Ch.318318. Sirah Relocation War (12)

Those who dug the trenches, those who raised the earthen walls with magic, and all the soldiers of the Principality who participated directly or indirectly in the battle couldn’t take their eyes off the river.

-SWOOOOSH!!

With a sound so fierce it was terrifying just to hear, a violent current that neither the monsters nor even the Principality’s soldiers had imagined possible surged through the Ripol River.

No. This couldn’t simply be described as “surging through.”

These were creatures that had stubbornly endured even when directly stabbed and slashed with swords and spears. They were otherworldly beings that ancestors had fought for generations, wielding weapons because they couldn’t overcome the difference in physical abilities.

Creatures that required pouring magic upon them and wielding weapons to crush and cut through their tough bodies and tissues, fighting desperately for a long time just to kill them.

Those monsters, which had displayed tenacious vitality against any attack from the Principality’s army, were now being swept away entirely. Hard carapaces cracked, tough skin split, and subcutaneous tissues were sliced away. Lives that had clung persistently even against magic that barely weakened them, even against enhanced weapons wielded by buffed soldiers, were now disappearing like torn paper.

-Gulp.

Water, a substance they had only thought of as a means to quench their thirst, was extinguishing the strong and tenacious life force of the monsters—beings they had to fight with all their might—with such ease.

The only sounds echoing across the battlefield were the fierce current, the monsters’ howls that were no different from screams, and the quiet breathing and swallowing of humans.

As they watched the trenches they had dug in the Ripol River transform into valleys or gorges, a small spark began to rise in one corner of the Principality soldiers’ hearts, flowing against the current.

‘Could we actually survive…?’

The monsters that had swarmed the Principality were disappearing like candles in the wind.

Unable to charge against the deadly current, they were transforming into mere corpses.

If this continued.

On this battlefield where they had never claimed a single victory, where they had only tasted bitter defeat and been forced to retreat time after time.

Could they possibly exterminate all those wretched creatures and survive?

The spark that had ignited in their hearts burst into flame at the sight of the monsters being swept away at once.

“Can we… win?”

A soldier trembled as he spoke through tears.

“Can we actually make it back alive?”

Having experienced nothing but consecutive defeats, he had honestly not even dared to hope. Now he asked again, his voice choked with emotion.

A single question filled with sincerity from the depths of his heart.

Could they return alive?

To his question, everyone strained their voices and now spoke with certainty.

“Of course we’ll make it back alive, you idiot!!!”

The spark that one soldier had gently lit might have seemed like it would end as just a firecracker, but it didn’t.

They all repeated the same words.

Of course, they would return alive.

Some burst into tears on the spot, while others wiped away tears that had already fallen with trembling hands.

In this moment.

In this moment when all soldiers participating in the Ripol River battle became united in heart, grasping a handful of hope.

“Focus!”

Junon shouted.

It was understandable to be intoxicated by the feeling of victory.

But now was the time to secure a perfect victory.

For that, they needed to calmly gather their wits.

“Do you really think we’ve won this battle already?!”

Pointing at the monsters who had been caught in the rapids and were now in critical condition, Junon shouted.

“Do you think it’s time to feel relieved, believing we’ve already survived?!”

Just then, the rapid current stopped.

When the overflowing Ripol River returned to the stream they had known before, it signaled that this battle was not yet over.

That’s right.

Nothing was over yet.

Though they had swept away an entire corps impressively, even that wasn’t completely finished.

The soldiers became united in heart once again, and Junon shouted as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Wipe them all out. Don’t leave a single one!!!”

—WAAAAAAH!!!

A roar louder than ever before filled the air.

Their heightened morale endlessly drew out the soldiers’ strength.

The mark of defeat that had been imprinted on their bodies began to be erased, and the emotion of fear began to disappear.

***

They probably thought that at most, the rushing water would only strip away some skin.

But in reality, the skin of his subordinates was not just stripped—their tissues were torn apart, and in severe cases, the limbs of monsters were severed and floating.

The water’s surface was completely covered with drowned corpses, and some monsters had been transformed beyond recognition on the spot. Of course, the most common case was those who had disappeared without a trace.

He had lost numerous soldiers. Nevertheless, the monster corps was not so easily defeated.

Part of the corps was still waiting in the rear lines, and as soon as the rapid current stopped, Ashpern, who had released the water resistance magic, was about to issue another attack order to the monster corps.

But then.

“Wipe them all out. Don’t leave a single one!!!”

—WAAAAAAH!!!!

The humans, who until now had seemed so weak they would fall at the slightest touch, were all attacking at once.

Although their numbers had indeed decreased, the monsters’ bodies were far stronger than humans’. Even with magic as a weapon, Ashpern could counter it directly. Despite seeing many soldiers in critical condition, they had no chance of victory.

Yet they did not stop.

They wielded their weapons, deployed magic, and charged as if they would devour his corps before their eyes.

‘Why on earth…!!’

The humans had been steeped in fear after consecutive defeats.

The fear that they might lose again.

The fear of how many more compatriots would die this time.

And the fear that they might ultimately lose their lives along with defeat.

By continuously instilling this emotion of fear, Ashpern had easily secured victories against humans.

But.

It was different.

Every time he had gradually filled them with the fear of death, they had self-destructed, consumed by their emotions.

The humans who had been steeped in fear were never this strong.

Just by advancing with the monster corps, they had been so easily torn apart.

There was only one reason.

‘Have the humans forgotten that fear? The fear of death?’

How could these weak creatures, who would collapse just by having their magic neutralized, forget the fear that even he knew?

He couldn’t understand it. It was utterly incomprehensible.

Ashpern had to issue an attack order to the monster corps while carrying this huge question that had arisen in this situation.

Then, that black-haired human suddenly appeared again.

“You managed not to die? You dragon bastard.”

“You…!!”

“You haven’t forgotten that I’m your opponent, right?”

The chain attached to his gauntlet entangled Ashpern’s spear. It seemed as if he was trying to create a one-on-one situation, not involving the other Principality soldiers.

Ashpern instinctively sensed it.

This person before him.

The one who, even if not now, had once made him experience what it was like to be on the brink of death.

That he was the king of the Principality’s army.

————!!

Howling echoed, and monsters began rushing toward them.

Each exchange was quite heavy, and with his nimble body dodging attacks, plus the precedent of having threatened his life before, Ashpern wasn’t too keen on fighting Junon one-on-one.

As the monsters rushed in,

“Everyone retreat! Maintain the Hasirt formation again!”

He unwound the chain from his spear and climbed back up the earthen wall using a rope.

Other soldiers also stopped fighting and climbed the wall as ordered.

But what was the point of climbing?

“Running away is useless when I can just chase you!”

Climbing just a few meters had no effect in front of Ashpern. Because he could just use magic.

However, from somewhere came a booming sound, followed by a familiar sound once more.

‘No way.’

Though he thought “no way,” Ashpern’s intuition was spot on.

-SWOOOOSH!!!!!

The rapid current, which he thought had stopped, was once again sweeping away the monsters who had stepped into the trench.

It was the same strategy, wasn’t it? Hadn’t he already witnessed its power with his own eyes? He couldn’t just let his subordinates be swept away like that.

The dragonkin gathered vast magical energy and cast a spell to resist the water.

He tried to somehow reduce the force of that surging current. After all, it was just water. Water that humans used to quench their thirst, and surely much less effective than direct attack means like blades or magic.

However.

“…!! Kugh…!!”

Ashpern had underestimated the power of nature, far too greatly.

To make matters worse, a shadow was falling over his head. Rocks were tumbling down from the air just a few meters above, threatening to bury all the monsters who had stepped into this trench.

Ashpern, who had somehow been holding back the rapid current, turned his head with a resentful expression.

In his line of sight was a man with jet-black hair flowing in the wind, exuding an overwhelming presence as he watched this place.

“I will… I will definitely tear you apart and kill you!!!”

Ashpern, who had been certain there would be no variables after the battle began, lost half his monster corps in an instant and felt the deep air of defeat as he was swept away by the rapid current.

It was a humiliating defeat.

***

We were able to sufficiently break the monsters’ strength and target the critically wounded ones to kill them.

Falling rocks and rapid currents.

The result obtained by using the power of nature could indeed be considered a victory.

But I know.

Even though he was swept away by the current, he wouldn’t have died.

The monster units he led might have all been washed away, but Ashpern alone would not die.

Using all kinds of magic. Using the magics that humans had been using, he would desperately survive. The deadly current and falling rocks alone weren’t enough.

“But… why?”

Why didn’t he properly counter the water magic?

“Hm? Junon, what did you just say? Did I do something wrong…”

“It’s nothing, Aris. I was just talking to myself.”

“R-really?”

“…Let’s move on to the next operation.”

I don’t know the reason.

But… I feel an inexplicable sense of discomfort about Ashpern.

That scene keeps flashing before my eyes, and I looked back at where he had been standing several more times before moving to the next operation position.