Noise had departed the battlefield.
His exit left only Rei, who had just deactivated his Flame Emperor’s Crimson Armor, Seto standing faithfully by his side, and the countless soldiers encircling them.
Silence descended, thick and absolute.
It was only natural. Until a moment ago, the only thing keeping Rei pinned to this spot was the presence of Noise. Now that Noise had vanished, there was no one left with the power to restrain him.
Even if every soldier present were to swarm him at once, it was doubtful they could inflict so much as a scratch on him while he possessed the skill he called the Flame Emperor’s Crimson Armor. And above all...
“Guruuuu.”
Seto growled, his golden eyes sweeping across the ranks to keep the soldiers at bay.
The men could barely bring themselves to face Rei alone; with the Gryphon Seto added to the equation, they were utterly helpless. This was no ordinary Gryphon. He was a Rare Species—no, a being that had long since transcended that label—capable of mastering numerous skills a normal member of his kind could never hope to use.
Casting a glance at the paralyzed crowd, Rei reached down and picked up the object lying on the ground.
It was the magic sword Noise had used as a makeshift shield to block Seto’s all-out strike. Even though the blow had been delivered under the shroud of Optical Camouflage—one of Seto’s trump cards—while Noise’s attention was fixed entirely on Rei, the man had reacted instantly, sacrificing his blade to preserve his life.
(I know his physical ability was boosted by the Overlord’s Armor... but for a human to block that strike is incredible. I already knew it, but S-Rank Adventurers really are nothing but monsters.)
Technically, the previous battle was Rei's victory because Noise had conceded and withdrawn. However, he knew Noise still had strength to spare. Had the fight continued, Rei likely would have run out of magic power and lost the ability to maintain the Flame Emperor’s Crimson Armor.
He was in better shape than he had been during the Battle of the Encampment, where the Overlord’s Armor had drained him to the point of exhaustion, but he had still consumed a massive amount of magic power. The drain was largely due to the Flame Emperor’s Crimson Armor’s Characteristics—specifically the Deep Flame. He had been flashy with his use of that visualized, compressed magic power, firing it off at will. Every time he launched a burst, he had to consume even more magic power to replenish the armor.
Unlike the Overlord’s Armor, simply maintaining the Flame Emperor’s Crimson Armor didn't drain him as rapidly, but the cost was still far beyond the capacity of any ordinary mage. The strain was likely compounded by the fact that he had been using the Overlord’s Armor immediately prior to manifesting his new skill.
“...Well then.”
Briefly organizing his thoughts, Rei shouldered his Death Scythe.
It wasn't particularly satisfying to have the victory handed to him, but the fact remained that Noise was no longer in his way. The only being capable of suppressing Rei at the rear of the Subjugation Army had vanished. Now, only he and Seto remained.
Though the Subjugation Army Soldiers surrounded them, their numbers meant nothing against an opponent whose strength occupied a different realm of existence. The moment Rei shifted his stance, several men reflexively scrambled backward, colliding with the soldiers behind them and causing a domino effect of stumbling bodies.
Rei watched the pathetic display for a moment before a soft purr and a nudge from Seto’s head reminded him of his mission. He had come here to throw the Subjugation Army's Rear Unit into a state of total chaos. At the same time, he needed to signal to the Mercurio Army that he was actively dismantling the enemy’s support lines.
Scanning the horizon for his next target, he realized the Water Dragon he had seen during his duel with Noise had disappeared. It was a familiar beast, and Rei could guess who had summoned it, but his struggle with Noise had left him with no leeway to focus on other parts of the field.
(Who took him down? Was it Theoreme? Gurgast? Maybe Vihera? Or perhaps the Mobile Unit pulled through? I’ll have to get the full story once this battle is over.)
Rei stroked Seto’s head, feeling a slight pang of unease at his dwindling reserves of magic power.
“First, I need to finish the job I came here to do.”
“Guruuu?” Seto looked at him with a worried tilt of the head, as if asking, Are you alright? Rei offered a reassuring pat, knowing he was being a bit stubborn.
“I’m fine. I’ll take a long rest once this war is finished... Besides, we’ve finally reached a point where I can use your power to its full extent, haven't we?”
“Guruuu!”
Seto purred happily, his previous concern vanishing instantly. Until now, they had avoided using Seto's skills in public to prevent unwanted attention. Seto had suffered many inconveniences because of that secrecy, but those days were over. With so many witnesses to the duel against Noise, the time for concealment had passed. Information would already be moving up the Subjugation Army's chain of command. Rei and Seto were simply too prominent to stay hidden any longer.
Now, they had to use those skills overtly to tilt the scales in favor of the Mercurio Army’s side.
“Let’s go, Seto.”
“Guruuuuuuu!”
Rei vaulted onto Seto's back. With a short run-up, the Gryphon flapped his great wings and took to the sky.
Several soldiers watched them go, knowing that if they didn't stop them now, their army would suffer catastrophic losses. Yet, they could not move. The sheer intensity Rei radiated after gaining the Flame Emperor’s Crimson Armor was overwhelming. He was the man who had forced Noise—one of the Bestia Empire's Strongest Forces—to admit defeat.
Even if it had been a concession rather than a killing blow, the fact that an S-Rank Adventurer had bowed out was a crushing psychological blow. Imprinted with a profound sense of defeat, the soldiers could only watch as the pair ascended.
High in the skies above Brissa Plain, Rei looked down at the carnage below. From this vantage point, it was clear that the Mercurio Army was being pushed back, though there were pockets where they were holding the line or even advancing.
“I suppose this was my mistake. I was meant to cause chaos in the rear much sooner to unsettle the main force.”
“Guruuu.” Seto purred, offering a bit of comfort. In truth, facing a monster like Noise and forcing him to retreat was an achievement worthy of the Top Contribution for the entire battle.
(Though that won't mean a thing if the Mercurio Army loses. Still, thanks to that fight, I gained the Flame Emperor’s Crimson Armor... wait.)
A sudden question occurred to him. The Flame Emperor’s Crimson Armor manifested when he channeled his magic power, turning it into a mantle of pure flame magic power. As a construct of fire, it emitted intense heat. He had seen Noise furrowing his brows at the temperature despite his own armor's protections.
“If I keep the armor active, I won't be able to ride you, will I, Seto?”
“Guruu!?” Seto let out a shocked cry, as if to say, No way!
“Guruuu, guruuu...”
Hearing Seto’s mournful purr, Rei felt a wave of sympathy. However, he paused to consider the nature of their bond.
(Seto was created through Beast Magic. He was born from my magic power. This armor is also my magic power, visualized and semi-materialized. If that’s the case... could it work?)
Rei suspected that Seto might be immune to the armor’s heat, but he couldn't exactly test the theory while they were already mid-air. If he was wrong, Seto would suffer horrific burns.
“Don't worry... I know it sounds a bit irresponsible, but I suspect you’ll be fine even if you touch the armor.”
“Guruuu!” Really? Seto’s eyes lit up with hope.
“I won't know for sure until we test it, so for now, let’s call it a 'probably.' We can't risk it right now, but let’s try it after the battle.”
“Guruuuuuuu!”
Seto purred with joy, his earlier sadness forgotten. Rei gave a small, wry smile at the Gryphon's simple nature.
As they flew, they reached the rear of the Subjugation Army, hovering over the most densely packed formation of infantry. Rei looked down and frowned. The defeat of Digma of the Water Dragon had been a turning point, but it had forced the Subjugation Army to pivot toward a strategy of Numerical Warfare. They were pushing their numbers forward, even at the cost of their own lives.
Because the rear units were being shoved toward the front, they were now far too close to the Mercurio Army's lines. If Rei used his signature Wide-range Annihilation Magic here, the lack of a friend-or-foe identification function meant his allies would be caught in the inferno.
“A small-scale spell won't be enough to break them... and I can't use rocks.”
Rei checked his mental inventory of the Misty Ring; he had only seven rocks left. He would run out of ammunition instantly, making an aerial bombardment impossible. Spears would be effective against individuals but useless against a sea of tens of thousands.
He needed an attack that would devastate the enemy without touching his own side. Naturally, his mind went to the Flame Emperor’s Crimson Armor.
(Magic power is the issue... but it’s more efficient than the Overlord’s Armor. Maybe I can sustain it with the Bracelet of Magic Absorption? I hope so. Regardless, just manifesting the armor for a few moments should be enough to send them into a panic.)
Organizing his thoughts, Rei gave Seto’s neck a firm pat.
“Seto, let’s announce our arrival. Fire a Fire Breath toward the back... toward the furthest edge of their rear unit. We need to be as loud and visible as possible to draw their attention.”
“Guruuu!”
Seto purred, essentially saying Leave it to me, and began his descent to bring the target within range.
Down on the ground, the two armies were locked in a brutal head-on clash, but among tens of thousands of men, it was inevitable that someone would look up. As word spread through the ranks, hope surged within the Mercurio Army while a wave of despair washed over the Subjugation Army.
The despair was palpable. Noise was supposed to be the one holding Rei in check. The fact that the Hero of the Bestia Empire had failed to stop him meant only one thing to the common soldier: Rei had defeated Noise.
In reality, Noise had simply conceded the win, but only those who had been standing on that specific patch of the plain knew the truth. And even those witnesses had seen Rei fight on equal terms—if not superior ones—against their greatest champion. In their minds, Rei was every bit as monstrous as Noise.
As Rei and Seto neared the ground, the Subjugation Army launched a desperate volley of arrows to keep him from landing. They knew that if they let this pair move freely, their formation would be shredded. Their current advantage in the war would vanish in an heartbeat.
However, every arrow fired at the sky was one less arrow aimed at the Mercurio Army. By targeting Rei and Seto, the Subjugation Army was forced to divert its precious resources.
“You actually think this level of archery can stop us?!” Rei shouted.
The Death Scythe blurred through the air, humming as it sliced through any arrow on a collision course, while Seto’s front legs batted the remaining shafts aside with contemptuous ease.
Once they hovered just above the ranks...
“Seto!”
“Guruuuuuuuuuu!”
At Rei’s command, Seto unleashed a torrent of Fire Breath upon the earth.