The sight was so surreal that Scarlett stood frozen, her voice failing her. Even the knight who had been seconds away from killing her retreated, putting distance between them.
The person standing before them was the reason why.
"Are you Princess Scarlett?"
The figure was a child, barely eight years old.
"Ah... Y-yes... I am Scarlett. But you... who on earth are you?"
"Thank goodness. I made it in time. Since Gaia-san is here, do you think you can hang in there a little... longer?"
Quickly switching to formal speech, Leo offered a bright smile and reached out his hand. Despite his small stature, he carried himself with the unmistakable air of a knight.
Then, a split second later—
"You stupid brat!"
"Ouch!?"
A fist slammed into the crown of Leo’s head, driving him toward the dirt with enough force to practically bury him.
Iricobert had arrived.
"I see you bolt off and next thing I know, you’ve dived into a literal sea of enemies! Taking advantage of your size to zip around like that... You’re like a damn cat!"
"B-but, I thought it was down to the wire... I didn't think I'd make it if I didn't run..."
"Shut up, you little brat! His Lordship told me to protect you! I had to chase you so far I ended up in this death trap myself! Look! I had to ignore the enemies to break through, and now I'm covered in cuts! It hurts like hell!"
"Iricobert-san, you're amazing! You actually fought through that many people to get here? So cool!"
"Hah! Who do you think I—wait, don't think flattery's going to save you! You stupid brat!"
Leo’s eyes welled with tears as he was clonked on the head again.
Deep down, however, Iricobert was genuinely shaken. He looked at Leo, his mind racing as he analyzed the situation.
He’s got good eyes, sure... but to pick out the Princess’s location instantly from that distance? He must have read the flow of the entire battlefield. What incredible vision. I didn't see her... hell, even His Lordship missed it. And his situational awareness is spot on. He’s right; we wouldn't have made it if he hadn't jumped the gun.
"Ow... I’m gonna have a bump..."
The kid is a freak. The way he wove through that wave of people... those reflexes, that judgment... he was even mimicking His Lordship’s movements. Did he learn that? In the few seconds he watched the General fight earlier? Tsk... I see now. His Lordship had a damn good reason for telling me to protect this kid at all costs.
"Iricobert-san?"
"But for now, you're still just a brat! Don't let it go to your head!"
"Ouch!?"
The surrounding soldiers, who had been watching the exchange in a daze, finally snapped back to reality.
"What are you idiots doing?! Scarlett is right there! Kill her!"
"Ooooooh!"
Leo and Iricobert had arrived, but they were still surrounded by a literal army of Dragonia. They had broken through the lines as individuals, not as a formed unit.
"Tch... fine, punishment's over. Reflect on what you did later. But... if you hadn't charged in, we wouldn't have made it. I’ll give you credit for that much. This is your win. Be proud of it!"
Iricobert drew his sword. When the Dragonia knights lunged at him, he met them head-on.
"Doraaaaa!"
He cleaved through them in a single strike. He didn't just parry; he used his monstrous arm strength to shatter their weapons and limbs alike, slaughtering them where they stood.
Leo watched, speechless.
"Amazing..."
He was powerful. It was common knowledge that the physical enhancement provided by an Emblem was fixed at a certain level. However, much like with Gaia, whether or not a person could actually master that power was a different story entirely.
Leo realized that Iricobert was drawing out every ounce of potential the Emblem had to offer. It was like baseball; two players could have the same physique and raw strength, but their pitching speeds would be worlds apart based on their technique and how they applied their power.
This is what a knight who has mastered their Emblem looks like... Iricobert-san is on a completely different level.
He was simply in awe. Usually, Leo could replicate almost anything he saw, but he couldn't even begin to fathom how to move like Iricobert. It was beyond the scope of human logic. He couldn't understand it—and that was exactly why he wanted to try it. He wanted to move like that.
"Reinhardt! Guard the Princess! Don't let her out of your sight this time! Oraaa!"
"Iricobert-senpai... Yes, sir!"
Even as he was surrounded, Iricobert was undeterred. His powerful swings were impossible to block, sending knights flying through the air like discarded trash.
"I-It’s Iricobert! The Three-Star Knight, 'Strong-Armed' Iricobert!"
"Don't engage him one-on-one! Surround him and wear him down!"
"What is this monster?!"
It was a heroic, solitary struggle, but the wounds were starting to pile up. No matter how strong he was, one man couldn't overturn the tide of a war. Faced with overwhelming numbers, Iricobert’s blood began to stain the stone floor. Yet, with the tenacity of an ogre, he refused to retreat a single inch, shielding Scarlett and the others from the swarm.
At this rate, Iricobert was going to be killed.
Thinking he had to do something, Leo gripped his sword and prepared to jump in.
But then—
"Gahaha! Iricobert, it’s been a while! Why don’t you just come work for me instead?"
"Huh? That voice—!?"
A man appeared and swung his blade. Iricobert moved to block it, but the impact sent him flying. It looked like a casual swing, yet the shock was like an explosion going off in his face. Iricobert slammed into a stone wall and spat out a mouthful of blood.
The sheer wind pressure from the strike nearly knocked Leo off his feet.
Iricobert scrambled back up immediately.
"Even you're here... Alteus."
The man called Alteus was a behemoth, standing nearly seven feet tall with arms like tree trunks. He had a physique forged like tempered steel, draped in a heavy fur mantle and crimson armor that matched the fiery hue of his hair. One look was all it took to know he was no ordinary soldier.
"Iricobert-san! Are you okay?!"
"Kid... grab the Princess and run. This is a bad matchup. Even I don't know if I can take this guy."
"Who is he? That giant?" Leo asked.
The giant man let out a booming laugh that echoed throughout the castle walls.
"Hey now, you’re asking who I am? Gahaha! I suppose it has been five years since I last stepped onto a battlefield! I can't blame a whelp for not knowing me. My name is Alteus Regress! A Great Hero of Dragonia—one of the pillars of the Four Dragons! But tell me, does Arcadia really have to recruit toddlers into their knight orders now? Gahaha! I guess the labor shortage is a problem for everyone!"
"The Four Dragons... Does that mean...?"
"The Five Star Sword... in other words, he’s on the same level as His Lordship. He’s got a loud mouth and a stupidly big body, and he acts like a total moron... but he’s terrifyingly strong."
"Hey now, Iricobert. 'Moron' is a bit harsh... though if you mean a 'battle-idiot,' then I suppose you've got me!!!"
THUMP!!
He stomped his foot down. The cobblestones shattered, and the resulting shockwave sent the surrounding knights tumbling. Grinning, Alteus looked up at them.
"Now then... nobody move, okay? Because I’ll crush the first person who twitches."
It felt as though they had been struck by a paralysis spell. It was a primal, instinctual terror—the complete loss of confidence that comes from facing an overwhelmingly superior predator. In an instant, the Dragonia soldiers' morale skyrocketed, while the Arcadian knights looked ready to drop their swords in despair.
Leo felt it, too.
His breath hitched in his chest. Death was standing right in front of him. This man could kill him on a whim, at any second. The gap between them was so vast it was hard to comprehend. He couldn't even feel his hands anymore; his grip on his sword was slipping.
He was afraid.
It was the first time in his life he had ever felt true, bone-deep terror. It was the suffocating stench of death, a tension where even a single breath felt like it could trigger his demise. This was a monster he couldn't beat even if he spent a lifetime trying. Because he didn't want to die, his mind was being consumed by the most basic of human emotions.
And yet, he bit his lip and forced himself to hold onto his sword. He had to stand up. He had to face forward.
"Loud as always. Your voice is impossible to miss."
Suddenly, a large, warm hand was placed gently on Leo’s head. The hand was massive and powerful, yet incredibly kind.
As if by magic, the terror began to fade. The trembling stopped. A new strength welled up from deep within him, giving him the power to stand tall.
"Gaia-san..."
"Hmm? Ohoooooooooo! Gaiaaaaaaaa! It’s been too long!"
"His Lordship!"
It was Gaia.
Gaia Featherfield and his main unit had arrived, carving through the Dragonia ranks to reach Princess Scarlett.
"Leo. Did Iricobert give you the scolding you deserved?"
"Yes. He hit me a lot."
"Hmph... good. There is no growth without pain. We are knights, a military force. We have discipline, and those who break it must be punished. That is the way of things. However..."
Gaia continued to stroke Leo’s head, looking into the boy’s eyes with a gentle expression.
"Despite all that, I will say this: You did well."
"...Yes, sir!"
One of the kingdom's greatest legends drew his sword. The mere sound of the steel leaving its scabbard made the enemy knights tremble. They were now feeling the same crushing pressure Leo had felt moments ago, while Leo and his allies felt a surge of renewed hope.
Gaia removed his hand from Leo’s head and stepped forward.
"Leave the rest to me."