Gizar positioned his troops to the east, west, south, and north. His own army began advancing from the central gate, deploying about ten thousand soldiers in each direction, planning to overwhelm the enemy with numbers.

In front of him, many soldiers were eagerly waiting. Gizar took a deep breath and shouted.

"This battle will be significant! We have suffered under the empire until now, but it is time to avenge that humiliation!"

"Oooooh!"

Gizar's call to arms received a resounding response from his soldiers, boosting their morale. Feeling confident, he was about to give the order to charge. At that moment,.

"Ooooooooh!"

An unusual roar from the imperial side shook the ground.

"What is this high level of morale?"

Gizar muttered to himself. Usually, those cornered to the point of death lose their will to fight. Finding a way out of a desperate situation is a feat only a powerful commander can achieve.

However, the unified voice of the imperial army was filled with an overwhelming amount of energy. Captain Landbull, the commander of Gizar’s personal guard, also sensed the peculiarity and spoke.

"Shall we engage in a prolonged battle?"

"No, it will be a short, decisive battle. We will go all out from the start."

"Please reconsider. Isn't it more crucial to first calm the enemy's morale?"

"What if we can't calm them?"

"......"

"We don't have time to waste. Also, we don't have complete information about the empire's situation."

"Are you suggesting they're waiting for something?"

"......"

It was likely the intervention of Mi-Sil, one of the 'Four Earls'. That war god had turned numerous disadvantages around, always leading to victory in battles. If word got out that they had started the invasion, she might arrive faster than expected. Gizar speculated that the imperial soldiers were drawing their strength from the hope of Mi-Sil's assistance.

Truthfully, as a soldier, Gizar wanted to face Mi-Sil in battle. However, this would be a disadvantage for the Diodor Principality.

"If they find hope in 'holding out,' a half-hearted offensive will be counterproductive. Therefore, we will crush them with all our might."

"......Understood."

General Gizar raised his hand and ordered his soldiers to advance.

First, the archers fired their arrows, and then the infantry began to climb the fortress walls. The imperial soldiers retaliated with arrows, creating a stalemate until noon, with both sides fighting fiercely.

"They are good soldiers."

Despite the abnormal energy, they followed the command structure. It was a testament to their rigorous training, which was appropriate for the empire's vast territory.

However, in terms of training, their soldiers were not inferior. The Principality of Diodor, on average, might trail behind the imperial soldiers, but when specialized, their troops could surpass them.

Commander Nidel led the cavalry, Commander Zonan led the heavy armor unit, Commander Kohanawan led the archers, and Commander Noyudata led the infantry. Each had undergone extensive training in their specialized units.

"......"

Despite this, they were at a disadvantage. The enemy's high morale was undeniable.

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"Shall we send in the officers?"

"......No. It's too early."

A duel between magic users could dramatically shift morale on the battlefield. However, there were unknown factors concerning the imperial officers.

"I remember a lieutenant named Heisen Heim."

Despite being a junior officer, he successfully brokered a ceasefire with the warlike Cumon tribe. This was an extraordinary feat.

Considering the bloodshed between the empire and the Cumon tribe, it wouldn't be surprising if negotiations led to immediate killings.

Moreover, the opponent was Basia, known as the 'Blue Queen'. Rumors suggested that Basia, despite being a small tribe, possessed individual prowess comparable to that of a great general in the Diord Kingdom.

The Cumon tribe had a strong tendency to respect the powerful. It was easy to imagine that there had been combat to test Heisen's strength before the ceasefire agreement. However, Heisen survived.

"Are there any noticeable magic users on the battlefield?"

"Not a magic user, but there is an unusual warrior beside Captain Lorenzo."

"Unusual?"

When Gizar looked in that direction, he saw a giant over twice the size of an average person, shooting soldiers with a large bow.

"Indeed, that strength is a threat."

"When and where did Captain Lorenzo find someone like that?"

"......"

Even in the Diord Kingdom, Captain Lorenzo's excellence was known. He was a capable commander with the trust of his men. Such officers often attracted talented subordinates.

"It might be that person, said Heisen Heim."

Could we recognize him as an imperial officer even though he doesn't appear to use magic?

"I don't know. But with such martial prowess and strength, it's not impossible."

"......’’

As evening approached and each regiment was about to withdraw their troops, a soldier ran up, out of breath and with a pale face.

"What happened?"

"Haa, haa. Commander Kohanawan has fallen in battle."

Gizar was stunned. Naturally, death is an inherent part of war. The more valiant a person is, the quicker they might die. However, Commander Kohanawan of the archers was a veteran who had been on the battlefield for over 30 years. He wasn’t the kind of warrior to carelessly close the distance with the enemy.

"What happened?"

"We hear from those who were nearby that 'Commander Kohanawan's head suddenly fell to the ground.'"

"...Assassination?"

Gizar gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Relay to all commanders: Do not neglect your surroundings."

"Yes!"

Still, they had been hit hard. Commander Kohanawan was a master archer, essential for siege warfare. He had been specifically targeted.

"Commandant Kohanawan wasn't a magic user, so his resistance to magic was weak. They likely exploited that."

"But how? He was surrounded by allies."

"Probably a lone infiltrator."

"Are you saying none of our allies noticed? That's ridiculous."

"Hard to believe, but that's the only explanation."

Gizar suspected that Heisen Heim was an assassin-type magic user, likely capable of approaching silently from behind.

"However, this is also good news."

"What?"

"Being an excellent assassin means he's not much of a soldier."

In other words, he wouldn't be suitable for group battles such as those that occur during a war. Furthermore, an assassin specializing in this way wouldn't be able to defeat other commanders.

"I see. So, we've gauged Heisen Heim's limits."

"Every unit commander will take the lead in the offensive starting tomorrow. Today, we will retreat and reorganize our ranks."

Ideally, overwhelming the enemy with numbers would have been preferable, but with Commander Kohanawan's death, that had become difficult. They wanted to avoid a long-term battle as much as possible. Normally, the empire had superior magic users.

However, due to internal faction conflicts within the empire, their magic users' quality might not be as high as theirs.

"Let's inform each commander."

"Understood."

That night, the commanders of the Principality of Diodor's camp gathered. Commander Kohanawan's death seemed somewhat shocking to everyone.

"Though I heard the report, I still can't believe it. It was quite easy to kill that excellent warrior."

"That's how skilled assassins are. Be very cautious of your surroundings."

"Yes!"

"Commander Nidel, tomorrow I need you to go wild."

"Leave it to me. I've been waiting for this."

"Our objective is to break through the western gate. If we can clear the soldiers in front of the gate, Commander Noyudata's magic will open it."

"But if we concentrate two units, won't they also strengthen their defenses?"

"No need to worry. I will be on the front lines starting tomorrow."

"Oh. We'll get to see General Thunder in action on the battlefield again."

Commander Zonan of the armored unit murmured excitedly.

"First, I'll draw the enemy's attention. Landbull, stay back and take overall command in my place."

"But I must protect you, General."

"Don't try to slack off. Protecting me is one of the easiest jobs on the continent."

Everyone burst into laughter at his joke.

"Indeed. Protecting General Gizar, who is far stronger than us, would be as simple as twisting a baby's arm."

"In that case, maybe we should have a child protect him."

Such jokes flew around, making Landbull frown.

"Understood. However, General Gizar, please be cautious. Especially with Heisen Heim, we don't know the full extent of his abilities."

"Landbull, you're as worry-prone as ever. But I won't lose to an assassin, and neither will the commanders here."

Gizar made a firm declaration. He despised assassins, who kill by lurking behind the enemy rather than fighting openly. Commander Kohanawan's death must have been a bitter pill to swallow.

Despite being a commoner and a non-magic user, Kohanawan was an excellent soldier, achieving outstanding results and effectively leading his subordinates.

"Alright, that's enough serious talk. Let's have a drink in honor of Commander Kohanawan."

General Gizar brought in cups and wine, poured some for everyone present, and made a toast to the sky.