Chapter 10

010

The ground trembled.

As they emerged from the forest, the open field before them was filled with the troops of the two dukes. The border duke's forces had taken the high ground, having driven stakes into the left hill, while the Duke of Iri's forces, seemingly intent on launching an aggressive assault, were spread out on the right.

It looked as if the Duke of Iri was opening its jaws to strangle the prey.

At first glance, the scale of the forces seemed about the same, but it was said that the Duke of Iri's forces were in high spirits after a series of victories.

No matter how high their morale, it would be difficult to ignore the terrain advantage in such a battlefield.

Thud, thud, thud!

A rapid drumbeat echoed.

Strangely, the Duke of Iri's soldiers responded with low, drawn-out sounds as they advanced. The threatening cries of about 2,000 of the Duke's subordinates covered the entire field.

"Creepy. They really sound like wolves howling."

Soren rubbed his arm and joked.

The formation of the advancing soldiers was precise. Despite the mud that would bind their ankles, they moved steadily and calmly.

What exactly was the Duke of Iri relying on?

At that moment, a group caught Todd's eye, emerging from the rear ranks.

Some short figures were driving oxen. At first, they seemed like children, but their build was unmistakably that of adults, making them seem out of place.

These were dwarves that Todd had never seen before.

Their awkward gait was amusing, but the object they were pulling was not to be underestimated.

The heavy cannon required two oxen to move. In this swamp, they were laying wooden planks along the path to advance.

It seemed they were accustomed to this task, as the dwarf laborers skillfully created a path.

When the infantry reached the range where arrows could not reach, the dwarves began driving stakes into the ground from a distance from the border duke's camp.

It took about five minutes to complete the formation. As the gunners swung their hammers, a blue light flashed, and the heavy cannon barrel shook.

Boom!!

The thunderous sound that seemed to tear the sky made Soren jump.

"What is that, that thing!"

Dozens of soldiers were killed instantly.

The destructive power was as terrifying as the deafening cannon fire. A dark blue flame surged where the cannonball had passed.

The ranks were quickly reformed, but the repeated bombardment left the border duke's forces reeling.

Piet, who had swallowed his groan, shouted.

"Those are rune cannons. The dwarf mercenaries project the power of their clan's secrets into their weapons and use them aggressively."

"Wouldn't the technology be leaked if they were captured?"

"Only their clan can handle it. Even among their own kind, the runes used are different and do not work!"

For Todd, who had never seen dwarves before, it was an interesting story.

"To hire such skilled artillerymen as mercenaries must cost a lot of gold."

"Indeed. Even if this cart were filled with gold, those greedy fellows wouldn't be satisfied."

Todd tilted his head and asked.

"Is the Duke of Iri that wealthy? His base is in the eastern border, and he has raised an army while hiring expensive dwarf mercenaries."

The eastern region's specialties were only furs and mushrooms, insignificant items. Or perhaps there was a hidden mine on the back mountain?

"Compared to the border duke's territory, which includes the wheat fields, the Duke of Iri's territory, Meldavie, is less productive. He has many mines, but they are difficult to exploit."

This answer precisely resolved the question that Todd had been pondering.

Sometimes, when Karina casually mentioned something, Todd felt a chill. He was sure that there was a skill called mind reading among the spells a magician could learn.

"Hmm, then is the Duke of Iri in debt? Given his reputation, there must be many sponsors willing to provide gold."

Karina's eyes, watching the Duke of Iri's forces, were cold.

"There are sinister forces lurking behind the scenes. Considering how absurd the pretext for this conflict was, this is merely a prelude to a greater chaos."

The dwarves' cannons were powerful, but they required a considerable amount of time to reload. The bombardment that had been pounding the border duke's camp ceased, and the Duke of Iri's forces began to move.

The border duke's archers quickly rained arrows, but with their shields raised, the soldiers retreated, and only a few inexperienced new recruits fell.

The dwarves' artillery opened fire again, and the shield wall that had been laboriously set up was swept away like a scarecrow. When the bombardment stopped, they charged forward, and when the reloading was complete, they retreated.

This process was repeated.

Todd, who had been watching closely, was impressed.

"Remarkable. The leading ranks of the formation keep changing. To move like that amidst such chaos is impressive."

Soren, who prided himself on his combat experience, nodded.

"They came prepared. A few months ago, these were just farmers and rabbit hunters. Phew."

The border duke could mobilize a limited number of troops in terms of quality and quantity. Therefore, they operated to achieve the optimal efficiency within the limits of the conscripts' capabilities.

It was simple but effective.

As the border duke's forces gradually wore down, their ranks visibly wavered. Some tried to escape amidst the confusion of the bombardment, while others hesitated to fill the gaps.

Soren clicked his tongue.

"If this keeps up, they're finished."

Karina's patience, with her eyes wide open, was reaching its limit.

The same seemed to be true for the border duke, as the trumpets sounded several times.

"Oh."

Todd's eyebrows shot up.

A cavalry unit was circling the slope of the hill. At the forefront was a knight in splendid plate armor, followed by light cavalry with lances.

In terms of numbers, it was unlikely to turn the tide, but it seemed to be a suicide squad targeting the dwarf artillery in the rear.

It was a maneuver that took advantage of the Duke of Iri's main force being focused on the hill.

Soren, following the movement of the suicide squad, said with a indifferent look.

"They're all going to die. It's a futile struggle."

"Still, if the knight at the front uses his dragon power, he might be able to inflict significant damage, don't you think?"

Soren snorted.

"Huh! If I were to bet, I'd say they won't even kill a single soldier."

As he predicted, the suicide squad was futilely stopped by the Duke of Iri's reserve pikemen before they could reach the artillery.

Nevertheless, the knight leading the squad bravely disrupted the formation, like a lion cutting through a pack of wolves.

Thanks to his prowess, the defensive line was slowly pushed back. At that moment, those who had been lying flat on the ground suddenly rose. Flames flashed.

Rattle, rattle, rattle!!

Due to the distance, the sound was like popping beans, and the cavalry fell or tumbled with their horses.

The knight at the forefront also fell from his horse but quickly rose and swung his long sword.

It seemed that one of the Duke of Iri's officers was trying to persuade him to surrender, but the knight threw a short sword, striking the officer's head.

Todd, watching, whistled.

The firing continued, and eventually, the knight fell silent.

Soren chuckled.

"The nature of war has changed, sir tactician. The era when a single hero could control the flow of the battlefield is over."

The rise of firearms.

While playing the game, he had never seen a cannon, let alone a small firearm.

This was the moment when his doubts solidified into certainty.

Todd, with his arms crossed, stared at the soldiers continuously firing the flintlocks.

Although the imagery on the screen and the projection in reality would be different, it was at least 50 years. This world had a gap of more than half a century from the time Todd remembered.

Update? DLC? Impossible.

There was no way that support could reach a distant world.

Not to mention, he didn't even know what kind of place this world was.

Todd's lips twisted.

'Huh, content expansion. Amazing.'

There was no need to be flustered or afraid. For a true gamer, content expansion is something to be welcomed!

Considering that the original work borrowed a medieval setting, it wasn't unnatural for the world to have evolved over time.

So, does that mean more content will be added in the future?

Todd liked this world even more.

The suicide squad's attempt ended in failure, and cannonballs covered the hill. The wavering morale of the border duke's forces finally broke.

The trumpets and drums sounded incessantly, and the Duke of Iri's forces charged.

The scattered remnants were hunted down and killed. Excited warriors repeatedly slashed at the struggling bodies.

Suddenly, a heat wave surged.

Steam-like mist swirled, and the surrounding scenery melted.

Todd witnessed it with his own eyes.

The young magician opening six doors.

"I swear before the emerald tablet and the 14 clauses. I will illuminate ignorance with my wisdom and correct the skewed principles with spells."

She had been reciting the spell all along. Todd was amazed.

Karina, who had turned her back, extended her hand.

"I will never turn a blind eye to those who are oppressed."

Numerous questions flashed through his mind.

Does a greater cause exist? Were there people who, though unable to speak, still held a conscience? What percentage of the Duke of Iri's subordinates had truly joined of their own will?

Was the life of someone massacred in a village different in weight from someone who would soon become ashes here?

Can murder be justified?

Does a mere human have the right to make such a judgment? If it was borrowed from someone, where did that authority come from?

An explosion from an extremely distorted point extinguished all questions.

An immense shockwave, incomparable to any cannon, swept the area, and everything within a 100-meter radius was incinerated.

Not only that, a pillar of fire swept through the densely packed Duke of Iri's forces.

Pikemen, mercenary freelancers, rookies, experienced sergeants, regardless of their pay or equipment, were all eliminated.

Dark clouds that had filled the sky roared low, and a rain of fire poured down on their heads.

Everyone trembled at the battlefield, now a wasteland, as if a bomber had swept through.

With the "Nuclear Explosion" scattered, "Pillar of Fire" stirred, and "Sulfur Rain" swept up.

The Duke of Iri's forces, hit by a series of area-of-effect spells, were dazed.

Todd muttered without realizing it.

"Amazing."

He finally understood why she had struggled with a mere deserter.

Karina was what was called a nuker, a damage dealer who could unleash explosive damage in a short time.

She was raised in an extreme form, focusing solely on maximum damage, ignoring defensive spells or utility skills.

This kind of burst damage mage is a dream for many.

However, there are reasons why this type of skill build has become obsolete.

For a mage, who is already fragile, the lack of survival ability was fatal, and it was more efficient to continuously deal damage by cycling cooldowns rather than using all skills at once.

As evidence, despite her confident start, Karina's body swayed significantly.

She was hit by the backlash of mana depletion.

Todd caught her as she stumbled.

"Back, back... I can still do more..."

"You can do more? Be quiet."

Todd lightly tapped Karina's forehead, and she grimaced, trying to protest but slumped. Her breathing was shallow, but her pupils were unresponsive.

Her heartbeat was rapid, but she wouldn't die from this. Her head would hurt like hell when she woke up.

Although she had a clear weakness, she had at least proven her worth.

He would save her and take her with him.

Todd gently laid Karina on the ground and looked up at Soren and Piet.

"Soren, Piet. I've put plenty of coins, silver spoons, dishes, necklaces, and rosaries in the bags you're carrying. You should be able to get at least one gold coin."

The tactician said in a sinister tone.

"Leave now if you want to go."

They had detected the traces of magic. Although they were caught in the spell, the remaining soldiers of the Duke of Iri split, with half chasing the retreating border duke's forces and the rest approaching.

However, the two quick-witted men, who seemed ready to run, stood still.

Piet, swallowing, asked cautiously.

"Can you handle this situation, Todd?"

Soren's legs were trembling, but he waited anxiously for Todd's answer.

Todd grinned and beckoned.

"Come behind me."

As the two men hurried over, he pointed to the unconscious Karina.

"You need to take care of Miss Esteritz. I need to focus from here, so I won't be able to pay attention."

Soren nodded vigorously.

"Got it!"

Unlike Piet, who was somewhat clumsy with patients, Soren carefully supported Karina's feet and draped his cloak over her like a blanket.

What story does he have? We'll find out later.

Todd's gaze was fixed ahead.

The soldiers, now fully enraged, were rapidly approaching.

The slow-moving undead were too late to stop them.

We need something faster...

The tactician, raising a bell, recited.

"They are the echoes wandering to find decaying flesh in the grave. The tomb raiders who survive by scavenging scraps. The hungry spirits waiting endlessly for the Star of Accumulated Corpses under the tombstones."

Ding.

"Do not ask what creatures cry out beneath the earth at night, sleeping children."

A green light flashed.

When the dead rise, such a light is seen.

"Devour."

Rustle.

The bodies of the dead swelled. The flesh on their legs tore loudly, and their joints twisted. Their hind legs had developed abnormally to facilitate pursuit.

Their deformed nails twisted like scythes, and their vertebrae protruded, forming a hump.

The tactician poured his malevolent creativity into creating these ferocious creatures.

【Squish—Crack—?】

The risen dead wildly twisted their heads. Scratching the side of their necks with their feet, they looked unmistakably like beasts.

Their gaze turned to the approaching soldiers.

【Squish—Crack—!!】

The eerie cries made the soldiers at the back of the pursuit group turn their heads.

The dead rose and ran on all fours.

"Z, zombies!!"