Chapter 120 : Chapter 120

Chapter 120

On the battlefield where the war with the Romero Kingdom was raging.

Among the numerous barracks of the Cornelia camp, a pure white barrack adorned with two dragons was mixed in.

It belonged to the White Knight Order, stationed to support their allied nation.

“The tide of the war has turned.”

Demian Eurasia, who was listening to the vice-commander's report, answered quietly.

“……?”

Las Veltvik tilted his head.

He was in the middle of reporting that the mercenaries hired by Cornelia were performing exceptionally well, and that among them, a mercenary named Agnil had killed one of Romero’s Chiliarchs.

But the tide of the war had turned?

“Commander, he only took down a single Chiliarch. Isn't it too early to make a hasty judgment?”

He asked back at the puzzling reaction.

It had already been nearly 10 years since he began serving Demian as his superior.

‘The Commander's intuition is usually right, but Cornelia's losses are also considerable. To judge the state of the war based on a single Chiliarch……. I can't understand it.’

From what he had observed for a long time, he was a thoroughly practical person.

He did not speak unnecessarily or uncertainly.

“Cornelia's weakness is their knightly forces.”

“That's right.”

They had fewer than five 6-star knights, and not even fifteen 5-star knights.

Even considering that high-ranking knights were rare on the Frontier, it was an excessively inadequate force when considering the prestige of a kingdom possessing a Magic Tower.

“Even 200 years ago, during their golden age, Cornelia didn't have a proper knight order. Instead, they compensated for their shortcomings by increasing the number and quality of their magic order.”

It was a fact Las also knew.

Mages could unleash formidable firepower if given enough time, but they needed knights to protect their front lines until their Shik were complete.

Such knights often died in battle, and because of that, capable knights were reluctant to belong to Cornelia even if guaranteed good treatment.

Eventually, the level of the knight order that Cornelia operated on its own declined, and they reached a point where they had to supplement their lacking front-line troops with mercenaries.

“The families on the Frontier with somewhat renowned knight orders can't rashly step onto the battlefield for fear of a Wave. And yet, the commander of a mere two-man mercenary band, a mercenary hired by the direct line, has defeated a 6-star knight, a Chiliarch. I hear he was seen using blue and violet mana, was he not?”

Not only that, but his use of Carpe on the battlefield had also been witnessed not infrequently.

“That is true, but……. Most of the Magic Tools provided by Cornelia have violet mana stored in them. To judge based on that alone is……”

“The mercenary named Agnil is a Superhuman.”

“……!!”

At Demian's assertion, Las's eyes widened.

“It must be one of two things. Either he's a mercenary sponsored by Cornelia, or a knight related to the direct bloodline. Perhaps it's both.”

“……”

“The Superhumans of the Black Duke and the princes have not shown themselves on the battlefield.”

Immediately after, Cornelia switched to the offensive, and an ‘unidentified mercenary’ who doesn't hesitate to use Carpe on the battlefield is running rampant.

“And today, he achieved a significant military feat by killing a Chiliarch.”

“……”

Demian stared silently at Las, as if asking if any more explanation was needed.

“I will make contact with Cornelia's direct line.”

“Do so.”

Demian nodded indifferently.

Having finished his report, the vice-commander left the barracks, saying he would check on the change in the situation.

“They've seized the initiative on the battlefield earlier than I thought.”

Demian’s eyes took in the map laid out on the table.

Cornelia, the renowned family of magic.

The core of the Kingdom Alliance that had enjoyed a golden age with Eurasia 200 years ago.

They too had fallen in the past and drifted to the Frontier, but their history had been different from Eurasia's.

As a result of passing down the Shik they had built up to future generations, they continuously produced Superhumans and finally succeeded in erecting a Magic Tower.

And it wasn't an ordinary magic tower, but a renowned one counted among the top five on the continent.

‘Their initial response was regrettable.’

Unlike Simon Eurasia, who had cut off the Empire's support troops in the war with Brussels, Cornelia had failed to do so.

This was because not only did the Second Prince move directly with a number of Superhumans, but an 8-star Arch Mage was also behind him.

Afterward, as expected, a tedious war of attrition and offense-defense battles ensued.

That had been the case until just a month ago, but the situation had suddenly changed.

Was it because Sharle Cornelia reached 6-star?

Or because a mercenary named Agnil, presumed to be a Superhuman, appeared?

“No.”

The change in the war's tide began when the Black Duke and the Second Prince stopped appearing.

They hadn't shown themselves since the negotiations that took place about two weeks ago.

Cornelia, who reclaimed their captured royal direct line and suddenly shifted to the offensive.

Since then, not only King Hegel Cornelia but also Celot Cornelia and Kiel Cornelia have all stepped out to personally wreak havoc on the battlefield.

Even if the Magic Tower's influence doesn't reach the battlefield, Cornelia's mages are outstanding enough to be compared to the Red Knight Order.

Romero's Superhumans are also putting up a good fight, but in the end, they won't be able to overcome Cornelia's Arch Mages.

“There is something we haven't grasped.”

Demian recalled a name he had seen long ago in the family's history books.

Commander of the Black Dragon Knight Order, Agnil of the Greatsword.

A knight who had mastered the 7-star level, a Superhuman who had assisted his ancestor Edan Eurasia on his final ascent before he passed away.

“……”

And Demian knew a man who was as interested in the family's history as he was.

He also knew that he was building a friendly relationship with Cornelia's direct line.

“How coincidental.”

Smirk.

Not bothering to suppress the corner of his lip that was rising on its own, Demian picked up Pisaro.

‘What have you gotten yourself into now.’

Competitiveness, curiosity, enjoyment.

Various emotions intersected, making his heart pound.

“Oops.”

Recognizing the mana that had begun to leak out, Demian hurriedly calmed his mind.

The place he was in was a battlefield where a momentary lapse could get his head cut off.

He would have to be cool-headed when swinging his sword.

He had just managed to stabilize his 6-star level and learn the knack of letting his Haki flow.

“I can't just perish in vain.”

The next day.

The White Knight Order, led by Demian, killed a Chiliarch of the Romero Kingdom, and in a battle three days later, they defeated a knight order led by a direct member of the royal family.

About another 30 days passed from then.

The war, on which the fates of the two nations hung, came to an end.

It was Cornelia's victory.

***

A clear day.

Unmelted snow lay on the bare trees.

‘Peaceful.’

That was the thought that came to Killian's mind as he looked out the office window.

It felt like just the other day that the new year of his twenty-first year had dawned, and now in a month, he would be facing his twenty-second.

‘It's been quite a while since Cornelia's war ended. Time flows so fast when living in a human body.’

Killian's gaze, which had been looking out the window, returned to the documents on his desk.

“……”

Unlike the peaceful scenery, his duties as the Annihilation Squad Leader were mountainous.

In the short term, there were the security issues of the eastern frontier and the capital, Brussels; personally, he had to sort out his relationship with the Pantera Temple; and secretly, he was facing the task of rooting out the Empire's spies.

It had been a continuous series of such tasks ever since he returned from the battlefield.

“I must have looked at well over a hundred documents today alone. I really need to recruit more members for the Annihilation Squad.”

There was a severe shortage of manpower.

If it weren't for Hennessy and Absinthe, the information network would have collapsed long ago.

Thud.

He put down his pen after the last document related to the construction of a medium-sized Warp Gate being pushed in the capital.

The remaining stack of documents was about two hundred pages.

‘Serena, I leave the rest to you.’

As the first sword of the Annihilation Squad, she was also serving as the temporary commander. He had also forced her to hold decision-making authority.

The members of the Annihilation Squad had coordinated in several battles.

They had become capable of hunting a 7-star low-tier Superhuman even without him.

While their individual skills were outstanding, it was especially possible because Serena held the center.

“Shall I swing my sword for the first time in a while?”

He got up from his seat and headed to his personal training ground.

A space where no one could enter without his permission, except when he was training the Annihilation Squad.

Here, he could use his aggressive sword style to his heart's content without worrying about prying eyes.

Fwoong. Fwung.

He swung Aether as if to awaken his stiff muscles from rolling a pen.

His senses returned quickly, as if they had never been stiff.

“Yes, this is it.”

From basic swordsmanship that could be called stances, to advanced swordsmanship that led to Ke.

Scattering mana, he fell into a state of selflessness.

Beads of sweat flew, and mana scattered.

The sharp blade cut through the empty air and parted the wind.

Rumble-rumble.

The Haki clinging to Aether tore apart the remnants of mana.

He made the torn-apart mana adhere to Aether again.

Rumble. Rumble.

Fwoooong. Fwoooong.

Fifty, one hundred, two hundred.

It was when he had poured out that many sword strikes alone.

“……”

Killian stopped the sword he was swinging.

It was because of the immense presence he felt from afar.

‘The presence of a Sword Master.’

There was only one person in the kingdom's main castle who could freely scatter such a presence.

Creeak.

Before long, the entrance to the training ground opened, and the owner of the presence revealed himself.

“Were you training?”

The King of Eurasia.

At the visit of Simon Eurasia, Killian offered a sword salute.

“That's enough. It would be ridiculous to receive a greeting when I'm the one interrupting your training.”

“What brings you here?”

Since his reincarnation as Killian Eurasia, he had met Simon directly less than ten times.

Even after Eurasia declared itself a kingdom, he spent most of his time training alone, and mission directives and reports were handled by Escardo.

“That's a dull greeting for seeing me after a long time.”

Contrary to his words, Simon's face was smiling.

As if he had met an interesting opponent.

“……”

Just by facing him.

Thump.

His heart raced.

Because the high and mighty realm the man before him had achieved was so vivid it was palpable.

Thump.

His heart pounded fiercely.

“Is the Warp Gate expansion going well?”

Simon asked as he swept his hand over a wooden practice sword hanging on the training ground wall.

“We will have to wait a little longer. Chief Priest Pierre said he would bring a positive answer, so you don't need to worry too much.”

“You're optimistic.”

“It's not building a new one, but expanding from a small gate. I believe it will be possible with the Chief Priest's influence.”

“The one who decides that is not the Chief Priest, but the Pope of the Holy Nation.”

Holding a wooden sword, Simon walked in front of Killian.

“No matter how many chief priests recommend it, a single word from that man can nullify even what was promised.”

“……”

It was when Killian was about to ask, sensing a nuance that he knew something.

“The new year is approaching.”

“Yes. I heard a state-scale banquet will be held.”

It was the first new year they were celebrating after ending the war with Brussels.

It would be a chance not only to console the weary populace but also to show off their might to other families and kingdoms that were watching their movements.

Of course, it was a matter unrelated to Killian, who was busy with his duties as the Annihilation Squad Leader.

“You're planning not to attend.”

“As you know, there are many things to be resolved in Eurasia.”

“Yes. There are many things to be resolved in the current Eurasia.”

Simon nodded his head as if he understood.

“Therefore……”

“Attend not as the Annihilation Squad Leader, but as a prince.”

“……”

“It is a royal command.”

“……”

The corners of the king's mouth were turned up.

“I do not understand the reason for this.”

The weight and responsibility borne by the Annihilation Squad Leader and the Fourth Prince were worlds apart.

‘It would be more helpful to the state's finances if I took on mercenary work in that time instead.’

It was an incomprehensible command.

“Do you want to know the reason?”

“I do.”

“Knights speak with their swords.”

Simon raised the wooden sword.

“Raise your sword, Annihilation Squad Leader.”

Ssssk.

Grayish mana shimmered on the wooden practice sword.

And then.

Eurasia Style.

“Thorn.”

“Thorn.”

The Superhuman's body was sent flying.

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