Chapter 217 - The Flames of War Spread
—In the Four Pillar War, it was not uncommon for defensive battles to erupt at each faction’s base, sparked by invasions from other factions.
Beyond all-out battles aimed at capturing a base, these attacks could be simple reconnaissance missions. Or they might have a strategic purpose, such as persistently raiding to draw attention and put a strain on the enemy faction's command structure.
These assaults on enemy bases were such a regular occurrence they could be considered one of the festival’s most exciting traditions. Thus, it was standard practice for each faction to station defensive forces at their own bases in preparation for sudden invasions.
And these defense corps, composed of players skilled in defensive combat, had their own unique characteristics for each faction—or rather, their structure was a direct reflection of whether or not they had a defensive ‘linchpin’.
Take the Northern Faction, for example. Nortalia, lacking a ranker with a title specializing in defense, emphasizes delaying tactics through numbers by deploying a large contingent of regular players.
Even if a ranker capable of taking on a thousand foes were to invade, their style is to resist, led by a general greatly empowered by the wartime effects, and wait for aid from their own rankers on the front lines.
It might seem like a passive approach, but it doesn't mean one can just decide to attack the North. As long as the North and South are allied, any attack from the East would put them in a pincer formation.
Therefore, a defense specialized in buying time is an extremely rational strategy. Barring cases where the [Sword Queen] is serving as the general, the North is just as difficult to attack as the South.
As for the Southern Faction… in contrast to the North, their basic strategy is a one-man defense system, relying on a single ranker who specializes in defense.
Sotalm’s third-ranked member—Mei, the [Castle Lord].
The linchpin of the South is a single individual whose defensive capabilities are equal to or greater than Nortalia's hundred-strong defense force.
She is a young girl who wields an Anima that has consistently held the number one spot in the unofficial rankings for the armor category.
Her insane durability is such that she once held off a fierce assault from three of Istia's rankers, including the [Sword Protector], for an entire hour, leading the South to victory in a territorial battle against the East.
So, then, who is the linchpin of the remaining Eastern Faction?
That would be—
“Eeeeeeeeeeeyaaaaahhh!! Enough already!!! GOSSAN, YOU IDIOT!!!”
“Quiet. Do your job.”
“I AM DOING MY JOB!!!”
At the entrance to Ruvalest, Istia’s bizarre-looking wartime fortress.
Two young girls, fighting with all their might despite their small statures—the Left Wing, Mi-na, and the Right Wing, Ri-na, also known as the ‘Eastern Wings’—were none other than Istia’s special defensive force.
A multi-layered wall of defense that relies on numbers.
An invincible shield provided by the strongest individual defender.
Istia's form of 'defense,' which rivals those of the North and South, is—a thoroughly offensive defense that annihilates everything that approaches.
“Too slow. Right side. Faster.”
“I’m trying! I’m trying my best!! You demon, Ri-na!!!”
Despite their small frames, they each wielded a wand—no, tracing arcs through the air were intricately crafted pens made of red and blue feathers.
They looked like two small conductors standing side-by-side.
Or perhaps, like two painters creating a single masterpiece together.
Every time the red and blue pens streaked through the air, leaving trails of brilliant light—
Roaring infernos,
Torrents of water that could pierce solid rock,
And violent gales like a hurricane,
—one after another, lawlessly, chaotically… they were born as if manifestations of natural disasters, soaring through the sky in search of enemies.
The ‘Eastern Wings’… also known as the ‘Two Little Mages.’
Istia’s special defensive force, and their ultimate weapon against the [Sword Queen].
—And, by their own admission and that of others, Arcadia’s strongest artillery cannons.
This was beyond the dimension of being ‘difficult to attack’; it was simply: approach and be turned to ash. Faced with an inexhaustible barrage of grand magic from just two players, anyone foolish enough to charge in without thinking would be instantly incinerated. Even if they charged in after careful thought, being turned to ash in seconds would be the best they could hope for.
Relying on this extraordinary firepower, Istia is able to keep the forces dedicated to defense to a minimum, allowing them to maintain a constantly aggressive posture. However…
“No, no, no! This is impossible! Taking on a hundred people is just reckless!!”
“It’s not a hundred. More like eighty.”
“THAT’S BARELY A DIFFERENCE!!!”
Even the strongest artillery cannons have their limits. A firefight against nearly eighty mages—forty to one for each of them—was a different story entirely.
The fact that they were holding their own was already insane, but no matter how much they fired, no matter how hard they struggled, they couldn't push back.
Furthermore, thanks to the idiots who fell right into the enemy’s trap, they had absolutely no one to act as a shield, which made matters even worse.
As for where the twenty-odd members of the defense squad, who were supposed to be protecting Mi-na and the others, had gone…
They were beyond the slowly approaching battalion of mages. Far past the faint, crimson veil that could just be seen in the distance.
And trapped within that crimson veil—within the field of [Forced Engagement (Engage)]—was none other than…
“Ugh, you stupid, stupid Gossan!! At least give us an order before you charge in!!”
“He did. Technically.”
“‘HANDLE IT’ IS NOT AN ORDERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!”
Mi-na, still wailing on the verge of tears, directed her ongoing fury at—the [General Commander] himself.