"There's so many of these bastards," Ron said while taking a fighting position right beside Sengoku.
"Master Ron's right! There's far too many," Yuzu, the youngest of the six wives, added. Her usually cheerful face was drawn with worry as she gazed upon the horde of Cyclopes surrounding the castle.
Sengoku's confidence never wavered. "Don't worry, I have got the Ruler Monarch title which lets me control beings like Giants and Cyclopes as they are of lowest intelligence which Yamato probably doesn't know of as it's a trump card of mine but I'll gladly use it to rescue the elven beauty Elora."
"That'll do! Used it!" Ron exclaimed, relief evident in his voice.
Nickan felt Sengoku's body move with purposeful strides as the Dragon Lord climbed the stone steps to position himself atop the walls of Hanzo Castle. The defenders parted before him, some bowing their heads in respect, others watching with hopeful eyes.
Sengoku raised Estro skyward, the legendary blade gleaming even brighter as he channeled his power through it. "La Baraka!" he yelled.
The sky darkened instantly. Storm clouds gathered from nowhere, swirling directly above the castle. Then, with a deafening crack, bolts of lightning shot down from the heavens. The thunderbolts struck the Cyclopes one after another with unerring precision, each impact sending shockwaves through the ground.
Some of the monsters fled in terror, their massive forms surprisingly quick when motivated by fear. They trampled their own kind in their haste to escape, creating chaos in the ranks of Yamato's forces. But the stronger ones—those who had weathered countless battles—remained unmoved, continuing to hurl massive boulders at the castle walls.
"Yield now and I Sengoku the dragon lord shall spare your lives," Sengoku announced, his voice carrying across the battlefield with supernatural clarity.
The remaining Cyclopes paid no heed to his warning. Instead, they redoubled their assault, roaring challenges as they continued to launch rocks at the defenders.
Through Sengoku's eyes, Nickan saw the Dragon Lord's expression harden. Then, he felt a strange sensation—a pulse of energy that wasn't quite magical in the conventional sense. It was more primal, more fundamental, as if Sengoku were tapping into the very fabric of authority itself.
"Ruler Monarch," Sengoku murmured, and the power flowed outward.
The effect was immediate and astonishing. One by one, the Cyclopes froze mid-action. Some still had boulders raised above their heads, but they no longer hurled them. Their single eyes, previously filled with rage, now displayed a vacant submission.
With precise commands from Sengoku, they not only ceased their attack but reversed their allegiance entirely. The massive creatures turned and positioned themselves as guardians, forming a defensive line in front of Hanzo Castle's back entrance.
Sengoku sheathed his sword Estro, the danger seemingly averted in mere moments.
"How long will they obey you?" Ron asked, eyeing the docile giants with suspicion.
"As long as I'm alive," Sengoku replied. "It doesn't drain my mana or anything, just an authoritative command thanks to my special title Ruler Monarch that lets me control most of the beings."
"That's a pretty handy power, husband," Yuzu said, admiration evident in her voice.
"Yeah, but now comes the counter-attack question," Sengoku said, his mind already moving to the next phase of their strategy.
"Hmm, I'm also thinking that," Ron agreed, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Nickan, within Sengoku's consciousness, wondered what would unfold next. Unlike Sengoku's previous experiences that he had access to through their shared consciousness, this was entirely new territory. He had no idea how this situation would develop, and the uncertainty was both exciting and terrifying.
Sengoku and his companions made their way into the most spacious room in the castle, which served as the war briefing chamber. The central table was soon covered with maps and strategic charts. The map of Yangzho Castle was placed prominently in the center for discussion.
"Now that the Cyclopes are under my control, we should attack now," Sengoku declared, pointing to key areas on the map.
Ron nodded in agreement. The six wives, as was their custom, also voiced their support for whatever course of action their husband deemed wisest. With the majority of votes in Sengoku's favor, the decision was final.
Their plan was audacious but brilliant. Instead of a direct assault on Yangzho Castle, which would surely result in heavy casualties, they would infiltrate using the controlled Cyclopes as unwitting transports. Each of them positioned themselves on the back of the neck of these huge beings, concealed from casual observation, and Sengoku commanded the Cyclopes to move toward Yangzho Castle as if nothing unusual had occurred.
The journey was tense but uneventful. The massive creatures moved with surprising speed across the terrain, their long strides covering leagues that would have taken human soldiers days to traverse. As they approached the imposing gates of Yangzho Castle, Nickan felt Sengoku's focus sharpen.
"Stop!" yelled the soldiers of the dark domains as the Cyclopes neared the entrance. The guards looked wary but not immediately hostile.
One of the soldiers, adorned with distinctive armor that marked him as a general or high-ranking officer, stepped forward. "What are you guys doing here and where are the rest of ya? I thought you guys were more in numbers."
Ron's hand moved toward his sword, but Sengoku subtly signaled him to stop. Instead, the Dragon Lord employed his Ruler Monarch power again, but this time with a surprising twist. Nickan felt a shift in the energy as Sengoku not only controlled the Cyclops's actions but also granted it the ability to speak according to his will.
Through the Cyclops's gravelly voice, Sengoku declared: "We seized the Hanzo Castle and we were told to come here to report to master Yamato once we are victorious, so we are only here to do that."
The general paused, clearly considering the situation. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the Cyclopes, but whatever doubts he had were insufficient to deny them entry. "Come on in," he finally said, gesturing toward the massive gates as they began to swing open.
Before they came into view of the guards, Sengoku cast an invisibility spell over their group. The magic settled over them like a fine mist, rendering them completely undetectable to the naked eye. Now safely inside the enemy fortress, Sengoku outlined their objective.
"Find elf princess Elora within ten minutes so that we can leave," he instructed.
With efficiency born from countless battles fought together, they dispersed and took different routes to search for the captive princess. The clock was ticking—they needed to complete their mission and escape before someone noticed the irregularities in the Cyclops's behavior or questioned their presence too deeply.
Sengoku himself took what appeared to be the most dangerous path—a corridor heavily guarded with soldiers. Nickan understood the Dragon Lord's reasoning: the presence of so many guards likely indicated something valuable or someone important was being kept there.
As they ventured deeper into the fortress, Sengoku's suspicion turned to certainty. At the end of the corridor, behind multiple layers of security, was a cell with iron bars. Within sat a solitary figure, barely visible in the dim light.
Looking carefully, Sengoku confirmed it was indeed the princess they sought. The telltale elven ears were the first indication, but it was her unrivaled beauty that removed any doubt. She had long, flowing silver-white hair that shimmered even in the poor light of the dungeon. Her almond-shaped eyes were a vivid aqua-green, exuding both wisdom and kindness despite her captivity. Elegant pointed ears peeked through her silky hair, adorned with ornate golden earrings accented by small red gems.
Even in imprisonment, she maintained a regal bearing. She wore a sophisticated outfit blending black, white, and gold—regal in design, with structured shoulder guards and flowing sleeves. A golden headband rested gently atop her head, completing her noble and mystical appearance. Her expression, though cautious, displayed a quiet strength and hinted at ancient knowledge that belied her youthful appearance.
Before opening the prison gates, Sengoku silently incapacitated the four guards stationed nearby. Then he partially dispelled his invisibility spell, revealing only himself while keeping the others hidden.
"Who is it?" Princess Elora asked with an unfaltering voice, showing no fear despite the sudden appearance of a complete stranger.
"Let's first get you out of here and then the details can be spared once we are safe and away from here," Sengoku replied as he worked on unlocking her cell.
"Fine by me, my saviour!" the princess agreed readily, clearly understanding the urgency of the situation.
Sengoku extended his invisibility spell to include Princess Elora as well. Together, they moved swiftly through the corridors of Yangzho Castle, reuniting with the others at their predetermined meeting point. Each had returned with the same report—no sign of the princess in their assigned search areas—confirming that Sengoku had chosen the correct path.
With the rescued princess securely in their company, they mounted one of the controlled Cyclops for their escape. As they approached the gates, the guards called out to them, asking about their business.
Again using the Cyclops as their unwitting spokesperson, Sengoku had it explain that they were done reporting and that Yamato had ordered one of them to be stationed at Hanzo Castle before the newly posted guards arrived there.
The explanation, delivered in the simple language expected of a Cyclops, satisfied the guards, who waved them through without further questions.
As they put distance between themselves and Yangzho Castle, Nickan felt Sengoku's tension begin to ease. The mission had been a success—they had infiltrated the enemy stronghold, rescued the captive princess, and escaped without raising an alarm. It was a testament to Sengoku's strategic genius and the unique abilities at his disposal.
But Nickan despite the win-win situation could sense that this was merely the beginning. The conflict with Yamato was far from over, and the rescue of Princess Elora, while significant, was just one move in a much larger game. The coming days would bring greater challenges and more desperate battles.
For now, though, they had achieved a significant victory. They had struck a blow against Yamato without losing a single soldier, and they had secured a potentially powerful alliance with the elves.
As they journeyed back toward Hanzo Castle, Nickan wondered what Sengoku would do next.
The Dragon Lord Sengoku's mind was already working, planning their next move in this high-stakes confrontation that would determine the fate of the entire Elysium continent.