The Empire’s army was marching south toward Briol.
But Briol wasn’t standing still either. The armies of its various territories were being mobilized.
The knights, caught up in a subtle excitement, made their way toward the rally point.
King Fiore Briol himself declared he would lead the troops in person.
The weight of his name was now enough to make the Empire no longer a source of fear.
The knights, thrilled at the thought of seeing Fiore’s sacred presence, even found themselves eagerly anticipating the war.
Yet Yuri’s focus was elsewhere.
“They say the Black Knights are coming from the Empire. The 2nd through 10th Knight Orders have been mobilized. The Black Star without Shadows hasn’t made a move yet, but that’s just how they operate…”
Yuri nodded at Jared’s words.
“That’s more than I expected.”
“Exactly.”
He was leading Laurent and Jared on a scouting mission, moving toward the direction from which the Empire’s forces were advancing.
Having left Briol behind, they avoided prying eyes by traveling through the forest, heading toward the Empire’s route.
“Do we have enough food?”
“Yes.”
Between the Empire and Briol, several small kingdoms were scattered.
Though Liberdah lay somewhat to one side, the Empire’s current path was skewed in the opposite direction.
Yuri’s group minimized stops in towns or villages, subsisting mostly on jerky and biscuits as they moved.
Yuri no longer allowed himself the luxury of ease.
“We have to stay alert at all times.”
His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings as he spoke again.
“Just as we sent scouts, the Empire probably did the same.”
Laurent and Jared wore grim expressions.
This fight was different from any they’d faced before. Their opponent was the Empire. The odds of defeat were clearly higher.
In such a situation, tension was unavoidable.
Suddenly, Yuri stopped in his tracks.
“There.”
Through a rugged path between the mountains, a group of riders was moving.
Though they bore no distinctive markings, Yuri immediately recognized them as Empire soldiers.
“The Empire.”
“Couldn’t they be just local lord’s men?”
“No.”
Yuri had seen the Empire’s troops countless times in his past life. He knew their traits well.
“These are definitely Empire soldiers.”
“What do we do?”
There were four of them.
“We can’t let them escape or send a warning.”
Yuri’s group concealed themselves in the bushes, watching.
The Empire soldiers looked around warily, alert on all sides. Their training was evident.
“They’re coming down.”
The enemy was descending toward the southeast, where Yuri’s group was positioned, while they themselves were moving northwest.
They would likely meet somewhere in between.
Yuri moved down carefully, keeping his figure hidden. Jared and Laurent followed silently.
Their maneuvers were stealthy.
Running a guerrilla training ground hadn’t been just about giving punishments. Yuri had learned many techniques from his instructors.
And above all, he carried the memories of an ancient hunter.
“Prince, slow down a bit…”
Laurent and Jared struggled to keep up.
Yuri nodded and eased his pace.
As they descended the slope, Yuri kept his eyes on the approaching Empire soldiers, who remained completely unaware of their presence.
Soon, Yuri reached the target spot.
He drew the bow from his back and aimed at the enemy, while Laurent and Jared gripped their swords, ready to charge.
Yuri fired at the rider at the rear, who had removed his helmet.
The arrow silently pierced through his head.
The three ahead realized what was happening too late, and Laurent and Jared charged.
“What—what’s going on?!”
“It’s an ambush!”
Yuri drew the bowstring against his cheek again, the tension biting into his fingertips.
He focused on the rider who was stepping back with his hands in his pockets.
Another arrow sliced through the air.
This time, it slipped through the eye slits of the helmet, piercing the brain.
Two fell instantly.
The others were no match for Laurent and Jared. Though they were roughly at the level of ordinary knights, that wasn’t enough to stop the two.
In an instant, Yuri’s group had taken down all four Empire soldiers.
Yuri sheathed his bow and approached Laurent and Jared.
“All dead?”
“One’s still breathing.”
Yuri moved toward the wounded man. Though gasping for breath after Laurent’s stab to the abdomen, he was not yet dead.
But he wouldn’t last long.
“Where’s the main force?”
Yuri asked, but the man remained silent.
“You’re going to die anyway. Would you rather die in pain or peacefully?”
Yuri pressed his hand against the pierced abdomen, applying pressure. The man’s face twisted as blood dripped from his mouth.
“J-just… kill me.”
“Answer me. Otherwise, I’ll just leave you.”
Yuri pointed to the sky.
“See those crows? They’re waiting for you to die. Let’s make it easy.”
“Damn bastard…”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Yuri had no intention of prolonging the conversation. He gripped the wound harder.
The cut edges of the chainmail, pierced by Laurent’s blade, tore deeper into the flesh.
“Ugh…”
Yuri kept moving his gauntleted hand.
The man’s eyes trembled violently.
Yuri whispered to him.
“Speak. Then I’ll end your pain.”
His lips moved slightly. Yuri nodded.
Then he twisted the man’s neck, killing him.
“Alright, let’s clean up and move on.”
Worried the main force might come back, they also killed the four horses the riders had used. It was ruthless, but necessary to win the war.
Before disposing of the bodies, Yuri stripped the Empire soldiers’ clothes and gathered them.
“Better to wear these outside, just in case. Could come in handy.”
Laurent and Jared stared, bewildered by Yuri’s practiced actions.
“Why?”
“Why are you so good at this?”
“Read some books.”
“Books say stuff like this?”
“Dig through the library.”
“Okay…”
“Let’s clean up.”
Yuri buried the bodies roughly in the mountain, careful to keep them hidden from the Empire.
Using manamethods, digging and covering the graves was quick work.
When finished, Yuri spoke.
“The main force is still near Arcain.”
“Still a long way off.”
“But scouts have already reached here.”
Yuri smiled faintly.
“What do you think that means?”
“Maybe the Black Knights are being cautious?”
“Something like that.”
Yuri looked toward the direction from which the Empire soldiers had come.
Nothing was visible yet.
“That means there are still many guards between them and the main force.”
“Ah.”
“So we have a lot to do.”
“You were just going to check on the main force and return, weren’t you?”
“While we’re here, let’s reduce the enemy as much as possible.”
Yuri moved forward.
“Also, to spread fear.”
Laurent followed, impressed.
“As expected of the prince. You’re thinking about so many things.”
“Sir Laurent, maybe he just does whatever he feels like and then makes up reasons afterward.”
Yuri ignored Jared’s grumble, slipping back into the bushes and staring into the distance.
The Empire’s troops could appear at any moment.
If this operation could slow their advance even a little, it would be a great success.
As Yuri’s group moved upstream toward the Empire’s main force, they hunted down several groups of scouts.
Each group consisted of four men and reacted in similar ways.
Because Yuri’s team eliminated enemies so swiftly, the Empire’s main force seemed unaware of any abnormalities.
But soon, as reports stopped coming in, they would realize something was wrong.
“They all seem to be at least knight-level.”
Jared said as they buried the bodies. Yuri nodded.
“That’s why we’re effectively cutting down the Empire’s strength.”
“This is easier than I thought. Is it always like this?”
“Well…”
It wasn’t that the Empire’s knights were weak, but that Yuri’s group was strong.
Yuri just stared at Jared without answering.
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
Since traveling with Yuri, Jared’s skills had improved dramatically. He could now easily handle most Empire knights.
“Let’s take a short break.”
“Okay.”
They sat down, pulled out jerky, and rested.
Wearing the Empire’s uniforms, they looked like scouts from the Empire themselves.
So when an enemy appeared from behind, they weren’t immediately attacked.
“Three of you? There should be four. Where’s the missing one?”
A sudden voice made the three freeze.
Yuri slowly turned around.
A man dressed in Empire clothes approached casually, hands behind his back.
“Disappearing during an operation isn’t right. You’ll have to answer to military law.”
He hadn’t yet grasped the situation and was joking lightly.
“What’s that? Jerky? Share some with me.”
Yuri rose naturally. The man was alone, so he was no ordinary soldier. Yuri had to finish this quickly before the man realized the truth.
“Want some?”
“Sure.”
Holding the jerky, Yuri pretended to offer it, then swiftly drew his sword and swung at the man’s neck.
The movement was fast and clean.
But the man slipped back like an acrobat, dodging the attack.
“Wait a minute?”
His eyes scanned Yuri’s group.
Though dressed in Empire garb, their appearance was sloppy.
“Could it be…”
Yuri pressed the attack without giving him a moment’s rest. His sword aimed for a vital spot.
But the man dodged every strike like a performer, then drew his own sword.
Yuri sensed this man was no ordinary soldier.
Traveling alone like this, he might be a scout commander.
Killing him would be a major victory.
“Are you from Briol?”
Instead of answering, Yuri unleashed a powerful Mana Method. The Soul Slash flared up from his core.
Laurent and Jared moved to flank the man, drawing their swords.
Surrounded by the three of them, the man’s face paled.
“Wait, hold on. Let’s talk this out—”
Yuri stepped forward and sent a blade of energy flying. The man met it head-on, blocking with his sword.
As Yuri lowered his stance and advanced, he swept low again. The man drove his sword down to intercept the strike.
Yuri spun the other way and slashed once more, but the man immediately drew his sword fully.
Clang.
His reflexes were sharp.
Yuri sheathed his sword and swung it wide. The man twisted aside to dodge. The two locked eyes, moving in a deadly rhythm.
“Impressive,” the man said, still composed. “Who exactly are you?”
Yuri’s hair concealed his identity, so the man couldn’t tell right away.
Meanwhile, Laurent and Jared attacked from behind.
Without looking, the man shifted his body to evade.
If he wasn’t one of the Ten Strong, yet wielded a sword this skillfully, he had to be a captain of the Empire’s knights.
Yuri said nothing and pressed forward again. Their blades began to dance with increasing speed, the sound of clashing steel echoing all around.
Yuri aimed a thrust at the man’s shoulder. The man parried outward, then lunged toward Yuri’s exposed abdomen.
Yuri barely twisted away in time, then redirected the arc of her sword and brought it down hard. The man stepped back, but his forearm was sliced, blood spraying.
“Wow, incredibly fast…”
Yuri didn’t give him a chance to speak. She advanced faster than he could retreat, closing the distance in an instant.
“Damn it,” the man muttered, twisting to dodge sideways.
But he couldn’t move as freely as he wanted.
“Huh?”
Yuri’s foot was pressing down on his instep.
Losing his balance, he began to fall.
Yuri moved to strike immediately.
But the man dropped more steeply than she expected. He’d assessed the situation and adjusted his movement.
To Yuri’s eyes, it looked like a sword was suddenly bursting up from the ground.
“Ugh!”
Despite having the upper hand by stepping on his foot, Yuri was the one bleeding.
She checked the cut on her arm—it was deep, blood flowing steadily.
“Phew, impressive. So this really is a nation of knights.”
The man rolled several times to create distance, then sprang to his feet.
He immediately extended his sword to block Jared and Laurent’s approach.
“That was close. Almost got me back there. So, who are you with? What’s your name?”
Yuri and the others remained silent. This time, they were the ambushers. They held their silence and reformed their encirclement.
Yuri realized this man was stronger than she’d anticipated.
She began to consider whether to enter the Soul Realm and unleash the power of chaos.
At that moment, the man pulled something from his pocket and tossed it into the air.
Flames shot up into the sky.
It was a signal flare made from explosives.
Until now, the Empire’s forces had been suppressed before they could use such signals—but this man was no opponent to be handled so easily.
“Of course, you’re probably thinking you can kill me before reinforcements arrive. You might try. But as you know, that’s impossible…”
In response to his signal, explosive flares erupted from all over the mountain.
There were more than expected.
The man grinned.
“From now on, you’re the prey.”