Uuuung-
Earl Ofern pulled out a completed Aura from the start.
A power capable of destroying the city walls—that was Aura!
It was powerful, but the consumed Mana was considerable. That’s why even Aura Masters couldn’t use Aura easily—
Because if a battle dragged on, they wouldn’t be able to use Aura when needed.
But.
Earl Ofern easily solved that flaw.
Mana flowed endlessly from his armor. At the same time, the Mana heading toward Earl Ofern entered through his meridian points and filled the lacking Aura.
‘It’s vast.’
A quantity of Mana so immense that even Earl Ofern, an Aura Master, felt it was vast! Not only in the sword personally crafted by Rayrn, but also in the armor.
-It will be far better than a shallow buff spell for an Aura Master.
The armor, inscribed with a formation to cram in massive amounts of magical power and gather Mana on its own, enveloped Earl Ofern’s entire body with more Mana than an Aura Master.
In itself.
Kiiik!
“Insignificant……..”
Kwaddeudeuk-
Earl Ofern could continuously unleash Aura and cut down Servants.
Sweeek! Kwaduk!
One, two. Every time Earl Ofern swung his sword, they were sliced and fell.
Kieeek!
The number of Servants increased instantly.
“There! Block it!”
“It’s almost! Go quickly!”
Thanks to Earl Ofern’s feats, the Duke’s Household of Jiseoteu became rather delighted. To them, Servants were weapons that could be produced somehow.
The resources and manpower consumed each time they made one were considerable.
But if they could use those weapons to trap an Aura Master, it was a profit!
“He’ll run out of strength soon!”
Wasn’t Earl Ofern using Aura continuously, unlike usual?
Normally, by this point, Earl Ofern would have retreated.
Jiseoteu’s strategists were waiting for this moment.
When Earl Ofern’s Aura was low! When he had no more strength to retreat!
They saw that as the chance to kill the head of House Ofern, the Earl.
Kiiik!
Thus they sent out Servants without reserve.
The strategists calculated ceaselessly.
They wanted to isolate Earl Ofern.
The biggest prey was Earl Ofern!
If they caught him, the head, the battle was over. So they endlessly consumed soldiers.
“Send! Keep sending!”
“We must catch him! Trap his rear!”
“What are the knights doing? Block House Ofern’s knights immediately!”
Additionally,
“Kuaaaak!”
“We’re dying! What is our side doing!”
While the Servants caught Earl Ofern, the remaining Jiseoteu soldiers poured toward House Ofern’s knights and soldiers.
“Push in more!”
No matter the sacrifice.
As long as they could prevent him from helping Earl Ofern.
If they did that, they would kill the exhausted Earl Ofern after he killed the Servants.
Simple, but there was no method as effective.
“How much longer?”
“He’s flying more than expected, but I think it’s soon.”
The strategists’ preparations were perfect.
The power Earl Ofern normally exerted. Plus thirty percent.
“Soon! Soon!”
No matter how much he hid his full strength, an Aura Master was still human. He couldn’t help but tire.
Soon. The time came.
“Now! There’s almost no error in calculations!”
“By now, even an Aura Master must be struggling.”
The Aura stream of Earl Ofern, who had destroyed dozens of Servant entities, was now thinning.
The time was now.
“If he runs out of strength, he can retreat!”
“So hurry!”
The strategists urgently moved the flags.
The complex movements of the flags created a complicated shape themselves.
But what the strategists wanted was simple.
Advance!
Kill Earl Ofern, isolated alone!
‘Wasn’t that enough?’
“Now!”
“Charge!”
The Apotem Knight Order of Duke Jiseoteu took the lead. Following Apotem, even Meson.
The two knight orders that had been conserving their power were now rushing at Earl Ofern!
Kuuung, kung.
They rode armored horses, raised with the best support of Duke Jiseoteu.
They were by no means weak.
“Stab!”
Those carrying lances charged at the forefront. The moment they nearly reached Earl Ofern, they were convinced.
‘He’s tired.’
‘Now. Now is the time!’
They could kill him!
Earl Ofern, who had been endlessly cutting down Jiseoteu soldiers and knights! If they just killed him, this battle was over.
Not only House Owen but also House Ofern would fall under the name of Jiseoteu!
When that time came!
‘Wouldn’t the knight who took down Earl Ofern become the greatest knight within Jiseoteu?’
Because he was a knight who killed an Aura Master!
It had to be honorable.
Kwaddeudeuk-
The lances that tore through the air were fierce.
But.
“……Foolish.”
“Eh!?”
What was this momentum from Earl Ofern, who should have been the most exhausted? Instead of being tired.
‘He’s fine!?’
His momentum was even greater than before the battle.
“I’ll kill you efficiently.”
Earl Ofern, who showed benevolence to allies and cruelty to enemies, did not hold back.
Gooooo–
He drew out a massive Aura.
Kwaddeudeudeuk-
In an instant, he swept horizontally.
Lances, armored horses, knights. Nothing was spared.
The knights who had been charging valiantly toward him were cut down in an instant.
“Uh, uh!?”
It’s said that when you’re too surprised, your body freezes.
The knights who had rushed for the honor of killing Earl Ofern stopped.
Hiiing-
The warhorses, instinctively seeking survival, stopped on their own. Even a charging warhorse stopping on its own!
***
After cutting down over a dozen in one go.
“Aren’t you coming?”
Earl Ofern showed no signs of fatigue.
But. Sometimes, people think irrationally positively.
“Bluff! He must be tired!”
And sometimes, they deny reality.
“Now! We must kill him!”
They believed Earl Ofern was putting on a bluff.
So.
“Charge!”
They threw themselves at Earl Ofern.
Kwaduk
Even as their bodies were split in two from the charge, they saw it as an opportunity.
“If the warhorses instinctively cower and won’t move!”
“Let’s go!”
“We must cut him down!”
They dismounted and ran.
Uuuung-
The ones moving with Aura powered up charged with great momentum.
‘Now is the time!’
They thought they could kill him now. But Earl Ofern…
All.
He was neither scared nor tired.
As known as the Silent Knight. Without any words, he just empowered his sword and cut.
Ssuaaang-
Whenever his sword swung, knights fell dead.
“Kuaaaaak!”
Those who had trained with swords for decades, or at least over a decade, becoming knights.
“Keok.”
They were sliced and lost their lives.
“How, how!”
Watching from afar, the strategists could only gasp in shock.
‘……Hmm.’
Even Duke Jiseoteu, who had approved the plan, had to swallow a groan. That was how overwhelming the situation was.
The Earl was a monster that did not tire.
Gooooo-
Aura flowed endlessly, protecting his entire body.
Peok!
“Uh!? Aura!?”
He was a Killing Demon who protected himself with Aura and killed knights.
“Ret, retreat!”
“Retreat quickly!”
The strategists shouted urgently, but the situation had already turned to House Ofern.
Kuuung!
As if waiting for this moment, Earl Ofern in the distance stomped his foot.
That was the signal.
“All knights! Full power!”
“Full power!”
Uuuuuung-
Revealing the power of the Aura Cultivation Method without restraint, House Ofern’s knights began to charge.
Paaaak!
They cut down enemies and soldiers without pause.
“Were they hiding it?!”
As Duke Jiseoteu said.
They had just now revealed their full power. The power they had been hiding!
House Ofern had been the first to show the power they had saved for future plans.
‘Heh. What change of heart? Hmm…’
Duke Jiseoteu had inwardly thought he would benefit from this war.
To him, the sudden change of Earl Ofern in showing his full power was not pleasing but rather baffling.
But since House Ofern had come out with full power, even he had no leeway to hold back.
Because the Ofern that Duke Jiseoteu had experienced was a power that was neither weak nor to be underestimated!
“I will go myself. In the meantime, deploy additional Servants.”
“……!”
“Move the dead Servants to the rear. Request more support from the northern soldiers!”
“I shall obey!”
Duke Jiseoteu stepped forward again.
“Ofern!”
Toward Earl Ofern, who was ceaselessly cutting down Jiseoteu forces.
“Come!”
In response, Earl Ofern empowered his sword without hesitation.
‘I’ll catch you spectacularly.’
As Rayrn said.
Spectacularly.
So that Jiseoteu dare not pay attention to other matters with Earl Ofern before them!
He was going to set the stage.
So that his son Rayrn could run wild as much as he wanted!
“…….I’ll cut you down.”
Kwaaang!
The two giants clashed again.
Having received Earl Ofern’s reply, Rayrn moved quickly.
He immediately gathered available forces.
The soldiers who had been busy training rushed over as soon as Rayrn’s call came.
Three thousand soldiers, two thousand mercenaries, one thousand Iron Fist.
Even counting only the soldiers, there were six thousand whom he had equipped with at least one magical weapon each.
‘Good.’
The momentum emanating from the six thousand was not something even Rayrn could take lightly.
Whether the opponent was strong or overwhelming in numbers. They had been trained to handle either side.
They were Rayrn’s limbs and at the same time,
‘Those I must protect.’
They were people who should not die easily.
Rayrn had no intention of letting them die. Even if they fought, he planned to achieve maximum results with minimal sacrifice.
‘That’s why I need to move first.’
Killing enemies with overwhelming power was his way.
That was why the command of the gathered forces fell to someone else, not Rayrn.
“Gajei will take charge of the march. I’ll attach several adjutants to you, so there should be no problems.”
“I will do my best.”
It was Gajei.
“Yes. That’s enough.”
“Yes!”
At Gajei’s words, Rayrn nodded.
Gajei retreated with loyal eyes, showing no wavering. Though it was his first time taking on such a role, he looked confident.
Gajei never overestimated himself, so he would manage well on his own.
“Then see you at the place we discussed earlier.”
“Understood! Everyone, advance!”
Rayrn remained in place.
Cheeok, cheok.
The moving soldiers showed no wavering, just like Gajei who led the front. They were strong troops, honed through many real battles and training.
Rayrn watched until they all departed, then looked at the mages who had been waiting with him.
“Now, shall we go too?”
“We’re ready on this side too.”
“I’ve been waiting for that.”
Including Ruan, only three mages remained.
Among the top mages who had followed the soldiers, none could match their skill.
A considerable magical power remained.
They.
“Then let’s go.”
Began to move separately, following Rayrn.
‘Let’s get this started for real.’