“....”
Arman looked around his surroundings.
The soldiers lined up along the ramparts, fully equipped, were reassuring just to look at.
Above all else, the towering fortress, built within the canyon and approaching a height of 40 meters, backed that confidence.
When he made a hand gesture, an officer approached and bowed his head.
“Is there still no word from the adjutant?”
“...No, sir.”
Instead of replying, Arman turned his head.
The place his gaze turned toward was the south of the fortress.
However, just as the officer had said, no one was approaching from there.
It was difficult to wait for the Imperial family's answer any longer.
This meant that from now on, as the commander, he had to make the judgment and bear the responsibility himself.
—I should have given you enough time. I'd like to hear your answer soon.
The corpse beneath the fortress walls arrogantly raised its chin.
Looking down upon it, Arman slowly opened his mouth.
“...The Violet Brigade Commander.”
Even as he spoke, doubts about whether this was right crossed his mind several times, but.
In the end, his resolve stood firm.
“Will not be handed over.”
The reactions of the surrounding officers were mixed.
Some were relieved, and some furrowed their brows, but many did not let anything show.
The important thing was that not a single person objected to his decision as commander.
—The reason?
“Because there is no guarantee that you will keep your promise.”
Once set, there was no wavering in Arman’s voice.
“Traitor of humanity. Both in the past and this time, you trampled the Empire's cities and took the lives of countless imperial subjects. There is no negotiation with such an evil fiend.”
The corpse stared intently up at the commander.
Its parched, cracked lips slowly parted.
—Is that so.
That was all.
There was no anger over the rejection of the proposal, nor any additional negotiation.
Having heard the reply, the corpse went limp just like that and collapsed where it stood.
At the same time, a soldier shouted.
“The enemy is moving!”
“Prepare for battle!”
Simultaneously with the order, the soldiers screamed an Ak! and gripped their weapons tightly.
The corpses that had densely packed the front of the canyon fortress's gate moved in unison.
However, the direction they were heading was different from what was expected.
“T-They are all retreating!”
“...What on earth is this?”
As if without the slightest lingering regret, the corpse legion turned around and pulled all the way back.
Watching that sight, smiles appeared on the faces of several officers.
“It seems the Commander's answer was correct!”
“Since they lacked the confidence to breach this fortress in the first place, didn't they just throw out a proposal like that to test the waters?”
“An old adage also says that the finest commander is one who wins without fighting. This is a perfect victory that will go down in history!”
Looking at the harmonious and cheerful atmosphere, the Brigade Commander muttered.
“It's strange.”
“You think so too, right?”
When Oscar, who agreed with that opinion, asked back, Elder Maxim tilted his head.
“What do you mean by that? Strange?”
“Because there's no way the Death Mage would withdraw so cleanly like that.”
Even in his past life, countless commanders had faced Silgrim, and in the end, they all shuddered in disgust.
Because even on a front where he was defeated and retreating, he had never once backed down gracefully.
Watching the corpse legion draw farther and farther away, Oscar approached Arman.
“Hm? It's you. What is the matter?”
Compared to a moment ago, his expression seemed slightly relaxed.
Seeing that appearance, Oscar conveyed his thoughts without addition or subtraction.
“You must not let your guard down. It isn't over yet.”
“Look here, Master Oscar. Can you not see that?”
One officer furrowed his brows and pointed at the receding enemy army.
“As you can see, the enemies are pulling back their army without even fighting a single battle. If they intended to fight, why on earth would they withdraw their forces so far away?”
There was nothing in particular to say to that.
Because Oscar had never experienced this kind of pattern in his past life either.
However, one thing was certain.
‘If it's the Silgrim I know, there's no way in hell he would retreat like this.’
Then what was he aiming for?
Bypassing and striking the fortress from the rear?
Meaningless. Because even if one took a detour around this canyon, it would only lead to another canyon fortress.
Having sorted out his thoughts, Oscar spoke.
“I do not know that, but since the enemy is still before our eyes, it is too early to rejoice that the battle is over.”
“Mm, those are valid words.”
Arman nodded his head.
“Maintain battle readiness until the bastards completely vanish from sight.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Understood.”
Once an order fell, there was no such thing as questioning it.
It meant Arman held a tight grip over the army as a commander.
While everyone's gazes were fixed on the corpse legion, the bastards who had been continually withdrawing suddenly came to a halt.
“The enemies have stopped. The distance is a little under 2 kilometers.”
“Hmm. I cannot tell what on earth they intend to do.”
The moment he heard Arman's muttering, Oscar murmured.
“2 kilometers...?”
That number kept catching in his mind.
‘What is the reason?’
His mind raced faster than ever before for a brief moment.
Oscar's eyes widened dramatically.
“World Liberation.”
“Hm? What does that mean?”
“The radius of that bastard's World Liberation, All Deaths Return to the Sovereign, is 2 kilometers.”
As if to prove those words.
Simultaneously with the manifestation of massive demonic energy, the plains were dyed black.
Thump! Thump!
Following that, heavy sounds echoed across the plains.
What captured all eyes was a single patchwork golem sprinting across the plains.
“That is....”
“I have seen it in the reports. They said it was used in the battle of Pervache as well, did they not? That must be the golem that bundles corpses together like a ball and hurls them into the city.”
Arman raised his hand with practiced ease and commanded.
“We cannot fall for the same method. Intercept the ball of corpses that bastard throws.”
“Yes, sir!”
The archers and mages each prepared their attacks.
Thump! Thump!
Next, the golem that had dashed vigorously across the plains tilted its upper body back, then hurled the ball of corpses like a lightning bolt.
‘It's small.’
The size of the ball reflected beneath the sun was remarkably smaller than what was seen last time.
The moment he saw it, a single thought flashed across Oscar's mind like lightning.
“You must not intercept it! Push it away and make it drop!”
“What?”
However, the arrows had already left the bowstrings.
The arrows fired by the archers and the magic of the mage division struck the ball of corpses.
Under that powerful barrage, the ball of corpses was torn apart without a trace, dividing into dozens, hundreds of pieces.
“...I do not know what you were worrying about, but it seems to have been handled well.”
The moment Arman muttered while looking at the chunks of flesh scattering without being able to put up any resistance.
Hundreds of pieces of flesh and fragments of bone torn apart by being intercepted in midair fell into the interior of the fortress.
And then.
Through those meager chunks of flesh, a corpse regenerated.
In an instant, the one who stood tall in the center of everyone was an entity draped in a pitch-black robe.
—Humans are foolish.
It was Silgrim Fonerth.
Indifferently brushing past the stares of the humans with wide-open eyes, he muttered.
—Just because you stand atop a meager fortress like this, you tend to harbor the illusion that you are invincible.
A lone infiltration by an 8th-circle demon mage.
In the face of an unexpected situation, Arman yelled.
“Attack!”
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Only then did the soldiers come to their senses and hastily move.
The ones who moved first were the knights.
Fwoosh!
The swords drawn in an instant wrapped strands of fiery mana around themselves.
Though falling short of a Master's sword gang, it was sword qi capable of cutting through ordinary armor like tofu.
—Knights are also foolish.
While dozens of swords came thrusting toward his vital points.
Silgrim let out a bitter, sardonic smile.
—Do you still believe that if you close the distance with a mage, you will win?
Clack-clack-clack-clang!
Chains of demonic energy erupted from the floor and bound the charging knights.
Crack! Snap!
Next, their arms, legs, and necks were snapped in bizarre directions.
There was probably no pain.
Because those who collapsed onto the cold stone floor of the fortress died instantly, unable to even close their eyes.
Clatter.
The chains of demonic energy that had slaughtered dozens of knights in an instant wavered like tentacles around Silgrim.
—If you will not hand him over.
Looking at the Brigade Commander, Silgrim's four eyes curved gently into half-moons.
—I shall take him myself.
“Duck!”
When Oscar shouted with the veins standing out on his neck, those with good reflexes lowered their bodies immediately.
Chwaaaack!
Swung like a whip, the chains severed everything they came into contact with.
The upper and lower bodies of those who hesitated even for a brief moment separated just like that and rolled across the fortress floor.
Red blood flowed like a river, and screams erupted from all around.
“H-Hiiiek!”
“A-A demon.... It's a demon.”
In the eyes of the panic-stricken soldiers, nothing registered anymore.
The soldiers who had barely managed to pick themselves up scrambled backward.
Even while holding swords and spears, no one charged in again.
“You bastard!!!”
At that moment, a knight who bellowed so loudly the space seemed to tear apart charged forward, raising blue flames over the blade of his sword.
Kwaaaang!
Silgrim, who blocked his approach with chains, muttered softly.
—I remember you. Were you the knight I saw in Pervache?
“You demonic bastard! I will kill you with my own two hands!”
With both eyes thoroughly bloodshot, Gerud's arms swelled up enormously.
Soon, severing the chain that had bound his sword, he charged at Silgrim.
Arman did not miss the fleeting opening he had bought.
“Regular forces, take the wounded and fall back into the interior of the fortress! Protect the citizens there!”
In any case, with Silgrim having arrived here, they were of no help whatsoever.
At the truly wise command, the soldiers urgently supported the surviving comrades and moved toward the interior.
—Who gave you permission to turn your backs?
Chwaaaak!
Aiming for the fleeing soldiers, the chains whipped out once more, but.
Klang!
The 7th-circle knight, Arman, deflected it directly.
—Hmph.
Silgrim's four eyes rolled in different directions.
Before anyone knew it, he was surrounded by knights and mages of the 7th circle or higher.
—Three knights and six mages....
Looking at the Brigade Commander last, he snorted.
—And one demon, is it?
Oscar gritted his teeth, krrr-gik.
Because he was not even included in the head count the opponent had tallied.
‘Does he know that I am in a state where I cannot use magic?’
Right now, the only thing he could do was merely watch the battle.
At the sense of powerlessness felt for the first time in an exceptionally long time, his clenched fists trembled faintly.
Noticing that uncomfortable feeling, Chester and Maxim spoke up.
“A patient should stay still. We will handle that bastard on our own.”
“Do not loiter around pretending to help for no reason, go inside and stay put.”
Of course, ten 7th-circle Masters were indeed sufficient combat power to comfortably face an 8th-circle mage.
However, the opponent was no run-of-the-mill 8th circle.
A being who possessed thousands of lives.
Furthermore, to ensure his corpses were not attacked, he had pulled them all the way back to the very edge of All Deaths Return to the Sovereign's domain.
That meant that only by killing him thousands of times right in this spot could victory be achieved.
“I shall bind him!”
The mage from Pervache slammed his staff down.
Kk-crack!
The fortress rising from beneath Silgrim's feet bound his lower body as it was.
Following that, a mage from the Central Army joined in.
“I'll burn him!”
Fwoooosh!
A massive fireball fell, engulfing Silgrim's entire body in flames.
“Well done!”
Gerud, who shouted briefly, surged toward the burning Silgrim's neck.
Klaaang!
However, an armor of bone arising from the skin deflected the sword as it was.
“Kugh!”
It was a recoil severe enough to tear his grasp apart, but he endured it by gripping the sword with both hands.
“Now!”
Two additional swords dug in from the left and right.
Arman pried open a gap in the armor, and the other knight severed Silgrim's wrist.
Simultaneously, Chester's wind bore down on Silgrim's shoulders.
—Impressive.
Slash!
Before the words could even finish, Silgrim's jaw was sliced off, scattering his pronunciation.
At that moment, Gilliot, who appeared above his head, slammed his foot down as he was.
Kwaaaang!
Maxim's searing wind grazed past Silgrim, whose posture was disrupted.
Though the neck severed by a flawlessly clean coordinated strike rolled across the fortress floor, there were no cheers.
‘...This is barely just one time.’
‘Does this mean we have to wage this kind of battle thousands of times more?’
The moment an unspeakable burden took root in everyone's hearts.
Arman shouted as if to encourage them.
“Pour on the attacks! With his lower body bound, kill and obliterate him thousands of times just like this!”
“Watch your back!”
However, everyone harbored doubt at the warning from Oscar that echoed from behind.
To suddenly watch your back in such an advantageous situation?
The moment Arman looked back at him without realizing it.
Thunk!
“Ke-heok....”
A thick and sharp bone spear pierced his heart from behind.
Silgrim, who embraced Arman from behind, whispered into the ear of the man whose breath was cutting off.
—I am different from frail beings like you. I can resurrect from a single piece of bone, a single shred of flesh, even a single drop of blood.
There was no longer any meaning to Silgrim's body that the mages were restraining.
Because that was nothing more than an empty husk.
Of course, resurrecting in this manner consumed more corpses, but Silgrim did not mind in the slightest.
Because the number of remaining corpses still reached into the thousands.
—And remember.
Crunch!
Arman's neck twisted completely around, and the vitality extinguished from his pupils.
Yet his body, which ought to have collapsed, did not collapse.
—That my death and your deaths carry different weights.
Fwaaaak!
Revived as a corpse, Arman swung his sword toward the knight who had been his subordinate until just a moment ago.

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