455

Valkyrie Storm – The War Maiden of the Storm

“We have orders from His Majesty. Our mission is the same as always–”

With a cold, expressionless face as if she were wearing an iron mask, Emelia Friedrich Baliel, the female General who leads the second Spada military squad, Tempest, said.

With a height of 190 centimeters, taller than most men, she was clad in full plate, heavy yet glittering full-body armor with golden ornaments on a black background, which alone gave her a sense of intimidation that overwhelmed others. In addition to this, she was riding a bicorn, a beast that boasts a physique twice as large as a normal warhorse, with a long red cape fluttering in the air.

She had a jet-black tower shield in her left hand and the silver halberd in her right, both of extraordinary size. Shield that will not allow any attack to pass if defended, and a spear that will crush any enemy if attacked.

However, Emelia’s aura, which is similar to that of a fierce dragon who was disturbed in its sleep, does not come from her appearance alone.

It’s her pure fighting spirit, so to speak.

“Overwhelm the enemy.”

At her words and her fighting spirit, the Knights of the second squad roared.

They had been ordered to wait since the beginning of the war. And today, in the third day of battle, the time has finally come.

“Bring victory to our Spada! Second squad, Tempest, all cavalry, move out!”

Thus, Spada’s cavalry leaped out of the main gate like an avalanche.

The huge main gate in the middle of the wall made a loud metallic sound when it opened and closed. When a gate so large that you can see it from above opens with such a sound, no matter how fierce the battle, there is no way the enemy will not notice.

The city wall had already been opened by the Taurus’ desperate attack, but when the main gate was opened, it was obvious that soldiers would rush to it as well. Of course, it was also expected that the Spada soldiers would charge out from there.

“Hey, the cavalry is coming! Get your spears together and intercept–”

The Crusader infantry in front of the main gate did well in this melee.

The most solid strategy for stopping Knights on horseback, or cavalry, with infantry, is to form a line of troops and form spear bedding. It would take a great deal of courage for even the most experienced Knight to jump at full speed into a wall of blades lined with countless spears. Even if he could choose to charge, he would not be sure of success. In the majority of cases, they would be pierced, cut, or entangled by countless spears. In short, it was a counter for cavalry.

However, the spear bedding of the Crusader infantry, which was almost half-formed, disappeared without a trace.

“—[Thunder Blast]”

Emelia’s gigantic lightning strike took the lead of the cavalry. And then, with the simultaneous firing of lightning-based attack magic, an even wider area of infantry disappeared beyond the lightning.

On the surface, the cavalry of the Tempest, of which Emelia is a direct graduate, appeared to be heavy cavalry, with both Knights and horsemen wearing armor. However, they are not just heavy cavalrymen that specialize in striking power.

Protected by hard shields and armor, it is no surprise that long-handled weapons such as the assault lance, charge lance, and the spear axe halberd allow for fierce attacks and breakthroughs.

In addition to this, they have the speed of a light cavalryman who specializes in mobility through light armor and weight. This is due to the simultaneous activation of speed-enhancing Martial Art techniques that both they and their horses have mastered through long training. Both their armor and harness are of the highest quality and are enchanted with magic to enhance their speed. However, only those who are at the peak of man and horse unity can make the most of this equipment.

They are strong and fast, that alone makes them no more than an elite cavalry squad in a country. As cavalrymen worthy of the famed Spada, they have also mastered magic.

There is a type of magic, called [Equestrian] where a magician rides a horse. They can use their powerful attack magic with the mobility of a horse. It’s really difficult to pull off as it depends on the understanding and unity of the horse and rider, but it’s still worth it.

However, once the elite cavalry masters this magic, their weakness will disappear.

Heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and magic cavalry. They take only the advantages of the three and cancel out the disadvantages. This was the kind of simple strength that a child could have come up with, and [Tempest] realized this strength.

“Leave the small fry alone! Take the General’s head! We’re going straight for the enemy’s main camp!”

The gushing thunder kicks out the swarming Crusaders. They kept the enemy at bay and advanced further.

A storm of thunderbolts burns infantry to death at the first touch. Even without flames, their skin scorched, theie flesh boiled, and bones shattered into fragile pieces. Suddenly, the black smoke and smell of burning people spread throughout the battlefield.

The sight of them running through the snowy battlefield, sprinkling countless deaths, truly embodied the name of the army, “Storm Tempest”.

“Oh, finally, the Thunder Dragon is here, and the game is decided!”

With a joyful smile on his face, Gustav the Red Orc, leader of the Rank 5 adventurer party, the [Iron Demon Brigade], and Captain of the fourth squad, the Gladiators, exploded with a heartfelt home run swing.

Instead of a ball, it was a Crusader infantryman in white gear flying away. The three of them together were blown away, leaving a vivid trail of fresh blood.

“You can’t just call her, Valkyrie Storm. The delicate maiden’s heart will be hurt.”

The muscular male minotaur who cleaved the rugged poleaxe at his side is his party member Douglalas. There is still no one who calls him by his nickname, Lala.

“Haha, she’s not going to care about that!”

“With all due respect, Head, that cavalry charge was a bit reckless.” Zedra analyzed.

“There’s a lot more enemies coming.”

In a low, mechanical voice, Zedra the Golem drew a giant mechanical bow with gear pulleys attached. And then there’s Gon, the Cyclops, who is the biggest of all the huge men in the group and who reported the current situation.

At this moment, the [Iron Demon Brigade] was fighting in the middle of the most massive hole, where the walls have been destroyed to a height of more than a dozen meters above the ground by a desperate physical attack of the armless Taurus. Like water in an uncorked bathtub, the enemy soldiers were avalanching here.

The fact that Gustav and his team of Rank 5 adventurers, who boast immense power in the vanguard, were fighting hard was undoubtedly a large part of the reason why they could barely control the situation.

However, this is not the only place facing a tough battle. The walls were now in a state of melee everywhere. It seemed as if the enemy soldiers were finally getting into the passageways of the walls.

Somehow, the Taurus that had fallen in front of them started to move and attacked the other Taurus, so they were out of the worst possible situation where the walls would collapse further, but the numbers and momentum of the Crusaders were still strong.

When in the middle of the Crusaders army that was coming like a raging river, the thickness of the battlefield woven by the enemy soldiers was unbelievable. Even Zedra, who is always able to analyze the current situation with a calm and rational mind, would have judged that a frontal breakthrough was impossible.

“Well, I think I and Douglalas are the only ones in the current group who have been in both the third and fourth war.”

“It’s been about thirty years since the third round. I miss it, I was still a naive little girl back then.”

“Well, we were both blue-blooded kids. We were always in Mossan’s care back then!”

At the time of the Third Galahad War, the [Iron Demon Brigade] was still a newly formed party. They had already reached the Rank 2, thanks to their innate power, but if they had continued their recklessness, Gustav and Douglalas would have died before long. Like so many new adventurers who disappear without ever making a name for themselves.

The only reason this didn’t happen was because of their great predecessors. The two of them had a sharp personality and demeanor that made it impossible for them to learn from others, but they were able to get along naturally with the strangely familiar skeleton named Mozrun who was a member of the party at that time.

By the time they had grown enough as adventurers to realize that it was only through Mossan’s precise follow-up that the two of them, who had been nothing more than stupid kids, were able to survive the Third Galahad War, the skeleton Dark Magician had already left the party.

Even though more than thirty years have passed since then, whenever they fight in the Galahad fortress, the image of Mossan’s laughing skull comes to their mind. He must still be taking care of some new reckless adventurers somewhere in Pandora.

“Well, let’s not talk about old memories. Zedra, those [Tempest] guys kicked the Daedalus army to the curb in the Fourth war. I heard that they were still rookie Knights at that time, but the one who went on a rampage was that Baliel girl.”

The Fourth Galahad War took place ten years ago. The most talked about event was the battle between King Leonhart and King Gaevinal.

However, it was not all about the battle between the Sword King and the Dragon King. If that were all, it would not be a war, but simply a duel with the country at stake. Yes, of course, while the two sides were engaged in a legendary battle to the death, the fierce battle between Spada’s army and Daedalus’ army was also taking place on the side.

In that great battle, the decisive factor was undoubtedly the success of the second squad, the [Tempest], in breaking through the center of the enemy lines. At the time, [Tempest] was a strong squad comparable to the current first squad in strength, but that alone would not allow them to defeat the mighty Daedalus soldiers. Rather, they would have been beaten back by the large, tree-like spears raised by the Orcs and Cyclops Knights.

But that didn’t happen in reality. The cavalry assault was a success.

It was successful because of just one girl. At the time, she was seventeen years old, and had just graduated from the Royal Spada Academy with flying colors, a rookie light cavalryman. Emelia Friedrich Baliel.

“Right now, we’re charging ahead, but soon we’ll lose momentum and we won’t be able to keep going. What do you think?”

“Yes, we can see many layers of heavy Knights in the enemy ranks. They can’t be killed by lightning, and they are physically tough too.”

Fortunately, King Gaevinal, who was a man of supreme individual strength, raised heavily armed Knights, but did not have them learn the ins and outs of group warfare. Daedalus’s army always had only two choices: an all-out assault or an all-out retreat. Their fighting style was like that of a wild monster.

Even so, the frightening thing was that they were a strong force to be reckoned with. It could be said that King Gaevinal’s method of training was in the realm of perfection when it came to creating powerful individual warriors.

Anyway, it makes no difference that the excellent Daedalus heavy Knights did not form a line of spears and took precise measures to intercept the cavalry charge then. Ten years ago, [Tempest] defeated them.

However, perhaps because the Crusaders are an army made up of a single race of humans, they seem to have a high level of coordination in group combat. Even a single infantryman at the end of the line can form a formation very quickly.

In addition, when it comes to the heavy Knights, who must be the elite among soldiers, their coordination power is incomparable. The wall of steel that they build together will not be able to be crushed unless very powerful attack magic is used.

“But General Baliel will do it. He will break through the enemy lines. The momentum is not slowing down, in fact, it’s only going to increase.”

With a grin and a triumphant smile, Gustav added, “I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

“We’re leaving too! Now that victory is in sight, it’s time for us adventurers to earn our keep!”

“But what about all the enemies flooding in front of us?”

“I’ve been saving my divine protection for just such an occasion. [Scorching Ogre King – Agni Aura]—Ahhhhhhhh!!”

An aura-like flame that literally burns bright red started blowing up from his entire body, and Gustav’s reddish copper skin took on an even redder hue. The explosive power and scorching heat of the flames dwelled in an Orc’s body, which even in itself displayed a strong physical strength.

“I knew it. I am ready too. [Trembling Raging Horned Bull- Bullbros] Ahhhhhh.”

Douglalas’ blessing was a tremor that could crush anything it touched or approached. An aura of color similar to the luster of steel enveloped the minotaur’s muscular body, revealing its effects.

“All right, I’m going to do it, too – [The Rock Mountain – Tortoise].”

Although Gon has only hardened his body like a rock, it is more than enough protection for this moment.

And Zedra, the only member of the group who had not yet received divine protection, was providing accurate cover fire to safely buy the three of them a small amount of time to accumulate the protection in order to activate it.

The three arrows fired simultaneously from the giant machine bow caused a huge explosion as soon as they landed. And as soon as the flames cleared, the three fighters, clad in the power of their protection, began to move forward at once…

“Hold on a second!”

And with that, another huge explosion erupted in front of Gustav’s eyes. There was no red from the flames, nor black smoke and the explosion was, for some reason, all pink. The strange color of the explosion, however, was enough to make Gustav realize the identity of the intruder.

“Hey, that’s not safe, ‘Blade Ranger,’ Pink!”

“The blade of justice that will open a tomorrow of courage and hope!　Super Blade Squadron! Blade Rangers!”

Overhearing Gustav’s shout, the five-color quintet leaped out of nowhere.

“I’m not going to let you get away with this, Gustav, head of the demon organization!”

The leader of the Blade Rangers, Pink Arrow, who was probably wearing a crisp, cool smile under her full-face pink helmet, proudly pointed at Gustav and shouts.

“Don’t give me a title! Huh, these people are really troublesome. Just collapse from lack of magic power.”

“I bought a bunch of magic recovery potions from Spada for just such an occasion! My stomach is a bit sore from drinking too much, but don’t worry, the power of justice will not yield!”

“I’m not listening.”

Gustav’s relationship with the Pink Arrow began thirty years ago in the Third Galahad War, but he had no intention of reminiscing with her. It was a rotten relationship full of troublesome memories.

However, Gustav has still acknowledged the Pink Arrow’s ability to make it to Rank 5 adventurer after all.

“Well, yeah, let’s–.”

“Let’s go, my righteous servants! We’re going to kick the crap out of the small fry, take out the enemy Generals, and collect our rewards! Hehehe!”

“Don’t make me do this!”

At any rate, the adventurers led by Gustav began a furious assault following the [Tempest].

TN: The Mossan here is the same skeleton Kurono met in the Alsace village.