Chapter 43: Preparation

Madmen who couldn’t be judged by the common sense of any other continent.

That was what the warriors of Roberland were.

At times, they were more cowardly than routed soldiers, and at other times, braver than legendary heroes.

The standard that decided it was just one thing.

But how great was the gain right before their eyes?

They were men with the hearts of beasts, the kind who could gamble away a year’s blood-earned fortune in a single night—these were the warriors of Roberland....

In every tavern, warriors gathered, swinging their forearms about.

The topic of discussion was, of course, the proposal Ransen had made today.

The more rational warriors, who enjoyed tactics and strategy, began analyzing the situation.

“Alright, alright, let’s look at this realistically.”

“Yeah. Let’s separate the worst case from the best case.”

“How many troops could the Storm King muster? And how many do we have on our side?”

“Roughly... about this much?”

“Agreed.”

“Then... if it plays out like this?”

“In the worst case, our chance of victory is 5%! In the best case, 20%! That’s my conclusion.”

“Worst case is 5%?”

When the conclusion was given, the warriors’ reactions were unanimous.

“Hell, that’s worth a shot, isn’t it?”

Three hundred Dallon if they won, with a 5% chance!

Of course, they had to do it!

That was the kind of men they were. The warriors of Roberland.

Meanwhile, there were others who focused more on comparing the combat strength of Storm King Haarun and Ransen.

“A warrior who starts to step beyond Swordmaster is worlds apart from an ordinary Swordmaster.”

“Really? The difference is that big?”

“You don’t even know that? Look, Jafar, the Sea King, ruler of Shamalun, in his younger days cut down two Swordmasters within ten exchanges.”

“What! In just ten?”

“Yeah. That was ten years ago. He must be stronger now. And the Storm King fought him to a draw.”

A heavy silence spread across the table where they sat.

One warrior swallowed hard and cautiously asked.

“Do you think Count Ransen... could win?”

“There’s a chance... You saw it too, right? That unbelievable might. It’s certain the Count has also stepped beyond the realm of a Swordmaster.”

“Right. Count Ransen’s a genius. None of the Five Kings were ever this strong at the age of twenty-seven.”

“So then, if the two of them fight, who’d win?”

At that, the two warriors who had been leading the analysis closed their eyes in deep thought, then suddenly snapped them open and spoke at once.

“Thirteen percent! That’s Count Ransen’s chance of winning.”

“Nineteen percent! I’d say at least that much!”

And once again, the warriors’ reactions were unanimous.

“Over ten percent? Then we have to do it, don’t we?!”

Then one rational warrior muttered quietly.

“No... but there’s a 90% chance he dies... and you’d still go for it?”

Shiiing!

The surrounding warriors’ eyes gleamed with a feral light.

“But what if the Count wins?”

“Could you live like that? Watching three hundred Dallon vanish right before your eyes?”

“You’d be branded a coward for life.”

“Go around and say it proudly! ‘Ah, I thought the Count would lose, so I ran away... and ended up a total beggar...’ That’s what you want?!”

“Just shut it.”

The warrior who had tried to make the rational judgment could only bow his head, face flushed red.

*         *         *

I wrapped things up in Kashu City as quickly as I could and returned to Kushan.

There was no longer any problem with the soldiers’ morale.

By the time I arrived in Kushan, the rumors had already spread here as well.

Not only about the Storm King’s ultimatum, but also the counterproposal I had thrown down.

The very first thing Seah said to me when she greeted me was this:

“Well done, Oppa.”

It was a simple phrase, but I picked up on the many meanings hidden in it.

So I just shrugged my shoulders.

‘Well, it’s nothing much.’

“But about the rewards you promised, Oppa... The rest might work out somehow, but the numbers don’t add up for fine-grade and treasure-grade Ancient Armaments. There’s no telling when those might be excavated again.”

It was exactly what I had expected.

Even in the Age of Antiquity, a fine-grade armament had been considered a masterpiece.

As for treasure-grade—one would have to reach the level of the Horizon Knights, famed as the strongest, just to have a chance of seeing one.

But still,

“Don’t worry.”

I fiddled with the Subspace Necklace, brushing aside Seah’s concern.

“I’ll take care of that myself.”

Seah stared at me intently for a moment, then gave a short nod and handed me the bundle of documents she’d been holding.

“As soon as he heard the news, Uncle Burson drew up a training plan. It’s based on the assumption of a one-month grace period, but he packed the important training at the front so we can stop midway if needed.”

So we could stop midway if needed.

That was the key.

The Storm King might have spoken of a month’s grace, but only a fool would trust that.

Keeping one’s word?

That was a virtue only rulers of Gloryland or Oldland boasted of. In Roberland, such things didn’t exist.

The moment I declared resistance, it wouldn’t be strange at all if the Storm King attacked tomorrow.

That was why I hadn’t used the Book of Fate and instead returned to Kushan right away.

“Still, it’ll take him at least two weeks. The Storm King needs time to stabilize Kinalo. And he has to replenish his depleted forces.”

Seah said two weeks.

She was always well-informed, so that was likely close to the truth.

I nodded.

“Call all the key officers. Let’s start with a meeting.”

*         *         *

Seah gave her briefing, based on the information she had worked hard to gather.

The Storm King’s total force: twenty thousand. Ours: fourteen thousand.

That was after scraping together even the warriors of Kashu City.

Even so, we were still at a major disadvantage.

I looked around at the four Peak Experts gathered before me.

Varen, Katrina. And Rivera, Kalserik.

“In the end, the four of you need to carry the commander duels if we’re to win.”

The tactic we had chosen was a series of commander duels between the strongest warriors.

Our relatively smaller forces would focus on holding out, while in that time, the commander duels would be fought to bring down the enemy leaders.

More precisely,

I would find Storm King Haarun and take his head.

Until then, everyone had to fight and endure for victory.

I flipped through the briefing papers.

“According to intel, four of the Storm King’s Seven Champions have been mobilized.”

The seven fierce warriors under Haarun.

Two Swordmasters and five Peak Experts at the pinnacle of their craft. Together, they were called the Seven Champions of the Storm.

“Barkan the Irresistible. He became a Swordmaster two years ago. Katrina, he’s yours to stop.”

“Yes! Leave him to me!”

Even though her opponent was a Swordmaster, Katrina, a Peak Expert, showed not a hint of fear.

Right. Katrina. You could do it.

I flipped another page.

“Zahir of a Hundred Victories. Everyone knows this old man, right?”

“That old man is mine.”

Varen spoke with venom burning in his eyes.

“Good. Just don’t get your ass handed to you this time.”

Varen clenched his teeth in silence.

I trusted him. Among my younger brothers, his talent was one of the best. I believed he could topple even Zahir, the undefeated veteran.

I read out the next name.

“Jedark the Gambler. Rivera, you’ll face him.”

“Yes! I’ll bring back his head.”

Rivera, as always, was spirited and confident.

“The last one is Brida the Guardian. She’s also known as the Storm King’s lover.”

“That one’s mine, then. I don’t lose to youngsters like her.”

Kalserik, his face buried under a thick brown beard, grinned broadly.

I set the papers down with a tap and looked them all straight in the eye.

Not one of them seemed afraid.

That was reassuring... but still....

“You’re all brimming with confidence, huh?”

When I prodded them,

“Commander, those brats are nothing...!”

“Zahir. This time I’ll...!”

“Ha-ha-ha! At last, I’ll unleash ancient Sword Energy in a real battle...!”

“I have a plan. I’m still working out the details.”

Honestly, it was a bit absurd.

Confidence was good. I truly believed they had the qualities to justify it. But if that turned into recklessness, it would be a problem.

“Right now, you all look like you’re just begging to die.”

At least Rivera, whose eyes had sunk into a more serious calm, was fine...

But the others?

Facing such formidable opponents, and they weren’t even tense?

Were they so desperate to die?

A warrior without fear died. That was the conclusion I had drawn after surviving all the hells Roberland had to offer.

“Do you think your opponent is laughable? That confident in your skills? Then let’s see them.”

Creak.

I stood, drawing my sword.

Killing intent poured out of me in waves.

“Follow me to the training grounds. All of you.”

In an instant, the atmosphere froze over.

“Ugh... we’re screwed, aren’t we?”

Varen groaned.

“This is what I was waiting for!”

Katrina, on the other hand, leapt up in excitement.

*         *         *

Here, I couldn’t turn back time.

When Milo died, when Iodin died, I had been blessed with the chance to go back and challenge fate again.

Now, if I made even one mistake, I would lose my siblings forever.

“Katrina.”

That was why this process was absolutely necessary.

To show them reality, to make them prepare with true desperation.

“It’s okay to be afraid. Accept the fear inside you. Saying you’re not afraid means you’re treating your life carelessly.”

My younger sister Katrina, with hair like an orange lion’s mane.

I knew she had been brave ever since she was a child.

But lately... it was a bit too much.

“Afraid?”

Katrina asked back, as if she didn’t understand what I meant.

Yeah, kid. Why have you become so fearless?

I had asked the siblings who had been away with Katrina for half a year.

Their answers were all similar.

‘She keeps overdoing it. It’s like she thinks she has to take Hyung Ransen’s place.’

My role.

In their memories, I was something that never yielded, never lost, never afraid.

I knew well enough that I had been glorified that way.

But look.

How did that end?

I ended as a cripple, didn’t I?

I didn’t want Katrina’s future to turn out like that.

But then....

“Oppa. Honestly. Should I tell you the truth?”

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

“Before, I did. I hid my fear and shoved it down. I tried really hard to take Hyung’s place. But... these days, it’s not like that.”

“Then what?”

“Nowadays, I’m just not afraid. Of anything.”

Katrina lowered her faceguard and gripped her spear.

We were both mounted on horseback, preparing for cavalry combat.

The horses were Ailun White Horses.

I had spent quite a bit of money smuggling them in.

Katrina spoke again.

“I’m really not afraid.”

Orange Aura surged violently across her entire body.

“So, Oppa... you teach me. Teach me the fear that tells me I’ll die if I act like this. Only then... I think I can become sharper.”

Aura flared up along her spear. And above it, shimmering, was not Sword Energy, but Spear Energy.

Katrina’s momentum as the second, after Catch Soroa, to reach the Stage of Reading the Sword.

What was this...?

It didn’t feel like mere bravado.

Truly no fear? Could a person really be like that?

But if her words were true....

“Fine. I’ll engrave it into you. What you should fear. I’ll make you realize—‘ah, if I do this, I die right away.’”

I lowered my visor too and raised my spear.

*         *         *

I forced open lips that didn’t want to move, speaking as harshly as I could.

“Varen. If you go in like this, you’ll die to Zahir.”

Even saying it with my own mouth felt horrible.

“....”

But Varen just lowered his head and stayed silent. Whether sulking or pouting... he was always a hard one to read.

I left Varen aside for now.

“Kalserik. Same goes for you. On foot with a sword, maybe. But mounted with a spear? Against Brida the Guardian, who specializes in cavalry? No way you win like this.”

It was time to show reality to those who’d been too confident during the meeting.

Only then would they find ways to survive and win.

But Kalserik didn’t look the least bit rattled.

“So what you’re saying, Commander, is that if we fight fair and square, Varen and I will lose, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then it’s simple.”

Kalserik grinned.

“Don’t fight fair and square!”

...Was this the Roberland mercenary mindset?

“Varen! Want me to tell you how to beat Zahir?”

Varen’s gloomy face lit up instantly.

“Right! I’ll bring back Zahir’s head and show it proudly to the Commander! I’m Varen, after all! Gotta do it, right? Hm?!”

Nod, nod, nod, nod!

Varen bobbed his head fiercely.

It had been a long time since I’d seen him this fired up....

With a trace of unease, I asked,

“...I’ll be checking later, Kalserik?”

Kalserik stroked his bushy beard and laughed heartily.

“Don’t worry, Commander! I may not have a hundred victories like Zahir, but I’m a warrior with nearly thirty!”

Alright. I’d trust him.

Even if he seemed carefree, he was still Kalserik—the man who had survived through all those long years in Roberland.

At any rate, I had checked their skills and instilled some tension, so for now, I would keep watch over them.

And then,

‘Time to go get those fine-grade or better Ancient Armaments.’

I couldn’t shake off my unease. I needed to equip my people with good gear as soon as possible.

If ability and experience were lacking, equipment had to make up for it!

I drew out the Book of Fate.

And opened that page I had once stumbled across.

That night, when I had randomly thought of Iodin and flipped through the Book of Fate.

What I had discovered was a letter from the distant past.

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