SWNOVELXO Chapter 260: First Strike
Chapter 260: First Strike
BOOM—!!
Tuli stared at the enemy before her, slamming her desk in disbelief.
“How could this happen?! How did the enemy get to our doorstep without us knowing?!”
Reports of defeat had been coming one after the other.
The gates of Moon Aether had been breached, and by the time Tuli had rushed her forces to defend it, the immigrant tribes had already vanished. Then came the news of defeat at the Binfredo River.
Tuli had hastily attempted to withdraw her troops to reinforce their position, but she couldn’t just leave Moon Aether in ruins. She had to split her forces, which consequently left her weakened. Just as she was trying to regroup, the unbelievable news that Yoman had fallen reached her ears. She almost couldn’t believe what was happening.
Tuli gritted her teeth. Up until this point, her plans had been flawless. Just a few days—she had thought it would take only a few more days to bring this civil war to a decisive conclusion.
But in that brief time, everything had changed.
“The barbarians have not only defiled the lands of the principality but have completely derailed my plans,” Tuli growled, fuming inwardly.
Karyl MacGovern—the name had reached her too late. If she had known sooner, she wouldn’t have bothered with poison or any other indirect methods; she would have decapitated Fran outright.
Tuli had been convinced that time was her ally—Fran, addicted to the drugs she had supplied, would inevitably destroy himself without her having to lift a finger.
“What happened? Even drugged out of his mind, Fran shouldn’t have made such a mess of things. How could he bring the barbarians into our internal affairs...?!”
Tuli knew about their meeting in Cove, and she was also aware that Karyl had offered to divert the empire’s attention in exchange for support in the civil war. After all, this conflict was something she and Fran had mutually agreed upon to consolidate power.
Wasn’t it just empty boasting...? Does he really hold the emperor’s life in his hands?
When she first heard that, she scoffed. But when the result of that scorn returned to her as the enemy before her eyes, she belatedly regretted the irreversible mistake she had made.
“How is the enemy doing?” she demanded.
Her lieutenant, Cox Butler, who was in charge of defending the White Bunker, pointed at the map with his command stick. “The battles in other regions are still ongoing. The enemy hasn’t fully regrouped yet. We estimate their current numbers to be around thirty thousand.”
Cox continued, “Lord Bonitos commands five thousand troops, and Lady Ruiche has fifteen thousand. The barbarians have around ten thousand. Additionally, there are seven thousand troops advancing from the Binfredo River and four thousand from Yoman toward the White Bunker.
“So the only place that hasn’t fallen yet is Frau Hat,” she muttered, noting the last defensive point still standing.
It was a small consolation amidst the chaos.
“What about the other dukes?” Tuli asked irritably.
“Lord Wilmay and Lord Jacquesau joined the reinforcement effort at Moon Aether, but when the forces were split, they opted to reinforce Frau Hat,” Cox reported, hesitating slightly.
“Reinforce? Nonsense. The fact that both of them led troops there personally tells me all I need to know. They’re probably trying to assess the situation at Moon Aether firsthand,” Tuli sneered.
“Frau Hat is the only place left untouched,” she went on. “They must be looking for an escape route through there, probably heading back to their territories.”
Cox remained silent, offering no response.
“They were useless anyway,” Tuli spat. “In terms of raw power, the situation isn't hopeless.”
Though the Wyvern Squadron had been deployed, the White Bunker still housed forty thousand troops. Even in a direct confrontation, they could hold their own.
“However, Ruiche... It’s a pity I couldn’t bring her to my side. She’s been following Fran since she was a child. But honestly, I didn’t expect her to bring such a large force.” Tuli bit her lip.
She recalled the youngest of the seven dukes, Ruiche, who led a massive army of thirty thousand—far more than Tuli had anticipated.
Ruiche was a special and peculiar presence among the seven siblings of the Lurein Ducal House. Unlike her other brothers, she had always been unusually loyal to Fran, to the point of excessive devotion.
But in the grand scheme of the ducal authority, such behavior wasn’t something that would typically cause concern—except for Tuli, who saw it as a potential excuse to eliminate her.
Whatever the truth may be, it doesn’t matter. Once Fran is captured, I was planning to accuse her of incest or some other crime, kill her, and seize her troops, Tuli thought bitterly.
Now, the very soldiers who should have bolstered her strength were turning their swords against her.
If only I had enticed Ruiche instead of that fool Lachiel...
Tuli shook her head. The battle had involved the Sea King and the Water King, and no matter how powerful the Silverwing Fleet was, facing two ancient beasts was absurd.
Following that defeat, Lachiel’s severed head was all that came back to the White Bunker, the rest of his body lost in the waters off Cove. At this point, assigning blame was pointless.
No, I can’t let Ruiche know about the Wooden Cloud either; it would only complicate things further, she thought.
Although losing Ruiche’s forces was regrettable, it wasn’t a loss she couldn’t bear. Winning the battle was far more important, even if it meant sustaining some damage.
“I never expected Sir Ganeth to be defeated.”
“Any news on him?”
“Nothing yet. Logically, it’s hard to imagine that anyone could defeat one of the five Sword Masters. But I’m sure he's alive.”
“Logically?” Tuli sneered at Cox Butler’s words, her tone cold. “This battlefield has already defied logic. The title of Sword Master isn’t absolute. Even someone like him can be defeated. What’s truly beyond reason is what we're seeing out there.”
At that, everyone turned to look out the window.
“Krrrrrr...!!”
“Kaaaaargh!!”
The wyverns that had once served as their stalwart guardians were now baring their fangs at them, flying menacingly over the fortress.
“Indeed, it’s hard enough to believe that the entire 1st Wyvern Squadron was wiped out and that the wyverns have fallen into Fran’s hands, “Tuli muttered. “Fine, let’s say I accept that. But you must have seen it too... The wyverns have no riders!”
Tuli gritted her teeth, glancing outside as the frantic sounds of her subordinates filled the air.
“Whoa...! Easy! Calm down!” shouted a soldier desperately.
“Why aren't they responding?!” another cried out.
“What’s going on?”
Tuli peered out the window where the wyverns of the 7th Squadron, still stationed at the White Bunker, were cowering, their wings folded over their heads as if they were terrified.
Despite the riders’ best efforts, the creatures refused to move.
“It seems we should exclude the 7th Wyvern Squadron from our operational plans,” their commander reported nervously, eyeing Tuli for her reaction.
“What kind of trickery are they playing?!” Tuli seethed.
The situation had escalated beyond just losing the 1st Wyvern Squadron; now, the enemy’s strength had increased while hers had diminished.
“Damn those barbarians... They must be using some bizarre sorcery, since they lack mana. We need to settle this before the reinforcements from Binfredo arrive. What about the Meister Unit?”
“Preparations are complete, but... deploying them now might prove difficult. The civilians inside the fortress haven’t finished evacuating,” the commander hesitated.
“What nonsense are you saying? Get them ready immediately,” Tuli ordered.
“B-But...”
“Do you have sawdust in your eyes? They’re all going to die anyway—whether crushed under the golems’ feet or when the White Bunker falls to the enemy. You think we can afford to care about civilians in the middle of a war?!”
Tuli’s sharp rebuke silenced the nobles around her.
“If the Meister Unit is ready, that means Revol is ready too. Get Wingel Hart here immediately.”
“Yes, ma’am!” A soldier standing guard at the door saluted and hurried out to carry out her order.
Cox looked troubled by Tuli’s decision.
“Revol is the White Bunker’s last resort. If we deploy it..."
The colossal golem Revol, which stood like a giant statue within the White Bunker, had a vast combat radius—too vast to use without endangering the fortress itself. Even clearing a path for the golem to move was a challenge, not to mention the possibility of the White Bunker being caught up in the battle.
“They knew what they were doing when they pushed the front line closer to the fortress. They think we can’t use Revol if the battle gets too close,” Tuli pointed at the map. “Crafty bastards...”
“But...”
“Do you have any other options? With the wyverns grounded and our remaining troops stretched thin, we won’t be able to hold off the forces coming from Binfredo and Yoman!”
Cox had tried to protest but was quickly silenced. He realized that using the golem was their only option.
“Even if the White Bunker is reduced to rubble, I won’t let them live!”
***
“Small golems are being deployed at the front lines of the White Bunker,” Hashir reported.
“It seems they’ll be opening the battle with golems,” Karyl remarked, nodding in acknowledgment. “It was to be expected. As they can’t bring reinforcements from other fronts, they can’t afford to engage in a full-scale troop battle. Golems can be repaired even if they're damaged, making them the most efficient defense mechanism.”
“I’ve never seen such massive golems before. It really is like a walking fortress,” Patun of the Red Moon tribe said, shaking his head in awe.
Even Hashir, who rarely showed emotion, had a hint of astonishment in his eyes when they first arrived at the White Bunker and saw the towering golem.
“Is there any weak point? I wonder if our swords can even pierce it,” Patun continued, expressing his doubts.
Karyl didn’t answer directly but instead turned to Anthem.
“A weak point... Well, it’s hard to say. No one has seen Revol in action for over a decade. It’s served more as a gatekeeper for the White Bunker, its mere presence being a deterrent for any invasions. Only Wingel, the overseer, truly knows its capabilities.”
“So, no known weaknesses,” Karyl summarized. “We’ll find out once we engage it. Every fortress has its cracks; the difference here is that this one can walk.”
Patun, full of bravado, chimed in, “Give the order, and the Red Moon will be the first to scale that wall.”
“What are you saying? You’ve just admitted that your flimsy swords might not even scratch it. This time, we'll take the lead,” Kuntai retorted, not wanting to be outdone.
The youthful exuberance of the young tribe leaders brought a faint smile to Hashir and Lilliana’s faces.
“Leave the first strike to us,” came a soft voice amidst the boisterous chatter.
Everyone's attention shifted downward to the small figure speaking—a girl with a petite frame, almost out of place among the tall warriors.
She stood with a determined expression. Her blonde hair and leather armor looked almost too heavy for her delicate frame. Karyl was reminded of Viola when he had first met her, though this girl appeared even more sheltered, like a flower that had never been exposed to the elements.
“Have you ever faced a golem?”Karyl asked her.
“No, nor have we ever attacked our own allies. But right now, our forces are the largest, and if anyone can deal damage to a golem, it would be us,” she responded confidently.
This girl was none other than Ruiche Lurein, the youngest of the Lurein dukes.
“More importantly, I cannot forgive Lady Tuli for what she did to Lord Fran,” she added, her voice quavering slightly.
Karyl noticed the tremor in her voice. Fran, who had accompanied her, lay unconscious, occasionally groaning in pain, a mere shadow of the person he had once been.
“Ru... Ruiche...” muttered Bonitos, the Sixth Duke, looking at his younger sister with a pale face.
A sister who raises a sword against her elder sister for the sake of her brother, and an older brother who can’t even utter a word of protest... How pitiful, Karyl thought.
The irony of the situation was not lost on him. Both siblings were ill-suited for war, their personalities better matched to peaceful pursuits.
The first thing Karyl had done after learning of Fran’s poisoning was to gather these two confused siblings together. He had used the news of Fran's poisoning—and the fact that the poison was a ploy by Tuli to control the nobles, spreading it like a plague—to rekindle their resolve.
Fran, lying in the adjacent tent, served as sufficient proof to reignite their determination to fight. Of course, neither of them realized that they were simply pawns in Karyl’s strategy to gather the remaining dukes and strike at the White Bunker.
“Lord Fran would be proud,” Karyl said with a hint of a smile. “To have such a devoted sibling fighting for him.”
Ruiche’s reason for joining the battle was unclear—whether it stemmed from sibling loyalty or a hidden romantic affection for a fellow noble. And Karyl did not care to know. His priority was simply to use whatever loyalty or love there was to shape the future he was building.
“For the sake of the principality, you must do exactly as I have advised. After all, there is an important task awaiting you soon, Your Grace,” Karyl said.
Ruiche nodded in agreement.
What is this?
What plan could this be?
However, the others were in the dark, filled with curiosity and suspicion.
“And don’t worry. The war has already begun.”
“...What?” Ruiche, now surprised, looked back at Karyl, and they exchanged glances.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud...!!
Thud, thud, thud...!!
Along with the thunderous war drums, massive golems emerged one by one from the White Bunker.
Thud...!! Boom...!!
The golems carried massive tower shields on one arm, while the other arm wielded various weapons such as maces and swords.
“Meister!! Prepare for battle!!” The commander’s shout echoed from within the lead golem.
The golems, which hadn’t been conceived solely through magic or alchemy, formed ranks. Uniquely, these golems were directly piloted by operators from inside. As the pilots focused their mana, the golems picked up the pace.
The true marvel of magitech was on full display. The lineup of dozens of golems gave an overwhelming impression on the battlefield.
Then it happened.
“What... What is that?!”
The commander noticed a figure entering his field of vision. However, it had already vanished before he could get a good look, leaving only a faint afterimage behind.
BOOOOOOOM―!!
With a powerful blow, the view inside the golem’s cockpit flashed as sparks flew. The commander’s golem staggered under the impact.
“Ugh?!”
He struggled to regain control, but his vision shifted as the golem was toppled to the ground.
Voom...
Shockingly, dozens of arrows had lodged themselves in the joints of the golem’s knees. The blue arrowheads occasionally emitted a flicker of light and quivered. With a few more flickers, the defensive magic circle inscribed on the golem’s outer shell was nullified and disappeared.
How... How is this possible...?
The commander desperately scanned his surroundings, but the golem’s chest was ripped open before he could realize what was going on.
CRASH...! CRACK...!!
The screen displaying the view from the golem’s magical lenses went dark, and instead, the landscape came into view directly.
“...”
The freezing northern air brushed past his face. Before he could fully feel the chill, the commander found himself staring at the figure from before.
“Ugh... Ugh...!!”
Without hesitation, the woman grabbed the commander by the throat and lifted him from his seat.
“Guh-huh...!!”
The commander stared at her in disbelief, desperately clutching at his tightening throat and kicking his legs in the air as if trying to swim.
“It seems we’re the last to arrive,” said Kinu as he pulled an arrow from the golem’s knee, gazing toward the distant base.
“What are you talking about? The fight hasn’t even started yet. They’re all just watching over there,” Miliana scoffed.
Crunch—!
She tightened her grip around the commander’s throat, and with the sickening crunch of bones and cartilage, the commander went limp.
“The one who strikes first is the one who wins.”
BOOM...!!
Miliana stomped down with all her strength, pouring her mana into the blow. The golem’s armor shattered, and stone fragments scattered in every direction.
Although dozens of golems surrounded her, everything had happened so fast that they were too stunned to counterattack.
Kinu calmly pulled something from his belt as he walked among the golems.
“...!!!”
“...!!!”
The pilots inside the golems were horrified when they saw what Kinu held in his hands—two severed heads.
“Lord Wilmey...!!”
“Even Duke Jacquesau... has been killed...?”
The heads Kinu carried were those of the two dukes who had fled to Frau Hat.
Shing—!
Miliana drew her sword, Gale, from her waist and severed the commander’s head, holding it up as a warning to the others.
“Waaaahhh...!!”
“Yeaaaaaahh...!!”
At that moment, the shouts of soldiers rang out from afar, as if on cue.
Standing tall on the broken golem and unfazed by the enemy before her, Miliana turned to look at Karyl in the distance and shouted, “See that? We’ve dealt the first blow!”