Genjitsushugisha no Oukokukaizouki - Volume 19 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Warriors’ Competition

On the plains near Parnam, the forces of the Kingdom of Friedonia and the Great Tiger Empire finally clashed.

The Friedonian side had roughly ninety thousand defenders, while the Great Tiger Empire’s forces numbered around one hundred eighty thousand. The Great Tiger Empire outnumbered their opponents by about two to one, but the confusion caused by Souma’s broadcast hadn’t subsided, and morale didn’t rise as much as they had hoped.

Now that they had glimpsed the shape of the coming era, Fuuga’s soldiers were divided. Some focused on the battle in front of them, while others realized they had nothing to gain by becoming casualties here. Many were intimidated by the inscrutable nature of the Kingdom of Friedonia, while others remained unwavering in their devotion to Fuuga. Because they fought for different reasons, it was hard to unite them with a single will.

Even so, brave commanders like Gaten the Flag of the Tiger, Kasen the Crossbow of the Tiger, and Gaifuku the Shield of the Tiger rallied their troops and launched fierce assaults on the Kingdom’s battle lines.

Determined to end the battle in one day, the Empire’s forces attacked the Kingdom’s camps in the west, east, and center simultaneously. However, as Gaten and Kasen assaulted the west camp defended by Weist, they encountered a level of resistance they hadn’t experienced on the way there.

“Grr... What is this feeling?” Kasen spat the words out with a scowl while Gaten, normally a talkative man, fell into thoughtful silence.

While the camps that the Kingdom’s forces had shut themselves in were well constructed, they weren’t anything that couldn’t be explained by existing knowledge. They hadn’t deployed any wonder weapons like the magic canceler or machine dragon, so a common battle of offense and defense was being waged. And yet, ever since the two of them had approached this enemy position, it had felt strangely hard to fight.

It was as if they couldn’t muster their usual strength while the enemy was performing better than they should have been able to. No matter how low the Empire’s morale was, they should still have been able to fight more boldly than this under normal circumstances.

Sensing something amiss, Kasen spurred his temsbock onward, joining Gaten to seek his opinion.

“You said the enemy commander is Weist Garreau? I’ve heard he made a laughingstock of Sovereign Prince Gaius during the war with the Principality of Amidonia using nothing but his tongue... Could our troubles be because he is commanding the enemy?”

Gaten considered this question before shaking his head.

“No... This is not the work of a general’s commands. I see nothing strange in the tactics used.”

“Hmm? Then why does it feel so hard to attack?”

“It must be because we cannot muster our full power.”

Having said this, Gaten cupped his ears. “Young Kasen, have you not noticed there’s been music playing all this time?”

“Music...? Yes, I suppose there has been, now that you mention it. Do you think the enemy is playing it?”

Since the battle began, there had been frequent bursts of music from the Kingdom’s camps. It was common to beat drums to raise morale or break the enemy’s spirit, so Kasen had assumed this was the Kingdom’s way of doing that and thought no more of it.

However, Gaten’s usually aloof attitude vanished, and he glared at the Kingdom’s camp with a sharp look in his eyes.

“It seems this music has two patterns.”

“Two of them...you say?”

“Yes. One is a passionate tune, making me feel the vigor of an assault. The other is a heavy tune, reminiscent of a hardened fortress, evoking a determination to defend others. When the former plays, the Kingdom’s attacks intensify, and when the latter plays, our own movements are slowed... That’s how it feels to me.”

The moment Gaten sensed something was off about his forces’ performance, he searched the battlefield for the cause. That was how he noticed the connection between the music he heard and the results on the battlefield.

Kasen’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Is the Kingdom casting enhancement magic with their music?!”

While this was not entirely accurate, it reflected what was happening. More precisely, to strengthen the mental images people had when using magic, they played music that made it easier to visualize the effects they desired. The overall result was akin to casting enhancement magic on their weapons.

Gaten nodded.

“Yeah. They change up the music when they attack or go on the defensive... I’m convinced of that. But...” Gaten cracked his favorite whip, made with iron woven into it. “If that’s what they’re doing, there are ways to deal with it. We can listen to their music, attack when the offensive music plays, and when their defensive music plays, we can ‘attack to defend our comrades.’ Because even if we are the attackers, we’re also defenders of Fuuga’s dream.”

“Ah! Right!” Kasen nodded vigorously.

Gaten called over one of his subordinates and ordered him to convey their discussion to Hashim in the main camp. Hashim would devise a similar plan and communicate it to the entire army.

Having finished giving his commands, Gaten brought the temsbock he was riding alongside Kasen’s.

“Now then, young Kasen. You know what we must do, right?”

“Yes! Risk our lives to break through the enemy position!”

Kasen sounded enthusiastic, but Gaten shook his head.

“No, no. We’ll do our best, but there’s no need to throw our lives away. You’re still young and have things you want to do, right? Like flirting with Madam Lumiere, or taking her in your arms, or burying your face in her chest.”

“Why Madam Lumiere?! And why are they all essentially the same thing?!”

“When you were drunk, you told me you prefer older, bolder women. She’s exactly your type. It’s plain to see from the way you act around her,” Gaten said with a hearty laugh. “So don’t waste your life, young Kasen. If you die gloriously in battle and I return alive, I’ll romance her in your stead.”

Hearing this, Kasen couldn’t help but imagine the scene.

“Hey there, Madam Lumiere. I see you’ve been working hard.”

“Why, Sir Gaten. I see you have too.”

“How about it? Will you join me for dinner?”

“No, I have work to take care of.”

“Hmm. Then I’ll help you so it gets done faster.”

“You’re sure? I can’t pay you, you know?”

“What better payment could there be than spending time with you?”

“R-Really? Well, I’ll take you up on the offer, then...”

“Yuck... I absolutely hate it. I’ll have to make it back alive no matter what...”

The scene flashed through Kasen’s mind in the blink of an eye.

Because Lumiere was devoted to her work and harsh on herself, men in the Great Tiger Kingdom found her beautiful but frightening, and no one tried to woo her. Kasen admired a career-focused woman like her, but she intimidated many other men.

But the dandy Gaten, with his many romantic conquests, treated Lumiere like an innocent girl, and she might easily fall for him as a result. That’s what Kasen’s delusions were telling him, at least.

He gripped the reins of his temsbock.

“I could never let myself die before you. I’ll win here and make it back alive.”

“Ha ha ha! That’s the spirit, young Kasen!”

After their banter, the two focused on the task at hand and headed to the front line.

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile, Weist Garreau, who was fending off their advance, noticed a change in the movements of the Empire’s forces.

Hmm. It seems they’ve figured out how the music works.

He had been keeping the Empire’s forces at bay with gunpowder weapons borrowed from an old friend in the National Naval Defense Force, but his forces were gradually losing. Once the temsbock cavalry appeared on the front line, bouncing around, the Empire’s forces started moving much better. In this situation, he’d want to pick off the enemy commanders, but it was difficult with the temsbock cavalry jumping freely around the battlefield.

If this is how it’s going to be, I should’ve asked Lady Accela to leave more gunpowder weapons for me... Weist sighed.

In truth, he wanted more gunpowder weapons, but Accela, Excel’s daughter and Castor’s wife, had said, “I want them to defend Red Dragon City, so lend me some, okay?” and walked off with a large number.

Weist was indebted to Excel, so he couldn’t refuse her daughter’s request. All he could say was, “Go ahead...” with a twitching smile.

Besides, I’m not the type to lead on the battlefield anyway... Though he was defending this place because he unfortunately knew how to command troops, Weist was better suited to a role as a staff officer or bureaucrat.

However, because they were fighting a world war, their commanders were spread over a large area, resulting in a shortage of officers to deploy to any specific battlefield. That was why Weist had been sent here.

If the enemy were amenable to negotiations, my silver tongue could do wonders, but...because of my eloquence in the war with Amidonia, word of me has spread, for better or worse. It’s reached the point that calling someone a “Lord of Altomura” has become an idiomatic way of saying they make promises they cannot keep, so I’m sure the enemy will want to keep attacking rather than negotiate with me...

As he mentally grumbled about the situation, a messenger raced over.

“I-I have a report!” The man seemed in a hurry, and his voice was shrill. “The enemy has broken through our fortifications! The nearby soldiers are blocking their advance, but the fighting is difficult! They need immediate reinforcements!”

“Good grief...”

It seems I’ll need to spearhead the defense... Weist thought as he got up. I have to stand against famous generals from...Malmkhitan? I’m not the type who gets excited about battle. I just want to run away.

But if he voiced those thoughts, let alone ran away, there was no telling what Excel might say to him later. There wasn’t a man from the naval forces who didn’t fear her wrath. If she ordered him to die, all he’d be able to say was, “Yes, ma’am!”

Ohh... I want to go back to Altomura. It’s almost time to harvest the grapes, and I want to kick back and relax with a glass of wine made from grapes that were stepped on by beautiful young maidens. If Duchess Walter were here with me, like during the war with Amidonia, I’d feel reassured knowing she’d join the fight if necessary, but...when all she says is “I’ll pull some strings, so get out there and do your best,” I don’t know what to think...

Despite this litany of mental complaints, Weist feigned calm as he headed to the area that had requested reinforcements.

However, another messenger ran up to him...

“I have a report! A unit appeared from the northwest and slammed into the enemy’s flank! Now that the enemy’s attack has temporarily abated, they think they can recover!”

“The northwest?” Weist echoed. “But I had no troops positioned in that direction.”

The messenger replied, “That unit carried the flag of the House of Carmine!”

◇ ◇ ◇

“We made iiiiiit!!!” Mio Carmine, who had arrived on the plains outside Parnam as the Kingdom and Empire were fighting, couldn’t help but shout.

She was leading a force of two thousand cavalry composed of knights from the time when there were still three dukes.

After routing the forces of the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State in the Amidonia Region, Mio had left the task of keeping the Orthodox Papal State’s forces in check to Glaive and Margarita while she took a small elite unit to join the decisive battle.

That had been two days ago.

She had left the Amidonia Region that night once victory there was assured, but she had barely made it here in time for the main battle. Freed from the worry of what she would do if she didn’t make it, she looked at the person riding alongside her with glee on her face.

“Look, look! Everyone’s still fighting! Fath... I mean Sir Kagetora!”

She was with a strong man wearing a black sword tiger mask—Kagetora, the commander of the Black Cats.

Unlike the excited Mio, Kagetora carefully observed the battlefield with a calm expression.

“Settle down. We made it here thanks to Duchess Walter’s directions. We must do a job befitting the consideration she has shown us.”

“Oh! R-Right!”

Mio sat up straight in response to Kagetora’s quiet rebuke.

When it came to moving large numbers of personnel, Friedonia famously had the rhinosaurus train, but it wasn’t as quick as a fast horse. To get as many soldiers here from the Amidonia Region as possible, Excel had arranged supply depots and spare horses, similar to the relay rider networks common in ancient empires.

“When facing the Great Tiger Empire, no number of soldiers is too many. If you can successfully drive off the forces of the Orthodox Papal State, then I want you to take your best knights to the main battle,” Excel had said, concealing her smile with her fan.

As a result, Mio and her men had made a forced march here without proper sleep, but...this was the moment that would determine whether they could defend their country. Their joy and excitement at participating in such a momentous battle outweighed their exhaustion.

Her second-in-command, Inugami, who had taken a unit of cavalry ahead to scout, returned. Many brave fighters from the Black Cats were among the two thousand knights.

“It seems Sir Weist’s camp on the west side is struggling!” Inugami reported to Mio and Kagetora. “Sir Weist is fiercely resisting with gunpowder weapons, but the enemy’s momentum is incredible, and they appear to have broken through some of his defensive positions!”

“Is Sir Weist the only one in command? That doesn’t seem sufficient...” Mio tilted her head.

She knew battles were raging across the continent, and Souma’s retainers had been dispatched to various locations. Mio herself had been sent to the Amidonia Region. Therefore, she understood that only so many commanders could be assigned to a single place, but she felt that Weist alone was not enough to defend the western flank.

“Could it be that the plan accounted for us arriving and aiding him?” Mio asked, looking to Kagetora for an answer.

Kagetora crossed his arms and groaned. “No, that can’t be all there is to it. If they were relying on us for support, that would be a gamble. He would be in great danger if we didn’t arrive.”

“That’s true... We barely made it, after all.”

Mio nodded repeatedly. Kagetora stroked his mask’s chin.

“Most likely...we’ve arranged positions where it’s easier or harder for the enemy to attack. That creates variance in their momentum, and can disrupt their coordination.”

If the enemy kept pushing where they had the advantage and were delayed where they were at a disadvantage, it would hinder their coordination. Even if the disadvantaged units requested support from those doing better, it could be difficult for messengers to reach them if they were too far ahead.

“They must think that even if Sir Weist cannot maintain the current battle lines, as long as he can slowly pull his forces back without collapsing, it will disrupt the enemy. And if fast reinforcements like us arrive during that time, he’ll be able to hold out...” Kagetora looked towards the main camp as he spoke. “She specializes in using her forces this way. Likely, even if we hadn’t made it, she would have sent troops from the main camp to support him. The idea was to create the illusion that the enemy could win without letting them actually do so.”

Kagetora imagined the lady with blue hair and antlers hiding a smile behind her fan. No doubt she was doing just that in the main camp right now. Mio imagined the exact same thing.

“I don’t know what to say...other than that Duchess Walter is scary,” Mio said, a little unnerved. Kagetora smiled wryly.

“Regardless, we cannot afford to let them break through Sir Weist’s position. We should focus our power on the western side, as planned.”

“Right! Let’s show these imperials the might of the House of Carmine!” Mio’s response was energetic, but Kagetora frowned beneath his mask.

“I have nothing to do with the House of Carmine though.”

“Huh... You’re still saying that at this point?” Mio objected, fixing Kagetora with an unamused stare. “Honestly... Listen, Sir Kagetora. This is getting to be a pain, so could you just get ‘remarried’ to mother already? Then I can call you ‘father’ without issue. I’m sure my ‘late father’ would give you his blessing if it makes mom happy.”

Kagetora averted his eyes from her gaze. Then, with a sense of resignation, he said, “I’ll give it some thought once this battle is over...”

Mio grinned. “Then we’ll have to get this battle over and done with quickly. For my once and future father’s sake. Isn’t that right, ‘Sir Kagetora’?”

“Indeed... Let’s go.”

And so, Mio and the others joined the fray.

◇ ◇ ◇

Kasen and Gaten had been attacking the western flank, but their momentum was blunted when Mio and her forces joined the fray. Noticing the change in circumstances, Gaten brought his temsbock alongside Kasen’s.

“It seems our new opponents are skilled. Watch yourself, young Kasen.”

Nodding in agreement, Kasen replied, “Of course, I’m not going to let my guard down.”

Suddenly, they heard a voice shout at them, “You must be the enemy commanders! I challenge you!”

Mio raced towards their position, cutting down imperial soldiers as she went. Her cavalry followed behind her, charging through the center of the opposing force.

“See, just like I told you,” Gaten said, drawing his favorite whip. The iron-studded whip moved like a living snake, its pointed tip stabbing into the base of Mio’s onrushing horse’s neck.

“Neighhh!”

The horse reared back in intense pain, throwing Mio from the saddle as she lost control of it.

“Whoa?!”

Mio somehow managed to land on her feet, but the tip of Gaten’s whip hurtled towards her furrowed brow. Her mind blanked for an instant, but her body responded instinctively in the face of danger.

“Yahhh!”

She deflected his whip with a swift swipe of her longsword. With a pull on the iron whip, Gaten brought it back to rest at his feet.

Mio gulped. Th-That was close...

Her previous experience winning the martial arts tournament in Zem had led her to dropping her guard. She’d thought the only enemy to fear was Fuuga Haan himself—someone not even Aisha could match in power. To Mio, anyone other than Fuuga had no chance at beating her. However, Gaten’s recent attack made her reconsider her overconfidence.

Now that I think of it, the enemy commanders are all fierce warriors who’ve been fighting under Fuuga all this time... I should never have underestimated them. Mio regretted her lack of foresight as she glared at Gaten.

Gaten, despite maintaining an aloof demeanor, was flabbergasted by the lady knight’s skill, murmuring to himself, “...She was able to block that attack?”

Even so, as the resident dandy in Fuuga’s forces, he struck up a conversation.

“Well, well. What a beautiful and powerful young lady. May I ask your name?”

“Mio Carmine. And what’s yours?”

“I go by Gaten Bahr. Hrm... What a shame. Were we not on the battlefield, I’d invite you to share a meal with me.”

Gaten was dropping what sounded like a cheesy pickup line, but Mio snorted with amusement and held her longswords at the ready.

“I regret to inform you I’m a married woman. As I’m wholly devoted to my husband, I must refuse your invitation.”

“Oh, dear. That truly is unfortunate,” Gaten replied, his grip tightening on his whip.

As they stared each other down in a standoff that could erupt into violence at any moment, Kasen came to his senses and nocked an arrow to his bow.

“Sir Gaten—”

“I won’t let you do that!”

“Huh?!”

Kasen rolled across the ground to avoid an attack—his attempt to support Gaten foiled by Kagetora’s attack.

The masked Kagetora stood blocking Kasen’s line of fire to Mio, holding the Nine-Headed Dragon katana he had received from his master at waist level. Once Kasen recovered, he changed targets to aim at his new foe.

“A tiger beastman?! No, wait, is that a mask?!” Kasen exclaimed.

“Stand down, young man. Don’t throw your life away by standing before me.”

“As if I’d back off that easily! I, Kasen Shuri, am coming for you!”

Seeing Kasen tense up as he gave his name, Kagetora responded. “I am only Kagetora now... Have at you.”

Kagetora stepped forward, closing the distance as he attempted to bisect Kasen with his blade.

“Huh?! Tch!” Kasen jumped backwards, immediately nocking and then loosing an arrow.

The projectile flew straight towards Kagetora’s forehead, but his legs kept moving as his katana flashed to cut it down. It was quickly followed by another arrow.

He’s fast... Kagetora managed to avoid the follow-up by twisting his neck, but the arrow forced him to stop and deal with it.

Meanwhile, Kasen had recovered and was aiming yet another arrow at Kagetora, who assumed a combat stance, preparing to reset his offensive.

“You’re skilled...” Kagetora praised his opponent. “Your arrows lack the weight of Fuuga’s, but your speed far outstrips his.”

“Thank you. I may not have the range and power to match Lord Fuuga, but I like to think I make up for it in quantity and accuracy,” replied Kasen, who was honest and knew how to take a compliment. “Despite the silly mask, I can tell you must be a famous commander. Would you mind divulging your real name?”

“I believe I told you... I’m only Kagetora,” he replied, stepping forward.

Kasen loosed an arrow at him as he did, but Kagetora had already accounted for both it and the second shot. Kagetora cut down the arrow with minimal movement, ready to act again, and prepared for the next shot, but...

What?! He saw Kasen with his bow held horizontally and three arrows nocked. Recognizing the danger, Kagetora reflexively pulled back.

A moment later, Kasen’s three arrows flew towards Kagetora’s throat and shoulders.

Twisting his body to dodge an arrow while cutting down the one aimed at his throat, the remaining arrow slammed into Kagetora’s left shoulder. Fortunately, it only pierced his armor without touching his flesh, but Kagetora was still impressed with Kasen’s skill.

It wasn’t like Fuuga’s powerful archery, which shot through armor, nor Leporina’s technique, which quietly sniped vital points. Kasen used rapid shots from a distance and skillfully fired off three arrows when the enemy closed in.

Kagetora considered pressing the attack until Kasen ran out of arrows, but even on this chaotic battlefield, Kasen’s men regularly supplied him with fresh quivers. This is troublesome... I’m not good against opponents like this. Kagetora specialized in one-on-one combat. He attacked ferociously, using his refined skills to cut down foes. But he struggled against a fighting style like Kasen’s, which kept enemies at a distance by employing a wide variety of moves.

The masked beastman glanced towards Mio, who seemed to be struggling as well.

Gaten sat atop his temsbock, skillfully wielding two whips while unleashing an unending torrent of blows against her. Mio was blocking with her twin swords, but the whips came at her in unexpected ways, delaying her response and forcing her onto the defensive.

“Ha ha ha! Can’t do anything but defend, young lady?” Gaten taunted.

“Urgh! What an indecent attack.”

The whips writhed like twin snakes, and Mio couldn’t predict their movements. Many enemy commanders had lost their lives to Gaten’s fierce attacks. It was fair to say that Mio, managing to hold her own by rapidly swinging her twin swords, had inherited her father’s combat sense. But even so, she was taking more and more shallow cuts.

Hmph... Watching Mio’s battle as he was on the receiving end of Kasen’s shots, Kagetora made a decision.

“Mio!”

In a brief gap between Kasen’s arrows, Kagetora called out Mio’s name and started running with his back to Kasen. He then interposed himself between Mio and Gaten, deflecting the iron whips with his Nine-Headed Dragon katana. This surprised not just Gaten, but Mio too.

“Huh? Why—”

“Mio, watch the archer,” Kagetora ordered before she could finish her question.

At his command, Mio immediately turned towards Kasen. Now Kagetora and Mio were back-to-back, defending each other.

Maintaining this position, Kagetora said, “My fighting style prioritizes powerful single attacks, so it is poorly matched for that archer with his diverse moves, but more effective against these whips. You’ve been struggling with these constantly changing attacks, haven’t you?”

“Ohh, I see. I think I’ll have an easier time against the more straightforward archer.” Mio understood what Kagetora meant. “Got it. Let’s trade, then.”

“Yes. Can you handle it?”

“Yeah! Leave it to me!”

Mio immediately raced towards Kasen. Gaten tried to strike Mio’s back with his whips, but Kagetora deflected one with his blade. He then caught the other in midair with his hand and gave it a hard tug.

“Whoa?!” This sudden jerk pulled Gaten from his temsbock, and he landed on the ground. “Why you!”

Crack!

“Guh!”

Gaten immediately responded by striking Kagetora’s other hand with his whip, causing Kagetora to unintentionally release the whip he had been holding. Then, after pulling his two whips back in, Gaten faced Kagetora.

“A tiger mask? Are you that young feline lady’s father or something?” Gaten asked, his brow furrowing.

Kagetora snorted beneath his mask. “No. I know her techniques as if she were my own daughter, but...we are strangers.” Having said this, he fell into a fighting stance.

Meanwhile, Mio was running straight towards Kasen and closing the distance. Kasen was initially confused by the change in opponents, but he quickly collected himself and started loosing arrows to keep her in check.

Mio struck down every one of the projectiles with her twin swords.

“Urgh... How can you both knock them out of the air so easily?!”

“Because they’re not twisted like that whip master’s attacks!”

She crossed her longswords and swung them down at Kasen. He jumped back to evade her, nocking three arrows that he then fired all at once. Mio batted them away with a quick swipe of her longsword.

She turned to Kasen and said, “I like how straight your arrows fly, which is more than I can say for that other man’s whips.”

“I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment...” Gaten commented.

“It is one. Because I have more fun fighting a warrior like you.”

“Then I can’t let my guard down for a second!”

The two bantered as they fought, with the battle shifting back and forth from offensive to defensive. At one point, it seemed the Kingdom’s western flank would collapse under the Empire’s ferocious assault. However, thanks to Mio and Kagetora’s actions, the battle returned to a stalemate.