When Kevin first heard the plan, he remained silent, observing the situation.
It was only after deciding to follow Roman's plan that he finally asked, "What should we do?" This war was not something Roman could handle alone.
Utilizing the terrain of the mountains and the cover of darkness to deal with the enemy was good, but an army of two hundred could not just sit idly by.
Kevin hoped there would be a role for them to play in support of Roman.
Christ felt the same way, and when Kevin mentioned an important point, Christ immediately added, "That's right. I agree with the idea of our lord conducting guerrilla operations alone. Our lord has the ability to do so, and we, who cannot keep up with our lord's skills, would only be a hindrance. However, we do not want to leave everything entirely to our lord. You may use us as bait. Please make good use of us."
Their words were unnecessary worries.
From the beginning, Roman intended to utilize his full strength.
"I will now briefly explain the operation."
With a swift motion, he spread out the map.
It was Mackburney's map.
Though it was a minor detail, Roman deliberately took out Mackburney's map and pointed to the area corresponding to the foothills of the mountains.
"This operation is divided into three stages. The first stage: I will use my mobility to deal with Hector's remnants. The Hector Kingdom is currently distracted by attacking the frontline defenses, so I can handle a considerable number of enemies during this time.
The second stage: If the Hector Kingdom sees me as a thorn in their side and sends a pursuit team, I will lure them into the mountains. The Hector Kingdom will likely try to eliminate me at once, using their numerical advantage. I will prolong the battle.
As the sun sets and darkness falls, I can unleash my abilities to corner them."
Finally, the last stage.
The Hector Kingdom, driven to madness, would surely try to pursue him recklessly.
"From that point on, we will enter the third stage: a surprise attack utilizing the terrain. That will be your role."
The third stage was a simple operation.
Digging traps and waiting to ambush the disorganized enemy.
In fact, it was a plan anyone could think of, so people understood the issues with surprise attacks without needing to be told. 'A surprise attack in the mountains can yield clear results.
However, from the moment we reveal ourselves, we will not be free from Hector Kingdom's pursuit.
The power difference between Hector and us is overwhelming, and successfully attacking and escaping unharmed is practically impossible.
Yet, if it is our lord's command, we will follow.' No one mentioned the risks of the operation.
Everyone shared the same sentiment.
Roman Dmitri was going to face hundreds, even thousands of enemies alone, and they did not want to whine about the dangers of setting up an ambush first.
Even if this choice led to their deaths, Roman's soldiers showed their determination to follow him to the end.
This resolve spread like an infectious disease, and the soldiers following Mackburney and Steven also kept their mouths shut.
A strong will.
It was commendable.
Roman appreciated the dedication of his soldiers, but he was not someone who sought meaningless sacrifices.
"It seems you are under some misunderstanding. The point of this surprise attack is to reduce the enemy's numbers while minimizing our own casualties."
"…That is impossible. The Hector Kingdom will surely form ranks and attempt to search for us. The moment they discover our location, unless we kill them all, we will inevitably be caught. You need not speak hopeful words. We are already prepared to sacrifice our lives for our lord."
It was Christ.
Even if he followed for a purpose, his loyalty was genuine.
Roman said, "No, there is a way to avoid being caught. In an ancient book I stumbled upon, it mentioned that the use of mana is limitless, and depending on how it is utilized, one can bend nature to their will. While staying in Dmitri, I discovered a new branch of nature after numerous trials and errors."
His words were incomprehensible.
A branch of nature? Roman began to move, gathering stones and branches scattered on the ground.
"You may not see it, but these stones and branches are different; they are infused with a lot of mana. In fact, the amount is weak by human standards. However, if they are systematically positioned with a clear standard, the power of mana that defies the flow of nature can twist space itself."
With a thud, he placed a stone on the ground.
He took a few steps forward and planted a branch into the earth.
What was he doing? As he repeated the same actions, the eyes of those watching him were filled with questions. 'What on earth is he trying to accomplish?' The rising questions were palpable.
At that moment, as Roman placed the last stone down, he declared, "I will call this technique 'Jinbeop'."
A light breeze blew.
Roman's figure vanished like a mirage.
Shock.
Everyone was astonished.
It felt as if all five senses were denied.
He had just been there, yet like a divine prank, Roman disappeared without a trace.
Only then did they become convinced.
If they followed Roman Dmitri's method, they might truly be able to attack the enemies safely.
And now, the plan was in motion.
"Attack!" "Fire the arrows!"
Pabababak! Arrows were shot right in front of them.
Even for those who were not sharpshooters, hitting the target was not difficult, and the arrows pierced through the bodies of Hector's soldiers, causing them to scream and fall.
Caught off guard by the unexpected attack, they could not even think of raising their shields.
The soldiers who had trained hard for this war crumbled like a disorganized mob, and Christ, seizing the moment, struck down the Aura Knight without hesitation.
Clang.
The sword flashed.
The speed was so fast that the soldiers at the front could barely react, and their heads flew off in shock.
Blood gushed like a fountain.
Christ did not stop.
A surprise attack was a battle of momentum.
To fully exploit the opening presented by the enemy, Christ pushed forward fiercely.
"Everyone, pull yourselves together!" "Counterattack!"
The knights of Hector reacted.
Among them was an Aura Knight.
Aura surged from all directions, attacking Christ simultaneously, but he dodged their strikes with a swift move.
Then, with a thrust! He accurately targeted the vital points, ending the lives of his opponents.
In the battle of the great warriors, as he took down a 3-star knight, Christ transformed into a completely different being.
He realized that the power of Aura was not everything, and through training with Roman, he had worked hard to become stronger.
The sweat he shed became a river.
If he let his guard down even a little, he would not be able to absorb Roman's teachings properly, so he devoted himself to training, even if it meant staying up all night for a week and collapsing from exhaustion.
As a result, he achieved his desired outcome.
Lightning.
The swordsmanship of the top ten masters who ruled the martial world manifested, and he slaughtered Hector's knights unilaterally.
"What the hell."
"Where did this monster come from?!" The enemies were horrified.
The opponent was not Roman Dmitri.
Yet, they could not handle him.
With Christ pushing forward aggressively, the cries of pain never ceased.
It was not just him.
Roman's soldiers were also formidable.
Having mastered the Surah Heart Technique and Surah Sword Technique, they displayed combat power that was one against a hundred, even as ordinary soldiers.
It was overwhelming.
In a short time, Christ had slaughtered numerous enemies, and suddenly, he retreated, shouting with a voice infused with mana, "Retreat!" "Retreat!"
That was it.
The Hector Kingdom, initially caught off guard, finally regained their senses and sounded the horn to alert the enemy's appearance.
It was a signal that the situation had turned.
Hearing the sound of reinforcements rushing in nearby, Christ ordered a retreat without a moment's hesitation.
They had already achieved their desired outcome.
From the beginning, this operation was not about killing many enemies; it was aimed at safely tormenting them. 'We will move to the next point.' In this vast mountain, Roman had set up several hidden spots using Jinbeop.
He faced reality.
He knew that ultimately, he could not win in a battle of numbers, so he only engaged in fights when he was in the situation he desired.
The soldiers of Cairo fled like eels.
That was how the situation came to an end.
The soldiers of Hector, enraged, pursued them, but before long, Christ and his men had vanished without a trace.
At that moment, battles were also raging in other areas.
"Enemies!" "Block them!"
Thud! At the forefront of Cairo, Kevin took charge.
With a shocked expression, he beheaded an enemy who was shouting loudly, then swiftly slaughtered the disoriented foes.
The dynamics of the battle were not much different.
As Roman intended, the Hector Kingdom tried to form a siege, and in the process, their ranks inevitably became disorganized.
In fact, it was still a battle that favored Hector logically.
In a war of attrition, numerical superiority was absolute, yet Cairo's surprise attack fell outside the realm of common sense.
"Die!"
The Aura Knight of Hector.
The exploding aura contained Hector's hopes.
The Aura Knight, who aimed to behead Kevin, instead lost his life to Kevin's incoming attack.
Roman's soldiers spoke of Kevin as the most rapidly growing monster.
While it could not yet be said that he was stronger than Christ, his speed in slaughtering enemies was even faster.
This operation came with many questions.
People worried about Roman Dmitri facing the Hector Kingdom alone, believing that guerrilla operations in the mountains carried risks.
Yet, unlike Christ, who sought solid evidence at every turn, Kevin never raised a single doubt.
He trusted Roman Dmitri.
Believing that Roman, who had rapidly developed someone like him, who had only wandered through slums, could achieve the impossible, he held a blind trust.
Kevin's driving force was the very existence of Roman.
The results were the same as Christ's.
In a short time, he killed many enemies, but there was a difference.
Thud! Thud! Thud! He grabbed the fleeing enemy by the hair.
Then, pulling him close, he stabbed his abdomen repeatedly.
It was not a single strike to end the life instantly.
He inflicted pain relentlessly, ensuring the enemy screamed as much as possible.
The Hector soldiers, witnessing this, turned pale and could not muster the courage to attack Kevin.
Hector was the enemy.
Kevin stood by Roman's side, keenly observing how Roman dealt with the foes.
In his fight with Barco, Roman had shown a cruelty that annihilated the opposing family.
In his mercilessness against the enemy, Kevin demonstrated to them what fear truly was.
'I follow the values my lord pursues.' The fleeing enemies were not pursued.
To spread fear, survivors were necessary.
Intentionally leaving some enemies alive, Kevin immediately signaled a retreat upon hearing the sound of enemies approaching.
Christ, Kevin, Pookie, and Volkan.
The surprise attacks were executed simultaneously.
Volkan, who had been the first to challenge in recruiting soldiers, and Pookie, who had succeeded in manifesting his aura, each led their respective forces, and thus, the four divided forces launched their attacks at the same time.
This operation was highly successful.
Like Christ and Kevin, who slaughtered enemies and fled unilaterally, the other two forces also succeeded in their missions.
And soon, that news plunged the Hector camp into shock.