Ch.177177. The Battle of Obitus Workshop

Standing before Obitus, Horizon felt his heart swell with emotion.

It had been a long era, an extended period of time.

He had to endure an incredibly long period of patience to stand in this place.

Horizon was a descendant of the Terodamas bloodline, a clan believed to be extinct.

Of course, he wasn’t a direct descendant.

When Terodamas was killed through betrayal, his family members who remained in the capital were all executed to prevent any seeds of discord from remaining.

The extinction of the Terodamas clan was only prevented because Horizon’s ancestor, who had been sent away to secretly carry out Terodamas’s orders, managed to survive.

But survival wasn’t the end of it.

His ancestor was able to survive precisely because he was from a collateral line rather than a direct descendant, and he could deceive the eyes of those who had instigated the rebellion only because they believed the Terodamas family had been completely wiped out.

If those rebels ever discovered that a descendant of Terodamas had survived, they would undoubtedly target them by any means necessary.

Horizon’s ancestor, knowing this danger better than anyone, thoroughly concealed his origins. They went from the highest position to the lowest.

Thus, they hid their family name and passed down the family secret only to the child who would continue the lineage.

Horizon, being the eldest son who would carry on the family line, was able to hear the secret history of his family.

While he found the story told by his father shameful, he took pride in being a descendant of the Lion King.

He was not a man living a bottom-feeder’s life, but one born with noble blood—a conqueror and a vessel fit for an emperor from birth.

Perhaps it was inevitable that Horizon’s lifelong goal was to become the Lion King.

He had the talent and ambition to set such a goal.

Horizon dreamed of becoming the Lion King, and finally, the time had come to take the first great step toward that purpose.

He had inscribed secret arts into his body to endure decades or even centuries, waiting only for this day.

There were still a few things he needed to obtain to become the complete Lion King, but it wouldn’t be difficult.

There, at Obitus, where the Lion King was said to have met his death, another legend of the Lion King would be born.

Horizon, unable to contain his rising vigor after so long, shouted:

“Now, at this moment, we begin the war to bring down the Empire. The beginning will be at Obitus, where the Lion King is said to have fallen in battle. This will be a declaration of war against the Empire and the starting point announcing the birth of another Lion King.”

He had abandoned his usual manner of speaking like a neighborhood grandfather.

That had been a disguise to lower people’s guard and wait for his opportunity.

In this historic moment of announcing the Lion King’s arrival in the mortal world, he awakened the imperial blood hidden within him. No trace of his formerly gentle appearance remained.

Like the Lion King of old who once chastised the continent had been reborn, he faced the New Resistance members with a face full of vigor and dignity.

The members were also inspired by the fact that above Commander Vandyke stood the Great Sage Horizon, whose name was known throughout the continent.

Those who had vaguely called for the overthrow of the Empire now had their morale soaring with the appearance of such powerful support.

Even those who had doubted whether it was possible were swept up in the fervor, stamping their feet in excitement.

“Fear not. I stand behind you. Now, march forward. Today, we take Obitus.”

“Horizon! Horizon!”

As countless troops stomped their feet and chanted Horizon’s name,

The war had begun.

***

[Commander Gilbert. Your role is crucial.]

Gilbert, who had been focusing with his eyes closed inside the cockpit of the giant mech, opened his eyes at Seraphina’s communication.

On the communication screen appeared Seraphina, bearing the appearance of a resolute and decisive ruler.

If only she could always be like this.

A bitter smile formed on his face as he recalled Seraphina’s deteriorating state since becoming involved with the sub-scenario.

Moreover, the system was periodically sending danger messages, judging the current situation to be perilous.

If things went even slightly wrong, it might not be Horizon who would bring about the end of the world, but Seraphina.

Though he didn’t know exactly how the “Destruction Ending” would play out, the term itself suggested nothing good.

Gilbert didn’t even want to imagine what might happen if Seraphina, known as a genius, invested her talents in bringing about the world’s destruction.

“Understood. Please don’t worry too much.”

“I am not worried. If We do not trust Commander Gilbert, whom would We trust? You shall rightfully become Our first sword.”

Trust was evident in her eyes and tone. Gilbert briefly pondered the basis of this trust.

Was it due to his demonstrated achievements?

Or perhaps her exceptional insight?

Or if not those, could it be her personal affection for Gilbert himself?

Perhaps it was all three, Gilbert thought as he nodded slightly.

Becoming her first sword meant becoming the captain of the First Princess’s personal knight order, but Gilbert dared not refuse.

Rejecting the princess’s words could be taken as a great insult.

Until now, he had politely declined by expressing his refusal in roundabout terms out of consideration for their friendship, but the situation would change once she secured her position as the definite successor.

She would be the next Emperor of the great Infractus Empire—the center of future power.

Seraphina had already extended her influence into imperial politics and secured a majority faction under her control. She was just steps away from absolute power.

In such circumstances, refusing the position of captain of her personal guard would mean nothing less than standing against her.

Moreover, with the sub-scenario’s destruction ending looming, refusal was not an option for Gilbert.

“Then I wish you good fortune, My first sword.”

“I obey your command.”

The statement that he would become the first sword had already transformed into a title.

It meant she had already made her decision and would not accept any objections.

As the magical communication ended, Gilbert let out the sigh he had been holding back.

It was a sigh of frustration at not knowing how to handle Seraphina.

[Gil. Battle is imminent. Steady your mind.]

CT-777, sensing the unstable psychological state of its contractor Gilbert, spoke to calm him. Gilbert shook his head and composed himself.

As CT-777 said, they were about to deploy, despite the chaotic situation. He pushed all complicated thoughts to a corner of his mind, knowing that entering battle with a confused mind could be life-threatening.

Gilbert, an ace pilot, entered combat mode as if flipping a switch. Clearing away distractions, he simulated the battle situation.

This was his pre-sortie routine since he first became a pilot. A process to focus solely on flying to increase survival probability.

This habit, built over many years, remained the same even though the world had changed and the vehicle he piloted was different.

“CT, setting mission parameters.”

[Confirmed. Setting mission.]

“Target is the New Resistance. Completion condition is the complete annihilation of the New Resistance.”

[Target: New Resistance. Mission completion condition: Complete annihilation of the New Resistance.]

Listening to CT-777’s voice, which had also entered combat mode, he waited for the deployment order.

As his mind settled into calm stillness.

[All forces. Deploy.]

With Seraphina’s command, the battle for Obitus began.

***

Gilbert was a commander, but he also served as the leader of the vanguard. It was Seraphina’s arrangement, believing it would be a waste of manpower not to utilize his excellent giant mech piloting skills.

Gilbert also felt Seraphina’s decision was correct.

Regardless of her feelings for him, the fact that she placed him in potentially the most dangerous position suggested she hadn’t yet reached the point of being unable to make rational judgments.

Of course, he couldn’t be hasty or complacent.

The system that had helped him so far was showing indicators that she was at a dangerous level.

If a life-threatening moment were to come, Seraphina might act impulsively.

Ultimately, Gilbert had to avoid facing life-threatening situations while fighting on the front lines. No matter what happened.

How encouraging.

Gilbert gripped the control stick and steeled his resolve once more.

Seraphina’s giant mech forces, led by the succession candidates, and Horizon’s New Resistance forces approached each other slowly, maintaining distance.

In the current continental warfare, siege warfare was avoided.

Before the advent of giant mechs, the basic strategy was to capture important castles and cities, so prolonged confrontations that could cause numerous casualties and property damage were avoided.

However, as giant mechs began to play a crucial role in warfare, the situation reversed.

With a single giant mech capable of devastating an entire city, winning a siege battle would be no victory at all. Just as in modern warfare, areas swept by bombardment inevitably became ruins.

Naturally, siege warfare became avoided, and battles shifted to open fields, mountains, and other areas far from urban centers.

Gilbert, who still maintained the mindset of a soldier, felt relieved to be able to fight in an area without civilians.

Although fighting in an open field with no cover was dangerous, it wasn’t much different from the sky where he used to fly.

With a lighter heart, he observed the approaching New Resistance giant mech army.

As if they hadn’t spent their long years idly, the number of giant mechs they had gathered far exceeded those led by the succession candidates.

Of course, the skill level of the knights piloting the giant mechs would be higher on the succession candidates’ side, but numbers couldn’t be ignored in warfare.

Just as humans have physical limits, giant mechs have operational limits, and in a war of attrition, the side with more mechs would have the advantage.

Ultimately, the outcome of this battle depended on how quickly it could be ended.

In other words, the key was to effectively utilize the advantage of having higher quality giant mech knights.

The New Resistance and the Successors’ Alliance continued to face each other in a standoff. The tension was suffocating, but it would break the moment anyone moved.

Inhale, exhale.

The giant mech pilots regulated their breathing to shake off tension and calm their minds.

Finally, with the shouts of each faction’s leaders, the full-scale battle began.

– Commence battle!

Gilbert stood at the very front, forming the vanguard into a wedge-shaped charge formation. Charging toward a line of enemy mechs with their weapons aimed was madness, but it was also the most effective method.

He had the ability to penetrate through enemy fire and infiltrate their lines, and with Brynhild’s intuition and CT-777’s calculations supporting him from behind, he minimized casualties.

“Stop them! Stop those bastards!”

One of the New Resistance officers shouted angrily over the magical communication channel.

They formed an even denser firing line, but Gilbert, drawing his iron sword and unleashing golden magical energy, succeeded in approaching to close range.

“Brace for impact!”

To stop the giant mech charging away from the main force, the New Resistance formation deployed heavily armored mechs in front. Their plan was to physically block the lightly armored mechs that were designed to penetrate through bombardment.

“Brynhild!”

[Leave it to me!]

After Gilbert’s shout as he rapidly drew up magical energy, Brynhild, who had been maneuvering close behind him, moved to his side and swung her reddened iron sword in a diagonal arc.

Gilbert also brought down his iron sword in sync with Brynhild’s slashing motion, and the magical energy of the two began to swell as if interacting.

“W-what is that?!”

One of the New Resistance members piloting a giant mech exclaimed in shock.

Before him unfolded a sight he had never witnessed in his life—something that had seemed manageable just moments ago, when he thought they would crush the vanguard charging toward their heavy cavalry.

The magical sword strikes created by the two giant mechs leading the enemy charge.

While the method of operating giant mechs might seem common, the result was anything but ordinary.

Gilbert and Brynhild.

The sword strikes unleashed by the two distorted space itself.