The Kronos Empire had finally settled into the old castle. Since the 300,000 soldiers couldn’t fit inside the castle, only the main forces entered while the rest were stationed outside.
And the leaders were immediately summoned. The problem of concern had been resolved by securing food. However, the ideal situation sparked new doubts.
Duke Bamford spoke up.
“Tell me what you think of the current situation.”
He requested an opinion. When you can’t come to conclusions on your own, it’s necessary to borrow the power of others. And his adaptable thinking came from accepting the opinions of others.
The people who served the Duke spoke their minds as if it were a familiar situation.
“Wasn’t it a mistake to attempt clearing the night tactics? The alliance of Cairo and Dmitry tried to ensnare our army by abandoning the Western Front, yet, due to the commander’s foresight, we managed to capture the Western Front unscathed. It is probable that the enemy did not anticipate dealing with all of this, considering their hasty retreat from us.”
“My opinion remains unchanged. The food has been inspected, and no traces of poison were found. It is evident that they were negligent here, assuming we would be oblivious to this.”
The opinions remained the same. In fact, any other scenario seemed nonsensical.
In this conflict, the vast difference in power was undeniable. The might of Kronos and his formidable 300,000 army left no room for doubt about their victory in this war against the kingdom. As a result, the opposing side’s options were severely limited.
In a situation where they must avoid engaging in a full-scale war, time is not on their side. Even if Cortas were captured, the army of the Kronos Empire would arrive in the west, and from then on, they wouldn’t have any chances of victory.
It was a perplexing situation. The only way for Roman Dmitry to triumph was to utilize his expertise in navigating through assassinations and seize every opportunity to weaken the enemy. However, with their food supply secured, even that possibility had been eliminated.
Based on rational analysis, it appeared to be a victory for Kronos. The leaders who faithfully followed Duke Bamford to countless battlefields didn’t deny that Kronos held the advantage this time as well.
Was that the reason? Did Duke Bamford have these thoughts? The leaders claimed that occupying the old castle was a divine blessing, but they failed to comprehend Dmitry’s desire for this audacious war.
This was the intel that they had gathered about Roman Dmitry. He was certainly a challenging factor to reckon with in this conflict.
And Duke Bamford stated,
“What if… What if Dmitry’s true intention is to confine us within this castle and compel us into a direct confrontation?”
“…that doesn’t seem logical.”
“It is practically impossible. Are you suggesting he’s that insane? Declaring an all-out war against us?”
The backlash was immediate. Using the old castle as bait to lure Kronos and tie them down was simply too much. It defied common sense. However, once the question was posed, it was unlikely to be forgotten.
‘Roman Dmitry. What the hell are you trying to achieve?’
Why?
Did they declare war based solely on Dmitry’s strength alone?
Unless the starting point of the question had been answered, this problem couldn’t be fully accepted, even after the meeting was concluded. And Duke Bamford’s firm expression remained unconvinced.
At that moment, Roman Dmitry’s name was also being discussed in other places.
Edwin Hector, the King of Redford, and the King of Franks. The King of Franks appeared anxious at the gathering of the pro-Dmitry forces.
“… the Kronos Empire has already taken down the Western Front. Roman Dmitry has shown great success in capturing Rascal and Cortas, but shouldn’t we quickly send reinforcements to avoid getting pushed? With Umberto and Odelia almost certain to side with the Kronos Empire, this ambiguous attitude could doom us.”
Roman Dmitry’s move was confusing. In the battle against the Kronos Empire, he initiated the attack and sequentially defeated Rascal and Cortas, proving that it wasn’t merely an empty threat.
Such a feat had never been witnessed before on the Salamander Continent. Amidst the escalating flames of war, the King of Franks yearned to find a way to bolster their forces.
When Dmitry succumbed to despair, all hope was lost. The Franks Kingdom would pay a hefty toll for aligning with Dmitry.
Edwin Hector disapproved, shaking his head.
“No, not now. Roman Dmitry said he would prove that he could fight Kronos with the strength of Dmitry alone. Perhaps he made that decision to show that this war is not impossible to win. So, why not observe it? If Roman Dmitry truly proves his words, then there is no reason to fear the Kronos Empire anymore.”
“I am worried. Duke Bamford of Kronos isn’t an easy person.”
It was the King of Redford. To the reaction that everyone couldn’t put down their worries, Edwin spoke the truth.
“Actually, when I heard the report that Roman Dmitry had acquired the Warp Gate, it frightened me. Not because it was a unique plan, but because on the day of his proclamation of the Dmitry Duchy, I visited Dmitry and heard his tale.”
He said to Chris.
As they were now all on the same page, Chris proposed something that would pique Edwin’s interest.
“Your Lord has given Prince Edwin Hector some words of acknowledgment. Everyone is considering the daring decision to attack the Warp Gate, but putting it into action is a challenging problem. Since then, the Lord has been studying the Warp Gates. I didn’t ask why, but he was probably impressed with Edwin Hector’s strategy.”
They were simple words, but the words that normal people would normally accept were shocking to Edwin. And Edwin said,
“The battle on the Southern Front was a total disaster for Hector. None of my plans worked in my confrontation with Roman Dmitry, and I have never felt so devastated in my life. However, it’s also frightening to see Roman Dmitry still striving to improve himself despite his overwhelming victory. Even now, the presence that I never dared to approach continues to torment me.”
Kronos and Dmitry. At the crossroads of making a decision, Edwin Hector chose Dmitry.
Aside from the simple reason that he had a troubled history with Kronos, he hoped that his experience wouldn’t provoke Roman’s hostility.
“I’d rather avoid confrontations with Dmitry than Kronos. One such experience is enough in a lifetime. So have faith and be patient. Just like my defeat on the Southern Front, which I initially considered a total victory, he must have a plan to reverse the situation.”
He believed in what he experienced. The Devil of the Southern Front, Roman Dmitry, on that day.
Roman Dmitry had a simple plan. Duke Bamford led his forces to the Western Front, leaving the remaining forces in Eastern Kronos unable to stop Dmitry’s attack.
In the blink of an eye, Roman Dmitry seized control of Eastern Kronos. Now, as the decisive battle with the Kronos Empire in Cairo loomed ahead, Roman Dmitry ordered his troops to rest adequately.
Except for one person. Under the moonlight, Kevin fought with his sword, unable to sleep.
Rumble.
Rumbleee!
In his mind’s eye, his aura exploded. Through the intense storm of aura, he could make out Sven approaching him.
Kaang!
Pain flickered across his face. Kevin’s aura shattered as he clashed head-on, allowing Sven’s sword to slice through his body.
It was an unimaginably agonizing situation. With that single strike, Kevin’s body lost all control, leaving him helpless against a monster like Sven in his now crippled form.
His fate was sealed. He couldn’t move. He had studied Sven’s moves countless times, but it ultimately led to his demise.
‘If I meet someone as powerful as Sven on the battlefield, what can I do to serve my Lord?’
However, that possibility didn’t exist. It was a remarkable achievement for him, a boy from the slums, to have reached his current level. It would be too ambitious to surpass the 6-star aura test.
He had no knowledge of it. It was only natural that he was defeated by Sven, and he deserved admiration simply for defeating such a capable man.
But he was losing consciousness. When he thought about Henderson, who was always by his side, he found it difficult to control his emotions.
‘I don’t want to relive what occurred back then. If I stumble hopelessly, as usual, the Lord would have to resolve the issues I couldn’t handle. Some claim that those who followed the Lord are accountable for Dmitry, but the truth is that it all stemmed from their belief that the Lord would solve everything.’
He brandished his sword. He tried to imagine where Sven was and charged at him recklessly.
But the outcome was catastrophic, and he tumbled repeatedly. During a time when everyone else was asleep, Kevin was completely beaten up.
His memory of that day surged, fueling his anger. Uncontrollable emotions shattered his heart.
“Ughhhh.”
His eyes burned red. Just as he was about to succumb to the consuming darkness within him, a voice pierced through the chaos.
“Kevin.”
It was unmistakably Roman Dmitry’s voice. At the mention of the person he yearned for, his eyes, filled with murderous intent, regained their former glow.
No further explanation was necessary. He looked at Kevin, who was losing consciousness. Ever since joining Cortas, he had heard that Kevin couldn’t sleep for a second.
His face was pale.
Roman Dmitry calmly said in a situation where his mind was clouded.
“I have something to tell you now.”
It was a short story. A story that was about him and one that Kevin couldn’t readily accept.
“If I analyze what people have said about aura, I realize that the way of this world has developed in the wrong direction. At one point, I believed that unleashing extreme destructive power through reckless eruptions could be innovative, but I was convinced otherwise when I encountered Barbossa and the other formidable individuals on the continent.”
The day Chris introduced him to aura, Roman Dmitry dismissed it as a worthless approach. And as time passed, he acknowledged that this was a new experience, yet he sensed a distinction in his battle with Barbossa. The clash earlier had been a test of power.
How powerful were the legendary 12 Swords of the Continent in this world? How many swords could he summon and conquer?
But Barbossa’s swordsmanship had no foundation.
Just as there was a saying that swordsmanship had an eventual end, they said that even though Barbossa had the destructive power of a 6-star aura, that was his limit.
Doubts started to rise. If the destructive power caused by an eruption was the root, then the distinctions were actually meaningless.
The Murim sword technique of the Central Plains didn’t focus on destructive power.
Softness overwhelmed strength, and each individual’s sword technique flourished to shape a world known as the Central Plains Murim.
However, he couldn’t comprehend the utilization of the aura in this world. The art of magic was undoubtedly remarkable, but the background of the aura swordsman differed.
Suddenly, he felt self-assured that his sword technique reigned supreme across the continent. Ever since Barbossa had been recognized as one of the 12 esteemed swordsmen of the continent, there was no one in the world who could challenge him in a duel.
And thus…
“In a life or death battle, the power of aura doesn’t ensure victory. You may have encountered an insurmountable obstacle when facing a 6-star aura swordsman, but in truth, the presence of that wall signifies your creation. If you can truly grasp the essence of aura and possess the strength to match it, even as a 3-star aura swordsman, it is not impossible for you to defeat a 6-star aura swordsman.”
A ripple appeared in Kevin’s eyes.
Roman Dmitry’s words were like stepping into a new world. Just as he had stated, Kevin was willing to sacrifice his life to obtain the power needed to vanquish Sven.
And upon witnessing Kevin’s determination, Roman Dmitry declared,
“Henceforth, I shall bestow upon you the wisdom of the Heavenly Demon Sword technique.”
