VF - Chapter 4

I remember when I was a child, my grandfather used to tell me a story about his battle against Jaradzian.

In his stories, he appeared as a gallant commander. A fearless warrior with peerless skill. Why wouldn't he? Grandfather was the one who ennobled as a Baron by the king and gets our family a noble title. He was my role model and my idol.

My father is never a military man, a useless young master is the best description for him. He wasted his youth by screwing girls he likes. Up to now, he has numerous concubines. As a result, I have many stepmothers who always want to depose me from my current position.

I stopped getting involved in politics, but I was a person who held the real power in our family. I am the Commander of the Moon Bat Army. A regional army that also functions as a private army of the Beouran family. I hold the power to move the armed men as I please.

That's what made them wary of me. If I wish, I could use the army I built and dispose of my siblings and stepmothers from. However I won't make such a nasty scheme, I don't care about trivial things like title or inheritance anyway. In the first place, I am a woman. I will not get any inheritance from father even if I am his firstborn.

Since a child, I always admired grandfather and wanted to be someone as valiant as him. I built this army with our family's amassed wealth. At first, my father rejected the idea. He wouldn't approve of me as an army general. But when I told grandmother about it, she granted me the right to do it. And thus, I built my army by gathering young and able men of our domain.

I controlled the armed force inside the barony. Our main task or I should say our routine task is to repel the monster attacks. But we also have an obligation that when His Majesty called for support, we immediately comply. On March 27th, the King's gathered all of its retainer armies to defend the country from a neighboring country assault.

I as the Commander of the regional army got dragged into this mess. When I arrived at the camp and join the war council with the king and other generals, they were surprised. The Beouran's region army's commander turns out to be a woman. As a female, I get many cases of abuse and misbehaving by male soldiers who are supposed to be much older and stronger. This is a nostalgic feeling. When I trained new recruits, they have that same expression. Eyes that look down on weaker sex.

I silenced them with my fighting skills. After they were beaten black and blue, they stopped to make trouble for me. And they avoided me as if I was an object of fears. Well, that's what you get when you try to make a move on me. There is no one who can match my grandfather's fighting skills, at least in this country. Because I practiced with my grandfather since I was seven years old, this was an easy thing to do.

The King, His Excellency Ernest as-Shabir, knew my prowess and skills. After he discussed with the great generals of the three duchies, I was given the task of being a flag bearer. This is a heavy responsibility, the flag is the core symbol of our nation.

Our Shabirun flag is golden, blue and moss green. This illustrates our devotion to the three main Gods we worship, the Sun, Sea, and Forest Gods. I will not point out how strange the flag is. Even if the colors don't match, that's something inspired by the Gods.

That's a tough task. I must keep this flag stand tall. Hence, the responsibilities I bear is not something light.

I noticed that some of the squad leaders and commanders envied me for this task. However, if I can be honest, I don't think I deserve such responsibility. I have not yet taken part in a large scale war. My record is only fighting with a small army of monsters or bastards and bandits.

The infighting between father's concubine and their child over father's title was really something chaotic. But when I jump into the 'real' military world, I realized that the fight between concubine who greed for father's belonging was rather childish. Just because of their jealousy, I and my army was ostracized and become a sore thumb in the camp.

I ignored them because I thought their spirit of patriotism would not waver when the battle began. But when we are really in a battle, I regret not fixing the situation at the camp. As if they had coordinated with each other, they led Rashikan to our position. Making my troops involved in a prolonged battle. Even though I was an army on the same side in this battle. But they ..., doing this despicable thing to us ..., this makes no sense.

Why ... are they doing this to us? My regional troops, the Moon Bat Troops that I built, trained and raised myself. Now it only counts twelve personnel. We are no different from them, Shabirun's soldier, but why they harm us, their comrade?

"Commander, we will try to make a way out." said a middle-aged soldier to the Shabirun's flagbearer.

"No! How can I escape in this state? I will be the only survivor of this army. Do you think I can shoulder that responsibility? Our fallen comrades are on their way to Heaven Above. What will they think if I, their commander, escape from the battlefield they fought so bitterly! We live and die together. I will live only if one of you is still alive! " The flag bearer said, in a slightly trembling voice.

She sounded like she was trying to suppress her cries. Her movement felt sluggish compared to before. Like she lost her reason for living.

"Please reconsider, commander. This situation is difficult. We are surrounded and there is no way out of this. If you, the flag bearer falls, it will have a big impact on the psychology of our soldiers." A soldier with a large kite shield said.

"Still, I refuse. I knew something went wrong when that bastard of a king give me this responsibility. Shit! If I refuse his order, this will never happen!" The flagbearer fuming and grumbling in regret.

"Why aren't they attacking?" A spearman asked with hesitation.

It has been five minutes since they are surrounded, yet the other party didn't start attacking.

"Looks like the Rashikan dogs want to talk." The flag bearer said glancing at the enemy commander who wore silver armor with a grudge.

The man wore silver armor that sparkled in the sun. Chain letters, white cloth as a scarf, and trousers, all white with a metallic luster. He wore a full-face helmet, with only his mouth and jaw that could be seen from him. He holds a sword, a giant sword with a length of 2 m and a width of 0.45 m.

"I, Jeograth Kynema, am the leader of the 50th Army of the Eugalis Legion. I challenge you, the Holder of the Shabirun Flag, for a duel." the man called Jeograth loudly said, with a smirk and a satisfied expression on his face.

"Why does our commander have to accept your challenge? This makes no sense!" A blue soldier shouted.

"Do you think you have a way to escape from us? Accept your fate, if your annoying flag bearer cannot cheer up our commander, don't expect you to keep your life intact!"

"F*k! Shabirun dog, you will die no matter what! Just do what our commander wants to do!"

"The dogs really don't know what's good for them. Well, livestock like them will never understand us, the intelligent creatures."

A series of scolding and laughter flowed throughout the white soldier. While provoking a blue soldier, the commander still calmly observed.

"..., commander?" one of the Shabirun's soldiers called his commander worriedly.

When his attention returned to what he was following, he could not believe what he was seeing. His commander gave him a flag and drew her sword while announcing loudly.

"I, Ravenna Beouran, accept the challenge of Jeograth Kynema's duel!"

'People die when they are killed, after this ... will I see Grandpa again?' is what Ravenna thinks.

"Oh, a woman?" Even though it hardly noticeable, Jeograth guessed this flag-bearer's gender from the voice.

"Indeed. I was born as a woman, what of it?" flagbearer walked with composed steps.

"Now, what a waste. If you are Rashikan's ... then a brave woman like you ... I will gladly take you as my concubine. Forget it, because you are on the enemy side, let's fight!" Joegrath with a giant sword on his shoulder made a move.

"Before that, can you agree to one of my requests!"

"Please speak ..."

"If I win against you, can you let us go?" Ravenna asked.

"That's easy. But what if I win?" Jeograth with raised eyebrows asked back.

"You can do anything for us. Kill me and my men, I don't care. But, I will not lose this fight."

The grin on Jeograth widened, "oh ... well, if I really win the duel. I will claim you as my trophy. You will become Jeograth's slaves. How about that? Can you accept this condition?" he laughed without restraint. His men also laughed cheerfully.

His words shook Ravenna. She is a young woman who has not found a partner. Now, in a situation like this, if she loses, she will be his woman, her enemy's possession? A trophy? What's more humiliating than that?

"... bastard!"

"How dare you!"

"I will kill you!"

That word also provoked the blue warrior under Ravenna's command.

"Let's start!" before Ravenna can say a word, Jeograth leaps forward. Swinging a sword that was almost as big as his body.

Ravenna dodged the first attack and using a thin sword in her hand, she stabbed Jeograth's wrist. But, he could easily deflect it by using the bracer. He smiled at the effort and swung his sword again. This time with more speed than before.

Ravenna fended off attacks with difficulties. The giant sword in Jeograth's hands was reflected. The hand holding the sword also loosened. But ... suddenly, Jeograth grabbed the sword's hilt and twisted his body alongside with his sword. With great momentum adding the rotational power accumulated by the movement, he gave Ravenna an attack right into her stomach.

"F*k! Commander!" one of the blue warriors shouted, but his words were too late.

Jeograth moves like the east wind. Fast and silent. Jeograth could easily kill Ravenna with the last attack, but because his intention was to make the enemy's female commander submit, he deliberately missed it. The blunt side of the sword struck her stomach and made her fly into the air like a broken kite. She rolled on the muddy ground like a rag doll.

"Cheh, with this much strength she can be a flag bearer? Shabirun's really know how to make jokes!"

He walked to the female commander on the ground. He aimed his sword at her head, and with quick and accurate movements, he disarmed her helmet. The helmet hides the beautiful face of a young woman. Blue sapphire eyes like the color of the ocean, short blond hair cut and tied into a bun, a beautiful Caucasian complexion. She is a beautiful woman, and many sane men will try to get her attention. But those dull lifeless eyes, she looks like a person who gave up on life.

"How beautiful ... if you were Rashikan, I would be the one to woe you. No, I might be one of your many suitors. Alas, you are Shabirun, this is your destiny. Surrender, and be mine!" said Jeograth in a dominating tone.

"..." Ravenna remained silent.

"What, you want to go back to your words? If you really did, do you think I would let them go with their lives?" When Jeograth said that, Ravenna glared at him.

She just lost, her strength was incomparable to him. No, it was her total loss. She can hold a candle against him. He overpowered her. To make a comparison, with Jeograth's strength he can be someone with the rank of Platoon Commander in the Shabirun Kingdom military. But in the Rashikan, he was just Squad Leader. The Rashikan soldier's overall qualities were a rank higher than the Shabirun.

Ravenna closed her eyes. She recalled her childhood memories. When she was ignorant and clueless about the world. her memories keep rotating within her head. She would choose death rather than submit to enemy mercy.

But she remembers what happened at the camp and what other troops did to her troops. Their little scheme that came out because of their jealousy. That made her very disappointed and angry. If only she refused the king's order, maybe all these problems did not occur.

She was disappointed. What does she fight for? What did she do until now? It doesn't make any sense. She fights the battle, keeps the flag high in the sky. But their allies that supposed to help them have indirectly harmed them. And worse, a strong enemy appeared and proposed a duel when she was already losing her stamina.

'So this is a war.' a realization struck upon Ravenna.

"... I'd rather die!"

With a final shout, she reached for a dagger, a ceremonial dagger carved specifically for her after being promoted to Commander of the Troops. She planned to kill herself and protect her chastity rather than being captured and becoming an enemy trophy.

"Commander, no!" one of the blue warriors shouted in despair.

Jleb!

Her suicide attempt was blocked. A hand hugged her shoulder. She thought it was Jeograth, but she heard a deep and soothing voice different from Jeograth's cranky voice.

"Making a woman commit suicide ... truly a bastard." It was a sound that could be relied on with deep baritone.

Ravenna opened her eyes and saw a young man crouching behind her wearing ordinary Shabirun armor. The dagger which almost pierced her throat was blocked with his left hand. While his right hand was hugging her right shoulder. He crouched behind her while this position was almost like he was hugging her from behind. This is the first time Ravenna is this close to a man.

"You ... Who are you? Why are you interfering with my business? Are you the boyfriend of this flag bearer? This is the right time to say it, she is mine! Don't you dare touch her!"

With his entertainment interrupted, Jeograth was angry. He aimed his large sword at Shabirun's warriors.

The soldier ignored Jeograth and looked at Ravenna in the eyes.

He said in a tone that was reliable. "Don't worry, I'll take care of the rest. Life is precious, don't despair and keep on fighting. Don't try to kill yourself again ... do you understand me?"

"I ..., wait, who are you?" Ravenna almost nodded at his words.

She found this situation quite funny, as the Troops Commander she had to know a lot of soldiers in this Division. However, she did not remember or had no memories of this man who dared to embrace her from behind like this. Who is he? Did he come from another division?

"Now, don't mind me. I'm nobody, but can you promise me. That you won't try to kill yourself again?" The man said.

His brown eyes stared sharply into her sapphire eyes. With that man's passionate gaze, she felt her heart beating fast. She avoided his gaze and muttered.

"I ... I can't! Besides, I lost the duel."

"In that case, it's easy. I will kill him and you will be free from the previous bet you made with him." He threw the dagger to the side. Then pointed at one of the blue warriors and said. "You're there, come here and protect her! Make sure, she won't do anything stupid!"

"... I understand!" Ravenna nodded abashedly.

"Well." the young man stood up and pointed his spear at Jeograth.

"What ..., I thought you were some kind of big shot, but look at that shabby equipment? And what is a toothpick? You call 'that' a weapon? Hahaha ..., this is the biggest joke in my life after seeing a weak female flag bearer! "Jeograth laughed cheerfully, and his soldiers also continued.

But, the person who laughed was not just a white soldier, that man, or rather the player with the user name Zaki also laughed with them. This astonished the white soldier. What's with this slowdown? Why is he laughing? Something along the line crossed their minds.

"You, why are you laughing? Are you mocking me?" Jeograth easily gets upset with Zaki's behavior.

Zaki paused and smiled. He turned the spear in his right hand with practiced movements and then said. "Do you know what is the difference between huma- no, Intelligence Beings and animals?"

"Stop useless babbling, what do you want to say?"

"Humans, and other intelligent beings, of course ..., they are wonderful life forms. They can use their intelligence to make their lives better. With their intelligence, they can advance through civilization with the invention of technology, science, magic, etc. But the one thing that distinguishes us from animals is not that. This is ... self-control."

"Hah?" Jeograth was astonished after hearing that.

White warriors and blue warriors also cannot follow his words.

Zaki followed with his explanation. "Animals are creatures that follow their instincts, they eat when they feel hunger. They shit when they need to. And they f*k when they're in heat. That's what animals do. But different from them, we live with a sense of shame. If we lose that, humans refrain from being civilized. Thus, those who don't hold back their inner-desire are no different from animals! "

"Uh, excuse me, sir ..., wait, you didn't even introduce yourself! But, yes, sir ... what do you want to say? I can't understand you!" a blue soldier called him from behind.

"I can see that this man is someone without self-control." He pointed at Jeograth with his spear.

"..." The other white soldier who knew what that sentence meant was staring at Zaki with an astonished expression. He insulted their commander indirectly.

"Ghahaha! So you say I am no different from animals! Hahaha, even if I am an animal then I will be a bear, King of the Mountains! While you are just a delicious salmon that will be my dinner!"

"To acknowledge that he is not much different from an animal, he is truly a hopeless person. Shame on you, the one who claimed himself as a bear! To restore you as an intelligent creature, let me teach you self-control! Thus I will place a restraint on your body! [Aspect of Gravity]"

The burden on white warriors doubled because of magic.

"What!?"

"This ...? What's with this magic?"

"Damn, I'm feeling heavy."

The force of gravity is doubled on the enemy which makes them feel heavier. While the user of the magic is feeling lighter. The blue warriors also feel lighter because they are considered an allies unit.

"And in order to return you back into a proper human, I'll kill you while inside this restrain!" said Zaki but with a calm voice. Zaki leaped forward and lunging his pike at Jeograth jaw.

Player Zaki has given 6 damage to the enemy.

'This is tough. My strike can be considered as heavyweight according to my calculation. Even when I fight with that big guy who wears a leather armor I can deal at most 13 damage. But what with this toughness? This guy is tough. With that much of HP, I have to kill him before the magic duration ends.'

Zaki leaped once again and start to harras Jeograth. He sends him a combo of many attacks that look blurry to the naked eyes. Jeograth moved slowly under the gravitation magic, Zaki could chop his Health Point little by little before the magic duration ends. Even if his body has 500 HP, that's just mean he would need to attack more than 90 times.

Player Zaki has given 6 damage to the enemy. Critical Hit! Player Zaki has given 18 damage to the enemy. Player Zaki has given 7 damage to the enemy. Player Zaki has given 8 damage to the enemy. Player Zaki has given 9 damage to the enemy.

With the rush of this attack, Zaki realized something. If the combo is successful, the next attack will produce more damage. He uses this Jeograth as a sandbag for his training. He swung, stabbed, and smashed with his spear at Jeograth. Maybe he will get something like the [Spear Mastery] if he continues to do this.

When Zaki thinned Jeograth Health Point, Ravenna sat on the ground in astonishment. Until then she stared at the young man's face. His brave figure who jumped and lunged with his spear at the dreaded enemy. She deeply etched this beautiful scene in her mind.

'He ... he is strong. What is this, even though he is so short how can he use a spear so skillfully.'

This man is like a prince charming in a storybook that saves a damsel in distress. A story that her mother used to read when she was little. For Ravenna, who had no longer considered herself to be a woman, her heart was now throbbing violently. As if it will break and fall apart. She did not know what had happened to her, right now the only thing on her mind was this man.

"Insequential Sprint!"

Jeograth uses a skill, trying to escape from Zaki's continuous attacks. But within this 90 m radius, the gravitational force will multiply, and that means Jeograth must use more energy to move. This skill consumes a lot of his stamina, it's supposed to be a life-saving skill that serves as his last trump card.

However, it was still in vain. Under the control of the Aspect of Gravity, he must stop thinking about escape. His running speed with the skill tripled, but it was only slightly faster than Zaki's speed. Zaki chased after him and sent another combo with his spear.

Player Zaki has given 19 damage to the enemy. Player Zaki has given 20 damage to the enemy.

Zaki mercilessly attacks Jeograth until he can't defend himself. White warriors try to help their commander by attacking Zaki from the side. But they soon lost their lives with three to four stabs from Zaki's spear. They move slowly and heavily, which makes easy targets for Zaki's sharp pike.

"Strong ..."

"Maybe stronger than Corporal Kanrya."

"What a beautiful spear art."

The blue warriors commented after they witnessed Zaki, the brave soldier who fought eighteen white warriors alone. Spears that flow with extraordinary fluidity without rigid movements are more like works of art than techniques to kill. Its speed is faster than lightning itself. He looks like a god of war. They looked at him with admiration. No different from them, Ravenna Beouran also watched the battle with anticipation.

Other white soldiers attack Zaki as a moth pulled into a fire. And they also died when the fast spear escaped and then penetrated the vital parts of their body. All of Jeograth's subordinates are deaths because of the mercy of Zaki's weapon. Now, only Jeograth is alive.

"DAMN YOU SHABIRUNN!!! DOGGS !!!" at the death gate, Jeograth shouted and sent a desperate attack at Zaki.

The gigantic sword moved like a slow-motion effect. It got easily deflected with his spear. Zaki's concluded the battle with a combo of abdomen kick and head pierce.

Player Zaki has given 12 damage to the enemy. Critical Hit! Player Zaki has given 36 damage to the enemy. Player Zaki has slain Jeograth Kynema! Gained 240 EXP. Level Up! Congratulation, you are now Level 4. Gained 3 Attributes Point and 1 Skill Point!