Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 214

The familiar battlefield from earlier.

A faint breeze wafting from all directions carried the scent of iron, as if to prepare us for the impending battle.

Behind the transparent wall, the NPC soldiers were motionless, while my teammates lined up, each checking their gear.

At that moment, the Snow Mage approached with heavy steps and spoke up.

“Blood Demon King!”

“Huh?”

“Aren’t you going to use the sword block?”

“Ah.”

It seemed she spoke up because of what she observed in the previous match.

Sword block. A good combo. But it wasn’t an ideal weapon for me right now.

Using a shield to withstand the assassins’ attacks was a strategy made possible only because their strength stats were low.

Typically, assassins don’t invest much in strength stats.

They choose agility for quick movements and stamina to run further away.

“Not a great idea. My body won’t hold up and I’ll go flying.”

There was only one assassin on the opposing team.

The rest were two knights, with a Viking and a Paladin each.

Everyone except the assassin had characters who invested significant points into their strength stats, so pulling out a one-handed sword and shield in this situation was nearly a suicide mission.

I’d surely end up rolling around on the ground.

“I’m going like this.”

So I’m going like this.

I adjusted the nodachi slung over my back and spoke.

Now it was time to allocate roles.

I looked at the two knights standing nervously.

Since there was no butcher on the opposing team, both of their weapons were back to long swords.

“Hey you two, please take the side path.”

“W-We?”

“Yeah, head to the side path and stop the approaching enemy assassin. If you think you can handle it alone, the other can charge into their lines.”

“Isn’t the central strength fight really disadvantageous? What if the assassin doesn’t come to the side path?”

Heading to the center are me, the Snow Mage, and the player Bisu.

This should be enough. As long as we don’t die, we can buy time until our knights reach the enemy’s territory.

“It’s fine. We’ll just go.”

The hesitant knight eventually nodded.

He probably remembered what he promised to follow before the game started.

At that moment, the countdown signaling the start of the game began.

5

As I exhaled while looking at the message that appeared before me, the subtle breath dissipated slowly, and the transparent wall vanished, unleashing a roaring cheer.

Waaaaaaaaah!

The cheers of more than a hundred soldiers shook my ears.

Right after that, I dashed forward.

“Let’s go!”

The game had begun. There was no stopping now.

Whatever the outcome, I had to charge toward the end.

“Let’s do our best!”

Before the two knights veered towards the side path, I waved and greeted them.

The small and cute girl’s greeting seemed to lift my teammates’ spirits.

Leading the guild naturally helped me realize this kind of tactic.

“Whoaah!”

The two knights, who had been nervously running, let out a loud cheer as soon as they received my greeting and jumped into the forested side path.

Unable to communicate any further with my distant teammates, there was nothing more I could do.

I ran alongside the NPC soldiers for a considerable distance before finally arriving at the Central Occupied Area.

The soldiers who arrived first began to mix with the enemy soldiers and swung their weapons.

Clang! Clang!

Boom!

Dieeee!

As the loud sounds faded in the background, I surveyed the area from which the enemy was charging.

At that moment, I spotted a girl with white hair walking slowly, her hair fluttering in the wind.

The only protection for her body was a thin gambeson armor.

In her hand was a long sword that hung down.

Jupiter, she had arrived here.

With a confident demeanor, a self-assured smile bloomed on her lips.

But why is she alone?

Where are the others?

As I busied myself looking around in confusion, Jupiter had raised her sword towards the enemy soldiers.

Then she shouted loudly.

“Listen, Blood Demon King!”

“What a crazy girl…”

“I demand that you step forward and settle this fairly!”

It was indeed a bold display.

However, I wouldn’t fall for that provocation.

My gaze was constantly shifting. It might be a tactic to draw me out so that the utterly shameless girl could lull me into a false sense of security.

I couldn’t let my guard down.

“Ha! Blood Demon King! Don’t hide!”

I’m not hiding.

I’m just too short to be seen among the soldiers.

I bit my lip and slowly backed away.

Jupiter, now seemingly having spotted me, smiled and began to sway her sword.

“Blood Demon King~!”

Watching her, I was certain.

The enemies had sent Jupiter alone to the center lane and had all retreated to the side paths.

“Everyone. Retreat to our occupied territory.”

I didn’t explain my reasons. There wasn’t even time for that.

“Ugh…!”

Bisu, without hesitation, began to turn and run in response to my command.

The Snow Mage, although looking disappointed, ultimately had to follow my orders.

Once the two withdrew, only Jupiter and I remained in the center lane.

Jupiter stared at this scene for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.

“Blood Demon King, are you okay with sending your subordinates off like that?”

“Shut up, sparrow.”

“Wh-what?”

“Tweet tweet.”

“T-tweet…”

I took a slow breath and thought.

The fact that all the enemies except Jupiter rushed to the side path meant they were giving up on the initial strength battle.

Abandoning the center to strike their lines. Messing up the respawn timing, it was probable they would consume our occupied territory before attacking the center line.

I didn’t allocate roles well.

That was my mistake.

“Sparrow. Why did you come alone?”

“My teammates told me to go here…!”

“Alone?”

“That’s right. I was given a very important mission.”

Jupiter said this while slyly stepping toward the occupied territory.

With our conversation, was she planning to catch me off guard and retrieve the occupied territory? I couldn’t let that happen.

I too stepped into the occupied territory.

Corpses littered all around.

I frowned and drew the nodachi.

For some reason, my mouth felt bitter.

“Jupiter. Let’s settle our unfinished business.”

“Unfinished business…?”

Jupiter tilted her head at my words.

As her small and cute face leaned slightly, her white hair poured down softly.

“It’s a strange thing to say, Blood Demon King. Is your memory that poor?”

“…”

“I remember perfectly. The moment you lost to me.”

She had a big mouth for no reason.

I grimaced and dashed forward.

There was no signal for attack. A sudden charge. A regular person wouldn’t even be able to react.

Swish!

As the nodachi swung forward, something blocked its path.

A long silver sword.

Jupiter’s long sword.

Clang!

As our weapons clashed, vivid sparks flew up.

The light scattering around briefly illuminated the area.

When our gazes met in mid-air, Jupiter’s attack began.

Her blade glided up, slipping along the edge.

If I didn’t shift my body, I’d see the sword piercing through my shoulder.

I quickly twisted and deflected her attack.

Swish!

Jupiter’s blade, which had been moving up my edge, swept through the air.

Having parried her attack, it was now my turn.

The nodachi’s considerable length meant I had to be mindful of every scenario.

As I retracted the nodachi in my hand, Jupiter abruptly stopped, sensing something.

But it was too late.

It wasn’t an attacking stance.

Just a simple thrust.

The minimal preparation allowed for a quick strike aimed at a straight line.

Swish!

The extending blade moved slowly toward Jupiter’s neck as her sword began to rise, blocking its path.

A defensive movement to protect herself.

Now’s my chance.

I swung the nodachi I held with considerable force, twisting my body.

Clang!

The blade of the nodachi and her sword intersected, creating a rough sound.

In that instant, the edge of my blade, previously skating over hers, struck Jupiter’s neck.

Sliiip!

It only grazed her, so the wound wasn’t deep.

But it was enough of a shock to startle Jupiter.

“Ugh…!”

In that moment, Jupiter’s pupils began to shrink.

Her gaze swept my entire body quickly.

At that moment, the atmosphere around Jupiter changed.

Her previously flustered expression vanished, replaced by calm.

As soon as I recognized that fact, a silver flash darted in from off-screen.

Her reaction was slightly delayed. I managed to dodge quickly, but the slash grazed my cheek.

Swoosh!

With a sting and a red droplet slowly wafting before me, I pondered.

How long had I been waiting to meet again?

I awaited this moment. To find you at this moment in time.

You, who had overwhelmed me for a brief moment.

I had been waiting for this situation to come around again.

One second.

That brief moment came apart.

In that shattered time, I locked eyes with Jupiter.

Our gazes intertwined mid-air.

From beyond that, the duel with Jupiter began.

Predicting and intercepting each other’s attacks in slowed time.

During that fleeting moment, we exchanged meaningless combos.

Our bodies remained still.

Only our thoughts accelerated, painting transparent afterimages around us.

The sounds faded. An area devoid of feeling.

Only Jupiter’s mind and mine continued to move.

I could hardly even remember that I held a weapon in my hand, so faint was the sensation.

At that moment, the moment of our duel came to an end.

Both sides had determined their next moves.

The slowed time began to revert to normal.

The lost sensations returned.

Feeling that, I swung the nodachi I was gripping.

Swish!

As if we’d practiced beforehand, Jupiter’s sword and my blade moved towards each other like magnets.

Bang! Bang!

Clang!

Bang!

Clang!

It was after exchanging a total of seven strikes that my vision started to turn a shade of red, and my body began to weigh heavily.

Depletion of stamina.

If I tried to force myself to move, I would get a larger backlash and wouldn’t be able to move for a long time.

“Huff… huff…”

Gasping for breath, I leaned on my knee.

The nodachi I gripped was dragged along the ground, falling from my hand.

Like me, Jupiter was also panting heavily.

“Hick… hick… ugh, how…”

Jupiter stared at me with an expression of disbelief.

“Y-You didn’t get a loan, did you…?”