140. The Way of the Monarch (4)

The Demon Beast Army’s full-scale attack resumed.

Drotheil Canyon. The Aquarite Demon Beast Army advanced towards that place.

The Demon soldiers’ faces were mostly filled with fear. The momentum of their advance was ferocious.

I saw the vanguard of the Demon Beast Army approaching from beyond.

Approximately 150 high-ranking Demon Beasts were charging.

‘For now, the Western Demon King Army has the upper hand in numbers.’

The Western Demon King Army, including the Royal Knights, numbered approximately 5,000.

Originally, 7,000 troops were supposed to gather, but the losses from Aquarite’s attack were significant.

Therefore, compared to human forces, it wasn’t a large number.

However, Demon soldiers are fundamentally more powerful than human soldiers. Moreover, they are all skilled in using Demon Energy and Mana.

So, compared to a typical Imperial Army, even 5,000 is equivalent to a legion-level force of about 10,000.

On the other hand, Aquarite’s Demon Beast Army numbered approximately 1,000.

That’s only about one-fifth of the Western Demon King Army. It seemed like an overwhelmingly advantageous battle for us.

However, the same comparative logic as with the Imperial Army applied to them as well.

‘The main camp’s staff said that most of those 1,000 are Type 2 Demon Beasts or higher.’

Each Demon Beast is as ferocious as a mid-to-high-level Dungeon boss.

Naturally, they are much stronger than the soldiers of the Western Demon King Army.

Aquarite had created an Imperial-level nest, that special Dungeon, in this canyon.

So, there was no limit to the supply of Demon Soul Energy. They could even use that Demon Soul Energy to summon subordinate monsters.

In reality, their forces numbered over 3,000. Considering their strength, even 20,000 human soldiers would struggle to stop them.

If Aquarite, having regained its strength, started pouring down storms again in that situation…

It wouldn’t be surprising if the tragedy of a few days ago were repeated.

‘No. I absolutely won’t let that happen.’

The difference from a few days ago is…

That I and my party have joined the Western Demon King Army.

As a result, we’ve significantly boosted the morale that had already hit rock bottom.

The return of the Lord, and even the blessing of the Goddess Yunir.

The Western Demon King Army, centered around me, had created another chance for a counterattack.

As expected, to properly continue that momentum…

The first button of the counterattack, a great victory for the vanguard, was more important than anything else.

‘Now, these are no longer Father’s soldiers.’

The Western Demon King Army are now soldiers who have newly sworn allegiance to me.

For me, for their new Lord, I had to raise their morale to the point where they could even give their lives.

To do that, I decided to stand at the vanguard.

I said to the commanders of the main camp who were standing next to me.

“It’s time to start the battle.”

Everyone wore tense expressions at my words.

They were strong enough to be high-ranking commanders. Of course, they weren’t tense because of those Demon Beast Armies.

“Isn’t it possible to reconsider that thought even now? That you would stand at the vanguard…”

Remiella said to me earnestly, with a very worried expression.

But I smiled brightly.

“Aren’t there so many prey items like that? I don’t want to yield them to my subordinates.”

And I turned my head to look at the advance party of the main camp, lined up in formation.

The elite unit led by the Master-level Elf swordsman, Krien, the Shield of Coldness.

Together with those subordinates whom my own father cherished so much… I decided to stand at the vanguard.

Krien, who met my eyes, lowered his head again.

Unlike the soldiers of the main camp, who were filled with a tense atmosphere…

The eyes of the Shield of Coldness, those knights and soldiers, were sharp.

I stood before them.

“You will now face the vanguard of the enemies with me. Standing at the vanguard means the highest probability of death. Are you afraid of death?”

I said that and looked at them again.

Perhaps sensing the fierce battle that would soon take place… Although there was a slight tension, their eyes didn’t die.

“We are not afraid!”

I smiled satisfactorily at that answer. And I shouted to them.

“That’s right. You have nothing to fear. The one who stands before you, the one who becomes the vanguard of the vanguard, is none other than me. Yulian von Reinhardt, the Lord of the Western Demon King Army!”

They all moved their arms to salute me.

“My Lord!”

“Our Great Lord!”

I raised my voice even louder.

“So, grant death to those filthy Demon Beasts! I will stand before your deaths! Before I, Yulian von Reinhardt, fall, there will absolutely be no deaths among you!”

They all shouted.

“Lord Yulian! Lord Yulian!”

At that sight, the eyes of the commanders, including Remiella, also changed.

Instead of the tension and fear from a moment ago… Their eyes were filled with new expectations for me.

I said to Remiella.

“It seems like you don’t have to worry anymore. Remiella. Then, I’ll go stir things up.”

“Your Highness Yulian…”

I stood before the Shield of Coldness. And I shouted once more.

“The blessing of the Great Yunir will be with you! Charge!”

A little later.

The vanguard of the Demon Beast Army and the Shield of Coldness collided.

---

Finally, the second battle in the canyon, which had been resumed.

The previous first battle was a one-sided massacre by the Demon Beast Army, hardly worthy of being called a battle.

Fortunately, the existence of the new Lord, which only Remiella knew…

With the appearance of that Yulian, the soldiers’ morale rebounded all at once.

However, that miserable defeat at the hands of Aquarite’s Demon Beast Army…

For the soldiers, the memory of those hellish days still remained in their hearts.

He couldn’t show it, but the feeling was the same for him.

Aitekia, the General of the Western Demon King Army.

He was the second seat of the Western Demon King Army after Remiella. In fact, he was the one who had reached the pinnacle of personal martial prowess in the Western Demon King Army.

However, even with that personal martial prowess as an Aura Master… Aitekia was famous for his cold rationality. That was the characteristic of the White Dragon.

But even such a General Aitekia trembled with humiliation when he thought about what had happened a few days ago.

He hadn’t even been able to attempt a proper counterattack against the Demon Beast Army.

And once again, in this canyon…

The vanguard of the Western Demon King Army and the Demon Beast Army collided.

“Good heavens…”

He, who had soared into the sky in his Dragonkin form, couldn’t believe the sight unfolding before his eyes.

And the other Dragon Knights who had soared with him were the same.

Unconsciously, they let out groans.

“Y, Your Highness Yulian…”

Their new Lord, that young Lord, had volunteered to be at the vanguard in this second battle.

Remiella, the Commander-in-Chief, was absolutely against it.

Aitekia didn’t oppose Yulian’s words.

The young Lord who had newly risen to the pinnacle of the Western Demon King Army. It wasn’t good to oppose his opinion from the beginning and create a confrontational stance.

Rather, considering the symbolism of being Lucifel’s only heir…

Just the meaning of him directly participating in the vanguard was enough to raise the soldiers’ morale.

• Of course, His Highness Yulian had already proven his strength by saving us…

Still, most of the soldiers in the main camp hadn’t actually witnessed that scene.

They had barely survived in the storm and flood, in that chaos.

It was the same as a person who had fallen into the water not properly remembering the events of the rescue process.

So, if Yulian were to be active as the vanguard…

It would be an opportunity to make the 5,000 soldiers of the Western Demon King Army aware of the appearance and presence of their new Lord.

That was the reason why, unlike Remiella, he hadn’t opposed Yulian’s vanguard.

Of course, the fact that Yulian himself said he would stand even further ahead than the Shield of Coldness, who were in charge of that selection, was a major variable.

It would be a big problem if they were to lose him, who would become the center of the Western Demon King Army in the future.

Therefore, Aitekia was waiting with a small number of Dragon Knights not far from the vanguard.

Even if they had to abandon all of the Shield of Coldness, they had to save the young Lord at all costs.

But all those thoughts were a mistake.

“Lord Yulian! Lord Yulian!”

He realized that his thoughts were wrong. He felt it with his trembling body. It was more of an instinct as a swordsman than reason.

“Jeez… Just what level do you have to reach to be able to use an Aura Sword like that?”

One of the High Knights said in an astonished voice.

Aitekia, who had been넋을 잃고 있던 at his words, inwardly agreed.

‘Aura Sword… Yes. That was definitely an Aura Sword.’

He looked beyond.

The Shield of Coldness were all safe. Yulian, who was at the head of them, was also holding his sword in perfect condition.

But the scene in front of him was惨酷.

The Demon Beast Army that had charged as the vanguard. According to the messenger, 80% of that vanguard, which had more than half of its members mixed with Class 1 Demon Beasts, had become pieces of meat.

And that result was…

The result of Yulian wielding his sword only once.

The scene flashed before Aitekia’s eyes again like an afterimage.

A huge emission of light, as if a new sun was rising on the ground. And that light, which was encroaching on the surrounding space, was all Aura.

A normal sword strike is, of course, a line.

But swordsmen who have reached a certain level extend their sword strikes into an area of ​​the surface with an Aura Sword.

‘A moment ago, the Lord clearly… dominated the space.’

But Yulian was different.

His pure white Aura Sword… literally encroached on the space.

Of course, wide-area magic spells also reach their power over a wide space, but it was on a different level.

An Aura Sword that has reached its peak… surpasses even the power of any high-level spell.

‘That kind of Aura Sword encroached on the space… and literally crushed the Demon Beasts.’

It’s simple to say, but he had instantly slaughtered nearly a hundred of the highest-ranking Demon Beasts.

He must be at the level of a Grand Master.

A level that even Aitekia, who had lived for hundreds of years and was about to become a High Dragon, had not reached. The highest realm that there is no higher realm than that as a swordsman.

The young Lord was clearly reaching that transcendent realm that only Ustina has reached in the Demon King’s country.

In the meantime, the remaining 20% of the Demon Beasts were slaughtered by the Shield of Coldness, those knights.

The first battle of the second war was an overwhelming victory for the Western Demon King Army.

“The vanguard has achieved a great victory! We must quickly inform the main camp of this news!”

And Aitekia came to his senses at the words of another High Knight.

“We must. If this news is delivered, the soldiers’ morale will soar even higher.”

He calmly gave instructions to his subordinates.

It seems that his subordinates didn’t notice the change in his feelings from usual.

But Aitekia was suppressing himself due to his position as General.

He was now feeling his blood boiling due to the great performance of his new Lord.

‘Your Majesty Lucifel. It seems that Your Majesty’s son will even surpass Your Majesty.’

Aitekia, the White Dragon, who had been evaluated as having even the blood flowing through his body cold.

Even such Aitekia couldn’t suppress the trembling of his body now.

‘Your Highness Yulian. My new Lord.’

Yulian von Reinhardt.

He stood on this land as the true Lord of the Western Demon King Army.