Regressor of the Fallen Family Chapter 134
The first sign of trouble occurred when a porter, passing behind Hammer, suddenly staggered and spilled a heap of straw in Hammer’s direction.
“Eek…!”
In a flash, Hammer’s alarmed shout, a bright flash, and Ronian’s fist entangled. The porter, who had attempted to stab Hammer with a dagger hidden in the straw, fell lifeless, the light fading from his eyes.
“Ugh, spit. What’s this? Look where you’re going… huh?”
“Young man seems to have overexerted himself. We should take him to an inn.”
Ronian, significantly younger than the fallen porter, grabbed the unconscious man by the nape and hoisted him up. Confused, Hammer tilted his head, feeling uneasy.
“The young lord is so…”
“Such a noble act…”
“He will surely be blessed.”
The locals watched in admiration, a dramatic change from the first day when Ronian’s identity as the second prince was revealed, and everyone had prostrated, bringing the market to a standstill. Meanwhile, Ronian, amidst the murmurs, subtly sensed the ‘foes’ watching him and faintly smiled. When they saw their comrade subdued, they immediately ceased their movements.
‘They seem flustered.’
An ambush by a knight-level or higher force user, capable of easily toppling even superior foes, would have been a shock to them.
‘But they can’t just stand still.’
Having captured one, Ronian knew the others would likely continue their assault. He walked leisurely, carrying his prisoner, prompting the hidden presences to start moving again.
“Young lord. That man earlier felt a bit off…”
“You’re imagining things.”
As Hammer expressed his confusion, Ronian, ignoring his friend’s dull or perhaps sensitive intuition, focused on the movements of those hiding their force.
‘How dare they plot in our territory. They won’t get away with this.’
Even if the others retreated, Ronian could identify their origin from the one he captured. But capturing more was always better.
‘If they move so openly…’
As he thought this, a new commotion started in the market.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“Watch where you’re going!”
The newly arrived assailants were bolder than the first. A giant, a head taller than Ronian, strode forward and blocked the view between Ronian and Hammer. Simultaneously, a street vendor attacking Hammer with a skewer twisted it towards his neck. At that moment, a streak of twilight light flashed from Ronian’s hand, piercing the giant’s back, skewering the attacking skewer, and even penetrating the disguised assassin’s right shoulder.
Ronian’s recently mastered Iron Splitting Strike caused chaos in the market.
“No one’s dead yet.”
Ronian grimaced at the dispersing crowd and struck the back of the giant’s neck, who was stunned by the impact.
As the giant collapsed, an assassin, gritting his teeth, drew a dagger and charged at Hammer. Ronian rushed in, knocked the knife away, and struck the assassin’s jaw with his palm, rendering him unconscious. At that moment, two force users wielding glowing red daggers attacked simultaneously, targeting Hammer.
‘Intermediate level!’
Ronian sensed their murderous intent, blatantly exposed. Hammer’s face paled as he staggered back.
Unable to risk capturing two enemies of equal strength alive, Ronian shouted, “Taa!”
From his waist, the sword Mane emitted four layers of orange force waves.
Although Ronian tried to control the shockwave to avoid harming Hammer, the perfect control of the Sword Art Vision was beyond him. Ignoring the fainting Hammer, he focused on the more immediate threats.
“White-robed merchant! Grey staff! Chase them!”
Ronian shouted to the surrounding McLaine knights, but a distant explosion changed his expression.
“The workshop!? Damn it!”
He picked up the unconscious Hammer and ran towards the explosion.
By the time Ronian and the knights arrived at the workshop, it was all over.
“I’m sorry. Eir, Namor, Tevrn have been kidnapped. We defended the material storage, but a high-grade force user intervened…”
Thompson, a intermediate-grade knight, coughed up blood, his face pale.
“It’s okay. We did what we could.”
“Exposed to a barrage of crossbow bolts without armor, the perpetrator won’t escape unscathed.”
“Right.”
As Ronian remained stern, Thompson hesitated to mention recognizing the attacker’s face. It wasn’t certain.
In Thompson’s stead, a subordinate stepped forward.
“Defending the Libertatio’s material storage was young lord Logan’s order. It’s not solely Knight Thompson’s fault.”
“I know.”
Ronian’s icy response silenced the gathered knights.
“The problem is, despite our anticipation and defenses, we were still outmaneuvered. How do I explain this to my brother…”
Ronian murmured to himself, his rare display of anger creating more pressure than shouting.
“Can the kidnapped dwarves make the items?”
After a long silence, Tamer gasped in shock at Ronian’s question.
“If you mean the repeating crossbows, possibly. But for Libertatio, they may have guessed some materials but not the mixing method.”
“Are you sure?”
“Sure, I am!”
Tamer swallowed, seeing the faint madness in Ronian’s red eyes.
Ronian bit his lip, recalling his brother’s words, and then gave orders to intensify the workshop’s defenses and focus security in the town, especially there.
“Interrogate the captured assassins. Find out who they belong to, who sent them. Then, grind them and burn them alive! Let them regret messing with McLaine even in their dying breath.”
Ronian’s grim command made everyone tremble.
Despite the successful defense, the pressure of the situation weighed heavily on Ronian.
“Don’t let your guard down with these demonic seeds.”
These words of the unconscious workshop manager, Hammer, echoed in Tamer’s mind, strengthening his resolve not to engage in any trickery or defiance.
Unfortunately for Ronian, there was no time to interrogate the captured assassins due to an emergency message from the main forces on the battlefield. The entirety of McLaine Town was on high alert.
“Enemy forces under Marquis Kaihl, led by Lords Grey and Morgan, are advancing towards McLaine Castle.”
This information was relayed by scouts from the eastern side of the castle.
“An attack from both inside and outside, then. These bastards…”
Ronian’s eyes blazed with anger.
“All knights, assemble. All militia, assemble. We’ll smash the invaders surrounding McLaine Castle!”
A state of emergency was declared throughout the territory as war’s sparks had landed on the McLaine lands, whose main forces were engaged on the central front.
“Hmm, there should be hardly any knights to contend with. This will be easy.”
Chris Morgan enthusiastically agreed with Joe Grey’s words.
The armies of the two lords were previously engaged in a standoff with Count Ersen’s forces under Prince Walter’s faction on the central front. Despite their titles, their forces were significantly inferior. As neither was part of the main force clashing on the central front, the faction leaders considered them mere sentinels watching over the northern and southern fronts.
Then, a sudden command came in: “Abandon the standoff and strike McLaine.”
Although specific demands were attached, those were to be addressed after securing the territory. Assurances were given that they need not worry about Count Ersen’s forces should they exploit their absence to push forward.
Thus, they eagerly marched southward. Even if their title exceeded their might, their combined forces were nearly eighty knights and close to two thousand soldiers – a considerable threat to a barony missing its main army.
However, as they approached McLaine Castle and entered the open fields, they were confronted by an immense army, seemingly endless in number.
“What is all this…?!”
“Looks like over ten thousand…”
The two lords were momentarily panicked, but relief washed over them as they noticed the approaching army’s equipment. Most soldiers were armed only with small crossbows and shabby armor.
“These are just conscripts! Ha, how irresponsible. Just as one would expect of the McLaine. Prepare for battle! Don’t be intimidated! They’re just a rabble!”
Joe Grey tried to boost morale, but both he and Chris Morgan felt an unease they couldn’t shake off.
“Surely those crossbows aren’t ‘those’, right?”
“McLaine wouldn’t be insane enough to arm mere conscripts with weapons capable of killing knights. And even if it’s a crossbow, it requires considerable training. It’s just a bluff to intimidate us.”
Nevertheless, they couldn’t fully dispel the nagging doubt and decided to play their hand.
“Knights, raise your prepared shields!”
“They’re just conscripts! Don’t be tense, crush them!”
They pointed to hundreds of well-equipped soldiers and dozens of knights in flame-emblazoned armor. In their logic, defeating this regular force would inevitably lead to victory.
But as their knightly battalion began to advance, a dense barrage of black quarrels shattered their expectations.
“Ugh!”
The sky darkened under the relentless volley of crossbow bolts. Knights with iron kite shields barely withstood the onslaught, but their horses were already downed, transformed into porcupines.
The repeating crossbow barrage was more horrific than rumored.
“Hold on! Keep advancing!”
Joe Grey, realizing the madness of his command, clenched his teeth and turned back, only to confirm that the madman was indeed his liege. Reluctantly, he ordered the advance.
As they progressed, hope glimmered – perhaps they could break through. But as the crossbow fire ceased, a young man with red hair and eyes, emitting a sunset-like force, appeared, hurling blazing stones.
“Magic explo…!!”
Before Jayden could fully comprehend, he was engulfed in flames. Too late to realize, his head was swiftly severed by the young warrior’s sword.
“Destroy them all!”
The decisive command echoed across the battlefield.
“The invaders have been annihilated, brother.”
“…Well done.”
Ronian, however, regretted the dwarves’ kidnapping.
“It’s not your fault. We strengthened our defenses, that’s what matters. As for the captives…”
The captured assassins had all committed suicide, a failure Ronian bitterly acknowledged.
Seeing Ronian’s darkening mood, Logan shifted the topic.
“What about the militia? Any issues?”
“Their morale is high, thanks to no casualties. The battle has even increased training volunteers.”
“Good. Train them thoroughly. In the worst case…”
Logan’s voice trailed off, and Ronian’s expression hardened.
“I’ll prepare thoroughly, leaving no room for disappointment.”
“Ronian, you’ve never disappointed me. Stop saying that.”
Ronian insisted on meticulous preparation, determined to prove himself.
With their conversation ending, Logan’s father, Patrick, expressed concern about their daring plan.
“Are you really going to do it?”
“Yes. We can’t let this war drag on.”
Despite the risks, Logan was resolute, determined to force the Duke’s hand.
“Alright. If you say so.”
As Logan looked towards the central pavilion, he pondered the upcoming proposal that could turn the tide of this stagnant war.