Chapter 490 - The Han Civil War XVI

Everything got a little messy after slaying Meng Ao, and I found myself flying towards the wall of the Ironside Brigade’s temporary fortress in no time at all. Most of his wounded had been healed, and nobody, nobody, tried the same stunt of injuring more people to force me to stick around.

They did come for my head hard though, and I was one woman. I could take a general by surprise and overwhelming firepower, but that move was literally an eighth of my mana pool.

The funerals had finished, a couple dozen soldiers respectfully standing around the smoldering coals of the pyres, paying their last respects. I wish they could continue to stand vigil as long as they wanted to.

I blitzed over the fortress walls, dropping on top of a startled guard.

“Pay attention.” I snapped at him. He should’ve seen me coming, and not been so surprised. “Sound the warning alarm.” I ordered.

The soldier fumbled a moment, snapping off a salute. “Ma’am, yes ma-”

“NOW!” I roared. He almost jumped out of his boots, fumbled at his belt, and blew the warning alarm. The clear notes of the trumpet echoed through the fort, the other guards taking up the signal and repeating it at once.

The response was both fast and slow. We had just spent the whole day fighting, so we were tired, but we’d also spent the whole day fighting. Our blood was up.

The camp didn’t quite boil over like a kicked ant hive. More like an ant hive where all the ants were drunk on sugar. I spotted Katerina, and flashed over to the Legata, who was already climbing a ladder into the observation tower. The rest of her endless [Scribes], and [Aides] followed her up, but the [Messengers] stayed at the bottom. All the better to run around on her behalf.

“Bunny. I assume your return and the alarms are related?” She didn’t pause climbing at all, and I floated next to her, wings gently beating.

“Brrrpt!” Auri flittered up to me, landing on my shoulder where she belonged. I bopped her with my head, acknowledging her presence.

“Yes Legata. During my operation I ended up slaying Meng Ao, and last I saw, I had his entire army chasing me. I doubt they’ll come all this way, but I wasn’t going to mention it for the first time when they showed up on the horizon.”

Katerina grunted in acknowledgement, reaching the top of the ladder.

“Right, let’s see what we’re up against.”

It got decidedly awkward when nobody else showed up after me. Meng Ao’s troops didn’t suicidally return to the battlefield, and I could see the rumor mill quickly propagating what I’d done through the ranks. First the tribunes and other officers, a quick intercept by the rank and file as a conversation was had near hurrying soldiers, and the whole thing spread like wildfire.

Dawn killed the [Great General] Meng Ao.

Morale had started high, and not even an ‘oops maybe a second battle’ was able to dampen the mood, not when the troops found out why all their partying had been interrupted.

We only stood to for thirty minutes before Katerina called it. Auri was fairly upset that she’d been up high on the tower with everyone glancing her way for a mere 30 minutes.

“If they were going to commit suicide and attack us, they would’ve done it by now.” She declared. “Call to stand down.”

Trumpets blew, drums were banged, and great cheers went up. Katerina tilted her head a fraction.

“Robin, triple the beer ration. See if you can get us a roast going. Morale’s high, and I want people to have this evening as a highlight to remember in the coming months. Reed, call an officer’s meeting. All non-active centurions and above. I think we need to go over everything again.”

“Brrrpt!” Auri wasn’t invited to the meeting, and she could tell.

“More time to party with everyone.” I reminded her.

“BRPT!”

============================

“Legata, I’ve got some additional information for you before the meeting starts.”

Katerina didn’t pause her march to the command center.

“What is it?” She asked.

“As I was fleeing, I managed to get near the command tent. My third class does handle books and information like you mentioned, and I was able to scoop up most of their records. I’d like to say all their records, but we both know there’s always a few floating outside, being carried around and the like.”

Katerina halted, her entourage coming to a stop. On one hand, they pretended like they weren’t listening into our conversation, on the other they had to. I swear half the ears were bending and straining to hear what happened next. What juicy gossip there was.

“All their records.” Katerina replied flatly. “Not just their books. Their maps. Codes. Scrolls. Loose paper.”

I nodded.

“Yup! All of it! Even got a quill scooped up by my skill, which makes me think there’s a coded message on it somewhere. All I could pick out with my senses were pictures, but since my skill thinks it’s information, maybe Optio Coral or Optio Ardenus can make something of it.”

Katerina pointed out one of the [Scribes] and [Messengers].

“You. Show Bunny to a room where she can deposit the records. You. I need a detail of guards on the room, Legata’s orders. Go.” She ordered.

==============================

I slipped into a packed room. The Legion didn’t see a point in making big meeting rooms in their temporary forts, and what we wanted to discuss wasn’t open air. We just barely fit, but thanks to dozens of skills, none of them mine, it all worked out.

Bless whoever had the cooling Ice aura. I wanted to shake their hand.

“First, I want to address proper naming conventions. As you all may have noticed, Sentinel Dawn is indeed with the Sixth Legion.” Katerina pointed to me standing next to her, annnnnd half the room couldn’t see me. No stage or anything. I raised my hand and waved it around.

“Heya!” I cheerfully said, letting Katarina lead.

“Outside of this room, she is to be referred to as Bunny.” Katerina stressed. “Diplomatic nonsense. The tribunes know what’s going on with that, as well as the more experienced centurions. Ask later if you don’t know.”

The Legata plowed on, not even pausing a moment to let murmurs or quiet discussions occur.

“I want to reaffirm the chain of command now. Tribune Pierce is temporarily promoted from tribune to my second. Sentinel Dawn is in command of the Legion should I die. I will brook no discussion on the topic, and in the event of my untimely demise, you are all ordered to support her with everything you can. Am I understood?”

There was an anemic response, a scattering of ‘yes ma’am’ and ‘as you will Legata.’

Katerina put her hand on Reed’s shoulder and shouted, her words dramatically amplified.

“Sixth Legion! AM I UNDERSTOOD!?”

“Yes ma’am!” They roared in unison.

“Excellent. Dawn, I want a full recounting of how you ended up killing Meng Ao. I’m understanding that you’re [Oathbound] and unable to take aggressive action, how did this happen?”

I explained the details surrounding the engagement, leaving out a few details. Like, my stats, and that I was sitting on a black class. At the same time, I didn’t want to mislead people about the capabilities of a [Great General]. It wouldn’t do for them to think they were easy to kill.

Which naturally had the obvious question asked.

“With the level disparity, how did you manage to kill the general and a number of his body guards in a single blow?” One of the centurions asked. I had an answer prepared for that, a beautiful one that would have half the Remus Sentinels clapping with the smoke and mirrors, the perfect display of uplifting our mystique.

“I’m a Sentinel. That means something. Next question?”

I answered one or two more, then Katerina kept things moving along. I could smell the feasts cooking, and wondered if I should drop by Grizzly’s line and party with them. I didn’t have too many other friends right now.

“Good! Now, today’s battle. What went wrong, what went right, what questions we have, and what’s the analysis.”

I shot my hand up, a question having bothered me half the battle.

“Sentinel.” Katerina respectfully recognized me.

“Why did you order me to hold fire against the cavalry charge?” I asked.

“Simple. You would’ve killed the commander, and there wouldn’t have been anyone to call off the charge.” Katerina answered. “We’re not here to trade our lives for the elites of the Han empire. In a defensive war against the Tympestshard Council, if the elves were hitting us with cavalry like that, I’d call the opposite order, and hope to trade the bulk of the Sixth for the majority of their elite. It’s a losing trade for us, but a winning one for Exterreri. Next question.”

It was a chilling reminder that we were all disposable assets. Legata Katerina clearly didn’t want to spend our lives, she was doing everything she could to keep us safe and alive here in the Han empire, but wouldn’t hesitate to do so if the situation called for it.

I kept half an ear out, and a parallel thought, on the conversation while reviewing my level up notifications. I was done with everything for a while, time to see what the total looked like.

I didn’t want to see the kill notifications. I didn’t want to know how many lives the army I’d been in had snuffed out. I couldn’t bear to see the deaths of level 30’s in the mix.

[*ding!* Congratulations! [The Dawn Sentinel] has leveled up to level 583 -> 640 +3 Dexterity, +24 Speed, +24 Vitality, +170 Mana, +170 Mana Regen, +48 Magic Power, +48 Magic Control from your Class per level! +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Speed, +1 Vitality, +1 Mana, +1 Mana Regeneration, +1 Magic Power, +1 Magic Control for being Chimera (Elvenoid)! +1 Mana, +1 Mana Regen from your Element per level!]

A little over 50 levels. Auri had been a busy phoenix, and most of my capped skills remained capped.

My leveling rate was insane. At level 500 I could reasonably expect to only gain a few more levels in a natural lifespan. Instead, between going to a battlefield with a whole support crew, the risk, novelty, and danger involved, my experience boosting skills and Auri’s companion bond, I’d cleaned up 50 in a day. I was once again eyeing up my next class up, suddenly realizing it was only 2-3 big battles away if the current pace continued.

Unlike [Ancient Loremaster of Legend], my class felt ‘solid’. Complete. I wasn’t going to wait endlessly to level up every single skill in it. I knew there was at least one black quality class waiting for me, and I could hope for more.

[*ding!* [Cosmic Presence] leveled up! 487 -> 555]

The skill half-defeating Meng Ao’s great opener was good for the levels, and the range was rapidly increasing. It was also getting into a positive feedback loop, where the larger it got, the more experience the skill could obtain, and the faster it leveled.

[*ding!* [Center of the Universe] leveled up! 474 -> 476]

[*ding!* [Sunrise] leveled up! 502 -> 505]

[*ding!* Congratulations! [Butterfly Mystic] has leveled up to level 521 -> 560! +8 Strength, +8 Dexterity, +70 Speed, +70 Vitality, +70 Mana, +70 Mana Regen, +70 Magic power, +70 Magic Control from your Class per level! +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Speed, +1 Vitality, +1 Mana, +1 Mana Regeneration, +1 Magic Power, +1 Magic Control for being Chimera (Elvenoid)!+1 Strength, +1 Mana Regen from your Element per level!]

Auri working hard was probably most of those levels. The only part I contributed was when I killed Meng Ao… which was probably worth a dozen levels post-split on its own.

[*ding!* [Vault of Ages] leveled up! 21-> 22]

My quick costume change after raising the alarm to the meeting was finally worth a level. I should grind it out more, just teleporting in and out. Sounded boring as heck, but hey. I had to level it somehow. Need the extra room!

[*ding!* [Parallel Thoughts] leveled up! 240-> 241]

[*ding!* [The World Around Me] leveled up! 100-> 110]

[*ding!* [Persistent Casting] leveled up! 514-> 517]

The whole time I was also paying attention to the analysis, although enough was going over my head that I was worried. I just didn’t have the background education to follow the moves done and reasons why properly, and I wasn’t going to interrupt the meeting to ask, undermining my authority. I knew some of the information via osmosis from Iona studying it, but enough of the terms and ways of thinking were different that I was lost. I picked Pierce out.

All the gods and goddesses in the great pantheon above protect Katerina, but if she died, I’d probably be leaning heavily on the man to help figure things out.

The only person who could possibly dissect my most recent outing with me was Wren, and he wasn’t an officer. I’d need to hunt him down to do the analysis, and instead of hunting him down for a chat, why not find Iona?

Barring that, I’d do it on my own.

Going in an antagonistic manner was quick and efficient, but it ended up with me being forced to leave early, before everyone was healed. At the same time, that could be justified by my [Cosmic Presence] having a stabilizing effect on most of the worst injuries, changing enough triage statuses from red to orange to potentially allow Meng Ao’s healers to work their own magic.

Getting caught and forced to fight was bad on my part, although the fight itself went swimmingly. I should’ve accounted for [Bodyguards] having various [Protect the General!]-like skills, able to take a blow meant for him. My overwhelming firepower had seen me through, but I should be roasted for missing that.

If I’d gone invisible from the start, it might’ve taken longer to properly process I was there, and to find me. That could’ve delayed or perhaps even avoided the fight entirely.

I didn’t have a strong enough grasp on politics, armies, and human nature to know if Meng Ao dying was a good thing or a bad thing. Would his army dissolve into a thousand bandit bands? Would they go home? Be absorbed into another army? Would his second step up and seize command? Would they dissolve into in-fighting?

What would the cost in lives be on all those aspects?

Meng Ao’s death I didn’t regret in the slightest.

I suspected Arachne was the only one who could start analyzing all that. Katerina was happy with the action, but her interests and goals didn’t quite align perfectly with mine.

I’d been trying to lean less on my invisibility, but here it had likely bitten me in the ass.

Live and learn. I didn’t always get it perfectly right, and I was content enough with the outcome. Only when I stopped analyzing and thinking, when I stopped moving and adapting, only then would I be in trouble.

One battle was much like the next. How long would the Legion be here?

[Name: Elaine]

[Race: Chimera (Elvenoid)]

[Age: 28]

[Mana: 2,225,680/2,225,680]

[Mana Regeneration: 1,831,433 +(3,116,736)]

Stats

[Free Stats: 0]

[Strength: 456 (Effectively: 3,648)]

[Dexterity: 24,802 (Effectively: 264,092)]

[Vitality: 53,472 (Effectively: 835,500)]

[Speed: 40,704 (Effectively: 801,177)]

[Mana: 222,568]

[Mana Regeneration: 222,624 (+ 311,674)]

[Magic Power: 246,963 (+ 7,902,816)]

[Magic Control: 246,684 (+ 7,893,888)]

[Class 1: [The Dawn Sentinel - Celestial: Lv 640]]

[Celestial Affinity: 640]

[Cosmic Presence: 555]

[The Stars Never Fade: 17]

[Center of the Universe: 476]

[Dance with the Heavens: 640]

[Wheel of Sun and Moon: 640]

[Mantle of the Stars: 496]

[Sunrise: 505]

[Class 2: [Butterfly Mystic - Radiance: Lv 560]]

[Radiance Affinity: 560]

[Radiance Resistance: 560]

[Nova Lance: 560]

[Lepidoptera: 560]

[Nectar: 560]

[Solar Corona: 560]

[Scintillating Ascent: 560]

[Kaleidoscope: 560]

[Class 3: [Ancient Loremaster of Legend - Spatial: Lv 256]]

[Spatial Authority: 256]

[Manuscript Mastery: 256]

[Blink: 78]

[Loremaster's Library: 256]

[Vault of Ages: 22]

[Rapid Reshelving: 108]

[Astral Archives: 256]

[Lust for Lore: 256]

General Skills

[Long-Range Identify: 421]

[Parallel Thoughts: 241]

[Companion Bond between Elaine and Auri: 640]

[The World Around Me: 110]

[Oath of Elaine to Lyra: 640]

[Sentinel's Superiority: 640]

[Persistent Casting: 517]

[Imbue: 216]