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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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Right after I split the head of the Parisecht, I couldn’t help but slightly furrow my brow due to the tingling sensation gathering in one hand.
‘As expected, this attack puts quite a burden on the body…’
A strike that gathers the maximum magical power I can use in an instant.
As I had tested just once before, its power was enough to annihilate 200 soldiers with a single blow, and it even resulted in part of the fortress ahead being blown away.
However, even with the body of a hero and wearing solid armor, delivering such a blow still required some physical stamina and a bit of pain.
If I had to compare it, it felt like lifting a barbell at my limit in the gym.
It was a level of recovery that could be achieved with a little rest, but it was a technique that was difficult to use continuously.
‘Well, honestly, I wonder if it’s really necessary to go that far… Anyway, this completes the occupation of Antioch.’
Antioch had served its role well as bait to draw in the enemies.
Now that it was over, the fact that this place continued to hold out could lead to the worst outcome for us, and as I saw the enemies gathering beyond the horizon, I immediately annihilated all the remaining forces of the Parisecht defending the fortress.
And right after that.
“…..gulp.”
I immediately gave instructions to Rebecca, who was looking at me with a face full of shock.
“Hey, don’t just stand there; hurry up and raise the flag.”
“Y…yes? Ah…. Yes! O.. okay!”
Rebecca, momentarily startled by my words, immediately began to move.
After instructing my subordinates to inform the enemies that we had effectively taken this place, I kept my tension high, closely watching the approaching foes.
I fervently hoped there were no insane bastards among them.
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“C…could this be…?”
“Did we arrive a step too late…?”
The scene before us showed the flag of the Demon Kingdom draped over Antioch’s fortress, casting a deep shadow over the faces of the allied forces who had rushed here without rest.
“Damn it! To think General Parisecht would fail so miserably…”
“Despite running with all my might, I never imagined it would collapse in the meantime…”
The flag fluttering at the pinnacle, located at the very center of the fortress, was the most decisive symbol indicating that the Parisecht, which had fought valiantly until the end, had ultimately been defeated.
Although they had put up a desperate resistance, even injuring the Demon King, the Parisecht and the defenders of Antioch faced defeat.
While the commanders who had traveled a long way began to outwardly express their condolences, their minds were filled not with sorrow for their fallen comrades but with cold calculations about future developments.
‘The Parisecht has fallen… Strategically, this is not good, but from another perspective, it’s actually beneficial; one strong competitor aiming for the Demon King’s head has been eliminated.’
‘Although it was disappointing that Antioch had fallen, it wasn’t the end of everything. After all, our numbers were nearly double theirs. If we regrouped and initiated a siege, we had a good chance of victory.’
‘Originally, the plan was to collaborate with Antioch’s soldiers to swiftly eliminate the demon forces… The plan had gone slightly awry, but there was no choice. Even if some damage occurred, our primary goal had to be to eliminate the Demon King.’
Thus, the commanders of the Allied Races decided to focus on the “Demon King’s head,” which had ultimately brought them here. They quickly set up their camp and began preparations for a full-scale siege.
Honestly, they wanted nothing more than to seize the fortress and attack the exhausted enemies.
However, conducting a siege after such a long journey was impractical.
Moreover, since most of their forces were cavalry who had rushed here on horseback, they needed some time to wait for the infantry following behind.
The forces of the Allied Races, now that Antioch had fallen and there was no need to rush, began to catch their breath and prepare for the main battle.
They aimed to conduct a more advantageous fight for various reasons and to ensure they could decisively take the Demon King’s head.
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‘Phew… that was a close call.’
As I watched the flag of the Demon Kingdom flying over Antioch, the Allied Races’ soldiers halted their advance and began to establish their positions.
Recognizing that a dangerous moment had passed, I sighed in relief.
‘Thank goodness, I was worried they might act crazy and push forward like this… It seems they won’t recklessly charge in now that Antioch has been occupied.’
Despite hastily raising their flag before being spotted by the enemies, the demon forces were now utterly exhausted after just capturing Antioch.
The siege battle had just ended, and our formation was in disarray, with equipment urgently needing inspection in this situation.
If the enemy had immediately launched an attack to provoke chaos, it was uncertain how the battle would have turned out.
In the worst-case scenario, we might have had to abandon Antioch, which we had just regained, and retreat in disgrace.
However… regarding this, I had faith that the enemy wouldn’t go that far, and indeed, the situation unfolded as such.
A sensible commander would know that after a long march, it’s wise to regroup the troops before initiating a siege.
Yet, with so many crazies in the world, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy about this.
Therefore, seeing them take a moment to catch their breath allowed me to let out a deep sigh of relief as well.
‘Now then, the dangerous crisis has passed, and all that’s left is to decide how to clean up those guys…’
Currently, both our side and the enemy were thoroughly exhausted, making it difficult to engage in further combat.
My direct subordinates may not have died, but there were those who collapsed foaming at the mouth.
However, even in such times, I had my own methods, and I was somewhat prepared to execute them.
But then…
“Hero.”
“Huh?”
In the next moment, I suddenly heard Rebecca’s voice. I turned my gaze in that direction, and there stood the aide I had seen once before.
The messenger that aide had brought back then. If my memory serves me right, it was definitely…
“We’re going to hold a meeting?”
“Yes, that’s correct, Hero.”
“Alright, understood. I’ll head there immediately.”
The déjà vu of a situation I had seen before…
However, at the same time, I felt an uneasy feeling that perhaps they would try to make me lead another annoying vanguard like last time.
Reluctantly, I headed toward the meeting room set aside in one part of the fortress.
‘Well, if those guys actually decide to follow my orders this time, things could be resolved quite easily… but that’s unlikely.’
They were ignorant yet prideful, and they hated me enough to put me at the front as a target.
Given that they wouldn’t listen to my words, I made my way to the meeting room without harboring any false hopes.
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Demon Army Commander Samson.
At this moment, he and the other commanders were feeling quite perplexed.
“Are the enemy forces that numerous?”
“Yes, roughly confirmed to be at least over 20,000, and if we include the additional enemies arriving, it could reach nearly 40,000.”
“Ugh…”
“Damn it, how could this happen…”
Having barely succeeded in capturing Antioch, they were confronted with an unexpected scale of enemies before they could even enjoy their victory.
While they knew reinforcements would come to save Antioch, this situation far exceeded their predictions.
If this continued, they might have to retreat in disgrace, losing the hard-won Antioch.
“Stop lamenting and come up with some good ideas! What should we do in this situation?”
“Hmm…”
“…”
Samson’s words were filled with urgency.
It goes without saying that he knew a reckless frontal assault in a situation like this would only lead them straight to their graves.
The enemy outnumbered them, and their own forces were exhausted.
Even if they wanted to launch a siege, the defenses of Antioch wouldn’t be much help.
Both attack and defense were not looking promising.
However, the demon forces were merely exchanging glances, unable to propose any good alternatives.
This was understandable, as all the commanders present, including Samson, were known for being stubbornly foolish.
There is a saying that when three come together, something will arise, but that only applies when there are people with at least some intelligence present.
At that moment, Samson’s gaze suddenly fell upon the figure who had remained silent since entering the meeting room—the Hero.
He was the only person among those present who was considered to have a sharp mind and had made significant contributions in this battle.
‘…Hmm… perhaps it might be better this way… One clever Hero who has shown some cunning might be more useful than our ten foolish ones.’
