160 Misjudge?
Gazing at the city ahead, Artoria took a deep breath.
She turned to look behind her, where a massive crowd of forty thousand people stretched out like a sea of darkness, filling the field of vision like a thick overcast sky.
Forty thousand pairs of eyes stared at her, as if a giant rock rested on her chest, weighing heavily.
This was her first time commanding a battle of this scale, and if she failed... No!
Artoria tightly gripped the invisible Excalibur in her hand, and due to the exertion, her knuckles were slightly pale.
*Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!*
The pounding of her heart echoed like the heavy beat of a drum, persistently reverberating in her ears. No matter how many deep breaths she took, she couldn't calm her restless heart.
—Having pressure is a good thing. It gives you the drive to move forward. But don't let it overwhelm you. Otherwise, it can backfire and cost you more than you gain. In any case, just focus on doing what you need to do.
The familiar words echoed in Artoria's mind, and her grip on her sword relaxed slightly.
'Yes, I'm a commander now. So, I just need to focus on winning!'
The Invisible Air's disguise on Excalibur tore apart in an instant, and the shining golden sword reflected a very radiant light in the sunlight.
"ALL FORCE, CHARGEEE—!!!"
===
Bedivere, clad in silver armor, gazed at the colossal fortress nestled between two towering mountains, his expression tinged with a hint of solemnity.
"Up ahead is Seymour Fortress, the first stronghold on the way to Sussex. They have tight defenses here, equipped with eight magic cannons and stationed with three mages year-round. Among them, there's bound to be one mage skilled in long-distance communication. If we don't deal with them quickly, our operation might be exposed prematurely. So, we need to prepare a plan—"
A sudden gust of wind interrupted him as a massive black dragon suddenly appeared in the sky. The dragon took a deep breath, then unleashed a scorching black flame from her mouth.
*BOOM!*
The earth cracked, the mountains trembled, and when the dust settled, the fortress had vanished without a trace. In its place flowed a bubbling stream of crimson lava.
Nidhogg, back in humanoid form, walked over and patted Bedivere on the shoulder.
"Now, no need to worry about leaks, right?"
"..."
Bedivere fell silent.
===
Camelot launched a counterattack against the North!
The first reaction among the Anglo-Saxons in the North upon hearing this news was sheer disbelief.
Who didn't know about the debacle fifteen years ago when Uther attacked the North? Now, these Camelotians dared to come again—were they asking for another humiliation?
However, the following news made them lose their humor.
Camelot simultaneously launched attacks on Sussex, Wessex, and Kent!
"A three-front assault?! Are these people out of their minds?!"
Upon receiving this news, the King of Gwent stood up from his throne immediately. After confirming the authenticity of the information, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Hahaha, fortune favors me!"
Without delay, he immediately visited the royal palace in Deheubarth to meet the King of Deheubarth.
"You've heard about Camelot's counterattack on the North, right?"
"Yes, I just found out. They apparently started their move a month ago, and they managed to keep it a secret until now. I have no idea how they pulled that off..." The King of Deheubarth sighed.
"Hmph, that brat is digging his own grave!" The King of Gwent snorted. "With Camelot's strength, taking one of the Seven Northern Kingdoms should have been a piece of cake. But no, he chose to fight on three simultaneously. Utter madness!"
"Youthful spirit, my friend. Didn't we act recklessly when we first ascended to the throne?" The King of Deheubarth chuckled.
The King of Gwent blushed; he did marry over forty women in his first month on the throne. Compared to that, he was wilder than King Arthur.
Rumors had it that King Arthur, to this day, hadn't taken a queen at all. For a vigorous young man, it was truly an unbelievable feat.
Shaking off these random thoughts, the King of Gwent urgently said, "Don't you realize this is our chance?"
"Chance?" The King of Deheubarth blinked.
"With Camelot's forces all up north, they're vulnerable internally. It's the perfect time to invade!" The King of Gwent said excitedly.
"You plan on invading Camelot while Arthur is fighting in the North?" The King of Deheubarth widened his eyes in disbelief.
"Camelot is in a precarious situation, and their growth is frightening. Some days ago, our grain prices plummeted by twenty percent. Upon investigation, I found out that our trade with Camelot was the issue. They had ten times the amount of grain they used to!" The King of Gwent spoke grimly.
"Ten times!" The King of Deheubarth gasped and a strong sense of shock appeared in his eyes.
"According to my Minister of Agriculture, to trade so much grain, Camelot's production must have increased by at least thirty times compared to previous years! At this rate, in a few years, that brat could overturn our entire alliance. Remember, he said his goal was to become the fated ruler of Britain. When that happens, none of us can escape!"
The King of Gwent persuasively continued.
"Seize this opportunity. Let's join forces, weaken Camelot, uncover the secret behind their increased grain production, and restore the alliance to its previous triumphant state. Doesn't that sound good?"
The King of Deheubarth's heart trembled at the allure of the King of Gwent's proposal.
"Don't you worry about Arthur's retaliation? You should know, he's not the type to take a hit and swallow it quietly. Remember what happened when the Prince of Ganna messed with a pregnant woman? His entire kingdom got wiped out. If you really go through with this, Arthur will definitely come after you." The King of Deheubarth tried to remind.
"In the past, I might have had some reservations." The King of Gwent smirked. "But this time, he's chosen his own path to destruction. Does he think he can challenge the three northern kingdoms on his own? I assume that half of his army won't make it back. Retaliation? What does he have to retaliate with?"
The King of Deheubarth remained silent for a long while, finally shaking his head.
"Sorry, I can't agree to your request."
"Why? Worried about the uneven distribution of spoils? That's not a problem, I can let you choose first."
Even though the King of Gwent spoke boldly, deep down, he still harbored some fear of Arthur. That's why he sought out the King of Deheubarth—to have more companions to share the impending hatred.
"It's not about the spoils, but because I can't do this." The King of Deheubarth shook his head. "Arthur, for the future of Britain, decisively marched north to war against Vortigern. As an ally, instead of assisting him, I'd be taking advantage of his misfortune... Just thinking about it makes me sick."
"Have you forgotten the insult that brat threw at both of us during the coronation ceremony?!" The King of Gwent gritted his teeth.
"I certainly haven't forgotten, but compared to dignity, I'd rather hold on to the basic principles of being human." The King of Deheubarth said decisively.
"You..." The King of Gwent was so furious and felt dizzy. The next second, he angrily stormed off. "Then stick to your principles and wait for death!"
The King of Deheubarth watched the King of Gwent's retreating figure and sighed softly.
After leaving the royal palace, one of the King of Gwent's attendants asked, "Your Majesty... Are we still going after Camelot?"
"Go after what?! Do you want me to follow Ganna's example and present your head to Arthur as an apology?!" The King of Gwent snapped.
The attendant immediately fell silent, no longer daring to speak.
The King of Gwent looked back at the royal palace and sighed softly.
'Just wait and see... Before long, this land will be named Pendragon.'
===
"Did the King of Gwent and the King of Deheubarth miss the chance to strike Camelot during this opportunity?"
Arkhan raised an eyebrow in wonder as he casually stroked his chin as if lost in thought.
"Hmm, did I really misjudge them?"
"With Your Majesty around, they wouldn't dare make a move." Lamorak responded.
"Heh, maybe..." Arkhan chuckled. "But, let's forget about them for now. We should handle the main task first."
He turned to look ahead.
Five kilometers away, a magnificent city sprawled across the plain. The magic formations on the city walls emitted a faint glow, forming a massive protective bounded field around the city.
That was the royal capital of Kent, the target of their journey. Seizing this city meant gaining control of one-seventh of the northern territories.
However, it seemed the opposition was prepared.
Arkhan wasn't discouraged. Delaying for a month was, in his view, quite impressive.
"Sir Lamorak, which kingdom is closest to Kent?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, it's Mercia."
"If they start mobilizing their troops to support now, how soon can they arrive?"
Lamorak made a quick estimate in his mind. "Without carrying any supplies, rotating two warhorses per person, and maintaining non-stop travel day and night, they could possibly arrive in as little as three days."
"Three days..." Arkhan mumbled softly with a sly smile on his lips. "Hope they arrive on time, so we won't have to bother collecting the corpses ourselves."
