In the border between the Tosuminia and Faskurn, there is a valley which run along the borderline and separates the two kingdoms .

The two kingdoms each build a fortress on the plain near their respective valley exits . This area is mostly barren with little magic beast to hunt and scarce resources such as plantation and minerals so the only one who can be seen around the area are mostly just merchant transporting their goods .

At the same time when the news of war between Ezemeria and Faskurn getting more intense came, Tosuminia King quickly react with strengthening the border guard . No matter how, it is a truth that Faskurn managed to acquire power strong enough that enabled them to go face to face with Ezemeria which have strong mercenary group so Tosumina King feels that the flame of war would definitely spread to his kingdom too .

But now, situations that Tosuminia and even Faskurn unable to forecast happened in succession .

The mercenary that Tosuminia managed to hire numbered over 500 strong . With Tosuminia border fortress filled to the brim with their army, the mercenary can only make encampment behind the fortress for them to rest .

Renya and his party is also inside one of the tent in the encampment and they are currently having a strategy meeting for the upcoming war .

“Who would have thought that those black armor knights are actually a ma.s.s producing type? How unexpected”

“I wonder why Faskurn would use something like that”

To Floria ‘airheaded’ question, Brenda would naturally answers .

“Someone from Ordough Sect must have offered it to them right? And then according to the standard of the kingdoms in this continent, Faskurn would definitely be the first to bite”

“Because the kingdom itself is Nouveau Riche right . If they could possess such a powerful nearly invincible army in their hand, they would agree to pay for it no matter how much money it cost”

“But Elvira, do you think the sect do this because they want money? That couldn’t be just that right?”

“Florisan, if I might presume, gathering funds is only their second objective . I have a heard bits and pieces about Ordough Sect from Renysama before and it seems that they have an unhealthy obsession in making people feel grief, despair, and other kinds of negative emotion . With the more the better”

“With this irrational war happening, all the kingdoms involved will be the perfect source for such negative emotion, right”

Renya and his party nod at each other .

Looking at the surrounding soldier and mercenaries, they have shown many kinds of emotion already . Those mad men from the sect should be laughing happily right now,

The grief of the soldiers who fall at such war without founding any meaning .

The grief of the common folks that got abused without knowing the reason .

No matter if they are allies or enemies, their scream could even pierce the sky . So how could those mad men from the sect not feel happy with the success of their plan .

Well, too bad, it won’t though .

“But the fortress commander seems to be stupefied desu”

“Well, that can’t be helped . Renya was decimating those black knight unit easily after all”

“Just in case, I have made preparation like reporting our experiences in Eribeiris (With the Prince who got a divine armament gift from Renya and tsun princess) and also communicate with the Warrior and Magician guild about their weakness but . . . . . . ”

“We just go and make contribution that even surpa.s.s that right”

“ . . . . . . Nn, Onii-chan was wonderful”

“There is no meaning in prolonging this after all . And there’s also Ezemeria to think about . I don’t feel any need in holding myself back so I just finish it as fast as I could as I feel that is the best”

That was what he said but Renya can’t hide his smile from receiving the envious gaze and words of praise from everyone .

His contribution in war could be simply summarized like this:

Tosuminia scout managed to detect Faskurn army movement so they planned an ambush at the exit of the valley .

The army planned to rain that black knight unit with long range high powered magic bombardment with magician from the mercenary and magician guild as the main attacker . The commander have collected enough information so he could already make a.s.sumption of such situation . The black knight unit still march forward in a perfect formation while still maintaining their normal speed which give plenty of chances for the defender to shoot wave after wave of magic bombardment .

Faskurn army naturally would expect such move and they don’t belief that such attack could annihilate their ultimate army .

Well, there are actually some black knight that is fallen because of the magic bombardment but the pace of them getting defeated is just too slow . Their number will still be quite high when they reach Tosuminia’s border fortress . Everyone thought that a direct confrontation between the border guard and that black knight unit is unavoidable .

But they don’t know .

There is a special being mixed in with them . A special being that could steamroll army of thousands, even army of tens of thousands would still find difficult to rival .

[The wrath of heaven that slaughter demons and fiends alike, Thy shalt know that the wrath of a G.o.d is like a thunder mowing down the earth . Cometh forth, Rolling Thunder Sovereign Divine Sword, TAKE MIKAZUCHI]
[Eros:  I swear these line to summon divine armaments always tickle the chuunibyou in me]

In Renya previous world, in one of the legend that have been handed down since the old days of j.a.pan .

It was the Deity of Lightning’s name and it is also the Deity of Sword’s name . The sword that is birthed by the deity was thus named as such, the j.a.panese katana that crowned by the name of one from the three pillar deity .

Its design is that of a simple uchigatana, a kind of curved katana that could be unsheathed and strike the enemy in one action (Eros: as in Iai slash) . But its blade is clad with imperishable purple thunder .

Its power makes one to not even feel any fear by just a few hundreds of black knights that were previously a nightmare to everyone as it could summon an infinite amount of thunder from above .

If the divine sword could cover a large area with rain of thunders, then it also could focus its power into one spot to concentrate the power of infinity thunder into one rolling thunder . This divine armament is truly the personification of the G.o.d’s wrath . Renya pulled it out without restrain .

Different from a certain no-control thunder G.o.d, the accuracy of each thunder strike is highly precise that it might even make the aforementioned G.o.d to feel jealous .

When he was fighting with the predecessor War G.o.d, the concentrated rolling thunder is the first attack that could force the old G.o.d to defend himself with both hands . That small achievement made this divine sword one of his favorite .

The surging waves of thunder is like pouring water on the battlefield, making the surrounding fall into silence .

No matter if it was allies or enemies .

But when the clouds of sand that was raised because of the thunder strike cleared up, the figure of black knight is nowhere to be see . When everyone realize the situation, the light and darkness clearly split .

Both sides raises their voice like trying to even rupture the heavens .

Tosuminia side is rising cries of victory .

Faskurn side is rising scream of defeat .

To avoid the loss of manpower, Faskurn only deploy a minimum amount of knight in the war .

Rations, wages, if the army moved there would definitely followed by cost .

Because they use the black knight unit that can keep on battling for 24/7 without rest and without pay as long as there are enough people to command them, Faskurn army arrangement could be said as perfect but what if that invincible part got defeated?

So in the end, what can a few hundred of knight, and the kind that always relied on the black knight to do the job, can do?

Tosuminia knight brigade is making the best use of the characteristic of the plain by using hors.e.m.e.n unit . With lance as their main weapon, they charge straight through the enemy center formation which got instantly routed . The mercenary unit is following behind in a scattered formation . They employed an orthodox yet effective way to crush each escaping enemies by overwhelming them with numbers . Faskurn army is easily annihilated .

The fight ended with Renya as number one contributor which is only known by the few at the top . Aside from that fact, the fight in Tosuminia border ended with the complete victory from Tosuminia side .

“Well, their tactics depend heavily on the black knight after all . If we can destroy that part then everyone can easily guess the result”

“Well, it’s been a while since you are going all out right Renya?”

“My bad, I somehow getting on the mood you know . I even said something like [Let me show you, Lapu . . . . . . The G.o.d of Thunder!] spontaneously”
(Eros: maybe a line from Sky Castle Laputa? Eros doesn’t watch many Ghibli)

“If you say all of it then thing could get dangerous . The agency might move”

“You know right? Letting things going with the flow might get me into trouble”

When Renya and Floria are talking about things that only the two of them understand, the other can only tilt their head in confusion .

“But you know . . . This situation is kinda awkward”

“ . . . . . . What do you mean?”

“Umu, even for me who is self aware of my own nature, I still can’t find the mood to flirt inside this tent, is what I mean”

Just in case Renya had already cast a soundproof barrier around the tent but this tent interior doesn’t look like the one a commander has with furniture, bedding, and woodwork inside . It was just a simple large tent where 6 people can rest comfortably with s.p.a.ce to spare . It just not suited to do ‘many other’ things inside .

“ . . . . . . And while you said that, you hand is still caressing my thigh though”

“Mine too! Well, I notice that he is going to something like this so I quickly take the seat next to him although I don’t have any other motives than this”

“Well, I don’t feel that much reserved in front of you girls anymore so if there’s a girl close to me, I will . . . . . . touchy touchy!”

Hearing what Renya said, Rebecca seems to have a flash of idea and swiftly moves . Seeing her best friend moves, Therese frowned and realize that she was late to act .

The current open s.p.a.ce in Renya surrounding is only in his front so Rebecca slips her small body into that s.p.a.ce .

And somehow, she takes the spot while still facing at Renya .

“ . . . . . . If I do it like this . . . . . . I feel that . . . . . . Onii-chan will be happy”

“By the way your real motive are?”

“ . . . . . . . . . If I face this way . . . . . . My breast can . . . . . . touch you?”

“Congratulation that was a great move! Here is your prize”

With a natural movement, Renya pull up Rebecca’s in the chin and give her a kiss .

“ . . . . . . Nnn . . . . . . Thank you, Onii-chan”

It was just a ‘light skinship’ between the two but it seems like Rebecca is satisfied with her correct move and the prize that she starts clinging toward Renya like a cat .

“Uuu, next time I have to work harder desu”

“Uuu, next time I have to work harder desu”

Elvira then consoles the dejected Therese . Elvira is holding herself back because she just had her own date with Renya so she let the others have the opportunity now .

It might seem that Renya’s party doesn’t feel any mental strain but Tosuminia side had managed to defend the enemy first move . Now, with the black knight defeated, the next move from Faskurn towards Tosuminia will decide how Renya will deal with them . That was what he think before until . . .

“Pardon my interruption! Is Renya Eastle-dono present?”

He is suddenly called by a man courteously from outside his tent .

Renya thinks that it must be someone from Tosuminia army that called him as he showed his face from inside the tent .

“Aa, I am Renya”

“Pardon me from disturbing your rest . Actually, the commander has something to discuss with you”

“About the future strategies right? I get it, I will go immediately”

The messenger gives him a salute even if his status now is only as a mercenary then quickly leave .

They are actually employer and employee on top of the paper so Renya thought that they would act a bit rougher . Who knows that the discipline of Tosuminia soldier is that high .

In any case, because Renya predicts that the talk with the commander would use a lot of brain power, he also brings Brenda and Floria with him to meet the commander inside his private room in the fortress .

The commander seems to not fond of luxury as his private room is only filled with necessities . His character could be clearly seen from his room .

“I’m sorry for calling you immediately after the fight end”

“It’s alright, don’t mind it . We were not doing anything special anyway”

“Kuku, for you to not think the annihilation of those black knight unit as [special] filled me with awe”

“I am just telling the truth”

As the top in this fortress, he should be someone who doesn’t go out to the frontline often but Renya notices his bulging muscles under his knight brigade uniform . Added with his sharp gaze, Renya could tell that this commander isn’t someone half baked . Renya could only reply his ironic statement with a wry smile .

“Your true strength seems to surpa.s.s even your rumor back in Eribeiris continent eh, Mr black haired wanderer”

“It might be late but, I hope that you could spare me from spreading that information”

“Such a n.o.ble thing to say . Even though every kingdoms around are wishing for you to join them”

“My principle is to follow my own creed and definitely won’t support others’ . That’s why working for a kingdom is something that is not matched with my nature”

“So in conclusion, you think that Tosuminia have something worth supporting according to your creed?”

“Suminiastar is a good place . Is there any other reason needed beside that?”

“ . . . . . . No, as someone who loves his country, that flattery also made me happy”

That happiness must be really from his heart as Renya notices how the commander’s smile turn gentler .

That happiness must be really from his heart as Renya notices how the commander’s smile turn gentler .

“Actually, we managed to capture a commanding officer cla.s.s from the enemy side”

“ . . . . . . You done well to do something like that in that melee”

“It’s not that hard actually, the first one to turn his back to escape with all they had in contrast was really conspicuous in such kind of losing a fight situation”

“Oh, so a smallfry among the smallfry you said”

“Umu, in addition, that guy also had a loose lips . We got information that Tosuminia invasion main purpose is not to conquer but more like ‘to delay’ us”

From what the guy information, their original plan is to occupy this border fortress to nail Tosuminia army attention to it .

The reason is to restrain Tosuminia movement .

The other reason is to not let Tosuminia intervene with the war in Ezemeria’s side .

“You might have heard that our kingdom relation with Ezemeria is a friendly one . Now that the fact about Faskurn is the first one to open fire known, our king will surely send our soldier to reinforce Ezemeria”

“But if Faskurn army approach the border, or even worse, managed to occupy a fortress then . . . . . . ”

“Of course we have to split our army in response to that . Faskurn want to prevent our kingdom from interfering them before they could completely conquer Ezemeria . I have also witnessed their black knight unit from the fight before . Their combat power is indeed frightening but it’s not something that numbers can’t solve . If Ezemeria and Tosuminia form an alliance and combine our army together, the war would definitely get prolonged”

At that moment, a question suddenly pops out in Renya’s head .

From Ordough sect’s point of view, a prolonged war should be something more aligned with their goal so they should feel happy instead with that . But Faskurn probably want to press down the damage to the bare minimum so they can conquer Ezemeria with the maximum profit they can get .

Does the two party even have the same goal?

(Or perhaps . . . . . . Be it Ordough sect or Faskurn both move with their own respective agenda . . . . . . ?)

Reading the enemy aim wrongly is something bad but rather than getting stressed about it, he should move out to solve the problem at hand first .

“But then again, our kingdom can’t stay idle . And that’s where you are needed Renya dono . Could you hear to our request?”

“Let me hear it”

“Oi! Bring that guy in!”

With that command, the door that connected to the neighboring room opened . A lone Faskurn knight guarded by Tosuminia soldier in his two sides is coming in to the room .

His face shows the sign of fatigue, his appearance is also tattered . The symbol of Faskurn knight which is a luxurious armor is also worn out . That appearance is pretty much like that of a defeated knight .

But Renya feels that this knight eyes is not yet dead .

“And he is?”

“Faskurn knight, Eugene Bargur ---- Because his allies plotted on him, he decided to throw away his kingdom”