21st Century Archmage

Chapter 133: You’re All Dead Now

“All of the bridges were destroyed?”

“Yes. The bridges connecting Nerman were all destroyed in a single night.”

“One last desperate struggle, is it? Huhuhu.”

After waking up to a lovely morning in the main foothold of the enemy, Gadain Castle, Duke Yanovis was receiving reports on things that had occurred overnight.

“What is His Highness doing?”

“He has woken up and finished eating breakfast. He is currently preparing to fly.”

“He sure woke up early.”

Up until his encounter with Kyre, Prince Alskane had never experienced a moment of suffering, much less a deadly crisis. He was already preparing to stomp and kill the man who gave him a taste of such unforgettable humiliation and fear.

“Convene all of the commanding officers.”

“As you command!”

The heart of Nerman, Denfors, was only a few hours on horseback from Gadain Castle. Once they finished their morning meeting, they would be able to see Denfors before the day’s end. Of course, if they attacked with wyverns, they could traverse the distance in the time it took to eat a meal, but there was no need to hurry. They planned on killing their enemies slowly, so very slowly, so as to suffocate all resistance.

* * *

“Have all of the residents been evacuated?”

“100,000 residents from around Denfors are in the castle, and the residents outside the battlefield’s area of influence are staying in their villages.”

“I feel apologetic towards them.”

Because Nerman met the wrong lord and liege, the territory was turned into a battlefield on a daily basis. I had done my best, but I still felt sorry.

“No, my liege. I heard that there isn’t a single resident who thinks ill of you,” comforted Derval with a voice full of sincerity.

“The time of reckoning we waited for is upon us. As you all know, men, from the very beginning, our backs have been against the wall.”

I looked at all the knights gathered in my office. I had gathered all of the flights stationed in Orakk Castle and Fort Ciaris. Right now, the covert was so full of wyverns that not a single place was free.

“Worry not. Tomorrow, we will be able to smile as the victors. This, I promise under my name, Kyre de Nerman!”

“Yes, siiiir!”

“Raise your cups and empty them! These cups are surely filled with the kiss of the Goddess of Victory, Ormion!”

I downed the wine in my upraised glass, an action followed by my knights. I was sure that we would be granted victory, but there was no knowing where the cursed arrows of death fired by the Evil God, Kerma, would fly.

‘I believe in you all.’

They would have to put every bit of strength they had into this battle. I filled my eyes with the sight of my knights as they drained their glasses, praying desperately that the gods would allow them to share the next glass with me as well.

* * *

“Line up!”

“Form your ranks!”

“Cavalry, take position on the side!”

Neeeeeigh! Clank clank clank clank!

The colorful blooms of spring were beginning to flower on the wide plains, where Denfors stood, and on those plains was a wave carrying 200,000 men. Putting around 3 km between them, the Laviter Empire’s 200,000 ground troops were falling into formation, each branch where it should be.

“We’ve finally arrived.”

They had reached the central city of Nerman, Denfors, without a single fight. Even from afar, the worn out castle walls looked so fragile that a single charge could crumble them instantly.

“Your Highness, please move to the back. Their new crossbows are said to have a range of about 2 km.”

“How unbelievable. Even a longbow reinforced with magic only has a range of 1 km.”

Having come down from his wyvern, Prince Alskane stared at Denfors from within the army as it prepared to advance. Around a hundred noble knights were lined up behind him, including the Commander.

“What will be our method of attack?” asked Prince Alskane quietly as he glared at Denfors.

“I plan to have everyone attacking with a method you may have already predicted. Skyknights will fire Blessed Spears above the enemy to harass their new crossbows. Once that happens, their crossbows will naturally fire towards the wyverns, and while they are occupied, I will have the infantry and cavalry advance at full speed and go into full-force siege warfare.”

“So you wish to settle things in a single go.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Duke Yanovis showed a smile of satisfaction at Prince Alskane’s outstanding insight, which drew praises from the empire’s great scholars.

“Seeing as they have 100 wyverns of their own, it shouldn’t be easy.”

“Please allay your worries. 100 wyverns can be shot down in one round of concentrated fire.”

Kiaaaaaaaaaaa! Kuaaaaaaaaaaa!

As the Imperial Army fell into formation, 300 wyverns filled the sky above, forming a formation composed of dozens of flights in a watertight diamond defensive formation.

* * *

‘Even a swarm of ants wouldn’t be that numerous.’

I looked out at the empire bastards from a watchtower. The legendary 200,000 elite troops filled the land around Denfors with men, an army of men armed with shields, spears, and swords.

The exact population count of every empire wasn’t publicly known, but the Bajran Empire alone was said to have several million residents. However, Laviter possessed far more land and national power than the Bajran Empire. If you added in the principality that served them, they likely had a population count that exceeded all imagination. The army’s best men were picked out from that massive population and developed into a battle troop.

“Sigh…”

Repairs were made with cement, but the walls were still old, and the 25,000 soldiers looking at the imperial army with fearful eyes looked pathetic. We had enlisted every hand available, even the old and retired reserves. Besides a barebones regiment stationed at Fort Ciaris and Orakk Castle to defend from potential monster attacks and the soldiers in the village on the front line, we brought in every single man we could. Other than the Temir warriors, who did not fear death, everyone was intimidated by the might of the Laviter Army.

‘A total of 180 ballistas… For now, I’ll put my faith in you guys first.’ The number of ballistas fell far short of the enemy’s numbers, but the weapons were equipped with a round of special bolts the enemy didn’t know about. ‘We don’t have many improved bolts. We have to try to settle this in one volley.’

Laviter had definitely gotten their information from the battle with the Havis nobles, but they didn’t know that their information was already outdated. They had no idea that the performance of our ballista bolts had been improved again.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

I didn’t want to draw things out. The enemies were in typical attack formation, with spearmen holding shields in the middle, archers and light infantry behind them, and a mounted knight order on the sides. As the drum sounded a beat, their massive army began to move like a giant wave. An army of 200,000 was on the move, but each squad was moving in perfect formation without a single misstep. If they were my subordinates instead of my enemies, I would have liked to praise them.

‘They’re coming!’

And then, I saw it. When the enemy soldiers began to move, the enemy wyverns also advanced, blotting out the sun. They numbered a whopping 500.

A force suitable for waging war with a kingdom had come to catch a single me. Where was their frickin’ pride, seriously?

* * *

‘Kyre! Kyre! I’m here, you bastard!’

Behind his helmet, Prince Alskane ground his teeth as he controlled his wyvern. He and Duke Yanovis were flying in the rearmost formation.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The drum of advancement rang out loud and clear, and the marvelous soldiers moved briskly in time with its beat. Denfors looked like a sandcastle before a furious wave.

Alskane never had a hint of doubt in his heart. As long as the Lord of Nerman, Kyre, did not flee, he was sure that he’d be able to kill him this time.

* * *

“Ashweladaheim…”

Shaaaaaaaa.

Aramis raised a prayer of blessing towards the wyverns and Skyknights swiftly going aloft from Weyn Covert. Though the battle was directly before them, she did not forget her devotion.

“Please go back inside now, Saintess.”

Immediately after the final wyvern went aloft, the paladins, who were just as composed as Aramis, fell into place around her. The safety of Nerman was important as well, but the greatest priority of the paladins was Aramis’ safety.

‘O’ merciful Neran… may thee grant them thy mercy and care.’

Aramis prayed to God for all the souls who would die today. She slowly headed towards the temporary hangar that was the temple. An enormous amount of holy water would be needed the moment the war ended, so she could not rest.

* * *

Guooooooooooooo!

‘You brat, arrogant unto death.’

A defensive formation was being maintained above the city in order to defend it, and at the front, flew Bebeto. Even in this tense moment, he bellowed with a cry that flaunted his dignity to all of the female wyverns.

“All flight leaders, heed me.”

“As you command!”

I began to relay commands through the transmitters installed in the helmets of the flight leader-rank Skyknights.

“Everyone must move exactly as instructed. You must never go into active battle with the enemy or give chase without my permission.”

“As you command!”

“When they come into effective range, I will give the order. That is when we will attack.”

“As you command!”

Before going aloft, I drilled in the fact that conditions that would let us make full use of our advantages and enable us to win would be prepared.

“I believe in you all.”

“Yes, sir!”

My Skyknights did not quail in the least in the face of an enemy five times their number. About half of them were newly appointed newbie Skyknights, but their morale was sky-high.

Kiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Kuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

The enemy wyverns were a considerable distance away, but our wyverns had recognized that they were enemies and were raising a row. Like a flock of crows screeching bloody murder, the sky shuddered with the enraged screams of wyverns.

“The enemy Skyknights to the east are firing. 3rd Flight, fire spears at them!”

“As you command!”

Schwip schwip scwhip scwhip scwhip.

They weren’t yet in range, but the enemy Skyknights were prematurely throwing spears towards the defensive troops on the Denfors walls. They were just barely in range of our new spears, so I promptly gave the command to fire.

Schwip scwhip scwhip scwhip scwhip.

The Blessed Spears in the hands of the 25 Skyknights of the 3rd Flight, which was led by Ryker, flew off at incredible speeds.

This battle, upon which the fate of Nerman rested, began the moment those spears whistled into the distance.

Baaaam! Kuaaaaaaaaaack!

“F-Fly!”

Habit was a truly terrifying thing. The 100 or so Laviter Skyknights sent as the advance force were used to the effective range being 2 km. They were flying as ordered towards Denfors, but the moment they released their spears, they were struck by the spears of the Nerman Skyknights flying in place above the city. Before they could even blink, five wyverns were struck and screamed in pain.

‘What a terrifying weapon!’

When he witnessed the might of Nerman’s new weapons from the rear, Duke Yanovis felt goosebumps rising on his back. He thought they were prepared for it, but their carelessness still caused needless deaths.

Ba-ba-ba-ba-bam.

“GAAAAAGH!”

“AAAAAAAGH!”

However, it wasn’t as if their spears had no effect at all. As Denfors’ city walls collapsed, noisy explosions and screams rang out.

Thump thump! Thump thump! Thump thump!

The drum informing the army of rapid advance echoed into the sky.

“GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

In no time at all, the empire’s soldiers had advanced until they were just 1 km away. They screamed in unison to lower their enemy’s morale as they began to rapidly rush forward.

Flap flap!

The Commander, Duke Yanovis, waved the yellow flag he was holding. When he did so, a Skyknight in the back used mana to vigorously blow a flute.

Peeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

That was a signal used by the Laviter army. The flute, which was enspelled with amplification magic, was filled with mana and let out a long, piercing peal that instantly filled the sky.

Kuaaaaaaaaaaak! At that moment, the 100 or so wyverns waiting on the right side surged to the front.

Flap flap.

 This time, Yanovis waved a green flag.

Peep! Peep! The mana flute gave two short chirps.

Kyaaaaaaak! The 100 wyverns on the left also flew vigorously towards the enemy wyverns above the city.

Flap flap flap. And then, Yanovis waved the last flag, a blue one.

Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep! Four chirps from the magic flute pierced through the noisy cries of the wyverns.

Kuaaaaaaaak! Kiaaaaaaaak! Besides 100 wyverns staying back, the remaining 200 wyverns flew towards Denfors.

Flash!

The Skyknights riding their flying wyverns poured mana into Laviter’s improved Blessed Spears.

“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

As soon as the Skyknights accelerated and shot off, the imperial soldiers raised their speed. The fastest squads were already just 500 meters away from Denfors’ walls. The imperial soldiers had truly fearsome stamina. There weren’t many soldiers on the continent that could advance at such speeds while carrying armor, shields, and even spears. Such elite soldiers could only be raised after a great deal of constant training.

Twang! Twang! Twang!

Just then, bolts installed on a watchtower on Denfors’ walls hurtled forward at astonishing speeds with loud twangs.

Fwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip!

They screamed through the air as if propelled by incredible force.

Ba-ba-ba-ba-bam.

The bolts, which had a far greater range and speed than what they expected, shot down imperial Skyknights and wyverns that were on the verge of firing their spears.

KYAAAAAAAAAAK. KUAAAAAAAAK!

The wyverns’ piercing shrieks followed.

Flash!

However, the Skyknights did not lose composure, showing an undaunted appearance that showed the world what a knight of the Laviter Empire was. Dozens of wyverns were hit by bolts and stumbled, but their Skyknights remained focused and fired the spears in their hands.

Fwip, fwip!

Blessed Spears hurtled forward one after another without any need for missile guidance.

Ba-ba-ba-ba-bam. Booooom. Crrrrrrrrk.

“GAAAAAAAAGH!”

“AAAAAAGH!”

Many places on the old walls and watchtowers of Denfors gave way to the force of the spears and collapsed in an explosion of stone, crushing the poor, innocent men standing atop the walls.

* * *

‘Impressive!’

They were definitely different. The Laviter Skyknights clearly had skills heavens above that of the Havis Kingdom Skyknights. They moved in perfect order, following the sound of a unique magic flute. The 200 or so enemy wyverns waiting on the left and right went from standstill flight to a terrifyingly fast approach with powerful beats of their wings.

‘Just hold on a little!’

I could not help them right now. All the ballistas were sending the improved bolts flying at the wyverns that came into range, but instead of coming close for bombing, the Laviter Skyknights maintained a certain distance away and hurled spears from afar. Not many of the bolts found their marks.

“All flights, fire spears at the wyverns advancing from the right!”

“As you command!”

Their Blessed Spears weren’t the usual brand. It was as if their range had been greatly improved—there was a ton of force in the spears fired at the Denfors walls.

Fwip fwip fwip fwip fwip.

As ordered, my knights were firing spears at the hundred wyverns flying in from the right side.

“Let’s go!”

Guoooooooooooo!

As I pulled the reins, Bebeto surged forward like a high-performance sports car.

Kiaaaaaaaaa! Kuuuuuuuu!

Behind me, the Gold Wyverns the beastmen were riding screeched as they followed suit.

‘It’s my job to block those guys!’

The difference in our numbers was as clear as day. Though the improved performance of our spears gave us a slight advantage, it wasn’t like every spear that was thrown would land a hit, and also, the enemies were veterans of flight. Close-range hostilities would most certainly break out very soon.

Swoooooooooosh.

Thanks to Bebeto’s hard work in pumping his wings, we gained speed in mere moments.

Flash!

I filled the spears in both of my hands with mana and hurled them to the wyvern flock flying in from the left.

Fwip fwip fwip fwip fwip.

Spears loosed by the five beastmen whistled past me, flying off like rays of light.

“Summon Djinn!”

I had to block them at all costs. Going into close combat was absolutely necessary in order to catch them unguarded.

Whirr!

The dimensional door opened, and the giant of wind, Djinn, appeared.

“Take them all down!”

Whooooosh.

At my command, Djinn flew off towards the enemies flying over while leveling spears at me.

‘Geh!’

Djinn must have intended on following my orders literally, because it dragged a ton of mana out of me.

I must have come into range, because I saw a burst of sparkling mana as the enemy knights mercilessly hurled their spears.

‘Eurghh! Am I gonna be turned into a kebab today?’

It was a definite fact that the enemies also had improved spears. Their spears appeared to have about 2.5 km in range and a speed that far outstripped the performance of previous imperial spears.

‘Dammit! Y’all are like frickin’ ancients born without a hint of courtesy in 1800 BC! Can you still call yourselves knights?!’

I wanted this to happen, but when I was really in the hot seat, I couldn’t help but get mad at all the spears flying towards me.

Boooooooooooooooom!

The high spirit of wind, Djinn, had reached the enemies in no time, and I watched as it ruthlessly fired off wind magic, plunging deep into the throng of enemies.

Kaaaaaaaagh! Kuaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Terrifying fists of wind formed by a high spirit they hadn’t expected rammed into the wyverns, who began to fall helplessly towards the ground with broken wings. They hadn’t noticed the arrival of the transparent wind spirit because they were all focused on me. The price they paid for their negligence was that their wyverns turned into chickens with broken wings. In no time at all, 10 wyverns in formation flight began hurtling towards the ground in the wake of Djinn’s rampage.

‘Gah!’

But I couldn’t just stand around laughing at their demise. Spirits barely had two brain cells to rub together and would follow the order they were given, and that order only. It completely ignored the spears hurtling towards me and continued taking down the wyverns.

* * *

“H-How could this be…!”

The man named Lukence had warned them that Kyre was a High Summoner, but Yanovis thought that was impossible. There were already very few magic swordsmen that could use high circle magic, but a magic swordsman that could summon spirits was completely inconceivable. However, Duke Yanovis was forced to accept reality when he clearly witnessed history being made before his eyes.

“Huhh…”

His astonishment was so great that his mouth parted to let out one dispirited breath. Kyre’s swordsmanship was also reputed to be at the Master level and he could even cast 6th Circle magic, but he could also summon a high spirit. On top of that, he even rode a hybrid wyvern that could fly faster than regular wyverns. If someone were to fight him 1-on-1, no matter who they were, they would definitely experience the bitter taste of defeat.

‘He must be killed.’

It wasn’t the time to be sitting around in shock. If Kyre were to grow even more, the Laviter Empire could be put into danger. Thankfully, this was the opportune moment to eliminate him.

With a swish, he raised his hand. And then, he brought it down swiftly, pointing straight at Kyre.

Kuaaaaaaaa! Kiaaaaaaaa!

The 100 Laviter wyverns awaiting commands around him were actually elites among elites who had the most outstanding skills.

‘I’ll be the one to kill you.’

Upon meeting a powerful enemy, his fighting spirit blazed up. Yanovis grasped his wyvern’s reins with one hand and took out a spear with his other.

100 Skyknights flapped into motion, heading towards the designated opponent. The improved Blessed Spears in their hands began to glow with mana.

* * *

‘T-Tenacious bastard.’

Right up until he saw Kyre, Prince Alskane wanted nothing more than to strip off the man’s skin, rip him to pieces, and eat him alive. But as soon as Alskane came face to face with Kyre, the sight of Kyre using a spirit to make a mockery out of 100 Skyknights made the prince’s knees wobble. And of course, there was Kyre’s indescribable, unforgettable brute force. It was his sheer wickedness that led Kyre to lock up a prince of the empire and Imperial Guard Skyknights in a cave devoid of any light.

‘I’ll kill him!’

A flush of rage accompanied his memories of the bitter past.

Kuaaaaaaaa!

Alskane roughly clutched his wyvern’s reins and charged at Kyre along with his Skyknights. His rage-filled eyes only saw one person.

They only saw the demon-like calamity hurling dozens of spears while simultaneously casting magic…

* * *

Crrrrrrrrrrrrrkkkk. Cla-cla-cla-clang!

‘Uwaaah!’

My Shield was on the brink of destruction. If not for the beastmen joining forces to thin out the metric ton of Blessed Spears hurtling towards me with wind magic, even I wouldn’t have been able to block them. I was forced to deploy the Shield magic enspelled on Bebeto’s wyvern armor, which he didn’t usually wear.

‘If it wasn’t a special Shield magic array… Eurgh, just thinking about it gives me the shivers.’

I had long since decided to sacrifice this body of mine in order to surmount the overwhelming difference in force. That was why I put special wyvern armor onto Bebeto. It was one of the things I made last winter. The array on it was still Shield, but it had nearly the same degree of defensive power as Barrier. Two Grade 3 magic crystals were set in the array.

‘Urgh! Those bastards, you’re really asking for it!’

A shower of Blessed Spears came and went. Thanks to Djinn’s surprise attack and self-directed rampage, at least 30 of the 100 wyverns that attacked from the left side had dropped out of the sky. However, that wasn’t the end of them. The 100 wyverns that had been waiting in the rear suddenly outstretched their wings and began to fly towards me.

‘I’m done for!’ I had no confidence. ‘Oh Gods above, I shall soon come into your embrace, so please take good care of me.’

Even death felt like a joke. Even now, the territory’s Skyknights and enemy wyvern flights were in the thick of battle in the skies above Denfors. I could see with just a glance that dozens of the ballistas installed on Denfors’ walls were already destroyed.

“GOOOOOO!”

“Ladders to the front!”

“Destroy the walls!”

On top of that, 200,000 enemy infantry had readed the walls. They surrounded the walls like a black swarm, preparing to clamber up.

‘Huhu, even if I kick the bucket, I can’t go alone.’

For this moment, I spent the entire winter soldering mithril without being able to enjoy a single kiss.

“Derval.”

“My liege! Are you alright?!”

Derval’s anxious voice came from the communicator.

“I’m still alive.”

“My liege…”

“Show them! Show those pig bastards our rage! Show them properly!”

“Please… Please take care of yourself!”

“Haha, don’t worry. I’m someone who won’t die even if you kill me.”

It was a short, but long conversation.

After saying what I had to say, I took off the mask-like mithril helmet of the elves.

Swoooooooosh.

Since he had done his share, I sent Djinn back to the Spirit Realm.

The sharp blades of wind hitting my face still carried a cold bite.

“Haa.”

Taking in a deep breath, I watched as the spears in the enemy Skyknights’ hands filled with the light of mana. With a swish, I grabbed another two spears.

‘You’re done for now.’

These bastards didn’t know.

They didn’t know the identity of the black swarm appearing behind them.