Became a Medieval Fantasy Wizard-Chapter 363
TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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"Enemy! The enemy is coming!"
The scout shouted.
It wasn't particularly helpful.
Anyone with eyes could see Roxlan approaching.
"They're coming."
Duke Fargar muttered as he adjusted his helmet.
"Will you go yourself, Your Grace?"
"Of course."
The Duke would fight on the front lines, wielding his sword personally.
He had always done so, and had won every battle.
The soldiers trusted him.
To the soldiers, Duke Fargar was a symbol of victory.
"His Grace is going forward."
"Support the Duke!"
While the rest of Fargar's forces slowly changed formation—
The Duke's personal unit instantly pivoted to face the enemy.
Duke Fargar didn't even wait for his subordinates before immediately charging toward Roxlan's forces.
"Long live Duke Fargar!"
The morale of the Duke's unit was frighteningly high.
That's why, despite the Duke charging ahead alone, no one faltered.
Instead, they followed closely behind, eager to join the attack.
Indeed, Duke Fargar began crushing enemies while displaying tremendous prowess.
"Duke Fargar! I shall defeat you here and raise the honor of our family..."
"Hmm."
Roxlan's knights challenged the Duke boldly.
But no knight lasted even three exchanges.
"Argh!"
"...What even is that? A human? Or a monster?"
"That crazy Duke!"
As Roxlan's forces hesitated, Fargar's army descended on them ferociously.
As expected, the battle situation turned unfavorable for Roxlan.
Roxlan's commander, Sir Pyrak, calmly observed the battle.
'They're fighting worse than I expected.'
He knew Roxlan was weak. He also knew Fargar was strong.
But theory and practice are different, aren't they?
You never know until you try, as they say—Sir Pyrak had thought Roxlan might fight well in an actual battle.
But there was no reversal.
Duke Fargar used himself as bait to draw in Roxlan's forces, and Roxlan, rushing to defeat the Duke, found themselves on the receiving end instead.
'A bold strategy.'
Sir Pyrak summed up Duke Fargar's tactics in one phrase.
The Duke's approach was extremely aggressive.
He concentrated all aggression on himself, then turned the tables.
It was an extremely high-risk plan—if the Duke fell, the war would end right there!
But the Duke had the ability to execute such a dangerous plan.
He had actually wiped out all the Roxlan forces that rushed him.
'It's certainly bold, but...'
Sir Pyrak slightly furrowed his brow.
He understood the Duke was strong.
He also understood the Duke's desire to inflict maximum damage by drawing aggression.
But...
'Isn't this too extreme?'
Duke Fargar's penetration was far more aggressive than expected.
A forward charge with no regard for what was behind him, truly deserving the expression 'sticking his neck out'!
'If this is a tactical decision, you're a mad strategist, Duke Fargar.'
Under normal circumstances, Sir Pyrak should have sounded the retreat horn.
The battle's objective had already been accomplished.
The purpose of this battle was to provoke Fargar's forces and prevent them from advancing easily.
It was a fight meant to send the message: "If you try to advance while ignoring us, you'll get screwed."
But Duke Fargar was being far more ambitious than expected.
That fact made Sir Pyrak hesitate.
If he sounded the retreat, they would let the Duke get away with his madness.
But if they didn't retreat now?
Roxlan's casualties would snowball.
'Should we capture the Duke now... or turn our backs and flee?'
Sir Pyrak contemplated deeply.
He had no choice.
His decision now would determine the future.
...Soon, Sir Pyrak made his decision.
"Prepare to retreat."
"Yes, sir!"
Sir Pyrak chose to retreat.
'I cannot gamble with the soldiers' lives...!'
If they captured Duke Fargar here, they would win the war.
But if they failed?
They would ruin a war that would naturally turn favorable if they just waited!
Therefore, Sir Pyrak chose a safe move instead of a dangerous gamble.
Even if they couldn't capture Duke Fargar, there were still many ways to win the war!
"Um... Sir Pyrak?"
Right at that moment.
"The enemy's command flag is... retreating?"
"?"
What did you say?
Sir Pyrak examined the battlefield situation once more.
And his mouth fell open.
"What in the world...!"
It was true.
Duke Fargar had penetrated deep into enemy lines.
But the Duke's banner was... quietly slipping away!
'The Duke is retreating?'
The thought that it might be a trap briefly crossed his mind.
But if he had planned a strategic retreat, he wouldn't have penetrated so deeply into enemy territory in the first place.
Then there was only one answer.
Duke Fargar was truly retreating!
"Cancel the retreat! Concentrate attacks on Duke Fargar!"
Sir Pyrak shouted excitedly.
***
"Holy shit..."
Ian was speechless after witnessing Duke Fargar's might.
Changing the battlefield's atmosphere with just one person's strength...
This seemed familiar.
During the recapture of Talian.
Belenka alone had nearly reversed the battle's outcome.
In medieval warfare, individual combat ability was extremely important.
First, the number of participants was small.
With battles involving hundreds or thousands, a single person's impact became that much greater.
Also, an individual's lethality was low.
Typically, after cutting down two or three people, one would tire and move to the rear.
Therefore, it was an environment conducive to the birth of "heroes."
People like Belenka or Duke Fargar.
"Argh!"
"Sir Maude has fallen!"
Duke Fargar was literally charging forward like a madman.
Ian could understand why the Duke was moving so boldly.
Duke Fargar also knew Roxlan would eventually choose to retreat.
Therefore, he wanted to inflict maximum damage before they escaped.
"Is this guy insane?"
"He's definitely insane. What if he gets surrounded?"
Both Ian and Belenka were at a loss for words at the Duke's audacity.
He should show a reasonable amount of disregard for Roxlan's forces.
But charging forward without looking back? What kind of behavior was that?
What was even more infuriating...
Duke Fargar's strategy was working perfectly.
"Stop the Duke! Gack!"
"Hmm."
"Damn it! Baron Raphie has fallen!"
Roxlan's forces were falling one after another.
Ian couldn't stand by any longer.
If he remained passive, there would be no soldiers left to retreat!
"Belenka! Let's go!"
"Right!"
Instinctively, Ian felt they needed to stop Duke Fargar to enable a retreat.
Since the Duke had charged ahead alone, Ian's forces could easily engage the Duke's unit.
Excluding Ian, two units were attacking the Duke.
The Duke was already being ganged up on(...).
Despite this, the Duke was easily overwhelming both units.
The secret was... none other than equipment advantage.
"???"
Ian was shocked when he saw Duke Fargar's armor.
"Wait, that's...!"
Belenka shouted.
"Ancient full plate armor!"
'Was it really made by ancients?'
The armor Duke Fargar wore was none other than full plate armor.
That is, armor covering the entire body in metal plates.
'He seems to have confused the era by about 500 years?!'
Full plate armor was equipment that only appeared in the late medieval period.
It immediately claimed the title of supreme armor—
And remained in active use even after the spread of muskets in the 16th century, truly the strongest armor!
But in Ian's world, full plate armor had not yet been developed.
Or so he thought...
Yet Duke Fargar was wearing gleaming full plate armor.
A fantasy world was truly a fantasy world.
"Belenka! Sabui! Stop Duke Fargar!"
"As ordered!"
"Kehehehe!"
But Ian didn't hesitate to issue the attack order.
The Duke had to be stopped, even if he were wearing the grandfather of all plate armor.
The Duke, having just felled an opposing knight, paused when he spotted Belenka approaching.
Belenka's pitch-black armor exuded a unique intimidation.
Duke Fargar swung his sword at Belenka.
Clang!
...And realized.
This Black Knight was cut from a different cloth than the knights he'd faced so far!
"So Roxlan has a decent knight after all."
Duke Fargar commented, but Belenka ignored him.
The Duke didn't mind.
He was naturally taciturn.
He had simply remarked upon finding a worthy knight after so long.
The Duke wanted to capture Belenka and make her his prisoner.
Because he wanted to keep her around after the war ended!
But the fight was not easy.
"Kehehehe!"
"? What madman is this..."
Sabui instinctively supported Belenka.
Even wearing full plate armor, Duke Fargar struggled to withstand the combined attack of two people.
"Your Grace!"
"Help the Duke!"
Knights moved to assist the Duke.
But they couldn't break through Ian's magic.
"[Darkness!]"
Ian used shadow magic.
Using other magic wasn't viable—the mysteries' attention was too scattered.
The wizards of each formation were monopolizing the attention of their friendly mysteries.
There was no guarantee they would answer Ian's call, let alone produce proper results.
But shadow magic was different.
A rare magic that only Ian could handle!
"W-what is this!"
"A shadow wizard! There's a shadow wizard!"
"Get out the magical items! Hurry!"
The enemies were aware of the shadow wizard's presence.
Unfortunately, the Duke's unit was equipped with light-emitting magical items.
But it didn't matter.
While they were caught by Ian's magic—
Duke Fargar had suddenly found himself cornered!
"...Impressive."
The Duke observed the mysterious warriors pushing him back.
The Black Knight in midnight armor, and the man using strange yet precise swordsmanship.
The combat ability of these two exceeded Duke Fargar's.
Moreover, busy swinging his sword, the Duke couldn't retrieve his light-emitting tools.
Everything around was gloomy...
And the Black Knight wouldn't fall.
His subordinates were rushing to support him, but the Duke couldn't know this.
'Perhaps I overdid it.'
Duke Fargar frowned.
Who would have expected Roxlan to have such an excellent knight?
Duke Fargar made a quick decision.
If he were captured here, everything would end!
'I must escape...!'
The Duke rushed alone through the darkness, heading in the direction where his subordinates should be.
"Your Grace! Where are you, Your Grace!"
"Damn it! Enemies everywhere!"
Once the Duke left his position, his army immediately fell into chaos.
But it couldn't be helped.
Because of Belenka and Sabui, the Duke couldn't maintain his position.
"Retreat! Retreat!"
"No! We can't leave His Grace behind!"
"His Grace has already retreated!"
To escape Ian's darkness, the Duke's army slowly began to withdraw.
Heaven helped them—Duke Fargar managed to reunite with his unit.
"Your Grace!"
"Retreat slowly without panic. And watch for pursuers!"
"Yes, sir!"
Duke Fargar had to admit it.
In this battle, he had pushed his offensive too aggressively.
"Sound the retreat horn!"
Bwoooo-!
When the horn sounded, Fargar's forces prepared to retreat in perfect order.
With just one exception.
Duke Fargar's unit.
"[Darkness! Devour the light!]"
"Damn it!"
Just when they thought they'd escaped the darkness.
A second darkness appeared!
Duke Fargar instantly sensed the situation was precarious.
While everyone else was retreating...
If Duke Fargar alone couldn't retreat, he might really be in trouble!
"Your Grace! Your Grace! Where are you!"
"I'm here!"
"Escort His Grace!"
"I'll go!"
Even with light-emitting magical items, this was a chaotic battlefield.
Ian's darkness firmly gripped Duke Fargar's unit.
"[Please! Darkness!]"
"What is this...!"
Duke Fargar was astounded by the consecutive curtains of darkness.
Had Roxlan hired some shadow wizard battalion?
What was this endless darkness?
The answer was simple.
It was the result of Ian's persistent spellcasting.
"Belenka! Don't let the Duke escape!"
"Of course not!"
Ian pursued the retreating Duke, continuously casting curtains of darkness.
As a result.
Duke Fargar's banner wandered chaotically across the battlefield, all alone.
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