Nigoru Hitomi de Nani wo Negau

Blue flames accompanied by a hot wind… the reaction of those who had some kind of answer to its true identity could be summed up in one word, “sharp”.

“Hadro-dono… so, Highserk will make a move huh?”

The soliloquy of Edgar de Dalimarx vanished into the air in the chaotic tent. It had been a long time since the map, which had the information about the inferiority of the branch castles and pieces to symbolize the troops on top of it, had not been able to fulfill its full function properly due to the ever-changing turbulent battle situation.

“Why did Highserk, decide to move in this situation? I couldn’t understand. We should definitely call them back.”

“More importantly, what is that fire? It’s hard to believe that the branch castle with a measure for fire, has burst into a sea of flames!”

“Anything is fine. Does anyone here, have any information?”

The war situation surrounding the branch castle was swaying in the opposite direction. When the first attack of Meisenav was repulsed without much damage, optimism that the branch castle could hold out for several days, made a stance in the people’s minds inside this camp.

Then came the second attack. This time, the mercenary unit and, those from Meizenav’s main families, who weren’t there during the first attack and were in a wait-and-see position, with the info they got from the first attack, joined the battle and shattered the corner tower, which was the pillar of defense, and just like that, enemies flowed into the castle.

It was expected that Baron Josh, the guardian of the branch castle, would inflict damage with his trump card, make a counterattack with his retainers, retreat to the main camp, and shift to a decisive battle.

However, that picture of war had been repainted by the blue flame whirlwind. Because it was a wide-range attack that could be seen even from a distance, the booming anger inside the tent was then smeared with shrieks.

Those from Edgar’s families and his vassals’ families were furious and demanded an answer, but before getting it, Commander Hadro suddenly decided to depart with his 500 Highserk soldiers. Even though they were a force from the outside, some suspected that it was an arbitrarily act to monopoly the achievements, or perhaps a betrayal act.

However, Edgar saw that blue flame saved the Highserk people at the border. And now that he saw the Highserk soldiers dancing crazily at a branch castle that was on the verge of its fall, a relentless offensive without hearing others’ opinions, the relationship between them was obvious, and so, the answer naturally came into his mind.

“Did you slip some after all?”

It was unknown how many people, but some must have been slipped inside the forces of the branch castle. And one of them must be the one controlling the blue flames. Whether it was some kind of warning, thorough concealment of information, or insurance, no matter how much Edgar thought about it, he couldn’t reach a conclusion.

“Hadro Battalion, is now in contact with Viscount Barnes’ reserve forces.”

A soldier with good vision reported the situation.

“In this case, at the very least we should retreat Baron Josh’s troops to the main camp first. No?”

“It’s that dangerous fire we’re talking about. We don’t even know if he’s safe.”

Unity of opinion was a hopeless dream, and the generals in the tent were trying to spend all their time arguing. Edgar dropped his fist on the desk with the map on it. The tent, which had been shrouded in turmoil, quieted down in instant, and the people’s gaze turned to their leader, Edgar.

“Depending on Hadro Battalion’s movement, we might need to launch an all-out attack. Right now, we’re going to just keep an eye on those them.”

It wasn’t that many words, and it didn’t explain much either. The others tried to offer counterarguments and advice, but Edgar suppressed them with just a short glance.

When the Highserk soldiers who did a sortie from the main camp to the branch castle in a straight line, they collided with the reserve force Viscount Barnes left on the outer edge of the branch castle.

Even though the enemy soldiers were in a state of turmoil, the Highserk soldiers were only 500 soldiers after all. Everyone, except Viscount Edgar, believed the outcome that came to their mind after applying their own common sense.

However, the Highserk soldiers didn’t stop and trampled the reserve force on the outer edge of the branch castle, they even assaulted Viscount Barnes’ main force, which hadn’t been able to regain control because the blue flame disturbed them.

“They even broke through into Barnes’ main force!?”

“Impossible. Even though the enemies have been worn out, there should be still nearly twice as many.”

Enemy forces were unable to keep their formation and the Highserk Soldiers continued to crush any enemies who tried to gather. The movement where you couldn’t feel the direction clearly meant that Barnes and the leader of the mercenary had lost the chain of command.

Then, without warning, a total collapse occurred. Someone believed in the rumors of withdrawal and raised their voice. A group that had lost its head easily depended on others and believed others, just because they themselves wanted to escape from the onslaught.

“It’s the end.”

Escaping in front of the enemy wasn’t easy, and even if you left the one who wanted to play the decoy role and retreated systematically, you still wouldn’t be able to escape damage. If no one wanted to be a decoy, and decided to rout together, it was inevitable that the result would be extremely tragic.

The branch castle was no more than a mowing ground for the Highserk soldiers. Attrition from siege battles, wide-range attacks by blue flames, and assaults by Highserk soldiers, the army of over 2,000 was reduced to several hundred, seeking refuge in Count Meisenavf’s main force and fleeing all over the place.

“It’s the decisive battle!! The target is the Meisenav Headquarters, we’ll wrap this up today.”

No one opposed Viscount Edgar. Just a war cry that echoed in response to the call, and thus, the main force led by Viscount Edgar started to move.

◆

Perhaps, if people asked the Highserk soldiers about Barnes and Josh, they would answer that both were a lord who took peace for granted.

Baron Josh twisted his face in self-mocking.

In terms of the number of soldiers, Count Meizenav still had a large number of soldiers. He hadn’t let go of the superiority in numbers. However, looking at the equipment, the surviving forces under Barnes could no longer be counted as fighting forces.

The routing soldiers desperately let go of anything that weighed them one after another in order to escape. If they were about to be caught, they would throw anything that could be thrown away. Weapons, armor, even the friendly allies running nearby.

It must have been a situation that even the troops from Meisenav’s main force that came to rescue, never thought that they would be hindered by friendly forces. The Highserk soldiers skillfully manipulated and guided the fleeing soldiers to the direction they wanted.

It was downright vicious. Even though the target was an enemy, Count Odilon de Meizenav, Josh couldn’t help but sympathize with him. In front of that Highserk unit, he shouldn’t have ordered his troops to join the fleeing forces, even if he needed to threaten them, it should be better for him to throw the fleeing allies.

A group of wild ravens who had bad behavior, basically a crowd that couldn’t be used for other things. The distraught friendly soldiers and the fleeing soldiers broke the formation. Even so, the regular soldiers in Count Mesienav’s army tried hard to rebuild the formation, but Count Meisenav, who had exhausted the valuable soldiers such as the mercenaries and those from his main families, lacked an effective stopping power in the decisive battle.

Fear spread fast. Highserk swallowed up and pierced the relief force along with the fleeing soldiers. However, they were outnumbered, and the breakthrough power of the Highserk unit was approaching its limit.

Josh understood. That the stage had been set. And next, should be his turn.

Leaving the wounded and a few soldiers behind, Josh’s soldiers left the branch castle to catch the backs of the Highserk soldiers.

The soldiers under Josh’s command were gaining momentum. The branch castle was about to collapse, but at the moment when the defeat was intensifying, they managed to counterattack, there was no one who complained about his decisions.

The Highserk soldiers knock a wedge into one side of the Meisenav’s army, and all Josh had to do was widen the wound.

“Don’t stop, push in!! Crush them, crush them all!!”

Josh realized that he was wrong. He had misjudged one thing. The rate with Highserk was actually appropriate at 5 to 5. Just 500 soldiers, managed to guide Viscount Barnes and the mercenaries to the enemy’s main camp, and they brilliantly used the confusion caused by the routing soldiers, to make the lack of striking power less apparent.

That skillful guiding technique would even make a shepherd have no choice but to take his hat off.

How many soldiers in the Archipelago could do the same thing? Josh didn’t know.

Above all, what frightened Josh was the blue fire that was said to send anyone to the Netherworld, called the 《Fire of Hell Gate》, shouted by the Highserk soldiers.

The manipulator of that blue fire who slipped himself inside Josh’s branch castle was just cunning. Using the castle as the bait, leading the enemy to be aggressive, and at the most effective time and place, when the enemy soldiers were dense, the sea of blue flame spread.

Viscount Barnes, who was in charge of the front line was forced to retreat, the leader of the mercenary unit was killed, and a large number of enemies were wounded. All by only one person. It was an unthinkable thing, but if that person had sided with Meisenav, the fire would have burned Josh instead.

“Words are unnecessary huh…”

The words of Hadro, the leader of Highserk, swirled in Josh’s mind. These Highserk soldiers proved themselves by their actions. Josh thought that he must show by action as well. The value of his existence was at stake after all.

Josh’s soldiers continued to break down the formation that was disrupted by the Highserk soldiers. Meisenav’s army was also desperate to get back on their feet. The attack speed gradually slowed down, but it was clear to anyone that the enemies were screwed at this point.

The main force led by Viscount Edgar launched an assault on the depleted and confused Meisenav’s main camp. Caught between hammer and anvil, the screams of agony of the poor Meisenav’s army continued.

By this time, the formation, which had maintained its elegance, was already distorted and twisted, like the scribble made by a toddler.