Ch.544544. Swift and Decisive (2)

The soldiers on the wall were defending themselves.

“No need to be tense. With your family’s elite gathered for the defense, they won’t break through easily.”

“…We just need to hold out. If we can endure without collapsing, the siege forces of the three houses will push back the empty barony.”

They believed they wouldn’t lose in this territory battle.

Just as Baron Akion had said. Though the sheer number of troops for an ordinary barony was concerning, they had confirmed there was no support from the County, other houses, or even mercenaries.

They held onto hope.

With defensive barriers repeatedly reinforced by mages, solid walls, and the combined forces of four houses, they believed they could defend the walls.

But soon that hope was mercilessly shattered.

“What is that—”

A sun rising in the sky struck the barony’s walls.

It was obvious that anything touched by the light of that small, blazing sun would be reduced to dust.

As despair gradually filled them, the mages poured all their Mana into the barrier, but—

“…The barrier!”

“We can’t save it…! Those who were warned in advance, abandon the wall and retreat to the second line of defense!”

With the barrier instantly shattered, knights and mages skilled in superhuman techniques began jumping from the walls and fleeing.

“Aaaaargh…!”

“No wonder none of the higher-ups were visible…! We’re just…!”

The elemental magic that struck the wall.

“These bastards dare to—!”

The ordinary soldiers caught in its range were reduced to dust without a chance to resist.

Boom—!

The wall collapsed, and the massive stones that once formed a solid barrier scattered throughout the territory.

“…Don’t worry about the wall being breached! The debris is still there!”

A centurion who had barely escaped the magic’s range rushed to the front of the collapsed wall and desperately shouted.

“They won’t easily climb over this mountain of debris! Take the high ground, gather stones, and shoot those bastards—”

Whether it was ambition to advance her career through this war,

Or just a misjudgment born of recklessness.

She was the first to climb the debris and nock an arrow to her bow.

“Kill them—!”

Bang—!

The heavy debris was helplessly blown away by the erupting wind. She was instantly killed, crushed by it.

“…Ah.”

The soldiers watching all this unfold at the front line realized.

“We were wrong.”

This was a battle they couldn’t possibly win from the start.

“That barony has two Masters! How could we possibly win against two monsters…!”

Perhaps against Experts, but not against these transcendent beings who existed beyond that level. It was a mistake to think that ordinary people like themselves could stop them.

“At this rate, we’ll just die like dogs—!”

Throwing down her sword, intending to flee, she turned around. In that moment,

Her eyes caught sight of the enemy forces charging unhindered through the breached wall.

The man proudly riding at their vanguard—recognizing him as Ray Carpel, the lord of the famous Carpel Barony—

The Baron instantly nocked an arrow and fired.

“Guhk…!”

Unable to close her eyes in indignation even in her final moments,

She could only collapse onto the cold ground.

* * *

Our forces’ momentum is considerable.

Breaking through the wall in one go was indeed effective.

“We’ve breached the wall! Lord, your orders!”

As Trisha, the commander of the magic main force, addressed me, I shot a light arrow toward the enemy and replied.

“The magic main force all remembers!”

“We’ll pour magic where the lord’s signal arrow lands! We’ve completed all preparations to unleash magic at any time!”

The reserve unit led by Dorothy is also excellent. Is the main force inferior to the reserves?

Only those proficient in close combat deserve to be called battle mages. When mages as skilled in horsemanship as the new recruits in the assault team can keep up with my pace, how could I not be pleased?

So at the mages’ request, I gladly nocked a signal arrow.

‘I don’t need to destroy everything myself.’

To completely strip them of all ability.

Sione would handle sweeping through the barony on a large scale.

‘Prisoners who can penetrate to the deepest part and receive surrender.’

I just need to capture those noble lords who have lived as aristocrats their whole lives, grown arrogant, and dared to provoke me with their contempt.

‘Right there ahead.’

Those barriers with sharp, rusty spears sticking out.

Those obstacles and the tense soldiers lined up behind them were precisely my hindrances.

“Mages!”

After drawing the mages’ attention, I fired my signal arrow.

Whiiiiish—!

The arrow, sharper and howling like a hawk with Mana, struck the barrier.

Without feeling any regret for not piercing an enemy’s head.

Following my command.

“Watch the front! The lord’s signal has landed—everyone except those assigned to defense, pour your magic!”

The battle mages’ fierce magic engulfed the barrier.

The magic of the highest-grade elementals had extraordinary power.

The magic unleashed by our family’s mages also had sufficient power to erase such flimsy barriers.

“Elvis!”

“I’ll blow it all away!”

Blowing away the shattered debris, clearing out the enemies.

“Knights, assault team, prepare formation!”

“As you command!”

The mages who had depleted their Mana and needed time to prepare more magic.

They fell back from the front line, and the assault team and knights quickly changed positions to form a protective formation around them.

Our advance, like a great wave of sturdy knights, crashed into Baron Akion’s territory.

“Focus only on breaking through to the lord’s castle!”

Soon my arrows imbued with elemental magic struck the fleeing enemies.

And the swords of knights and the assault team engaged the fighting enemies, while our warhorses’ hooves trampled over their now useless defenses as we advanced.

* * *

“Yes, this is the kind of fiery spirit I expect from Ray.”

Watching her husband begin his frenzied charge as soon as the wall collapsed, Sione.

She shook her head slightly with a small smile.

Soon after, her face became ice-cold, showing none of the warmth visible in front of him, as she drew her bow.

“Knights and the reserve unit. All should be prepared.”

Her blue eyes, which had been like a clear spring day, now held the chill of the winter North Sea.

From her emotionless, cold tone, the commanders remembered. Not just the bright and cute demeanor she showed within the barony, but also that she was the knight who had led the famous special task force of the County during the Winter War.

“The reserve magic unit is fully prepared.”

“The knights are likewise ready. All of us, including myself as vice-commander, have been resolved for battle for some time.”

Sione took a deep breath and raised her bow, shouting:

“We’re moving out now! Our objective is to annihilate all rebellious enemy forces! Show no mercy to those who refuse to surrender!”

Sione’s unit advanced quickly.

Passing through the collapsed wall that had been cleared, they entered the interior. Seeing soldiers rushing to fill the gap that the Baron had broken through,

Sione nocked an arrow and shouted:

“Those who don’t wish to die, surrender immediately!”

But it was unlikely the enemy would surrender easily.

“If you don’t throw down your weapons and surrender—”

Finally, Sione’s arrow was released, cutting through the air.

Boom—!

After blowing away the upper part of a two-story building with just one arrow, she slowly nocked another arrow and aimed at the enemies.

The Sione standing here showed no trace of the woman who had once locked herself away in anguish after killing those who had targeted her.

“This arrow will soon pierce you.”

Her voice carried weight, built on the solid convictions formed through her past experiences.

Looking at those who still couldn’t bring themselves to discard their weapons, Sione spoke with a genuine voice born from her innate goodness:

“If that is your wish.”

Because she knew the preciousness of life, and because she hesitated to kill those associated with Demons or cultists.

It was truly regrettable that they directly rejected the mercy and hesitation she had shown.

“…I have no choice.”

Bang—!

And so, a relentless rain of arrows, fundamentally disciplined and thus unleashed without the slightest deviation, began to engulf the enemies.

“They started this war! Our actions are completely justified! We must not hesitate to strike the enemy!”

To her allies.

And simultaneously as a pledge and cry to herself, Sione scattered her words across the battlefield.

“Our goal is to firmly protect the rear of our allies who have already charged toward the lord’s castle!”

Mana rose fiercely.

And at the same time—

“Ensure no one can easily turn their attention to the assault team. Tear through every corner of Baron Akion’s territory!”

Beyond Mana, the mysterious power residing in the bloodline of the County began to rise.