Sir!　The right flank is collapsing!　The enemy's attack has already reached the center, causing extensive damage!
　I didn't expect the right wing to be breached.

　Coward has his head in his hands.
　The general that Coward sent to the right wing is not incompetent.

　The general Coward sent to the right wing was by no means incompetent.
　The general should have been capable enough to hold his own in a fight between equal numbers, even if there was a slight difference in quality.

　But ......

　I'm not sure what I did ...... to misjudge the skill level of the Lemurian army?　No, ...... it was the general's ability that was misjudged. I had no idea that Lemuria's talent pool was so thick. ......

　If only I had one more person ......
　Coward sighs.

　It was possible for Coward to have the right wing.
　He would not have been defeated by Oskar and would have been able to withstand Lemuria's attacks.

　Or if there was another Shaheen, ......
　Then he could have overpowered both Carolina and Edmond and flanked them with his cavalry.

　Or if the quality of the infantry had been a bit better ......, or if they had not been exhausted by the march ......
　If the cavalry had been a little more numerous, ......

　Just a little more, just a little more, and Coward would have won.
　But he just didn't have enough ...... pieces to pick up the win.

　That was the reason for Coward's defeat.

　"If only His Majesty were here .......

　Coward thought of his lord, King Sasan VIII.
　Sasan VIII would have seen through Hercule's trickery.

　And he would have used him well.
　But Sasan VIII is not here.

　Now he's all we have.

　"...... to withdraw. Order all troops to retreat. You lead the troops and retreat. I'll do the honors.
　"...... I understand.

　Coward's second-in-command nodded quietly and had them prepare to retreat.
　Coward, on the other hand, sighed and said, ......

　I'm not sure what to make of it.

　He muttered to himself, then led a small group of soldiers to confront the Lemurian army.
　The left flank of the Lemurian army, led by Oskar, had already reached the center of the Phallus army like a revolving door, and together with the center of the Lemurian army, they had pinned down the center of the Phallus army.

　And Darius, the leader of the right wing of the Lemurian army, was attacking the left wing of the Phallus army, which was in a state of unrest and on the verge of collapse.

　Coward made a split-second decision that the center of the army could no longer be saved, so he jumped into the chaos with a small force to rebuild the left flank of the Phallus army.

　"Furukas!

　Coward summoned Fulkas, the great spirit of spears and cunning.
　He then mounted his horse and wielded his spear at will to defeat the Lemurian soldiers.

　"Hold your ground!　If you show your back, you will die!

　You will die if you show your back!" He managed to hold the front line while inspiring his soldiers.
　He was trying to buy time for his second-in-command to rally the troops behind him and retreat.

　As he swung his spear at the top of his voice, ...... Coward's eyes caught sight of a man.

　Darius from The Kuro Panther.

　Darius the Kuro Panther, one of Hercule's most trusted lieutenants who had gone toe to toe with him.

　"Darios!

　Coward kicked his horse's belly, kicking the Lemurian soldiers away as he charged Darios, who had come to the front.

　"One on one combat, ...... which I haven't done much of lately, ...... but that's okay.

　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it, but I'm going to try.
　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it.

　Darios' eyes turn red, his hair stands on end, and his muscles bulge.
　His long canine teeth grow sharp, turning into fangs.
　His claws become longer, sharper and harder.

　The face changes from that of a human, becoming more like a panther.

　Beastification.

　If necromancy is the trump card of the elves, then beastification is the trump card of warbeasts like Darios.

　But, as with the elves' spirit art, the power that can be drawn from the same beastification depends on the user. ......

　By temporarily transforming the body into a form similar to that of an animal, the senses and physical abilities are explosively increased.
　In terms of instantaneous physical ability, they surpass even the Long Ears (elves).

　The only drawbacks are a temporary loss of intelligence and the inability to return to human form if the transformation is too long or too 'deep'.

　Let's go!

　Darios kicks the horse in the stomach.
　Darios kicks the horse in the belly. The horse kicks the ground forcefully.

　The ability to bring out more of the abilities of horses and other beasts is one of the abilities of Beastification.
　By sending magical power into the horse, it is possible to strengthen the horse's physical abilities.

　However, if you do too much, the horse will die.

　Prepare!
　Die!

　Darios' claws collided with Coward's spear.
　Darios' claws shatter with a single blow.

　My spear ...... can pierce through anything, even the hardest metal. No matter how hard the metal, no matter if it's magic that's not real, no matter if it's ...... and no matter if it's the claws of a warbeast that's harder than metal!

　And then, as he continued, Coward swung his spear.
　Coward's spear strikes Darios in the heart. ......

　......



　Coward grunts and falls from his horse.
　An arrow pierced his back.

　Darius is startled and looks around.
　Then ......
　In the distance, he saw Hercule with an arrow in his hand.

　He made eye contact with Darrios and winked at him.
　You owe me one, right?

　He seemed to be saying.

　...... Thank you for your help, Your Majesty.

　Darius sighs as he releases the beast.
　I knew I shouldn't have done something I wasn't used to.

　Darios grabbed Coward by the neck and raised him up.

　"The enemy general is captured!　Surrender!

　With this, the infantry of the Phallus army became completely demoralized and most of them surrendered to the Lemurian army.





　What do we do now?　Are we still on, Lord Shaheen?
　"......

　When the infantry of the Phallus army had completely collapsed and could no longer reverse the course of the war, Shaheen turned on his heel.

　I'm going to have to settle this one day, okay?
　"Yes, I'll be happy to give you a proper fight next time.

　Shaheen led his cavalry away from the battlefield.
　As Shaheen withdrew, the Foulds cavalry facing Carolina Edmond also left the battlefield, following Shaheen's lead.

　Thus, the victory of the Lemurian army was confirmed.




　The Battle of Apatia

　The Lemurian Empire and the Kingdom of Khayastan vs.

　Lemurian Empire

　Major commanders: ...... Hercule I, Dalios Leopard, Oscar Almon, Galfis Galleanos, Carolina Galleanos, Edmond Erdemort, (Lunalie Arshak).

　Troops: Two infantry corps, 2,400.
　　　　　Six battalions of heavy cavalry 7,200
　　　　　Six battalions of archers, 720.
　　　　　One battalion of light cavalry, 120

　　　　　Total: approx. 396,000

　Losses: Infantry approx. 200 Remaining: Infantry approx. 220
　　　　　Heavy cavalry: approx. 200 Heavy cavalry: approx. 520
　　　　　Archers: approx. 200 Archers: approx. 700
　　　　　Light cavalry approx. 400 Light cavalry approx. 800

　　　　　Total approx. 460 Total approx. 350


　Kingdom of Farus

　Major commanders: ...... Coward Cardintina, Shaheen Charlequin.

　Troops Infantry Approx. 26000
　　　　Heavy Cavalry (Cataphract) approx. 300
　　　　Medium Cavalry (Clibanarius) approx. 700
　　　　　Light cavalry approx. 200
　　　　　Crossbow troops approx. 400

　　　　　　Total: approx. 420

　Losses: Infantry approx. 210 (600 fleeing, 500 dead, 100 surrendering)
　　　　Heavy cavalry (cataphracts): approx. 700
　　　　Medium cavalry (Clibanarius): approx. 130


　　　　　Light cavalry approx. 300
　　　　　Crossbow troops: approx. 200 (dead: 100, surrendered: 100)

　　　　　　Total: approx. 253,000

　Remaining infantry approx. 500
　　　　　Heavy cavalry (cataphract) approx. 230
　　　　Medium cavalry (Clibanarius) approx. 570
　　　　　Light cavalry approx. 170
　　　　　Crossbow troops approx. 200

　　　　Total: 167,000

　Result: Victory for the Lemurian Empire
　Impact: The Lemurian Empire has become a vassal state of the Kingdom of Khayastan. The eastern border is stabilized.
　Historical Significance The first victory of the Lemurian Empire (Messianic) over the Kingdom of Phars (Holy Fire) in several hundred years.
　　　　　　　　　　Emperor Hercule's authority rises.