Genius Blacksmith's Game
Chapter 586: Soldier (6)
The nation of Hyun could not officially involve itself in the clash between Verd Territory and the Parion Empire.
If it becomes clear that the nation of Hyun is involved, that gives the Parion Empire and its allied nations justification.
Justification was a terrifying thing.
The reason Bolond could not act like a tyrant and sweep away the nation of Hyun was because he did not even have a forced pretext.
Even the Emperor must fear continental condemnation.
That was why the nation of Hyun could not actually move its army, and because of that, Musashi had made a decision.
“If the residents remain in the territory, it is obvious they will all die. They have no reason to die for nothing because they met an incompetent Monarch.”
For the first time, Musashi looked at Hyunsoo with calm eyes.
“I have a request. I will banish all of them, so take them in within the nation of Hyun. If it is discovered that the nation of Hyun intervened and smuggled the residents out, Parion will raise an objection. But I think it will be different if the story is that the banished residents encountered a horde of monsters and all died.”
“......”
It was not a difficult story.
They only needed to scatter clothes and luggage across the ground, sprinkle blood they had prepared in various places, and spread the rumor.
There was only one concern.
“If you do that, you’ll be remembered forever as an incompetent lord who abandoned 120,000 residents and caused their deaths.”
At Hyunsoo’s concern, Musashi gave a faint laugh.
“I do not care. Saving them is more important than the image of a man like me, which has already been ruined beyond repair.”
Through that conversation, Hyunsoo had guessed it.
Musashi would become one of the people of the nation of Hyun.
Just as Nell had planned, he would become the corps commander who led the “2nd Corps.”
He would live for the nation of Hyun, the place he had hated and despised so much, in order to meet the residents who would build a new home there.
And if he won, he would go there to meet his people, who had made a new home in that place.
And now.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
“Wooooooah!”
“Long live Lord Musashi!”
At Musashi’s request, Hyunsoo was transporting them by ship, and he watched Musashi’s people cheering with burning fervor.
He was a good lord.
In truth, there had been many conflicting opinions about proposing Musashi’s recruitment.
“I am against it. Musashi is a figure disliked around the world.”
“His words and actions are too unrestrained, and we don’t know what kind of negative effect he might have on the nation of Hyun.”
“There’s also the question of whether the group called Warrior will truly live for us.”
But sometimes, even the people of the nation of Hyun did not always find the right answer.
Musashi had clearly changed.
And as they watched the residents boiling over at the news of victory, one of the residents asked the most important question.
“What were the losses on our side and the enemy’s?”
Even if Verd’s army had clashed with a force of 100,000 and won—
If there were many casualties, could that truly be called victory?
Also, the state of their allied forces’ losses mattered for the battles ahead.
After all, the enemy numbered 500,000 in total, and this had been a clash with an army of 100,000.
“Kkokko, tell me the exact state of the battle.”
Kiiieeeeeeh!
Once again, Kkokko turned into flame and vanished.
It did not take long for Kkokko to return.
As Hyunsoo accepted the newly delivered note, everyone present was visibly tense.
This time, Hyunsoo was tense as well.
How many did they lose?
Just as the resident had said, the most important thing was how many allies had survived.
Hyunsoo unfolded the paper and read it, only to grow flustered midway.
“What kind of......”
At his reaction, the people there looked puzzled, and Hyunsoo soon read on in a startled voice.
“Enemy force of 100,000 annihilated.”
“......!”
“......!”
It was a complete victory.
Nothing was greater than annihilating the enemy entirely.
But what shocked them even more was what came next.
“No losses among Verd Territory’s forces.”
“......!”
“......!”
The shock wrapped around the entire ship.
And Hyunsoo, who could not truly believe it either, was thinking of one person.
Rollo, just what the hell did you do?
*****
1.8 million.
It was a viewer count that would only be possible by combining several cities in Gyeonggi-do.
The people inside that number were varied.
Students, office workers, retirees, dark gamers, rankers, and more.
But who they were did not matter. What mattered was what kind of heart they carried.
Everyone, at least once, wanted to be special.
Everyone wanted to be carved into a single moment under the name of legend.
And Rollo understood better than anyone why Nell had chosen him, and he knew how to judge it.
Also, there was one reason users watched broadcasts.
An expert of some kind was also watching the broadcast.
Everyone had ties there, and everyone had NPCs they cherished.
They also had places they liked, and regular shops they visited.
Some had goals they were chasing, and some had once had those goals stolen from them in an instant before a vast empire.
As users realized that they could not take anything, that they could only have things taken from them, the chat window went wild.
After hearing the rumors, the viewer count surpassed 2.3 million.
BJs friendly with Rollo kept talking nonstop, and the total number of viewers rising across the world swelled to an enormous figure.
Then—
“Commander Pedro! We have received word that Musashi, Monarch of Verd Territory, is preparing for war!”
“He dares rebel against His Majesty’s grace in this manner!?”
Pedro’s face flushed red as he spoke to the two knights who had come with him.
“Careo, Grod.”
They were masters of horsemanship, and also captains who led cavalry units.
“Immediately lead 100,000 troops and strike the enemy camp by the fastest route. Capture every last one of them, even the women and children!”
“May I ask the reason for capturing them?”
“I will burn them in front of Musashi!”
“As you command!”
Knight Careo and Knight Grod, who already knew the terrain, mounted their horses and led a dazzling cavalry force.
Neeeeeeigh!
The cries of countless horses in formation were transmitted to the viewers.
Among the more than ten million viewers—
Many began to waver.
Rollo knew he had completed every mission.
And also—
At least in this moment, he did not want to be a BJ who acted only with words.
“You ridiculous bastards. You dare rebel against His Majesty!?”
Level 257.
Rollo, a warrior-type class, pulled his weapon, an iron mace, from his chest.
Then, with all his strength, he smashed it into Commander Pedro’s head.
Crack!
“......!”
“......!”
“??”
Pedro.
He was flustered by the sudden impact he felt against his head.
The BJ he had brought with him had struck him on the head.
Of course—
[You dealt 134 damage.]
Due to the Level gap, that damage was pitifully weak and insignificant.
But Rollo gritted his teeth and drew back his mace to swing once more.
At that moment—
Thuck-thuck-thuck-thuck-thuck!
Dozens of arrows and spears pierced through Rollo’s body.
But Rollo smiled broadly with both arms spread wide.
Why was his nickname Rollo?
Because he liked Rollo, a character from the comic One Dis.
Like that character when he faced Mayhawk, Rollo stood with both arms outstretched and dozens of arrows embedded in him as his body scattered.
[You have failed Hidden Quest: Record.]
[Your imperial citizenship in the Parion Empire has been revoked!]
[You receive a penalty for attacking a knight of the Parion Empire!!]
Rollo had said it.
In the fight against the Parion Empire, the extermination order they feared did not matter.
As he scattered completely, Rollo wrote:
That was the name that would be given to the “users” who would fight.
*****
Careo.
He was the cavalry commander who led the mounted troops.
His main mission was the first strike, and he had experienced victory more than thirty times.
“Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!”
Thud, thud—thud-thud-thud!
The Erbe foothills had such harsh terrain that most people did not enter them.
But it took only twenty minutes.
If they used this place, they could advance to Verd Territory in just twenty minutes.
Only ten thousand?
Thud, thud—thud-thud!
Deep in the night.
Looking at the 100,000 cavalrymen following him without a single straggler, Careo let out a hollow laugh.
He was proud of the Parion Empire Army—of his own men—who could race as swiftly as light even in pitch-black darkness.
Before long, Verd Territory came into view for those galloping through the foothills.
A small city among small cities within the Parion Empire.
A backwater.
That was the exact word for that shabby place.
“Push harder!”
“Yes, sir!”
Hyah!
The moment that place came into view, they increased their speed.
But then—
Thud, thud-thud, thud-thud, thud-thud!
Inside the dark forest—
The sound of horses’ hooves spread across the entire mountainside.
At first, he thought it was the hoofbeats of the horses led by his own subordinates.
But......
There are more?
The sound was rapidly increasing.
And they’re fast!?
It seemed that men mounted on thousands of horses were racing while surrounding them from the left, right, front, and rear.
I heard Verd Territory had no cavalry!?
Their horsemanship was also excellent.
Thud, thud—thud-thud!
Even trying to shake them off was not easy.
As Careo charged onward, he sensed that something was strange.
“They sound like thousands of cavalry. But what do you think you can do against 100,000 soldiers with a few thousand cavalrymen?”
“......”
“......”
No answer came.
They only kept following.
Thud, thud, thud—
At that, Careo pulled on the reins of the horse he was riding.
Screeeeech—
Along with his horse sliding smoothly to a halt, the trained 100,000 cavalrymen lined up and stopped.
Shing!
The men of the cavalry drew their swords.
“Ten minutes would be more than enough to annihilate a few thousand cavalry.”
Still, no answer came.
“I will tear every last one of you to pieces!”
Just as they were about to surge toward the cavalry in the darkness, a voice rang out.
“Try it.”
One man lit a candle.
As his form appeared with it, the army’s movement began to turn in that direction.
But then—
One candle was lit, and that candlelight kept spreading.
Twenty thousand?
As he kept turning his head, the candlelights were still appearing.
The enemy cavalry he had thought numbered only a few thousand.
Atop the hills, even more cavalry lit their candles.
The ones encircling them continued kindling candlelight.
Four hundred thousand!!?
Those candlelights shone beautifully, like fireflies in the mountains.
“Who the hell are you people!!”
As Careo pointed his sword, one man answered.
“Soldiers.”
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