Chapter 205 : Chapter 205

Chapter : 205

-PWOOOOOOO!

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍blare of horn trumpets rang out, and the soldiers began to move, forming their battle lines.

An ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍army of nearly twenty thousand.

Though ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they had been drawn from various houses—each with different clothing and different weapons—the movement of such a force was a spectacle in every sense. And across from them, had the Margrave of Bellua not brought thirty thousand troops as well? Even from atop the rise, there was no end in sight. The soldiers’ motion packed the landscape all the way beyond the horizon.

Yet ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍even as he watched that spectacle, Commander-in-Chief Count Josef’s mood soured.

“Hmph. ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍That cowardly bastard.”

Because of what his political enemy, Count Steffen, had said.

“What? We must treat the Margrave of Bellua cautiously? We should not rush forward, but fight a war of attrition and look for an ambush?”

For him to speak of such a craven strategy while pretending to worry about Josef—Count Steffen was clearly broken.

No matter that his rival had taken the command post from him, to offer advice like that at such a critical moment was beyond pathetic.

If one came on campaign and behaved timidly, what would people think?

This was enemy territory.

You had to advance boldly and with pressure, so that the nobles of the occupied lands would submit. And a noble’s dignity mattered—how could anyone drag things out like a coward? That was no different from throwing honor into a sewer.

Count Josef, being a mage, might not care much about such things, but the nobles who had joined this campaign—and the nobles within the Elang Kingdom whom they hoped to win over—would not think the same.

‘He has tasted a few defeats and gone rotten. Rotten. Tsk.’

The Holy Empire Emperor’s judgment was correct. At least, Commander-in-Chief Count Josef believed so.

‘What is so frightening about some brat?’

Far away, I could be seen commanding my army—the Margrave of Bellua.

I looked sturdy enough, and the knights seemed to follow me well, but that was all.

How many young, hot-blooded nobles like that had Josef faced over the years?

‘Heh heh heh…. I will sear you crisp with lightning.’

If he got the chance, he would show the greatness of the lightning mystery in a single stroke.

-DOOM DOOM DOOM!

Drums sounded, and the enemy formation began to split.

That, surely, was the “pike phalanx” Count Steffen and some nobles had mentioned.

The dense forest of pikes truly looked like an entire woodland in motion.

In response, Commander-in-Chief Count Josef hurriedly waved his hand, dividing his own forces.

At the center, he placed the elite troops he personally led, to contest strength against strength.

Then he split the left and right wings into many small detachments, stretching them far out like long tails.

Their defense was formidable?

Their combat power was not to be taken lightly?

So what.

They were crawling along like slow worms, carrying those long pikes.

“We will drive forward with overwhelming force at the center! While we do so, the left and right will maneuver swiftly and trample their phalanx into the ground!”

On the battlefield, the slow were meant to be eaten. How could such a sluggish formation respond to rapidly shifting circumstances? Commander-in-Chief Count Josef found it laughable.

“Your Excellency! The cavalry under Count Steffen refuses to move from the rear. What shall we do? Even now, we should—”

“Hmph. Leave it.”

“B-But the cavalry under Count Steffen is our finest striking force!”

“If he insists on cleaning up his own mess, what can be done? That coward, Count Steffen, will do nothing today but watch us chase fleeing enemies!”

As the nobles said, it was a shame not to use Count Steffen’s cavalry. Even so, Josef did not believe he would lose.

So he shouted with brimming confidence.

“The glory will be ours! Charge! Show the Margrave of Bellua, who dared raise his hand against His Majesty the Emperor, what true war is!”

With that booming cry, morale surged sky-high, and the Holy Empire Emperor’s army charged like a raging tide.

“Ooooo!”

“Waaaaaa—! Charge!”

A rush that looked ready to smash anything in its path.

Watching it, Commander-in-Chief Count Josef felt deeply satisfied.

Soon, he would break that army and seize the Margrave of Bellua!

That was what he thought, but—

-BANG!

-CRUNCH!

-AAAAAAARGH!

After the first clash, it did not take long for everything to reverse.

-A-a monster! A devil has appeared!

-The battle line! The battle line is collapsing!

“??????????”

---

Of course, not everyone lacked strategic thinking, believing that mindless charges were always best.

“Hm.”

“The enemy’s wings have been split into very small units, have they not? And judging by how lightly armed they are, they will likely be fast.”

“Yes. It seems they intend to overwhelm us with speed, Magician Agpiel?”

Commander-in-Chief Count Josef’s reputation for lacking war experience was misleading. He was formidable.

He had properly targeted the weakness of a pike phalanx.

By nature, a pike phalanx could not move quickly, and if its line extended too far—reaching a certain critical point—the formation often collapsed on its own.

Had the Roman Empire not often crushed Greece’s powerful pike phalanx by doing precisely that?

‘Though ours is not unprepared….’

This was not an ancient formation that guarded only the front. It was an improved pike phalanx that defended all directions—front, back, left, and right—like a square.

And by copying the strengths of the Tercio system, it also possessed powerful ranged striking power.

“Still, we must not be careless. If the wings are encircled, men may mistake what they see.”

“I was thinking the same thing, Magician Agpiel.”

Even in modern times, information between units did not flow properly. In [Pangea Universalise], with medieval-level technology, how much worse would it be?

Surrounded by enemy forces, a unit could mistakenly believe the army was collapsing and break on its own.

In real history, battles that should have been won were sometimes lost exactly that way.

“Whether you like it or not, it seems you will have to take the field personally.”

“Yes. I will.”

In the end, the key was how quickly we could crush the enemy center and restore order amid the confusion.

It would be dangerous, but—

“For eliminating variables, nothing is better than you stepping in yourself. Hoho. You are… rather monstrous in such matters, are you not?”

“Monstrous? Could you not simply say I am outstanding?”

“After watching you win a contest of strength against an ogre? Or would you prefer to be called a performer of miracles, beloved by the divine?”

Ugh. That was even worse.

Thinking about it, being called a monster might actually be preferable.

With that thought, I tightened my grip on my sword hilt.

“Then please help me properly. I truly cannot stand the thought of collapsing to some blind spell.”

“Hohoho. All right. I will protect you as best I can.”

“Good.”

-CLANG!

With that, I drew my sword and shouted to the knights.

“I will take the vanguard! Follow me!”

“Ooooo! Let us go!”

“Kiiyaaah! For honor!”

“A glorious death awaits us!”

---

-WAAAAAA!

-For honor!

-Do not fall behind! Show those wretches true power!

War was no different from usual.

The knights on both sides, brimming with spirit and hot blood, risked their lives as they hacked at one another.

The unlucky or the weak would die. Those loved by the divine or those who were strong would survive.

That was the life of knights, men who had trained their whole lives for this moment.

So in the first engagement, the knights traded blows no different from any other day.

-CLANGCLANGCLANG

-CLANG! CLANG!

-CRUNCH!

Along with the deafening din of metal—

-AAAAARGH!

-Die!

Screams of pain and wrathful shouts—an ordinary, everyday battlefield.

But then, at some point—

“Uh?”

“Huh? That… surely not?”

“Is that not the Margrave of Bellua’s banner?”

Something slightly different began to unfold.

A banner symbolizing a unit had appeared at the very front line.

To lose a banner in the midst of battle was not only a matter of the commander’s honor—it was directly tied to troop morale.

In an era like [Pangea Universalise], where communication through banners mattered more than words, it was highly unusual for a house’s banner to push this far forward during combat.

You would need extraordinary confidence to do it.

“Hah! Those insolent bastards!”

“I will tear it down at once! Take my blade!”

So the Holy Empire Emperor’s knights surged toward the Margrave of Bellua’s banner, snarling like enraged tigers.

They intended to seize the banner in a duel.

The problem was—

“I am Sir Poulsen, a knight of Schwai… Take my sword— Gah!”

-CRUNCH!

“A knight of Saxony…! Ghk!”

-THWACK!

It was not some other man holding that banner.

It was me.

---

It had been a long time.

To take up the sword again and fight at the very front.

A knife-edge tightrope, with my life on the line.

I wanted to return home safely, but without moments like this, I would never return home at all. Whether I liked it or not, I had to step forward.

-NEIGHHH!

-Support His Grace’s rear! Do not fall behind! For glory!

Fortunately, ever since I had fallen into this world, my ability had reached a level that could only be called a divine blessing.

-GHK!

-THWACK! CRUNCH!

The cavalry I led advanced like a blade through water. Everything that blocked our path was smashed aside as we pressed forward, and forward again.

As a result, the Holy Empire Emperor’s battle line began to crumble.

They had started to fear overwhelming force.

“This… this cannot be!”

“Do not scatter! We can stop him!”

“He is only a man! Hah! I will go. Follow me!”

Not everyone was a coward, of course. There were always a few brave souls. And with long war experience, were they not fiercely aggressive?

The Holy Empire Emperor’s knights wheeled their horses and rushed toward me to contain the situation.

“Die!”

“Margrave of Bellua! This is the end of your false fame!”

But that was all it amounted to.

-CLANG! CLANG!

-CRUNCH!

-GHUUURK!

A knight who had survived three wars and amassed glorious merit collapsed after only two exchanges, coughing blood.

-CRUNCH!

A legendary knight who had risen from common soldier to knight through masterful use of an axe fell in a single strike.

In a way, that was still merciful.

-Let us strike together at once!

-Yes. We must! I will go first—Gah!

-SLICE!

Three knights, swallowing their shame and attacking together, lost all three lives in a single instant.

In the blink of an eye, corpses sprawled around me.

But I had no intention of stopping there. If anything, I tightened my grip and began to butcher the knights.

“M-Mad…!”

“A devil!! The Margrave of Bellua has received a devil’s power!”

The Sacred Guardian of Bellua.

A knight beloved by the divine.

The man who tore an ogre apart.

And the very existence Count Steffen had warned them against so fiercely.

At last, the Holy Empire Emperor’s knights understood why I was called such things—and why I had been feared.