Water Magician-Chapter 670 : The Three Eastern Emperors’ Clash
Chapter 0670 The Three Eastern Emperors’ Clash
Translator: Jay_Forestieri
Editor: Tseirp
“Why do you invade Darwei’s territory?”
“Everything, far and wide, is the territory of the Choouchi Empire. It is only that the rightful ruler has returned.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Choouchi doesn’t even appear in the histories.”
“I shall teach the ignorant people of Darwei the return of their true ruler.”
While the armies of Darwei and the Choouchi Empire faced each other, each side’s envoys asserted their own legitimacy and denounced the other’s misconduct.
It was by no means mere name-calling.
In the eastern countries, this sort of exchange is sometimes held before two forces clash on the battlefield.
The Choouchi Empire had secured Shuntai Castle on the southern bank of the North River.
The Darwei army had advanced north to intercept the Choouchi forces that did not move from there.
Naturally, the battlefield was set on the Pyurai Plain, south of Shuntai Castle.
The Choouchi forces were arrayed on the north side of the Pyurai Plain.
The Darwei forces were arrayed on the south side.
Both armies were led by their emperors.
“As expected, the emperors themselves don’t step forward and argue face-to-face, huh.”
“Well, that won’t happen. If it did, Darwei would be in trouble, right?”
“Is that so? Our emperor isn’t at all dull. His concern for the people is real. He said himself that he was a bit befuddled after the crown prince died, but now he seems to have regained his old strengths. He shouldn’t lose in a debate!”
“Hmm, that’s not the point—ours is a human, theirs is a phantomkin. If he attacked, it would be over in an instant.”
“Ah...”
Ryo fell silent at Abel’s remark.
Indeed, one could not say that the possibility was nil.
“I’ll suggest later that His Majesty wear <Ice Armor: Mist>.”
“No, that exchange seemed formal enough; it looks finished.”
The envoys who had been asserting legitimacy returned to their respective camps.
Of course, no one’s win-or-loss was decided by the ‘claims of legitimacy’.
Ryo and Abel were sitting at a corner of the Darwei main camp.
Beside the staff of Prince Ryun.
Prince Ryun himself stood close to Emperor Tsuin, and near him were his chief aides: Chamberlain Lin Shun, attendant Wen Shu, and Captain Lu Yao.
There were several large packages around, and seeing Captain Lu Yao and members of the prince’s Yulin guard’s magic artillery unit adjusting them from time to time, they looked like alchemy devices.
Ryo was curious, but, not wishing to interfere, only glanced now and then.
Secretly, Abel shook his head in a small gesture at Ryo’s furtive looks.
“Enemy movement!”
A scout who had been watching through a spyglass shouted.
“Predictable— the opening move was to send monsters.”
“Goblins, as expected.”
“To think goblins would advance so orderly.”
Captain Lu Yao and Chamberlain Lin Shun nodded with apparent expectation, while Wen Shu looked surprised at the goblins’ un-goblinlike discipline.
“Pig-headed... are those orcs? I’ve seen orcs move in formation, but goblins are usually slapdash.”
“Slapdash... Well, I see what Ryo means. Orcs are said to be smarter; goblins aren’t as bright. You wouldn’t expect them to march in formation.”
“In other words, the phantomkin can completely control monsters. Not just crude commands like ‘walk’ or ‘attack’, but precise orders.”
“Exactly.”
Previously, the monsters Ryo, Abel, and Prince Ryun had faced on the Midorisou Plain had been orcs.
Monsters led by General Yun.
Orcs are relatively intelligent and can fight in organized units even in the wild, so while that encounter was surprising, it was less shocking than this.
Goblins are not like that. Not at all.
“Still, judging from Chamberlain Lin Shun and Captain Lu Yao’s expressions, it seems within their expectations, so the command echelon probably won’t panic.”
“I see.”
Abel pointed that out and Ryo nodded.
Even if something exceeds expectations, as long as it doesn’t surpass the plan by too much, it’s manageable.
That seems true of anything.
“About three thousand goblins!”
At that report, orders flew out from the Darwei main camp.
“Let the magic corps intercept!”
The order came from Commander Tin Meu of the Imperial Guard.
The lack of anyone else’s command suggests this was the prearranged procedure.
On command, the Darwei magic corps opened fire in unison.
Thousands of fire-attribute offensive spells flew.
“Impressive.”
“Quite a spectacle.”
Even Ryo and Abel were awed.
However...
Before the spells struck the goblins, every one of them was deflected in midair.
“Huh...”
“Something’s floating.”
Ryo exclaimed in surprise; Abel, with his keen eyesight, pointed it out.
Ryo hurriedly brought his spyglass to bear.
“Talismans!”
Yes—these were the things.
The enemy were phantomkins.
The so-called ‘vessel’ without ‘substance’ could use sorcery.
They could launch talismans.
Most likely, the bulk of the phantomkins were hidden inside Shuntai Castle, held as a bridgehead.
“That castle is quite a distance away... can talismans be sent that far?”
“I heard, back when Queen Iliaja of the Suje Kingdom was attacked, that they couldn’t be thrown that long a distance.”
That incident occurred after the then-princess Iliaja had been called by the crown princess and then attacked.
“Maybe the presence of a Phantom King boosts that sort of ability?” 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
“Boost? As in strengthened? If so, that’s plausible.”
“Marie-san was a magician, but phantomkins and a Phantom King seem more tied to sorcery than to regular magic.”
“Right. Maybe it’s a racial trait.”
On Ryo’s remark, Abel agreed.
“We still know far too little about the phantomkins.”
“We hardly know ourselves, humans. It’s natural to be ignorant of other races.”
“But we’re fighting them. Know your enemy and know yourself, and you’ll not be imperiled in a hundred battles.”
“Sun Tzu’s pretty great.”
Abel nodded in admiration.
Protected by hundreds of talisman-shields floating in the air, the goblins advanced in orderly formation.
The Darwei army, it seemed, had no immediate countermeasures and stayed still.
“They probably considered talismans, but...”
“There’s a chance they didn’t expect talismans from that distance.”
Abel and Ryo watched the unmoving Darwei army with concern.
But looking around, those nearby did not seem flustered.
Chamberlain Lin Shun and Captain Lu Yao were calm.
While Wen Shu merely frowned a little...
The goblin units advanced with talismans floating before them, but at a certain point, all the talismans that had been floating in the air dropped.
“Huh?”
“They fell.”
At the next moment, as if waiting for that, the Darwei magic corps unleashed its barrage.
Thousands of offensive spells struck the goblins.
“What on earth...”
“A mana blocking barrier.”
The answer to Ryo’s question came from Captain Lu Yao, who was also an alchemist.
“A mana blocking barrier? It cuts off magic power?”
“Yes. It’s an alchemy device we had placed near where the talismans fell.”
“Such a thing... An alchemy device?”
“Although we call it a device, it’s fairly large and takes time to set up and activate. Darwei itself doesn’t have many of them. In fact, Prince Churei’s forces were caught in melee before they could set up and activate theirs, because they were so large.”
“But being able to cut off mana supply is amazing.”
Ryo was excited to learn about this new alchemy device Captain Lu Yao described.
Talismans used by sorcerers rely on the caster’s magic power to fly and to produce effects.
Talismans don’t carry magic stones.
So if you can cut off that mana supply, the talisman’s efficacy fails and they fall.
That the Darwei side had pre-installed and activated such a thing meant this too was within Darwei’s expectations.
“Darwei’s foresight is impressive.”
“That’s because Prince Ryun is with them.”
When Ryo offered straightforward praise, Captain Lu Yao explained the reason.
Prince Ryun was apparently competent as a commander.
“Damn it! What does this mean!”
On the walls of Shuntai Castle, where the Choouchi imperial main camp sat, Emperor Wangshan Ku shouted in fury.
The surrounding aides were silent.
Some guessed what had happened but did not speak up.
Because an excited Emperor Wangshan Ku would not heed such counsel.
It’s best to wait until he calms down.
But sometimes he would not calm quickly...
“Lin Sui’s earlier intel did not include such a thing, did it!”
“Perhaps Lin Sui himself did not know.”
“That fool! That’s why incompetents are detestable!”
Lin Sui—once said to be Prince Bin’s closest aide—was insulted for some reason.
“If the talismans cannot be used, then do it by force. Send out armored ogres! Push them to the front and march the goblins behind them!”
Emperor Wangshan Ku ordered a brute-force push.
Those around him did not particularly stop him.
They convinced themselves it was one option...
Watching from a little apart on the wall was someone who said,
“Our emperor truly sucks at war.”
The Phantom King chuckled, shaking his head.
“But that’s all part of the plan.”
“Ah, do keep pushing by force. That’s why we gave you monsters and put the ‘vessels’ under our command.”
The black-robed Taoran said, and the Phantom King added an explanation.
“The more theatrically they move, the better the diversion.”
“General Yun and the scouting unit are ready.”
“Understood. Make them wait a little longer.”
The Phantom King nodded to Taoran’s new report.
“An ogre in armor will likely reach them. The rest of the maneuvering starts when it becomes close-quarters. Now... let me watch this fight between humans and monsters a little longer.”
That movement was visible even from the Darwei main camp.
“An iron wall?”
“It’s moving.”
Because constantly peering through spyglasses tires the eyes, Ryo and Abel mostly used naked sight.
They could tell that a row of light-reflecting metal looked like a wall, but could not determine exactly what it was.
“Enemy is sending armored ogres forward!”
A spotter attached to the main camp shouted.
He always watched through a spyglass.
That must be tiring, Ryo thought, but...
“Ryo could take over.”
“I think Abel’s keen eyes are the right fit.”
In the end neither moved.
Each must perform their role.
It’s not good to invade another’s domain!
“Armoring the ogres to make them moving shields, huh.”
“A brutally straightforward tactic.”
Ryo and Abel were stunned by the bluntness of the idea.
Though they recognized its effectiveness.
At the same time, it was something other countries likely couldn’t pull off.
“Anyway, you can’t make an ogre wear armor, can you?”
“They wouldn’t obey such an order.”
“Controlling monsters is amazing.”
“A lot of previously unthinkable things might come out of this.”
Both Ryo and Abel sighed.
“Hmm.”
Abel tilted his head.
“What is it, Abel?”
“Well, this scene feels familiar somehow.”
“Déjà vu?”
“De-ja-vu?”
“A sense of déjà vu. Like, I shouldn’t have seen this before, but it feels like I did. Though it’s just my imagination.”
Ryo declared.
“No, I remember. The Union.”
“The Union?”
“When the Handal Union invaded the Inbury Duchy.”
“Ah! They pushed artificial golems to the front and stormed the walls, right?”
Both recalled it.
Against a city where the duke holed up and installed something like Vaedra, the Union shoved artificial golems to the forefront and forced a direct assault.
The golems intercepted the city’s Vaedra attacks and the city ultimately fell.
“But wasn’t the Union led by a Governor?”
“Yes, Lord Aubrey.”
“Right, I heard Lord Aubrey is called a ‘great general’—a masterful commander.”
“Exactly.”
“If this operation is similar to that, then armoring ogres and pushing them forward is the sort of tactic a brilliant general would use!”
Ryo was amazed.
Could such a great commander be behind the phantomkin side?
“Well... is that so?”
But Abel was skeptical.
“The way they handled the goblins earlier doesn’t look like classy sense.”
“Ah, that might have been deliberate.”
“...Really?”
“No, sorry, maybe... they’re not that skilled.”
In the end, Ryo rescinded his earlier amazement.
The same tactic can be praised when done by a famed general and criticized when done less skillfully.
The world is unfair.
But whatever the tactic, results will follow...
Success or failure...
“All arrow attacks are being blocked by the armor!”
“Magic attacks don’t work either—new rounds of talismans are floating!”
Reports came into the Darwei main camp.
“When they reach another mana-blocking barrier, the talismans will fall. But...”
“That armor—and if it’s ogres, they would just charge through direct magic hits.”
“Even if we kill the ogres, the goblins behind will turn it into close-quarters fighting.”
Those were the conversations among the aides in the main camp.
Emperor Tsuin looked at Commander Tin and said,
“Tin, mobilize ten thousand of the Imperial Guard.”
“Understood! ”
Tin nodded once to his rear.
Receiving the order was Deputy Commander Yi-Shima.
He would command the Imperial Guard at the front.
A commander in his early thirties forged under Tin and experienced battle many times.
He had once intercepted a southward Peiyu army under Prince Ryun’s command.
“They’ve crossed the mana-blocking barrier.”
“The talismans have fallen!”
Abel, using his eyesight, announced it, and Ryo cried out excitedly.
“The armored ones have started to run.”
“A frontal charge. Brute force as always.”
Ryo and Abel could see the armored ogres begin to run.
Of course, the goblins behind them also began to run.
After a while, something was thrown in unison from the Darwei lines toward the running ogres.
They threw bola-like weapons—two fist-sized iron balls connected by a rope.
They wind around the legs of the charging ogres—sometimes both legs, sometimes one.
And the ogres lost balance and fell.
“Bolas!”
“A linked ball. A bit larger than usual?”
Ryo shouted the Earth name for the weapon; Abel used the kingdom’s name.
“Eh? Abel, you know that weapon?”
“Yeah. They exist in the Central Countries as well. But those thrown just now are a bit larger. Maybe prepared specifically for ogre countermeasures.”
While they spoke, events continued to unfold.
The moment the armored ogres’ legs were entangled and they fell, the Darwei forces unleashed a concentrated magic barrage on the goblins running behind them.
Even commanded goblins were flustered when the ogres at their front collapsed and spells rained down.
Their advance halted.
“Charge! ”
Without hesitation, the order to the Imperial Guard was given.
The distance at which the bolas could reach was already under ten meters.
In military terms, it was well within arm’s reach.
The Darwei soldiers had managed to restrain themselves even as two-and-a-half-meter-tall ogres bore down upon them.
Ordinary soldiers would not manage that.
Fear would trigger an uncontrolled reaction.
But these were the Imperial Guard.
The emperor’s personal protectors.
Darwei’s finest.
The reason they were the finest of the finest was simply the strength of their spirit.
Their suppressed restraint, built up over and over, became a powerful counterforce.
Ten thousand imperial guards formed spearpoints and charged.
Though armored, the fallen ogres were slow, and the spears thrust through gaps in the armor to finish them.
Against the goblins behind, it was a one-sided slaughter.
“The Imperial Guard is incredible.”
“Of course, mere goblins won’t stand a chance.”
“Was this planned in advance?”
“The preparation of larger-linked balls and such—yes. Prince Ryun did well.”
Ryo and Abel both held Prince Ryun in high regard.
That was why they had helped in the imperial contest.
Yet Prince Ryun showed power even beyond their high expectations, leaving them astonished.
“We should bring him back to the kingdom to take charge of our military planning...”
“Impossible.”
Abel denied Ryo’s muttering.
Of course they spoke in low voices.
Jokes aside, Lin Shun and Captain Lu Yao, who adored Prince Ryun, were nearby...
“Don’t we have someone like that in the kingdom?”
“Phelps is that type.”
“Phelps-san? The heir of Marquis Heinlein, a B-rank adventurer, handsome, with female popularity surpassing Abel’s—Phelps-san?”
“...I don’t know why you added that last bit, but yes, that Phelps. His father too has deep insight into warfare. It’s like a family business.”
Abel shrugged.
It seemed the kingdom had excellent people at its core.
“Does our Prime Minister, Marquis Heinlein, have any weaknesses?”
“...Cooking, maybe?”
“Is he bad at cooking?”
“I heard such a rumor long ago.”
“Well, as a marquis and prime minister, he probably doesn’t need to cook.”
“Right.”
Some people produce top-class results in anything.
If they are on your side, that is reassuring.
Just don’t make them cook...
While Ryo and Abel whispered, events progressed.
“The Imperial Guard is overwhelming, but the enemy keeps throwing more at us.”
“Are their monsters inexhaustible?”
“I wonder where they procure those monsters. If phantomkins could create monsters, that would be a huge problem.”
“They do keep sending wave after wave, but the Imperial Guard is handling it. Rotating about a thousand at a time.”
“Oh, really. They’re swapping with troops in the main camp. Giving moderate rest. That’s possible because the front is so close.”
“One advantage of mobilizing a huge army is that you can keep fighting while resting parts. Those rested troops serve as reserves when needed.”
“True.”
Ryo nodded to Abel’s explanation.
Defeating many with few is romantic but not the proper way of war.
Darwei is a great power.
And it seems they have the know-how to deploy large armies.
“Is this... some kind of stalemate?”
“You could say that. Will one side get impatient and launch a big move?”
“Which side would lose patience first? Definitely them, right?”
“Completely agree.”
Then the spotter shouted,
“Enemy... numerous flying bodies!”
But people in the main camp tilted their heads.
“Flying bodies?”
They each looked through their spyglasses.
Even then, the flying objects that had just left Shuntai Castle could not be identified.
Still, there was a water-attribute magician who could sense movements within a few hundred meters without needing visual confirmation.
“No way...”
Ryo’s face showed surprise.
“What’s wrong, Ryo?”
“The spotter called them flying bodies, but...”
The spotter shouted again.
“Wyverns! Over fifty wyverns!”
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