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IBHJ Chapter 211
🕑 Added 2023-04-16 22:24:52 +0000 UTCShirou walked out of the palace and called upon the knights to gather at the military camp.
Vortigern's ability to unleash the tower of light was due to his occupation of Camelot, enabling him to harness the island's natural power.
The freed holy lance Rhongomyniad materialized as a tower of light that bridged the gap between the Reality and Reverse Side of the World.
The overwhelming force emanating from this tower transcended human power and can only be described as a true divine power capable of vanquishing any adversary with ease. In fact, each individual beam discharged by the tower of light possessed greater might than the Excalibur Shirou had faced in the Fourth Holy Grail War.
Combatting the tower of light is an insurmountable task. Nevertheless, Vortigern cannot be vanquished unless the tower of light is eradicated.
Vortigern's dominion over the tower of light stems from his possession of nearly seventy percent of the British Isles.
Rather than confronting an invincible foe directly, the key to defeating the tower of light lies in attacking the land that Vortigern controls. By doing so, his power will be undermined and the tower of light can be neutralized.
Merlin, Morgan, and other magi can endure the tower of light's assaults with the aid of large-scale magic bounded fields, albeit for a maximum of three days.
After three days, the effectiveness of the bounded fields may persist, but the evil thoughts of nearly 80,000 individuals will gravitate towards the 'Evil Flower,' causing the users to fall prey to their own malevolence.
For Merlin, in particular, who is an Incubus, being consumed by the evil of the "Evil Flower" would transmute him into a creature of wickedness.
During this time, Shirou may have to confront another formidable adversary, a Magus bearing the rank of Grand Caster.
Therefore, three days is a critical limit.
In fact, to prevent the tower of light from continuing to function, it is imperative to seize 20% of Vortigern's land within two days or at the latest, two and a half days. While Merlin may be striving to hold out, time is of the essence.
Seizing 20% of the land within two days may seem like a daunting task, if not impossible.
Implementing Shirou's large-scale plan could increase their chances of success since it would create more attack points.
However, currently, the situation appears exceedingly challenging.
Despite the difficulties, they must persevere. If they give up, they will undoubtedly suffer defeat.
Currently, Shirou is coordinating the deployment of troops at the military camp.
Amongst all the territories claimed by Vortigern, Scotland represents the largest. Consequently, a message has already been dispatched to the troops lying in ambush in Northern Ireland, requesting them to lead the armies of allied kings willing to aid Ireland in attacking the Picts.
Among them, Gaheris and a thousand elite soldiers lay in wait for the signal to advance. Nonetheless, misfortunes seldom come alone.
Upon arriving at the military camp, an urgent message was delivered from Tristan, who was responsible for safeguarding the northern defense line.
It appears that Vortigern's army is advancing southward, accompanied by three formidable magical beasts representing the sea, land, and air.
Despite the ongoing onslaught of the tower of light, the enemy army has already caught up to them, trailing them like a shadow.
The sudden combination of these assaults left everyone in a state of shock, beads of sweat dotting their brows. Nonetheless, Shirou remained composed, having anticipated this scenario.
The strategy involved utilizing the tower of light to launch a devastating assault on the capital, inducing panic and potentially taking out the unprepared king in one swift blow. This calculated move was designed to create chaos throughout the kingdom and pave the way for a full-scale army attack. It was a deadly combination of attacks.
In fact, two of the kings were unreachable, but those still in contact acted swiftly to activate the kingdom's protective barrier, successfully thwarting the tower of light's attacks.
However, they acknowledged that if the tower's assault continued unchecked, they would eventually fall to its relentless onslaught. This realization was shared among all the kings, for who could withstand such an unyielding barrage from the tower of light?
Shirou's face was grave as he sat in the military camp, rapidly issuing orders. For over two years, he had devoted himself to developing his forces, relentlessly clearing out bandits, crushing mercenaries, and independently recruiting soldiers. Now, in Cornwall alone, the region under his direct control, he commanded an army of 11,000 soldiers - a truly massive force.
His army was able to thrive thanks to his exceptional infrastructure. For two long years, they had toiled tirelessly, equipping themselves with Gae Bolg, the holy sword, and projection armor.
Through it all, he had instilled his troops with faith, weapons, armor, and innate skills. Thanks to the intensive training provided by Merlin, Scathach, and other knights, Shirou's army had transformed into a disciplined and cooperative force of heroes.
Shirou swiftly mobilized his troops as Vortigern's army approached with overwhelming force. Even with their defense line, he knew they were outnumbered and at a disadvantage.
To protect the main city, he left 7,000 soldiers behind, along with Scathach, the skilled hunter of magical beasts, Kay, the expert in defense, and a group of knights proficient in internal affairs and defense.
Meanwhile, Shirou prepared to lead his most destructive forces, including Artoria, Gawain, and 3,000 of his finest soldiers, in a surprise attack on Vortigern's fortress, Londinium, in the north.
He had already made contact with Lamorak and Lancelot, who were lurking in Gaul, and had sought assistance from the kings of Ban and Bors. He was now prepared to launch a joint attack on Londinium, utilizing both land and sea forces.
Londinium, a Roman city situated on the coast of Britannia and Gaul, was vast enough to cover a significant portion of northern England.
Shirou understood that capturing this strategic location and uniting the kings around Hadrian's Wall would allow them to swiftly seize control of 20% of the northern territories. This would deal a major blow to Vortigern's forces and significantly weaken the power of the tower of light.
This ambitious plan also meant that Shirou had to conquer Londinium and occupy the surrounding areas within a mere two-day timeframe.
Londinium was Vortigern's original stronghold, and he knew that conquering it would be an incredibly difficult feat to achieve. However, with no other viable options available, the outcome of the battle ultimately rested on this one critical move.
The stakes were high, and the outcome of this battle would determine the fate of the world. If Shirou and his forces emerged victorious, they would have a chance to fairly compete and shape the future. But if they were to lose, the world would face its final and greatest challenge of the Age of Gods, with no hope of salvation.
The generals gathered in the military camp under the king's banner, their expressions grave but shining as Shirou addressed them, "Gentlemen, this is not a battle between mere mortals, but a battle between men and gods! We cannot subsist on food and drink like the gods, nor can we afford to be reckless like the beasts. We must protect our homeland and defend our loved ones. The gods may be supreme and powerful, but we must believe that with unwavering tenacity, humanity can be stronger than even the gods themselves! If the gods wish to destroy us and humanity, then we will pull them down from their thrones and let the glory of humanity shine upon the earth!"
The knights nodded in agreement, their expressions resolute and filled with faith as they gazed upon their king's face. For many of them, their faith had previously been placed in the gods, but over the past two years, their loyalty had shifted to the king.
While the gods were all-knowing and all-powerful, they were also enigmatic and difficult to comprehend. The king, on the other hand, possessed vast and tangible wisdom that his knights could understand and rely upon.
The knights followed the king's orders and assumed their positions, ready to lead their troops into battle. Meanwhile, the king himself hurried to Guinevere's residence, urgently grabbing hold of her hair and pulling her out of her slumber before dragging her back to the palace.
"I...I haven't done anything wrong," Guinevere cried, her face awash with tears.
The king roughly dragged her to the round table and summoned Agravain and Bedivere to join them. Turning to Guinevere, the king spoke, "While I am away, Agravain and Bedivere will be responsible for making arrangements. However, I will be entrusting you with the authority to govern the city in my absence."
Guinevere was visibly frightened and trembling as she pleaded with the king, "My king, please don't do this. I...I'm not capable of managing such a task."
The king sternly replied, "When I entrust you with this responsibility, I believe in your wisdom and ability to succeed. You must do this well. If I return to find chaos, I will not hesitate to remove your head!"
Despite her fear, Guinevere had no choice but to accept the king's order. Shirou then tasked Agravain and Bedivere with supporting Guinevere in governing the city, before donning his own armor, drawing the sword he had projected through his Projection, and stepping forward to address his assembled army of over ten thousand soldiers.
The king gazed out at his army, and they returned his gaze with unwavering determination.
"Hear me, my brave and invincible warriors! The battle is upon us, and there is no turning back! Those assigned to defend the city, hold your ground. Cornwall stands behind us! As for those joining me in the offensive, fight with fierce resolve. If we don't win this, Camelot as we know it will be no more!"
Unsheathing his sword, the king roared, "I have declared that wherever this sword lands when the red dragon spreads its wings, that place shall belong to the king! Now, the red dragon has unfurled its wings, and we will fight with everything we have—for our survival, for our future, and for all we hold dear!"
"Who am I?!"
"King Arthur! King Arthur!"
"King Arthur! King Arthur!"
The soldiers and people who had not slept all night roared in response, their voices ringing out with a thunderous chorus. 80,000 individuals shouted in unison, their combined power shaking the very heavens and earth. It was a testament to the unbreakable spirit and determination of humanity, united in their struggle against the forces that sought to destroy them.
The king mounted his horse and brandished the Caliburn high in the air and shouted, "For Camelot!"
