Chapter 70 - Song

Zelos looked at the enemy who was studying him and watching the body of the guards as well… it was his chance to call for his underlings around to fight, but he didn’t do that. It seemed that the enemy general had given his orders already since everyone was moving away from the area and their orders were to leave the camp and fight.

The enemy general cut an imposing figure amidst the chaos of battle. With his light brown hair framing his face, he appeared youthful, yet possessed an air of cold intelligence that set him apart from others.

In his twenties, the general seemed to exude confidence and authority, his piercing gaze scanning the battlefield with calculated precision. Every movement he made seemed deliberate, as if he were constantly assessing the situation and planning his next move.

The general’s dual-wielding style further emphasized his skill and prowess in combat. With weapons in both hands, he moved with a fluidity and grace that belied his youth. Each strike was precise and calculated, indicating years of training and experience.

Despite his relatively young age, it was clear that the general commanded respect from his troops, who looked to him for guidance and leadership. His presence on the battlefield was a testament to his strategic brilliance and his ability to inspire loyalty among his soldiers.

“You must be one of the new soldiers that arrived. You look awfully young for an imperial guard.”

“And you look awfully confident for someone who stays in the back line giving orders. Do you think that you can do what ten of your guards didn’t?” 

“We don’t reach our positions being good with tactics alone, kid. If a good head was enough, we would have dozens of generals.”

That didn’t seem like something pleasant to deal with. Still, it made sense… The enemy’s army would only be that strong because they had someone strong and smart leading them. In any case, he probably heard that from the other army that retreated…

All of a sudden, the enemy charged in and then bombarded Zelos with a series of thrusts. He moved his dark sword from one side to the other to block the attacks, but he barely had the chance to deflect them properly… the sword began to cut the external sides of his arms and the burning pain made him grunt in annoyance.

Zelos’s aura changed when he tensed his body for a counterattack, but then the enemy jumped away without hesitation. He had good eyes and good reflexes… the worst type of enemy someone like Zelos could face.

“This guy… he is truly not planning to call for help, but it should be only a matter of time before anyone around realizes what is happening. Another chance like this won’t come, so I need to be fast.”

Surprising the enemy by using his glove was indeed a possibility, but it wouldn’t be as effective as one might hope. The enemy general wielded two swords, a style that inherently offered both offense and defense. With two weapons at his disposal, the general was never fully committed to attacking with either one, always ready to switch between offense and defense as needed.

This adaptability made it difficult to catch him off guard, as he could easily block or counter any direct attacks aimed at him. In addition, the enemy general’s two-sword style meant that his attacks were often more conservative, lacking the full force and commitment that a single sword strike might possess.

However, Zelos saw an opportunity in the weaknesses of the two-sword style. While the enemy general was adept at defense and could switch between offense and defense quickly, he also had to split his focus between two weapons. This meant that there were moments of vulnerability, times when the general’s attention was divided, or when his movements were predictable.

Zelos took a deep breath and then focused. The pain in the wounds that were throbbing bothered him, but soon they vanished for a moment.

The enemy general studied Zelos and his very weird stance. He moved his sword to the side and then raised his left arm to his chest height and kept it steady like he was equipped with a shield, but he wasn’t. The enemy felt like he needed to be cautious, but his pride didn’t allow him to waste time when the enemies disrespected his army like that. 

The enemy charged again and then began to thrust his swords with Zelos with all his might. The swords moved like the wind, covering a lot more distance than Zelos’ weapon, and then cutting the sides of his arms. 

The numerous cuts didn’t reach the muscles, but it made blood keep dripping nonstop. At some point, Zelos realized that the enemy was being cautious and trying to weaken him like that, and since his area of attack was larger, it was difficult to block it.

Before long, Zelos felt his vision getting blurry. His wounds were healing and closing fast to prevent too much blood from being lost, but since they’re being opened over and over again, it was basically useless…

“It is his trait… he can attack pretty fast, probably thanks to the power of the wind. I can barely sense the surrounding wind, and that is why no one came to help him. He can control the wind around to improve his fighting style.”

Zelos wasn’t sure if that was accurate… his mind was starting to get foggy as well. In one way or the other, he had to end that fight and with that in mind, he assumed that stance again, determined to not change it even if his life was in danger.

The enemy general furrowed his eyebrows. It didn’t make any sense for Zelos to refuse to hold his sword with both hands, after all. He had faced plenty of enemies that tried to get in his head before, but none of them did something so insane like that.

“It is a pity that I won’t have the chance to use those swords of yours as a trophy. Your friend’s glaive will suffice in that regard.”

A throbbing vein appeared in the enemy’s general forehead thanks to the anger. Zelos’s taunt hit its mark with surprising effectiveness. The enemy generals were known for their pride, boasting of their positions and accomplishments at every opportunity. Their sense of superiority was a defining trait, and any challenge to their authority or competence struck a nerve.

When Zelos boldly declared the enemy’s defeat, it was like a match to dry Tinder. The generals’ pride, already stretched thin by the unfolding chaos of battle, ignited almost like exploding suddenly. To hear someone, especially a mere soldier, dare to determine his defeat was an insult beyond measure.

The taunt shattered the generals’ composure, triggering something deep within their minds. It was as if a switch had been flipped, unleashing a torrent of rage and indignation. How dare this upstart challenge their authority? How dare he declare his defeat before the battle was even won?

In the end, the enemy charged while making his swords move like an X to behead Zelos with both of them, but then when Zelos tensed his body, the general suddenly stopped since he wouldn’t let the anger cloud his judgment. 

Still, from a distance, the enemy swung both of his swords and then, in the next moment, a blast of air was fired toward Zelos and reached him. The attack slashed his clothes and then cut his chest, creating a large wound in the shape of an X on his body.

Zelos felt his body burning in pain, but he still let his energy explode and then he used his charging technique toward the enemy as the blood gushed from his wound. 

The enemy general opened his eyes wide, but soon used a cross guard to defend himself when he saw Zelos swinging down his sword. In the next moment, the weapons collided, and then the sound of steel echoed in the area.

The enemy general smiled since that was Zelos’ final chance, but then his swords cracked and then snapped… Zelos’s dark sword slashed through the enemy’s chest and created a large wound, ignoring the chain mail that the enemy used.

There was no time for him to process the pain of the attack that followed. With a swift and precise strike, Zelos found his opening. His weapon connected with the general’s defenses, bypassing them with ease. The blow landed with a resounding impact, stunning the general and sending shockwaves through his body.

For a brief moment, the general trembled on the edge of consciousness, his mind reeling from the unexpected attack. Then, with a suddenness that seemed to defy the laws of physics, he crumpled to his knees.

The battlefield fell silent for a heartbeat as the enemy general, once so proud and defiant, now fell broken and defeated. With a final, desperate gasp, he fell forward, his face hitting the ground with a dull thud.

With his blood still hot from the tension of the battle, Zelos stared at the body for a while, but soon he forced himself to calm down when he felt the cold taking over his body… he had lost too much blood, and staying tensed like that would only make more blood leave his body.

Still, while Zelos went to the tent of the enemy to look for something to cover his wounds, he soon realized that they had closed a lot faster than he had anticipated. Now that he thought about it… he still could hear the sound of Liry singing. Maybe that was what made him heal faster than before. In any case, any wound now would still be troublesome for him, so he decided to lie low and wait for the end of the battle.

… …

While Zelos was finishing his battle with the enemy general, things were slightly changing on the enemy’s side. At first, they began to fight on equal terms despite the surprise attack and the fact that they were unable to ready their cavalry and chariots in an orderly manner, but they were still a larger and more rested army, so things remained on a stalemate.

At least until for a bit longer… The attacking army didn’t lose their willpower and strength, and kept fighting seriously. Wounds didn’t bother them as much as before, so soon the enemies began to be pushed by them… it was all thanks to Liry’s trait.

Irlan, Heirina and Edea saw that clearly from their position, slowly but surely, they approached the enemy’s camp and they also noticed that the enemy’s general wasn’t making their move. Their cavalry and chariots couldn’t be compared to before, either.