The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 260

183. Taking the Initiative

Kwaang——!!!

Tuli slammed her desk, staring at the enemy forces before her with disbelief.

“What in the world were you doing! How could we have been unaware while the enemy advanced to our front yard?!”

News of successive defeats kept pouring in.

After receiving the report that the gates of Moon Eter had been breached, she rushed to lead the defense forces, only to find that the invaders had already vanished. Then came the news of defeat at the Vinfredo River.

Tuli’s forces hurriedly attempted to retreat, but they couldn’t simply abandon the ruined Moon Eter.

Ultimately, they had to divide their forces for defense. Just as she was about to move the remaining troops to the Vinfredo River, she received the unbelievable report that Yoman had fallen, making her question her own ears.

In an instant, key strategic points in the duchy had collapsed.

Crack—

Tuli gritted her teeth.

Until now, her plan had been perfect.

In just a few days—those few short days when she thought the internal strife was heading for a smooth resolution—the situation had completely changed.

‘Not only are these invaders defiling the duchy’s land, but they’ve also completely ruined my plans.’

Caryl McGovern.

By the time that name was reported to her, it was already too late.

‘If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have bothered with such troublesome methods like poison and just beheaded Fran right away…….’

She had thought she controlled time.

Fran, already addicted to the drug, would have self-destructed on his own anyway.

“What in the world happened? Even if Fran was high on drugs, how could he screw up this badly……!! Bringing invaders into the internal conflict?”

Tuli knew about the meeting between the two in Korb.

And she also knew that Caryl had proposed the internal conflict to Fran on the condition of diverting the Empire’s attention.

From the start, this internal conflict was something she and Fran had initiated together for the sake of consolidating power.

When she heard that, she scoffed.

‘Was it just boasting……? Does he really hold the Emperor’s life in his hands?’

But when the result of that scoff returned as an enemy before her eyes, she belatedly regretted committing an irreversible mistake.

“What is the enemy’s strength?”

“Battles are still ongoing in the remaining battlefields. The entire army is not yet assembled. The current number of enemy troops appears to be about 30,000.”

Cox Butler, her adjutant and the commander in charge of defending White Bunker, pointed at the map with his baton.

“Currently, Lord Bonitos’s 5,000 troops, Lord Ruiche’s 15,000 troops, and 10,000 invaders have gathered…… However, 7,000 troops are advancing towards White Bunker from the middle reaches of the Vinfredo River, and 4,000 troops from Yoman.”

“……So, the only place that hasn’t fallen is Frau Hat.”

It might be a stroke of luck that the battlefield with the highest probability of defeat had not been breached.

“……What about the other dukes?”

“Lord Wilmay and Lord Zakso joined the support forces at Moon Eter when it was captured…… Afterward, they said they would support Frau Hat when the forces were divided.”

Cox said hesitantly.

“Hmph, support, my foot. It doesn’t make sense for two dukes who should be commanding to lead troops together. They must have gone to see Moon Eter for themselves.”

As he expected, Tuli’s lips twitched.

“Since it’s the only place that hasn’t been breached, they probably went there to find a way to survive. They’ve probably already fled to their territories through Frau Hat by now.”

“…….”

Cox couldn’t say anything in response.

“They were useless fellows anyway. If we compare the forces, the situation isn’t hopeless.”

Although the Wyvern Unit was missing from White Bunker, there were still 40,000 troops stationed here.

They could 충분히 [sufficiently] handle a full-scale war.

“However, Ruiche. It’s a shame I couldn’t bring that child over to my side. She’s followed Fran since she was young. But frankly, I didn’t expect her to bring that many troops.”

She clicked her tongue, thinking of the youngest of the seven dukes, who had brought a force of 30,000, unlike the other dukes.

Ruiche, the youngest of the dukedom’s seven siblings, was a somewhat special and unique existence.

She followed Fran more than herself or her other brothers.

An excessive amount of affection.

But for them, who held the highest authority in the duchy, that level of affection wasn’t a problem.

Of course,

Tuli, watching that, was different. She was merely looking for an excuse to kill her sister.

‘No matter what the truth is, once I capture Fran, I’ll pin any crime on her, whether it’s incest or whatever, kill her, and then seize her troops…….’

The soldiers who should have been her strength were now pointing their swords at her.

‘I should have seduced Ruiche instead of that foolish Rakiel…….’

She shook her head.

From the start, it was a battle involving the Sea King and the Beast King.

Even the Silver Wing Fleet couldn’t stand against two 귀왕s [powerful kings/lords].

Moreover, as the price of defeat, only Rakiel’s severed head returned to White Bunker, and his body was submerged in the sea off Korb, so there was no point in arguing about right and wrong anymore.

‘No.’

She shook her head.

‘If Ruiche finds out about Wooden Cloud, things will get complicated.’

Although she regretted losing her troops, it wasn’t to the point where she couldn’t let go.

Winning, even with losses, was more important.

“I didn’t expect Lord Ganes to be defeated.”

“What’s the news about him?”

“There’s nothing yet. Logically, it’s impossible to think that there’s someone who can defeat one of the Five Sword Masters. But he’s definitely alive.”

“Logically?”

Tuli sneered at Cox Butler’s words and said in a cold voice.

“This battlefield is already illogical enough. The position of Sword Master isn’t absolute. Even Grado can be defeated. Rather, the illogical is what we’re seeing now.”

At her words, everyone looked out the window.

[Krrr……!!]

[Kaaa……!!]

Drakes could be seen beyond the fortress walls.

The reliable guardians who had once protected them were now baring their teeth at them.

“…….”

“It’s unbelievable that the 1st Wyvern Unit was annihilated, and now the Drakes are in Fran’s hands. Fine. I’ll concede that much. But didn’t you see it too? There are no riders on the Drakes’ heads……!!”

Tuli bit her lip.

“Wo……! Wo wo!!!”

“What are you all doing! Get to your positions!!”

“The…… the Wyverns aren’t listening.”

She looked down at the commotion outside the window.

Unlike the enemy’s Wyverns, which were flying high in the sky as if showing off their power with loud roars, the Drakes of the 7th Wyvern Unit remaining in White Bunker were cowering, covering their faces with their wings, as if terrified.

No matter how hard the riders tried to pull the reins, they wouldn’t move.

“……It seems we’ll have to exclude the 7th Wyvern Unit from our forces.”

The commander of the 7th Wyvern Unit carefully said, watching Tuli’s condition.

“What in the world…… What kind of trick did those guys pull?”

The current situation wasn’t just about losing the 1st Wyvern Unit. The enemy’s strength had increased by one Wyvern Unit, while their own strength had decreased.

“Damn invaders…… They must have used some strange magic without any mana. We have to settle this before the forces from Vinfredo join us. What about the Meister Unit?”

“They say preparations are complete. But if we use them…… it seems difficult to operate because the evacuation of the residents inside the fortress isn’t finished yet.”

“What nonsense are you spouting? Prepare for immediate deployment.”

“……Pardon?”

“Are you all blind? Whether you’re trampled to death by Golems or killed when White Bunker falls, the result is the same. Do you think we can fight a war while worrying about every single citizen’s life?!!”

The nobles fell silent at Tuli’s outburst.

“If the Meister Unit is ready, that means Revol’s maintenance is also complete. Bring Wingel Hart here right now.”

“Yes!!”

The soldier guarding the door saluted at her words and hurriedly ran off.

Cox wore a troubled expression at Tuli’s words.

“Revol is White Bunker’s last resort. Moving it means…….”

Revol, the colossal Golem standing like a giant statue in White Bunker, ironically had an enormous combat radius due to its size.

Creating a path for the Golem to pass through inside the fortress was a task in itself, but there was also the risk of White Bunker being caught up in the battle if anything went wrong.

“They’re aiming for that. They’ve pulled the front line forward, thinking we wouldn’t be able to use Revol if the front line is close to the fortress.”

Tuli pointed at the map.

“Those detestable bastards…….”

“However…….”

“Then do you have another way? The Wyverns can’t move, and if we face them with the remaining forces, we won’t be able to stop the forces coming from Vinfredo and Yoman!”

Cox Butler tried to say something but then closed his mouth. As she said, using the Golem was the only option.

“Even if White Bunker becomes a ruin, I won’t let those bastards live.”

* * *

“Small Golems have begun to be deployed at the front from White Bunker.”

Caryl nodded at Hashir’s report.

“It seems they’ll open the gates with a Golem battle.”

“It’s what I expected. They can’t recklessly engage in a troop battle when they can’t replenish their forces from other battlefields. Golems can be repaired even if they’re destroyed, so they’re the most efficient means of defense.”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen such a massive Golem. It’s no exaggeration to say it’s a walking fortress.”

When they first arrived at White Bunker, the invaders couldn’t help but be amazed as they looked at the massive Golem towering like a mountain.

Even Hashir, who rarely showed any change in expression, had a look of bewilderment in his eyes.

“Does it even have a weakness? I doubt a sword would even pierce it.”

Patun of the Red Moon shook his head.

In response to his words, Caryl looked at Anthem instead of answering.

“Weakness…… Well, no one has actually seen Revol in operation for decades. It’s had meaning just by standing there like a gatekeeper of White Bunker. Only the supervisor, Wingel, would know its true power.”

“So, it’s nonexistent for now.”

“We’ll find out once we engage it. Any fortress has its weaknesses. The only difference is that it walks.”

Patun said boldly.

“Give me the order. The Red Moon will be the first to scale the fortress walls.”

“What nonsense. Didn’t you say it yourself? You said your flimsy swords might not even pierce it. We’ll go first this time.”

Kuntai retorted, not wanting to be outdone.

Hashir and Liliana smiled faintly at the sight of the spirited young chieftains.

“We’ll take the initiative.”

It was then.

A delicate voice cut through the rough voices of the men.

Everyone’s gaze turned downward.

A small girl, whose physique seemed like it would only reach Kuntai’s waist, had a determined look on her face.

Her signature blonde hair and the leather armor she wore seemed too much for her frail frame.

Caryl was reminded of when he first met Viola, who didn’t know the ways of the world. But the difference was that she seemed even more like a hothouse flower than Viola.

“Have you ever fought against a Golem?”

“No. I’ve never attacked an ally either. But our army currently has the largest number of troops. If there’s an army that can damage the Golem, it’s us.”

She was none other than Ruiche Lurein, the youngest of the Lurein dukes, the 7th Duke.

“More than anything, I can’t forgive Lady Tuli for turning Lord Fran into that.”

Caryl could tell that Ruiche’s voice was trembling. Fran, who had come with her, was unconscious and only showed signs of life by occasionally groaning.

“Ru, Ruiche…….”

Bonitos, the 6th Duke, simply stared at his young sister with a pale face.

‘A sister who raises her sword against her sister for her brother, and a brother who can’t say a word to a sister who speaks so frankly…… How pathetic.’

It was ironic, but both of them were people who didn’t really fit in with war.

After hearing the news that Fran had collapsed, Caryl’s first action was to gather the two who were confused.

Fran’s poisoning.

And not only that, but also the story of how this addictive drug was spread like a trend to bring the nobles under her control.

Fran, who was lying in the next tent, was proof enough, so rekindling the two dukes’ will to fight wasn’t a difficult task.

Of course,

They had no way of knowing that this was Caryl’s means of leading the remaining two dukes to strike White Bunker.

“Lord Fran will be pleased. To have such a good sister to fight for him.”

Ruiche’s face turned red.

“……I’m just fighting for the duchy.”

But Caryl sensed something strange in her expression as she said those words.

He couldn’t tell whether Ruiche’s reason for going to war was simply sibling affection or whether there was some hidden familial love within the dukedom.

And he didn’t want to know.

Caryl would simply use it if it was a great tool, whether it was sibling affection or lover’s affection, for the future he was creating.

“If it’s for the duchy, then you should do as I said. There’s an important task that Your Grace will have to do soon, isn’t there?”

At Caryl’s words, she nodded.

‘What is it?’

‘What kind of plan is it…….’

But except for those two, the rest didn’t seem to know, so they looked at them with questioning eyes, as if it were a secret.

“And don’t worry. The war has already begun.”

“……Pardon?”

At his words, even Ruiche looked surprised and looked at each other.

Dududududududu——!!

Dudududu——!!

Along with the deafening drumbeats, Golems as tall as the fortress walls were emerging from White Bunker one by one.

Thump……!! Thud……!!

The Golems had massive tower shields mounted on one arm, and various weapons such as maces and swords attached to the other.

“Meisters!!! Prepare for battle!!!”

The commander’s shout was heard from inside the Golem at the front.

The Golems lined up in formation.

They weren’t simply created with magic or alchemy. Uniquely, pilots were directly on board inside the Golems.

Woooo……!!

As they sat in the cockpit and focused their mana, the Golems began to move quickly.

It was truly a collection of magical engineering.

The feeling of dozens of Golems aligning was enough to overwhelm the battlefield.

It was then.

“Wh, what is that?!”

A figure came into the commander’s view.

But before he could recognize the identity, it disappeared, leaving only a blurry afterimage.

Kwaaaaaang——!!!

With an intense strike, the view inside the Golem flickered with sparks.

The commander’s Golem staggered from the impact.

“Keuk?!”

He desperately tried to regain his balance. But his vision gradually tilted at a right angle, and the Golem collapsed to the ground.

Woooo…….

Surprisingly, dozens of arrows were lodged between the knee joints of the Golem.

The blue arrowheads occasionally emitted light and trembled. The arrowheads flickered a few more times, and the defensive magic circle drawn on the Golem’s outer armor was neutralized and disappeared.

‘H, how can this be…….’

He desperately scanned his surroundings.

However, before the commander could grasp the situation, the Golem’s chest was torn off first.

Crack……! Kwazzzzz……!!

The view of the cockpit that had been visible through the magic mirror installed inside the Golem disappeared, and instead, the scenery came directly into view with the naked eye.

“…….”

The cold air of the north brushed past his face.

Before he could feel the cold, the commander looked at the woman who had appeared before him.

“Keok…… Keokeok……!!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, she grabbed the commander’s neck, who was sitting in the cockpit, and lifted him up as is.

“Keogeogeok……!!”

The commander looked at her with disbelief, grabbed his constricting neck, and kicked his feet in the air as if paddling.

“It seems we’re the latest.”

Kinu said, pulling out the arrows lodged in the Golem’s knees and looking at the distant, destroyed main camp.

“What are you talking about? It hasn’t even started yet. Everyone’s just watching from over there.”

At his words, Miliana scoffed.

Snap—

She put strength into the hand that was holding the commander’s neck. With the sound of bones breaking, the commander’s trembling body went limp.

“The one who strikes first wins the fight.”

Kwaaaang……!!

Miliana slammed her foot down with all her might.

It was a strike imbued with mana.

Then, the Golem’s armor shattered, and stone fragments scattered in all directions.

Despite dozens of Golems surrounding her, they couldn’t even think of retaliating at the sudden turn of events.

Kinu leisurely took out something from his waist among the Golems.

“……!!!”

“……!!!”

The pilots inside the Golems couldn’t help but be horrified when they saw the two severed heads in his hand.

“Lo…… Lord Wilmay!!”

“Even Duke Zakso has fallen…….”

The heads Kinu was holding were none other than those of the two dukes who had fled to Frau Hat.

Swish—

As if warning them, Miliana pulled out Gale, which she was wearing on her waist, cut off the commander’s head, and once again lifted it up in front of them.

Waaaaaaa——!!

Waaaaaaa——!!

At that moment,

As if it were a signal, the shouts of soldiers echoed simultaneously from afar.

On top of the destroyed Golem, Miliana, as if the enemy before her was nothing, said to Caryl, who was watching her from afar.

“See? We took the initiative.”