Translator: CinderTL
Duke's impression on Roland differed sharply from that of other nobles of the Golden Valley Kingdom.
The Duke of the Western Border exuded a refreshing frankness and unpretentious demeanor, his words and actions radiating genuine sincerity.
His approach was decisive and straightforward, devoid of the convoluted political maneuvering common among the nobility. Moreover, his generosity was unexpectedly lavish.
Gloria had barely mentioned needing a party, without even specifying its purpose, when Duke immediately assigned her two thousand elite troops under her command.
Even more astonishingly, he also dispatched two genuine transcendent professionals to accompany her.
However...
Roland glanced back at the impressive army behind him, confirming that the soldiers were indeed well-equipped and disciplined elites. Then, he turned to face the two bald, muscular men standing before him, their features nearly identical, and smiled faintly.
"Greetings. I'm Roland."
"I'm Sven! Pleased to meet you, friend!"
One of the burly men immediately extended a massive hand, scratching the striking blue tattoo on his smooth scalp. A warm, slightly naive smile spread across his face as he responded enthusiastically.
In stark contrast stood the other man.
The other man merely nodded slightly, his expression as calm as still water, his voice deep and concise.
"Fide."
Noticing the fleeting surprise in Roland's eyes, the bald, burly man named Sven grinned, pointed his thumb at his silent companion, and offered an explanation.
"Don't mind him, friend! Fide is my twin brother."
"We were war orphans, raised by Duke. He took us in, gave us names, and fed us."
He thumped his chest, his voice booming.
"So our lives belong to Your Grace!"
Roland seized the opportunity to ask, "Would you mind telling me about your class?"
Sven answered without hesitation, his voice ringing out clearly.
"Of course! We're both 'barbarians,' just like Your Grace!"
This revelation clicked into place for Roland.
No wonder he had sensed such an abnormally vast blood qi within Duke, far surpassing that of ordinary knights.
As far as he knew, barbarians didn't rely on external martial arts or the Knight's Breathing Technique to cultivate Battle Qi. Instead, they focused on awakening and refining the primal, savage "qi and blood" within their bodies.
This power stemmed from the deepest potential of life itself, progressing rapidly and allowing for explosive bursts of combat strength in short periods.
However, the price of such strength was exceedingly steep.
The more one pursued the vigor and power of blood qi, the more vulnerable they became to the primal instincts of slaughter and rage, their minds relentlessly eroded by these dark impulses.
During the refinement process, any loss of control over qi and blood or failure to advance could result in permanent damage to one's bloodline and stagnation of their strength. In severe cases, it could lead to utter madness or even death by self-destruction, leaving virtually no chance of recovery.
Therefore, as far as Roland knew, on this continent, those who chose the barbarian as their extraordinary profession were mostly orcs, whose bodies naturally possessed abundant blood qi. Humans rarely walked this path.
As these thoughts swirled in Roland's mind, a seed of doubt began to sprout.
Duke, as a respected archduke with immense status and abundant resources, why would he choose this path—one seemingly incompatible with his noble status, fraught with peril, and prone to self-destruction—rather than the more stable and traditionally noble path of knighthood?
Just as Roland was about to phrase his question, a clear, melodious voice rang out beside him.
Gloria rode up to his side and spoke.
"Lord Roland, we're about to reach Sunset Canyon."
Hearing this, Roland lifted his gaze and surveyed the surroundings.
Before him stretched a desolate yet magnificent landscape.
Towering, reddish-brown cliffs rose on either side, as if cleaved by the axe of a giant god. Between them, a deep rift valley stretched east-west, its depths seeming to lead to the very edge of the world in the twilight.
This was the disputed border region between the Golden Valley Kingdom's eastern frontier and the River Domain Nations, a vaguely defined area lacking clear boundary markers. The only discernible path was a natural passage worn smooth by centuries of human and animal traffic, once one of the most frequently used trade routes between the two nations.
Now, however, with the looming threat of war, the once-bustling caravans had vanished, leaving only the desolate wind to sweep sand and gravel across the empty valley floor.
"Order a halt to our advance," Roland commanded, his voice steady as he withdrew his gaze.
"Your Highness, Arno would never leave this strategic pass unguarded. There must be defenses in place," Gloria agreed, nodding in acknowledgment. She immediately dispatched a team of elite scouts to reconnoiter ahead.
Before long, the scouts returned with news: a makeshift outpost had indeed been established in the canyon's midsection, but the garrison was lightly manned.
Hearing this, Roland quickly grasped the situation.
Their ability to reach this point undetected and rendezvous with Duke Arno depended entirely on the secret, little-known passage through the Corona Lands.
Leaving aside the secret route, Sunset Canyon's strategic importance was clear.
Its eastern exit lay directly adjacent to the front lines where Arno's main forces were stationed, facing off against the River Domain Nations' armies.
The western end, however, led straight into the heart of Arno's controlled territory.
Given this situation, Arno had no need to garrison this seemingly "rear" passage with heavy troops; a limited number of sentries sufficed for early warning.
With his thoughts organized, Roland decisively proposed to Gloria:
"Your Imperial Highness, we must swiftly seize this outpost and control Sunset Canyon. If Arno's forces are defeated, this will be the key to cutting off his retreat."
Gloria wholeheartedly agreed and immediately ordered the attack.
The battle unfolded as expected.
The outpost's weak garrison, facing the combined onslaught of three thousand elite Blazing Sun Church troops and hardened Western Territory soldiers, offered almost no effective resistance.
Within moments, the allied forces had completely secured Sunset Canyon.
After carefully instructing Gloria to reinforce the canyon's defenses, Roland gathered with her, Fide, and Sven to discuss the specific strategy for ambushing Arno.
Gloria and Sven's plans were straightforward:
Wait for scouts to report Arno's retreating forces, then launch a full-scale frontal assault.
Hearing this simplistic battle plan, Roland couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness.
After a moment's contemplation, he proposed a more comprehensive strategy.
"We can divide our forces into three groups, each commanded by Lord Fide, Lord Sven, and Your Highness respectively."
"Lord Fide and Lord Sven will lead two ambush units, concealing themselves on the high ground flanking the eastern side of the canyon. If Arno truly retreats this way, he will be too preoccupied with escape to fight effectively. As his forces pass through, the two lords will launch successive harassing attacks, gradually depleting their numbers and morale."
He sketched a rough terrain map on the ground with his fingertip as he continued.
"After enduring two waves of ambushes, Arno's remaining troops will be exhausted and panicked. At that moment, Princess Gloria will personally lead the main force in a frontal assault, while Lord Fide and Lord Sven will flank them from the rear, creating a three-sided encirclement to deliver the final, decisive blow."
Hearing Roland's meticulously planned ambush strategy, Gloria couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.
In conventional warfare on this continent, armies with extraordinary power typically preferred to crush their enemies in direct confrontations, relying on their superior strength. Such intricately layered tactics, with pre-planned battlefields, were exceedingly rare.
As she considered this, Roland's reflection appeared clearly for the first time in her usually calm and composed eyes.
He was no longer merely a warrior with formidable strength, but a strategist with a keen mind and a deep understanding of battlefield dynamics.
She gazed at his profile, as if truly seeing the man beside her for the first time.
Sven, meanwhile, slapped his thigh with a resounding clap, his booming praise shattering the brief silence.
"Brilliant! With this plan, that damned duke won't stand a chance!"
Fide, though silent, nodded slightly, signaling his approval of the strategy.
Yet Roland felt little satisfaction at their praise. Instead, a subtle sense of helplessness washed over him. Being lauded for his cunning by companions whose thinking he considered "naive" left him with a peculiar unease.
He decisively raised his hand, cutting off their further compliments.
"There's no time to lose," he said, his voice steady and authoritative. "Duke Arno's main forces could engage the River Domain Nations at any moment. We must deploy immediately. Lord Sven, Lord Fide, gather your troops and move to the designated ambush positions according to the plan."
"Princess Gloria, your presence is crucial for overseeing the canyon defenses and commanding the main forces."
His urgency snapped them out of their admiration. Their faces turned serious as they accepted their orders and swiftly departed to execute the meticulously layered ambush plan.
While Roland was strategizing in Sunset Canyon, Duke had personally led the Western Territory's elite forces to the eastern front.
Across the vast plain, military camps stretched as far as the eye could see, banners fluttered in the wind, and a palpable sense of impending conflict hung in the air.
Duke Arno had been waiting outside his main tent for some time, ready to greet the commander of the "long-awaited" reinforcements.
(End of the Chapter)
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