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“We have made extensive preparations for the war against Kronos. A significant amount of resources have been dedicated to fortifying the walls and coordinating forces with Dmitry in Cairo. However, the issue lies in the fact that we may not be able to sustain our defense even after giving our best effort. If that scenario arises, it becomes senseless to persist in defending the Western Front, which has already suffered a significant defeat.”

“But the moment the West is lost, it’s just a matter of time before the Kronos Empire’s forces attack Cairo.”

Baron Noel was the one who spoke.

Flora Lawrence looked at him and said,

“Right. If Cairos falls into enemy hands, it will disintegrate one after another. However, this war inherently carries risks. To execute Roman Dmitry’s plan, it’s crucial to preserve ‘as much force as possible’ and prioritize maintaining that force over winning battles. But what happens if we allocate all our forces to defending this place and lose the battleground, leaving us powerless for what comes next? We need to make choices and prioritize. We can buy time by sacrificing the West and conserving our power instead of just giving up the West for nothing.”

“That makes sense, Flora. Did you come up with a detailed plan for that?”

“Yes, I did.”

Marquis Vandenberg expressed his agreement. Flora Lawrence, once the most valuable resource in the West, held authority with her words.

Sheeakk.

The map was unfurled. Flora Lawrence directed attention to the western front’s defensive position and spoke,

“The land we are now on is a crucial strategic point. If this place is breached, the Western Front will collapse, so there’s a high chance the Kronos Empire will try to destroy it with all its might in the first battle. Plan B, which I’ll explain now, is the option we can choose if we can’t withstand their attacks. And there are no other options besides that.”

Their gaze remained focused. They eagerly anticipated this audacious decision. Making all the necessary preparations for war and discussing Plan B posed many challenges.

However, what she had experienced in the past made Flora determined.

“Plan B is to abandon the castle and flee. If it becomes evident that we are going to be defeated, our enemies won’t find it suspicious if we evacuate earlier than expected. Furthermore, by surrendering our war supplies, they won’t suspect anything. And that is our opportunity. When the enemy breaches the castle, we can gain a significant advantage by sacrificing a lot and causing a massive explosion.”

They had to prepare just in case. On a battlefield of countless variables, the staff had a vital role to fulfill.

And so, the decision was solidified. Marquis Vandenberg bellowed as he struck down the oncoming enemy.

“All troops, retreat! Abandon the castle and fall back!”

“Retreat!”

The decree echoed through the ranks. The lieutenant swiftly disseminated the orders, and in a flurry, some soldiers dashed away, drums pounding in sync. The entire battlefield crumbled within a heartbeat.

Even though the soldiers were unaware of Plan B, their leaders had instructed them to abandon the castle in case of an emergency.

So the soldiers began to retreat. The leading soldiers couldn’t simply turn and run with the empire’s army charging toward them, but the others were able to follow suit.

Staying on the battlefield when everyone else was fleeing was a sure path to self-destruction. Cairo and Dmitry’s soldiers withdrew, allowing the enemy to breach the castle through the gap in the battlefield.

“Attack!”

“Kill them all!”

Screams reverberated in the air. The Kornos Empire army ruthlessly slaughtered the soldiers of the alliance, obliterating the advancing troops. Even the fallen bodies were mercilessly crushed into a pulp.

The war had come to an end. The delicate balance had become irreparable the moment the alliance retreated.

And among the prominent figures involved, Chris stood there. From his position, now in the rear, he bought time for the soldiers to escape.

There was a blinding flash. All the enemy soldiers rushed in and fell. Even with the enemy troops filling his vision, Chris didn’t back down, and he precisely swung his sword. With one or two counters, the heads of Kronos fell.

It was a confrontation between many soldiers and a single person. It was such a familiar situation.

Puak!

The neck of the enemy was cut. As he was about to join the army, Chris turned his head at a cold sensation.

Krrrrr!

A fiercely burning aura passed in front of his eye, and his skin became itchy. It was still too early for him to be sure, but Chris had a sense that the aura’s power was at a 6-star level.

“You are the person known as Chris.”

Kwang!

Kwakwang!

The enigmatic presence forcefully shoved him as if in a state of madness. Chris didn’t engage in a direct confrontation with the enemy and swiftly moved away. Nevertheless, Chris continued to be pushed back, with the wave of aura propelling his body.

From above, a radiant halo gleamed as Chris narrowly dodged the attack, and he rolled onto the ground.

Kwang!

Rumble!

“What is Roman Dmitry’s identity? Reaching 6 stars at the age of twenty, and nurturing swordsmen like you in a wretched land like Dmitry. It is truly shocking, to the point where I want to catch him alive and demand the truth by peeling the skin off his flesh.”

He gazed forward, his face pale and marred by scars from his eyes to his nose.

At that moment, someone came to mind. Ranked 2nd in the Kronos rankings and 3rd on the continent was Hannibal, the Evil Ghost. His long, curly hair, pale face, and the scars across his face were Hannibal’s significant features.

He felt goosebumps rise. If he, who held the second position of the Knights of Kronos, had taken a step forward, there would be virtually no way to defeat him in a place without Roman Dmitry.

‘Damn it.’

Puak.

The sword was thrust forward, and he knew that he would die, but he knew he couldn’t turn back now. The moment he looked back, Hannibal’s sword would slice through his back. So rather than succumbing to a wretched demise, Chris yearned to contribute to the war.

‘Apologies, I fear I won’t be able to fulfill the aspiration of surpassing my Lord.’

With resolution, he brandished his aura and prepared to attack.

“I shall claim this realm.”

It was Count Nicholas. He confronted Chris directly.

It caught Chris completely off guard. In response to an objection he couldn’t abide, Count Nicholas uttered,

“In the upcoming war, your presence alongside Roman Dmitry is crucial for the success of our alliance. Allow me to handle this situation, defeat Hannibal, and I will join you later.”

“…Count!”

“Quickly!”

Count Nicholas exclaimed, and both of them acknowledged the harsh reality. The troops of Kronos were rapidly approaching, and any hesitation for even a mere 10 seconds would result in their retreat being cut off.

Despite knowing that, Count Nicholas willingly sacrificed himself. As he experienced the new talents of Roman Dmitry and Chris, he knew what he had to do for the Kingdom. His hesitation would only result in sacrifice.

Seeing Count Nicholas’s resolute expression, Chris clenched his teeth.

“I will not forget what happened today.”

He turned and began to walk away. As Chris attempted to flee, Hannibal swiftly extended his sword.

Kwang!

Kwaang!

Count Nicholas halted. Surrounded by an intensely blazing 6-star aura, Count Nicholas unleashed his 5-star aura, refusing to be defeated.

A great shock rose through Count Nicholas, and he laughed.

“I wanted to fight a top-ranker like you at least once.”

Far away, Chris was slowly disappearing. When Hannibal looked dissatisfied, Count Nicholas calmed his shock and focused his mind.

‘In my life, I wanted to reach a 6-star aura.’

Cairo’s Best Sword. That was his name. However, when dealing with the Continental Rankings, he realized that the title of being the strongest in a weak nation meant nothing. And that he was only at the bottom. Even against the formidable 5-star swordsman, he couldn’t stand out, and now a 6-star swordsman from another continent had arrived.

The day he became infatuated with Roman Dmitry, Count Nicholas witnessed a new world unfold before him.

The intense sword technique, capable of slicing through flesh, was a realm beyond the heavens that he yearned for.

Right after his defeat, confined within the training room, he hoped to emulate even a fraction of Roman’s prowess as he healed.

Even though he had a reputation in the past and was at the age where gray hair started growing, they all didn’t matter. Count Nicholas, returning like a novice, had managed to achieve some results.

Kwang.

Rumble!

“I am Richard Nicholas, and I am Cairo’s finest swordsman.”

The Dmitry Duchy was established, and he was given the highest position. Count Nicholas brandished an aura that burned brightly, bringing honor to his name.

Infernal flame.

It was an enormous flame. The fact that his very existence burned and merged with the sword indicated that he had also reached the early part of the 6-star level.

Cairo’s first sword was far from feeble. Besides Roman Dmitry, he was the first to attain the level of 6-stars, which was a prestigious achievement shared by only twelve individuals in the empire.

Determined, he kicked off the ground. Surrounded by aura, he charged toward Hannibal. In that instant.

“A foolish bastard who has no understanding of his position.”

There was a flash, and the flames soared high. The aura burst forth, akin to a volcanic eruption, threatening to split the very sea in two.

Hannibal was the 3rd strongest swordsman on the continent. Much like the disparity between a 5-star swordsman, he was an unparalleled monstrosity at the 6-star level.

Puak!

Blood spurted. Count Nicholas’s body was cut up, causing him to collapse to the ground, unable to last even a minute. He yearned to evade attacks, following Chris’s example.

Maybe that would have bought him more time, but his intention to fight head-on brought about the current result.

He shuddered. As if telling him not to go, he grabbed Hannibal’s feet. Then Hannibal squatted down, allowing him to meet Count Nicholas’s gaze.

“Would you like to hear something interesting?”

“Cough.”

Blood trickled down. The blood flowing from Count Nicholas formed a puddle.

“First of all, there are many people in Kronos who are stronger than me. If you can’t handle this, you have no chance of winning at all. And secondly.”

He grinned mischievously.

“I was actually planning to blow up the castle from the beginning.”

And then he stood up suddenly.

Crack!

He stomped on Count Nicholas’s face.

It was a flawless plan, and the soldiers began to move. Then Flora Lawrence made the place explode at the perfect moment.

Kwang!

Kwakwakwang!

Rumble!

A massive explosion erupted. She believed the soldiers of the Kronos Empire would finally be done with this, but the white-haired mage conjured a black hole. The explosion was immediately swallowed by the void. And just like that, the initial blast was neutralized, rendering the device meant to cause a chain reaction useless.

At the present, Duke Bamford entered the castle, displaying a contented expression.

“It’s clear what the feeble ones will choose.”

They were an 8-circle mage and the second knight of Kronos. It was an astonishing display of power. From his experience, Bamford was confident in his ability to penetrate the Western Front. However, there was one unforeseen scenario.

If Roman Dmitry, the renowned maestro of battlefield tactics, couldn’t devise a strategic plan, the only option remaining would be to explode the castle walls forcefully.

That man was known as the battlefield maestro. Duke Bamford earned his reputation for a reason. He was not easily defeated, especially against weaker nations with limited options.

He addressed the white-haired mage and commended her efforts, saying,

“Shefir, your hard work has paid off.”

“It was nothing.”

Said the gray-haired mage. Shefir calmly responded and pulled down her robe.

Duke Bamford looked away and shouted,

“Soldiers of the Kronos Empire, listen! Our enemies are now cornered! Let us unleash this force and turn Cairo and Dmitry into a burning sea!”

The enemy would have to remember this day. What awaited those who would go against Kronos?

Enemies. Those who hadn’t experienced the hell of the world.

A few days later.

Contrary to Duke Bamford’s expectations, the Kronos Empire failed to hold the alliance down.

“Those clever individuals anticipated numerous outcomes in advance.”

The explosion merely marked the beginning. Additional traps were set to impede Kronos. Consequently, the pursuit gradually decelerated. And the adversary’s intention to hinder their progress sparked suspicion in Duke Bamford.

‘Why are they wasting time like this? With the Western Front down, Roman Dmitry won’t come. They must be stalling for some reason, and I think it’s because Roman Dmitry is absent.’

After observing their actions, there was a possibility that Roman Dmitry was secretly making his way into the capital and planning to launch a direct attack on the Emperor, but that seemed highly unlikely.

The Palace of Kronos was protected by the elite first order of knights, and mysterious creatures stood alongside the Emperor. No matter how strong Roman Dmitry was, assassinating someone in the capital was not a realistic approach.

If he intended to do so, he could no longer be considered a strategist. He was simply someone who relied on power. And an individual like that would eventually be defeated by a stronger force.

“It’s best for us to continue moving forward in this manner. If they are attempting to delay us, we will just eliminate them as we have done before and acquire what we require.”

However, on that particular day, they received unexpected news. A soldier came running, gasping for breath, and exclaimed,

“Commander! Roman Dmitry has captured Cortas!”

Cortas!

At the mention of that name, Duke Bamford was surprised. It seemed almost impossible.

Just like the Western Front, Cortas was a strategically important location in the eastern part of Kronos. Moreover, a Warp Gate existed there.