Chapter 70

With about 500 people, the Fontana army's center was being torn apart as I charged through it.

Due to the peasant soldiers at the forefront being blown away by me, the number of those trying to block my path was few.

Some peasant soldiers tried to muster their courage to stop me, but I fired shotguns to keep them from getting close.

In this way, I approached the group of metal-armored soldiers in the center of the Fontana army.

The armored soldiers formed defensive stances, overlapping their shields in clusters.

It seemed they were ready to counterattack.

If I could use a large rock-throwing magic like when I defeated Vargas, it would be ideal, but it was difficult to use while riding and moving.

If not, I would simply use the hardened brick rod to break through their defensive formation.

Thinking this, I charged forward, reinfusing my body with magic power to strengthen it, and swung the rod horizontally.

*Clang.*

The clash of metal shields and the hardened brick rod produced a grating sound.

The impact was so great that I dropped the rod from my hand.

I hastily drew my hard fang sword.

If I had been attacked while unarmed, it might have been dangerous.

However, it seemed my charge attack had been successful.

While the armored soldiers were not blown away like the peasant soldiers, the leading soldier was knocked down by the impact of the rod and fell on top of those behind him.

The remaining armored soldiers, trying to push them back and regroup, lost their opportunity to counterattack.

"It's doable. They're not that strong."

"Don't be an idiot. The general is just reckless. Are you a monster?"

"Thanks, Vargas. Remember this later. For now, let's scatter these guys."

"Right."

While exchanging words with Vargas, I approached the armored soldiers.

The armored soldiers were indeed strong and had good equipment.

Compared to the peasant soldiers, they were probably several times stronger.

However, there was a clear difference between them and me.

It was the quality of their magic power.

The armored soldiers had significantly more magic power than the peasant soldiers.

However, in terms of the quality or density of their magic power, they were the same as the peasant soldiers.

A thin, blue mist-like magic power that flowed unconsciously from their bodies.

They had more in quantity, but that was all.

In contrast, my magic power was of a completely different quality.

By refining the magic power absorbed from the air and food in my stomach, it had become a viscous, liquid-like substance.

This difference in the quality of magic power seemed to manifest in combat power.

With about 30 armored soldiers, it might be possible for three of us to handle them.

I might even be able to take down about 10 of them, which seemed unrealistic.

Just as I thought this,

"I will not allow any more of this."

A person from behind the armored soldiers I had knocked down attacked me.

He was riding a Valkyrie like me.

This must be one of the important figures who came out from their side before the battle began.

In other words, this might be the top of their army.

It saved me the trouble of having to find him.

"It's been a while, Ars. How have you been?"

"...Huh? Who are you? I don't know you."

Just as I was about to take advantage of the situation and attack, the man spoke to me.

His perfect timing cost me the opportunity to attack.

Who is this guy?

"Hehe, you were still young, so you don't remember? It's me. Raymond, the steward of the Fontana family, who governs this land."

Steward?

Raymond?

I couldn't forget him.

He was the person I met when I first went to the city.

The person who received the Valkyrie I offered to the Fontana family.

The person who cut off the horn of that Valkyrie without warning.

And the person who directly granted me the rights to my land.

The man from back then was right in front of me.

In other words, he was the commander of this army.

Could he be the root of all this?

He held an important position as the steward of the Fontana family and even issued a permit with the Fontana family's crest.

Yet, he went out of his way to find fault with us and tried to take what was in Valka.

Before the battle, he even claimed I was at fault.

My blood boiled.

Whose fault is this?

It's all because of him, Raymond.

I'm not the one who's wrong.

I clenched my fists so hard that my nails dug into my palms.

Blood trickled from my palms.

It was the same feeling as when I had to watch the Valkyrie's horn being cut off and could do nothing but endure.

But it wasn't exactly the same.

Unlike back then, I had grown stronger.

I was strong enough to stand up to even a noble.

"Hey, Ars. Look around. We're surrounded."

Just as I was so excited that I thought my blood might burst my veins, Vargas, who seemed worried, called out to me.

Only then did I realize what was happening around me.

I was trapped.

The reason Raymond suddenly spoke to me was to provoke my anger and buy time for the armored soldiers to regroup and surround us.

Despite having the most powerful attack method, a charge while riding, I foolishly stopped and listened to Raymond.

"General, it's bad. They're using magic."

The situation worsened.

The armored soldiers surrounding us were not using weapons but magic to attack.

Magic attacks.

Right, I had become complacent after defeating opponents with overwhelming strength.

Magic exists in this world.

Just because I can use it doesn't mean it's my exclusive domain.

I know how troublesome magic attacks can be, and they were being simultaneously released from the surrounding armored soldiers.

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