Leon's knights, known as the knights of House Solfyr, were not just soldiers trained under the kingdom's standard methods. They were the result of a long and controlled process involving experiments conducted directly by Leon over the years. Unlike other nobles who simply recruited talent or trained knights through traditional methods, Leon sought to modify and optimize those under his command, analyzing physical limits, mana adaptation, and recovery capacity in real combat. These experiments were not random—each individual was chosen based on specific characteristics, and from there underwent a gradual development process that consistently altered their performance. All of this stemmed from a single idea.
'With this, House Everhart will have the best knights.'
The result was a group of knights who, even if they weren't at the top in terms of rank, performed above expectations within their categories. A rank six knight from House Solfyr was comparable to the best of that rank in other territories, and the same applied to ranks seven and eight. The main difference wasn't just in strength or technique, but in consistency during combat. They showed no significant drop in performance even after long battles, and their physical and mental endurance reached an uncommon level. This made them extremely difficult to deal with in prolonged fights.
The three leaders of each rank who participated in the confrontation were considered the best among this group. They not only followed the same standard as the others but also demonstrated greater control over their abilities and more efficient decision-making during combat. Even so, they all shared the same core trait: the ability to keep fighting even after taking damage that would normally force other knights off the front line. To outside observers, this gave the impression that they never tired or completely ignored the limits of their own bodies, which contributed to how they were perceived by others.
'They really can be considered immortal monsters.'
After the battle ended, Leon stepped away from the main line and remained in a more isolated area, sitting while resting his spear beside him. His body still showed clear signs of exhaustion, and the wound in his stomach remained the most problematic, even though it had been partially stabilized. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, controlling his breathing while organizing his mana.
'The fourth attack was more disorganized, but the numbers made up for it.'
[The tendency is for them to keep applying pressure until they find a flaw in the defense.]
'They won't succeed with this current pattern, but that's not the real issue.'
The main point wasn't the number of enemies, but the frequency. There wasn't enough time between attacks for full recovery, and that was a strategy focused on continuous exhaustion—annoying, but effective for a kingdom that had more knights and mages.
'If they keep this pace, even with reinforcements arriving, it will start affecting the weaker knights.'
[Like you… okay, that insult was bad, I need to think of a better one.]
'That attempt almost made Leon's body feel like laughing.'
Leon opened his eyes again, looking toward the battlefield where support and recovery efforts were still ongoing. His mana was more stable now, but still far from ideal for another confrontation at the same level as before. He knew he couldn't assume the next attack would be like the previous ones, especially considering someone like Talis.
'He didn't fight until the end, so he's still available for another confrontation.'
The good thing was that they seemed to have retreated and might not attack again for the moment, but he still had to stay alert, since he couldn't fully trust that everything was over. Even while resting, he would need to keep watch until the knights sent by the king arrived.
'Maybe I should train a bit too.'
[If you dare do that, you'll lose the reward we were thinking of giving you.]
'A reward? I apologize for my foolish thought, my great system.'
While he made a fake expression of devotion, farther from the main line, the knights began reorganizing. Trevon was among them, watching the movements of the Solfyr knights returning from their positions after the battle. Even having seen their performance before, the way they fought in that attack still stood out.
"They didn't slow down at any point."
Filgiri, still showing signs of fatigue, approached while adjusting his armor. He himself observed his lord's special knights with a certain admiration.
"I tried to keep up for a while, but it's impossible to maintain their level."
"You're not meant to. They were made for this."
Filgiri remained silent for a moment before nodding slightly. There was no need to elaborate further—they both understood the difference between themselves and that group. Further back, Jirena continued coordinating the treatment of the wounded, organizing priorities without wasting time.
"The most critical first. Don't waste time on those who can still fight—we'll heal them later."
"Yes, ma'am."
The response came quickly as the others followed her instructions without question. Leon giving her the role of leader had been a good decision. Trevon glanced away for a moment, observing the overall movement before returning his focus to the sea.
"If another attack comes, it won't be like the previous ones."
With a sigh, he placed his hands behind his back. This damn war would undoubtedly continue, and honestly, he wanted it to end soon so he could finally rest. Filgiri joined his wife while Leon's knights began guarding the borders.
'Since they're here, I can rest a bit.'
Returning to where Leon was, he stood up and began walking toward the sea, his eyes turning red, but not because of Leon's abilities. He had activated the Crimson Eyes to observe and keep watch over the next few hours, at least until the reinforcements finally arrived.
[Are you seeing anything]
'For now, nothing'
The only thing his eyes were seeing were magical animals being forced to retreat by those that protected the borders of the kingdom. That was good, because even the animals they had brought were now completely defeated.