Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Ukel, the Allied Forces officially set out, with vast crowds of commoners gathering around the army, cheering and bidding them farewell.
"Go get 'em!"
"Defeat the Demon Lord for us!"
After the Grand Duchy of Augustus signed a series of treaties with the Kingdom of Ukel and paid a substantial indemnity, the nobles, seeking to recoup their losses, naturally increased taxes and intensified their exploitation of the commoners, leading to a rapid decline in the people's living standards.
Through the nobles' propaganda, the commoners were genuinely convinced that their hardships were due to the Demon Lord, fostering deep-seated hatred for him. This, in turn, significantly enhanced the reputation of the Allied Forces and the "Hero."
Bell's Squad's seven members rode alongside the Allied Forces, watching the cheering crowds. The Sorcerer couldn't help but exclaim, "Doesn't this just get your blood pumping!"
The Wizard added, "We originally came for the reward, but honestly, if we can actually help so many people, it doesn't feel half bad, does it?"
The Sorcerer grinned. "Not just 'not bad,' it's absolutely thrilling! You're already a noble, basking in the admiration of others every day, but this is the first time I've been worshipped like this—being entrusted with such high expectations!"
As he spoke, the Sorcerer even stood on his saddle and waved to the surrounding commoners, shouting, "Don't worry! I'll crush the Demon Lord into oblivion!"
The Bard opened her Travel Book, recording the scene with a gentle smile. The commoners, brimming with hope, saw the army off with earnest blessings—what an epic moment!
Once the grand army had officially left the Kingdom of Ukel, they gradually picked up speed. Due to the immense importance of this war, all five kingdoms had dispatched their most elite forces.
For instance, the Kingdom of Ukel had sent 80,000 horse-mounted infantry and 20,000 cavalry.
Yes, horse-mounted infantry. While cavalry required specialized training, ordinary soldiers couldn't adapt to fighting on horseback. Yet, not wanting the infantry to slow down the overall advance, the kingdoms had lavishly equipped each infantryman with a horse for travel.
After about five days of marching, scouts from the Allied Forces suddenly returned with urgent news: they had spotted a large number of figures ahead, suspected to be troops from the Grand Duchy of Augustus. The enemy forces were vast, arrayed in neat square formations, fully armed and ready for battle, as if they had been waiting there for quite some time.
Upon receiving this intelligence, the Allied Forces immediately halted their advance and dispatched additional scouts to gather more information. At the same time, they ordered all infantry to dismount and begin changing into their combat gear.
Nearly all the infantry were Heavy Armored Infantry. However, they couldn't possibly ride horses while wearing their heavy armor—the horses would collapse from exhaustion. Instead, the infantry rode unarmored, with their full equipment carried in specialized wagons. They would don their armor only when necessary.
Though this method seemed cumbersome, it was the only viable option for rapid marching.
Of course, this approach had a significant drawback: if the enemy launched a surprise attack while the Heavy Armored Infantry were still changing, their combat effectiveness would be severely compromised.
A few hours later, scouts brought fresh intelligence: the enemy forces on the plains numbered approximately two hundred thousand—significantly fewer than the Allied Forces. However, their equipment was exceptionally well-maintained, making them a formidable opponent.
The Allied Forces lacked a supreme commander. Instead, the generals of the five kingdoms each commanded their own armies. As for the scattered forces sent by the minor Kalam Grand Duchies, they were evenly integrated into the five kingdoms' armies, their generals holding no command authority.
Representing the Kingdom of Green Eagle was General Montgomery, who scrutinized the map, his gaze shifting left and right. "Are the enemy trying to force a decisive battle here?" he wondered aloud. "But where did they even amass such a large army from?"
General Ukel of the Kingdom of Ukel countered, "We outnumber them! If they want a decisive battle, we'll give them one!"
Montgomery countered, "I agree a decisive battle is possible, but there's no need for all of us to engage."
The Allied Forces mustered around six hundred thousand troops. In this era, sheer numerical superiority often guaranteed victory, granting them an overwhelming advantage. With the enemy fielding only 200,000 men, deploying their entire force would be overkill.
General Ukel asked, "So what's your suggestion?"
Montgomery replied, "I propose we leave a force of 400,000 men—more than enough to defeat their 200,000 troops—and then split off 200,000 men to advance on the Demon King's City from another route!"
Montgomery pointed to a canyon on the map, the second vital passage to the Grand Duchy of Augustus. "This way, we can encircle the Demon King's City completely, leaving the enemy with no escape!"
The other four generals exchanged glances, none raising any objections. Ukel then asked, "Who will take this second route?"
Montgomery volunteered immediately, "Since I proposed the plan, I'll definitely go! We just need one more general to join me."
In truth, Montgomery's primary reason for taking the alternate route was to avoid the main battlefield and the decisive battle. While a force of 400,000 men would undoubtedly crush 200,000 enemies, the casualties could be staggering.
By leading his nation's troops through the less-traveled path, Montgomery hoped to minimize casualties and ensure the survival of his men.
In truth, before their departure, His Majesty the Green Eagle King had secretly instructed Montgomery to preserve his forces at all costs. If possible, he was to let the other nations' troops lead the charge while observing from the rear.
The reasoning was simple: the victor of a war isn't necessarily the one who contributed the most. Rather, it's the one with the strongest remaining military power after the conflict ends!
With the combined might of the world's five most powerful kingdoms and the addition of seven formidable Heroes, victory in the Demon Lord War seemed assured. The Green Eagle King had already begun strategizing for the aftermath, plotting how to maximize his kingdom's gains from the impending triumph.
Ultimately, General Tannak of the Tannak Kingdom, one of the other allied nations, agreed to collaborate with Montgomery. The two generals detached their forces from the main army and embarked on a separate route.
The remaining three generals focused on preparing for the decisive battle. During this time, Bell approached them to offer assistance, but General Ukel refused. "Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals," he declared. "Leave the fighting here to us. You Heroes should conserve your strength for the final confrontation with the Demon Lord!"
The perspective shifted to Montgomery's side. After another grueling five-day march, he and his troops finally reached the canyon marked on their map. In films and dramas, scenes often feature ambushes set among mountain cliffs, with rolling stones and archers positioned on both sides to crush enemies as they pass through.
But this terrain was a canyon, not a cliff. Sheer, ninety-degree cliffs rose on either side, making it impossible to climb, let alone set an ambush. Yet... while ambushes were impossible, the terrain was perfect for a frontal blockade.
As Montgomery approached the canyon's entrance, he narrowed his eyes. Through the narrow gap, he glimpsed a tall, vaguely familiar figure looming in the distance.
Suddenly, Montgomery's legs began to tremble uncontrollably, and he slipped right off his horse.
The nearby soldiers were stunned:
"General?! General, what's wrong?!"
"What's happening?!"
"Is it an ambush?!"
Montgomery hastily waved them off, coughing. "It's nothing, it's nothing. I just lost my footing."
Then, turning to General Tannak beside him, he said, "Brother, that big guy up ahead seems to be a high-ranking commander under the Demon Lord. He's going to be a tough nut to crack!"
General Tannak raised an eyebrow. "High-ranking commander? He's just one man, no matter how strong. We have two hundred thousand troops here—what's there to fear?"
"Look how scared you are! If you're too chicken, just wait here. I'll take him down, clear the road, and then you can pass."
With that, General Tannak led his Personal Guard into the canyon. The further he advanced, the more uneasy he felt. From a distance, he couldn't make out the figure clearly, but as he drew closer, he realized just how enormous this figure was.
The canyon was barely ten meters wide, and this behemoth standing in the middle nearly blocked the entire path.
General Tannak immediately reined in his horse, bringing it to a halt, and barked at his soldiers, "You men, go investigate!"
Though apprehensive, the soldiers spurred their horses forward under military orders. Seeing this, Tide picked up his specially crafted, enormous axe from the ground and took a step forward.
Thud!
The heavy armor crashed to the ground with a dull thud. Tide, wielding a massive axe over three meters long in one hand, swung it in a ferocious horizontal arc.
In that instant, General Tannak could feel a gale-force wind sweep across the battlefield, forcing both him and his warhorse to stagger back two steps. As for the charging cavalry?
Amidst the screech of twisting metal and the crunch of breaking bones, the riders who had charged forward at full speed were now hurtling back over General Tannak's head at the same velocity!
After being flung dozens of meters, the fully armored cavalrymen slammed into the ground like solid cannonballs. Their heavy weight caused devastating secondary casualties, shattering General Tannak's once-orderly cavalry formation into chaos.
"Aaaaaaaah!"
"My leg! It's... broken!"
"Save me!!!"
A chorus of screams erupted, sending chills down General Tannak's spine. "Retreat at once!" he barked.
He wasn't foolish enough to continue a direct assault under these circumstances. Instead, he withdrew from the canyon to regroup with his army, immediately seeking out the two accompanying wizards.
These two Wizards were nothing like the useless fools in Montgomery's army. They were Great Mages capable of casting Sixth-Level Magic!
It's worth noting that before departing, the Kingdom of Green Eagle had actually invited "Friedrich"—Jay's teacher, the Old Loli Mage—to join their forces, but she declined.
Given her formidable power, His Majesty the King couldn't force the issue. He had to settle for the next best option and recruit other Wizards instead.
Soon, the second wave of attack was ready. Tide watched the soldiers slowly advance toward him, once again hefting his Great Axe and preparing for battle.
But this time, just as he took his first step forward, the two accompanying Wizards struck first.
"Burning Hands!"
"Disintegrate!"
The former was a Fifth-Level Evocation School spell, summoning a searing ring of fire around the target, engulfing the enemy until they were completely incinerated.
As for the latter, Disintegrate needs no further explanation—a Sixth-Level Transmutation School spell that Feidric had used before. It instantly disintegrates the target into dust.
However, Disintegrate had a "disintegration limit." Normally, this spell could only disintegrate an object the size of a human. In other words, if the enemy's size far exceeded that of a "normal human," it would be impossible to disintegrate them completely.
At this moment, Tide, caught completely off guard, was forced to endure both spells head-on. Disintegrate instantly disintegrated the armor around his waist, creating a gaping, human head-sized hole in his abdomen that allowed a clear view straight through to the other side.
Tide staggered, his forward momentum abruptly halted. In the next instant, flames erupted around him, coalescing into a swirling vortex of fire.
Boom—!!
A scorching heatwave surged outward. Even General Tannak, standing far away, felt his hair about to ignite and was forced to retreat several steps further.
After a moment, General Tannak couldn't help but remark, "What's going on? Is he even human? Why isn't he making a sound?"
The instant the words left his lips, the crimson-hot Great Axe whistled through the air, arcing across the sky above their heads.
"What?!" The wizard maintaining the Burning Hands spell immediately widened his eyes. Burning Hands required intense concentration and a constant flow of Magic Power; as long as he wasn't interrupted and had sufficient Magic Power, the spell could be sustained indefinitely.
But the Great Axe plummeting from the sky was hurtling directly toward the wizard's position at blinding speed, leaving him no time to react.
BOOM—!!!
The Great Axe crashed down like a missile, blasting everyone nearby off their feet!
The Burning Hands spell was forcibly disrupted, but the wizard survived. At the last moment, thanks to the Trigger Spell he had prepared in advance—a Teleportation Magic—he vanished instantly.
A well-prepared wizard couldn't be killed so easily.
As for Tide, his armor was now glowing red-hot, pressed against his skin with a sizzling sound like roasting meat. He plunged his fingers into the molten metal and tore it from his body.
Witnessing this scene, though it deviated from his expectations, General Tannak steeled himself and roared, "Attack!!!"
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Spy-Finished 3.7... man...