Chapter 175: The Retreat
By listening in on the soldiers' chatter, Noah learned the names of the two powerful individuals: Ajeel and Neinhart.
He gathered that both were arrogant, battle-hungry men who had instigated this invasion on their own accord. However, because news of their approach had been leaked, their surprise attack had failed, forcing them into a standoff. They had acted without the Emperor's approval. If their blitz had succeeded and sparked a full-scale war, they could have continued their campaign. But now that they had been discovered, the situation hinged on the outcome of negotiations—and more importantly, on the Emperor's final decision.
By the time Noah had finished gathering intelligence on the Alvarez side, the envoys' tense discussion was nearing its end.
The Magic Council's representative finally played their trump card, revealing Ishgar's two ultimate strategic weapons: Etherion and Face.
Etherion was a super-dimensional destruction spell with an unpredictable blast radius, powerful enough to level an entire country and capable of striking any corner of the continent. Face, the Magic Pulse Bomb, was a weapon capable of eradicating all magic across the entire continent.
As soon as the capabilities of these two weapons were described, the Alvarez envoy's face turned pale. He hastily offered a few perfunctory words before rushing back to the flagship to report to his superiors.
Noah sensed that the two Spriggan 12 members had also moved to that ship, no doubt to discuss the new development. He could hear them arguing, debating their next move. With nothing more to learn for the moment, Noah closed his eyes and waited for their decision.
Before they could come to a conclusion, however, a command arrived directly from the Emperor of Alvarez: they were to withdraw.
The two Spriggans were clearly enraged. They both erupted with a wave of magic so powerful it blew away the clouds in the sky and sent loose objects on deck flying. Seeing their outburst, Noah became even more certain of his assessment: they were strong, but not strong enough to beat him.
But for all their anger, they still obediently carried out the Emperor's command. Without any further communication with the Council's forces, the entire Alvarez fleet turned and began to sail away.
On the shore, the Council troops erupted in cheers as they confirmed the enemy's departure. The relief was visible on every soldier's face. None of them had wanted a war, and the retreat meant the crisis was averted. The Council's envoy, assuming it was his threat that had worked, made sure to repeatedly emphasize the two strategic weapons in his report to his superiors.
However, the Council's army didn't dare to disband just yet. In case the enemy had a change of heart and returned, they would remain stationed at the coast. From what Noah overheard, they planned to stay for about a month to guard against another surprise attack. They would also be dispatching agents to investigate the incident more thoroughly.
Noah didn't leave immediately either. He waited until the Alvarez fleet was completely beyond the range of his detection. He remained on the coastline for two full days until he could no longer sense a trace of their presence. After waiting another half-day just to be certain, he finally confirmed they were gone for good.
He decided to return and report his findings to Makarov.
Appearing back at the guild via teleportation, he was instantly spotted by the master. Makarov silently set down his drink, hopped off the counter, and walked to a quiet corner. Noah quickly followed.
Once they were alone, Makarov turned to him and asked, "I heard from the Council that the Alvarez army has withdrawn. What's the full story?"
Noah recounted everything he had seen and gathered. Makarov listened intently, then lowered his head in thought. Finally, he looked up.
"So, based on what you're saying, do you think they retreated because they were afraid of our two strategic weapons?"
Noah nodded, then shook his head. "That was only part of the reason. When they learned about the weapons, their first reaction wasn't to retreat, but to argue about whether they should press the attack. Those two—the ones who are likely members of the Spriggan 12—were especially insistent on fighting. They were only stopped by the others.
"That tells us two things, neither of them good: either they don't care about casualties, or they believe they have a way to deal with those weapons. In the end, it was the Emperor's direct order that made them pull back, which at least means he can still control them. But based on my estimate of their power, they have no means of countering weapons of that scale. That just leaves one conclusion: they're warmongers who have no regard for the lives of their own men."
The power of those strategic weapons was no joke. Etherion alone could annihilate a nation; its effect on an army was unimaginable. While the two Spriggans might have the power to protect themselves, their soldiers would be defenseless. They were nothing short of war fanatics.
"And what do you think of the Spriggan 12's strength?" Makarov asked, his voice laced with concern.
Noah thought for a moment. "They're young, probably in their twenties or thirties. And they're weaker than me."
Makarov gave a wry smile. "Of course they're weaker than you. Can you give me a more concrete comparison?"
"Hmm... I'd say they're about on par with Ur."
Hearing this, Makarov's expression soured. "So they each have the power of a Ten Wizard Saint..."
"There's something else you need to consider, Gramps," Noah added. "They're still young. From what I know, the current Ten Wizard Saints are all getting on in years, and their potential for growth is limited. These guys are still in their prime. They're only going to get stronger."
Noah couldn't help but sigh. "If Ur hadn't lost all that time searching for a cure for her daughter's illness, she'd definitely be stronger than them by now. But what's past is past. I believe Ur will surpass them in the future!"
Makarov nodded, but the heavy weight of worry didn't leave his eyes. Seeing his expression, Noah spoke again.
"Gramps, if something is troubling you, you should talk about it. I might be able to help."
Makarov shook his head. "It's nothing. I just have some questions I can't quite figure out. You've done enough. Go and get some rest."
Since Makarov was unwilling to speak, Noah didn't press him. "Alright. But if you do need help, please tell me. Don't try to carry everything on your own. We all worry about you."
At this, some of the tension left Makarov's face, replaced by a warm, proud smile. "I know. If I need anything, I'll be sure to ask for your help."
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