Chapter 345: Imperial War (3)

“Enemy troops! They are advancing from the barracks!!”

“What about the golems?”

“Small golems have been deployed to both flanks, and 40,000 soldiers are concentrated in the central army.”

One by one, the scouts from the marquisate rushed in with urgent reports.

“And they report that a wyvern is circling above the enemy’s central camp.”

“A wyvern? Does that mean the wyvern unit has joined the battle?”

“No, sir... But the scales of that creature are red, and it’s far larger than a typical wyvern.”

Hearing that, Bran Gamunt went pale.

“It can’t be...”

There was only one person left on the continent who rode a red wyvern.

“Does this mean the enemy’s commander is personally joining the battle?”

He hadn’t accounted for this possibility.

“What about reinforcements?” Bran urgently asked the subordinates who were busy operating the magic communication devices.

“Not yet, sir. We’ve contacted the imperial capital, but it appears the main army, which was scheduled to depart, requires more time to prepare.”

“What are they doing?! We’ve sacrificed our lands, and they should’ve been ready by now! Without our support, they would have been finished already!” Vestal interjected sharply, though neither Bran nor the communication officers paid him any attention.

“Hey, how dare you...?!” Do you know who the hell I am?!” Marquis Vestal snapped, grabbing Bran by the collar. “Her Majesty still hasn’t forgiven you! If it weren’t for me, you wouldn't have even set foot in my territory! Do you understand?!”

Anyone present could tell Vestal was just acting tough. His only lifeline was his pride as the empress’s brother, and he knew that if it was lost, his life would likely be forfeit. So, he resorted to grandstanding in front of Bran.

“Please calm down, my lord. The frontlines have not broken, and we are evenly matched in numbers.”

“You send a young pup like this as commander, no wonder we can’t win.”

Vestal’s scathing remark drew awkward chuckles from everyone in the war room.

“With reinforcements delayed and the enemy having a Sword Master on their side, this is a lost battle,” Vestal went on, shoving Bran aside and turning to leave.

“Why is the main army delayed?” Bran asked, fixing his disheveled collar.

“Well... It appears Sir Cam Gray has died.”

“...!!”

Stunned by the report, Bran shouted in disbelief, “What did you just say?! How can the commander-in-chief just die like that? Did something happen in the capital?”

“The communication department refuses to disclose more, saying it could harm the morale of the frontline troops. They claim the delay in preparations for the main army is unavoidable, but they will dispatch other reinforcements instead.”

“Other reinforcements?”

“Yes, they should be arriving soon...”

At that moment, the door to the war room swung open, and the moment Bran saw the person standing there, his eyes widened.

“...!!”

“Who are you?” Vestal demanded, glaring at the man who stood in his way.

“...”

But instead of responding, the man merely shot Vestal a look of utter disdain, as though he were looking at a heap of garbage.

“What? Have you lost your mind? You and that boy are both—guh!!”

Vestal was abruptly cut off.

Crack

—

It happened in the blink of an eye. Before anyone could react, Vestal’s neck was twisted at a ninety-degree angle. Everyone was stunned, unable to close their mouths as they watched the scene unfold.

“Is this Vestal?” the man asked, holding the marquis’s lifeless body.

“Y-Yes, that’s right...” a soldier muttered, nodding apprehensively.

“Good. I killed the right one. His arrogance made me think it was him.”

With that, the man casually tossed Vestal aside and directed his fiery red eyes to Bran.

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

“And you must be Bran.”

“It is an honor to meet you...”

“You’re quick on the uptake. You’ve never seen me before, have you?”

“I once read about the Red Dragon in a book at the Academy’s library.”

“Is that so?” The man nodded indifferently. “Your emperor’s first order was clear—

upon arriving in the marquisate, kill Vestal

. He said that someone as soft-hearted as you wouldn’t be able to kill him and would keep him alive.”

“My apologies,” Bran said lamely.

“Have you received reports from the capital?”

“About Sir Cam Gray? Yes, just now, in fact...”

“A most unpleasant incident occurred. Us dragons have a rule of not interfering in human affairs, but... leaving that one alone would further tarnish our reputation.”

“You mean that...?”

The man’s blazing eyes met Bran’s.

“We dragons have decided to intervene in this human war.”

“...Ha!”

Bran failed to hide his shock.

“I know that the one I’m looking for is on this battlefield. Such powerful mana can’t be coming from a mere human.”

The man spoke as if he could see the formations tens of kilometers away, as though they were right in front of him.

“That’s why I came ahead of anyone else. But a weakling like this,” he glanced sideways at Vestal’s lifeless body, “isn’t enough to vent my frustration. I'm in quite a foul mood right now.”

Gulp

.

Everyone felt suffocated by the man’s overwhelming aura. This much was only natural, as the one who stood before them was none other than Python, the Red Dragon.

“Now that I’m here, there’s no need for you to remain within the fortress. The defense ends here.” He slowly turned his head to gaze at the battlefield. “Rejoice, for I shall bring you victory.”

***

[Karyl.]

“I know.”

[Seems like they’re desperate. They’re chasing after us with their tails between their legs. Hahaha...]

Karyl looked out over the battlefield.

“It’s a dragon... And not just any dragon, but the most vicious one, the Red Dragon himself. It’s no surprise the imperials’ morale has soared,” Anthem remarked quietly, gazing at Python in the distance as he spread his massive wings atop the fortress tower, seemingly as a show of strength.

“Don’t worry. As far as our soldiers’ morale goes, there’s no issue on our side either,” Kinu Mukari responded, to which Beikan nodded. They both seemed unfazed.

Anthem realized his earlier concerns had been nothing but needless worry.

“Prepare for command,” Karyl ordered.

Anthem nodded at once, his eyes resolute.

Schrrrr—!!

He unfurled the scroll he was holding, and with a blue glow, a map rose into the sky.

Kinu Mukari and Beikan watched in fascination, as if seeing it for the first time, while Kayla Spear, having already seen it in tactical meetings with Anthem, remained unfazed.

“Left flank, 5,000 archers and 5,000 shield-bearers.”

At Anthem’s command, blue dots appeared on the floating map and moved into position.

“Right flank, 10,000 spearmen. For the center, I’ll leave the 30,000 of the Free Army to you, my lord.”

“Quite simple for a breakthrough strategy. Is this the final configuration of the formation?" Karyl asked.

“For detailed adjustments, Kayla Spear will explain further,” Anthem replied, to which Kayla nodded in agreement.

“Good. And what about the preparations I mentioned?” Karyl asked.

“I informed Calypson before our departure. She had already left, so she should be arriving soon,” Anthem explained.

“Good.”

The gates of the marquisate fortress swung open, and the enemy forces began forming ranks.

“It’s hunting time,” Karyl whispered as he gazed ahead.

***

“Enemy troops! They’re advancing!”

“First Army, defensive formation! Magic battalion, prepare to intercept! Second and Third Armies, surround the enemy with a pincer maneuver!”

Bran Gamunt quickly issued orders as he watched the Free Army descend the hill, kicking up dust.

They dare to attack without hesitation, even knowing the Red Dragon is here... Does Lord Karyl truly intend to siege the fortress?

Bran was startled by his own thoughts, realizing he had unwittingly used an honorific for Karyl. It had only been once—a fleeting encounter. He had barely crossed paths with Karyl, but the impression had been so intense that it still lingered.

“...”

Bran Gamunt clicked his tongue in bitter reflection, then shouted again, “All troops! Attack!!”

Rumble, rumble, rumble—!!!

The soldiers obeyed at once, their march shaking the earth.

Azif spurred his horse at the forefront of the cavalry, his face tense as he eyed the frontlines closely. As the vice captain of the Golden Knights, he was leading the 100,000-strong expedition in place of Captain Belin Vallention.

Am I... shaking? Even with the protection of a dragon...?

Ever since he had heard the report that Karyl MacGovern had joined the battlefield, his hands wouldn’t stop shaking. It wasn’t the tension of battle; it was pure fear. The memory of clashing swords with Karyl at the Twin Armor had left an indelible mark on him, and he knew that was the reason for his unease.

Just like Bran Gamunt, the brief encounter with Karyl had left a lasting impact, although for a different reason.

“Hah...”

But now, they were proper enemies.

Azif glanced up at the Red Dragon, who was surveying them with its crimson wings spread wide.

I must win

.

Then, something unbelievable unfolded before his eyes.

“...!!”

“Woaaaaaa...!!”

“Haaaaa...!!”

The two forces collided, spears and shields clashing viciously. Chaos erupted as knights slashed with their swords and mages unleashed their spells—a scene of pure pandemonium.

As Karyl beheaded a knight, he urged, “Scatter!”

At that moment, the Free Army soldiers scrambled and fled in all directions, as if they had lost their commander. There was no order, no direction, nothing.

“W-What...?!”

The imperial forces, bewildered by the enemy’s sudden disarray, were unsure how to react. Azif, too, watched in disbelief as the enemy troops retreated akin to an ebbing tide.

His gaze fixed on one point, and there stood Karyl.

“Huff...”

Anthem clenched his fist tightly as he watched the soldiers scatter like grains of sand.

“So it begins.”

***

It was the day before the battle.

“So this is what you call Formless Formation?"

Karyl, overlooking the soldiers as they had prepared, glanced at the scroll filled with intricate symbols and patterns.

“Yes,” Anthem confirmed.

“You’ve created something unbelievable.”

Karyl’s praise brought a faint smile on Anthem’s face.

“I spent countless days and nights agonizing over how to carry out your command. Normally, this formation would be impossible to execute, but it’s still the best option in my mind. I mean, this tactic absolutely cannot be executed without you, my lord,” Anthem explained, looking intently at Karyl.

“So it can only work if I am the piece that moves the formation. You’re really pushing your lord hard here.”

Despite his words, Karyl's expression showed that he was quite pleased.

“From the Formation of Loire, to the Fierce Fire Formation, to the formation of the Eastern Lands—no matter how versatile a formation is, there are always certain rules and principles. What we’ve created is the Formless Formation, which breaks those rules. It has no fixed structure, but it allows for dozens, even hundreds of transformations. Though it’s based on nothing, if there’s a single focal point capable of wielding that

nothing

, it can work.”

Anthem Howard went on, his voice lower, “The composition of each battalion is different, and to efficiently utilize this formation, one must be highly proficient in both magic and swordsmanship. However, most commanders are knights, and strategists are often weak with the sword.”

He then took out a handful of small stones from his pocket and scattered them. At first, they seemed scattered without any pattern, but when he placed another stone at the center, it suddenly looked organized, as though it could shift dynamically.

“The core principle of the Formless Formation is that the movement of the center changes everything around it.”

“Now I see. You didn’t stall for time to test the formation—you deliberately waited for me to arrive.”

“We used the 100,000 soldiers as bait. Wouldn’t it be nice if you took the bait at least once?” Anthem teased, to which Karyl chuckled.

“The stronger the focal point, the stronger the Formless Formation becomes. If you, my lord, are as strong as a dragon, then Formless Formation will be able to trap even a dragon."

“Is that so?”

Karyl smiled faintly at his words.

“And what if I ascend to the realm of the gods?”

“Then, my lord, you would be able to hunt gods.”

At Anthem's bold statement, Karyl nodded in satisfaction.

“I like the sound of that.”

***

Splat—!!!

Crimson sprayed in all directions.

“...!!”

The Free Army, following Karyl’s lead, surged forward like a tidal wave, striking at the center and then scattering, only to encircle the imperial forces and press them relentlessly.

“Enemy troops at the rear center!!”

“What? They’ve already gotten behind us?!”

The scattered soldiers regrouped, forming what seemed like an entirely new legion.

“The flanks of the Third and Fourth Armies are being breached!”

The enemy troops split apart as they pierced the imperial ranks, merging with new soldiers to create yet another force. The process of forming and dissolving battalions was repeated over and over, making it seem as though the entire army was teleporting across the battlefield.

All of this was made possible by Karyl’s overwhelming breakthrough power and his seemingly limitless magical energy.

“Th-The center!! They’ve broken through...!! Gah...!”

The frantic report was cut short as the soldier’s limbs were suddenly severed and his body split in two.

Bran realized that the blood geysers rising from the distance were slowly making their way toward him.

“We meet again,” Karyl said in a low voice, his gaze fixed straight ahead. “One down.”