Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 105

1. The Burning Sea

1

Deep beneath the Gigant Arena in Lamer City, on the third basement level, where normally only storage was kept, a series of troops appeared amidst unusual noises.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

“Hurry! We don’t have much time!”

“Complete the move before the gate closes!”

Installed on the third basement level of the arena was a long-range teleport gate. It was one of three gates that Luke had built at great expense to manage his expanded territories, and for the past hour, it had been busily spewing out troops and supplies amidst a dazzling array of lights.

Pavel, who had been watching this, approached and greeted a middle-aged knight in fiery red armor who emerged from the long-range teleport gate.

“Welcome, Sir Belik.”

“Tsk, tsk, I heard you were having a hard time, but it was no exaggeration.”

The knight in red armor was none other than Firebolt Belik.

At Belik’s words, Pavel gave a wry smile with his gaunt face. He was sick and tired of being attacked by the Grenada bastards for the past few days.

“What’s the point of talking about the pirates’ notoriety? More importantly, the Red Wolf Knights must have had a hard time rushing here.”

“Hmph, a knight should die if he can’t handle that much of a forced march.”

The Red Wolf Knights, who had been stationed in the newly conquered eastern territories of the Barok Empire alongside the Holy Empire Army, received a message from Luke a few days ago. Lamer City was under attack by the Grenada Navy, so they were ordered to move quickly and provide support.

Belik, worried about Pavel and his comrades and refugees from the Volga Kingdom who lived in Lamer, gathered the scattered knights and returned to the Alberville territory at full speed. Then, without a moment’s rest, they used the teleport gate to cross over to Lamer City.

“More importantly, where are those damned pirates stationed right now? I can’t forgive them for setting fire to the land where His Majesty Pyotr sleeps.”

At Belik’s question, Pavel pointed to a spot on a map hanging on one wall.

“Currently, the enemy ships are anchored in the sea off Lamer City, as if to show off. They are out of range of our cannons, so we can’t do anything about it.”

“Those cunning bastards.”

Belik immediately understood the Grenada Navy’s intentions. The reason they were positioned within sight of the allied forces, but out of attack range, was to continue their show of force. From Lamer City’s perspective, having the enemy right in front of them would cause anxiety, and they would inevitably become physically and mentally exhausted from maintaining a constant state of alert. In other words, the enemies were tiring them out just by lounging on their ships.

“And the ground troops are stationed in a fishing village a little ways from here.”

“Hmm, the distance is close, so it will be difficult to defeat them individually. Have you identified the enemy commander?”

“According to Sir Hwangbo Seong, it’s a man named Fernan.”

“Hmm, Fernan de Salizar, is it? I’ve met a troublesome fellow.”

At Belik’s words, Pavel’s eyes sparkled.

“Do you know him?”

“I went to the Grenada Kingdom for a while when I was wandering as a mercenary. He’s young, but his swordsmanship is outstanding, and he’s praised as a genius swordsman.”

Several years ago, some lords who held a grudge against King Drake due to political issues had launched a rebellion. Belik was hired as a mercenary rider by the rebels and fought against the subjugation forces. At that time, Fernan was the commander of the subjugation forces’ Gigant unit [a unit of heavily armored soldiers or war machines].

“That guy caused the rebels to struggle. In the end, I had to run away without earning a single penny because we lost. Anyway, he’s arrogant, but his skills are certain, so it won’t be easy to crush him…”

“Is that so? Hehehe. I guess it was a good idea to set a trap after all.”

“A trap?”

According to Pavel’s explanation, Luke had sent a group of people to Lamer City a few days ago.

“A young lady named Jegal Soha, who came from the Southern Continent, was in charge. She looked at the terrain of Lamer City and the surrounding area, and then started working with the laborers.”

“Working? What on earth is she trying to do…?”

Belik, who was puzzled, listened to the explanation of the ‘weapon’ that Jegal Soha had created and the plan to use it, and he exclaimed in admiration. He thought that the probability of success was high.

“If that weapon works properly, we can definitely destroy them.”

“It will work properly. I saw it myself during the test.”

Pavel’s eyes sparkled with conviction.

“Anyway, it will take a little more time to prepare. So, until then, take a rest. We need your strength and the Red Wolf Knights to succeed in this operation.”

“Understood.”

Pavel, having parted with Belik, went outside and climbed up to the watchtower. He looked at the enemy ships through a telescope, but there was no particular movement from them. Fortunately, it seemed that they had not discovered the work that was being carried out on this side. If they had, they wouldn’t have been so still.

“I hope it succeeds… Your Majesty, please help us protect this land where the people of Volga are resting in peace.”

Belik prayed for victory to Pyotr II, who had passed away with the sorrow of a ruined nation, and then came down from the watchtower.

“Alright, everyone, hurry up and finish the work! We don’t have much time!”

Jegal Soha was currently going back and forth on Yuta Beach, directing hundreds of sweating laborers as they built a trap. The key to this operation was the trap she was creating. If they could just lure the enemies into the trap, victory was almost certain. The problem was whether they could carry out the work properly without being seen by the enemies.

However, the pirates, after seizing control of the coastal area, had become careless and did not thoroughly scout the surroundings. So, they were able to build the trap under the cover of night. It was a race against time, but it was possible thanks to the support of talented technicians and magicians in each field. And the trap itself did not take much time because it only needed to be installed or assembled from what had already been made in Lamer City.

“Soha-nim, all the work is finished.”

“Good job. Then, let’s all retreat.”

As soon as the trap was completed, Jegal Soha retreated without any regrets. Before returning, she glanced at ‘Ilyaseong (One-Night Castle),’ a part of the trap she had installed, and smiled meaningfully. [‘Ilyaseong’ is a term referring to a structure built quickly, often overnight, for strategic purposes.]

‘Hehehe. If this operation succeeds, Eun-gong will look at me again, right?’

She was already on edge because of a woman named Erewin, who was either an elf or a goblin. Moreover, after coming to Lamer, she heard that Duke Luke had a beautiful and virtuous fiancée. She heard that the fiancée, named Reina, was a princess of a destroyed country, but was far away due to circumstances.

‘Hehehe. When she’s far away is the opportunity. In the meantime, I’ll show Eun-gong my charm and abilities to my heart’s content.’

Until then, she would carry out any difficult and dangerous task. With such rosy expectations for the future, Soha headed back to Lamer City.

2

The next morning.

The Grenada Navy fleet, which had been peaceful, was turned upside down.

“What? The Rakan territory army has built a coastal fortress on the Tuled Peninsula to attack our forces?”

“Y-yes, sir.”

At his adjutant’s words, Duke Nayson slammed his fist on the table and became angry.

“What the hell has the ground force been doing! Were they just watching with their hands in their pockets while the enemy built a coastal fortress!”

“Well… the ground force says it seems to have been built overnight.”

“Nonsense! Who do they think they’re fooling! How can you build a fortress overnight!”

Nayson was not proficient in land warfare, but he had common sense. He knew that even if they roughly built a fortress by just hammering wooden stakes, it would take at least a few days.

“A-anyway, shouldn’t we come up with a countermeasure? If we’re not careful, the ground force will be isolated.”

At his adjutant’s question, Duke Nayson paused to think. The problematic Tuled Peninsula was located east of Lamer City, and it surrounded the fishing village where the ground force was currently stationed like a crescent moon. Nayson’s fleet regularly supplied the ground force and transported the wounded. Therefore, if the fortress built on the Tuled Peninsula attacked with powerful cannons, it would be difficult to supply the ground force and transport troops.

‘If we bypass it and land the supply line on another coast? No, that would just waste time. And if the enemy has hidden an ambush there, we could suffer great losses…’

The most vulnerable time for a ship is when it is docked at the coast. If attacked at that time, even the most powerful warship would be helpless. However, they could not withdraw the ground force from its current position. If they moved away from Lamer City, it would be difficult to carry out a siege in conjunction with the navy. The further away they were, the more time it would take to attack, and this wasted time would give the enemy a chance to recover.

‘Those Lamer bastards, they’ve made a brilliant move. We can’t let them be.’

Having made a decision, Nayson discussed countermeasures with Fernan via magical communication.

“This is the result of your and your subordinates’ negligence. What do you say? Can you resolve it?”

At Nayson’s words, Fernan replied with a troubled expression.

– I am sorry, but I think it will be difficult. There is only one direction to attack by land, and it is difficult to secure a path for the Gigants to maneuver enough to avoid the shelling because there are many obstacles.

It was not impossible if they mobilized all their forces. However, they could suffer great losses if they recklessly charged in without knowing the strength of the enemy fortress. If that happened, the capture of Lamer would be out of the question.

– However, if you provide solid artillery support from the sea, I think we can capture the fortress without suffering much damage.

At Fernan’s words, Duke Nayson frowned. He thought that Fernan was trying to pass the blame for the ground force’s mistake onto the navy. However, he could not ignore it. If the ground force was isolated, it would be difficult to capture Lamer City. Moreover, if Fernan, a strong candidate for the throne, were to die, he would be severely reprimanded by the king.

“Alright, I understand. We will provide support, so make sure to capture the fortress!”

– Thank you, Admiral.

After finishing the magical communication with Fernan, Nayson ordered the fleet.

“It’s time to move out! Our target is the Tuled Peninsula. Attack the enemy fortress located there!”

At Duke Nayson’s command, large sailing ships and steamships, except for transport ships and some escort ships, simultaneously raised their sails and activated their magic steam engines, and began to move east. As the fleet began to move, the adjutant spoke to Nayson with a displeased look.

“Sir, is it necessary for all the warships to move to capture just one fortress? I think it would be enough to send only a part of them.”

“Nonsense. That fortress is in a position to cut off the ground force’s lifeline. If we don’t deal with it all at once, it will become very troublesome.”

Duke Nayson’s idea was that a thorn in the hand should be removed before it festered. That is why he was trying to eliminate it by mobilizing the full firepower of the fleet.

“Besides, the enemy must have prepared that fortress as their trump card. If we waste time, we don’t know what they might do.”

“Indeed, I see.”

At Duke Nayson’s words, the adjutant nodded as if he understood. The distance from the fleet’s anchorage to the Tuled Peninsula was not far. They could arrive in less than an hour, but Duke Nayson did not attack rashly. Instead, he waited for the ground force to arrive and observed the fortress.

“Damn it, it’s much larger than I thought.”

The fortress was located at the end of the Tuled Peninsula, which surrounded the bay where the fishing village was located like a crescent moon, on a towering rocky area. They had reinforced the area with stones and wooden fences, with cannons placed in the gaps between the rocks. It was so cleverly made that it would have been difficult to recognize if it weren’t for the watchtowers and the guards stationed here and there.

‘How the hell did they build that overnight? It would have taken a considerable amount of time just to move the cannons through the rough rocky gaps.’

The jagged rocky area seemed difficult for even Gigants, let alone horses or cows, to enter. However, it was also impossible to say that they had moved them by ship. They had not seen any ships large enough to carry cannons coming out of Lamer Port, and it was also difficult to dock in front of the fortress because of the reefs protruding here and there.

‘Anyway, it was a good idea to bring the entire fleet. We need to concentrate our firepower and blow it away at once.’

“Admiral! A magical communication has arrived from the ground force! They have just arrived and completed their battle preparations.”

At his adjutant’s report, Duke Nayson nodded and gave the order.

“All ships, begin the attack! Open fire!”

At his command, the side decks of the Highredin and the battleships opened, and large-caliber cannons appeared from within.

And they began to spew fire all at once.

Bang! Pow!

Whoosh— KABOOM!

Hundreds of cannonballs fired from dozens of warships rained down on the fortress.

Each time a cannon fired, gray stone dust billowed like smoke.

However, the damage to the fortress was minimal: a watchtower was destroyed, and some stone piles and wooden fences built as walls had collapsed.

The gun emplacements nestled in the rock crevices were hardly damaged.

“Your Excellency, I think we need to get closer to increase the power of the bombardment.”

“Do so. And tell the ground forces to begin the siege immediately.”

The Grenada fleet continued to bombard the fortress as they approached.

It wasn’t easy naval gunnery, but as seasoned sea dogs, the accuracy of their cannonballs was quite high.

However, the fortress was just taking hits without retaliating at all.

Duke Nayson, who had expected them to be intimidated by the barrage, gradually grew suspicious.

“Adjutant, isn’t something strange?”

“What do you mean? Are you referring to the fact that the enemy isn’t retaliating?”

“Yes, if they had come this far, they would have surely counterattacked, but why…?”

At Nayson’s question, the adjutant paused, thinking for a moment before answering.

“Isn’t it possible that they are waiting for our fleet to get closer?”

“Hmm, maybe, but… it’s too quiet, isn’t it?”

After receiving this much bombardment, the fortress should have been in chaos.

Even if they didn’t counterattack, they should have shown signs of soldiers moving urgently, but there was no such sight.

Moreover, even as the bombardment fell, the guards were steadfastly holding their positions.

‘Could it be?’

A bad feeling flashed through his mind, and Duke Nayson raised his telescope again to examine the fortress.

As the distance closed, the fortress became clearer than before.

The guard, who was standing upright despite having one arm blown off, was scattering straw instead of blood.

Moreover, the cannons that had been hit by the bombardment were burning like well-dried firewood.

“Damn it! We’ve been tricked!”

The fortress was just a fake, made to look plausible on the outside.

The guards were just elaborately made scarecrows wearing plate mail, and the cannons placed in the rock crevices were models made of wooden frames covered with paper.

“Are you saying the fortress is fake?”

“Yes, we’ve fallen into their trap.”

“But how can the Marquisate of Rakan, which has almost no warships, attack us?”

They could have requested support from another country, but if that were the case, they would have been discovered by the scout ships in the nearby sea.

If they had hidden cannons on the coast, they would have attacked by now.

“Anyway, we need to get out of here quickly…”

KABOOM!

Just as Nayson was about to give the order, the ship lurched with a heavy explosion.

The sailors on the deck tumbled, and Duke Nayson and his adjutant were soaked by a column of water that shot up vertically.

“What was that? Where did the attack come from?”

“Y-Your Excellency! Look at that!”

Nayson, who was looking around, looked at the surface of the water at his adjutant’s words.

Several large wooden barrels were floating, with thin ropes tied to cork lids.

‘Those, those are mines?’

While Nayson was wondering, a sailing ship right next to him touched the rope.

As the rope was pulled and the lid opened, water seemed to seep into the barrel, and then a huge explosion occurred.

KABOOM!

“Aaaagh!”

“W-What is this!”

The explosion created a large hole in the side of the sailing ship.

As water flowed into the hole, the ship lost its balance and quickly tilted, and the sailors on the deck rolled into the sea.

“Aaaagh! Save me!”

“Help me! My comrades are inside…!”

It was a scene of chaos that unfolded in an instant.

Duke Nayson watched the tragedy with wide eyes before shouting.

“Quickly lower the lifeboats and save the sailors! And get out of here quickly!”

It was the moment when Nayson, his face pale, was shouting at the top of his lungs.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Along with a series of heavy explosions, fierce columns of water shot up in the sea area where the fleet had entered.

The ships swept away by the water columns staggered like drunks and sank into the sea, and the flames from the exploded wooden barrels spread to other ships along the waves.

“W-What kind of nightmare is this…!”

Duke Nayson watched as more than half of the fleet sank or was engulfed in flames in an instant.

He collapsed on the spot with a pale face.

Unfortunately for him and his fleet, the nightmare was just beginning.

3

“Mines… they have tremendous power.”

Belik was watching the tragedy of the Grenada fleet from the forest inside Yuta Beach.

“I thought gunpowder couldn’t be used when wet, but was I wrong?”

“That’s the story of ordinary black powder. But the composition of the gunpowder used in mines is different.”

Zhuge Soha, who had installed the overnight castle and mines the night before, gave a detailed explanation.

“There is a gunpowder called ‘fierce fire oil’ that burns even more fiercely when it comes into contact with water. The gunpowder that goes into mines is made of materials with a similar composition to that fierce fire oil.”

“Fierce fire oil… yes, I’ve heard of it. Didn’t Emperor Rudolph use it when he fought against the Western noble army?”

“Yes, I’ve heard that story since I came here. Anyway, the gunpowder in the mines is combined to explode when it comes into contact with water. So, when a ship pulls the rope attached to the lid and water enters the barrel, it goes boom.”

“Whew! That’s an amazing thing. Is it the young lady’s invention?”

At Belik’s question, Zhuge Soha shook her head.

“No, it’s a weapon created by a place called the Thunderbolt Gate to eradicate the Yamatai pirates who were disturbing the coast of the old Song Empire [a historical Chinese dynasty].”

If Grenada was famous as pirates in the Rhodisia continent, the Yamatai Kingdom was famous as pirates in the southern continent.

Yamatai, an island nation in the east of the southern continent.

Lords who were pushed out of domestic political strife or defeated in civil wars became pirates and plundered other countries, and their misdeeds caused great suffering to neighboring countries.

The Song Empire’s imperial family, one of the countries that suffered the most, commissioned the Thunderbolt Gate of the Jianghu [a term referring to the martial arts world] to create weapons to defeat the pirates.

Unlike other sects, the Thunderbolt Gate was very interested in making gunpowder weapons.

Rather than learning or developing martial arts, they focused on inventing various types of firearms.

The weapon that the Thunderbolt Gate created at the request of the Song imperial family was the mine.

“Ironically, the Thunderbolt Gate fell into ruin despite making a great contribution to the suppression of pirates with the invention of mines.”

The Song imperial family was wary of their power to handle powerful firearms.

So, they gave them a nominal title and position called the Firearms Directorate and forcibly incorporated them into the military.

Some disciples who were dissatisfied with this treatment went into seclusion or entrusted themselves to other sects.

“There were disciples who came to our Zhuge family at that time, and through them, the gunpowder technology of the Thunderbolt Gate was passed down.”

“Hmm, so that’s why the young lady knew how to make those mines.”

“Yes, but I didn’t expect them to be so powerful. It seems that the fact that they were surprised by the overnight castle that was set up as bait and approached the fortress played a decisive role.”

Since mines could only be installed in the near sea rather than the open sea, the enemy’s misstep of approaching the fortress was significant.

The overnight castle used as bait was a product of the Yamatai civil war, which was called the Warring States period [a period of warfare in Japanese history].

A lord named ‘Oda’ had once easily won a victory by building a castle overnight at a key point to attack the opponent’s territory.

The defensive power of the overnight castle itself was weak, but it was enough to confuse the enemy.

Zhuge Soha applied that case to this operation and succeeded.

“Anyway, this is not the time to just talk. We need to cut off their breath while they are in chaos.”

“Waaaah!”

As Belik drew his sword and signaled, the Red Wolf Knights and the Rakan territory soldiers, who had been hiding in the forest, rushed to the beach all at once, carrying makeshift boats.

More than half of the fleet had been hit by mines and had sunk or were sinking, but the other half was still afloat.

Belik was trying to engage them in boarding combat.

“The Unicorn Knights on the other side should be moving by now. Young lady, you should return to Lamer City now.”

“No, I will help with the battle too.”

At Belik’s words, Zhuge Soha shook her head.

“It might be dangerous?”

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

She answered with a confident expression, drawing her twin swords.

Belik exclaimed at the powerful fighting spirit flowing out with her confident expression.

‘Huh, I thought she was a quiet and smart young lady, but she’s a Sword Master?’

He thought there was no need to turn away a capable person with that much power, so he immediately pointed out Zhuge Soha’s position.

“Then, support the fleet on the right wing.”

“Understood.”

As Zhuge Soha left, Belik also hurriedly boarded a boat. And he commanded the soldiers who had completed their assault formation.

“All troops, advance!”

“A large number of boat fleets are approaching from the north!”

At the lookout’s words, Nayson jumped up from his seat and picked up his telescope.

Small boats that could carry 10-20 people were darkening the northern sea as they swarmed in.

They looked like ants swarming around a cicada that had died after exhausting its energy in the summer.

“Tch! Do they dare to challenge our fleet with a boat fleet?”

Although considerable damage had been caused by the mines, there were still many intact warships.

The flagship Highredin, on which Nayson was riding, had also been hit by a mine, but it had not lost its combat power.

“Turn the ship! Open the gunports towards the boat fleet!”

“Turn the ship! Prepare for starboard bombardment!”

As the adjutant hurriedly relayed the order, the Highredin turned towards the boat fleet and opened its starboard gunports.

“I’ll make them pay dearly for their despicable tricks!”

It was when Duke Nayson, grinding his teeth, was about to give the order to fire.

Thud!

Suddenly, a large shock was transmitted from the port side, and the ship tilted greatly.

“What is it? Could it be another mine…?”

“No! An allied warship has collided!”

“You fools!”

In an attempt to avoid the mines scattered everywhere, allied ships had collided with each other.

Such unsightly scenes were happening in many places.

In their haste to get out of the minefield, ships collided with each other while running in the same direction, and they also crashed into ships that had half sunk without noticing them.

But the accidents didn’t end there.

KABOOM!

With a tremendous explosion, the deck and starboard side of the Highredin were torn apart.

“What is it this time!”

Duke Nayson, who was suddenly covered in wooden debris, shouted angrily, and his adjutant, covered in blood, answered with a tearful face.

“It seems that the gunpowder on the first-floor gun deck has exploded. Perhaps a spark from the collision a little while ago fell on the gunpowder…”

“Kuhhh. Damn it!”

Nayson felt like he was about to vomit blood. He had roamed the seas and fought for decades, but this was the first time he had been in such a disgraceful state. ‘This must be a dream! It has to be a dream!’ While denying reality, another disaster struck. The boat flotilla of the Rakan Territory forces, having approached while avoiding the sea mines and enemy ship fire, had arrived. “Throw the grappling hooks!” “Get on the deck! Archers, provide cover!” Several boats latched onto one warship. Led by the Red Wolf Knights under Bellic’s command, the Rakan Territory forces who boarded the enemy ship charged at the Grenada Navy. “Kill all the pirates!” “Do not retreat! Show the might of a sea warrior… Kuaaak!” The Grenada Navy had long been renowned for its strength in naval battles. In addition to their artillery capabilities, they were also excellent in shipboard deck battles using lightweight Gigants [large, humanoid war machines] called Crabs. However, they were currently unable to demonstrate even half of their combat capabilities. They were in chaos due to the sea mines, and most of their Crabs were stored in the lower decks, as they had only focused on cannon fire. However, as the Rakan Territory forces boarded, a few Crabs hurriedly came up to the deck. “Enemy Gigants!” “Don’t panic! They’re just pieces of wood!” Bellic and the Red Wolf Knights, who had boarded a steam-powered ship, lit and threw pre-prepared fire bottles. Boom! Whoosh! “Kuh! You lowly bastards!” The Crabs were instantly engulfed in flames. The wooden outer armor burning didn’t significantly reduce their combat power. However, it was difficult to fight properly because the flames and smoke made it hard to see. “Hahaha. You fool! Where are you looking? It’s this way, this way!” “Damn it, I’ll kill you!” Provoked by Bellic’s taunts, the Crab’s rider swung his greatsword towards the sound and charged. Bellic quickly rolled away to avoid it, and the burning Crab crashed through the deck railing and plunged into the sea. “Hmph, I don’t even need to use Aura [a form of energy manipulation] against a fool.” Bellic, sneering at the Crab floundering and sinking into the sea, surveyed the battlefield. Flames were rising from various parts of the Grenada naval ships. Some ships had sunk after being hit by sea mines, but many were also burning due to arson by the Rakan Territory forces who had boarded. “Haaak! Help me, it’s hot!” “Please, spare my life… Kuaaak!” The Grenada sailors who fell into the sea were either engulfed by the flames from the exploding sea mines or were stabbed by the spears and swords of the Rakan Territory forces in the boats, meeting their end. ‘Huh, to think the Grenada fleet, said to be the strongest on the continent, would be shattered like this…’ He had thought the trap was quite clever, but he hadn’t expected it to work this well. “Commander, we’ve taken care of all the guys on the deck!” Upon hearing his subordinate’s report, Bellic immediately gave the order. “Good, set fire to the gun deck and retreat.” Not long after Bellic’s group retreated, the warship they had attacked split into two pieces with a tremendous explosion. Turning away from the warship sinking below the surface, Bellic set off in search of another prey. His ultimate goal was the massive steam-powered ship, the Highredin, located far away in the center of the fleet. 4 “Good heavens, this can’t be happening!” Fernan’s face turned pale as he looked at the sea. He was usually more interested in land than the sea. However, he had no doubt that his country’s navy was the strongest on the continent, so he couldn’t believe the tragedy that was unfolding. ‘To think we’d be lured into a fake fortress and end up like this…’ Just a moment ago, when the navy began shelling the fortress on the Tuled Peninsula, he had led the ground troops and charged in. But there was no fighting to be done. The enemy forces in the fortress hadn’t been annihilated by the navy’s shelling; there was nothing in the fortress to begin with. They had been fooled by the plausible appearance. ‘This is a big problem. Duke Nayson will be furious if he finds out about this.’ Just as he was thinking he would be severely scolded for not scouting properly, an explosion was heard from the sea. Wondering what it was, he climbed onto a rock to look, and saw warships sinking or engulfed in flames as explosions continued to erupt. And as if they had been waiting for it, a group of soldiers hidden in the forest near the coast came out with boats and charged into the disorganized fleet. “Count, what should we do now…?” Fernan, jolted back to his senses by his adjutant’s question, hurriedly gave the order. “We retreat for now.” “To the garrison?” “Yes, if we linger here, we might fall into a trap too.” There was no way the ground troops could help the navy anyway. To help the navy, they would have to go out to sea, but they didn’t have a single ship right now. Moreover, now that it was revealed that the fortress was fake, it was difficult to stay any longer. ‘Surely they won’t be annihilated? They are the strongest navy on the continent, after all…’ If the navy was annihilated, there would be no way to return to their homeland, so Fernan and all the ground troops wished for the navy’s success. But as they were about to retreat, Gigants camouflaged with leaves and vines suddenly popped out from behind. Thump thump thump thump! “Where do you think you’re going?” “Y-you guys are…!” What appeared before Fernan’s eyes was a Gigant unit composed of the Unicorn Knights, Hwangbo Sung, and the Clan’s mercenaries. Having come out of the castle and hidden in advance, they had blocked the path as soon as Fernan’s ground troops entered the Tuled Peninsula. ‘This is a disaster. Our retreat is completely blocked!’ Fernan’s expression hardened. Except for the front, the sea stretched out. They had become like rats in a trap. How could they escape this predicament? As Fernan was searching for an answer, Hwangbo Sung chuckled and said, “Hahaha. You never expected to be caught like this, did you?” Until now, Hwangbo Sung had only been blocking the attacks of those who quickly struck and retreated, so he was quite frustrated inside. How many times had he gritted his teeth watching those who ran away as soon as they were at a slight disadvantage after being thoroughly beaten? Now, the time for revenge had come. “Sir Hwangbo Sung, is there any need to talk to these pirates? Let’s just wipe them all out.” Kaper, the commander of the Unicorn Knights, who was also clearly… no, extremely enraged, spoke from the side. “That’s right. The commander is right. These guys need fists more than words.” As Hwangbo Sung agreed, Kaper immediately gave the order to attack. “Draw your greatswords! From now on, we will wipe out all the Grenada rats!” “Waaaaaaa!” At the shout of Kaper, the commander of the Unicorn Knights, the Gigants charged forward all at once. Thump thump thump! About a hundred Gigants charged, shaking the ground. It was a number increased by borrowing the Gigants from the Clan and the Red Wolf Knights who had gone to the naval battle. Fernan, overwhelmed by the imposing steel army surging like a wave, hurriedly gave the order. “Raise your shields and form a defensive line!” The Tuled Peninsula had many protruding rocks and obstacles, making it difficult for Gigants to maneuver. So, if they blocked only some of the paths, they could easily defend. And if the navy could recover from the chaos and provide support, they could escape this crisis. Fernan gave the order based on this calculation, but it was a hasty choice and a bad move. “Die, you pirates!” “You dare to fight head-on with such Gigants?” “This is revenge for the citizens of Lamer who died at your hands!” Bang! Crack! Crunch! The Gigants of the Rakan Territory forces relentlessly broke through the Grenada ground troops’ defensive line. The hastily formed defensive line was not very strong. Moreover, the Crabs could not keep up with the Rakan Territory forces’ main Gigants in terms of weight or output. Therefore, even when facing a similar number, they were unilaterally pushed back and crushed. “Damn it!” As the allied Gigants were being pushed back and crushed, Fernan stepped forward himself. Deploying Impact Aura, he instantly slashed down two Gigants of the Rakan Territory forces, and then shouted at his allies. “Everyone, get a grip! The enemy and our numbers are similar! The terrain is also advantageous for us! We can definitely hold them off!” Perhaps annoyed by Fernan’s shouting through the communication device, A Gigant approached him, aiming for him. It was Orion, ridden by Kaper. “Die!” Fernan swung his greatsword imbued with Impact Aura at the Gigant that dared to approach him without fear. Clang! However, contrary to his expectation of cutting it down in one blow, it was blocked in the middle. “Wh-what! You blocked my sword?” “Hmph, don’t underestimate me!” Having trained relentlessly after losing in a duel with Shai Khan, Kaper had recently reached the early stages of Sword Master [a highly skilled swordsman]. Although his skills were inferior to Fernan, who was a mid-level Sword Master, the Hero-class Gigant Orion, boasting an output of 3,700 Fight [a measure of power], made up for the difference. Fernan gritted his teeth at the enemy Gigant, who was holding his sword and looking for an opening. ‘Where did this unheard-of guy come from…!’ In the siege of Lamer City, it was mainly Hwangbo Sung who faced Fernan. Kaper had been commanding the soldiers or taking charge of other areas, so this was the first time he had directly clashed with Fernan. Fernan couldn’t hide the anger rising within him. He had thought that only Marquis Luke could be his opponent, but suddenly a tree giant had appeared and blocked him, and now another guy was interfering with him. “You bastard—! I’ll crush you to pieces!” “Commander Kaper, that guy was originally my opponent. I’ll take care of him.” Just as Fernan, gritting his teeth, was about to launch an attack, Hwangbo Sung, riding on Mok-Woo, rushed in and delivered a powerful punch. Kwarururung—! As Mok-Woo’s fist flew in with a thunderous roar, Fernan’s Gigant armor was shattered and he was pushed back. While Fernan was momentarily stunned by the tremendous impact, Kaper fiercely pushed in and swung his greatsword. “Kuh! How cowardly to gang up on me!” “There’s no reason to listen to such words from someone who slaughtered innocent residents!” “Unfortunately, I agree.” The two of them attacked relentlessly, regardless of whether it was cowardly or not. In the end, Fernan’s Gigant was destroyed, and the Grenada ground troops were all killed or captured. It was a de facto annihilation.