A moment of silence passed. It was an unbelievable piece of news.
Through spies, they had already grasped how the allied forces were moving. It had also been confirmed that the pursuit units had begun moving after communication from some corps had been cut off.
Thus, the 2nd Corps was on its way to the final objective.
But now, they were hearing that the 4th Corps had been annihilated? Who on earth had they fought against?
"The 4th Corps… why?"
Idun muttered, a perplexed expression on his face.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't understand how the 4th Corps had been attacked. As far as he knew, the allied forces didn't have any additional troops to spare.
If they had moved separately from the beginning, they would have lost critical supply routes and key points. After all, the 1st Corps was advancing as well.
There was no way Duke Fenris would act so recklessly.
"Did reinforcements already arrive? Let's hurry and check it out!"
For now, he needed to see the situation for himself. Idun and the 2nd Corps increased their pace.
Dudududu!
There was no time to conserve their strength. They truly began running at full speed.
When they arrived at the battlefield, every one of them was struck with shock.
"They've really… been annihilated…"
Idun dismounted, looking around the area with a bewildered expression.
Not a single person had survived. That the 4th Corps, which had four superhumans, could be wiped out so easily was unthinkable.
The enemy had thoroughly ravaged the 4th Corps. Even just looking at the traces, it was clear.
With a grim expression, Idun knelt and touched the soil. It was something he would never normally do, but the situation was dire.
After touching the dirt several times, he surveyed the area again.
"Magic was cast here, from the rear rather than the front… Did they pierce the mana field and block their escape?"
The 4th Corps had slightly fewer and less skilled mages compared to the 2nd Corps. But they should have been capable of fending off most magic attacks.
For the mana field to have been breached meant there was a mage of an extraordinary level involved.
"There's at least a 7th-circle mage. And there must have been several other high-level mages supporting them."
Even a 7th-circle mage couldn't face an entire corps alone. They must have had skilled allies assisting them.
Idun's sharp gaze scanned the corpses one by one.
They all lay scattered with wounds across their bodies. Even in death, their faces were etched with terror.
Seeing this, Idun furrowed his brow.
"They were overwhelmingly outmatched. They couldn't even resist properly. And this wasn't terrain suitable for an ambush…"
The strength of the enemy was immediately apparent.
As Idun slowly observed, he found the bodies of the priests who had fallen up ahead.
He examined the chaotic footprints and hoof marks on the ground.
"One person, just one. They fought all the priests alone, on horseback."
The person was an exceptional combatant. Fighting superhumans while on horseback was no small feat.
Of course, Idun himself could do it. But to protect the horse would require consuming more mana.
It was not easy to move, as the horse had to keep up with the movements of superhumans who lived in another realm of time.
Despite that, this individual had succeeded.
"They've reached the pinnacle of skill. Such a person exists in the allied forces?"
It wasn't the saintess. Those who fell to the saintess didn't leave behind intact corpses.
While other superhumans were formidable, none of them, as far as Idun knew, were this skilled.
That left only two possibilities.
"Duke Fenris… or the Prince of Turian…"
He was on his way to confront one of the two. Somehow, one of them had arrived here first.
Idun closed his eyes. In his mind, the battle began to take shape.
'A mage.'
A 7th-circle mage who surpassed their own mages—Vanessa. If it was her, it made sense.
She had created miracles time and again, delivering decisive victories for the Fenris forces.
'Unbelievable breakthrough power.'
The frontlines had clearly been torn apart completely. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the enemy had overwhelmed their cavalry.
The only unit in the allied forces capable of such a breakthrough was the Fenris Mobile Army.
And the traces of a battle against four priests.
A fight waged with a spear—one marked by tremendous destructive power and extraordinary skill.
The Prince of Turian used only a sword. And he didn't fight in such a rough, devastating manner.
Only one person in the allied forces wielded any weapon freely, creating terror on the battlefield with overwhelming power.
Idun opened his eyes. A cruel smile spread across his lips.
"Duke Fenris, so it was you."
The initial shock turned to rage, and that rage quickly transformed into joy.
It was the person he most wanted to kill. Taking down that man would elevate Idun to perfection.
He had longed for this moment, and as if by fate, the heavens had granted him this opportunity.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
Idun laughed heartily and mounted his white horse.
To him, the 4th Corps had only been a pawn to weaken the enemy forces. Losing them didn't matter.
Instead, he could throw all his forces here and cut down Duke Fenris himself. That would end the war.
Killing him would bring Idun both fame and the conclusion of the war.
Being a hero aligned with the Holy Order was irrelevant to him.
"History only remembers the victors."
The resentment of the people would be fleeting. In the new world created by the Church of Salvation, Idun would be celebrated as a hero.
After all, strength was the sole value that maintained order in this world.
"Let's go. Duke Fenris will be waiting for us just ahead."
Idun was certain. Duke Fenris would be waiting for him.
It was fate.
Clop, clop.
The pristine white horse elegantly led the way. Behind him, the forces of the 2nd Corps followed.
They no longer rushed. They moved at a moderate pace to conserve energy.
When night fell, they even rested. They needed to recover their strength before the fight.
Idun didn't act hastily. Knowing they would meet anyway, what was the need to hurry?
As he expected, when morning came and they had traveled a good distance, they encountered an army camped on a vast plain.
"So, you were here after all."
Idun smiled. He was a man chosen by the heavens.
The heavens had prepared this stage just for him, even creating an atmosphere of crisis after his allies were annihilated.
How could he not feel elated?
Idun swept his hair back and moved forward. Someone on the other side also stepped forward.
Slowly, both on horseback, they met in the middle.
"Duke Fenris."
It was a face Idun had seen many times in portraits. As expected, it was indeed Duke Fenris.
Ghislain also smiled as he spoke.
"Idun, it's been a long time."
"Oh, you know me? You must've gotten your hands on a portrait of me."
Though Idun had made notable achievements in recent wars, his fame still fell short of Ghislain's.
Hearing that Duke Fenris recognized him immediately, Idun felt pleased. Then, he suddenly realized something odd.
"But a long time… Have we met before? I don't remember that."
"Oh, we've met many times."
Ghislain grinned ominously. The two had been among the Continent's Seven Strongest in their past lives, fighting as part of the Human Alliance.
They had often clashed and kept each other in check.
It was a tenuous relationship—neither friends nor outright enemies, merely comrades who couldn't see eye to eye.
But that relationship had been completely shattered in the final battle.
Idun had been one of the masterminds who threw the continent into chaos and an enemy who had obstructed Ghislain's vengeance.
Closing his eyes, Ghislain spoke in a calm voice.
"I have not forgotten you."
The cold sensation of his neck being severed was still fresh in his memory.
The day his vision turned red with blood.
How much he regretted, how much he yearned, how bitter he had been.
Dying before he could complete his revenge had been a torment.
Thus, Ghislain could never forget that day. He could never forget Idun from that day.
As he was being beheaded, Jerome's words came to mind.
— They say there's talk of reincarnation.
Yes, that's what he'd said. Because of those words, even as he died, Ghislain vowed revenge.
If he were to be reborn.
If such a miracle were to happen.
Flash.
Ghislain opened his eyes. A red glow burned brightly in them.
"I swore I'd tear you to shreds."
A massive, heavy aura radiated from Ghislain's body, filled with endless killing intent and hatred.
Idun narrowed his eyes as he glared at Ghislain. The man's words and gaze reflected a grudge that Idun couldn't comprehend.
"It seems there's something I don't know… But, it doesn't matter."
This was war. And that man was the enemy. It was possible someone Idun had killed was connected to Duke Fenris.
There was no point worrying about such things.
Besides, Idun planned to wrong Duke Fenris himself soon enough.
He would kill him and utterly crush Lutania.
"Bearing a grudge in advance isn't the worst idea."
Clop.
Idun moved slowly, guiding his horse. Ghislain matched his pace.
The elegant and majestic white horse contrasted sharply with the ferocious and wild energy radiating from the black horse.
The two circled each other for a moment, glaring as they moved around the field.
Ghislain slowly spoke.
"How about it? Shall the two of us settle this here and now?"
At those words, Idun fell into brief contemplation.
He didn't think he would lose. However, Duke Fenris's power, as demonstrated so far, was not to be underestimated.
Winning a duel here would surely earn him even greater fame. It was an enticing proposal.
'No, no. He looks rough, but he's surprisingly cunning. Who knows what tricks he's hiding?'
The very fact that Duke Fenris had shown up here was proof of that.
Something strange was happening in the war. Count Bipenbelt's strategy seemed to have gone awry.
If Duke Fenris had appeared here, Idun couldn't be sure what had happened elsewhere.
There's no need for me to take unnecessary risks. That guy must have something up his sleeve if he's so confident.
Because Idun himself often relied on schemes, he was naturally suspicious of others. He didn't enjoy being the first to engage in battle.
"I'll decline. This isn't a personal fight; it's a war, after all. A duel… I'll grant you that if you survive."
With those words, Idun turned his horse around. He planned to exhaust Duke Fenris's forces by sending in his army first.
After all, the 2nd Corps had no less than four priests.
Ghislain chuckled.
"Very well, have it your way."
In his past life, they had never truly settled things. Too many interruptions had gotten in the way.
For that reason, Ghislain intended to fight Idun one-on-one this time.
Of course, he had expected Idun to refuse for now. That man, contrary to appearances, was incredibly devious.
Just as he had in the past life, Idun would use his allies to weaken Ghislain's strength before engaging himself.
Turning his horse as well, Ghislain muttered to himself.
"I'm curious to see how his expression will change."
Idun had no idea how much Ghislain had prepared to confront him.
Both men returned to their respective camps. It was time for an all-out battle.
Once back, Idun quickly issued commands.
"Our numbers are slightly greater, but we cannot underestimate the enemy's strength. Fight as if you're prepared to die."
Since both sides were composed entirely of cavalry, their strategic options were limited.
Idun's forces numbered 30,000, while the Fenris Mobile Army had 20,000. They had the advantage in numbers, but their equipment was inferior.
"Spread out as wide as possible. That way, we can encircle them during the charge."
Duke Fenris had chosen an excellent position. The open plain was perfect for cavalry to spread out and clash.
The enemy had likely chosen this battlefield to prioritize mobility.
Idun's orders came rapidly.
"There's a 7th-circle mage among the enemy. Don't worry about anything else; focus all your attention on dispelling their magic. If you have to, use your life force. If their magic hits, we're finished."
They also had 6th-circle mages and skilled mages on their side. While difficult, they could hold out long enough to win if they pushed their abilities to the limit.
"Arbiters, do not act rashly. Stay back until Duke Fenris moves; then take him on."
Idun continued to issue detailed orders.
However, neither he nor the Silver Knight Order took on specific assignments. They simply waited.
Both armies began to move slowly.
The Artrode Army had positioned only cavalry at the front, leaving the knights in reserve.
Idun extended his hand with a smile.
"Charge. Spare no lives; crush the enemy entirely."
Dudududu!
The Artrode Army began to pick up speed, charging forward. Soon, the Fenris Mobile Army also began to charge.
Both sides stretched their formations long. The Artrode Army needed to attempt an encirclement to compensate for their inferior combat power.
The Fenris Mobile Army mirrored them, charging in an equally extended formation.
Seeing this, Idun's eyes gleamed.
"Hehe, trying to avoid being encircled? That won't be so easy. We've got far more numbers."
If equal numbers clashed at the front, the rest could easily flank the enemy. But spreading out to prevent this would weaken their frontlines.
If that happened, they could overcome their equipment disadvantage and annihilate the enemy.
Of course, their own forces would likely be decimated too, but that was a sacrifice Idun was willing to make to destroy the Mobile Army.
"Kill them all. Leave no one alive."
As long as the enemy forces were reduced, he, the Silver Knight Order, and the priests could wipe out the remainder.
Even if the Silver Knight Order and the priests died exhausting Duke Fenris and the 7th-circle mage, it didn't matter.
The grand finale would be his.
That was Idun's plan.
Dudududu!
As tens of thousands of cavalry charged simultaneously, the ground shook like an earthquake.
As the distance between them closed, an overwhelming momentum filled the air. Neither side showed any sign of retreat.
Dudududu!
The Artrode Army gripped their lances tightly.
The Fenris Mobile Army was famous for their charges. Their destructive power would undoubtedly be immense. The Artrode Army needed to endure it and then pierce through in return.
As their wide formations caused the gaps between enemy troops to grow, they saw opportunities to break through. After all, they were the elite of the elite, seasoned by countless battles.
Dudududu!
The thunderous sound of hoofbeats grew closer. The Artrode Army could now only hear their own ragged breathing.
Their hearts pounded as if about to burst. The sunlight glinting off their lance tips aimed at the approaching enemy.
Dudududu!
Suddenly, a deafening silence seemed to envelop the battlefield. It felt as though time itself had slowed.
Just a little closer. A little more, and they would collide.
As the two charging armies closed in like storms about to collide—
Ziiing—!
The shafts of the Fenris Mobile Army's lances began to glow with a crimson light, swiftly traveling up to their tips.
Thunk!
With a dull sound, something burst forth from the glowing red spearheads.
Idun, watching this, unconsciously let his mouth fall open.
Fwoooooosh!
Over ten thousand fireballs erupted from the Fenris Mobile Army's lances, hurtling toward the charging Artrode Army.
[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 ]