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Volume 7 Chapter 2 Part 11

The voice itself was beautiful, right now instead of captivating those who listened to it, it made a chill run down their spines.

「Is this also the work of magic? 」

「I think so. 」

Terius answered Milza immediately.

It seems that the voice around them was amplified by the Chaos-filled trees around them, which amplified the effect of the psychological discomfort caused by listening to the voice.

「If you could order all the troops to sing, we might be able to diminish the effect of this voice, or even completely block it if you’re going to sing loud enough.

Tellius advised Milza.

「Sing, you say? Alright. 」

Milza nodded and took the initiative in singing one of the most well-known songs in Dartania. The melody of that song was vastly different in comparison to the songs that were usually being sung on the continent, and while it was filling the hearts of both the people singing it and listeners alike with bravery, it also had some mystical elements to it.

Milza just continued to walk forward while singing, and the warriors of Dartania also started singing the same song, as if they instinctively knew that this was what they were supposed to be doing. Soon enough, their combined voice were loud enough to completely overpower the laughter of the woman.

「Lord Milza, even if the enemy attacks us right now, can I ask you to give your soldiers the order to not fight back or engage the enemy unless it’s going to be absolutely necessary? 」

Terius asked Milza while catching up to him.

「You’re telling me not to fight back? Me?! 」

Milza stopped singing and looked back at Terius. Just like Terius was expecting, he had an angry expression on his face.

「Y-Yes, that’s precisely what I want to ask of you. That way, we’ll be able to avoid taking unnecessary losses. 」

「So what, even if the enemy does attack us, you want us to do nothing and just let them slowly kill us off like lambs to the slaughter? Because that’s not happening. All the warriors of Dartania are too proud for something as cowardly as that. 」

「In that case, if we do get attacked, I want you to leave those who will counterattack the potential enemy ambush behind and proceed as fast as possible… 」

「How can you expect me to leave someone who fought so bravely behind? Unlike in a tabletop strategy, the soldiers fighting for you are not pawns, but living people. No, instead, you can expect me to lead the charge of the spearhead together with them! Hell, I’d order them to charge the enemy forward with me while arrow blotting out the sun would be falling down on us, but I will absolutely not give them orders such as not to fight back if attacked, or to abandon their allies who have strayed too far away from the rest of the army. 」

Milza said in a fierce tone.

「But we should keep advancing without disrupting the ranks and make it our top priority to attack the castle where Theo is barricaded to bring this battle toa swift conclusion… 」

Terius refuted Milza without fear.

「In fact, you don’t even need to defeat Theo Cornero here. Even if you’re just going to drive him out of his castle and The Forest of Eternal Darkness, you’re going to be victorious. But any other conclusion is going to result with your loss against him. 」

「I understand what you’re trying to say. However, even if it takes a long time to accomplish, I will not engage in a battle where I will be forced to flee or abandon my comrades in arms. 」

Milza said this and rode on, singing Dartania’s song again. Terius knew full well that once he set his mind on something, no one would be able to force him to change it. It was disheartening, but even so, Terius continued to ride forward alongside Milza while thinking what’s their possible next move could be.

It was then that the enemy attack began in earnest.

「Let’s go! 」

Gide, the king of the Werewolf tribe was hiding on the side of the road, leading his twin sisters Emma and Luna and other members of the tribe to battle.

They were lying in wait until the spearhead of Dartanian army passed them by, and only emerged after the last line of soldiers passed them, and then they moved in for the kill while letting out loud howls from their throats.

Then they took on the forms of wolves and attacked the tail end of Dartania’s army.

「Wolves!!! 」

Dartania’s warriors drew their swords all at once and prepared to attack. However, there was no way for them to keep up with the Werewolf’s movements. The Werewolves tore off the arms of the Dartanian warriors who were holding their swords, and next they tear through their throats.

「You did a great job of burning down the village… 」

「… and now you’re going to pay for it! 」

Emma and Luna also transformed into Werewolves and ran between the humans and horses, cutting the horses’ legs and sides with their long, sharp claws. The startled horses began to run wild, and the entire area quickly became chaotic.

「Is that all you’ve got?! 」

Gede roared again and retreated into the forest. His wife, Colleen, had strictly told him not to fight in battles that would result in casualties, and he was going to listen to her no matter what.

Attacks on Dartania’s army were also being carried out in other places.

A group of White Witches flying on broomsticks approached the Dartanian formation from the sky and threw down bottles one after another. The bottles broke as it hit the ground and the warrior’s helmets, releasing poisonous red smoke and a terrible stench.

The warriors inhaled the smoke and coughed violently, tears flowing endlessly from their eyes. They tried to escape from the smoke, and some people run into the forest to seek shelter from it. By the time Dartania’s army tried to fire arrows back at them, the White Witches had already soared high beyond their reach.

The witches disappeared into the mist, leaving behind only their high-pitched laughter.

「Now, let’s start the hunt. 」

Bruno heard the laughter of the White Witches, which was the signal for him, and he proceeded to give orders to his companions.

He was an Artist who lived in a village in the Sistina’s Forest of Webs, and he decided to keep the promise that he made with Theo when they first met, so even after he joined him in the fight against the Rossini family, he still followed him and joined his army as a mercenary.

For this expedition, he has brought some Artists from his village with him. For those who have lived in the Forest of Webs their entire lives, the Forest of Eternal Darkness was not a place that would bother them, but rather something they were all too familiar with.

Bruno climbed a tree on the side of the road and waited for Dartania’s army to pass him by.
Then, he lightly jumped down from the tree behind the Dartanian warrior on horseback. Then he sunk his sharp fangs into his neck. He has engraved the abilities of the Giant Spider of the Forest of Webs into his Arts, and that’s why his fangs can emit the same kind of poison as that of a Giant Spider. It is a paralyzing poison that caused the cavalrymen to fall from their horses with convulsions.

「Enemy attack! 」

Dartania’s warriors nearby drew their swords and attempted to fight back, but Bruno transformed his right arm into a spider’s leg. Then, with said leg being like a sharp point of a spear, he pierced the chests of the warriors who tried to attack him.

His companions had also defeated several warriors.

「That’s enough. 」

Bruno signaled to his comrades to withdraw. He threw a thread from his palm onto a tree branch, and he climbs onto it with its help. Then he skillfully manipulated the thread and jumped from branch to branch.

「Don’t run away, you coward! 」

Enraged by the death of their comrades, Dartania’s warriors entered the forest and tried to pursue him, but they got stuck in the bushes and couldn’t run as fast as they wanted.

「Can’t desert people run unless they’re on sand? 」

Bruno stood on a branch and mocked them.

「SHUT UP! 」

Dartania’s warriors were furious and started shooting arrows. However, Bruno avoided them by hiding behind a tree. Then he jumped from branch to branch again. He was luring Dartania’s warriors deep into the forest, to a place with a community of carnivorous plants.

「Now then, do you guys have the strength to survive this demonic forest? 」