Cave King – 272

Chapter 272 – Taking Command!

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I would take on the fortress… When Rish heard that, she immediately shook her head.

Could I really do it? And wouldn’t it make me many enemies? She was worried about that.

And so I explained to her that I would use the holes to invade it from the inside. Of course, the tunnel leading to the fortress was fake, so I would have to dig in order to connect them.

Then, I would use the tunnel to reach the top of the guard tower in the fortress, and raise the flag of Leodor. And then I would have the soldiers march outside at a distance where the fortress’s attacks would not reach them. That alone should make the bandits lose the will to fight.

Why was I so confident in that? Indeed, it was true that the bandits…mercenaries, were well organized. However, they were just working for money. How many of them would truly risk their lives to fight?

That being said, I had to consider the possibility of a fight. And so we would have Sheorl’s forces near the tower entrance, to prevent any casualties.

After explaining all of this, Rish finally agreed.

However, she did not like the part where I would stand near the tower entrance. Or the part about using my name. Still, I told her that I was going to return to the south anyway. In the end, she bowed her head and thanked me.

And so we began preparations to take on the fortress.

First, there was the hole. This was my speciality. And so I took my pickaxe and dug upwards through the mountain. At the same time, I used rocks, beams and pillars to reinforce the path.

Once I could detect the ring-shaped magic device, I slowed down until I was right behind the cave that connected to the tower. I made a small hole to confirm that I was inside. 

After that, I thought about the formation of the guards. It was nothing complicated, and we just had them stationed on all four sides around the fortress.

However, we wanted to hide our plan for the bandits and the Arubal Company until the very last minute. And so we did not have the soldiers prepare for a siege battle. In the first place, the goal was to make the enemy surrender, so such things were not necessary. Everyone would join the operation in their usual, light clothing.

In the end, there was hardly any work to do outside of digging the tunnel. And that was not difficult at all for me. I barely got any materials from it as well… In any case, everything was ready in just three days.

And so the day came to put the plan into action.

It was before the sun had even risen. We were gathered at the guard house that was nearest to the cave, along with Rish and the commanding officers. The unit that I would be leading through the tunnel would depart from here.

As the soldiers made sure their equipment was ready, we also prepared in a room in the guard house. We put on armor that Mappa had made.

Platinum plates made of mithril. They were made to cover your whole body, but they were light and easy to move in. Furthermore, there were plants and flower patterns engraved all over them, making them look like beautiful works of art.

Rienna and Fule wore similar armor, but they now looked at me with bright eyes.

“You look very dashing, Lord Heal!”
“Oh, I barely recognized you!”

They praised me… At least, I think that it was praise.

In any case, I did not feel like it suited me at all. I rarely wore armor, and it felt like it was wearing me.

That being said, I suppose I now looked the part of a prince who was taking command.

My attendants were also appropriately dressed. Even Mappa and Number 15 wore thick armor that made them look more impressive.

It was us five that would guard the entrance to the tower. I did not want Rish and the others to see me when I used powerful magic.

Finally, I put my mithril sword into its sheath, and preparations were complete.

Just then, I heard a knock on the door. And then Rish’s voice sounded.

“Heal. Can I come in?”
“Aye. We just finished changing.”

I answered, and then Rish opened the door. She started to say something and then paused.

“What is it, Rish? Could it be…you’re in awe of how good I look?”

I joked, as I had often done in old times. How long had it been since I joked like that?

However, her reaction was unexpected.

“N-no!!”

She said frantically. And then she slammed the door in my face.

“He-hey! Rish!”

“Oh, dear… You were toying with her. Lord Heal is an evil man.”

Fuel said. 

“I-I didn’t mean to do that.”

Rienna also looked surprised.

“But I’ve never heard you make jokes like that before, Lord Heal…”
“…Sorry.”

Then a voice rang from the other side of the door.

“We-we’ll be leaving soon. …The sky is growing pale. The others have already departed.”
“A-alright.”

And so the invasion of the Nostor Mountain Fortress began.

First, about one hundred soldiers would surround the mountain from all sides. 

As for us, we would take about a hundred soldiers and move through the tunnels and invade the fortress from within.

We left the guard house and walked through the forest at the foot of the mountain until we reached the cave entrance.

Rish’s eyes widened.

“So there really is an entrance… But we searched here. How did you find it?”
“There was a strangely placed boulder. That’s how we could tell.”

“I see… You really are amazing, Heal.”

“I just found it, that’s all. But that fortress. It really shows the level of skill within the Barleon Empire.”

I said evasively and unsheathed my sword.

“Now, we will make our way through the tunnel. Everyone, do you have your torches?”

The soldiers looked tense as they muttered in reply.

A man had suddenly appeared to lead them… And the man was the most useless prince ever. We had not prepared to take a fortress. And so they must feel that this operation would be a failure.

And no amount of words would ease their minds. I just had to show them through results.

“Alright, let’s go then! The Nostor fortress shall fall!!”

I said, and then Rienna, Fule, and Rish raised their voices in reply. The soldiers close to Rish also raised their voices a little.

And so we entered the cave and climbed our way up the mountain.

The passage had a gentle, winding slope as it extended towards the peak. This was done deliberately, so as to not tire the soldiers. The ground was also smooth, so they would not trip.

In the dim tunnel, I started to hear other sounds. And then, the wall appeared ahead of us.

“…We arrived. Now, we just need to break through, and we will be inside the fortress.”

I said, and then pressed my ear against the wall.

“I can hear a bell… It seems like the bandits have realized that they are surrounded. And they are preparing to fight.”

Rish answered behind me.

“Judging by the time, all of the soldiers should be in position.”
“And the sun should be out. Alright, let’s go then. Rish, you take the others to the top of the tower. Raise the flag and sound the drums and trumpets.”

I said, and Rish nodded with a serious expression.

After that, Mappa swung his hammer with both hands, and the last wall crumbled.

“Let’s go!!”
“Aye!”

The voices of the soldiers echoed.

And then we all jumped out of the hole and into the tower. Just as before, the teleportation deceive was in the center.

“Let’s go to the top!”

Rish and the soldiers rushed up the stairs.

As for us, we opened the tower doors. I did it with explosive fire magic, once I saw that Rish and the others were not looking.

When I went outside of the tower, the bandits on the parapets were looking up at the tower.

I turned around to see the Leodor flag flying high atop the tower. The soldiers cheered and sounded their drums and trumpets.

“What! It’s the guards!!”

“Ho-how did they get inside!?”

“They must have found the tunnel!!”

They were so confused that they could only stand there.

Not only had the inside been invaded, but they were surrounded from the outside as well. They must have sensed defeat.

However, there was one man in armor who rushed out with a severe expression.

It was Berido, the bandit leader.

He pointed an impressive longsword at us as we stood by the door.

“How did you get in…?”

“We used the tunnel that connects to the tower. It was on an ancient Barleon map.”
“Impossible… That was just a hole in the wall.”

“Maybe you should have dug a little and confirmed it, Berido.”

I said, and he looked astonished.

“…What!? Ho-how do you know my name!?”

“I know everything. Including the people you are connected to.”

I pointed my sword at Berido as he turned pale.

“Now, surrender. And I will spare your life.”

“Never! …Hey, what are you doing!? Hurry up and fight!!”

He ordered. But the bandits did not obey him.

Berido clicked his tongue and then held his sword up.

“Tsk! Weaklings who only care about money!”

He spat, as if he was somehow different.

The bandits were mercenaries…but Berido…

Judging by the way he held his sword, he must have been taught at an early age.

Berido raised his longsword and closed in on us.

Still, even if he was well-trained, it was one against many. Surely he did not dream that he could beat us.

…So, was he choosing death?

But this wasn’t because of his pride as a fighter. It was just for his master. Perhaps it was to avoid being captured and tortured for information.

Unfortunately, I was not so nide as to give him that kind of easy death.

And so I unleashed some powerful wind magic at Berido.

“Gah!?”

His sword went flying into the air.

After seeing that, Mappa threw the net that he had been swinging in the air.

The net wrapped around Berido’s body and bound his arms tight.

“Yo-you mean to capture me…!?”

He shuddered and began to thrash around.

Apparently, it was no ordinary net. There was some lighting magic in it.

After that, Berido stopped moving and remained limp on the ground. However, he was still alive.

I raised my voice.

“…Does anyone else still have the will to fight!? If you do, I, Prince Heal, and my friends will be happy to oblige!!”

Upon hearing this, all of the bandits threw down their weapons.

And like that, the supposedly impregnable Nostor Fortress fell to its knees.

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