Chapter 19 - Invasion

The air was humid. So humid that Ieyasu wondered if he could drink the water out of the air. The muddy soil sank under the weight of the horses and armored infantry. The troops at the front of the marching army had to be careful not to slip on the grass, droplets of rain still fresh on the blades of the greenery. The troops at the back struggled to tread over the loose soil. Ieyasu and Sayo were amongst the privileged who were leading the march steadily on top of their steeds. As they had to pass through a large forest, they didn't have a large cavalry force, only one hundred or so amongst the army of five thousand.

"Sayo. Do you think we have any chance of winning?" Ieyasu asked with a hint of resignation. Just from a glance, anyone that knew him would be able to tell that Ieyasu was lacking his usual energy. The reason was probably the task that was handed to him. Sayo frowned.

"From what we were told, just the forward detachment has the same number of troops as us, nearly five thousand men. We should expect the main army to have twenty thousand or more. Honestly, without a strong plan of attack, our chances are slim." She responded honestly. But then she smiled gently. "Luckily, we aren't seeking victory. We just have to stall them near the border until reinforcements arrive."

Ieyasu felt himself calm down from seeing Sayo's gentle smile, but it didn't cure the anxiety inside his heart.

"But we don't know when reinforcements will arrive…" He mumbled quietly. Despite being only a few meters away, Sayo barely caught that. She pulled her horse closer to his and reached out to pat his back.

"Come on now. Would General Ogre be dejected just from a little danger?" She asked. Ieyasu immediately shook his head.

"No." Sayo didn't try to follow up. She just turned her gaze back towards the distance. Ieyasu, on the other hand, encouraged himself. He was the one who inherited Ogre's responsibilities and promised to continue his legacy. He wouldn't trip here, and even if he did, he must stand back up.

The march continued until twilight, or at least, what was probably twilight beyond the barrier of grey clouds. They reached the southern edge of the forest and stopped there to rest. According to their predictions, the forward detachment of the Nostr Ares army would cross the border in little over a week, appearing fifty miles north of the Forest of Ancients. The main army would be only a day or two behind.

At the rate they were marching, Ieyasu's army would have a little under 3 days to prepare the area before the confrontation. If they shifted their position inland a few hundred miles, it would give them an extra day.

It was truly a headache, especially for Sayo who has to come up with a plan as the one most adept at tactics. Even when the sun disappeared beyond the horizon and the darkness settled around the camp, Sayo was wide awake, staring at the map laid out before her.

At first, she thought that information on the area and the terrain would provide her some sort of advantage, but a quick look at the maps cause her stomach to drop. To the north of the Forest of Ancients laid a large area of flatlands, an expansive plain without hills nor rivers. Further north, hills start to form and eventually blends into the mountains where her home village laid. She would like to avoid diverting the battle to the mountains in fear that her village would be dragged into the conflict.

The forest provides little advantage for her due to her army size. At the same time, fighting on the flatlands is akin to a battle of numbers that she desperately wanted to avoid.

Without catching a wink of sleep, she thought long and hard throughout the night and the following day as they continued to march. That night and the next, she stayed up, picking out every detail from the maps she had with her.

Ieyasu noticed the deep, dark circles around her eyes on the third day and forced her to sleep.

"While you're asleep, I'll come up with a plan, alright?" Sayo rolled her eyes but nodded, knowing that if she didn't do as she was told he wouldn't stop bothering her.

The march continued and they were approaching the northern edge of the forest. Several days went by and the stress of the situation was beginning to take a visible toll on Sayo. A rare look of exhaustion haunted her throughout the day and Ieyasu couldn't bear seeing that. On the last night before they exited the forest, Ieyasu lost sight of Sayo as he helped the army set up the camp.

Twilight passed and midnight approached. Ieyasu searched through the relatively quiet camp for his companion that he hadn't seen for hours now. He wandered around, eventually ending up outside the camp.

Off in the distance, he noticed the flickering of a fire. He carefully approached and found Sayo sitting by a campfire, alone. She was staring into the fire without blinking and without emotion. It wasn't a calculating stare. There wasn't even a hint of intelligence behind her eyes. It was a blank stare. Ieyasu couldn't grasp the meaning behind her stare but he knew from deep inside, this was a figure he never wanted to see again.

"Sayo?" She twitched and shook her head before turning her head to Ieyasu. Once she realized who it was, she turned back to the fire without responding.

"Sayo. Talk to me."

"If I had something to say, I wouldn't hesitate to speak." She replied in a quiet, tired voice. Ieyasu knew she had been struggling with a plan to defeat the enemy, but it wasn't something he could help her with. If he could, then Sayo wouldn't even have this problem.

"Sorry. If only I knew how to plan strategies." Sayo raised an eyebrow and scoffed.

"If that's the case then you wouldn't even need me here." Ieyasu turned sharply to her and grasped her arms. She froze under the contact, taken completely by surprise.

"That's not true! It's the exact opposite." He said strongly. "I depend on you for everything… I need you more than you ever needed me." He said bitterly. His gaze wandered downwards in shame. Sayo's eyes widened at the confession. Her heart rate rapidly sped up and she smiled with a small blush.

"If you weren't here, I wouldn't be here either." She mumbled too softly for Ieyasu to hear. Ieyasu released Sayo and they both turned to stare at the fire.

"If you want to stop depending on me then start using that brain of yours. Anything is fine, just give me an idea." He slumped in his seat and propped up his elbow on his thigh. With his chin rested on the palm of his hand, he stared into the fire.

Their objective was to stall time. But how much time? If it took two weeks to gather up a sizable force in the capital, it would take another two weeks to bring them to the battlefield. At the very least, they had to be prepared to stall an army triple their size for at least two weeks. If they just went in and fought the enemy head-on, they wouldn't last a week before their numbers were reduced to zero. Hell, it might not even take a day.

"I wish we had more people." Ieyasu grumbled. He knew that his grumbling wasn't helping anyone, but he couldn't help it. Why were they in this situation in the first place? Their army shouldn't be lacking in numbers, they were the Empire for heaven's sake. Where the hell was everyone?

Sayo shook her head after hearing Ieyasu's grumble. Somehow, Ieyasu's grumbling felt refreshing rather than irritating, just like how a child grumbling only makes them seem cute.

"Of course. It's precisely because we don't have the numbers that I am struggling with right now. I wouldn't have any problems if we had… enough… people?" Sayo exasperatedly began, but her speech slowed down as her mind accelerated. Ieyasu, recognizing that her tone meant she just struck an idea, quickly shut his mouth and stopped all movements as to not distract her in any way.

Sayo's mind raced as she reconfirmed her objective. She was ordered to stall the enemy, not defeat them. In fact, in this situation, she should do her best to avoid conflict. What would cause the enemy to both stop their advancement and avoid confrontation?

She bit her lips and opened her eyes. She still lacked information on the enemy. How did they behave? What were they afraid of? What could she show them to make them hesitant to attack? Her annoyed gaze turned to Ieyasu who shivered and shot up, standing at attention with perfect posture.

"Ieyasu, find me the oldest or most knowledgeable man in our army. While you're at it, grab everyone you find who originated from the general area. You've got an hour to bring them to me at the main tent."

"Yes, ma'am!" He yelled and turned 180 before dashing at top speed towards their temporary camp.

In just under 45 minutes, over 30 people stood at attention in front of the main tent near the eastern edge of the temporary camp. At the front stood a veteran soldier in his late fifties. Sayo stepped out of the tent and all the soldiers saluted her. Ieyasu, who was standing to the side, pouted. They were treating her as the leader, even though he's the commander. Even though he was the commander!

Sayo stepped up to the veteran.

"What's your name and rank?" She asked with an air of authority. The soldier saluted and replied quickly.

"Elixan, Captain of the 12th division, ma'am!" The soldier responded in a deep, rough voice. His appearance was rather intimidating. Gray hairs riddled his balding head, his full beard was messy, his eyes were small and he looked very stern. But Sayo did not demonstrate any fear as she nodded.

"Captain Elixan, I require your knowledge. Tell me about Nostr Ares and its people. If you know anything about their history, their behavior, their army hierarchy, their legends and myths, I want to hear it. The same goes for all of you soldiers! If you have anything to pitch in, raise your hand and I will call on you." She said in a loud, clear voice.

Inwardly, she sighed in exhaustion. Pretending to be authoritative is tiring business. It's not even in character for her. She's just been copying General Ogre's behavior minus the crudeness. She glanced at her childhood friend who looked at her admiring and suppressed a smile. Hopefully, he'll learn a thing or two from observing her.

Sayo listened tentatively as Captain Elixan briefed her on the history of Nostr Ares and what he knew of their social structure and social norms. Several soldiers pitched in with legends and myths they knew that likely originated from the western countries.

As the session approached its conclusion, a small smile appeared on Sayo's lips. Ieyasu sighed in relief. Looks like they'll be fine.

The sun blazed directly overhead, its rays filled with enough heat to fry any poor sod wearing heavy armor. In contrast, the breeze that swept across the grassland was dry and cool. Large flags flapped in the gust, briefly showcasing the large form of a three-tailed preying eagle, before slowly settling back into a scrumped up pile, hanging limply from the metal pole on which it is anchored.

The army, five-thousand strong, that stood beneath the flags was organized as an army should, yet unlike most armies, there lacked an air of discipline. Some were sitting around, others leaned on their axes and sword, scratching their beards or their heads. Others drank from canteens that overflowed with the ambient scent of alcohol.

Another peculiar characteristic of the army was its complete lack of armor. Men and women wore rough uniforms made with fur and leather, giving them a barbaric look. But the uniforms themselves were well crafted and the special leather, created after centuries of refinement, provided just as much protection as common iron.

Several hundreds of horses littered throughout the army, differentiating the leaders from the men. The horses themselves were decorated with different colors, ranging from blue to red. Blue marking the captains of divisions while red marked the commanders of the army.

Only two red marked horses could be spotted, both at the front of the army. On one horse was a young lady in her mid-twenties. Crimson hair flowed down her back, with each gust of wind, they swayed like string. Two braids wrapped around the side of her head, tied in a neat knot at the back of her head. Her eyes were stern and sharp, giving her an air that made it difficult to approach her. Unlike the others in the army, her back was straight and she sat without moving a muscle.

On the other horse sat a man in his early thirties with a scruffy beard and brown hair slicked forwards. He sat with both legs swaying off the horse on one side, leaned forward with his chin rested on one propped up a hand and the other hand scratching his cheek.

"Listen, Thera, if you don't relax at least once in a while you'll start growing wrinkles." The man taunted with an annoying smirk that just begged to be punched, but Thera didn't even twitch. The man sighed and shook his head, the smile not leaving his face.

"Now, now. I'm the commander here, it would do you no good to ignore me like that." Thera turned her sharp gaze to the man.

"Commander Ajax, our scouts have returned." She said stiffly. There was a hint of annoyance in her voice, but it was so well hidden that you had to be listening for it to hear it. Ajax, turned his gaze forward and squinted. At the edge of the horizon, there appeared to be a few specks no larger than a mustard seed.

"Your vision is as sharp as your eyes. If only you'd stop looking into the distance and focus on what's happening near you." Ajax said with a mocking laugh. Thera's eyebrow twitched, her emotions exceeding her threshold of control for the first time. Yet she didn't retort back, merely staring at the specks in the distance. After half an hour, the scouts finally reached the two. The group consisting of fifteen men knelt before the horses.

"Hm? I thought I sent twenty of you?" Ajax said after noticing the size of the group that just returned.

"Sir, we've lost five men during the mission." Ajax raised an eyebrow and scratched his beard.

"Oh? Let's hear more." The scouts saluted and the leader began explaining.

Several hours ago, Ajax stopped the army after spotting the silhouette of large encampment appearing above the horizon. Or rather, Thera spotted it first and informed Ajax. Afterward, three groups of twenty scouts were sent to confirm the anomaly and the surrounding area.

The first group returned two hours ago, reporting that a large camp was present directly in their path. The walls were made of wooden stakes, measuring 3 meters three meters tall and seemingly wrapped around the enemy camp. The area covered by the wall suggested the enemy forces were at least fifteen thousand strong. The scouts visually confirmed the presence of enemy patrol and guards, but could not confirm the actual size of the army.

The second group returned half an hour later, reporting that the terrain to the south of the enemy camp gradually melded into the Forest of Ancients, making it a dangerous option as they could easily be pincered between the enemy army and the forest, which may be trapped.

The last group, which just returned, was tasked with scouting out the northern area.

They reported that it was grasslands as far as they could see. They attempted to wrap around the northern side of the enemy camp, only to be met with hidden mines that killed 5 of their men.

Ajax scratched his chin and smirked.

"They really aren't making things easy for us, are they?" He commented with a hint of amusement before turning his attention to the woman beside him. Her eyes were closed, clearly indicating that she was deep in thought. Normal people would wait for her to indicate that she had finished thinking, but Ajax wasn't one of them.

"What are your thoughts?" Ajax asked, completely disregarding her expression. Thera responded immediately without opening her eyes.

"Without visual confirmation of the enemy forces numbers, it would be unwise to attack head-on. We should send a scout team to wrap around south and confirm the actual size of the enemy fort. They could be hiding more than we initially predicted." She said logically. Ajax nodded slowly in an exaggerated motion.

"I see, I see. Spoken like a true coward." He taunted. Thera turned her gaze towards him. Her navy blue iris lacked any hint of emotion or concern.

"Who would lead the charge? You?" For the first time, Ajax's smile disappeared. If there was one thing that hated in the world, it was when his valor was questioned. If she had been anyone else, they'd be sprawled on the ground, beaten black and blue. But he held his fists back and forced a smile onto his face.

This woman alone, he wouldn't dare attack.

"Haha! You're right! I'm brave, but not suicidal." He then turned to the scouting group.

"Send 20 more men south. Confirm the size of the enemy encampment. I want the information by sunset. If their late I'll kick their ass back to the motherland." He commanded. The scouts saluted and sped off to the left-wing of the army.

A tense silence returned as the small group of 20 sped off into the distance, southbound.

A scouting unit consisting of 20 infantry, lightly equipped to maximize speed, detached from the left-wing of the army as the sun began its slow descent from the peak of its course. They headed southeast, approaching the southwestern side of the encampment while maintaining a large enough distance so that enemy spotters wouldn't be able to easily pick them out of the grass fields.

The distance protected them, but also made it difficult to judge the true size of the camp. Their pace slowed as they approached what was approximately the same latitude as the front of the encampment, around 6 miles southbound.

They were warned of the possibility of mines. Their eyes scrutinized the ground as they carefully tread through the field. When a seemingly unnatural mound appeared, they were careful to avoid it. A single eruption would cause their location to be given away and their mission would be a bust.

When they were about half a mile into the minefield, the captain of the unit finally ordered them to pause and evaluate the enemy encampment.

The walls indicated a circular encampment, possibly ovular. The size was consistent with what they initially predicted, placing their numbers at fifteen thousand if filled. They couldn't obtain visual confirmation of the enemy army. What they could see, was the number of guards and spotters littered around the perimeter of the camp. At a glance, the experienced leader estimated them to number to one hundred and fifty men or so.

"With that many guards, I think we can safely assume our initial predictions are correct." He analyzed out loud. After a few more minutes, one of the other soldiers raised his voice.

"Captain, 2 o'clock." He said with a finger pointing at an area almost directly west to the enemy camp. The captain turned his monocular to the indicated area and he frowned. There was another camp far off in the distance. It was difficult to judge just how far or how large the camp was, but it was certainly present. The wooden walls resembled the first camp, simple but effective in blocking visual confirmation of what was inside.

"Tch, they had a second camp? Were the mines an attempt to hide this from us? Did they want us to underestimate their numbers?" Certainly, that was a possibility. In fact, the captain could not come up with a different explanation. He turned around to his unit.

"We're heading back on the double. We need to deliver this information as soon as possible. There's a high likelihood that our initial estimations are insufficient. There could be upwards of ten thousand more enemy units." The men nodded and hastily packed up their equipment. The captain watched with a hint of impatience before movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned his gaze and noticed several figures rapidly closing in on their location.

"Enemy spotted, 6 o'clock! Get ready!" He yelled. His men scrambled to unsheathe their sword as the figures descended upon them. There were only five enemies. Four wielded swords while the one that led the group held a pitch-black spear. The captain grimaced at its ominous appearance, feeling shivers travel down his spine.

He watched as one of his men raised his sword to block the black spear, only for the spear to extend and pierce his chest before his sword was in position.

The man spat out blood, but with a defiant roar, threw his sword at the enemy leader. His eyes widened and his head tilted aside just in time for a minor scratch to appear on his neck. Ieyasu held his neck, cold sweat rolling down his back. That was way too close! He screamed internally.

At the same time, another subordinate warned them of a larger force, numbering nearly 50 men, approaching from the North. The captain clicked his tongue and quickly gave an order.

"Prioritize getting the intel back to camp! If you can't run, fight! Die a warrior's death!" His men roared and several men leaped at the enemy. He turned around, along with several others, and began running back in the direction of their army.

Ieyasu grimaced as he ducked under a mad swing before responding with a jab to the assailant's chest. His enemy spat blood at his eyes and swung his sword without regards to his wound. Ieyasu hopped back, leaving his spear in the enemy's chest. Noire stretched out like a string, connecting his arm with his spear and with a quick tug, his spear flung from the enemy's chest and into his hands. His enemy collapsed onto the grass.

At the same time, from both sides, powerful swing chopped at his body. He brought up his spear to block one swing. Noire slithered across his body, forming a protective layer around his arm as he blocked the other. With a battle cry, he flung both weapons into the air and spun in a circle, slashing both soldiers across their abdomen. They staggered back but threw their weapons at Ieyasu, who's eyes widened and he collapsed onto the ground limbo style. The weapons flow across where he was moments ago and stabbed their fellow soldier on the other side. He rolled away to avoid an attack that was aimed at his chest.These guys are crazy! He screams internally.

They ignored their pain and aimed to hurt him even with their dying breath. He couldn't ignore them even after dealing a lethal wound. He didn't relax even when his reinforcements arrived with four times their numbers.

This wasn't going to be an easy fight. Ieyasu thought as he charged back into battle.

The scouts that ran, including the captain, quickly noticed that neither their allies nor their enemies were pursuing them. Assuming his subordinates were dead, the captain clenched his fists.

"That black spear… what the hell was that!?" He yelled in anger, stomping the ground in a fit. After a few moments, he calmed back down and ordered his men to slow their pace and be wary of mines. One person was assigned to watch their backs, in case more enemies came.

The sky was beginning to lose its vibrant color when they safely returned to the Nostr Ares army. He took his remaining men and knelt before commander Ajax.

"Hmm... it seems you've lost quite a few men." Ajax said after a quick glance at the returning unit.

"We were ambushed by a group of five men, with fifty more on their way. Several men stayed behind to fight while we prioritized delivering the information we gathered." The captain reported. Suddenly, a cold wave washed over them and sweat poured down their backs. The captain gulped and lowered his head instantly.

"You ran from a fight with such an insignificant disadvantage?" Ajax's voice was cold, merciless. The captain could feel a phantom ax resting on his neck.

"S-sir. One of the enemies was carrying a jet black spear. It was capable of extending and even melding into other shapes. Against an enemy carrying an unidentified weapon, I couldn't risk failing my mission." The air of oppression vanished and the captain looked up to see Ajax having an intrigued and amused smile.

"Oh? A mysterious jet black spear?" Ajax asked with no little amount of excitement. The captain nodded.

"To be more precise, I believe it was a coating of some sort." To Ajax's left, Thera frowned and her sharp eyes narrowed. Her grip on the reins of her steed tightened.

"One of the rumored Teigus." She said grimly. Ajax's smile widened.

"My thoughts exactly. What an honor! To think the Empire would grace us with one of its legendary weapons." His smile was that of a battle junky that found its next rival. Thera silently scoffed at Ajax's behavior and turned her attention to the scout.

"What of their numbers?" The captain nodded.

"Yes. We've confirmed the walls to be spanning around the southside. From the number of guards and patrols, I believe there to be at least fifteen thousand enemy troops." The captain reported.

"This is consistent with our initial estimations, but we've also discovered what is potentially a second enemy encampment several miles west, hidden behind this first camp." Ajax scratched his chin with a frown.

"Oh? And what of its size?"

"I suspect there to be an additional five to ten thousand enemies." Ajax bellowed with laughter. His body scrunched up and he slapped his right knee. His horse reacted with a surprised shriek. With a quick tug from its rider, it calmed down. The spontaneous laughter ended just as suddenly as it begun.

"With only five thousand men, it's impossible to win. Even without taking into account the unknown number of Teigu users." He said with a shake of his head.

Yes, they only had five thousand men to work with. The intel provided to Sayo and Ieyasu was mistaken in one thing. The invading force wasn't the full army twenty-five thousand strong. The "main army" of Nostr Ares never had the intention of crossing the border.

The people of Nostr Ares lived and died by strength. It was truly "survival of the fittest". Therefore, they respected the strong, but would never yield to them. They knew from experience that the Empire was strong. This "invasion" was more or less a taunt at the Empire, a message that stated, "we aren't afraid of you". Of course, if they judged that victory was possible, they wouldn't hesitate to take some land and resources for themselves.

Therefore, this army of five-thousand was the full force. The larger army was waiting at the border in case of a counter-attack.

Ajax clicked his tongue at the orders he was given. The current king was a wimp that pretended to be strong. This half-assed policy is a reflection of that.

"Guess we're retreating huh?" Ajax said to Thera. He was met with silence, which Ajax found unnatural considering how stupidly cautious Thera had been. He turned his gaze to her and noticed how she was deep in thought. But he taunted her anyways.

"So scared that you forgot how to speak is it?"

"No. It's just that I find it odd how they have not attacked us yet." She responded nonchalantly.

With such overwhelming numbers, why didn't the enemy just march at them? Why were they playing it so defensively? With three times their numbers and possibly multiple legendary weapons, what could explain their passive behavior?

Thera herself has confirmed that the enemy scouts have spotted their presence. Also, for the Empire to transport an army of twenty to thirty thousand men would mean that they knew of the invasion long before Thera led her army across the border. There's no way they didn't know of their numbers if that's the case.

So why weren't they doing anything?

"The enemy camp seems hastily built." Thera commented. The leader of the scout tilted his head, but nodded slowly.

"Uh, yeah… I guess for a camp of this size, the lack of watchtowers is odd. The walls themselves are simple and unrefined. A circular structure isn't optimal for organization of such a large army either." He analyzed. There were quite a lot of odd spots about the enemy camp if they thought about it. The north side was riddled with mines, but despite their hurried escape, the scout group did not encounter mines on the south side.

"Oh? Do you suspect they are trying to bluff us?" Ajax asked with a hint of excitement. Tactics and noticing minor details were not his strong suits. He was more of the "attack and see what happens" type. His orders heavily restricted his ability to do so, so given the chance to scratch his battle itch, he was more than willing to cooperate.

"It is a possibility. We should approach the enemy slowly over the next few days. If they do not respond, we attack. If they attack, we retreat. Considering our army sizes, it shouldn't be a problem as long as we don't get surrounded." Ajax grinned. He raised his sword and cheered.

"You heard the woman! Spread news of the plan. We will set up camp here and over the course of the next three days, we will march towards the enemy camp! Scouts, keep watch of the enemy base for any signs of detachment forces! If the enemy responds with similar numbers as us, we fight! If they have more, we run! Got that!?" The men behind him roared in affirmation and news of their plan spread through the army within minutes.

Neither army moved as the sky faded into darkness.

As the crescent moon crawled up the sky behind the spotted clouds, Ieyasu stepped into Sayo's tent. He had noticed that Sayo's lights were still on and wished that she would just get some rest already. Who knows how many nights she's been up already.

"Sayo? You awake?" He whispered as he stepped in. The tent was a small one. Since it was Sayo's tent, she had a small wooden table set up and a few pieces of papers and notes were littered over it. Her sleeping bag was on the ground. Based on its appearance, Ieyasu could tell that she hadn't touched it.

"Stop staring at those papers and go to sleep already." He said with a frown. Sayo pointed at him, more specifically, at his wounds. There were several wounds on his body, including the one on his neck, all of which were sustained during the battle.

"I don't want to hear that from you. Go back to the infirmary." Ieyasu grinned and rolled his shoulder as a demonstration of his health.

"A few scratches like these aren't nearly enough to keep me down!" Sayo sighed. A look of guilt and regret appeared on her face. The look that ruined her good looks caused Ieyasu's smile to disappear. He walked over to her and laid a hand on the tightened fist that was scrunching up a piece of parchment. "Stop it with that look. We didn't have the manpower to spare, nor would it have been as effective."

He was referring to the four comrades they lost in the ambush. They were regular soldiers that served under Ieyasu. Sayo had sent them to attack the scouts, not expecting the violent and almost suicidal counter-attack the enemy retaliated with. Under a similar ambush, any other group would've fallen into chaos or prioritized escape.

"I underestimated them… Their culture is more violent and dangerous than I suspected." Sayo lamented. Ieyasu grimaced.

"Fighting them was a truly scary experience. They were reckless, and that recklessness made them more dangerous than anyone I've ever fought." The multiple injuries on his body were a testament to their prowess. Ieyasu shook his head to clear his thoughts, that's not why he was here.

"What are you doing so late at night?" He asked. Sayo sighed again. She turned around and rested against the wooden table.

"Thinking about our next step. The enemy has been inching closer to us over the course of the day." Sayo explained, closing her eyes and tilting her head upwards. She felt exhausted and her head was muddy from thinking all day. Ieyasu tilted his head. Sayo either predicted his confusion or understood his silence. Either way, she explained further.

"They're calling our bluff. If they get closer and we still don't attack, then they would know we're only faking the size of our army." Ieyasu's eyes widened and he jumped up.

"B-but our execution was flawless! We even let a few scouts go so that they'd report the existence of a second camp!" Ieyasu protested. Sayo shook her head.

"No. This plan was never a clean one to begin with." Sayo's army only had a few days to create a makeshift fortress. In order to complete it, the walls were shoddy and simple and only the western and southern walls were constructed. Sayo planted mines in the north to cover up the large hole in the wall so that the enemy wouldn't notice and baited the scouts south. The second "camp" was nothing but a wall in the middle of nowhere. It was a rushed and rather poorly executed plan. Sayo was betting on the oversight of the enemy. She chuckled to herself tiredly.

"I had hoped they wouldn't think too deeply about it. Even if they didn't retreat immediately, I had hoped they would just stay still and not approach us. If that was the case, then I would have a few more days to finish preparing for the second part of the plan. But at this rate…" She crumpled up the parchment she held under her hand and tossed it into the bowl where a makeshift candle was made out of string and lantern oil. The paper lit up and burned down in a blink of an eye.

Ieyasu could sense the exhaustion wafting off of his childhood friend. He slowly leaned over and embraced her. Sayo's eyes widened.

"What are you doing?" She asked quietly. Ieyasu chuckled and his grip tightened.

"I couldn't think of anything else to do." He responded. Sayo sighed and closed her eyes. She sunk into Ieyasu's arms and rested there. "Sorry… I wish I could be of more help. But I can only think one step at a time. I'm afraid I'll only ruin your plan." Sayo smiled and looked up at him. Their eyes met, but was quickly broken when Sayo extended her hand and flicked Ieyasu in the forehead without holding back. His head flung back and he fell onto his butt. Sayo brought her hands to her hips and spoke in a lecturing tone.

"Stop it with your self-deprecating. I've heard enough of that. I much prefer your loudmouthed, useless, random spouting nonsense. It gives me energy. How am I supposed to know what not to do without you telling me?" Ieyasu froze, looking up at her.

The past week had to be the most helpless Ieyasu had ever felt in his life. Watching his childhood friend slowly deteriorate under stress ignited the flames of anxiety and doubt inside him. He couldn't do anything to help her. He had no insight to speak of, no wisdom to share. All he was good at was fighting. Even then, he couldn't even beat 15 enemy scouts without almost dying multiple times. What was he good for?

Sayo didn't need him. That thought, that fear, was wiped away in a single sentence. A wide smile emerged onto his face and Sayo nodded.

"That's more like it. Now give me an idea." Ieyasu hopped up and punched his fists together. He grinned savagely, a look that made Sayo's heart rate increase.

"If they want to fight, let's give them a fight!" Sayo giggled and nodded.

"Sure, why not?"

Two days crawled by at a snail's pace as the army of Nostr Ares slowly approached the low walls of the Empire's camp. The distance between the army and the wall was less than a quarter-mile. Yet even at this distance, the Empire hadn't responded. In fact, the patrols that were present in earlier reports were no longer present.

"Hah! Did they abandon their camp after realizing we didn't fall for their bluff?!" Ajax laughed on his horse. The men around him also couldn't hold back their chuckle as they enjoyed the intoxicating feeling of superiority. The army of the Empire that had to audacity to call themselves the greatest country on the continent, running with their tails between their legs. What a riot!

To the side, Thera frowned. If the enemy was desperate enough to force a bluff of this scale, it's highly unlikely they'll just retreat without setting some sort of trap. Yet she held her tongue. Suffering a loss here isn't an undesirable outcome… She hid those thoughts behind her emotionless mask.

"Let's go see if they left anything behind. Follow me! Charge!" Ajax yelled as he raised his sword. His foot struck his horse and he charged towards the walls of the Empire's camp. Hundreds of enthusiastic soldiers chased after him by foot. Thera, however, didn't follow. She reigned in her horse and directed her gaze north.

"Hmph, stupid bastard."

The forward division of the Nostr Ares army, numbering 1000 men, collided like a wave of muscles against the walls of the Empire's camp. The hastily raised walls, without even a proper foundation, toppled like dominoes. They were met with no resistance, only an empty lot half surrounded by flimsy walls. The complete lack of objects made one wonder if there was anyone there in the first place.

Once the joy of knowing the enemy ran faded, Ajax was left with a sense of deep disappointment.

"Tch, 'strongest in the world' my ass." He spat saliva on the nearby wall and smashed it to splinters with his sword.

Realizing the complete lack of enemies, the tension of the army quickly dropped and an odd silence descended upon them. A silence born of disappointment, a lack of words for how pathetic their enemy was.

The silence was broken by the sound of steel against steel. Ajax's ears twitched and he turned his horse around to face the direction the sound was coming from.

"What's happening back there?" Ajax questioned the nearest soldier. Did the soldiers start a riot because of the disappointment? For some hot-blooded youngsters, this was an actual possibility. His men began murmuring when finally, minutes later, a message spread through the army and reached Ajax's ears.

"Enemy assault! Our left wing is under attack from the north! The enemies number four thousand! Commander Thera is currently leading our retaliation against them!" Ajax growled as heat rushed to his head. His vision dyed red.

"That bitch! She's trying to steal the spotlight!" He raised his sword and his voice.

"Break through the walls! Rush to the front lines! First come, first serve!" The men cheered and began rushing north, crashing through and trampling down the flimsy walls. It wasn't an orderly march, is was a rabid rush towards their prey.

Ajax was about to charge when he heard a whistle coming from behind him. Following immediately after, the earth trembled under the sound of a thousand voices collectively roaring a battle cry. Ajax and the soldiers in his vicinity spun around to see soldiers wearing Imperial uniforms charge out from seemingly nowhere. The walls south of the camp crashed to the ground, adding to the chaos as thousands trampled them underfoot and rushed at Ajax.

"An ambush!? Those cunning bastards!" Ajax raised his voice to command his army, but his voice was easily beaten out by the combined yells of a thousand men and women.

The Imperials rushed into the Nostr Areans, like a pack of wolves pouncing on a herd of deer. The Nostr Ares army, overtaken by confusion from the complete surprise attack, combined with the lack of communication, fell into disarray. Ajax gritted his teeth as he yelled at the top of his lungs, attempting to bring order back into his division, but to no avail.

As he opened his mouth to yell once more, a figure leaped out from the crowd of enemies and descended upon Ajax, spear in hand. Ajax's eyes widened at the pitch-black spear before a savage grin erupted onto his face. He watched as the black spear extended at astonishing speeds, approaching his chest.

"RAH!" With a battle cry that sent trembles through the air, he swung his broadsword against the oncoming spear and the jet black spearhead snapped in half like a piece of lumber. The spearhead that was detached from the rest of the body reverted to a liquid form and splattered on the ground, slowly dissipating into black dust, lost in the wind.

Ieyasu's eyes widened as he witnessed Noire broken by pure brute force for the first time. He landed on the ground in front of the Ajax's horse and lunged his spear at the steed's throat. Ajax grunted and rolled off his horse as it reared its head and collapsed onto the ground, lifeless. The black sludge of Noire coated the body of the horse and its corpse disappeared from the battlefield.

Ajax watched this process in mad excitement.

"Haha! So you are the wielder of the Empire's infamous Teigu!" He rushed at Ieyasu with the force of a raging bull and twice the pressure. He swung his broadsword overhead and brought it down at Ieyasu, who knew that attacking the man's open chest would only sentence himself to death, brought up his spear and blocked the attack with its shaft.

He immediately regretted his decision as Noire cracked under the pressure and the soil sunk in under him. He gritted his teeth as he put all his concentration into his arms and his counterattack. Noire slithered from his spear to the broadsword in Ajax's hands, who's leg shot out towards Ieyasu's chin with enough force to shatter it. Ieyasu, locked in a kneeling position and couldn't move or dodge, smiled a strained smile.

Ajax couldn't hide his surprise as pain shot up his legs as if he had just kicked a steel wall. He caught a brief glimpse of what appeared to be a wall of light between his foot and his enemy's chin before his consciousness was sent flying along with his body by a brutal kick to the head. He brought his consciousness back with pure willpower before rolling to a stop, landing on his knees. In his place stood a young girl in the Empire's military uniform. What stood out was the pair of gauntlets with eye-catching half shield attached to the back of the forearm.

Ajax's eyes refocused and with a savage grin, he taunted.

"Haha! What an honor! Two Teigu wielders at once?! Hahaha!" He yelled with crazed joy. Sayo frowned.

"Ieyasu, don't drop your guard! He's the commander here, we need to deal with him before the army recovers from confusion." Ieyasu picked himself up and shook the numbness from his arms and loosely held his spear in his battle stance.

"Roger!" The ground burst beneath his feet as he rushed Ajax, closing the distance of a dozen meters in a blink of the eye.

Ajax roared and he swung his sword, only for it to stop when it struck a light shield only inches from its starting position. His eyes angrily met Sayo's cold, brown eyes before his attention returned to the spear that approached his face. He dropped released his grip on the hand and reached up to grasp the spear tip, with a defiant roar, he conquered the burning pain in his hands and threw the spear to the side.

The spear flew out of Ieyasu's hand and Ajax felt the familiar joy of victory, when Ieyasu's hand, coated in black, pierced through his heart. He gurgled on his own blood before his vision faded to black and his body went limp. Ieyasu tore his hand out and Noire consumed Ajax's body before wrapping around his leg and winding up his body.

He reached down and lifted Ajax's sword, heaving it up into the air.

"THE COMMANDER OF THE INVADER'S ARMY HAS BEEN SLAIN!" The air was filled with cries from both sides. The Imperials cheered in victory and the Nostr Areans roared in anger. The air rumbled and there was no semblance of order.

With a single slash, silence returned.

Blood trickled down Ieyasu's forehead and he slid back to Sayo's side. Ajax's broadsword, a steel blade over an inch in thickness, was split cleanly across its diameter. Ieyasu dropped the hilt and what little steel was still attached to it before returning his gaze to the women who brought silence back with a single slash.

The ear-piercing sound of steel being slice apart rang through both armies, forcing shouts back down people's throats. The woman stood up, her long red hair settling down behind her, flowing in the wind. Ieyasu felt his arm tremble and cold sweat roll down his back.

"Sayo… That woman is bad news…" He whispered to his companion. Sayo nodded, a grimace on her face.

"Yeah. Even with that eye-catching hair color, I didn't even notice her approaching from the front." Sayo clenched and unclenched her hand, regretting how she couldn't react fast enough to protect Ieyasu. Ignoring them, Thera's voice rang through the air.

"How pathetic. People of Nostr Ares. Are you battle-honed warriors? Or a band of barbarians?" Her voice was not loud, yet it commanded everyone's attention. The warriors of Nostr Ares couldn't even raise their voices in protest. Her voice forced them to lower their heads and reflect. "I do not demand discipline! Discipline only serves to dull your nature! But I will not tolerate this disappointing display of disorder!" She raised her voice and instantly, the soldiers of Nostr Ares stood at attention.

"What is your response!?" Her response was the unified roar of eight hundred men.

"Yes Ma'am!" Sayo bit her tongue as she looked around. Not only her, but her army of one thousand just stood still and watched as the enemy regained their order and morale. Yet no one dared raise their voice, the natural charisma radiating off the women shut each and every one of them up. Sayo was surprised that none of her soldiers replied to the woman's rally.

"Imperials! Retreat! Retreat!" Sayo yelled. There was no time to think, at this rate, even with greater numbers, they might not be able to come out on top.

"Ieyasu, we're-" She turned to her companion only to find a glistening sword approaching her face. A pitch-black spear intercepted the blow and flung the sword away. Ieyasu swung his fist at the woman's abdomen, only for her to dodge with a refined twirl, using her momentum to swing her sword at Sayo's neck. When the light of Bkulians blocked her swing from reaching Sayo's neck, she took a few light hops back and settled into a stance with her right shoulder forward and her sword pointing at the ground.

"Thera. Commander of Nostr Ares Army." She announced. Ieyasu stood back up and wiped the blood off of his forehead. He settled into his own stance, doing his best to suppress the weakness in his arms. With a grin, he replied.

"Ieyasu. Commander of the Imperial Army." He responded. Thera nodded in acknowledgment.

"Surrender now. We warriors of Nostr Ares are not barbarians. We will not take the lives of anyone who surrenders." She declared. Ieyasu scoffed and glared at Thera. His grip on his spear increased in strength as angered rushed into his head.

"What a load of bullshit coming from a band of barbarous invaders." He replied angrily. Thera's grip on her sword tightened slightly and her eyes narrowed. Ieyasu felt shivers run down his spine as a wave of killing intent washed over him. Kuh, this feeling… I haven't felt this helpless since fighting Tatsumi… He hated it so much.

"Ieyasu! We're looking for a way out!" Sayo reminded him when suddenly, confused screamed erupted from the left-wing of her army. Sayo turned her attention there and her eyes widened. The sound of battle rang from the southside. Did the Nostr Areans wrap around the south? Without their commanders, who gave them the orders?

"What's going on!? Who are they fighting?!" As if to reply to her panicked inquiry, a messenger pushed through the crowd and saluted hurriedly.

"Lieutenant Sayo! An army of three thousand has attacked us from the south! It's the rebels!" Dread washed over Sayo as strength left her knees, but she desperately held herself from collapsing.

"Rebels!? How did they know about this battle?!" The messenger, clearly distressed, couldn't respond, only opening and closing his mouth. Sayo's heartrate rapidly increased as panic overtook her. Her breathing quickened as her mind began racing. What should she do?! How can she save Ieyasu and salvage victory?! How can she-

"SAYO!" Her companions shout and a pair of hands that grasped her shoulders broke her from her panic attack. Her vision focused on Ieyasu's chocolate brown eyes. "Sayo, lead the army and retreat from here immediately." Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to scream at him. But he interrupted her before she could even try.

"SAYO!" Her body froze and she lost her voice, having heard the genuine anger, frustration, and desperation in Ieyasu's voice. She then saw his smile. His sad, pleading smile.

"Please… save Teacher's legacy. After that... come save me, okay?" He whispered before flashing her his signature grin. The grin that caused Sayo's heart to race in a different way. She lowered her head.

"That's… not fair…" She wiped her eyes which felt like dams on the verge of collapse before glaring at him. Her eyes were angry, yet determined.

"If you die, I'll kill you." Ieyasu laughed. He straightened his posture and saluted.

"Yes ma'am." She paused for a moment, before leaning forward, firmly planting her lips on his right cheek. Ieyasu froze. Without giving him any time to respond, she turned around and ran, shouting orders and commands, returning order to the chaos that enveloped her army. His army.

Ieyasu stood frozen for what seemed like hours before his right hand hesitantly reached up and gingerly touched his right cheek. A wide smile planted itself on his face before he turned around, returning his attention to the enemy commander. Oddly enough, she hadn't moved, nor had the Nostr Ares army moved. They were all waiting for her command.

"You done with your farewells?" Thera asked. Ieyasu nodded.

"Yeah, thanks for waiting." Thera nodded.

"Your bravery is well-deserving of respect of this level. As I said, we are not barbarians." Ieyasu paused, before a small smile appeared on his lips. It would appear he was too quick to judge the enemy. This woman was an opponent deserving of his respect. Ieyasu gripped his spear tightly before dropping into a battle stance.

"Then will you humor me before I cash in on that surrender ticket?" Thera smiled, the tip of her sword flicking upwards, pointing towards the sky at an angle. Her smile was deep and her eyes held gratitude.

"Gladly"

The sound of the duel dissipated as the Imperial army withdrew from the area. A different army approached Thera as the sound of battle faded. Large red flags that displayed the symbol of the Revolutionary Army swayed in the air, carried by the soldiers that approached the army of Nostr Ares. They marched with order and confidence, but without hostility.

They stopped around 100 meters from Thera, who stood over the fainted body of Ieyasu, with his arms tied behind his back with a thick, sturdy rope. He sported multiple cuts and scratches, none of which were particularly significant. Thera, on the other hand, was spotless.

The woman leading the Revolutionary Army hopped off her horse and stepped forward. She did not lack defining features, from her white, spiky hair to the eyepatch that covered her right eye, to her prosthetic right arm. She gave off an air of authority and Thera immediately identified her as an important figure.

Behind her, a large, broad figure dressed in full body armor, including a helmet, stood a few paces behind her. Thera narrowed her eyes. Were they that confident that even should Thera try anything, they'd be able to reach the woman in time? Before she could further assess their strength, the woman raised her voice.

"My name is Najenda! General of the Revolutionary Army. I would like to speak to the commander of the Nostr Ares army!" Thera contemplated for a moment before sheathing her sword and stepping forward.

"I am Thera, the commander of the army! What business does the Revolutionary Army have with us?!" She questioned. Najenda smiled and nodded. She raised her prosthetic right hand and responded.

"We, the Revolutionary Army, aiming to overthrow the corrupt and rotten Imperial government, would like to extend a hand of friendship towards the country of Nostr Ares!"

Silence reigned in the area. Thera's eyes widened and she froze still. The declaration sunk in, and with it, brought a ray of light that relit a dimming fire that burned in Thera's chest. A small smile appeared on Thera's face.

"I'd like to hear more."

A new chapter in history began on that day.

Sayo knelt before the young Emperor. To his side stood the ever-present Prime Minister. The Prime Minister was the one who spoke up.

"Lieutenant Sayo, why have you returned? Your orders were to stall the enemy at the border until we mobilize a larger army, were they not?" Honest asked with fake intrigue which couldn't cover up his malice. Sayo lowered her head.

"My apologies. Our army was on the verge of victory against the invaders when a rebel army of three thousand emerged from the forest of Ancients and attacked. I ordered a retreat immediately, but we still sustained a loss of five hundred men. I handed off command to my subordinate and rushed back to the Capital." Honest plucked at his mustache and raised an eyebrow. His straight back straightened more and he looked down upon Sayo.

"And why couldn't you have sent a messenger in your stead? Instead opting to disobey your orders and leave your post?" Sayo swallowed a lump in her throat, feeling the temperature of the room drop by several degrees.

"I-I have come back to request for help in the rescuing of my superior, General Ieyasu! He had been captured by the Nostr Ares army during the battle and-" Sayo started appealing desperately, but Prime Minister Honest interrupted her with one word.

"Why?" Sayo's eyes widened and she looked up in shock. Her eyes met with the cold, disgusting eyes of the Prime Minister. His condescending, merciless voice echoed throughout the royal audience hall.

"What benefit is there in rescuing a failed General? Being captured by the enemy is the most disgraceful outcome for a noble General of the Empire. What merit is there to invest resources to rescue someone like that?"

Sayo's body felt cold, the only thing she could feel was the feeling of hopelessness crawling up her spine. She didn't have the strength to feel anger. The Prime Minister's words were like cold river water, washing away her thoughts and her emotions. The cold atmosphere suddenly dissipated.

"Now then, how shall we punish you? You abandoned your post and even wasted his majesty's precious time like this. What do you think, your majesty?" He asked cheerfully to the child sitting on the throne. The child Emperor, clueless and naive, exaggeratedly nodded his head in a wise manner.

"Umu, I believe abandoning one's post is equivalent to treachery. You are hereby sentenced to death. Thank you for your service, Lieutenant Sayo." Two claps echoed through the chamber and the gates swung wide open. She felt her frozen body being dragged out of the room and marched through the halls.

The world around her lost color and time slowed down to a crawling pace. Her expression was frozen in a state of despair.

At some point, she had been thrown into a prison somewhere. Her body laid sprawled on the cold, stone ground, unmoving. Her mind had almost completely stopped. Her body moved subconsciously, crawling towards a nearby wall. She pulled knees to her chest and ceased all movement.

A single thought repeated itself inside her head, over and over and over and over and over.

Ah… This was all a mistake… Sorry… Tatsumi...

The Empire was corrupt. If only she had listened.

After six, whole, bloody months. I'm back!

I would like to apologize for this hiatus. I had been waiting for my interest to renew like I knew it would eventually. It took longer than I wanted it, but honestly, quicker than I thought.

Sadly, I can't promise a consistent or fast upload schedule. University is eating up most of my time and I rarely find the time and energy to write.

Thank you, everyone, for being patient and supporting this hiatus. I hope you'll continue to support this story!

Thanks for reading!

BzS