"What's happening?" the barbarian commando asked, his voice tinged with confusion as he discovered that his body was completely immobilized.
Likewise, the other troops were grappling with the same inexplicable predicament.
As bewilderment began to take hold, a sudden wave of panic and despair reverberated through the air, its source indiscernible.
"Look upward!" the voice exclaimed urgently, prompting everyone to direct their gaze to the sky.
Instantly, their countenances underwent a profound transformation, as a stark sense of hopelessness etched itself unmistakably onto the faces of all the barbarian warriors.
The half a million barbarian soldiers descended into a heavy silence, their attention captured by the sky that had transformed from its pitch-black, ominous appearance to an unsettlingly vibrant shade of red.
This eerie crimson hue cast an unnatural brilliance across the battlefield, akin to an unusually radiant sun.
"What could this be?" The barbarian commando quivered with fear as this inexplicable phenomenon unfolded before him.
A feeling of impending doom overwhelmed him—a lurking menace that appeared ready to seize their lives at any given moment.
The same apprehension gripped not only him but also every other member of the present barbarian troop.
In stark contrast, the southern troops had already distanced themselves considerably on their swift horses.
"What in the world is that?" A soldier pointed toward the sky behind him while urging his horse to move farther away.
At his exclamation, several soldiers beside him redirected their gazes skyward, and fear immediately etched across their faces.
"The sky's turned red!" The soldiers' alarmed voices prompted their comrades to also look back and up at the sky.
"This is insane! What's causing that?" They exclaimed in disbelief, their attention locked onto the motionless barbarian warriors beneath the crimson-hued sky.
However, just as shock held them captive, leaving them unsure of their next move, a loud and enraged shout pierced through from the front command.
"Curse you all! Flee! Don't linger in the rear!" His voice, a mix of anger and urgency, jolted the soldiers who had halted into action.
Fear and desperation fueled their hastened horseback retreat.
Meanwhile, the barbarian warriors, bewildered by their immobilized state, bore witness to an unusually deafening clap of thunder from above.
"Boom!"
Crimson lightning crackled across the sky, and their mounts responded with fearful whinnies.
"Hiiiii~" The horses strained against their paralysis, attempting to rear up, shift their bodies, and bolt from the scene.
Instinct, a potent guide for animals, drove them to comprehend the dire danger inherent in remaining motionless.
"Hey! Settle down!" The barbarian commando's panicked cry was stifled by his own body's statue-like rigidity, allowing only his mouth to form words with difficulty.
This plight befell the entire barbarian army, their steeds echoing loud whimpers of distress.
The horses' eyes welled with a swiftness that mirrored the rising tide of their own overwhelming fear.
"What's happening?"
"Hey! Quiet down!"
The voices of the barbarian soldiers mingled with the resonant unease of their steeds.
Caught unawares, their uncertainty was palpable, and a sudden sensation of raindrops touching their skin registered.
"Huh? Rain?" The troop commander lifted his head, feeling the unexpected moisture on his face.
Soldiers all around also cast their gazes skyward, beholding the descent of heavy raindrops.
"What in the world! Can rain be enough to scare us?" The barbarian commando released a relieved exhale; his initial concern that a mighty assault might be prompting the southern troops to flee had now dissipated.
In the end, it appeared to be nothing more than a mere rain shower.
The barbarian commando's cry of panic was muffled by his own body's petrified rigidity, permitting only his mouth to struggle with forming words.
"Damn it! I was scared!" The barbarian commando snorted softly, then was taken aback when he realized that the falling rain was not clear water but a vivid shade of red.
"This..." He began to speak, but his words were interrupted by a chorus of simultaneous exclamations from his troops.
"Ahhh!" Pained shouts reverberated through the ranks of the barbarian army, multiplying as more and more soldiers cried out.
The army commander's gaze swiftly traversed the expanse of his troops, revealing a nightmarish scene: every one of his soldiers was undergoing a rapid and horrifying incineration, leaving no trace of ashes behind.
"No!"
"Wahhhhh! Ahhhh!"
The bone-chilling cries of half a million troops resounded like thunder across the desolate terrain, yet their screams subsided within seconds, leaving behind an eerie silence.
"Fire?" The troop commando whispered in a tremulous voice, his eyes widening, only for his body to be engulfed in magical flames in the blink of an eye.
"Whoooshh!" An immense conflagration erupted across the battlefield, consuming everything in its path.
Continuously, the scarlet rain descended, fueling the inferno's voracious appetite.
Conversely, the southern troops, who had halted at a distance, bore witness to the spectacle with an undeniable sense of foreboding.
"This is insane... All of it," muttered one of the soldiers in disbelief, his gaze fixed upon the unfolding horror.
Likewise, fear coursed through the veins of his comrades, as if the reality before them were naught but a haunting nightmare from which they yearned to awaken.
In the blink of an eye, five hundred thousand of the world's most esteemed elite warriors were eradicated, devoured by flames akin to an incomprehensible abyss.
Should this news reach the ears of others, it would doubtlessly reverberate throughout the entirety of the Balka and Savaran empires, inducing shock and disbelief.
As he opened his mouth to speak, a chorus of simultaneous exclamations erupted from his troops, cutting off his words.
Nevertheless, he was the commando and leader now filling Roy Valha's shoes!
"Everyone... Fall back to the camp!" He bellowed with urgency, swiveling around swiftly to avoid the sight that lay before him.
The soldiers who caught wind of his command swiftly roused themselves from their stupor, galvanized into action by his words.
With renewed urgency, they hastened their retreat toward the camp, their steps quickened by the looming dread of witnessing the harrowing sight.
...
"Oh, this effect is not bad either," remarked David from his vantage point in the sky, observing the unfolding catastrophe with an air of indifference, as if nothing could faze him.
With his burly arms crossed over his chest, he surveyed the towering flames, seemingly content, as if a sea of fire were emerging on the battlefield.
"Elite troops, merely so." David murmured with a chilly chuckle.
"Whooosh!" Suddenly, beside him, the butler materialized, immediately bowing his head in deference.
"Greetings, Duke!" The butler saluted David.
David glanced at him, offering a slight nod, and inquired, "Is there any crucial news?"
His attention then shifted back to the roaring sea of fire below, his gaze deep and contemplative.
Upon receiving the query, the butler nodded and proceeded to convey his information.
"Our spies report that the Savaran Empire has launched a surprise attack. The first and third generals are leading their forces to pivot the direction of their assault toward the north." The butler's words piqued David's interest.
"Oh? Could you provide more details?" David inquired in a casual tone.
"Oh, could you provide me with more detailed information?" David's curiosity was piqued, prompted by the butler's initial explanation.
The butler, hearing the request, further expounded with reverence.
"It appears that Emperor Savaran was already aware of your presence at the border. As a countermeasure, he orchestrated a strategy for the two other generals to launch a covert attack on the Northern region, exploiting its unnoticed vulnerability." The butler concluded his explanation and turned his gaze toward David, awaiting his next directive.
Absorbing the information, David remained silent for a moment before a wry, slightly mocking smile curled his lips.
"Those fools... Do they truly believe the North Region is feeble and vulnerable?" David chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
In the North itself, the Wilhem family stood resolute, casting their indomitable shadow.
Despite Duke Wilhem's serene demeanor and perpetual smile, he stood not merely as a familiar face as Duke but as a fellow combatant from the days of yore when they united against the Savaran Empire.
Decades prior, his strength had rivaled even David's own.
One can only speculate about the magnitude of Duke Wilhem's power in comparison to those days long past.
Drawing a shallow breath, David's gaze shifted to the slightly fidgeting butler, who appeared to be harboring something unsaid.
"Is there something on your mind?" David inquired in his usual detached manner.
In response, the butler nodded and hastened to elucidate his disquiet.
"I apologize, Lord Duke." The butler's words carried a respectful tone.
"Frankly, we've also received reports indicating that the Savaran Empire might have been infiltrated by foreign elements, which has unexpectedly bolstered their strength beyond our expectations." The butler's countenance darkened as he conveyed this information.
"Tell me," David commanded, narrowing his eyes as his curiosity demanded a more thorough explanation.
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Sorry for the many chapter mistakes I made and for messing up everything!
Huft! Stay tuned!
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on (f)reeweb(n)ovel.com