Chapter 125: Volume 7 - CH 121

The valley of Horwood is outside the sphere of influence of the Dark Green Forest, and its vegetation is completely different from that of the Dark Green Forest. A narrow river runs at the bottom of the valley, and a road stretches along the steep mountainside, with bridges crossing it in places.

Although this road has been used as a battlefield since ancient times, it is used much less frequently these days, as other roads have been developed. The road is too narrow for a large army to come and go. It has been 10 years since the last time an army came and went on this road.

「...... there they are.」

One of the advance detachment muttered to himself. A small man at his side looked back at the muttering man in surprise, then squinted to see where the man's eyes were looking ― but there was no sign of anyone.

「Ah? Really?」

No matter how many times he strained his eyes, the small man could not even make out the shadows of people walking along the street. The man sniffs, somewhat proudly.

「I'm proud of my eyes. It's what's kept me alive this long.」

I see so that's how it is―the small man shrugged his shoulders. Being able to see far is certainly a great weapon. But there is no way he could have known that it was the result of the secret sorcery of the Holy Sword Clan.

「How many are there?」

「Probably four.」

The little man looked at him, for they had gathered mercenaries from 500 men, and this time their target would be a hundred or two. He thought they were the heads of bandits or something. And there were only four of them?

「For real. We could do it on our own, couldn't we?」

The man threw a somewhat cold stare at the little man's mutterings.

「If that's what you want to do, so be it. I will retreat and report back.」

「Tsk. You're surprisingly timid.」

「That's why I've survived this long.」

The little man smiled bitterly. Well, it's certainly hard with these two. It might be possible if all ten members of the group were gathered together, but they would be slandered by the others as a runaway, and there was no guarantee that the ten of them could win the battle. As a mercenary, he would not be foolish enough to fight against someone he could not beat.

「......Well, it's a good thing that we have the right number of people since we don't know what they have in store for us.」

「Indeed.」

The man nodded and once again looked at the group of four men and women who were heading this way. One of them, a large woman, was looking here, and the man wondered if it was possible. The man could see them at this distance because of his 【Farsightedness】, a secret of the Holy Sword Clan, but it was unlikely that the woman would notice them at this distance, as they were well hidden and well-constructed.

However, the man's judgment was naive.

Satoru and the others were walking at a leisurely pace, but Minerva, squinting a little, slowed down her steps. She noticed something strange.

「Danna-sama」

「Hm?」

「There, are some people ahead.」

Funfun~, Minerva muttered with a proud. Rico and Satoru stopped and looked ahead, but there was no sign of anyone. Although now downwind, Minerva must have sensed the presence of people by smell. Minerva's sensing ability in the open air is greater than anyone else's. This is probably her nature as a beast race.

「A caravan merchant, perhaps?」

「Isn't that unlikely? And the road ahead of us was blown to pieces by Onii-san's explosion.」

Satoru cowered his head at the rebuttal from Liz, who is now walking with him because they are traveling on foot. That's true, too. It is inconceivable that a caravan would pass through a street that is in a state of blockade.

If so, what is it? If it were a crater investigation team, we would want to just get by, but the steep valley around us makes it very difficult to hide.

『......there's nothing better to be wary of』

「Right.」

Satoru returns Leia's cautious voice from the shadows. The clash was just around the corner.

When Edward saw the advance guard's messenger come running to the main camp, he, too, turned his horse's head to the main camp. The team he ordered ahead was under his command, so he needed to hear their report. In addition, there might be something else lurking in the background that would buy the baron's pleasure. Edward was well aware that the baron had mixed feelings toward him. Still, if he showed the baron that he was useful, the baron would certainly not be able to ignore him.

「We have found them! Including the target, there are 4 people!」

「Ohhh, I see! Great job!」

The baron nodded his head at the messenger's report. The five mid-level commanders, including himself, exchanged glances with each other. All of them dismounted from their horses and flew instructions to prepare the curtains.

Edward approached the baron and gave him a couple of earfuls. The baron looked bitter for a moment, but then acknowledged that Edward had a point, and handed the bag of silver coins to the messenger himself. The orderly reverently accepted the bag. Edward advised him to hand over the rewards to the soldiers who had done their jobs properly and not to run off.

The other commanders hastily spread out a map of the valley of Horwood. This area was still within Ares' sphere of influence, and the map was quite detailed. Annoyingly, this map was also drawn up by the Academy of the Wise.

The military commander close to the baron's entourage placed the pieces with a deft, knick-knack motion. A space that is a little wider on a narrow road.

「...... I suppose it would be better for us to wait for them here with dignity.」

All nodded at the voice. This is a large army, so they don't have to go out of their way to rush into narrow terrain and kill the advantage of their numbers. Edward also nodded. It seems that they are different from younger brother King Ares, who ignored his own advice and mistook bravery for barbarism when he plunged into the narrow terrain and died in battle.

「You're right! I want you to cut them into pieces!」

The baron, full of enthusiasm, is breathing hard. He can use only a little water-based sorcery and, of course, can't use a sword as far as he is concerned, so all he can do is command grandly. The baron has only one goal: to slice the man who killed Raymond into pieces and present him at his grave.

Edward and the military commanders close to him consult with each other and set up a position, even if only for a moment. Even with only four men, the expected opponents are quite stiff. Even so, if they were to surround them and thrust their long spears at them all at once, there would be no way to stop them, or so they thought.

Of course, Satoru and his group had noticed signs that something was waiting for them at the end of the road. Minerva was the first to notice. She approached Satoru with a furrowed brow.

「There are quite a few people ahead of us.」

You looked so disgusted, what's wrong? Satoru asked her if she smelled something stale. Rico and Liz had no idea. Satoru concentrates deeply when he is told that, and when he also uses his nose, he notices that he smells a man's sweat. Would it be physical sorcery that specializes in sensing smells?

「Is it a barrier?」

Satoru looked back at Rico and Liz, but both shook their heads. It is said that there used to be a barrier in this valley, but it has been discarded now. The surrounding terrain also seems to make it difficult to bypass. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's not particularly serious. Satoru decided to proceed with an open mind.

He soon found out what the smell was. It was an army of soldiers lined up in slightly open terrain.

「An army?」

Satoru nodded his head, leaving Rico and Liz behind to deepen their tension. A large military flag was flying in the center, but the equipment was disparate and not unified. In terms of numbers, they numbered in the hundreds. The army's deadly atmosphere is unmistakably real, though it is not as if they are related to it.

A middle-aged man with a fat and stout body stepped forward from the center on a horse toward Satoru, who was taking steps toward him with a reserved look.

「It must be you, someone with the name Satoru!」

Ngehh, Satoru exclaimed. He did not think it was possible, but this army was apparently waiting for him.

Satoru tilted his head, wondering if he had done anything that would have made him a target for the army. He wondered if the Academy of the Wise had sent out an army.

「Well? I have no idea.」

He tried to say so, but as expected, it was not so easy.

「Stop talking nonsense! It is clear that you killed my son, Raymond!」

「Raymond ......? I seriously have no idea what you're talking about.」

Satoru looks at the three people near him. But of course, they have no idea who is Raymond either. It seems that an army is being directed at Satoru, claiming that he killed Raymond, but Satoru, who has no idea what he is talking about, is at a loss.

Leia, who had been lurking in the shadows, said, "Ah," as if she understood what was happening.

『Raymond seems to be the leader of those men who were at Reine's house.』

「...... that son of a bitch.」

Satoru grunted bitterly. That hateful man who had sent Reine to her eventual death. Now that the man mention it, he was caught up in Satoru's outburst and was blown up along with his cronies.

Even though there were roughly 500 or more people in front of him, Satoru showed no sign of agitation. Common sense tells him that there was no way he could have been a match for them. But that is only if it is common sense. He himself is outside of common sense.

Satoru did not feel a shred of guilt for killing Raymond and the others as a result. It was easy to understand that those men were lowlifes. He was even impressed that even such a lowlife had parents who wanted to avenge him. And they even went to the trouble of setting up an army.

He must have been a cute son to that father. But that doesn't mean Satoru has any intention of letting him be killed here without a fight.

The baron's angry voice rang out at Satoru, who was smiling ferociously.

「I have no interest in listening to your excuses! Avenge my beloved son! All troops, move!」

"Ohhhhhhh!"　The earth shook with the battle cry of about 500 men. Normally, it would be four against five hundred, and there was no way the four could win. The battle cries not only raise the spirits of the warriors, but also have the effect of demoralizing the opponents, but except for Liz, who shuddered, Minerva simply covered her ears.

Satoru drew the great sword on his back to protect Rico and Liz from the army that was rushing toward them at once.

As Satoru readied himself, a familiar sweet voice echoed in his mind.

『Say, my Lord』

「Huh?」

Following the voice from within his own shadow, the presence of two people arises within his own cloak.

「Can't you leave it to me here?」

「Huh? But you ......」

Satoru sounded plainly puzzled. Up to this point, Leia has not been thoroughly exposed to the public. The only exceptions were at the bookstore in Galhassan and during Satoru's discussions with the Elven race while he was unconscious. That was the reason why she was going to expose herself in front of the army.

Leia smiles faintly as she looks up into her Lord's face from within Satoru's cloak.

「The academy must have sensed that I am lurking in my Lord's shadow. Under the circumstances, I don't recognize the need to hide now. Besides...」

「Besides?」

Leia's smile inside her cloak became distorted. A ferocious smile, like a lioness about to slay her prey with a vengeance. A ghastly expression that would make Satoru flinch.

「I am also angry. My Lord fell into a coma, and they were the ones who caused it」

The emotion in her voice is definitely indignation.

For Leia, Raymond is the man she hates who caused Satoru to fall into a coma. If someone is standing in front of Satoru as someone who's related to Raymond, she wants to kick them to the curb―Satoru accurately guessed and judged Leia's feelings.

「...... I see. Then, do as you please. But, leave the general alone.」

「I'm grateful」

With a "flap", Satoru's cloak was rolled up and two women emerged from inside.

The legendary figures from fairy tales step forward, her luxurious red hair swinging in front of Satoru. Without looking back at her companions behind her, and with her eyes fixed on the army in front of her, the 【Immortal King】 raised her voice with all the dignity of a king.

「Minerva.」

「Yesh?」

「When the flying objects come, shoot them down with wind sorcery. Also, watch your back.」

「'Kay, 'kay」

A crowd of soldiers approached with a battle cry. Even as the distance gradually closes in, Leia's relaxed expression does not waver.

「Solor」

「Yes」

「There are people watching from a little distance around the perimeter. 3 or 4 of them you can miss, but the rest you can hunt.」

「Understood.」

「Well, then」

Holding the wand in front of her, Leia laughed. She is a girl with an air of absolute royalty, colored with a sense of dignity and composure.

She gives a glance at the poor men who are about to die.

「Target big men only! The women around him will be your reward!」

Under one command, the mercenaries rush in, weapons at the ready. To the mercenaries, Satoru's figure looks like a sack full of gold coins. The women around him were all beautiful, and the men were so excited by the thought of gang-raping as a reward that they were all eager to get their hands on them.

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Suddenly. Something red shook in front of the man with the sack of gold. The figure of luxurious hair dancing in the wind.

「......Ah? A woman?」

A red-haired woman of exceptional beauty among the women surrounding the man with the sack of gold stands before the target man, wand held in front of her, cloak fluttering. She is stunningly beautiful, but what is most disconcerting is the color of her skin.

「Ah, that skin color ......, don't tell me!」

A chill ran through some of the mercenaries. But there was a rush of allied soldiers behind them as well. There is no stopping them.

「I have nothing against you. But if you are going to join those who have broken my Lord's heart, then it is unavoidable!」

A voice like rolling bells echoed through the insolent battlefield as if singing cheerfully. Overwhelming magical power gushed into the surroundings as a shimmer, coloring the girl. What it means is absolute death.

「Know my sorrow, know my anger!! 『Scorching Sun (Flame Road)』!!」

After a moment's pause, a scorching inferno spread across the valley of Horwood.

An overwhelming amount of heat emerged, instantly burning through the hordes of mercenaries.

「GYAAAAAAAHAhhhhhhhhh!!!」

「It's hooooootttttt!!」

「AAARRGGHHHH!!」

Screams go up everywhere. Some were burned to a crisp and fell to the ground after a few minutes, while others were vaporized in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing behind. Some were so burned that their metal armor melted and burned themselves, and even their horses were engulfed in the fire before they could escape. Not even the smell of burning flesh is present, the temperature is that high, the heat is that intense.

A hellish picture of a scene of screaming and pain appeared, and the aftermath of the firestorm hit the surrounding area as a heatwave. The mercenaries who were rushing toward Satoru instantly stopped.

「What the hell!!」

A heatwave hit the main camp. The mercenaries who had been ordered as blades of vengeance were quickly set ablaze, leaving nothing behind. The smell of burning hair and human fat fills the air.

「Oh ......ooh ......what the ............」

Baron Dantes shuddered. The force that was taken by the current blow alone must be about 80 men. The army that was about to crush Satoru from the front was being burned, scorched, and vaporized before his eyes.

Before the overwhelming demonic power, there was no more to be heard.

「What, the ...... don't! If you step into that place, no one will survive!」

Edward, who managed to quickly regain himself from the wave of self-loss, immediately raised his voice.

It's obvious to anyone who sees that. Still, the fact that his voice was raised brought some of them back to their senses, and then they became more agitated again. The mercenaries who had fought in the past were too overwhelmed to even speak. Some of them tried to limit the damage by using water and ice magic, but they were instantly vaporized.

They don't know who among the enemy used fire sorcery, but it was of a different level, and they were unable to do anything about the advanced fire sorcery. Their advance has also come to a standstill.

「Guuhh! All armies! Divide the column into three, bypass that magma path, and surround and attack them from three sides!」

The military commander of the baron's entourage finally gave the order. He rebukes the entire army, but suddenly the whole army was becoming increasingly agitated by the fact that more than 10% of its losses were caused by a mere stroke of sorcery. That's how different the level of sorcery in that magma is.

「What's wrong, what's wrong! What are you waiting for!? Kill that man and you'll take 500 gold coins!」

Baron Dantes is on horseback, howling through his teeth. He is unable to fight, so all he can do is send them off from the rear. Five hundred gold coins is an outrageous reward, but everyone is desperate for life. Even so, perhaps blinded by the reward, some of the men moved forward.

Edward, his face pale, turned his horse around and shouted.

「Leave one squad to me! They will attack from the rear, so take advantage of the battle cry and time the other two moves accordingly!」

「Oh, oooh.」

With Baron Dantes' permission, Edward turned back to the squad he was commanding and gave the order.

「Forty-one to fifty! Follow me! We'll take the left flank and move in behind the enemy!」

If one only hears the order, it sounds like that of a brave commander. In fact, the entire squad reacted properly to his command, making a wide detour and moving around to the enemy's rear. The mercenaries know that because they are a powerful enemy, they cannot respond without solidarity.

However, that is only if the commanders get it right.

(This is ...... this is not joking!)

Inwardly, Edward was getting impatient. The sorcery that had destroyed the army that had taken the lead with a single blow was probably the 【Scorching Extreme】 sorcery. It was the advanced sorcery of fire that he had heard about from his father, Graham when he was a child. Even so, its range and power were too high. He had never heard of anyone else handling that kind of sorcery. Hundreds of mercenaries gathered together would be no match for them...!

「C-Coogan-sama」

One of the squad leaders pulled up his horse with an impatient look on his face. He was clinging to Edward, who was commanding with seemingly imposing authority. He didn't even know what Edward was thinking in the pit of his stomach.

「49th and 50th, have your bows and crossbows ready! The other side only has a few people. Half encircle them and close the circle.」

「U-Understood!」

There is no amount of offensive sorcery that the army side can use. The mercenaries they have assembled this time are mostly fighters. The baron himself avoided the use of sorcerers because he did not know where they might be connected to the Academy of the Wise, so the number of sorcerers is small. In any case, it would be meaningless to have hundreds of sorcerers of the level of those who would apply to be mercenaries, considering the level of sorcery at that level.

The squad leader was satisfied with Edward's presentation of basic tactics against sorcerers and sent off instructions.

Edward has only one objective. Using the mercenaries as shields, he wants to escape. He conducts his actions in such a way that he can use them as a distraction.

「Charge in at the same time as the archer's attack! Raise your yell! Their severed head is just around the corner!」

Baron Dantes is no more ― Edward was upset, but calmly discerned as much. He had never thought he was dealing with such a monster. That was why he had deliberately kept his distance. At the very least, he hoped it would help him escape.

「Ready...fire! All troops, charge!」

The mercenaries rush in with a battle cry of "ooooh!" The other two squads, which had probably bypassed the magma path, were probably rushing in as well.

Edward, who gave the order, did not rush in with them. He slowly stepped back, pretending to control his horse, and after confirming that his allies who had fired their bows and crossbows had rushed in, he slowly turned his horse around to the rear.

「A monster, a monster like that is beyond our ability to defeat!」

He doesn't care how the battle goes anymore. He turned his back on the battlefield, scolded his horse, and ran away.

A tremendous explosion sounded from behind me. The cold air rushed toward Edward with the blast, but he did not even look back and just kept on running away.

Something passed Edward and rolled into his path. The horse reared up, startled.

「EEeeekkkkk!!」

Edward's path was blocked by the fresh head of the man who had been the squad leader. He must have been decapitated. He was bleeding profusely from the base of his neck, and his eyes were frozen and blank, staring at Edward with a startled expression on his face.

Shuddering, Edward controlled his horse, which was on the verge of falling, and continued to move away from the battlefield.

Fortunately for him, there was no one chasing after Edward, because among the mercenaries that Edward led a reckless charge and was wiped out by ice sorcery, there was only one survivor, to whom Leia's attention turned.

「Th-That's some tremendous sorcery, ......, But!」

While the surrounding area was either frozen or cut open by ice blades all around, the only survivor was a man from the Holy Sword Clan. The only survivor, however, suffered severe frostbite on his arms and legs, and he would not last long in this condition. He knew this, but he still swung his own sword.

「If I cannot strike a single blow, my name is ruined(?)!」

He stomps on the ground with his aching feet and throws his sword at the target with all his might. The sword spins at breakneck speed toward the target――and at the same time, three ice spears pierce the man's stomach. The man's mouth is filled with hot liquid as a heavy pain rises to the surface.

The man saw that the sword he had thrown as a last-ditch effort was blocked by the wind sorcery and soared far up into the sky, and he gazed vacantly at his own sword, which had flown high into the sky.

「Fu.....fufu.....I can't believe I can't even get close.」

The man understood that even if he had tried with all his might, he could not have managed this. The taste of iron filled his mouth, and he felt his life force rapidly drain away. Hopefully, his own death will be of some help.

(My Lord ...... I'm sorrー)

The man finally ran out of steam, unable to utter the last word.

The army of over 500 men was quickly destroyed. The baron, who was in command, fell to his knees in front of the scene spreading out around him, his horse having been knocked limb from limb and rendered useless by the sorcery of the ice blade on the second blow of the wind. He fell from his horse, and when he finally looked up with a frown of pain, he saw a hellish scene spread out before his eyes.

「Oh......oooohhhhhhh ...... what the ...... what on earth ......」

Smoke was billowing up, and the only sound was the burning of raw wood. The commanding men in the surrounding area were also pierced here and there by ice spears, and none of them were alive.

Realizing that he seemed to be the only one left alive, the baron slumped to the ground.

「Raymond ...... forgive your father for not being able to avenge you.」

Gritting his teeth, the baron gripped the earth in frustration and wailed. He was so enraged by the death of his beloved son that he had assembled 500 mercenaries to avenge his death. In his entire life, he had only gained the power of money. He had planned to take revenge with the only power he had, but even so, he could not reach them.

Baron Dantes looked up at the sound of footsteps. He saw the shadow of a large man with a sword of unbelievable size in his hand behind the flickering shimmering flames, and with clenched teeth, he stood up and drew the sword from his waist.

「...... are you the general?」

「Satoru and all of you! I am Baron Allen Dantes!! I am Raymond's father, the one who was so violently murdered by you!!」

The arm holding the sword is shaking. Baron Dantes had never even swung a sword properly. There was no way he could defeat his son's murderer, who had shown an overwhelming difference in power, by himself. It would be difficult to inflict even a single wound. Even so, the baron stands his ground.

「Avenge my son!! Come, come!!」(?)

Satoru looked at the middle-aged man with tears streaming down his face as he held up his sword, and Satoru took pity on him. He shakes his head while holding a large sword over his shoulder.

「You're that fucking asshole's father, aren't you?」

「......! How dare you call my beloved son a fucking asshole! How dare you take my son, who was considered one of the genius(駿馬) in the society of Ares!!」

His son is not a genius. Baron Dantes had that much sense. He was proud that Raymond had not grown up to be the son of a nobleman whose pride was generally conspicuous, and he had always believed that the strength of his high spirit belonged to a man who would eventually make it big.

Satoru's gaze grows more fierce.

「That fucking asshole. He killed an innocent elf woman and put her daughter in the street. He said he did it to kill me.」

Although the intensity of Satoru's gaze almost makes him buckle, Baron Dantes keeps his foot on the ground in the face of his pride.

「S-so what! We are the noble Baron of Ares! He will not be swayed by a single elf!」

The fact of the matter is, that the harming of an innocent elf, at least one with a title, may cause a small commotion, but not a big one. Of course, there is respect for the elves among the human race as a whole, but even more than that is the position of nobility.

That is why Baron Dantes worked hard to earn money to obtain this position.

Baron Dantes did not think that status was absolute justice, but he felt he had to say something to this man, whom he hated for bringing about the death of his beloved son.

Satoru gave him a small look of dismay and then smiled ferociously.

「......Like father, like son, huh. I don't need your advice. Come!」

Baron Dantes howled at Satoru, who sat down and beckoned to him. Baron Dantes swung his sword with a heavy, blunt swing, accompanied only by a sharp, piercing kiai as if he wanted to take at least one sword swing at Satoru.

「Nuhhh ...... Nuhhhhhhhh!」

Baron Dantes swung the sword as hard as he could, and it felt a tremendous jolt. He looked up and wondered if a miracle had occurred.

But his hopes were cruelly dashed.

The sword that the baron swung down had indeed caught Satoru squarely on the shoulder. However, there was not even a scratch on it. The sword that he swung with such force could not even wound Satoru.

「I don't understand how your sorrow when your son is killed. That's why I dared to take the blow.」

Satoru had read it all and with about as much accuracy. This man claimed to be the father of the son of a bitch (Raymond) and the soldiers led by him were pure victims.

However, that doesn't mean he has the right to be killed. Satoru must survive in order to return to Alice. Since this has become a battle for survival, he will show no mercy.

Satoru regained his grip on the great sword with a bitter expression on his face.

「I'm sorry, old man. If you hadn't gotten involved with me, you could have died on the tatami!」

A roar echoed through the air.

It was the sound of the aftermath of Satoru's swing the Giant Killer, which knocked Baron Dantes to the ground in an exaggerated slash, and the impact gouged the earth.

(What is ...... tatami ......?)

A question passes through Baron Dantes' mind and is quickly scratched away. Unable to avenge his beloved son's death and with no heir, the barony would be destroyed in a generation.

The army of Baron Dantes, sent out to defeat Satoru, was annihilated. An overwhelming scent of death filled the air.

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