From the top of the sheer cliffs, Joshua carries the cigar between his fingers to his mouth as he looks down at the convoy with the phoenix emblem marking the Oltomere Empire on the road directly below.
　The mountains that line the borders of the Kingdom of Zaruda. Countless people and horses covered the city roads that were tied together as if they were winding through the valley.
　A group of people carrying supplies that Princess Shardina had gathered from the vast territory of the Oltmere Empire.
　How many soldiers and supplies had been brought in?
　The Oltmere Empire is one of the three strongest in the Western Continent.
　It's a scene that seems to show off its immense national power.
(It's just as I had predicted........ That means that she's getting quite impatient too.
　Gathering this many people and supplies and throwing them into a single front must not have been easy, no matter how powerful the Oltmere Empire is.
(Good grief...)
With a bitter smile, the image of the First Princess of the Oltmere Empire, who had been crossing the pike for the past year, floated in Joshua's mind.
　However, Shardina in his mind has no face.
　Joshua knew that Shardina was a beautiful woman from a letter from the wind, but in the land world, where there were no photos or TVs, it was impossible for him to know the face of an enemy princess.
(It's like they're trying to stamp out our country with their national strength in one fell swoop. Well, it's a surefire tactic.)
　A somewhat thrown-away, sullen face.
　A completely unkempt and unkempt beard.
　His hair is shaggy, and his entire body smells of liquor and cigars.
　It doesn't smell only of the cheap perfume used by prostitutes, but its appearance is exactly that of a snooty third son who has been in the favelas of the royal capital.
　Joshua brings the lit puja fire on his fingertips closer to the cigar.
　Then he quietly inhales and enjoys the scent of the cigarette in his mouth.
(I guess he's trying to figure out what Elnesgoula is doing and get this done before he gets in the way.
　Joshua's brain already understood that there was little time left for the Kingdom of Zaruda.
　And that it was the same for the Oltmere Empire....
　Over the past year, irregular warfare, which makes good use of the unique mountainous terrain, has slowed the pace of the Oltmere Empire's advance, but it has yet to find a fundamental solution.
It's like risking everything on an unknown new drug by only providing life-prolonging treatment for the terminally ill.
　And the crowds of people pushing down the cliffs are the equivalent of the Grim Reaper telling the sick to die mercilessly.
(Well, okay. Either way, I've staked my life and the fate of this country on that man's plan I'm just going to do my job.)
　The face of the man with whom Joshua had spoken for the first time the other day flashed through his mind.
　It's the young man who is even younger than Joshua, who has been criticized by those around him as a young man.
　He is a nobleman from a commoner's background who has no idea where he comes from.
　But the plan presented by the young man is worth enough to make Joshua bet everything.
　It's not that the plan itself is particularly outlandish.
　It's a good idea to have a little bit of wisdom to come up with a plan of that caliber.
　However, just because you can come up with something doesn't mean you can make it happen.
(Interesting man... insufferable...)　　
　Joshua's lips lifted as Mikoshiba Ryoma's fearless smile appeared in his mind.
Joshua was aware that he was an irrepressible gambler.
　High risk, high reward.
　He had dived many times in a bar at the end of the market.
Each time, an indescribably numb and sweet sensation runs down Joshua's spine.

''Well........well, it's about time.......''

　What is about to begin is a great gamble that has never been experienced before.
　It's a gamble with the fate of the three countries in the eastern part of the western continent at stake.
　He tosses his cigar at his feet and stomps out the fire with the heel of his boot.
　At that moment, a beastly fierceness appeared on Joshua's languid face.

It's a good idea to do all the work for you and smoke yourself.

　A female mercenary with flaming red hair called out from behind Joshua with a mixture of teasing and dismay.

''Have you finished your preparations?''

Yeah, I can go whenever I want.

　Rionne nodded confidently as she turned around behind her.

''Well that's good work. ''Rionne.''

Yeah. Those little brats were such a pain in the ass.

　Seeing Rionne smiling at him, a sigh escaped Joshua's lips.
　Joshua knew full well that it wasn't any easier than Rionne's words.

''Our guys are good at it, but they're all habit-forming guys. And that's exactly what they won't even turn their noses up at you unless you admit they're better than you.

　In fact, they resolutely refused to obey the command of the knights sent from the royal capital, Peripheria.
　They are a special army specially formed by the late General Belhareth. Now that his father is dead, they are completely Joshua's private army, and Joshua's own soldiers.
　After all, they were originally bandits, thieves and other criminals who were raiding within Zaruda.

　General Belhareth, who was an excellent knight as well as an excellent military strategist, believed that if he stuck to the straightforward knight's fighting style, he would eventually succumb before the national power of the Oltmere Empire.
　The size of the land, national power, human resources and everything else is too different.
　No matter how high the quality of each knight, no matter how high the quality of the Kingdom of Zaruda as a shogun nation, it could not withstand the violence of numbers.
　On top of that, the all-important Zaruda Kingdom was by no means a monolith.
　Originally, the land was cut off by forests and mountains.
　The king of the Zaruda Kingdom was an ally of the rulers and nobles, but he was not a ruler.
　The Oltmere Empire, which is almost united under the will of the emperor, and the Kingdom of Zaruda, which is difficult to decide on except with the face of the nobles.
　Even a baby can see which one is more advantageous.
　So General Belhareth took various measures to bridge the national power gap between the Oltmere Empire and the Kingdom of Zaruda.
　Some of these measures naturally included measures that are out of the way of knights.
　One of those measures is the reduction of security within the Oltomere Empire.
　For that reason, General Belhareth sent the leaders of the bandit gang, who had been sentenced to death, into the Oltmere Empire territory in exchange for their lives.　
　Such were the men who originally led a rough life, more than mercenaries and adventurers. The fact that they were subjugated to it proves Rionne's ability to do so.

'Not so much. I'm not so sure. It's cute.

　Rionne laughs as she narrows her golden eyes.
　In fact, to Rionne, she didn't make up things like planting Joshua's men.
　It's not like he was a drunkard and a woman, but he didn't put up the head of the [Red Lion].
(I see........it's true that that man was right, she is a useful woman. Besides, I trust that man.)
　Mikoshiba Liangzhen is not in this place.
　He should now be heading down to the northern vixen with the fate of the three eastern nations at stake.
　Joshua and Rionne's responsibility is to prevent the Oltmere Empire's advance in any way possible until the plan is realized.
　They were made to be discarded.
　It's not the least bit unnatural to think that, under the circumstances, there is no sign of anxiety on Rionne's face.
　There is a solid bond between Mikoshiba Ryoma and Rionne that is not a half-hearted sense of loyalty or duty.

All right. You may begin.

Okay. Okay.

　Nodding at Joshua's words, Rionne turned around behind him.　


'Look!　They could come at you at any time. Tell the lead men to be vigilant about their surroundings. And of course, tell your men!

　As the commander on the horse raised his voice, the messages scattered in unison.

''Aren't we being a little overly cautious?''

　The commander shook his head at his second-in-command's words.
　While he felt himself to be overly cautious, many of his troop leaders had been taken down by Joshua Belhareth's surprise attack during the past year.
　We must avoid doing the same thing as our predecessors.
　In particular, this transport mission couldn't fail.

You can't afford to fail. Or do you want me to fail this mission?

　The lieutenant shook his head in a panic at his boss's entangling words.

''You must be joking...''

Then shut up and obey because this mission is of a far greater scale and importance than anything you've ever done before and you know that, don't you?

　By Shardina's order, soldiers and supplies from all over the Altomere Empire are being brought to the fort on the Notis Plains in heaps.
　However, no matter how many supplies are stored in the supply base in the rear, if they can't be transported to the front line, they are of no value.
　In response to the commander's question, the second-in-command nodded silently.


''Begin!''

　Following Lionel's voice, more than two hundred soldiers began to chant at once.

''O Mother Earth, protect your child from harm with your firm arm, thou shalt protect your child from harm with your sturdy arm, the Stonewall Rises!''

　One by one, walls of rock rise up from the earth.
　Huge rocks. It is a heavy and thick wall that fits such an expression perfectly.
　Normally, this technique would only be used to protect the wall, but there is no doubt in their expressions.

"Don't push it down!

　Once again, the soldiers follow the order and put their strength into the rock wall.　　

'Oh!　Push and shove!

Put your strength into it!

It's a waste of time. Push it like you mean it!

　It's a wall of nearly several tons of weight.
　Even though they have enhanced their physical abilities with martial arts, they cannot push it so easily.
　It took several people to put all their strength into it, their faces turning red.
　Their muscles swelled up and blood rushed through their bodies.

''Drop them all down the cliff in one go!

""Ooooooh!"

　With one last push, the soldiers push into the stone wall with the last of their strength.
　To crush Oltmere's troops passing under the cliff....　


What's that noise?

　The commander tilted his head as a mountain rumbling suddenly echoed from overhead.

''Sir!　It's a rock. A rock falling off a cliff.

　As I turn my gaze to the deputy's pointed report, a huge wall of rocks rolls down the cliff in a cloud of dust and smoke.
　Because it's not circular, the rock wall rolls down, changing its course in an irregular motion as it hits each other.
　Their movements are difficult to predict and difficult to avoid.

''Ku!　

'Such things will come later. 'My lord, please run away!'

　Of course, there are no escape routes left for them.
　It is not possible to retreat from the ranks that fill the streets, even if they can advance.


　On this day, the Altomere Army, which had been severely damaged by Joshua Belhareth's surprise attack, would slow down its advance even further.
　And that would give Mikoshiba Ryo truly valuable time....