Only 19 seconds. That was the time it took for the solo number knight to jump from the wall, get through the eight young knights, and reach Lauel.

Syuk!

The Y-shaped sword flashed towards Lauel’s neck. Fast. Lauel’s death seemed inevitable. But Lauel lived. A pebble came flying from Reidan’s troops and stopped the sword of the solo number knight.

‘Unbelievable!’

A solo number knight. They referred to the top nine of the Red Knights, the strongest people on the continent. It was evaluated that their strength was higher than Piaro, the former leader of the Red Knights. It was because all the Red Knights of the present day had accomplished the status of great swordsman.

The 9th knight, Nautilus, couldn’t believe it after his sword was blocked by a stone.

‘A person who can throw a stone that can block my sword exists?’

It was also in a small kingdom?

‘Duke Grid?’

No, Nautilus had already penetrated through Grid’s skills and talent. He had watched from afar during the war with Prince Ren and fully understood Grid’s fighting skills. He was strong, but a few levels below Nautilus. Grid wouldn’t be able to reach this level even if he trained all his life. If that was the case?

‘It can’t be... Piaro?’

There was information that the last place the traitor hid was the Eternal Kingdom. It was possible that this was Piaro.

‘No, no. It isn’t Piaro.’

Piaro hadn’t been capable of this in his prime. He couldn’t stop Nautilus’ sword with a stone when his skills had fallen far below what it was in the past.

‘Who is it?’

1 second. Nautilus was feeling confused.

“Lauel. Protect.”

Jude arrived and swung the +8 Dainsleif (Reproduction). The black sword fell towards Nautilus’ head like a lightning bolt.

Chaaeng!

“Kuk!”

Nautilus’ arms and legs shook when he collided with Jude’s sword.

‘What is this strength?’

It wasn’t simply high muscular strength. The person in front of him seemed to have learned how to exert double or triple his actual strength.

Kwang!

Kwa kwang!

Nautilus realized as he defended against two more strikes from Jude.

‘He isn’t afraid of death.’

He seemed to have 10 lives. This person didn’t care about being hit by a counterattack or his own well-being. He just wielded the sword in order to destroy the enemy. It was more intense and threatening because the opponent was an animal that acted through instincts.

‘Is he from Durima?’

They were a crazy clan that raised puppets who only knew how to kill with weapons.

‘Anyway, he’s weak.’

Nautilus regained his coolness, avoided Jude’s diagonal slash by bending his knees, then he stabbed his sword upwards.

Seokeok!

A white aura sprang out and caused a deep wound on Jude’s thick chest. Nautilus jumped into the air and stabbed his sword in Jude’s shoulder.

“Ouch. It hurts.”

“Jude!”

The Overgeared members running from the rear were worried. They was concerned about Jude dying, but it wasn’t easy to move through the gaps between 3,000 soldiers. Faker stepped lightly on the soldiers’ head and was the fastest. However, he was still far away.

“This is the end.”

The moment that Nautilus’ sword aimed at Jude’s head.

Chaaeng!

Once again, a stone blocked Nautilus’ sword.

“Crazy..!”

It was like a ghost. Nautilus paled and hurriedly shouted to Earl Ashur on the wall.

“Command the army to attack! I will rescue Bland in that gap!”

‘Don’t listen to Lauel’s words and end the war as quickly as possible.’

Nautilus felt desperate because he feared the unidentified enemy, but Earl Ashur was a clever man. He thought first instead of acting rashly.

'Does Grid get any benefits from killing Prince Ren?’

No. On the other hand, King Aslan obtained the kingdom with Prince Ren’s death. It was too early to dismiss Lauel’s claim that Aslan was behind Prince Ren’s death as a false one.

‘Besides, he said that Bland would testify...’

Was Grid really framed? Earl Ashur was taken aback by the thought.

‘Bland is a hostage.’

He would’ve suffered terrible pain and humiliation while being held in Reidan. Earl Ashur couldn’t believe Bland’s words, as his body and soul might’ve been torn down. He might’ve been threatened in order to lie.

‘My first priority is to rescue Bland. I will secure his safety and then discover the truth.’

Earl Ashur decided and finally issued a command.

"Shoot!"

Papat!

Pa pa pa pa pat!

The 2,000 archers on the walls fired simultaneously. Indeed, the archery abilities of the Patrian soldiers called the ‘Heart of Eternal’ were excellent. Thousands of arrows flew in a curve. However, Earl Ashur’s magic was more surprising than the skill of the soldiers. All the arrows shot by the soldiers simultaneously gained the fire attribute and accelerated.

The Reidan soldiers panicked as the arrows poured down like meteors.

“Hiik...! B-Block!”

"Raise your shields!”

“If you want to live, hurry! We have to reunite with our families in Reidan!”

The idea of surviving raised the concentration of the soldiers. Thanks to the harsh training, Reidan’s soldiers moved into rows and succeeded in blocking most of the arrows with their shields. However, there were some people who were unlucky.

“Ack!”

"Ugh!"

The arrows penetrated through the gaps in the shields and struck the soldiers. Some died instantly, while others would be crippled for life.

“Leo! Franc!”

The soldiers cried out at the sight of their bleeding comrades. Desire to live once again filled their faces as they used the shields to block the enemy’s arrows.

Chaaeng!

Puk!

“Kyak!”

The battlefield filled with sharp screams and the sound of metal clashing was fierce and terrible. It was a pit of grief and anger. Asmophel held a shield and moved among the soldiers.

‘This is what soldiers on the battlefield sees...’

Asmophel was born a noble. He received a command role as soon as he entered the military. He always treated his soldiers with great care, despite the desire to win. However, this was the first time he had been in the position of a soldier. Did he enjoy it? It was awful. He didn’t know that war was so horrendous in the days when he was the commander who held tens of thousands of lives in his hand.

‘The important thing for soldiers isn’t the war or the compensation.’

It was only survival. They were the weak who were afraid of even one arrow. Asmophel was avoiding the flying arrows when he was hit by a shield that a soldier was setting up. His eyes widened as his nose became bloody. Beyond the shields, a large rock fired from the enemy’s catapult was falling.

“Uwaaaack!”

“R-Run away!”

The screams of the soldiers echoed as they tried to escape from the rock. They pushed other people away as they started to run, including Asmophel.

‘So far, I have only experienced a fraction of war.’

Now he knew.

‘Duke Grid called me a soldier so that I could experience the life of one.’

In fact, Grid never invited Asmophel to experience being a soldier. But whatever the case, Asmophel accepted it and a positive change occurred.

‘I will be a commander who knows the heart of the soldiers. I won’t forcibly sacrifice the soldiers. I will come up with a strategy to win the war with a minimum of sacrifices.’

But before that.

'I have to perfectly perform the role of a soldier!’

Asmophel picked up a spear and threw it. It was towards the rock falling on his allies.

Kuwaaaaaang!

The spear shattered the rock in the air.

[Asmophel has acquired a new skill.]

[Asmophel has acquired a new skill.]

[Asmophel has acquired a new title.]

***

“Why is it so hard?”

“No matter how I shoot the arrows, they don’t die...”

On the walls, the Patrian soldiers gradually lost morale. It was because the equipment of Reidan’s soldiers were so hard that no matter how many arrows they fired, only a few casualties appeared.

“Soldiers are wearing armor that is normally for high ranking knights... Is Reidan that rich?"

“A desert city is rich? It’s proof that Reidan’s lord is taking care of the soldiers. Duke Grid cherishes the soldiers and gives them good armor.”

"Such a great master... I envy Reidan’s soldiers...”

Earl Ashur panicked as soon as morale started to rapidly deteriorate.

‘I must reverse the atmosphere.’

Borneo’s army was advancing towards the gate while Reidan’s soldiers performed the role of blocking the arrows.

Kung!

Kung!

The walls shook and the soldiers trembled in fear every time Borneo’s siege weapons slammed against the gate. In the end, Earl Ashur could no longer stand still. He would show them the value of a magician in a war!

“I will show the majesty of the 10 great magicians on the continent!”

Kurururung!

Earl Ashur’s voice spread through the battlefield as he started to chant a spell, causing the atmosphere to heat up quickly. It was the precursor to the mass destruction magic, Fire Storm. Lauel recovered from his paralysis and hurriedly shouted to Bland.

“What are you doing right now? Go and stop your father!”

"...I can freely take action?”

Bland was baffled by Lauel’s words.

“Have I ever blocked your freedom?”

"...”

No more words were necessary. Bland used magic to fly through the sky. He cried out as he approached his father.

“Father! Listen to Earl Lauel!”

“...?!”

Earl Ashur’s eyes trembled. How could his son, a hostage, move freely on the battlefield?

‘Perhaps...! Maybe!’

Earl Ashur stopped the magic spell and Lauel asked from the ground.

“King Aslan killed Prince Ren and framed Duke Grid. If this is the truth, will you abandon Eternal’s royal family and serve Duke Grid?”

"I can feel betrayed by the Eternal Kingdom, but I don’t intend to serve Duke Grid. I don’t want to serve someone incompetent.”

Ssik!

Lauel smiled evilly and threw the bait. “So you will serve Grid if he is capable? Okay. I will immediately prove Grid’s capabilities.”

“...?”

It was like Lauel predicted his answer. He declared to the puzzled Earl Ashur.

"The fortified city Borneo of Gauss, which hasn’t been occupied for hundreds of years by Eternal, will now fall.”

The moment he finished speaking. The Overgeared members that Lauel placed in the rear started to target the 10,000 Borneo soldiers attacking the gate.

Pepepepeong!

The Borneo soldiers became panicked at the bombardment of magic and skills that dealt catastrophic damage.

“W-What is this?”

Marquis Valtin was in turmoil while Earl Ashur felt astonished. Lauel properly explained the situation to them.

"The Eternal Kingdom and Gauss Kingdom will all fall into Duke Grid’s grasp.”

“...!”

The moment that Earl Ashur was shivering.

“Earl Ashur! Don’t be deceived! He’s telling lies!”

Nautilus belatedly cried out from where he was surrounded by Regas, Pon, and Faker. He painfully shook off the three men and threw himself at Lauel. He hoped to kill Lauel and somehow straighten out the confusion.

"Get lost!”

The enemy troops blocking the path were nothing. Dozens of soldiers were instantly slain as he reached Lauel and struck.

Chaaeng!

Suddenly, one of the soldiers guarding Lauel blocked Nautilus’ attack.

“Who are you?”

The soldier pointed a spear at Nautilus and stated.

“Private Ars.”