raised their shields to protect their lords, and with more than one hundred soldiers standing guard, the protection was solid. The mercenaries quickly noticed the situation and ran back towards the group, reinforcing the wall that protected Count Louvre and the nobles.

“My lord! This way!”

The knights of Seyrod also hurriedly protected their lord.

“Ready! Ready!”

Baron Stones shouted his orders, and the soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons.

Kuwuuuugh!

The orc warrior let loose a ferocious roar while charging towards them, which seemed to tear their eardrums. The soldiers began trembling unknowingly as they faced the orc.

The monster was holding two enormous steel rods. It felt as if a single swing of the black log could break their limbs and split their skulls.

“Hyaaaaap!”

Baron Stones erupted his spirit and raised his sword to prepare for the collision.

However,

Kwakwakwakwakwa!

The frenzied crimson spirit fluttered as the giant orc warrior ran straight past them.

“What?”

The eyes of Barone Stone and the knights grew even bigger when all four of the enemies completely ignored the troops protecting Count Louvre and the nobles and ran past them. Then, the orc warrior and the three mounted warriors dug into the group of mercenaries, who had not been in formation nor prepared to receive an attack

Pupupupuk!

“Kuagh!”

-Kuweegh!

The orc warrior pierced through the group of mercenaries without stopping, and his appearance was like a large, crimson sword due to the scattering of Orc Fear. The orc and the three warriors continued forward while turning their surroundings into an absolute shamble.

“Keugh! What are you all doing!? Capture, no, kill them! Call the griffons!”

“Ye, yes, my lord!”

Count Louvre shouted urgently. Baron Stones and the other knights quickly urged their horses forward in response. Simultaneously, long flags signaled to the griffon riders of the army.

Kiyaaaaahk!

Around a dozen griffons shot down from the nearby skies, where they had been circling, and neared the group of troops. However, Alice’s camp was already thrown into chaos due to the charge of Karuta, Jody, and the two elven warriors. The griffons could not act easily, only circling around above the troops.

While continuing his rampage, Karuta glanced up in the sky and pulled out one of the hand axes from his waist.

“Kuaaaaaahh!”

His left arm swelled as he shouted.

“Kuraaahhtchaaa!”

He threw the axe with all his might while sweeping away four soldiers with the steel rod held in his right hand.

Kuwa kuwa kuwa!

Although the axe appeared rather small in Karuta’s hand, it was as large as a woodcutter’s axe. The weapon shot through the sky like an arrow while twirling around.

One of the griffon riders became filled with shock and let out a shout when he saw the projectile.

“Huh!?”

Thuck!

A dull sound accompanied his moan. Originally, the axe had been aimed at the griffon’s wings. But instead, it lost its mark and split the rider’s forehead instead. After losing its owner, the griffon started thrashing around.

Kukakakakakak!

Karuta burst into maniacal laughter, then resumed his slaughter, sweeping through the surrounding soldiers like a storm with steel rods in both hands.

Kwakwakwakwakwa!

Orc Fear soared above his body, creating dozens of dark red flame stalks behind him.

“Uwahh…!”

The soldiers of the Great Territory of Alice were not incompetent. In fact, the army was extremely well-trained and disciplined. They could be counted as one of the best among the great territories.

However, Karuta had already earned the nickname, “The Red God of War” in the South. There was no one capable of facing his Orc Fear.

Moreover, most of the knights capable of utilizing spirit were placed at the forefront. In the end, they were thrown into panic when faced with Karuta’ Orc Fear, which was like hellfire emitted from a demon. Their bodies hardened like stone statues.

“Kuwuuuugh!”

Puck!

“Kuaagh!”

“Ahhhk!”

Karuta’s steel rods showed no mercy, and the soldiers were turned into bloody mush as they were sent flying. They attempted to thrust their spears instinctively, but there was no way Karuta would be hit by an attack containing no will or strength.

In less time than it took to drink a cup of team, dozens of soldiers were thrown into the sky and fell back down like fallen leaves in the autumn wind.

“Eek! Arrows! Pour out everything!”

One of the commanders shouted while gritting his teeth.

The archers loaded their bows with haste. They were relatively far from Karuta, which meant they were less influenced by his Orc Fear.

“Shoot! Fire!”

Papapapapat!

Dozens of arrows rose into the air.

“Ahhh!”

“Kuagh!”

But with the troops so tangled with each other, more than half penetrated the bodies of their allies and screams of pain resonated throughout the battlefield. Nevertheless, several blind arrows found their mark on Karuta, who was charging at the forefront.

Tiing! Thuck!

Although most projectiles were reflected off his armor, two found their mark on his arm and leg. But his skin and muscles were thicker and harder than those of bears and lions. Rather, the arrows only further angered the strongest Ancona Orc warrior. His eyes had long lost reason and were filled with desire for blood.

-Kuwuuuuuughhhhh!!!

Karuta opened his mouth and erupted into another mighty roar.

“Keugh!”

The roar was transmitted as invisible sound waves, causing dozens of soldiers in front of him to falter. In the meantime, the three horses that were following Karuta broke past him.

-Kyarararararara!

The Red Moon Valley warriors fired their arrows with horror-inducing screams.

Papapat! Papapat!

The arrows flew several times faster than the human soldiers’ arrows. They precisely found their targets, piercing into the hearts and foreheads of the enemies.

“HIyaaaap!”

One of the horses made its way between the two elves, and Jody swung his sword. Although his swordsmanship had never been outstanding, he found an enemy with every swing since he was surrounded by enemies on all sides.

“Huap! Kuhap!”

Jody continued swinging his blade. The fear of death filled him, but he was also excited that the operation was working.

“Uah! Kuah!”

He was neither a monster like Karuta nor a brave warrior of Red Moon Valley, but he did not stop. His back was covered with sweat and his arms were sore and stiff. A quarrel was already protruding from his side, but he could not stop.

“Ahhk!”

He could see enemy soldiers collapsing amidst a bloody haze through his blurred vision. However, what came to his mind was a dragon’s symbol flying against the backdrop of the blue sky and the wide back of the young monarch who reached out to him. It was almost fantastical.

“Keu! I, I am Jonathan Beerson, squire of Pendragon!”

Jody shouted loudly as if to cast a spell on himself, then ran past the two elven warriors with his sword raised high. A blade suddenly brushed the Pendragon Duchy’s symbol that was engraved on his chest.

The symbol of the White Dragon.

Although it was a battlefield of life and death, a smile appeared on Jody’s face. Oddly enough, he felt deeply satisfied. But then...

Thuck!

An arrow made its way through dozens of soldiers and penetrated his throat.