Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 91

While Luke was in the Southern Continent, the civil war in the Baroque Empire was intensifying.

While Count Ferrero, the commander of the Central Army, was keeping the Southern Army led by Marquis Myers’ faction in check, Rudolf led the Eastern Army’s support troops and the Imperial Knights to attack the Western Army.

“What? That mad emperor is coming?” Duke Butler jumped up from his seat at his subordinate’s report.

He had not expected the emperor to move his troops while the rainy season was not yet over.

“They are crossing the mountains. It seems their intention is to strike our rear,” reported a young knight in ornate armor, unfolding a map.

His name was Axel de Vanden, the lord of the Marquisate of Vanden, the second-largest territory in the west after Duke Butler’s. He was also Duke Butler’s personal disciple and son-in-law.

He was a prominent lord in the west and a genius who became a Sword Master at a young age, which is why Butler had him marry his eldest daughter.

Vanden, who was also skilled in geography and military strategy, was effectively acting as Duke Butler’s chief of staff.

“The Mirald region, where our army is currently stationed, has the Driss Mountains to the north and the Dinar Mountains to the south. To the east is Orlan Castle, where the Emperor’s faction is stationed…”

“If the emperor crosses the mountains and cuts off our rear, we’ll be trapped,” said Butler.

The Western Army commanders in the war tent stirred at Butler and Vanden’s words.

Although the Western Army was much larger in number, the overall strength was almost equal. The individual skills and equipment of the Imperial Knights were arguably the strongest in the empire, and the support troops from the east were also elite soldiers trained in border disputes with the Holy Empire.

Moreover, the Western Army had several problems.

First, with so many troops, there were high expenditures on military provisions and supplies. Also, since quite a few lords had recently joined the aristocratic faction, the command system was not yet fully established.

Such minor cracks were fine in normal times, but could cause a major disaster in an urgent situation.

Judging this, the commanders spoke up one after another.

“Your Grace, even now, supplies are delayed due to the rainy season. If our rear is cut off, our army will inevitably face difficulties.”

“Count Stark is right. We must launch an offensive, even if it’s a bit reckless.”

“We must make a decision somehow!”

Otherwise, they would have to retreat, but none of those who knew Duke Butler’s nature mentioned retreat.

Duke Butler, who had been listening to the commanders’ words, turned his gaze to a haggard-looking man who had been silently looking at the map.

“What do you think, Count Voltaire?”

The man Duke Butler questioned was surprisingly Count Voltaire.

He was Emperor Rudolf’s right-hand man.

His life, which had been on a winning streak for a long time, had fallen into ruin after his involvement in the Holy Empire’s civil war was exposed, his assassination attempt on Aslan failed, and his son, Lazuli, who had failed his mission, went into hiding.

After the bloody approval ceremony in the Imperial Council, the emperor severely questioned Voltaire’s mistakes and punished him.

Considering his past contributions, he did not take his life, but confiscated his title and all the assets of the Count’s family and exiled him outside the imperial capital.

Although his family had fallen, Count Voltaire did not despair.

Instead, he escaped from his place of exile and joined the aristocratic faction in the west.

Duke Butler welcomed Voltaire, who had come to him.

For a long time, Voltaire had been at the forefront of espionage and political maneuvering under Emperor Rudolf.

It would be a waste to ignore him just because he had once been a political rival, as the information he possessed was too valuable.

So, he was being treated as a chief of staff and was participating in strategy meetings.

“I asked what you think?”

At Butler’s second question, Voltaire finally spoke.

“Your Grace, you are planning to attack Orlan Castle, aren’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right. I judged that if the enemy moved, it wouldn’t be bad to target an empty house.”

If the emperor had led his troops out himself, the defense of Orlan Castle would have weakened.

The emperor’s faction would have assumed that the Western Army, fearing their retreat would be cut off, would not lay siege, but Butler thought differently.

If they occupied Orlan Castle, they could seize the military supplies inside and temporarily solve the supply shortage.

“Moreover, Orlan Castle is the most important gateway to the imperial capital. If we capture this place, it’s a straight shot to Nemesis [the imperial capital].”

From Orlan Castle to the imperial capital Nemesis, there was only a vast plain.

There were a few castles along the way, but they had no particular military value and were not a threat to the Western Army in terms of strength.

So, they could be ignored and bypassed.

At Butler’s explanation, Count Voltaire nodded but raised an objection.

“That is correct. But, wouldn’t the Emperor’s faction have considered that point?”

Nemesis was the imperial capital, the emperor’s city.

It was the center of the emperor’s faction and the place where their foundation was concentrated, so if it were occupied or violated by the enemy, their political standing as well as their power would inevitably weaken.

“So? Are you saying that they wouldn’t have just left it empty?”

“Orlan Castle is harder to capture than you think. The walls are triple-layered, there are more than 100 large cannons deployed, and there are traps everywhere to stop the advance of the Gigantes [large, powerful warriors]. Moreover, the internal structure of the castle is complex, so if urban warfare breaks out, considerable damage could occur.”

Voltaire’s judgment was that if they failed to capture Orlan Castle and their rear was cut off, they could be counterattacked by the returning emperor.

“Hmm, then what do you think we should do?”

“We should strike the emperor as he crosses the mountains.”

“How do we know where they’ll come from?”

They only knew that they were crossing the mountains, but they did not know the exact location of the emperor’s army.

Sending out a reconnaissance unit to find the enemy’s location and set up an ambush in advance was not a task that could be easily completed in a short period of time.

Moreover, while it was raining, the mountains were shrouded in thick fog, making it difficult to ascertain the enemy’s advance.

However, Count Voltaire seemed to have something in mind.

“There are many large and small mountain paths in the Driss and Dinar Mountains, but the most likely route is the Perio Road that crosses the Driss Mountains. This route is the best paved among the mountain paths, and it can also shorten the marching time.”

He pointed to a part of the map and continued.

“If we go up this road for about half a day from our current camp, there is a gorge that is good for an ambush. If we occupy that place first and strike the emperor’s army as they advance, we can achieve a great victory. If we’re lucky, we might even be able to take Rudolf’s head.”

At Voltaire’s words, Count Stark, one of the commanders, objected.

“What if the emperor’s army occupies that gorge first?”

“That’s obvious… but the situation you’re worried about won’t happen. The gorge is closer to our side in terms of distance, so we’ll arrive before the emperor’s army.”

“Hmph, that’s just your opinion.”

Count Stark’s eyes, which had shot back at him, were full of hostility and contempt.

Just before the bloody approval ceremony, he had managed to escape the imperial capital with Duke Butler.

However, quite a few aristocratic faction members had died, including some of his close friends.

In addition, his concubine and retainers who had remained in his mansion in the imperial capital had been massacred by the mad emperor.

Therefore, he was not pleased that Voltaire, who had been in cahoots with Rudolf, had been sucking up to him and living off all sorts of benefits, was in this place.

“I don’t trust you, even if Your Grace and the others here do.”

Voltaire’s face hardened at Stark’s remark.

“You don’t trust me? Are you saying I’m a spy sent by Rudolf?”

“There are too many suspicious things to say otherwise. How you were able to escape from your place of exile alone, and how you shamelessly joined our side.”

“What? Shamelessly? You don’t even know what I’ve been through to get here!”

Voltaire, who had jumped up from his seat, had a flushed face.

He glared at Stark as if he would attack him at any moment, then tore off his coat and shirt as if ripping them apart.

Then, gruesome scars were revealed.

Traces of being whipped, branded with a hot iron, pierced with an awl, and having his skin torn off.

But the more surprising fact was that his right arm was cut off in the middle.

The hand he had used to point at the map earlier was a prosthetic.

No one had noticed because he was wearing gloves.

“T-This… !”

“How gruesome.”

Duke Butler and Marquis Vanden already knew, so they had calm expressions, but the other nobles were shocked.

This was also the case for Count Stark, who had been suspicious of Voltaire until just now.

“Everyone, look at my state. This is the appearance of someone who has been loyal to the emperor for a long time.”

“…”

“I clearly made a mistake. I shouldn’t have trusted my son so much. So, I was prepared to be punished. But does that mean there’s a reason to treat a long-time loyal subject like a traitor!”

Voltaire, filled with resentment, cried out desperately as if Rudolf were right in front of him.

“The mad emperor turned my body into rags and completely trampled on the pride of a noble! Moreover, he violated my wife and daughter in front of my eyes! And then he told me to be grateful that he took my right arm instead of my life!”

Voltaire trembled so much with anger that he finally collapsed and burst into tears.

“How could he do this… how could he do this to me…”

Voltaire’s sense of betrayal towards the emperor seemed immense.

In fact, unless a noble committed a serious crime, they would not be severely tortured.

In terms of respecting honor, it was common to execute them cleanly or order them to commit suicide.

However, Rudolf not only tortured Voltaire but also cut off his right arm.

Cutting off an arm was a punishment given to petty criminals who habitually stole or pickpocketed.

In other words, the emperor had treated Voltaire, who had been loyal to him for a long time, the same as a petty criminal.

For Count Voltaire, who came from a prestigious family in the imperial capital, it would have been considered a greater humiliation than death.

“Calm down, Count Voltaire.”

Marquis Vanden, with a pitiful expression, took off his cloak and covered his body.

Then, he spoke to the noble commanders who were still in shock.

“I am the one who found Count Voltaire, who had escaped from his place of exile, and brought him to our camp. If he causes any problems, I will take responsibility.”

It was Marquis Vanden who had found Voltaire, who had escaped from his place of exile, and brought him here.

Like Duke Butler, he had focused on his value.

With his guarantee, who had the second-strongest position in the Western Army, Count Stark and the other nobles who had been suspicious of Voltaire closed their mouths.

Marquis Vanden continued to speak to them.

“And like the Emperor’s faction, it’s not good for us to drag out the civil war. We can’t completely trust Marquis Myers’ faction in the south, and the recent actions of the neutral lords are unusual.”

The neutral lords, who had initially seemed like they would join the aristocratic faction, were currently showing a passive attitude.

There were also reports from spies that they were trying to build a third force centered around someone, but it was suspected that they had been swayed by the emperor’s appeasement.

“Marquis Vanden is right. We must take this opportunity to cut off the head of the tyrannical emperor or inflict a devastating blow. Only then will we, the western lords, be able to seize the initiative in the empire in the future.”

Butler agreed with Vanden’s words.

His words that they would seize the initiative in the empire were enough to boost the morale of the western nobles.

Even though they were on the same boat as the aristocratic faction, they had no intention of sharing power with the southern lords who only knew money and schemes.

“We will proceed with Count Voltaire’s plan. So, prepare to mobilize quickly.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

After the strategy meeting ended, the commanders quickly dispersed.

Voltaire, who was returning to his tent, smiled faintly, pleased that his plan had been accepted.

“Now, the showdown will come. And my fate as well…”

Voltaire, who had come out of the tent, looked at the distant Driss Mountains.

The mountains were faintly obscured by rain clouds.

As if to represent a future where nothing could be known.

2

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Whoosh!

The western entrance to the Perio Road leading up to the Driss Mountains.

A group of people was climbing the mountain through the pouring rain.

They were the Gigantes unit of the Western Army led by Duke Butler.

This unit, composed of 200 carefully selected Gigantes and elite riders from the Western Army, was followed by artillery and engineers in 120 trailers.

And at the forefront, a cavalry unit in charge of reconnaissance was actively moving around.

“Hurry! We must occupy the gorge before the emperor’s army!”

“Increase the marching speed!”

Lower-ranking commanders continued to encourage the troops.

However, the march was much more difficult than expected.

Though the road was paved, it was essentially a widened mountain path, and the constant rain had softened the ground.

Consequently, the Gigantes and trailers frequently became mired in the mud.

Moreover, natural obstacles further hindered their progress.

“A landslide has blocked the road ahead!” came the cry.

“Damn it!” Butler muttered, his frustration evident upon receiving the report from the advance reconnaissance cavalry.

However, he had anticipated such difficulties to some extent.

That’s why he had brought engineers instead of more infantry.

“Hurry and clear the path!” he commanded.

At Butler’s order, not only the engineers but also the riders on the Gigantes dismounted and began to remove the rocks and logs that had been swept down by the landslide.

Thanks to their efforts, they were able to resume their march, but Butler’s brow remained furrowed with concern.

“Slow, slow! At this rate, will we really be able to secure the gorge before the Emperor’s army?” he wondered aloud.

“The Emperor’s army must be facing the same challenges. Surely, they wouldn’t attack without their Gigantes,” Marquis Vanden offered, trying to reassure him.

“I suppose so…” Butler conceded, his impatience slightly abated by Vanden’s words.

The Gigantes were the core of their military strength, a decisive weapon on the battlefield.

Although they were difficult to operate in rainy conditions like today, the same could be said for cannons that used gunpowder, bows whose strings would stretch in the humidity, and swords and spears that would rust.

Therefore, during the rainy season, it was common to either refrain from fighting and only conduct reconnaissance or engage in negotiations between the two armies.

Nevertheless, since the Emperor had mobilized his troops, Duke Butler had no choice but to do the same.

“How much further to the gorge?” he asked.

“We still have about 5 kilometers to go,” came the reply.

“Is that so? I hope the rain doesn’t worsen,” Butler said, glancing briefly at the gloomy sky before mounting his hero-class Gigante, Rigel.

Before closing the hatch, the Duke glanced at the marching column and suddenly frowned.

“Vanden, why is your territory’s unit so far behind?” he questioned.

As Butler pointed out, the banner of Marquis Vanden’s territory was at the rear of the marching column.

Considering that it had originally been at the front, it had fallen significantly behind.

“Well, some of the trailers broke down during the march. It seems there’s a problem with the old magic engines, so we’re towing them with the Gigantes. But it seems we can’t increase our speed…” Vanden explained.

“Tsk, tsk, how pathetic! Using Gigantes to pull trailers that carry Gigantes!” Butler scoffed.

Trailers were equipment that required less maintenance than Gigantes.

They were not designed for combat and had a simple structure, so they rarely broke down.

Yet, the fact that they had broken down suggested a lack of proper maintenance before this crucial battle.

“You’re not thorough in managing your unit. With such a sloppy mindset, you can’t reach a higher level,” Butler admonished.

“I apologize, Your Excellency,” Vanden replied humbly.

“Get support from the rear units. You must not fall further behind. Do you understand?” Butler pressed.

“I will keep that in mind,” Vanden assured him.

Butler, who had watched Vanden retreat with a displeased expression, strode towards the front of the marching column, continuously encouraging the soldiers.

“Increase your speed! Do not forget that our fate depends on this battle!” he urged.

Contrary to Butler’s wish that the rain would not worsen, the dark clouds in the sky grew even thicker.

The heavy raindrops obscured even the faintly visible destination.

One hour later, the Western Army’s Gigante unit arrived at the gorge, their destination.

“Whew, we’ve finally arrived!” a soldier exclaimed.

“Quickly send the reconnaissance unit into the gorge,” came the order.

As the cavalry unit in charge of reconnaissance entered the gorge, the riders and soldiers who had struggled on the muddy road took a short break.

“Damn it, it’s pouring without a break,” Earl Voltaire, who was traveling with Vanden’s territory’s army, grumbled as he chewed on jerky and hard bread to satisfy his hunger.

On days like this, a hot, spicy soup would have been ideal, but it was impossible to expect in a situation where it was difficult to start a fire.

Marquis Vanden approached him and offered him a cup of steaming tea.

“Have some,” he said.

“Oh, where did you get this?” Voltaire asked, surprised.

“The Iron Mages [Mages specializing in metalworking and enchanting] who are accompanying us brewed it with magic. I’ve never regretted walking the path of the sword, but I’m a little envious now,” Vanden replied with a smile.

“Hahaha. Indeed, that’s true,” Voltaire chuckled.

While warming himself with the hot tea, Voltaire noticed the engineers and accompanying mages working on something at the entrance of the gorge.

Vanden was also watching the scene.

“They must be preparing for a contingency, right?” Voltaire asked.

“Of course. If the Emperor’s army arrives first and sets up an ambush, we’ll have to draw them out and inflict damage,” Vanden explained.

“Or it could be to cut off the road and block their attack,” Voltaire added.

That was why the engineers were burying gunpowder wrapped in oiled cloth in the ground and on the slopes at the entrance of the gorge.

If the blazing magic circle that the mages had set on the ground was activated, the entrance of the gorge could collapse in an instant.

Although it was raining heavily, the gunpowder wrapped in oiled cloth could still explode as long as there was a spark.

“By the way, the fog is quite thick,” Voltaire observed.

“Indeed. If a chaotic battle breaks out in this situation, even allies could get hurt…” Vanden replied, his tone laced with concern.

Unlike his worried gaze, the corners of Marquis Vanden’s mouth curled up slightly.

Whether Voltaire noticed that smile or not, he was simply enjoying his hot tea.

3

Shortly after, the reconnaissance unit returned.

They reported that there were no signs of Gigantes or large-scale troops entering the gorge.

Upon hearing this report, the nobles, who had been worried that the Emperor’s army might have arrived first, brightened their expressions.

“Your Excellency, we must enter the gorge immediately and prepare for an ambush!” one of them urged.

“Please order the engineers and Gigante units to enter quickly!” another added.

“…” Butler, who was standing on Rigel’s shoulder, did not respond and just stared intently at the gorge.

He sensed an ominous aura lingering in the depths of the fog-shrouded gorge.

‘Is it just the atmosphere? Or is it…?’ he wondered.

After becoming a Sword Sage [A master swordsman of exceptional skill and spiritual insight], Butler’s senses had become incredibly sharp.

Therefore, the gloomy and silent aura emanating from the gorge was unsettling.

‘Although wild animals don’t roam around during the rainy season, it’s too quiet,’ he thought.

Skilled knights could conceal their fighting spirit.

Moreover, the opponent was Emperor Rudolf and the Imperial Guard, the Empire’s elite combat unit.

Although the reconnaissance unit reported that there were no signs, Butler could not completely trust their words.

It wasn’t that he thought the scouts were negligent, but rather that in this rainy weather, it would be difficult to easily detect signs of people or traces they left behind.

‘There’s a saying in the Southern Continent, ‘Look before you leap.’ I should check one more time,’ he decided.

With that in mind, Butler instructed the artillery unit to fire cannons into the gorge.

The biggest misconception that the general public had about cannons was that they could not be used at all on rainy days.

This was because the gunpowder would get damp, but that was only the case in the early days of cannon development.

Methods of managing gunpowder, such as wrapping it in oiled cloth or drying it with magic, had been improved in various ways, so it could be used even in the rain.

However, there were disadvantages, such as an increased chance of misfires and a significant decrease in power, but it was still possible to use them.

Anyway, at Butler’s command, the artillerymen wore annoyed expressions.

“What? Suddenly ordering us to fire cannons?” one grumbled.

“Haa, the probability of misfires is high in this weather…” another complained.

“What are you grumbling about! It’s Duke Butler’s order! Fire now!” the artillery commanders urged.

At their urging, the artillerymen unloaded the cannons from the trailers.

Then, they drove stakes into the ground to secure the gun carriages and set up parasols to block the rain.

After that, they loaded the gunpowder and cannonballs, which were wrapped in oiled cloth, and fired at the gorge.

Boom! Boom boom!

Bang! Kwaaang!

In an instant, about a dozen cannonballs fell into the gorge, and then dozens more followed.

Butler was carefully observing the gorge.

No matter how well they concealed their fighting spirit and hid, they would be flustered if they were bombarded with artillery fire.

However, there was no sign of agitation in the gorge.

It seemed that the Emperor’s army was not ambushing them.

‘I must have been too sensitive,’ Butler thought.

Having made that judgment, Butler did not hesitate any longer and issued the order to advance.

“Advance into the gorge. Notify the entire army,” he commanded.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

With Butler’s hero-class Gigante, Rigel, leading the way, the Western Army’s Gigantes entered the gorge.

As they reached the middle, they were met with steep slopes and puddles of water here and there.

Some puddles had formed in the craters created by the previous shelling, and there were also places where the road had been eroded by the continuous heavy rain.

“Wow, this is a bit much?” a soldier exclaimed.

“Be careful. If you fall in there, there’s no hope,” another warned.

Butler clicked his tongue as he watched some Gigantes and trailers struggling in the puddles.

“Indeed, it’s a good place for an ambush. There are many places to hide on the slopes, and the road is difficult to maneuver…” he mused.

After looking around and finding the best place for an ambush, he relayed the order to the commanders.

“From now on, we will set up an ambush. Be thorough so that not a single hair is visible. We will make this place the graveyard of Rudolf and the Emperor’s faction!” he declared.

“Yes!” the commanders responded.

The Western Army, having received the order, moved quickly.

They moved to their designated positions, hid the Gigantes and trailers, and set up the cannons.

While they were engrossed in their work, one of the engineers stopped digging and looked up at the sky.

“Hey. What are you doing, newbie?” his superior asked.

“There’s something strange in the sky?” the engineer replied.

“What?” the superior asked, looking up.

“It looks like pig bladders…” the engineer said, pointing at the sky.

Round objects appeared one after another between the dark clouds.

They were spherical like balls with baskets attached, and soldiers were riding inside.

“Those are hot air balloons,” a knight explained.

“Hot air balloons?” the engineer asked, confused.

One of the knights, who was quite knowledgeable, explained to his comrades.

“They’re tools that fly in the sky by blowing hot air with magic into large cloths coated with oil. They’re sometimes used for observation or surveying…”

While the knight was explaining, the hot air balloons approached above them. And they began to drop bottles with lit mouths.

Bang! Whoosh!

“F, firebombs!” someone shouted.

“The Emperor’s faction, attacking like this!” another cried.

The Western Army in the gorge was thrown into chaos by the hundreds of firebombs falling from the sky.

“Your Excellency, we’re in big trouble!” Butler’s adjutant exclaimed.

“I know. There’s no need to panic,” Butler replied calmly.

Unlike his frantic adjutant, Butler was not flustered.

Although the ambush plan had been exposed in advance and they were receiving an unexpected attack from the air, he did not think they would suffer great losses.

Moreover, even if they were to fight now, they were at an advantage since they had secured the gorge, which was good for defense.

“There’s no way a fire attack can succeed in this rain. Calm the soldiers and prepare for their next attack,” he ordered.

“But, the fire isn’t going out,” the adjutant said, his voice trembling.

“Wh, what did you say?!” Butler exclaimed, startled by his adjutant’s words, and looked around once more.

As predicted, the firebombs that had blanketed the gorge were burning even more intensely in the rain, rather than being extinguished. What on earth was happening? Duke Butler, initially bewildered, quickly found the answer. “That’s it! It’s fierce fire oil!” Fierce fire oil was a liquid explosive, a weapon that had been passed down from the Song Empire in the South [a historical reference to a Chinese dynasty known for its technological advancements]. In the Southern Continent, it was widely used in siege warfare and naval battles, but it hadn’t gained much traction in the Rhodian Continent. This was because it was more difficult to produce than gunpowder and even more challenging to handle. Moreover, with the Gigantes [large, humanoid war machines], the ultimate weapons, there was no need to use expensive and difficult-to-handle fierce fire oil in sieges. Thus, fierce fire oil, a forgotten weapon of a bygone era, was now throwing the Western Army into chaos. “Heeek! Save me! Put out this fire!” “The gunpowder barrels are on fire!” “Everyone, get out of here!” The Imperial Army’s airship fleet circled above the gorge, continuously dropping firebombs filled with fierce fire oil. Screams of soldiers and knights engulfed in flames echoed everywhere, and the fire spread as gunpowder boxes caught fire and exploded in a chain reaction. The riders on the Gigantes were just as panicked. Startled by the unquenchable devil’s fire, they stumbled in the mud, got tangled up and fell, or trampled their allies. Some unlucky riders were even burned by the fierce fire oil that seeped through the hatches. “Don’t panic! Shoot arrows to bring down the hot air balloons!” Duke Butler tried to calm his troops. Most of the commanders were also in disarray, so he directly gave orders to the soldiers and helped the fallen Gigantes to their feet. However, before the chaos could be contained, the enemy launched a follow-up attack. Toooooot! Just as a loud trumpet sounded, a line of Gigantes appeared from the east of the gorge. The Gigantes, emerging through the fog, were flying the flags of the Baroque Empire. “It’s the Gigantes of the Imperial Guard!” “Quickly, reorganize the ranks!” The Imperial Army’s Gigantes charged in unison towards the Western Army, which was in chaos due to the fire attack. They initially approached at a trot, then gradually increased their speed. Their fast and fierce momentum was like wolves rushing towards their prey. “Charge!” “His Majesty the Emperor has ordered that not a single one of them be left alive!” Clang! Crack! The Gigantes of the Imperial Guard at the front swung their greatswords and battle axes, striking down the Western Army’s Gigantes as they passed. The Western Army riders tried to counterattack in a hurry, but the Imperial Army’s Gigantes, who had rushed in from the second line, did not give them a chance. “Kuh! These guys are fast!” “How can they move so fast on this muddy road!” The Western Army riders didn’t know, but the armor that Hector, the main Gigante of the Imperial Army, was wearing was made of wood, not steel. Although the defense was weakened, the mobility was improved as the weight was reduced. Because of this, they were able to advance to the gorge faster than expected, and they were able to devastate the Western Army’s Gigantes, who were struggling in the mud. “Wipe them all out! The Emperor has promised to bestow the title of Marquis and land to the person who beheads the traitor Butler!” “Oh!” At Shirley, the captain of the Iron Guard’s cry, the Imperial Guard members’ eyes gleamed as they searched for Butler. And finally, they succeeded in finding Rigel, which Butler was riding. “It’s Rigel! Butler’s personal hero-class Gigante!” “The title of Marquis and the land are mine!” One of the Imperial Knights pushed aside his comrades and rushed towards Rigel. However, the price for his recklessness, blinded by the reward, was terrible. Shu-gak! Rigel’s greatsword slashed through the charging Hector like lightning. The rider, who was cut in half along with the Gigante, died without even screaming. “You rat-like things dare!” Butler, who was already trying to intercept the invading Imperial Army’s Gigantes, swung his greatsword at the five Imperial Army Gigantes who had stopped after seeing their comrade fall. Sseeeek! Kwaaaang! Rigel’s greatsword didn’t even graze the Gigantes. However, the powerful aura that erupted from the tip of the sword cut through the air, slicing all five Gigantes in one fell swoop. “H, Hyper Aura!” Shirley, who had belatedly discovered Rigel, was speechless at Butler’s martial prowess. The opponent was the greatest swordsman representing the western part of the Empire. Moreover, he was the strongest enemy riding a hero-class Gigante. But she didn’t know that he could use Hyper Aura, the symbol of a Sword Sage [a master swordsman of legendary skill]. As far as she knew, Butler was a top-tier Sword Master. ‘When did this old geezer…?’ “Wipe out all the Emperor’s dogs!” With Butler at the forefront, the Western Army’s counterattack began. While the Imperial Army’s Gigantes, who had been charging in and out like wolves, hesitated, the riders escaped from the chaos. “Follow Duke Butler!” Starting with Marquis Vanden and Butler’s direct knights, the Western Army quickly reorganized their ranks. Thanks to the continuous downpour of fierce fire oil, the general knights and artillerymen were still in a state of confusion. However, as the riders launched a counterattack, the Western Army was barely able to overcome the worst situation. “Don’t back down! Behead the rebels!” “Let’s overthrow the mad Emperor!” The Gigantes of both sides continued to engage in close combat, pushing and shoving each other in the mud. Kiiiiing! Crack! Kwaaaang! Kagagagak! The sounds of the Gigantes’ engines and the clashing of greatswords echoed like thunder without a break. The riders’ burning fighting spirit, shouting fiercely, accelerated the core engines, and the intense heat emitted by hundreds of Gigantes was enough to evaporate even the falling raindrops. There was someone watching the fierce battle between the two armies. It was none other than Rudolf, the Emperor of the Baroque Empire. “Butler is quite something. Did he become a Sword Sage without my knowledge?” Rudolf, who was watching the battle situation on the magic crystal ball, got up from his seat and boarded his Gigante. “Your Majesty, are you going to participate in the battle?” At the question of his chamberlain, Baron Maguel, Rudolf replied as if it were obvious. “Do you think I came all the way here just to watch?” “But Your Majesty’s Gigante…” The Gigante that Rudolf had made his personal Gigante to replace Kaiser, which he had lost in the battle with the demon general Kauren, was the hero-class Gigante Emperor, created by the Baroque Imperial Magic Tower. However, the Emperor could not be called a normal hero-class Gigante. After losing Kaiser, Rudolf had been pushing for a new personal Gigante, so it was a machine that was equipped with a core engine with an output of 3,000 fight on a night-class Gigante, Hector. Because of this, the durability of the parts was greatly reduced every time it moved, and the overall balance was erratic, but Rudolf, who had handled the more difficult Kaiser, did not complain much. He had only given the Meister [master craftsman] an ultimatum that he would be beheaded if he did not produce a hero-class Gigante comparable to Kaiser within a year. “Butler’s skills are actually better than what is known, so our knights are gradually being pushed back. I will personally step in to turn the tide of the battle.” With that, the Emperor, Rudolf, boarded the Emperor, and the knights of the Imperial Guard who were escorting him also went to the front line on their Gigantes. “His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!” “Don’t back down anymore!” The morale of the Imperial Army’s Gigantes, who had been pushed back by Butler and the Western Army riders’ fierce counterattack, soared again. They shouted fiercely and swung their greatswords and battle axes tenaciously. Soon after, when Rudolf and the Imperial Guard, composed of Sword Masters, joined the battle, the tide of the battle quickly turned in favor of the Imperial Army. “Y, Your Excellency…!” “I know. Don’t make a fuss!” Butler was not at all flustered even though Rudolf had appeared. No, he had been waiting for this situation to come. Originally, Emperor Rudolf was more skilled than the two of them. Butler had only recently become a Sword Sage, but Emperor Rudolf had been one for over 10 years. Naturally, he would lose if they fought normally. However, the current Rudolf had a critical weakness. ‘Heh heh heh. I know that the injuries he sustained in the fight with the high-ranking demon last time have not fully healed. I also know that he deliberately went to a priest of a small and medium-sized sect to hide his injuries.’ He had heard this information from Count Voltaire. At first, he didn’t know either, but he found out while secretly investigating after the Emperor’s mind became strange. “Now is the perfect opportunity for Your Excellency to defeat that mad Emperor!” Voltaire’s words were not exactly wrong, although there was a blatant hint of encouragement in the last strategy meeting. In a fight between strong people, even a slight gap can mean life or death. In such a situation, not being in normal physical condition was a big weakness. That was why Butler thought that Rudolf might not participate in the battle himself. ‘But I’m so grateful that he’s coming out like this!’ The Emperor’s Imperial Guard, composed entirely of Sword Masters, was a bit of a nuisance, but he thought that if Marquis Vanden and the knights he had raised could buy him some time, he would be able to catch Rudolf. “Die, Duke Butler!” “Hmph, get out of here, you small fry!” Kwaang! Butler, who had swung his greatsword and knocked away the Imperial Army’s Gigantes who were rushing at him, strode towards the Emperor, Rudolf, who was riding the Emperor. Rudolf also saw him and held out his greatsword forward. “Rudolf, today will be the last day you breathe!” “Hmph, you impudent fool!” The two of them unleashed their Hyper Aura almost simultaneously. However, it was Duke Butler who launched the first attack. Rudolf deflected Butler’s greatsword, which was charging like a wild boar, and quickly penetrated into his blind spot. Kagagak! The two Gigantes overlapped and then separated. In the process, the ornament on Rigel’s head was cut off. “To charge recklessly without fear. It seems that you have become blind to everything since you became a Sword Sage.” “Hmph, it’s not something a fool who doesn’t even know that his leg has been cut would say.” Startled by Butler’s sarcasm, Rudolf turned his gaze downwards. Indeed, there was a clear sword mark on the armor of the Emperor’s shin. “Not bad. But you can’t be my opponent.” Rudolf had already surpassed the Sword Sage and entered the realm of the Sword Emperor [a swordsman of even greater skill than a Sword Sage]. Although he was not able to demonstrate his martial prowess due to the injuries he had sustained in the fight with Kauren, he believed that he could easily deal with someone like Butler. ‘And I also have a hidden card.’ Rudolf, who had a sinister smile, immediately charged towards Rigel, which Butler was riding. Butler also did not back down and raised his Hyper Aura to the maximum to counter Rudolf’s attack. Kwaaaang! The two men’s Hyper Auras collided, causing a huge flash and shockwave. And the fierce battle between the two superhumans to seize the hegemony of the Empire began.