< 115. Dragon, Tiger. Upper Arm. >
*
“Lavirata’s Legion is marching north! All we have left is either surrender or retreat!”
“Nonsense! Do you think the neighboring countries will just watch if we submit to Lavirata? The remnants of the opposing chieftain will tear us apart!”
“Are you saying you’d rather die now out of fear for the future? Or are you choosing to retreat?”
“Retreat is not an option! If we lose our rear, we’ll be devoured!”
The candlelight flickered. The tent’s meeting room was filled with chaos, shouting, and excitement.
“Sigh…”
Kirhas rubbed her tired eyes and sank into her chair. The elders were each raising their voices, pounding the table, clicking their tongues, or hurling curses.
It had already been a month since Fernandez left. The only task he left was ‘Do not lose.’
At first, it seemed easy. It was hard to find a warrior among the Beastmen Tribe who could surpass Kirhas in duels and combat, and the warriors of the Federation of Beastmen Nobles respected her position as Kadán’s disciple.
But war was a completely different realm. She was not familiar with strategy or tactics. Handing her the position of chieftain out of the blue didn’t magically turn her into a legendary strategist.
“Enough.”
A sharp, chilling voice cut through the room. At the far end of the table, an elder sitting opposite Kirhas quietly raised his arm and tapped the table.
-Tap, tap.
The numerous ornaments on his wrist jingled noisily. Demonic tattoos and grotesquely twisted fingers caught the eye. The purple robe swayed with his movements. Partak. Partak Blackfang.
In official settings, he was the elder opposing the chieftain. A man who dominated the elders with dark magic, sorcery, and schemes.
And one of Fernandez’s underlings. Kirhas suppressed her instinctive disgust and glared at him.
“Enough. Let’s hear the chieftain’s opinion first.”
Partak’s black teeth gleamed in the candlelight. He knew Kirhas had no real alternative, yet he was openly humiliating her.
This was their division of roles. Partak actively restrained Kirhas, who could wield absolute authority, and through this, he gathered anti-Kirhas factions under his control, regardless of tribe.
Meanwhile, Kirhas, tired of the elders’ endless debates, used her authority, charisma, and strength to dominate the aggressive tribal elders and the majority of the Federation’s warriors.
With Kirhas and Partak united under Fernandez, the Federation of Beastmen Nobles moved entirely within their influence. Kirhas understood this and admired Fernandez’s strategy.
But it wasn’t a role she enjoyed.
“We retreat.”
“How far?”
“To the territory of the Kargari Tribe.”
“They’re a noble tribe aligned with the opposing chieftain. Are we walking into a death trap?”
The opposing chieftain. A temporary council of tribes formed by those who opposed handing the chieftain position to a wandering Beastmen girl.
Kirhas and Partak claimed the legitimate authority of the Federation, and they still held sway among the warrior society. But the opposing chieftain council was not to be underestimated.
If she made a mistake in the war against the Pharaoh or suffered a major defeat, her legitimacy would surely be damaged. Her Federation must not lose.
For that, what was needed was not politics but force. Kirhas believed this.
“The opposing chieftain’s encampment is still quite a distance away. We’ll subjugate the Kargari Tribe by force and regroup our legion there.”
“…Fine. Then who will cover the rear during the retreat?”
Lavirata of the south. The mighty Pharaoh’s legion was closing in on her. Kirhas looked down at the operation map with tired eyes.
Unlike other Pharaohs, Lavirata had a clear geographical advantage. Being at the southernmost tip of the Great Wilderness meant only jungles and the plains of the White Kingdom lay beyond.
In other words, there were no neighboring enemy nations. They expanded their forces unchecked and became one of the most powerful warlords in this wasteland.
Thus, they could project their full strength into a single battlefield. Unlike Kirhas.
They had to retreat to a safe area before Lavirata’s legion devoured the Federation’s rear. Who would buy that time?
The eyes in the room fixed on her. It was a mission perilously close to suicide. No matter which tribe was thrown into the fray, the elders would surely rebel against the chieftain.
They were like wolves, jackals, and hyenas. They wouldn’t strike first, but they wouldn’t let go of prey that showed weakness. Schemers who didn’t recognize the chieftain’s authority but wanted to exploit it.
Among them, Kirhas closed her eyes for a moment and sighed.
‘Your Excellency, I need you.’
Soon, her eyes opened. Her turquoise eyes burned sharply.
“I’ll take it.”
At her words, Partak couldn’t hide his shock and opened his mouth. He quickly composed himself and spoke.
“You could die. Chieftain, if you fall, this Federation is finished.”
“War is a place where anyone can die.”
“But it shouldn’t be you. What are you doing?”
-Are you trying to render everything meaningless?
Partak’s lips twitched as he conveyed his thoughts. Kirhas found his flustered expression amusing and chuckled.
“The Pharaoh doesn’t expect defeat at all. They’re overconfident in their victory. Against such foes, I’m confident I can buy time and escape.”
“You seem overconfident in your victory too.”
“In my case, it’s not overconfidence. It’s certainty.”
-Tap.
Kirhas picked up the golden mask on the table and stood. The moment the mask touched her hand, a chilling voice echoed in her mind.
[Serve me.]
Kirhas frowned slightly and fastened the mask to her waist.
“The gods are with us.”
“War is won not by gods but by our blood.”
“Us? No. Not us.”
-Clatter.
Kirhas clicked her tongue and noisily pushed her chair back. She strode across the tent.
Roughly stepping into the tent, one more step—
-···.
The tent of the Elder Council was set up at the highest point of the military encampment. Below it, the citizens and warriors of the Federation, worn out by anxiety and fatigue, could be seen.
They were looking up at the tent with tense expressions, waiting for the meeting to end and the results to come.
Kirhas saw the deep anxiety in their eyes. Partak had taken control of the Elder Council. And she—
-Click.
Lifted the golden mask. This mask, containing the soul of Kadán, had become so famous within the Federation of Nobles that no one was unaware of it. It was a symbol of divinity, authority, and dominance.
The dead god had returned to the beastmen. A wandering race abandoned by the gods. The outcasts of the civilized world. In the hearts of the warriors, pride and inferiority coexisted.
To make their hearts beat again, they needed an icon. An icon of the era that symbolized this wasteland, that represented their voices.
Kirhas slowly placed the mask over her face, ensuring everyone present could see. The mask was half-broken, but its size completely concealed her face.
Soon, her attendant approached and draped a soft fur-lined cloak over her. She shouted in a booming voice,
“Our blood is not what the gods desire. It is the blood of our enemies!”
-Death!!
The crowd echoed her voice, shouting loudly.
“With the bones of our enemies, their corpses, and the glory burning between them!”
-Victory!!
Hope and passion swirled in the eyes of the crowd. Partak had taken control of the council, but Kirhas had not been idle.
She had been tirelessly inspecting the security, judging injustices, and conducting sacred rites among the warriors and citizens. She led the charge in battle and, during rest, laughed and drank with the warriors, celebrating them.
The Elders no longer received the respect of the Federation. The respect and reverence they once had had been transferred to Kirhas. Partak controlled the Elders, and Kirhas controlled the people.
-Swish…
Kirhas drew her greatsword.
“The time for the hunt is near. My comrades! The time of the wolf, the crow, and the lion!”
-Hearttaker! Hearttaker! Hearttaker!!
Even if it was a vain hope, she had a duty. To ignite the spark of hope in the tribesmen who followed her.
Her innate talent was awakening. The charm that drew the love of the crowd and united the warriors was shining.
She was an instinctive war sovereign and a field commander.
‘The strategy is as Your Excellency has prepared. And I…’
Let’s do my best in my role. Kirhas’ tired turquoise eyes glowed beneath the mask.
*
“Why can’t you provide support?!”
The Imperial envoy frowned and slammed the negotiation table. The rudeness made Pafnarmear’s brow twitch.
As one who had ascended to the Round Table Council and earned the name “Knight of the Rock,” Pafnarmear’s expression barely changed despite his inner anger.
He leaned deeply into his chair and spoke in a low, rumbling voice.
“The military encampment is not yet fully prepared.”
“When exactly will it be fully prepared?!”
“Hmm.”
The Imperial envoy, panting heavily, suddenly stood up.
“His Majesty the Emperor will surely remember this. Duke.”
“Send my regards. Finley, see him out.”
“Yes.”
A knight who had been standing approached and firmly grabbed the envoy’s shoulder, leading him out of the tent. Inside the tent, a man with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face looked at Pafnarmear.
“Commander. Aren’t you afraid of repercussions?”
“Repercussions?”
“I’m quite fearful. As you know, the situation back home isn’t exactly favorable.”
The man chuckled. Pafnarmear didn’t like him. Not long ago, they had been on the brink of war with the Phaeirn Royal Family, and this man was not someone to be taken lightly.
Knowing what the Phaeirn Royal Family had intended to do to the Dane Kingdom, Pafnarmear silently stared at him. The man shook his head, snickering.
“Commander, if you keep glaring like that…”
The man’s eyes weren’t smiling.
“It might be seen as a challenge to a duel. In our culture, that’s a signal for a duel among men.”
“If you wish.”
The commander of the Phaeirn Royal Griffin Knights. Ludwig von Wolfstahl. The strongest of the Phaeirn Royal Family. Contrary to his flamboyant attire and frivolous behavior, his reputation was legendary.
However, a Knight of the Round Table had no reason to cower before him. Especially since Ludwig was merely a guest commander of the Eastern Kingdom Alliance. The Phaeirn’s national power had greatly diminished after the Walker incident, preventing them from actively deploying troops.
As Pafnarmear silently glared at him, Ludwig smirked and shrugged.
“Well, it would be embarrassing for the kids. If infighting broke out during the war. Ah, where is ‘she’ now?”
“…Why do you ask?”
“It’s our nation’s virtue to embrace beautiful flowers when we see them.”
A scornful smile appeared on Pafnarmear’s lips for the first time.
“Go ahead if you dare.”
“What? Does she already have someone?”
“There is a hero.”
A great hero who inherited the founding king’s sword, vanquished the fallen dark mages, saved the nation from crisis, and received Shield’s blessing.
The reason the Dane Kingdom had urgently dispatched troops was due to his disappearance, and the reason they hadn’t deployed to the battlefield was a form of protest against the Empire.
“Well, fine. By the way, who is she to receive such treatment at such a young age? Royalty?”
“No, our parent.”
At that, Ludwig’s expression twisted strangely.
*
“Try again.”
“It’s an honor!!”
A lightly armored knight panted as he got up from the ground. He gripped his wooden sword, sweat dripping down his face as he looked at the woman before him.
The woman was dressed in clean, modest attire, not a speck of dust on her. Despite the intense sparring, not a single effective attack had landed on her.
The knight clenched his teeth and swung his greatsword. The sound of air tearing could be heard.
-Swish!
Her golden hair shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight. The woman’s wooden sword lightly tapped the knight’s wrist, then continued—
-Tap, tap.
Shoulder, head, and waist. Each tap was light, and she turned halfway, stepping out of the knight’s offensive range. The knight swung at empty air and looked at her with a defeated expression.
“Too much force, boy.”
The knight’s face turned red with shame. Abel smiled softly at him. And—
“Woooooah!!”
“As expected!!”
“You’re too beautiful!!!”
The knights who had been watching the duel in awe cheered with ecstatic expressions. It had been a month since she arrived at this encampment. The royal knights of the Dane Kingdom had all become her passionate followers.
The founding king’s mentor and the kingdom’s guardian dragon. The knights of the Dane Kingdom who knew her true identity had been obedient to her authority from the moment she arrived.
![[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/TS-Obsessed-Gamer-The-Ultimate-Return2.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return")
