Ghislain had given Jerome a specific mission.
— They're definitely holding back part of their forces in reserve. Find them and delay their movements however you can.
This was a task Jerome was particularly suited for.
With his sight expansion magic, he could see farther than anyone, and his spatial magic allowed him to strike and retreat with ease.
Jerome traveled tirelessly to the area Ghislain had identified. It was a considerable distance, but he knew he had to locate the enemy as quickly as possible.
"Found them. They're really here."
After days of moving, Jerome finally discovered the Artrode army.
There were only so many areas that would be suitable for the Artrode Army to camp. For now, they were hiding, but eventually, they'd need to spread out.
Thanks to Ghislain's precise predictions, Jerome located them faster than expected.
"Ghislain said I need to hold up at least two locations."
He planned to cause some chaos here before quickly moving to disrupt another corps. Finding the next group wouldn't be too hard—he had seen the directions their messengers were heading.
In truth, Jerome didn't fully understand the strategic implications of this mission. That was Ghislain's expertise. His job was to execute his given task with precision.
"Alright, here goes."
He activated his sight expansion magic, and the enemy corps came clearly into view. At the very rear, he spotted someone who appeared to be their commander.
Buzz—!
The air rippled as Jerome used spatial magic to teleport directly in front of Count Bipenbelt.
Boom!
Jerome immediately released a burst of mana upon arrival, but it was blocked. As expected, this wouldn't be easy.
The old man standing in front of him exuded a powerful aura, stronger than anyone Jerome had encountered before.
Troops swarmed in from all directions, and a mana barrier was erected around the area, limiting Jerome's ability to use his full strength.
But that was fine—he hadn't come here for an all-out fight.
Buzz—!
Mana blades erupted from Jerome's hands as he grinned.
"I'll only play for a little while, I promise."
Whoosh!
Jerome darted to the side and swiftly decapitated one of the mages maintaining the mana barrier.
Simultaneously, the priests rushed toward him.
"You scoundrel!"
Clang!
Jerome parried the priests' attacks and retreated. He had no intention of fully engaging the superhumans.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
"Aargh!"
Instead, he focused on killing knights, mages, and soldiers.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Wide-area magic would have been effective, but it wasn't feasible. The enemy mages were putting all their efforts into dispelling his spells before they could activate.
'A 6th-circle mage is here. And there are quite a few skilled mages.'
Jerome could force his magic through, but the power wouldn't justify the mana expenditure. Instead, he channeled his mana internally, making it less susceptible to interference.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Jerome's martial arts skills were formidable. His mana blades cut down enemies indiscriminately, wreaking havoc among the gathered troops.
He moved so swiftly that the enemy's formation collapsed, and casualties mounted rapidly.
"Fall back! Everyone, get out of the way!"
Recognizing Jerome's intent, the priests quickly surrounded him. Superhumans needed to handle other superhumans.
Using massed troops to wear Jerome down and kill him would only deplete their forces before the real battle began.
"Tch."
Jerome clicked his tongue, frustrated by their quick response. He was forced to confront the priests directly.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Even while fighting six priests, Jerome held his ground. Gartros, observing the battle, scowled.
'This guy…'
Even with the mana barrier in place, Jerome maintained his superhuman strength. Despite their mages' best efforts, Jerome was proving formidable.
Gartros had heard reports of how Jerome had fended off the undead army of Hellnik. He had assumed it was because of wide-area attacks, typical of mages.
But Jerome's skill far exceeded expectations.
His martial prowess was uncharacteristic for a mage. The priests, less adept in combat techniques, repeatedly had their formation broken.
Boom!
Jerome exploited every gap, killing mages and knights while further weakening the mana barrier. With each mage's death, the barrier weakened, and Jerome's mana blades grew stronger.
Gartros could no longer sit back.
"You're no ordinary foe!"
Jerome's combat ability was on par with the Saintess of War, perhaps even more troublesome to deal with.
"Move aside!"
Boom!
Gartros stepped in, attacking Jerome directly. Jerome couldn't ignore the attack and raised his arm to block it.
Crash!
The clash of their energies rippled outward.
Gartros snarled, "Priests, surround him and spread out!"
His strategy was clear: Gartros would engage Jerome directly while the priests protected the allied forces.
Jerome clicked his tongue in irritation.
"You're faster than I expected. I wanted to cause more damage."
"Don't get cocky. You'll die here."
Boom!
Black energy surged from Gartros' body, overwhelming the already restricted Jerome.
"Still… why don't we play a little more?"
Jerome grinned as he swung his mana blade.
Clang!
Gartros deflected the attack and countered. The two began clashing at a blinding speed, moving too fast for the human eye to follow.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sheer force of their battle forced the surrounding troops to retreat further.
The priests joined in, attacking Jerome whenever they saw an opening.
Under these conditions, even the strongest would struggle. It was clear Jerome would die if the battle dragged on.
Realizing his mana reserves were dwindling, Jerome decided it was time to retreat.
'If I push any further, I'll be in real danger.'
He could continue fighting, but it would serve no purpose. Just as Ghislain had warned, acting recklessly would accomplish nothing.
Jerome focused his mana into a single point.
The mana barrier was wide, spreading its power thin. He planned to pierce through it sharply and escape through the gap.
'Hehe, I've been working on something new.'
The work done while locked in the mobile workshop had a great effect.
It developed the ability to concentrate without losing focus for even a moment, and the patience to repeat the same task without stopping.
'That's when I realized why Alpoi's mana management skills were so outstanding.'
It felt like he was training repeatedly in a place where time had stopped.
Now it was time to show the effects of the training.
Jerome broke through the gap in the mana field with more amazing concentration than ever.
"Blink."
Whoosh!
Through the gap, he rearranged his mana, setting coordinates for his teleportation.
As Jerome's body blurred, he began to move through space.
Thinking he had created significant distance, Jerome grinned and called out, "Well, everyone! I'll be off now. See you next time!"
Another few blinks, and he'd be out of the barrier's range. From there, he could fully teleport away.
But then…
"Huh?"
Gartros stood just a few steps ahead of him. The priests and troops still surrounded him.
Jerome had moved, but not far. His teleportation hadn't failed entirely, but his mana hadn't been perfectly arranged.
He had reappeared in the closest safe spot.
Scratching the back of his head, Jerome laughed awkwardly.
"Haha… you're good."
The mana barrier was tighter and stronger than expected. The 6th-circle mages and their colleagues had successfully disrupted Jerome's spell.
"…"
Gartros tilted his head, glaring at Jerome. The Lutania forces were always full of strange individuals like this one.
The thought of having to retreat in the face of such peculiar enemies boiled Gartros' blood.
"Kill him."
At Gartros' enraged command, the priests charged again. Gartros himself radiated murderous intent as he advanced.
"Damn it!"
Jerome abandoned the idea of teleportation and started running on foot. He had to get out of the barrier's range somehow.
"Out of my way!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Jerome continued to strike at the surrounding troops as he ran for his life. Though he had resolved to flee, Gartros's skill was overwhelming.
"You wretch!"
"Tsk!"
Boom!
When Gartros attacked from behind, Jerome was forced to turn and defend himself.
The two clashed again. Gartros relentlessly tried to kill Jerome quickly, while Jerome kept retreating, widening the distance whenever possible with Blink.
Although his Blink covered only short distances, it was enough to gradually pull him farther from the enemy formation.
But at this rate, Jerome knew escape would not be easy. If his stamina gave out, the consequences would be dire.
The unexpected salvation came from Count Bipenbelt's shouted command.
"That's enough! Fall back!"
Count Bipenbelt understood the enemy's intention. Their sole aim was to cause damage and delay their movements.
This only confirmed that his strategy was correct. The enemy was panicking, desperate to buy time.
There was no need to waste time chasing a single pest. They had to press forward as quickly as possible.
Hearing Bipenbelt's order, Gartros and the priests hesitated. Seizing the opportunity, Jerome dashed away at an incredible speed, escaping the battlefield.
"Tch."
Gartros clicked his tongue. The enemy's skill had been too great to secure a quick kill.
Though tempted to pursue and eliminate this nuisance once and for all, he knew it was too late. The enemy had already fled during their hesitation.
Seeing Gartros's frustration, Count Bipenbelt spoke calmly.
"They'll continue trying to hinder us, but such petty tactics are meaningless. It only shows how desperate they are. We must press forward without delay."
"Very well. I'll follow your lead."
Though reluctant, Gartros deferred to Bipenbelt. After all, the strategy had been proceeding smoothly, and they hadn't suffered significant losses.
Still, the 1st Corps couldn't move immediately after Jerome's departure; they needed time to regroup. The casualties, especially the mages who had been killed, were a heavy blow. Mage power was essential for occupying key positions.
Count Bipenbelt's expression turned cold.
'So, Duke Fenris… you anticipated some of this, didn't you? But you won't be able to respond in time. The other corps are already on the move.'
Jerome's interference only confirmed that the enemy was feeling pressure. Now, the outcome would depend on who moved faster.
"Let's go! Move at full speed!"
After a brief regrouping, the 1st Corps surged forward like a storm.
***
Count Gyruss, commander of the Artrode Army's 4th Corps, knew the time had come.
"So, the 1st Corps is on the move."
"Yes, my lord. You and the 2nd Corps will handle one target."
Count Gyruss nodded at the messenger's report. Whether their target was Duke Fenris or the Prince of Turian, it didn't matter. One of them would undoubtedly be there. All they had to do was kill them.
Naturally, he couldn't do it alone. No matter how strong his forces were, both Duke Fenris and the prince were far beyond the norm.
But with the 2nd Corps, it was a different story.
The commander of the 2nd Corps was none other than the Noble Knight Idun, one of the strongest warriors in the region.
Moreover, together, their two corps boasted eight priests. With that kind of strength, it would be difficult to lose even if they tried.
"Speed is key. Understood. I'll set out immediately. Tell the 2nd Corps to follow closely behind."
"Yes, sir."
In mobile warfare, sheer speed wasn't enough—it wasn't a race. The critical goal was to achieve strategic objectives before the enemy could react.
Intercepting Duke Fenris or the prince before they could regroup with their forces was paramount.
"Let's go! Move at full speed without rest!"
The 4th Corps, which had been waiting for their moment, now exploded into action. Their energy had been building, and they were eager to unleash it.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Made up entirely of cavalry, the 4th Corps charged forward with tremendous force. The 2nd Corps wouldn't be far behind.
As they rode confidently, a distant cloud of dust caught their attention. A group of soldiers was heading straight toward them.
"Hmm? What's this?"
Count Gyruss tilted his head. No allied force should have been coming from that direction.
The 2nd Corps was stationed behind them, so this mysterious force couldn't be theirs. Who were they?
"Halt!"
Wondering if there could be reinforcements from another battlefield, Count Gyruss paused to observe.
As the approaching army drew closer, his expression hardened.
They were too fast. They weren't slowing down; they were charging at breakneck speed.
As he studied them more closely, Count Gyruss's eyes widened.
"That… that army…"
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!
The force was composed entirely of heavily armored cavalry. Despite their heavy equipment, they moved with astounding speed.
There was only one army on the continent that could field such forces.
"Lu… Lutania's army?"
And not just any Lutania forces—this had to be Fenris Mobile Army, the strongest unit in their arsenal.
There was one more reason Count Gyruss was certain.
Neigh!
At the forefront was a ferocious black horse, and atop it sat a man with glowing red eyes.
"Duke Fenris!"
It was unthinkable. How could Duke Fenris suddenly appear here? He was supposed to be engaged in a pursuit far from this location.
Something had gone terribly wrong.
"Prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!"
Count Gyruss shouted as he hastily retreated to the rear of his formation. A clash was imminent.
Whoosh!
From Ghislain's spear, a bright red glow erupted. At the same time, the black steed beneath him became enveloped in the same red aura, accelerating even further.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Before long, Ghislain had outpaced even his own mobile army, charging alone toward the enemy.
The Artrode troops were thrown into confusion by the sudden encounter.
Though they were also cavalry, they had already stopped. In contrast, Ghislain and the mobile army were charging at full speed, their momentum building with every stride.
Count Gyruss shouted in panic.
"Stop him!"
Four priests sprang forward from the Artrode side.
Boom!
Ghislain, now glowing with red energy, plunged directly into the Artrode formation.
[T/L: I need your support, dear readers. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]