Chapter 546
Changing the Route (1)
As Jerome, the mages, the priests, and the dwarves separated to focus on their tasks, the speed of the mobile corps increased even more.
Dududududu!
Even while moving, Ghislain kept questioning the messenger who had brought news about the Salvation Church.
“Are you sure the Revolutionary Group has joined in?”
“Yes, sir. It’s clear that all the ones who were hiding have crawled out.”
“Did those bastards go to the Kingdom of Grimwell with them?”
“Yes, most of them did.”
“I see. If all of them gather, their numbers will be quite large.”
The Revolutionary Group had been operating in various parts of the continent, but they hadn’t achieved much success.
Kings and nobles had cracked down on them harshly, and on top of that, they had lost public support by committing looting and plundering in the name of their cause.
Their original ideals had long been corrupted, and now they were no different from a large band of brigands.
With the Salvation Church opening rifts and igniting civil wars across multiple nations, the Revolutionary Group found an even more favorable environment to thrive.
Ghislain smirked.
“So, the Salvation Church must be desperate to the point of joining hands with those bastards.”
That hadn’t happened in his past life. Back then, the Salvation Church had viewed the Revolutionary Group as an obstacle.
The church had to focus on spreading its faith, but the Revolutionary Group’s looting only created conflicts, forcing them to fight each other.
Yet now, the two biggest headaches have joined forces. And it was all because of him.
The future changed a lot.
When he first regressed, everything was within his expectations. He had twisted every event in his favor, manipulating the situation to his advantage.
He still held knowledge of the future, but with the circumstances having shifted so drastically, he could no longer be certain that events would unfold exactly as they once had.
‘Well, this was my goal in the first place.’
There was no longer a need to rely solely on his knowledge of the future. If he had been weak, things would be different, but right now, he commanded the most powerful army on the continent.
He had used his future knowledge to acquire this power, and as a result, he had built up strength similar to his past life but much, much faster.
From now on, he would simply crush everything with sheer force.
‘That doesn’t mean my knowledge has lost its value.’
Ghislain had fought the Revolutionary Group several times in his past life. He knew exactly who was leading them.
Of course, they had never been completely eradicated since he had been too occupied fighting rift creatures. The United Forces of Humanity hadn’t paid them much attention either, but that was only because the Revolutionary Leader was no easy opponent.
That bastard was a cautious one.
He was a man hardened by years of pillaging and survival. He wouldn’t move like a conventional army.
If nothing else, the mobility and ambush tactics of his direct unit were superior to any regular army.
Ghislain grinned and unfolded his map while still on horseback.
“We’re changing our route.”
The new destination he chose was between the Kingdom of Grimwell and the Kingdom of Atrode. Any movement between the two nations had to pass through this kingdom.
Through Dark, he sent new orders to Claude.
“Tell them to prepare for an ambush. The moment I arrive, we’ll begin our advance, so make sure to scout key positions for occupation and supply lines in advance.”
— “Hah, I can’t keep running back and forth like this.”
Dark grumbled a few times before transforming into a crow and flying away.
The mobile corps didn’t question the change. They simply adjusted their course the moment Ghislain altered his direction.
Julien and Parniel were the same. When it came to war, they trusted Ghislain’s decisions completely.
Only one person—
Lagging behind at the very rear, struggling to keep up on her horse Elena pouted.
“Ugh, I told you we shouldn’t keep running all over the place like this.”
Her complaints weren’t just about Ghislain pushing the army too hard. She was worried about something else her beloved horse.
Hihihik…
Elena’s horse was always exhausted. Despite being one of the largest and strongest among the mobile corps, it constantly struggled.
The reason was simple the absurd weight of the enormous war hammer she carried.
Because of this, Elena had to bring three additional horses as backups. Even though she fed them more potions than the others, it still wasn’t enough.
She had repeatedly pleaded with Ghislain to fix this problem.
— “Just let me switch to a rapier already! I'm fighting just fine now!”
— “No. If your combat power drops, you’ll regret it. Why would you willingly make yourself weaker?”
― "I'm already suffering losses! Because of you, my social reputation and image are at rock bottom! Do you know what my nickname is?"
― "I don't want to know. Anyway, listen carefully. Your combat ability declining is a national loss. So, absolutely not. I'll even talk to Father and have it legally stipulated that Elena cannot lift anything heavy."
― "Aaaagh! You're so annoying!"
No matter how much she yelled, Ghislain refused to allow her to change weapons. Because of that, Elena was constantly fuming.
Of course, she wasn’t the type to just give up. She was her brother’s sibling, after all. She had her own plans.
"Don’t think this world will always be yours."
Muttering a line befitting a villain, Elena twisted her lips into a smirk.
She often trained in combat techniques with Parniel. Parniel’s fighting style suited Elena the most.
From Elena’s perspective, Parniel was one of the few people who could fight Ghislain on equal footing.
That gave her hope. After all, she possessed the same divine power as Parniel.
"Just wait. If this turns into a prolonged battle, I'll be the one who wins in the end."
Her durability was already evolving into something beyond human, just like Parniel.
Of course, she knew she wasn’t ready yet. But if she continued gaining real combat experience and trained diligently…
One day, the time would come when she could smash that bastard’s head in with a hammer.
"And after that, I'll gracefully switch to only using a rapier."
With that thought, Elena burned with her own ambitions.
* * *
This nation had long been a formidable power, successfully holding back the Rifts and crushing the rebels.
Because of that, the soldiers' morale was exceptionally high. They had achieved countless victories, and they firmly believed this war would soon come to an end.
"Do not fear! As always, we will emerge victorious!"
At the commander’s cry, the fortress soldiers puffed up their chests.
The enemy forces before them were vast about 100,000 strong.
That was five times the number of the 20,000 defenders within the fortress.
And yet, the soldiers remained confident.
"We can win this time too."
"We've always won."
"The other fronts should be able to hold as well."
The Atrodean army had split into three legions and was advancing in a manner that encircled Grimwell’s royal capital.
But war wasn’t just about charging forward and crushing whatever stood in the way. A massive force required secure supply lines.
Their ultimate goal was to capture the king. To achieve that, they needed to seize key strategic locations along the way.
And Gartros had changed after his defeat in the Ritania Kingdom. He no longer overestimated his abilities and had become far more cautious.
"Our target is the royal capital. But we must move as swiftly as possible. I lack experience in commanding troops, so I will entrust everything to you. If you need my strength, use me however you see fit even if it means placing me at the very front of the battlefield."
Gartros directed his words toward a middle-aged man with a cold demeanor standing before him.
"Leave it to me. I will execute the most efficient strategy possible."
Count Biphenbelt, the Supreme Commander, bowed his head toward Gartros.
He was a renowned general who had played a crucial role in the conquest of the Kingdom of Atrode. He was also one of the most trusted retainers of Duke Leinster.
Without hesitation, Count Biphenbelt swiftly arranged the troops and issued orders.
"Prepare the ladders. Once the walls are neutralized, we advance immediately. Mages, prepare yourselves..."
The Atrodean army had an overwhelming numerical advantage. And Count Biphenbelt, who had worked closely with the Salvation Church's high-ranking priests, was well aware of their power.
"Revered priests, please take the lead."
A total of five transcendent high priests were present. Without hesitation, they soared toward the fortress.
"What the hell? Who are those guys?"
"They’re flying in… Looks like they're from the Salvation Church."
"Even if they’re transcendents, only five of them? Are they coming to surrender?"
At first, the fortress soldiers merely watched in disbelief.
No matter how powerful transcendents were, this fortress housed numerous knights and mages.
Even for transcendents, taking on an entire fortress with just five people seemed absurd.
That was why the soldiers were momentarily dumbfounded.
"What are you all standing around for?! Shoot them down! Attack now!"
Fwoooosh!
Arrows rained down from the fortress. However, the priests, shielding themselves with a black aura, let the arrows glance off them as they pressed forward without pause.
As they neared the fortress, they unleashed all their power at once.
Kwaaaaaa!
From their bodies, thousands of strands of black energy erupted, spreading in all directions.
“Cursed Light, Wail of the Abyss.”
With five high priests casting it simultaneously, the attack’s range expanded enough to cover the sky above the fortress.
At the overwhelming sight, the soldiers’ expressions twisted in fear.
“W-why are they using that…?”
Someone muttered.
They recognized the technique the priests had just unleashed. A high priest of the Salvation Church, aligned with the rebels, had used it before.
Even a single priest’s attack had inflicted tremendous damage. It was undeniably a powerful assault.
But they also knew it was a last-resort secret technique, only to be used in dire circumstances. If recklessly unleashed, even the priests’ lives would be at risk.
And yet, the five of them had charged in and used it outright.
Before they could even fully comprehend the situation, the black energy, now pouring down like rain, struck the fortress.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-boom!
“Uwaaaagh!”
Soldiers screamed as they were slaughtered.
Even superhumans had to focus solely on defense against such a devastating attack. Ordinary soldiers had no way of withstanding it.
The fortress commander bellowed,
“Wizards! The wizards must counter them! Hurry!”
The enemy hadn’t attempted to block their magic. The reason was unclear, but it allowed their allied wizards to cast spells freely.
Kwaaaaa!
Countless spells shot toward the priests from within the fortress.
Boom! Boom! Booooom!
Grimwell’s army had a considerable number of skilled wizards.
The Salvation Church’s priests, struggling to defend against the barrage of magic, hurriedly retreated.
“Guh…!”
“Hurry, fall back!”
The priests’ attack had essentially been a last-resort secret technique. If their energy ran low, they would even draw upon their life force.
With just that first attack, they had already expended more than half of their strength. If even half-exhausted superhumans lost their power, knights and wizards alone would be enough to handle them.
A few were injured due to their drained energy, but the salvation priests quickly fled, protecting themselves with what remained of their power.
The fortress commander ground his teeth at the unexpected assault.
“Those bastards actually charged in as the vanguard!”
Superhumans were powerful, and thus, their allies ensured they were well-protected. They couldn’t afford to be wounded or killed by enemy fire.
For that reason, superhumans almost never operated alone. They usually moved within their forces, maximizing their overwhelming strength.
But the enemy had exploited that expectation, catching them completely off guard.
“Don’t stop attacking! We must inflict more injuries!”
The fortress commander roared, and the wizards relentlessly hurled magic at the fleeing priests.
He took a deep breath as he watched them retreat.
“We should’ve at least killed one of them…”
Still, the enemy priests had withdrawn after exhausting a considerable amount of their strength. Some were even injured.
If the enemy lost their superhumans, even an overwhelming number wouldn’t be enough to breach their defenses.
They had suffered heavy losses from the sudden attack, but the fortress commander believed they could hold out until reinforcements arrived.
But that was when Atrode’s army's real attack began.
“Begin.”
At the moment Count Biphenbelt gave the order, Atrode’s wizards instantly unleashed their spells.
Kwaaaang! KWAANG!
Grimwell’s army had dropped its magic suppression to attack the priests. Seizing that opening, Atrode’s wizards launched their assault.
“Uwaaaagh!”
“It’s magic!”
“S-stop them! Deploy the magic barriers again, quickly!”
Grimwell’s wizards barely managed to restore their magic suppression in time to block the spells.
But by then, a significant portion of the fortress’s troops had already been wiped out.
“H-how did this…?”
The fortress commander’s face went blank with shock.
Had they really used the priests as bait to create that brief opening?
If anything had gone wrong, they could have lost their precious superhumans.
And yet, their enemy had still executed such a ruthless strategy.
The enemy commander was a terrifyingly bold individual.
That bold commander, Count Biphenbelt, spoke with an impassive expression.
“The priests will need to act as bait once more. I’ll send the knights to support you.”
“Understood.”
Superhumans were assets that others cherished and protected at all costs.
Yet Count Biphenbelt used them as mere bait.
To him, even superhumans were nothing more than another unit in his army.
“I apologize. But for the sake of victory, everything must be utilized.”
“Hah… No wonder His Highness favors you.”
Despite the seemingly ruthless approach, Gartros found himself impressed rather than offended.
The Ritania army’s strength didn’t stem from Ghislain’s sheer power alone.
Their unconventional tactics, backed by a formidable military, made them even more dangerous.
To face such an opponent, they needed an equally exceptional commander.
And Count Biphenbelt was precisely that.
“I’m counting on you. Go and rampage however you see fit.”
Wearing a twisted grin, Gartros soared toward the fortress.