Chapter 94

The revolutionary army advanced along the main roads of the great empire, already occupying several cities.

The great empire of Subarokia dispatched twenty legions to suppress the revolutionaries. Fifteen of those legions were annihilated by 'The Reaper' Shu. Thanks to this, the advance was very smooth.

"That 'Reaper'... he really did it."

Leaning against his forehead, the revolutionary leader Reinvald Cain Richter muttered. Thanks to the assassination by 'The Reaper,' the revolutionary army managed to break through the second regiment of the imperial army. However, the unexpected destruction of the third and fourth regiments also caused some confusion within the revolutionary army. This made things complicated for Reinvald.

"But, Lord Rei, is it true that 'The Reaper' and the King of the Underworld are the same person?"

"Yes, there's no doubt about it."

Leil, one of Reinvald's aides, asked while reading the documents. Having met the real 'Reaper,' it was hard to believe that he was a monster. Even without being a believer of the Demon God cult, the general belief was that monsters were enemies to be destroyed. It was hard to imagine that a rational being capable of conversation could be a monster.

"I understand what you mean. However, various circumstances point to the truth. First, the appearance of the King of the Underworld. He appeared in the capital of the Kingdom of Ramza, and then in the Republic of Elise, where 'The Reaper' was seen. It seems that an S-rank holy knight of the Holy Grinia was killed in the Republic of Elise. It was undoubtedly the work of the King of the Underworld."

An S-rank holy knight is, in other words, an awakened magus. If someone can kill an awakened magus, they must be either a monster king or an awakened magus. Considering that S-rank holy knights were dispatched to pursue the King of the Underworld, it's natural to assume that he was the one who killed them. This led to the hypothesis that 'The Reaper' and the King of the Underworld are the same.

"Since the rumors about the King of the Underworld stopped after the incident in the Republic of Elise, it's impossible for a monster king to avoid rumors. He must have been hiding his presence with reason."

"So, he had the intelligence to converse with humans?"

"Unprecedented, indeed..."

The idea of a monster working as an assassin for a dark organization is hard to believe. It's such an absurd fact that even with evidence, most people don't believe it. That's why it's known only to a few.

"There's another issue."

"Is this it, Lord Rei?"

"Yes."

Another aide, Riria, handed over a document. Reinvald took it and read it. It was a budget proposal for the revolutionary army, with a huge income. Given that they receive support from multiple countries, it's understandable. However, there was a mysterious income listed as 'Black Cat Income.'

"For some reason, we started receiving support funds from the Black Cat..."

"Why is that, I wonder..."

'The Ash Rat' steals money from the bank's vault, and 'The Red Hare' delivers it. This is how they aid the revolutionary army's finances. For Reinvald, it's a confusing situation.

"Well, if they're willing to support us, I welcome it... but..."

"It's creepy, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

Reinvald, Leil, and Riria all sighed. No one expected a dark organization to provide funds for free. It's unsettling, and they can't help but suspect that something is going on. They don't think the Black Cat has split into two factions and is fighting among themselves.

"What's happening..."

"Lord Rei, it seems there are also movements in the Holy Grinia."

"Yes, we need to be cautious."

The turmoil has just begun. Even the revolutionary army, which has been advancing smoothly, faces a shadow.

◆◆◆

The first regiment of the great empire was forced to make a decision. They had been cautious, trying to avoid casualties with a defensive strategy. However, General Adil Clover proposed an aggressive annihilation, and the Ice Princess agreed.

"This is an imperial decree."

The general's command rallied the magus soldiers. Indeed, by continuing the long-range artillery and hit-and-run tactics, they could gradually wear down the enemy. However, since the revolutionary army has already broken through other regiments, the combined forces would outnumber them. A perfect encirclement with overwhelming numbers would eventually lead to defeat. They needed to end it before that happened.

"Therefore!"

His voice grew even stronger.

"We must secure an absolute victory."

Adil raised his right hand high into the sky.

"Today, the enemy before us will vanish... no, we will make them vanish!"

A roar echoed, shaking the earth and the air. The trees trembled, and the monsters fled. The revolutionary army had reason to be proud. They had forced the great empire of Subarokia, which had been the strongest nation for centuries, to take them seriously. They had even made the Ice Princess, the first awakened magus in the empire, use her full power.

"Advance! Show the barbaric rebels the true power of our army!"

The Ice Princess released her power. An unlimited amount of mana created an ice fortress. Inside this fortress were guardians—knights made of ice. A one-man army. That's what the Ice Princess was called in her prime. In fact, her army had only a few support personnel. Her extraordinary magus abilities made her stronger than an entire army.

The time of devastation began.

◆◆◆

The revolutionary army facing the first regiment was caught off guard by the sudden ground tremors. They were shocked by the sudden appearance of the ice fortress and the ice knights. While ice fortresses and ice soldiers had been seen before, they were small and not particularly powerful. They were troublesome because they could be generated infinitely, but the magus behind them was hard to find. This time, the ice fortress was shockingly large, and there were countless knights.

"What the hell is that? It looks like an army of gods."

"What are you talking about? It's clearly a magus."

"Shut up, you're being ridiculous."

In this region, where the influence of the Demon God cult doesn't reach, there are local deities. Soldiers from rural areas who worship a 'god with a cold army' were saying absurd things. The magus soldiers, on the other hand, were terrified.

"What is that mana... it's on a different level."

"The danger is palpable even from this distance."

"Should we retreat now?"

"Idiot, you'll be executed for violating military regulations."

Only those who can use magus can understand the magnitude of the mana. How much mana would it take to manifest a magus army equivalent to an entire regiment? In other words, this person possesses the mana of an entire army. The cold fortress was created in an instant, not just a night. The great empire's magus soldiers were deployed within it. Even General Adil Clover, known as 'The Armored One,' used his full magus power. The ice fortress was equipped with countless cannons. The ice knights and the mana cannons made the fortress a formidable defensive and offensive structure. The revolutionary army, on the other hand, maintained their usual formation, designed to lure and encircle the enemy for annihilation. They didn't plan to attack but could quickly retreat and regroup.

"Fall back! Retreat the front line!"

The excellent revolutionary commander shouted. The revolutionary army facing the first regiment was a coalition of the Kingdom of Saluda, the Kingdom of Fovia, and the Prinella Federation. The overall commander was the second prince of Saluda, a brilliant military leader despite being royalty. Prince Rialo, sensing the power of the Ice Princess's magus, instinctively knew they couldn't match it.

"Leave the magus and mages as the rear guard, and don't let the protective barrier break. Also, have the fire users attack aggressively. Melt the ice knights. At the same time, use our trump card."

Rialo had a trump card for this operation, something to be used as a final move, not for a retreat. However, he judged it necessary now.

"Permission to use strategic-level magic. Prepare the 'Dragon's Breath.'"

A single strike of this magic could cause catastrophic damage to a city. It was a strategic-level magic. Of course, it would be valuable for capturing the fortress. The approaching cavalry and the towering fortress were both made of ice, so the tenth-tier fire magic 'Dragon's Breath' was deemed effective. Rialo also prepared other tenth-tier magics of different attributes, using multiple mages to construct and activate them simultaneously, essentially a ritual activation.

"Prince Rialo, the messengers have completed their tasks."

"Thank you. We need to regroup. Knowing the extent of their magus power, we should join forces with the other coalition units. What about the nearby units?"

"General Aley's Aley Coalition is holding the main road to the mines in the north. They can't spare any personnel. The same goes for the south, where they are also holding the roads. We should wait for the main revolutionary army to catch up, even if it takes time."

"Reinvald's unit... I see."

The main revolutionary army was formed to capture the imperial capital of Aldar. They had made various preparations and should be preserved. However, breaking through here and reaching the capital was essential. It was the right choice to ask for help from the main army, even if it meant swallowing his pride. However, Rialo had his reputation to consider. As the commander of a coalition unit, he couldn't simply retreat and say it was too difficult.

(What should I do...)

The decision wasn't one that needed to be made immediately. Since they had already decided to retreat and fall back, they had some time to decide. However, they couldn't delay it indefinitely. If they fell back and had to retreat again, it would be problematic. The ice fortress, powered by magus, could be redeployed wherever the front line moved, making it a mobile fortress.

(No, I should fall back as far as possible. If I can get reinforcements from the north and south, I can lure the imperial army into a trap and attack from both sides...)

Rialo shook his head. The enemy could create a mobile ice fortress, making a siege possible. To capture a strategic structure like a fortress, you typically need several times to ten times the enemy's forces. It would be a long and drawn-out battle, which would be disadvantageous for the revolutionary army. They were already in Subarokia's territory, and the empire could send reinforcements from anywhere. Setting up an encirclement while worrying about enemy ambushes would be difficult. In the end, they might need the help of the main revolutionary army.

(Damn... to be overwhelmed by a single magus...)

The magus of the great empire were strong, something Rialo knew well. Many high-ranking magus, known as S-rank or A-rank, were part of the empire, and B-rank geniuses were abundant. Conversely, the vassal states of the great empire had weak magus. The great empire's policy of favoring magus led to the best magus from other countries flocking to the capital. Success in the capital meant becoming a citizen of the imperial city, rather than a poor vassal state. This is how they extracted wealth and power. The difference in strength was evident. No matter how much Rialo thought about it, the gap in strength couldn't be bridged. The overwhelming quality, wealth, and technology of the great empire were what they possessed. The revolutionary army could only outnumber them if all the vassal states cooperated. The only advantage they had was in numbers. If they were overwhelmed in quality, there was nothing they could do. To counter the great empire's overwhelming quality, they needed the same quality.

"I didn't want to rely on them, but..."

"Prince Rialo?"

"Summon Lord Galan Rigard."

The enemy was undoubtedly an awakened magus. Therefore, Rialo decided to use the awakened magus from the Holy Grinia. Given the history of being exploited by the great powers, the Holy Grinia wasn't a country he wanted to rely on. However, Rialo had no choice.

"Fall back once, and then attack again with Lord Galan's magus from the 'Floating City.' Prepare to serve wine tonight."

"Yes, sir."

Most likely, tomorrow. The awakened magus of the great empire and the Holy Grinia would clash.