[Siena's POV]
Once the Imperial infantry made contact with the Alliance infantry, I decided to move out of the forest. Currently, our position is highly advantageous, situated directly behind the enemy forces.
— Bang! Bang! Bang!
The musketeers in the front lines fired upon the Imperial soldiers ahead.
In response, they attempted to change their formation. I could see their rear infantry lines beginning to turn toward our position.
"Firing squad ready!" I heard the squad leader shout.
Hearing this, I gave the order to fire.
"Fire!"
— Bang! Bang! Bang!
The front row of infantry currently facing us collapsed, struck by thousands of lead bullets from our musketeers.
They then began reloading their rifles. There is a seven-second delay before the musketeers can fire again. This window can be utilized by the enemy to mount a counter-response.
Five large fireballs suddenly hurtled toward us; naturally, the Imperial forces weren't going to stand idly by while their men fell.
I stepped to the front of the soldiers, drew my sword, and settled into a stance.
"Spatial Magic..." I expanded the area of my magic.
Once the five fireballs entered my range, I unleashed a horizontal slash.
"Split Space!"
The five fireballs were cleaved in two and exploded in mid-air. The wind generated by the explosion whipped against my eyes, forcing me to place a palm in front of my face to keep the dust from obstructing my vision.
However, I caught a glimpse of a knight darting toward me.
"..."
— Clang!
Our swords clashed. My body was pushed back a considerable distance as I blocked the strike.
Spinning around and driving my sword into the ground, I managed to stop my momentum and stand tall once more. From a distance, I saw the armored knight charging at me again.
Activating Temper magic on my blade, I parried his incoming strike.
— Clang!
Our swords met again. This time, however, I held my ground perfectly.
"Raymond the White Knight..." I murmured, staring intently at the old knight locked in a struggle with my blade.
"You still haven't answered my question from before, Lady Siena," he said, spinning his body to launch a Spinning Slash.
I ducked beneath his blade and counterattacked with a diagonal upward slash.
However, my blade met only air. Raymond the White Knight had quickly leaped back to evade my strike.
I stared at him coldly, then took the stance of Liana de Grantz's swordsmanship technique.
"Your forces are surrounded," I told him. "And we have the numerical advantage. Your nation's ambition stops here."
Hearing my words, Raymond the White Knight also settled into a fighting stance.
"You underestimate us too much, Lady Siena," the old man said. "There is a reason we are dubbed the strongest nation on this continent."
There was no hesitation in his voice, despite their dire situation. I wondered where this confidence came from. Was it because their people were inherently arrogant? Or did they truly possess a resilient, indomitable mentality?
"..."
Suddenly, I noticed a line of riders atop the hill on the right side of the battlefield. In front of the cavalry line, a blonde woman appeared to be shouting something.
"You were hiding troops as well, it seems." I shifted my attention back to the knight I was fighting.
"She is my niece and my proudest disciple," Raymond the White Knight said, looking proud. "She is the one who will lead this nation to the very peak of civilization."
A niece, was she?
If I recall correctly, the Emperor's wife is Raymond the White Knight's younger sister. That meant the woman leading hundreds of cavalry on that hill was Elena de Aragon.
"That doesn't matter," I replied, activating Asphalt magic. "If we win this fight, the Venetian will replace the dominance of the Aragon Empire!"
The two of us then lunged toward each other to resume our duel.
That's right... I will not give up until this nation reaches the peak of glory we have always dreamed of.
***
[Elena's POV]
The battle is intensifying; our main force is fighting enemy troops from both the front and the rear.
On the other hand, our 5,000 troops fighting the 20,000 enemies to the east have been almost entirely wiped out. If we don't do something immediately, they will all be slaughtered.
"Elena."
I heard Raul's voice and turned to my side.
The black-haired man was staring at me with the only eye he had left.
"Forget about charging over there to help those 5,000 men," he said flatly.
"Why?" I asked.
I wanted to know why we had to ignore our comrades who needed help. Why must we abandon them again in this war?
"The cavalry unit you lead will only be destroyed in vain if you charge the enemy without significant infantry support," Raul answered. "As a leader, sometimes you must make difficult decisions to achieve victory."
Hearing Raul's words, I looked back toward the 5,000 troops who were nearly annihilated in the east.
What he said was true; a charge led by me would be wasted if directed there. Furthermore, those 20,000 Alliance troops would surely move to assist their other 15,000 soldiers in crushing our 50,000 men in the middle.
With a heavy heart, I turned my gaze away from our dying soldiers toward the main force fighting the enemies appearing from their front and rear.
The newly appeared Alliance force attacking our main force's rear seemed more numerous than their other two force's.
That meant the most appropriate move was to charge the 15,000 Alliance troops in front of our main force. If the main force could defeat the enemy in front of them quickly, they could immediately turn to face the other 20,000 soldiers before our position became even more disadvantaged.
"Forward! Their lines are almost collapsing!"
"Hurry, let's finish the fight here and help the others!"
Our troops at the front appeared to be gaining the upper hand against the 15,000 Alliance soldiers.
— Grruuhhhh!
Suddenly, six seven-meter-tall golems formed from the earth around the 15,000 Alliance troops. These golems then attacked the front lines of our main infantry, shattering their formation and halting our momentum.
"Lightning Ball!"
"Fire Rocket!"
Our mages fired magical projectiles at the six golems. However, only small scratches appeared on their bodies.
Seeing this, I decided where to lead my cavalry charge.
"Everyone! Assemble!" I shouted, raising my spear high.
All the cavalry under my command emerged from behind the hill and rode up to join me.
I looked at the expressions of every soldier. They seemed to have been waiting for this moment since the battle began. Old and young, it made no difference; they were here for one reason: to defend their country and their homeland.
There was nothing left for me to say to them. Everyone looked impatient to dive into the fray.
"We will charge the enemy to take down their mages and musketeers!" I declared. "Raise your spears!"
Everyone straightened the spears in their right hands. I then turned and faced the mass of enemies we were about to plunge into below.
"Aragonian Cavalry!" I shouted the command.
"Oohhh!"
"Ooohh!"
They all responded, signaling they were ready to charge.
"For Honor and Glory... CHAAARRRGGEE!!!"
After shouting those words, I spurred my horse and led the cavalry unit toward the mages controlling the golems.
— Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!
The sound of hundreds of horses' hooves echoed in my ears. The enemy seemed to have noticed our presence and began to change their formation.
But they were too late; the distance was down to 50 meters.
"Level your spears!" I yelled, positioning the tip of my spear forward.
Every rider in the unit did the same. Hundreds of spear tips would surely intimidate any enemy infantry trying to block us.
40 meters...
30 meters...
I gripped the spear in my right hand tightly, preparing for contact.
20 meters...
10 meters...
And...
— Crash!!!
The tip of my spear shattered as it slammed into an enemy soldier. The entire cavalry unit began plowing through the Alliance infantry.
I drew my sword to keep advancing, slashing the throats of the enemies I passed. My cavalry followed close behind, drawing their swords once their spears were spent or broken.
"Stop the enemy cavalry!"
"Mages! Block them with your golems!"
— Grooaahh!!!
The six golems fighting the infantry shifted their attention to us. They began walking toward us.
"Scatter!" I ordered my unit.
Sensing the danger, we widened our spacing to avoid being stepped on.
Two golems approached and raised their massive legs to crush us. I spurred my horse harder to make it run faster, narrowly avoiding the giant golem's foot.
— BOOM!!!
The ground shook as the golems' feet slammed down near my horse. My mount then passed the golem by sprinting through the gap between its massive legs.
"..."
Suddenly, the foot of another golem swung toward me just as I emerged from beneath the previous one.
I quickly activated Axio magic and leaped from my horse.
— Baamm!!!
My horse was sent flying through the air after being kicked by the golem.
A mage was visible atop this giant golem. He moved his hands, making the golem reach out to grab my body while I was still mid-air.
I twisted my body to evade the golem's grasping hand.
After dodging, I activated my Profound Codex, causing my entire body to be enveloped in arcs of yellow lightning. I used the golem's wrist as a stepping stone and lunged toward the mage controlling it.
"Earth Missile!"
Realizing the threat, the mage shot several earth-element projectiles at me.
I swiftly slashed through the projectiles one by one and successfully landed on the golem's head.
Without hesitation, I unleashed a horizontal slash at the mage with my lightning-infused sword.
"Lightning Blade!"
"Damn it! Mud Armor!"
The mage encased his body in soil armor in an attempt to protect himself.
— Slash!
However, his magic was unable to withstand my Lightning Blade. My sword pierced through his defense and cut the mage in two.
As soon as the controller was killed, the golem's body shuddered and began to collapse. But my magic was still active, and my assault was far from over.
— Slash! Slash! Slash!
I cut down the other mages still controlling their golems.
My armor was covered in blood as both the Imperial and Alliance forces stared at me standing among them.
The Profound Codex I was using faded as it reached its limit, and the yellow lightning on my blade vanished to conserve my remaining mana.
"It's... Princess Elena!"
"She's amazing... she took down those golems!"
The morale of the Imperial soldiers soared at the sight of the troublesome golems being destroyed.
I raised my sword high and shouted, "Soldiers of Aragon! Advance and crush the enemy!"
"Yeahhh! Attack them!"
"Show them the true strength of the Aragon Nation!"
The battle resumed. This time, our forces held the advantage.
I didn't stay still either, slashing through the enemies who approached. Only the sounds of clashing steel and the screams of dying men filled the air.
Slash, slash, slash.
That was all I did. However, despite the many enemies we killed, their numbers didn't seem to dwindle.
My stamina was almost completely depleted. The Imperial soldiers were also beginning to show fatigue, pushed back by the sheer weight of the enemy.
"Enemy reinforcements have arrived after defeating our 5,000 men on the other side!"
I heard someone shout. That meant the number of enemies we were facing had just doubled.
Slowly, our forces began to be overwhelmed by the enemy's strength.
I tried my best to hold back the Alliance soldiers, but they were too numerous and unstoppable.
"We can't retreat! Behind us, our comrades are already fighting the enemies from the west!"
If this continued, we would be squeezed, surrounded, and left with no way out.
"Die!"
Several enemy soldiers attacked me, but I managed to dodge and kill them with a few slashes.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
After nearly an half hour of fighting, my body was reaching its limit. This is the difference between small-scale duels and large-scale warfare—stamina is everything.
"There are too many of them!"
"Don't let the flag fall! Reclaim it from the enemy!"
Everything was in chaos. Combat formations were no longer relevant; there was only the exchange of blows and the spilling of blood.
"Reform the lines! Don't get separated!" I shouted, trying to unite the scattered soldiers.
But the only response I heard were the death rattles of our men being slaughtered.
This is bad...
If this continues, the entire army will be wiped out.
I had to do something to unite them.
My eyes then fell upon a flag lying on the ground.
***
[Raul's POV]
The battle rages on.
Although we gained an advantage from the cavalry charge led by Elena, it wasn't enough to defeat the Alliance.
Furthermore, their other forces had joined the fray here after defeating the 5,000 Imperial troops nearby.
"Keep moving! Push them back!"
"Victory is almost ours!"
The Alliance's attacks grew more intense. The Imperial forces were clearly exhausted after hours of combat.
"Die, one-eye!"
Three enemies approached me, launching slash after slash with intent to kill.
Because of my blindness in my left eye, I struggled to deal with their coordinated attacks.
— Clang!
I parried one of their strikes and performed a quick Spinning Slash, decapitating one of the soldiers.
"You bastard!"
Another soldier lunged for my neck, but I tilted my head and countered with a strike to his legs.
"Arrrghhhh!" the soldier screamed as he fell, his leg severed by my blade.
But I didn't stop there.
Activating Temper, I unleashed a vertical slash at the remaining soldier.
— Slash!
His body was split in two; my blade carved through his helmet all the way down.
However, the enemy forces seemed endless.
The troops facing the enemy at our rear also seemed to be getting pushed back.
"Hey, who is fighting over there!?"
"Look, the enemy seems to be surrounding them!"
Hearing the soldiers' shouts, I turned to the side. I saw enemy soldiers forming a circle, as if surrounding someone in the middle.
— BOOMMMBB!!!
A burst of lightning erupted, striking in all directions. The enemy soldiers encircling the person were sent flying high into the air.
Once the path was clear, it was revealed that the person surrounded by the enemy was a woman.
Her blonde hair fluttered in the wind, her gaze was sharp, and her right hand gripped a flagpole.
"Knights and Soldiers of Aragon! Listen to me!" the woman shouted, drawing the attention of both our forces and the enemy. "I know the enemy outnumbers us! I know we are in a desperate position!"
Our soldiers listened to her. However, the enemy didn't stand still and moved to attack Elena again.
I quickly activated Asphalt magic and blocked the enemy soldiers trying to reach her.
"I won't let you touch her!"
The enemy soldiers looked frustrated that I had thwarted their attempt.
"I know that fatigue and the fear of death make us hesitate in this disadvantaged battle!" Elena continued her speech.
Meanwhile, I continued to keep the enemies at bay so her moment wouldn't be interrupted. I knew Elena was about to unlock her new Profound Codex.
"But we—the Aragonian—must be brave and fight that fear! We only become truly brave when we face the fear within us! Therefore, steel your hearts, ignite your spirits! And show the world that we are a great and powerful nation!"
A golden light began to radiate from Elena's body. The blonde woman then waved the flag she held from side to side.
"Oohhhhh!"
"Yeahhh! Defeat the enemy!"
"We can do it as long as we keep fighting and don't give up!"
Our troops looked revitalized; their morale was restored.
"Fight, Knights of Aragon! Do not give up until your last drop of blood! Stand and rise to defeat your enemies!"
After Elena shouted those words, the light enveloping her body suddenly spread and clung to our soldiers.
"Attack them!"
"Push them back!"
The enemy forces looked shocked to see our soldiers, who should have been exhausted, suddenly overflowing with strength.
That's right...
This is one of Elena's most terrifying Profound Codices: Inspire...
"Damn it! How do they still have this much strength!?"
"Do they not feel fatigue at all!?"
Our forces began to push back the Alliance.
I noticed my own body was enveloped in the golden light of Elena's magic. The fatigue I felt suddenly vanished, and my strength seemed to multiply manifold.
The ability of Elena's magic increases the stamina, morale, and combat prowess of the troops fighting alongside her.
"Pax Auterna de Aragoniaaann!"
Elena shouted again, still waving the Imperial flag. Her battle speech ignited the spirit of the entire Imperial army.
At this moment...
At this very second...
The War Goddess of the Aragon Empire was born...
In the future, the army she leads will be known as invincible, whether fighting humans or the forces of the Demon King himself.
That is the true power of Elena de Aragon.
In the game, she was known as...
Aragon Empire Goddess of War ...