Chapter 835: A Failed Show of Force

The outcome is never in doubt. The enormous Lightchaser Fleet is completely destroyed.

As both armies begin clearing the battlefield, everyone falls silent.

The Church and the Empire are putting their strength on display. They have brought fifteen legions of this caliber.

One such army will garrison each kingdom's capital, backed by a Western legion that is also quite formidable.

The Church and Empire delegations are delighted by the wariness in everyone's eyes and the long silence that follows.

Archbishop Ashiburn watches them with pride. These natives have finally learned what real power looks like.

They are especially pleased when even Henwell lowers his head.

After a long while, Henwell releases a deep breath.

Terrifying, yes, but still manageable.

A single Peace Haven legion could also destroy a Lightchaser Fleet of this size.

Since the reorganization, a Peace Haven legion has more than twenty thousand soldiers, roughly the same size as either expeditionary legion before him.

But matching this speed would clearly force Peace Haven to pay a much higher price.

It would take two Peace Haven legions to achieve the same result.

The real problem is the price Peace Haven would pay in a battle against elite legions like these.

With equal forces of twenty thousand, Henwell knows Peace Haven's numbered legions cannot match the elites of the Church and the Empire.

The garrison legions might hold them to a draw, but they would gain no advantage.

Henwell is not intimidated. On the contrary, he feels relieved.

The four garrison legions have spent the last three years tempering themselves on the Northern Mountain Front. Together with Enhancement Potions, that experience has produced large numbers of professionals.

In some warbands, professionals now make up nearly half the soldiers. Every legion even has one warband composed entirely of professionals.

The coming Calamity War will inevitably transform every Peace Haven legion.

War accelerates technology. With life and death at stake, humanity often advances much faster, because moving slowly means dying.

Heart-Piercing Lotuses, extraordinary equipment, Thunder Hand Cannons, steam ballistae, and eventually barreled cannons and mortars.

All of these will become the foundation that allows Peace Haven to sweep across the world.

By Henwell's estimate, a legion with professionals making up half its ranks could defeat these twenty thousand elites if supported by a steam ballista regiment.

After weathering the initial losses, the steam ballistae's unrelenting fire would quickly suppress the enemy's professional units.

In a head-on fight, Henwell does not believe the soldiers of his elite warbands are inferior to the expeditionary army's elites.

Unlike the representatives of the other powers, Henwell is himself a powerful professional.

Naturally, he can see far more than they can.

The enemy's supernatural attacks are astonishing, but surprise is their greatest advantage.

If they could still cast legion-scale offensive magic while enduring bombardment from Thunderclap Ballistae, Henwell would drop to his knees on the spot.

If he had barreled cannons, Henwell guarantees that a single artillery regiment could pound them into submission.

As for the Domain-like power surrounding the charging warbands, Henwell's own legions possess something similar.

Once the Light of Civilization is activated, the outcome will come down to which side is tougher.

Henwell is also certain that elite legions of this caliber cannot be ordinary forces even within the church and the empire.

Even by the most generous estimate, the Church and the Empire could field no more than another twenty such legions.

Just wait!

Once I develop barreled cannons, infantry rifles, and grenades, I'll blow your fucking heads off!

Everyone mistakes Henwell's deep breath for shock. They have no idea he is already planning how to counter these powerful armies.

Of everyone present, only the Lady of Calamity sees that this method of fighting relies on a limited opening repertoire.

If the first barrage fails to kill the enemy, they will have no choice but to run.

The display is dazzling and explosive. In truth, it is closer to a performance than a battle.

In a real battle, Henwell is certain they would never launch an all-out opening assault like this.

This is merely a show staged to intimidate the envoys of the various kingdoms.

Even so, Henwell keeps up his shocked act, and his gaze toward the Church and Empire delegations softens.

When even a troublemaker like Henwell appears to know when to yield, the Church and the Empire consider their objective achieved.

Prince Kevin says, "These are the reinforcements I have sent, but they cannot be consumed on the front lines. They can only protect your capitals."

"Each capital is an important teleportation node that will allow us to deploy the coalition rapidly and resolve whatever crisis you face."

"Your next task, then, is to send the troops you intend to contribute to the coalition."

"I do not expect them to match these troops, but you should at least send the best forces you have."

"This concerns the fate of every one of you. If you send us rabble, you will only harm yourselves when the time comes."

"I hereby appoint Senar, a marquis of the empire and the Church's Eye of the Holy Spirit, as commander-in-chief of the coalition."

"Who supports this appointment? Who opposes it?"

Silence is their answer. Prince Kevin's demand is tacitly accepted.

Several days later, Orak is brought to the residence where Henwell is staying.

When the two men meet, they remain silent for a long time.

Finally, Orak steps forward and embraces Henwell. "Running a state-level power truly isn't easy."

"You are already a powerful professional, yet I can still see the weight of age in your eyes."

After they release each other, Henwell studies the gray in Orak's hair. "Brother, your hair is already turning gray."

Orak chuckles. "Heh... I am in my fifties now, and I have been gone for sixteen years."

Henwell says quietly, "I'm sorry, Brother."

Orak shakes his head. "None of this is your fault. Many people chose to remain on the Abundant Continent. To tell the truth, I hesitated too."

"The supernatural environment there is far better than it is here."

"I tried my utmost to keep a low profile and avoid appearing valuable, yet I still advanced to become an Iron Knight."

"I never thought the distance between us would grow even greater."

"Truth be told, I started another family there. I don't even know how I should face Fiona and the others."

Henwell says, "I will handle the arrangements. You will not have to worry about anything. When the opportunity comes, I will ask a friend to bring them here or move them somewhere safe."

The two fall silent again. After a while, Henwell speaks first. "I'm sorry. I failed to protect Uncle and the others."

Orak waves a hand. "There is no need to say it. It was fate. They spent the entire journey telling me how you had swallowed up the Phoenix family."

"But I know you would never have killed Father and Mother, nor would you have made the first move against the Phoenix family."

"As for Kaku..."

"Sigh..."

"He has loved competing with others since childhood. He is clever, but not clever enough. That would not be a problem in an ordinary family."

"But in the Phoenix family, and among Peace Haven's indispensable lieutenants, it is a fatal flaw."

"Tell me about it."

"How far has Peace Haven come for so many people on the distant Abundant Continent to fear you?"

Henwell smiles. "That is a rather long story."

"The longer, the better. It is a long night, after all. What could go better with the wine than a good story?"