The Duke's Eldest Son Escaped to the Military

The Duke’s Eldest Son Escaped to the Military (145)

Translator: ChubbyCheeks

49 Chaos and Confusion in the Center (4)

The Death Corps that kept them in check had now begun to move.

The moment the moon rose in the sky and darkness engulfed the land, death energy began to seep out under the cover of the shadows and darkness. 

Vwooooooong!

“The Death Corps is moving!” 

“The reinforcements?” 

“Th… The warp gate is blocked. They have to come down directly. I believe it’s going to take some time before they can arrive.” 

The 1st gate commander’s expression became distorted after hearing the officer’s answer. 

They did not know what method their enemies had used but they had disabled all of the warp gates so the reinforcements couldn’t warp to the capital. Perhaps it was also because the flow of mana around the gates had become unstable. 

“Hoo… We have to hold out until reinforcements arrive. Tell the other officers to appease the soldiers.”

“Yes, sir!”

The officer bowed his head upon hearing the 1st gate commander’s orders before rushing out.

“Prepare for battle!”

“Incoming enemies!”

The troops on the first line of defense quickly moved after hearing the orders of the commanders. 

The three gates that had been created a long time ago after continuous and repeated expansions of territory, these gates, along with the Capital Defense Forces gathered in this place, were the reason why the capital could still hold out despite the rotting Central Army.

The Death Corps attacked the first gate. 

“Stop them! Don’t let them get close!”

“What are you doing, priests?! Get rid of the black fog!”

“Wizards, focus on purification magic! We need to secure our vision!”

The commanders shouted loudly as they gave their orders. 

However, despite their grueling efforts, the wizards and the priests couldn’t easily clear out the black fog.

The Death Corps, who couldn’t even dare make a squeak inside Iron’s sanctuary, were nowhere to be seen. However, this situation just proved how great Iron and his powers were. Just a single sanctuary of his could create a handicap that they could drill into and target. But without Iron and his sanctuary, the Death Corps remained powerful. 

As if to prove this, the first line of defense made of the Capital Defense Force’s elites collapsed easily under their onslaught. 

“Stop them! Don’t let them break through!”

Zombies climbed up the walls while ghouls belched out venomous puffs of breath.  

The first gate was immediately in a state of crisis under the disastrous and catastrophic levels of attacks from the Death Corps. 

Suddenly, the Empire’s proudest, the Capital Defense Force’s Knight Order, appeared. 

The Capital Defense Force’s Knight Order was an order that was entirely composed of carefully chosen knights from noble families. Unlike the Central Army Knight Order, they had maintained the image of an elite group. 

It seemed like just their appearance in the frontlines alone had led to the Death Corps’ troops being pushed back. However, the situation of the war only went into a state where they couldn’t determine who would win or who would lose. 

“Endure it a bit more! Things will get better once the purification magic is completed!”

“Hold on! We will have an advantage once the sun rises!”

The troops stationed at the first gate did their best to endure and stop the Death Corps, whose powers were boosted at night. 

The aerial fleet dropped bombs and canons at them while the support troops came down one after the other but the Death Corps just dealt a stronger blow to them. It was as if they were laughing at their pitiful efforts. 

“Undead…” 

A species that was a mix between the zombies and the ghouls suddenly appeared. 

Their sudden appearance brought shock to the people who thought that the zombies and ghouls were all there was to them. 

The vampires who were watching the scene couldn’t help but grin and show their fangs.

It was like…

‘You thought that we couldn’t use the undead?’

…were the words that they were telling them with that sneer on their faces. 

The skeletons were the base of the undead. But that wasn’t all there was to the undead. 

Skeleton Soldier.

Skeleton Knight.

Skeleton Archer.

Skeleton Mage. 

The Bone Corps were mainly composed of these basic undead.

Dullahan.

Lich.

Banshee.

These were the beings that led them all. But there was one more…

The knights who ate the darkness. 

The Dark Knights. 

These figures suddenly appeared.

The moment the 5th Stage Dark Knight appeared, confusion and chaos broke out among the 1st gate’s troops. The unexpected appearance of the undead corps was enough to bring about confusion in their ranks, what more with the sudden appearance of someone that strong. 

“No… No! Stop them! Block them no matter what!” 

The 1st gate commander shouted loudly at his troops but all of them were already lost in the chaos. It was already difficult for them to withstand the Death Corps’ attacks but it was entirely impossible for them to hold out especially with the undead’s endless attacks. In the end, they had no choice but to be pushed back little by little until the gate was opened and breached. 

The 1st gate commander looked at the scene blankly. 

Then, one of the Dark Knights approached him.

“Even if I die here, I will cut you all down.” 

The 1st gate commander gritted his teeth as he lifted his sword. He boosted his mana as he glared at the skeleton knights and the Dark Knights in front of him. 

His sudden boost of his meager mana was an unexpected move. However, the Dark Knights just stepped aside instead of dealing with him. Then, a vampire appeared at the place that the Dark Knights had just vacated. 

“You…” 

― So there’s still someone like you left in the capital… What a surprise.

The vampire looked at the 1st gate commander, who was fighting until the end, in interest.

― I respect your courage. To honor your bravery, I, Ivan Rodlio, the 2nd rank will personally deal with you. 

“Second rank…” 

The vampire, who proclaimed that he was the 2nd rank, lifted his sword and pointed it at the gate commander. 

The gate commander looked at the knights that were clad in black armor gathered together. There were only four knights but all of them were emitting a heavy dark energy. And there was only one being who led these knights. 

“Death… Knight.” 

The 1st gate commander gritted his teeth the moment he felt the enormous death energy spreading from the sword of the vampire in front of him. 

A Death Knight was a being that was comparable to a master. Of course, not all Death Knights have the power of someone at the master-level but it was true that all of them had power that was close to a master. Even if the Death Knight was not a master-class one, the death blades that they used were already too much for a 6th Stage warrior to deal with.

“Come!” 

When the 1st gate commander boosted the mana of a 6th Stage warrior to the limits he rushed forward towards Ivan, a vampire and a Death Knight. The 1st gate commander attacked Ivan with all his might in front of the now collapsed gate. However, due to the huge difference between their level and skills, the 1st gate commander slowly and gradually collapsed from exhaustion. 

“Kghhhhk!” 

In the end, a sword stabbed him on his chest as he vomited blood.

“N… no… no…” 

Ivan briefly bowed his head at the man, who tried to stop him until the end, the moment he collapsed and breathed his last. This was his final courtesy to the man who died an honorable death. 

Then, the Dark Knight tried to touch his body. But Ivan raised his hand and stopped just when the death energy was about to encroach on the gate commander’s body. 

― This person died honorably. At the very least… you have to let him see the truth and make a choice by himself.

The Dark Knights carried the body of the 1st gate commander at Ivan’s words. 

― It’s not too late for us to revive him after showing him the truth.

The Dark Knights bowed their heads and moved.

The death of the 1st gate commander signaled the breach of the first out of the three gates that the Empire boasted for its tenacity. This news was immediately spread all throughout the Empire. It only took 6 hours for the 1st gate to be breached and broken through. 

While everyone was in shock that the 1st gate couldn’t even last for half a day another urgent news flew in. 

It was the heartbreaking news of the 2nd gate being breached and broken through. And it was even breached much faster than the 1st gate. They couldn’t even endure half as long as the troops in the 1st gate and were breached in just two hours. 

― Trashes.

Unlike the scenario in the 1st gate, Ivan looked at the 2nd gate as if he was looking at some bugs. He spat at the body of the 2nd gate commander, who tried to retreat, the moment the 2nd gate showed signs of being breached. 

― Sacrifice them to the God of Death. We have to send these trashy bastards to hell.

― Yes!

The Dark Knights disappeared with the 2nd gate commander’s body upon hearing his orders. 

His soul would soon fall in the pits of hell while his body revived and became a part of the Death Corps. 

After the death of the 2nd gate commander and the breach of the 2nd gate, the Death Corps began to advance again. They headed towards their final goal, the capital. 

The Imperial Palace and the Central officials became urgent as the news of the 2nd gate’s defeat and Ivan’s advance towards the capital reached their ears. 

With the third and final gate remaining, the Imperial Palace had no choice but to move. 

The knights of the Imperial Palace, starting from the Imperial Guards guarding the palace to the Royal Guards directly under the Emperor’s command, moved directly to the 3rd gate.

Perhaps the Death Corps realized that the 3rd gate was formidable that was why they stopped their march and watched the situation first. The Death Corps’ troops scattered all over the place gathered together and filled in the gaps left by their members that had been consumed and prepared for the final bout in this war. 

As the war fell into a lull, Iron’s army also prepared to make their move. 

All of the troops, except for the minimum number of troops that would protect Soren Territory as well as the trainees that were still lacking in training and those that lacked practical experience, were gathered together and ready to move out. 

“We’re heading South. We will join the Central Army there and save the capital.”

All of them bowed their heads at Iron’s words. They trusted the hero in front of them who had never made a wrong decision. 

The airship only carried their supplies as all of the troops moved on the ground. 

News about Iron’s troops moving out of Soren Territory reached the capital. They became flustered and panicked when they heard that Iron, who they thought would immediately come to their rescue, was going south first to help the Central Army. 

But it wasn’t just Iron. 

Even the coalition of the other-worlders also began to move slowly as they killed the Death Corps that blocked their way. However, they did not come straight to the capital. They were clearly showing their unwillingness to take risks. They also meant to slowly help the capital by breaking their individually assigned quests one by one. 

The people of the capital became desperate at the news that Iron and the other-worlders wouldn’t come to support them immediately. They also couldn’t expect immediate support from the North and the Northeast since the warp gate was being blocked by an unknown force. The same was true for the Eastern, Southern and Western Armies. Whether they chose to come in airships or on drakes, it would still take time for reinforcements to come to them. 

“Time… We need time!”

“Goddamnit! We have to restore the warp system, no matter what! Otherwise, we’ll die!”

They tried to urge the wizards to restore the warp gates immediately but there was no way for them to restore the flow of mana easily, especially after it had been broken by death energy. 

In a situation where everyone seemed to have abandoned the capital, Iron’s troops continued to move southwards. In the name of joining the Central Army to save the Center, Iron and his troops slaughtered all of the Death Corps that blocked their way. 

A series of victories. 

Iron’s troops, who killed and slaughtered the Death Corps easily, were completely unlike the Capital Defense Forces, who suffered continuous defeats as their gates got broken through one by one. 

Around that time, news about the Northern and Northeastern Armies as well as the Eastern Army and the other-worlders’ coalition moved to send support. But right now, the citizens of the capital were desperately hoping for Iron to quickly join with the Eastern Army and the Central Army and come to the capital as soon as possible. 

But, as if they were waiting for this moment, the Death Corps moved. 

They dyed the capital black as they pushed the citizens of the capital, who were beginning to gain hope, back into the pits of despair. It was as if they wanted to show them a greater despair than what they had ever experienced. 

“Don’t be afraid! His Majesty has shown his mercy and sent out the swords that guarded him to protect you!” 

The Imperial Knight Order’s commander pulled out his sword as he shouted. Blades appeared as he pulled out his sword while standing alone on the walls. His powerful momentum along with the blades that orbited around him brought courage to the soldiers that were trembling in fear. 

A master was a being that was known to be invincible. 

Hope had begun to sprout once again in the hearts of the soldiers. They believed that they would be able to hold out until the reinforcements arrived. 

While the Capital Defense Forces and the Death Corps began their full-fledged battle, the Central Army also began to move to support the capital. 

Oliver van Leopold swung his sword to break through the Death Corps that blocked their path. As a master, the beings of death easily died under his sword. But this fight was something that he couldn’t do alone. 

The Central Army troops had fought against countless Death Corps’ troops but it was still too much to hope that they could overcome them easily. They were able to endure up until now because of Leopold’s existence but it was too difficult to expect an overwhelming performance from them. After all, even he, the army commander, was injured. He moved to save the capital out of his loyalty towards the Empire but he knew full well that the odds were not in their favor. 

The Red Seductress, the 4th in the vampire’s hierarchy, blocked the Central Army as she took her time and slowly nibbled on their troops. 

“Bastard!” 

Commander Leopold burst out in anger and swung his sword at the vampires that stopped them. The illusions and magic that they casted were torn apart with every swing of his gigantic sword. Even some of the vampires were killed but they did not care. Their mission was to stop him so it did not matter if they died in the process. The vampires died with smiles on their faces as if they were satisfied just by taking enough time from him and his army.

Leopold couldn’t help but frown in disgust at their behavior.

― Hoho~ Even a master can’t do anything by himself, you know? If you’re exhausted, why not die here and now?

The Red Seductress smiled as she spoke but he only lifted his sword resolutely.

― Boring old man.

“I will pierce through you and go to the capital.” 

― Try it if you can. Fufufufu. Perhaps it will all be over by the time you pierce through me?

Leopold moved his exhausted body at the Seductress’ words.

Even at this very moment, his army continued to be pushed back. Their odds would only increase if he was able to kill that Seductress as soon as possible. So, he boosted his power with the intention of using his everything. 

If one raised their power forcefully while still being injured, they risked suffering from an internal injury that they would never be able to recover from. However, for Leopold, this was not the time to care about such matters.

The Red Seductress couldn’t help but frown when she realized what he was doing. 

― Old…

Two beams of light flew from far away just when the Red Seductress was about to call out to Leopold. The death soldiers that came in contact with the beams of light all disappeared without a trace. At the same time a barrier made from holy power unfolded from the sky and covered the entire area.

― Sanctuary…

Then, someone descended from the sky while the Red Seductress muttered blankly to herself.

“Sorry for being late.” 

“You…” 

“I will be in charge of the battlefield for now. Please take some rest.” 

Iron looked at the Red Seductress with a wide and trustworthy smile. 

“Shall we play together, then?” 

The relaxed expression on the Red Seductress’ face immediately stiffened at Iron’s words.

***

Notes

[Seductress] – In fact, this is written originally as 요녀 which is a word that is used to describe women that use evil tricks and illusions to lure men and eat them or kill them. Classic examples are femme fatales in mythology they are the sirens and many other creatures. Basically, they are seductresses and enchantresses. 

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