Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 153

153.

“I intend to participate directly in the battle.”

Ken nodded at my words.

“That’s a good idea, Your Highness. The Empire’s soldiers are accustomed to their commander-in-chief diving into battle and wiping out the enemy.”

Ken’s words reminded me of my father.

My father was the one who shattered the common notion that a commander coordinates the battlefield from the rear.

In every campaign he personally led, he took the vanguard, neutralizing key enemy elites and leading the war to victory.

“This battle will prove that I am my father’s son. That alone will significantly build the soldiers’ trust.”

“Yes.”

The battlefield is a dangerous place, but I didn’t hesitate.

I also had confidence.

Grand Master Spiritists aren’t common, and I boast that I am much stronger than other Grand Master Spiritists because I have contracted with all four elemental spirits.

Spirit Sword Technique, though not practical enough to be used in real combat, is hidden as my trump card and is the foundation of my confidence.

“Is there a specific strategy for attacking the guerrilla forces?”

I examined the map, and Ken replied succinctly.

“There are battlefields where a straightforward approach is more useful, and this battle seems to be one of them. If Your Highness leads from the front, with Olivia escorting you, it would be best to push through with force and end the battle quickly.”

As my escort, Olivia never leaves my side.

I rode Gale to the forefront.

The soldiers’ gazes focused on me.

The commanders remaining in the main force were also watching me.

In their eyes, I felt that my decision was right.

‘The absence of Father on the battlefield is unfamiliar to them. Father was the most reliable factor for victory for our side. I haven’t shown them anything to warrant such expectations.’

There have been achievements like the evaluation tournament and the Western Expedition, but this is my first war.

‘I’ll make it clear to them through this attack. That I am Leon Karl Leord’s son, and the Crown Prince who most resembles his father.’

Perhaps, as the Crown Prince, I might spend my whole life chasing my father’s shadow.

There are cases where the sons of overly exceptional fathers are consumed by inferiority, but I believed I was different.

As I took the lead, the guerrilla forces’ camp came into view in the distance.

They seemed to be aware of our main force’s advance and were preparing their defenses. The fortress itself wasn’t very tall, and there weren’t many soldiers.

‘Their morale is high. They are arming the soldiers’ minds, proclaiming the protection of the Pyreon Kingdom and the destruction of the evil Empire.’

I calmly opened my mouth.

“Before reclaiming Kaila and conquering the capital of Pyreon, we have engaged in battle to secure our rear.”

Silphew, naturally summoned, carried my voice on the wind.

“The war has now begun, and the battles we must overcome will not be easy.”

The breaths of tens of thousands of soldiers, exhaled in tension, gathered and felt like a heavy weight pressing down on my chest.

Nevertheless, I opened my chest wide.

“No matter how difficult the battle, we will be victorious, and I, Arun Karl Leord, the Crown Prince of the Empire and Commander of the Expedition, will always stand at the front.”

My voice grew stronger.

“My spirits will be the first to cut down the enemies, and my spirits will be the first to receive their attacks!”

I will not hide.

I clearly assured the soldiers and commanders of that fact.

“Let us overcome the Pyreon’s rabble blocking our path, plant the Empire’s flag in their capital, and make those who monopolize the bountiful lands realize their sins!”

It was important for me to lead and encourage the soldiers, but I also had to provide them with practical motivation, so I mentioned the Pyreon granary.

The best granary on the continent, I shouted as if the grain harvested there would be spoils of war for the soldiers if we won.

“All troops, advance!”

With a roar, the advance began.

I ran like the wind with Gale.

Silphew followed beside me.

Climb exuded a massive presence, sliding across the ground towards the enemies, and Ignis spewed flames from the sky.

“To arrogantly insist on a frontal battle, despite being guerrilla forces.”

They are underestimating me.

Otherwise, there was no way they would be defending the fortress with only a few thousand soldiers.

To face the Empire’s main force of 30,000, shouldn’t they be executing hit-and-run tactics, befitting their name as guerrilla forces?

They didn’t.

As if they didn’t believe that Olivia was a Sword Master.

‘They will pay a terrible price and realize it.’

As the distance to the enemy rapidly closed, I immediately unleashed the Red Wind Storm.

Silphew leaped high, and Ignis wrapped flames around Silphew’s body.

Gooooooo-!

The wind became a storm and poured down upon the enemies’ heads.

Kwaaaaang-! Kwang-! Kwang-!

“Wipe out the dirty Empire bastards!”

The voice of the enemy commander was heard.

I immediately summoned Sylph and sent them flying towards where the enemy commander was.

‘I will win overwhelmingly.’

The battle has finally begun.

It was the first battle I was leading, and I intended to solidify the trust of all the soldiers through this battle.

Furthermore, I was determined to dispel even the anxiety that the commanders had about me.

The method was not difficult.

Sylph unfolded chains of wind.

The enemy commander lost his head in the midst of uttering, “Uh, uh?”

‘Easy.’

Still just one.

There were many commanders left, and I summoned all the Sylphs.

* * *

Kwaaang-! Kwang-!

Silphew was rampaging through the enemy lines.

Swish-! Swish-!

Olivia was constantly wielding her sword around me, but she didn’t use Aura Blade [a technique that enhances a sword’s cutting power with magical energy].

She simply cut down any soldiers or knights who rushed at me with a single strike.

Thanks to Olivia, I could use spirit magic much more comfortably.

Even intermediate and lower-level spirits were committed to the attack.

Without Olivia, Elraim and some intermediate spirits wouldn’t have been able to participate in the attack to focus on defense.

Not long after the battle began, enemies were already seen fleeing.

They were guerrilla forces with high morale, but in the face of overwhelming power, their own lives were their priority.

“Those who lay down their swords will be spared. Those who flee will be thoroughly pursued and killed!”

At my command, some of the fleeing gave up their escape.

Once one person starts surrendering, the number of people surrendering increases rapidly like an epidemic.

It was best to minimize the number of fleeing soldiers, as they might become guerrilla forces again and threaten the rear.

‘Ignis.’

I poured a lot of mana into Ignis.

Gooooooo-!

Ignis in the sky circled the battlefield, raining down flames.

Kwaaaaang-!

A curtain of fire spread where the rain of flames fell.

A tremendous amount of mana was consumed, but no one could escape from the battlefield.

The Pyreon guerrilla forces, surrounded by fire, were gripped with fear.

Finally, a surrender came.

“Spare those who surrender.”

Once again, I spoke loudly, and the speed at which the enemies surrendered increased even more.

The battle quickly subsided, and I said to Ken.

“Gather the prisoners. We’ll rest at the guerrilla base today.”

The battle ended anticlimactically.

From the start, it wasn’t a place with many soldiers, and the terrain was no different from a field, so the capture itself was very easy.

“Waaaaah!”

Even if it was an easy victory, it was still a victory.

The soldiers, who had achieved an overwhelming victory in their first battle, roared.

“Assess the damage and report.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Ken rode off.

I turned my gaze to Olivia.

She hadn’t shed a single drop of sweat.

“Are you alright?”

I asked, concerned about possible injuries.

“I’m fine.”

“It was your first battle. Are you really okay?”

You killed someone for the first time.

This was also the first time I had sent so many people to the afterlife, but I had already had the experience of killing enemies.

I am a spiritist, so the mental shock of killing enemies is less, but Olivia is a knight.

She directly cut the enemy’s flesh and ground their bones, so the shock could have been great.

“Yes.”

Olivia smiled brightly.

‘Is it a cultural difference?’

She seemed really fine, contrary to my worries. I didn’t think she was a ruthless person, since she was a knight born and raised in the White family.

“Let’s go.”

The guerrilla base, which was barely worthy of being called a fortress, had a very poor environment.

“It would be better to set up the headquarters barracks.”

At my words, Olivia gave orders to the surrounding soldiers, and soon the headquarters barracks were completed.

While Olivia and I were resting inside, Ken’s voice was heard.

“Commander, this is Military Advisor Ken.”

Ken came in and reported briefly.

“The number of prisoners is one thousand two hundred. Our side has fifty-two deaths, ten severely wounded, and one hundred lightly wounded.”

“Have the wounded been gathered?”

“Yes.”

I got up.

“Use potions on those with severe external injuries, and the rest will be treated by the mages and me.”

“I will send people to the magic corps, but they may not be very good at healing.”

Most of the mages from the Riverhill family were skilled in offensive magic, so their healing magic was likely to be very basic.

I nodded.

“It’s okay. Have everyone who is capable of basic healing magic come.”

“Yes.”

As I went outside the barracks with Olivia, I could hear the resounding voices of the commanders controlling the prisoners.

I smiled bitterly.

“We need to discuss the prisoner issue as well.”

Since I had publicly promised to spare those who surrendered, the handling of the prisoners was also a problem.

‘It doesn’t seem like the Pyreon Kingdom will take the prisoners back with compensation… They will probably all become slaves.’

Since the war has begun, tragedies will continue to occur.

Soon, we arrived at the wounded barracks.

Most of the ten severely wounded had lost a part of their body. All were in life-threatening condition.

I immediately called Elraim and began treating the severely wounded first.

A few mages appeared.

“Treat the lightly wounded.”

At my words, the mages nodded and cast their spells.

“T, thank you.”

A soldier who had lost his right arm shed tears and thanked me.

The soldier seemed moved that the Crown Prince was personally providing treatment after the potion.

“The Empire will never forget your loyalty in sacrificing your arm.”

I spoke clearly and loudly so that my voice could be heard distinctly by all the wounded.

“We will all remember your contributions to the Emperor, the Imperial Family, and the nation, and we will take responsibility for the rest of your lives.”

I summoned a spirit so that everyone could hear.

“Escort the severely wounded to the Empire’s base city and send them back to their hometowns with an escort in the name of the Crown Prince. After the war, there will be sufficient compensation for those who fought at the risk of their lives. I promise in the name of Arun Karl Leord, the eldest son of the great Leord Imperial Family.”

The soldiers inside the barracks all knelt, and the knights also bowed their heads to me.