Chapter 248: Footsteps of Destruction

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At the moment, the war situation was equal for both sides.

However, the situation could easily be reserved with a slight change.

Then, Niko noticed something.

The sounds of footsteps were approaching.

She couldn’t see them yet, but they were definitely approaching.

From behind the corner of the mountain———-

[It seems that the Fourth has finally arrived!]

Slashing back at Niko, the old enemy captain raised his voice in triumph.

In concert with the captain’s strike, the old woman came slashing at Niko from her blind spot.

Niko had her hands full with these two.

If enemy reinforcements were to arrive———– This fight might not be even anymore.

Of course, it would be them who would be at a disadvantage.

Niko understood this.

She knew that if she was outnumbered, she would have to take the lead and fill in the “gaps”.

[Kuhh……!]

(I must quickly defeat these two and deal with the enemy reinforcements……!)

The two old soldiers’ movements accelerated.

It was as if they were taking advantage of Niko’s impatience.

[It’s two against one! It has always been the truth of the world that the greater the numbers, the greater the strength!]

A moment later.

Niko couldn’t believe what she’s seeing now.

[Dear!]

[What’s the matter, Dear!?]

[It’s———– It’s not the Fourth!]

[……What!?]

What appeared in Niko’s vision was a flock of monsters.

There aren’t so many of them.

However, what’s important is that the people who appeared are allies.

[Oh my!? What is the Fourth doing!? Youngsters these days really are useless!]

[Enemies in the rear! If we allow them to form a pincer attack, we’ll be in trouble! The enemy reinforcements in the rear will be dealt with by Chrome’s troops!]

Even though they saw the monster reinforcements, the enemy was hardly shaken.

The enemy’s rear quickly formed up and got into positions to wait for the monster reinforcements.

Seeing them react like that, Niko frowned.

(It doesn’t matter to them if the situation is a bit unfavorable huh…… These enemies are quite experienced in warfare……! Moreover…… They’re really strong!)

[We’ll take care of this! Chrome’s troops———– use the power of our cavalry to crush the monsters behind us who are getting carried away! Let them know how they can’t even be compared to the monsters of the Demon Zone!]

[Ohohohoho…… You’re underestimating Alion’s Thirteen Cavalry! Let’s boil their corpses and feed them to the dogs!]

[ ? ]

Behind the old captain and the old woman———- Niko spotted him.

A black Leopardkin.

No————

[ ———– ———– ]

Belzegia, dressed in Leopard King attire.

————Crickle, crackle————–

[ ! ]

(He…… stopped……?)

The old captain’s movement’s stopped.

[—————–!]

Not letting the opportunity slip, Niko unhesitantly swung down her greatsword.

[Oiiii!? Wait…… a mom———-]

Fwiiiiiish!

The old captain is cleaved from his left shoulder to his right hip.

It is clear to everyone that he is already dead.

Putting strength into her thighs, NIko then twisted her body.

Speeding up again————

[Nghhh!]

As if she was just chopping wood———–

She swung her greatsword down with all her might to the top of the old woman’s head.

Fwooooooosh!

[Gyaaaaahh!?]

The old woman’s head is cracked open.

Receiving a decisive strike on the head, she also died instantly.

Killing her opponents, Niko immediately raised her voice.

[I have defeated the enemy’s leader!]

Niko’s words sent the enemy soldiers into a frenzy.

However, Niko didn’t let them have time to regain composure and immediately rushed towards the enemy soldiers.

And thus, she saved her struggling comrades.

[ ? ]

Niko’s eyes caught the enemy troops who had headed towards the monster reinforcements.

They were almost one-sidedly trampled down.

(No…… The enemy troops————- couldn’t move?)

[The reason they couldn’t move is because they’re under my sorcery.]

[Bel———-, …………Doris.]

That’s right.

The him who is dressed as the Leopard King isn’t “Belzegia”, but “Doris”.

“Hmph”, Fly King snorted.

[You killed them before I could make them spit out information huh.]

[My apologies…… I was in the heat of battle.]

[Well, don’t worry about it————- Come on, let’s settle this already.]

[……Thank you for your generosity.]

The outcome of the battle has been decided.

14:36 —————– The 12th Cavalry has been annihilated.

▽ 

When she was finally able to catch her breath, Niko thanked the Fly King.

[Thank you for your help. However, aren’t those reinforcements from the Central area?]

[When he heard that I’m heading this way, Gio said to “use” them.]

[Gio did?]

[It seems that Liese has moved quickly and will be sending some reinforcements from the inside. And so, those reinforcements would be meeting up with Gio.]

[I see. So he lent the monsters from the Central area to you since he could replenish his forces huh.]

[That’s right.]

Affirming her words, Fly King looks in the direction where he came from.

[We were on our way here when we spotted the 4th Cavalry who were also on their way here…… and we took them out first. Then, we just headed straight towards here.]

[That mysterious power that completely stopped the movement of those two strong men, you mentioned how it was sorcery…… but is that any different from magic?]

[It’s not the same as magic. Well, you can just think of it as a special power only I have.]

[Alright. I won’t unnecessarily pry on this. Even so……]

Niko’s gaze flickers to the corpses of the enemies on the battlefield.

[Your plan…… really worked very well. I must confess…… I’m a little frightened at the thought of turning you into an enemy.]

[However, without the ability to implement it, any plan would just be nothing but impracticable theory. If you and your comrades are able to do it, only then will my plan become reality. I’m not the only one “frightening” here.]

[……Hmph, you sure have a way with words.]

[I’ve sailed over most of the waves with my eloquence after all. Anyway……]

Fly King kneels down and checks the enemy’s equipment.

[With this, the 12th Cavalry has been annihilated.]

Seeing the expression on Niko’s face, Fly King asked.

[What’s the matter?]

[……No, I was just wondering if Gio and the others were okay. If all the monsters had headed this way…… and if they had to fight the enemy before the reinforcements from inside the door arrived…… Gio and the others would have to fight with only the Leopard Light Army.]

It was at that moment when a messenger arrived.

A messenger from the Central area———— from where Gio and the others are.

Adjusting his ragged breathing, the messenger stated his report.

[Haahhh… Haahhh…… Reporting! In the Central area, the Leopard Light Army, led by Gio-sama, has engaged with the enemy————–]

The report that came in was———–

The Leopard Light Army, led by Gio Shadowblade, defeated the 13th Cavalry.

[The 13th Cavalry is almost completely annihilated! The enemy captain had also been killed by Gio-sama himself!]

Deputy Ferenoch was looking out at the landscape from an elevated position.

Thick clouds were beginning to increase in the sky.

Looking at such a sky, he was wondering if it would rain soon.

[From what I’ve heard from the messenger, it seems like the folks of the Faraway Country are also pretty goodーー. I guess the First’s Mikhail is probably already deadーー.]

Behind him were the soldiers of the 6th Cavalry.

Far behind them———— is their captain John Doe.

Going past the soldiers, John Doe steps in front of Ferenoch.

[For beings who should have been holed up behind their door for so long, the enemy’s overall movements seemed like they’re clearly accustomed to warfare. Are they accustomed to war due to frequent internal conflicts…… or perhaps, they have a very good commander.]

[They may have already been working with Miraーー.]

[That’s possible. I had seen harpy-like shadows flying in the distance, but they didn’t seem to have flown to the front line…… They seem to be using them in the rear to avoid the danger of being shot down from the ground. Perhaps, they are using other species as messengers on the front line. From what I could see…… This means that the enemy has the intelligence to go on the defensive. It would have been easier if they simply charged at us but…… in this case, it may be a little troublesome.]

[Captain, you sure are watching them closelyーー.]

[It was somewhat unexpected that the enemy would get this far though. With the situation like this…… It’s a shame that I couldn’t make use of the Heroic Sword on this battlefield.]

[What’s the matter, Captainーー?]

Repeatedly flicking a gold coin in the air, John Doe continued.

[Send messengers and notify every cavalry units.]

John Deo gave some instructions through Ferenoch.

One of the instructions was about sending messengers.

[Thoroughly check the numbers and identities of the messengersーー? What do you meanーー?]

[If the enemy was only Demi-Humans or monsters, there would be no problem. However, if that Mad Emperor, who can use “Humans” as pawns, is on their side, there is a risk that the Humans will distort our messages and cause chaos in our information exchange. The Mad Emperor had sent assassins disguised as the Magic Knights and struck Heroic Sword…… Doing something like this is easy for them.]

[We don’t have much interest and don’t interact with other units that much after allーー. We don’t even remember the faces of the other troopsーー.]

[And that’s something they could use against us…… As long as there’s a squad that they’ve dealt with, there’s a good chance that they’ll use that squad’s equipment as disguise…… If I were on the enemy side, where I have a “Human” I could use, then that would be what I would do.]

[I seeーー…… That’s something the Demi-Humans or monsters could do, but if the Mad Emperor is cooperating with their side, that would be something they could do huhーー. Being surrounded just by enemies isn’t fairーー.]

Ping!

Bouncing in the air once again, the gold coin landed on the back of John Doe’s hand.

[The 2nd and the 9th should survive. If we, the 6th, are the ones “on the back”, those two squads should continue to play an active role as the ones “in the front”.]

John Doe looks down at the gold coin that is showing heads.

[If the front doesn’t exist…… Of course, the back wouldn’t be able to hide themselves.]

[In other words, you’re kindly warning the rest of the squads because you don’t want the 2nd or the 9th to be deceivedーー.]

[Also, the enemy will definitely be targeting the key…… the Divine Beast, Radis.]

Speaking of that Divine Beast, he is taking care of his business in the back.

Whistling a tune, he’s pissing on a sling bag.

Incidentally, it seemed like “what’s inside” that sling bag was still alive.

[Us losing the Divine Beast would mean that it’s a loss for our side after all. There’s no way we could leave Radis in the hands of Mikhail’s cavalryーー.]

[That’s why———- The “Divine Beast” will be used as bait.]

[……Have Captain thought of a planーー?]

[The enemy’s movements have also been thought of very well. If the Mad Emperor is behind this, we must not be negligent.]

[————-Eh?]

[? Is something the matter?]

[Captain…… Did you just smileーー? Even though you’re always showing no expressionーー.]

[There’s no way that’s the case. It’s just……]

John Doe flicked the gold coin in his hand.

Ping!

Noticing it flying to his direction, Ferenoch caught it in his hand.

[The enemy’s movements…… I feel like it’s something close to mine. That’s a strange way to express it, but it’s like we are mirror images of each other…… I’ve never felt anything like this before.]

It was as if———— he feels closer to them than “Humanity’s Strongest” with whom he shares blood.

[So, is it the Mad Emperorーー?]

[It’s definitely him.]

[Then, we must not underestimate himーー.]

[……Now then. I think it’s about time that we also make our move———- Ferenoch.]

[I’m on itーー.]

After receiving his instructions, Ferenoch stands next to John Doe.

Closing his eyes, he put his hands over his ears.

It was as if he was trying to listen closely.

[The flow of the wind…… the flow of the battlefield…… I can feel itーー…… The place where we, the 6th Cavalry, should goーー…… is that wayーー.]

When Ferenoch opened his eyes, he whispered to John Doe.

Then, John Doe pointed in a certain direction.

[Well then…… We, the 6th, will head that way.]

John Doe then told the soldiers behind him to prepare for a sortie.

Shwipp!

Finished with their preparations———– The Sixth Cavalry formed a row.

Normally, this troop has a relatively loose atmosphere.

But at times like this, they radiate more power and intimidation than any other unit.

Leading the group, Ferenoch raised his greatsword to his shoulder.

[Then, well, let’s goーー.]

A combination of a large man and his huge horse.

The intimidation he brings is quite tremendous.

On the other hand, John Doe……

[Now then———]

Blending in with the common soldier, he was no longer distinguishable from the other soldiers.

[Sixth Cavalry, forward.]