By the time the sun began to peek over the eastern sky, the Mercurio Army and the Subjugation Army were already standing face-to-face across the battlefield.
The stage for this conflict was a place known as the Brissa Plain. From spring through summer, the land would be blanketed in lush grass, offering a sight like a Carpet of Green. However, now that autumn had deepened, that vibrant greenery had withered away, leaving barely a shadow of its former glory.
Patches of gray, white, and brown grass clung to the earth, and beneath them, the dry, brown soil was exposed.
On this Brissa Plain, the Mercurio Army, with a force of over ten thousand, stood against the Subjugation Army, which boasted nearly forty thousand troops.
Normally, the Brissa Plain would not have been Mercurio’s first choice for a battlefield. No matter how immense Rei’s individual combat power was, he was still just one man. In a clash between two great hosts, the disparity in numbers was bound to influence the outcome.
The plain was dotted with marshes and groves, and some areas even resembled rocky labyrinths, but for the most part, it was wide-open terrain. This meant that in a head-on engagement, the difference in sheer numbers could prove catastrophic.
Even so, Mercurio had chosen this place because it was the best available option. Of course, there were plenty of other locations where his army could have made a stand. While Mercurio had been entrusted with selecting the site, Frederic was not the type of man to simply leave everything to his opponent’s discretion; had he been that naive, Cabajid would never have chosen him as a Negotiation Messenger.
As a result of the negotiations between Mercurio and Frederic, it was agreed that while Mercurio could choose the battlefield, it had to be within a specific range. That range was defined as any location reachable within two days from the Mercurio Army's encampment that was expansive enough to allow a large number of troops to maneuver freely.
This was only natural. From the Subjugation Army's perspective, if a mountain Cliff or a narrow pass were chosen—places where only a handful of people could fight at once—the Mercurio Army would have an overwhelming advantage, thanks to its high-quality forces like the White Rose Knight Order, the Beast Soldiers, and the Mobile Unit.
This did not mean the Subjugation Army’s soldiers were of inferior quality. However, since they had gone to the effort of assembling enough men to crush the opposition through weight of numbers, a location that prevented them from using their numerical superiority was out of the question.
Caught in this bind, the Mercurio Army’s leadership had racked their brains and finally settled on the Brissa Plain. It featured enough obstacles to break up the lines while still being wide enough to deploy their full strength.
The location was not particularly far for either side. As soon as the site was finalized, Mercurio had dispatched an advance guard to ensure the Subjugation Army didn't have a chance to set any traps.
Naturally, the Subjugation Army was equally wary of enemy schemes. If anything, the Subjugation Army’s side likely viewed the situation with even more suspicion. The Mercurio Army had chosen the terrain, and they were backed by Theoreme—a man famous for his large-scale use of Magic Items created through Alchemy and modified Beast Soldiers in war. Furthermore, with Rei, an Item Box User, among their ranks, the enemy believed there could be no one better suited for planting traps.
Consequently, the Mercurio Army’s advance guard reached the Brissa Plain first, followed a few hours later by the Subjugation Army’s vanguard. Despite meeting face-to-face, no skirmishes broke out. Time simply flowed as both sides watched each other with wary eyes until the morning arrived.
And so, the Time of the Decisive Battle had finally come.
"Lord Rei, are the preparations complete?"
"Yeah, no problem. Once the fight starts, I'll charge from the sky and keep raining fire down on the enemy's rear. I'm sure they have ways to counter it, but I doubt they have enough Magic Items to absorb all those flames. Besides, those items can only stop fire. If things get dicey, I'll just drop straight into their backlines and run wild with the Overlord's Armor."
At Videre’s question, Rei answered while absentmindedly stroking Seto, who stood tall beside him.
It was a straightforward plan, yet when the battle began, their opening move would be what Rei described: aerial carpet bombing. If this failed to work—or rather, if they didn't make it work—they would be forced into a head-on collision against a force four times their size.
For the Mercurio Army to stand a chance at victory, this opening strike was absolutely essential. They needed to inflict massive casualties while simultaneously shattering the enemy's morale.
Rei’s assessment was that even if the fire were somehow countered during the bombing, he could simply switch from flames to dropping spears or boulders. Or, as he had mentioned, he could launch a direct assault using the Overlord's Armor. Any of these options would surely amplify the damage and chaos within the Subjugation Army’s ranks.
Ideally, the attack would take out the enemy commanders as well.
(Well, besides the commanders, there's a chance Rhodos might get caught in the blast... but he should have a Magic Item for recovery. Once that's done, I'll wrap myself in the Overlord's Armor and charge from behind, huh? Honestly, if I go that far, this whole thing might be over in a few hours. Then again, for Mercurio and the others, that’s exactly what they’re hoping for.)
Since this was a Civil War, a prolonged conflict would only serve to bleed the Bestia Empire dry. Regardless of which side won, neither wanted to see their nation’s strength exhausted. Rei recalled what he had heard from Elena via the Paired Orbs—that formerly conquered nations and neighboring countries that felt threatened by the Empire were already beginning to stir.
"If you say so, Lord Rei, then I can truly rest easy."
Having witnessed Rei's combat prowess many times, Videre placed immense trust in his strength. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy for the overwhelming power he possessed.
Rei and Videre continued to exchange words at the head of the Mercurio Army, which was already in a formation ready to begin the march at a moment's notice.
Since this was a sight many in the Mercurio Army were accustomed to, they found themselves motivated by Seto’s presence or used the sight of Rei to convince themselves that victory was guaranteed.
The Subjugation Army, of course, observed this with interest. They wondered why the other side didn't seem to be gripped by despair despite being outnumbered four-to-one. However, those who actually questioned this were few. While there were some skeptics, most of them were the reinforcements brought in by Cabajid and Schuls who had never faced the Mercurio Army—and by extension, Rei.
The veterans who had experienced battle against the Mercurio Army couldn't help but feel a deep sense of dread as they looked at the Gryphon in the enemy’s front lines. Though days had passed since the battle at the encampment, the terror Rei had inspired was still etched into the depths of their hearts.
They knew exactly who kept that Gryphon as a Tamed Monster. Because they knew, they couldn't afford to be as lighthearted as the ignorant new recruits.
The only thing keeping them from fleeing in terror was their own trump card: they had been told that the S-Rank Adventurer, Noise the Immovable, was on their side.
This information had been made public last night when the battle was finalized. Naturally, there were a few spies for Mercurio embedded in the Subjugation Army, but that specific piece of intel had been completely suppressed by Cabajid’s and Schuls’s personal units.
As a result, while the Subjugation Army knew full well that Rei was with Mercurio, the Mercurio Army was heading into the Final Battle completely unaware that Noise was among the enemy ranks.
They held a power the enemy knew nothing about. That fact alone was the reason the Subjugation Army Soldiers could stand their ground without fleeing upon seeing Rei.
"Oh, is it starting?"
Unaware of the hidden threat, Rei muttered as he watched a figure step forward from the Mercurio Army.
The figure wore an outfit made of cloth so thin it was practically transparent. Given the biting chill of the autumn morning, it was the sort of attire that would make an onlooker feel a shiver of cold before they felt any stirrings of lust. However, since the clothing was what it was, measures had naturally been taken; while not quite on the level of a Dragon Robe, the outfit possessed a hidden ability to protect the wearer from the elements.
"Is that... Her Highness Vihera?!"
"No way... it really is Her Highness Vihera. So the rumors that she joined the other side were true..."
"She's a worthy enough opponent. Against someone of Her Highness Vihera's caliber, I should be able to demonstrate my full strength."
"If we can manage a live capture, the rewards will be whatever we want. ...Maybe I can even have Her Highness Vihera for myself..."
While the Subjugation Army Soldiers buzzed with surprise at Vihera’s entrance, a single figure stepped forward from their side as well. It was the Female Knight Pelfeel, who held Cabajid’s absolute trust.
The two women, both formidable warriors confident in their own strength, faced each other at the exact midpoint between the two armies.
"It has been quite some time, Her Highness Vihera."
Pelfeel spoke with a serious expression and a formal tone, clearly aware that she couldn't address a member of the Imperial Family in her usual manner.
Watching her, Vihera found herself thinking of Rei, who never changed his casual attitude regardless of who he was talking to.
(Well, I suppose the reason he didn't use formal speech with Big Sister was because she's my sister... maybe?)
The thought briefly crossed her mind, but she quickly brushed it aside to reply to Pelfeel.
"Indeed. The last time we saw each other, Pelfeel... was it at that party held just before I fled the country?"
"Yes, I believe that was it. ...Still, for someone who supposedly fled, you certainly made your way back to the Bestia Empire quickly. And to join the Rebel Army... no, the Mercurio Army, is it? To be perfectly honest, I wish you would have spared me the trouble."
"Is that so? My precious little brother's life was at stake, so don't you think it was only natural for me to come to his aid?"
"But because of that, the Bestia Empire has been plunged into Civil Strife—a futile act that serves only to bleed our national power dry."
"True. But then, this never would have happened if Big Brother Cabajid and the others hadn't put Mercurio under house arrest, would it?"
They exchanged barbs while remaining on horseback. Their voices were likely being projected intentionally; both armies were using Magic to ensure every soldier could hear the conversation.
This was the prelude to the clash—a verbal spar aimed at justifying their own cause, bolstering their own morale, and undermining the enemy's spirit.
The reason the actual leaders of the factions—Cabajid, Schuls, or Mercurio—didn't step out personally was likely due to the inherent danger. If one side could kill the opponent’s leader here, the rest could be settled through brute force. In a place where over fifty thousand people had gathered, there was bound to be someone thinking exactly that.
Whether it was a soldier whose loyalty had turned to zealotry or someone looking to monopolize the glory, the risk was too high. No matter the precautions or defensive Magic Items they had, they couldn't afford to be reckless.
That was why Pelfeel, a trusted subordinate, and Vihera, who technically claimed to have already left the nation, were chosen as the mouthpieces for this verbal duel.
"In the first place, wasn't the primary reason His Highness Mercurio was detained his defeat in the Spring War? If we had won that battle, there wouldn't have been an issue. And yet, not only did he lose, but he has now taken the very cause of that defeat into his own ranks. Don't you think that’s a bit much? Or perhaps... was this the plan from the very beginning?"
The implication was clear: they had intentionally lost the war to create the current crisis.
At those words, a massive commotion broke out among the onlookers, both friend and foe. However, the nature of the noise differed greatly between the two sides.
On the Mercurio Army’s side, it was a roar of indignation, telling them not to insult Vihera. On the Subjugation Army’s side, it was a stir of suspicion, wondering if the accusation were true. Even so, the fact that they didn't immediately descend into hurling insults at Vihera was a testament to her immense popularity within the Bestia Empire.
"Fufu, as if I could pull off something like that. If I had the power to manipulate events to that extent, I would have just brought us victory before things ever got to this point, don't you think?"
"True enough," many who heard Vihera's words muttered in agreement. If she could control a situation on such a massive scale, there would have been no need for them to be standing on a battlefield in the first place.
"Is that so? Your Highness Vihera was always one who loved a good fight. Given that, isn't it possible you sought this out just to find a stronger opponent?"
"Listen, even if I were looking for a fight, I wouldn't go out of my way to do it here in the Bestia Empire, where there are so many tiresome restrictions. If I were going to do that, I’d choose a country with strong enemies I haven't met yet. ...Though, I think Big Brother Cabajid and Big Brother Schuls know better than anyone whether or not I'm capable of such a complex scheme."
Vihera cast a sharp glance toward the Subjugation Army. Cabajid and Schuls were nowhere to be seen. That was to be expected; it would be improper for the Imperial Family to fight on the absolute front lines.
With that, the verbal spar came to an end, resulting in a stalemate with neither side gaining the upper hand. And now, the Final Battle of this Civil Strife was finally about to begin.