21. 전.

The arrow, flying with an unusual momentum, passed through the shield so easily, then pierced the bodies of the spearmen, archers, knights, and nobles standing blankly, as if they were made of cloth.

 

 

“Aaaargh!”

 

Blood and screams scattered everywhere, and despair and shock dominated the battlefield.

 

 

“M-Mages!! Do something!!”

“Deploy the shields!”

“Counterattack! Launch fireballs!!”

 

 

Some commanders, intuitively realizing that magic was the only thing that could stand against Aran, ordered a magical attack, and several spells were fired off like arrows.

 

 

“Casting magic at me. Are humans really this incapable of learning?”

 

She stopped even the magic in mid-air, as if it were laughable.

 

 

“Who made the shields you worked so hard to put up meaningless? Wasn’t it me?”

 

 

The spells amplified at least tenfold and turned their heads.

 

“I am magic. And a god.”

 

The spells flew to find their respective owners.

Explosions erupted everywhere, and people soared above the fortress walls.

 

 

 

At that moment,

 

 

A vortex of unusual energy was felt amidst the rising smoke, debris, and pieces of people.

The atmosphere was vibrating, and the fortress walls were trembling, such was the destructive power.

 

 

A mana-evaporation-type technique, a ballista.

 

 

 

 

Kuaaaaaa – !

 

 

 

 

 

 

A huge mass of energy charged forward, blasting through everything in its path,

Drawing an unwavering straight line across a distance of hundreds of steps, it instantly reached Aran and opened a maw several times larger than her.

 

 

“A ballista… It’s been a while.”

 

Aran was momentarily lost in memories, but only for a moment.

 

She reached out her hand to the dangerous thing.

Her hand touched it lightly without taking any damage, and instead, it made the trajectory of the magnificent ballista falter.

 

The straight line drawn in the sky vibrated limply.

It accelerated further, and at some point, it lost its shape like a burst earthworm and scattered into the air.

 

 

Chwaaaa – !

 

 

Chunks of mana, finely torn like snow, poured down.

 

 

 

“Impressive. Firing a ballista this quickly. But that’s all. You can’t stand against a god. If you can’t realize that….”

 

 

She waved her hand.

 

 

“I’ll just have to make you realize it.”

 

 

This time, not for defense, but purely for attack.

 

 

It was a simple gesture, but it created an enormous wave.

 

 

The ballista of the enemy archer from just now, several times larger, dozens, no, hundreds of them were created.

 

 

Round and neatly packaged, ready to be fired at any moment, it was chilling just to look at.

 

 

 

“W-What is that…?”

“Ballista….”

“But…..”

 

 

Everyone knows what it is.

Ballista.

 

 

However, the ballista is a mana-evaporation-type technique, and no matter how much you use it, you can only use it once a day.

It was never possible to mass-produce them in such an absurd size and number.

 

 

“Illusions… They’re illusions!! It’s all a fantasy!!”

 

Someone shouted desperately.

Because it wouldn’t make sense otherwise.

 

 

“That’s what you think.”

 

One of the crouching ballistae was fired.

Piercing through all the atmospheric disturbances, it exploded, literally smashing a part of the fortress wall.

 

A huge piece of the magnificent fortress wall fell, causing a landslide that carved away at the high mountain.

 

Gugugugu!

 

 

A vibration that felt like a volcano erupting shook the area.

 

 

 

“N-No way…!”

“Run… Run away!!”

“Aaaargh!”

 

 

Soldiers began to abandon their weapons.

 

An enemy that cannot be opposed.

A one-sided massacre.

 

 

If they can’t do anything but be unilaterally killed, then running away is the only answer.

 

 

“Don’t run away!! Hold your ground!!”

“You hold yours!”

 

The soldiers did not follow the command at all.

It was utter chaos.

 

Those who wanted to run and those who wanted to stop them.

They should be uniting to fight, but at this rate, there’s no way they’ll survive.

 

 

“You guys are having fun. Humans.”

 

Aran looked down at the fortress walls with an arrogant tone and waved her hand.

 

 

“You were doomed to perish anyway.”

 

Hundreds of ballistae roared and poured down.

Like meteors.

 

 

“N-No…!”

“Save me!! Kyaaaa!”

 

 

A massive explosion continued like a carpet.

 

 

 

 

The weeping fortress and

The vomiting Taesan (Great Mountain).

 

The earth opens and lava rises,

A mere human has no chance of survival.

 

 

“Magnificent.”

 

 

The spectacle she had created.

Lava gushed out from the mountains that had been opened up beneath the fortress walls, which had disappeared without a trace.

 

 

The ballista was originally developed to pierce mountains.

How much destructive power would be needed to pierce a thick mountain and create a tunnel?

 

To fire hundreds of those things, this outcome was rather mild.

 

 

“I guess I can enjoy a hot spring now.”

 

 

 

 

.

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Was that too much?”

“It was too much.”

 

 

After the ballista bombardment, not only Zeus Fortress, but also a part of the Olympus mountain range where the fortress was located, was completely annihilated.

Moreover, active volcanic activity occurred for a while, making it a disaster like no other.

 

 

Fortunately, Aran had separately blocked the lava, so there was no obstacle for ordinary soldiers to pass.

 

 

 

 

“At least tens of thousands must have died.”

 

 

There were about 8,000 soldiers, but if you include their families, it would easily be tens of thousands.

Since the fortress was annihilated, they must have died as well.

 

“Well, it’s already done, so there’s nothing I can do. I’ll have to control myself from now on. At this rate, I’ll just be called an evil god.”

“….”

 

 

Evil god or whatever, I’m not even a god.

 

Ignoring Iliana’s dumbfounded gaze, Aran wandered around the newly erected tents again.

It was to enjoy (?) the gazes of the nobles who were utterly horrified.

 

 

“…Aran has become strange.”

“I agree. I can’t get used to His Highness in a woman’s form.”

“It’s like a completely different person.”

“We’ll win the war easily.”

“That’s for sure.”

 

 

You can tell just by looking at the nobles’ expressions.

 

 

After witnessing the carpet-like ballista bombardment, they treated Aran even more reverently. Looking at what they do, they seem ready to give her their liver and gallbladder.

I had a feeling that Aran might be a little more comfortable after this war is over and they go back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

“Your Majesty!!”

 

 

A noble rushed into Vanessa’s palace, where she was racking her brains for a solution.

Sensing something unusual, a weary worry settled on her face.

 

 

“What is it this time? Has there been another rebellion in the Hera region?”

“N-No, it’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

 

The noble carefully spoke, watching her expression.

 

 

“Zeus Fortress… has fallen.”

 

Vanessa dropped her pen.

 

 

“W-What did you say? Zeus Fortress… has fallen?”

“That is correct.”

 

 

Vanessa stood up from her seat.

 

“That can’t be! Didn’t they just cross Mount Olympus a few days ago?! How could it have fallen already…!”

“To be precise, it was annihilated. Zeus Fortress and… the mountain it was on… have disappeared entirely.”

“H-How could such a thing….”

“It appears to be the work of Great King Aran.”

“Aran…!”

 

 

She sat down heavily.

How could such an absurd thing happen?

 

A rebellion on one side, an invasion on the other.

And on one side, the gate has been breached.

 

 

“Your Majesty, if we stay like this, our entire country will be ravaged by the Great King! You must quickly turn the army around!”

“Ah….”

 

 

She had placed a large number of troops to suppress the rebels, trusting in the defensive power of Zeus Fortress.

She thought it would last at least 2-3 months….

 

 

“F-First… call them… I need to have a meeting.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

 

Vanessa stood up, leaning on the desk with trembling hands.

The power of the Great King was much stronger than she had thought.

 

 

Or, to be precise, the ability of the king named Aran exceeded her expectations.

 

“Ah… Sister….”

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

The news that Zeus Fortress had been annihilated spread across the continent on swift horses.

The news spread to nearby vassal states, the Mei Empire, Srodia, and the Great King’s mainland, and even to Persia in just a few days.

Because the scale was so large and noticeable.

 

 

And it naturally spread throughout Athens as well, which strengthened the rebel army.

Because, as they said, ‘the incident that was forcibly led despite the opposition of most of the nobles’ brought too much responsibility.

Who would want to bear that?

Even some of the royalist nobles, who boasted unwavering loyalty, had turned their backs, and there was no need to mention it now that the nation’s fortunes were rapidly declining.

 

 

Countless neutral nobles began to join the rebel army, and many people fled for their lives.

 

 

 

“Our forces are growing.”

 

 

One noble happily started, but no one smiled brightly.

Because the situation was serious for them too.

 

 

“Why… are you all like that? Your expressions. We are getting stronger….”

“Are you not even aware of the situation?”

“Y-Yes?”

 

Aphrodite glared at her sharply.