Chapter 419: Strategy Discussion
"Anyway, from now on, Nero, it's best if you don't leave the boundaries of the empire—no matter what Merlin's up to, as long as we don't let her succeed, it's alright."
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Arkhan warned Nero.
"What? You want me to play the role of a shrinking violet?" Nero crossed her arms, looking a bit annoyed as she pursed her lips.
"Well, it's all for the greater good, Your Majesty. Just bear with it for a while." Da Vinci chuckled.
With everyone's reassurance and persuasion, Nero reluctantly accepted the arrangement.
"However... we can't just play defense all the time..." Arkhan surveyed the group. "Lion King's holy lance has been fully charged, and once the required number of chosen ones is reached, he will initiate the Holy Selection. At that point, the world won't be far from complete destruction—so we need to start taking the initiative."
"Are we talking about the final battle?" Ritsuka's expression turned serious immediately.
Arkhan shook his head.
"Final battle right now wouldn't be ideal; there's still a gap between us and Camelot."
Hearing his reasoning, everyone nodded.
Even with the potential of the Holy Roman Empire stretched to its limits, they could only muster an army of around a thousand soldiers, which still couldn't compare to Camelot.
"That's why, we need to divide and conquer, weaken Camelot's most powerful forces first." Arkhan suggested.
Among the group, Nero was the first to catch on.
"Are you referring to... the Knights of the Round Table?"
"That's right." Arkhan nodded. "According to the information we've gathered, aside from Tristan and Gawain, the other knights are out there searching for chosen ones. Don't you think this is a golden opportunity?"
Nero had always had people keeping an eye on the movements of the Knights of the Round Table, and they constantly reported back to the empire. This wasn't a secret to Arkhan, who assisted Nero in managing the empire's affairs every day.
On the other hand, Mash, who hesitated about his suggestion, spoke up.
"But... aside from Tristan and Gawain, there are a total of four Knights of the Round Table. No matter who we target, the remaining three will quickly catch wind of it and likely flee straight to Camelot."
Of the seven Servants who descended from the beginning, aside from the sole survivor, Nero, the remaining six were defeated by Camelot. Two of them were killed in battle by Tristan and Gawain, while the four who were captured by Melusine were brought back for brainwashing.
This was mainly due to the vast difference in power since capturing was more difficult than killing. In the face of Melusine's overwhelming strength, the four Servants didn't even have a chance to surrender before being captured.
"Then we just need to round them all up, attack them at the same time, and don't let a single one escape!" Arkhan declared firmly.
Upon hearing his crazy suggestion, everyone was taken aback, surprised at the size of his appetite.
Attacking four Knights of the Round Table at the same time? Wouldn't that be a bit too difficult?
"With me and Melusine, handling them wasn't really a big deal." Arkhan reassured everyone.
After hearing his words, everyone somewhat agreed, since no one present doubted the strength of these two. After all, they had already proven their capabilities through their past deeds and were currently the top combat power in the Holy Roman Empire.
"But the problem is, how do we gather those four Knights of the Round Table together?" Da Vinci shrugged. "Considering the intel we've gathered, they tend to operate independently. Except in Camelot, they hardly have any chance to meet."
"We don't necessarily have them to gather together, right?" Ritsuka pondered. "How about we hold them off? With me and Mash around, even if we can't win, we can stall for some time until Arkhan or Miss Melusine shows up."
"Umu! Don't forget about me!" Nero proudly puffed out her chest. "Counting me in, aren't we just one short of forming the complete set of four? Each of us taking on one!"
"Your Majesty, have you forgotten? You can't casually leave the empire right now." Mash reminded softly.
Nero's expression instantly froze, her whole demeanor deflating like a popped balloon, with even her iconic ahoge drooping with dejection.
"Besides Nero, don't we have another Servant?" Arkhan suggested.
Upon hearing his words, everyone paused slightly, their gaze instinctively shifting toward a certain figure.
"Oh my, are you guys trying to bring scientists onto the battlefield? That's a crime, you know~?"
Da Vinci teased with a charming smile playing on her lips, but the next moment, a mischievous grin appeared on her beautiful face.
"But well... I suppose it has been a while since I've had a good fight..."
===
On the lush green forest, a group of about two hundred knights marched in perfect formation.
They were clad in heavy armor inscribed with magic circles, wielding long swords, and moving in unison with a solemn silence. They appeared to be seasoned veterans, exuding an unmistakable aura of solemnity and bloodshed.
This was an army that shouldn't exist in the current era, their combat prowess surpassing even that of the legendary Crusaders. Since their arrival on this land, the entire world had been shrouded in ominous terror.
In contrast to the disciplined members of this army, their commander seemed somewhat out of place.
With a crimson spear slung over his shoulder, lazily resting his hands on its shaft, he led the way carelessly. Occasionally, he would even casually yawn, emanating an air of laziness.
It was hard to imagine how such a person could lead such a formidable army of iron-blooded warriors. What was even more bizarre was that within the army, not a single soul seemed to have any complaints about his demeanor. From their cautious movements, it even appeared that they held a certain reverence for this lazy man.
"Sir Lamorak, we've been marching for about twelve hours now. Don't you think... it's time to let the knights rest a bit?"
The deputy commander approached the lazy commander named Lamorak, cautiously whispering in his ear.
"Tsk, just twelve hours and you're already complaining? You're supposed to be the elite of Camelot, yet even my grandma lasts longer than you guys..." Lamorak sneered, flipping his spear over and sticking it into the ground. "Fine, we'll take a temporary break."
The deputy commander breathed a sigh of relief, acknowledging the order before turning to leave.
However, just as he turned, a chilling and spine-tingling aura of death suddenly surged from behind him.
A strong sense of fear clutched at his heart like the claws of a demon, causing cold sweat to trickle down his face concealed beneath his helmet.
At this moment, he had never felt so close to death.
He wanted to turn around, to see what had triggered such a reaction from the commander, yet the terrifying aura held him firmly in place, giving him the illusion that if he dared to move, the commander's spear would instantly slide down and pierce his skull.
Amid his frantic thoughts, he suddenly heard the commander's deep voice.
"We're screwed."
'Screwed? What's screwed?'
As the deputy commander wondered in bewilderment, he suddenly found the scene before him incredibly bright, as if a radiant sun had risen in the dark forest, illuminating everything with clarity.
In this dazzling light, he saw the knights who had just crouched down to rest, scrambling to their feet, as if preparing to flee, while the ones holding weapons trembling like startled birds.
"What... is that?!"
Everyone looked up at the sky and emitted cries of despair and disbelief.
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