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IBHJ Chapter 172
🕑 Added 2023-03-26 00:00:58 +0000 UTCOne of the generals sneered, "King Arthur, you speak so boldly! The dire state of Britain has already been reported by our merchants. It's said that you were defeated by Vortigern and fled in panic!"
Shirou sneered, "You're trusting the words of merchants? Hmph, it seems that this general is nothing more than that! A so-called general like you wouldn't even be considered worthy of service in my kingdom."
The general glared in anger, "What did you say!?"
Shirou responded confidently, "Go ahead, ask those very merchants if Vortigern hasn't already been pushed back to the northern border, if the land next to Gaul doesn't belong to King Arthur, and if my name doesn't resonate loudly in the south! If I had truly suffered defeat, how could I command such a high reputation?"
The general scowled and turned to King Ban, who nodded in agreement.
Without delay, the general left and soon returned with a merchant in tow.
The general sneered and addressed the merchant in the hall, "Tell me, do you know King Arthur?"
The merchant responded promptly, "General, I frequently conduct business in Britain, so I am well-acquainted with this king. He is the legendary king of Britain, destined to rule and lead his people."
The general continued his line of questioning, "Are you also aware that this same king was defeated by Vortigern and even abandoned Camelot?"
The merchant replied emphatically, "Of course, I am aware of that! In fact, it was precisely because of this that I hastened to flee from the British Isles and return to my hometown of Benoic!"
The general let out a loud laugh and pointed at Shirou, mocking, "King Arthur, still speaking big words?"
This elicited laughter from the assembled crowd.
Shirou smiled wryly and commented, "How ignorant."
The general scowled, "What did you say?" His expression was fierce.
Shirou responded calmly, "Why don't you have a little chat with this merchant who controls the land stretching from Cornwall to Hadrian's Wall? I'm certain he will gladly enlighten you about the overwhelming love and support the people in the south have for King Arthur."
The general and the other listeners turned to the merchant and posed the questions.
The merchant replied confidently, "The land from Cornwall to Hadrian's Wall is under the control of Camelot, and the people in the south are staunch supporters of King Arthur. Whenever they hear his name, they erupt in cheers and jubilation."
The general was taken aback and questioned, "But didn't you just claim that King Arthur was defeated? How could he still have the love and support of so many people?"
The other listeners in the room looked equally puzzled. If King Arthur had truly suffered a crushing defeat, then surely he would have lost the loyalty of the people. However, the merchant's testimony seemed to contradict this assumption. How could this be possible?
Shirou smiled and explained, "It's simply because I pushed Vortigern back to the north."
The general responded skeptically, "And is 'winning' now synonymous with allowing the capital to fall?"
"Vortigern is a cunning adversary. Without using the capital as bait, how could we have successfully trapped him? If we had not been willing to risk everything, how could I have become king!?"
The people in the room fell silent, processing the information they had just heard. Though they were not fully informed about the situation on the island, based on what they had been told, they could not help but envision a king who had used his own capital as bait to ensnare foreign enemies. This was a stunning revelation that left them all dumbfounded.
The listeners were momentarily awestruck by the image of a king who would use his own capital as a bait for his enemies. The sheer determination and audacity required to execute such a plan left them feeling both impressed and intimidated.
At that moment, one of the court mages sneered and interjected, "You're just trying to deceive us! How can you hope to fool a group of seasoned magi?"
King Ban asked inquisitively, "And why do you say that, mage?"
The court mage responded confidently, "Your Majesty, you may not be aware, but the British Isles are teeming with magical beasts, and Vortigern has even mastered their command. How could a mere human king possibly withstand the overwhelming onslaught of these magical beasts?"
The assembled crowd were all seasoned soldiers who had fought in many battles. Although they had not recently encountered magical beasts, they were well aware of their formidable power from past experiences. As a result, they looked upon Shirou with a sense of mockery.
Shirou smiled calmly, "It's natural for you to ask such a question. If you were to bring the armies of other kingdoms to my country, surely, no one could defend or expand their territory. But I am different! I lead an army of 50,000 unparalleled warriors, each one a hero capable of taking on a hundred enemies. With such exceptional warriors under my command, eradicating magical beasts becomes a simple matter."
At this point, King Ban narrowed his eyes, his gaze icy and penetrating. He demanded, "Unparalleled warriors, you say? Are you suggesting that my own warriors are not powerful enough?"
Shirou responded calmly, "Your warriors are just as powerful as mine."
King Ban sneered in response, "King Arthur, if your warriors truly are unparalleled, then bring them here and let me see them for myself!"
He nodded and replied, "Certainly, I am here for business, not to make enemies. That is why I have only brought 50 of my warriors with me, and they are all currently waiting at the dock."
King Ban said, "Bring them to the castle, and I'll see for myself!"
Shirou nodded in agreement and turned to address Merlin, whom he referred to as Arax. He ordered, "Arax, go and retrieve our warriors from Camelot."
Merlin was momentarily taken aback, wondering why Shirou was calling him by a different name.
He noticed Merlin's confusion and reassured him, "What are you waiting for? Do you fear that King Ban will harm me? Don't be ridiculous! King Ban is a hero in his own right, and I trust him completely. Now go quickly and retrieve our warriors from the dock!"
Merlin walked out of the room, still feeling somewhat confused.
Meanwhile, King Ban questioned him, "King Arthur, are you not afraid that I might harm you?"
He responded confidently, "I am not afraid. Not only do I believe that King Ban is a formidable hero, but also because if I were to die here, then you would have to contend with another enemy, one even more formidable than any force you have faced before! And, most importantly-"
He looked around and chuckled, "With the exception of King Ban and Prince Lancelot, no one here has the power to stop me!"
"What did you say!?"
"Say that again!"
As soon as Shirou finished speaking, the generals in the room glared at him with fury. Some were so incensed that they even drew their swords in anger, but were quickly restrained by Lancelot.
The atmosphere in the room was tense and fraught with danger, but he remained composed and self-assured, his smile unbroken.
King Ban began to feel increasingly suspicious of Shirou. Despite his advanced age, he had grown wiser and more measured in his responses over time, and Shirou's enigmatic demeanor and unwavering self-assurance had left a deep impression on him. However, this was still his own territory, and he could not afford to appear weak or indecisive in front of his people.
King Ban rose from his seat and led Shirou outside the castle. Waiting for them was his army of a thousand, all brandishing their weapons and exuding a formidable aura.
As soon as King Ban emerged, the army erupted into cheers.
"King Ban!"
"King Ban!"
Their enthusiasm was palpable, and their energy was electrifying.
This was truly a tiger army!
The Ban King looked at Shirou and asked, "Arthur, what do you think of my army?"
"Not bad," he replied.
King Ban scowled at him and taunted, "I suppose Arthur would feel honored if he were killed by the swords of these brave warriors, wouldn't he?"
Shirou simply chuckled, "And I suppose the Ban King would meet his end by the random thrusts of a spear."
King Ban's expression grew even more fierce and his eyes blazed with a chilling fury, causing his army to bristle with anger and exude an even stronger aura of killing intent. Yet Shirou remained unperturbed, smiling calmly in the face of their hostility.
At that moment—
"Thud, thud, thud—!!!"
Suddenly, amidst the chaotic noise, the sound of an orderly and heavy footstep reverberated.
"What's that sound?" asked a general.
Lancelot's face turned grave. "They're here!"
Merlin appeared not far away, leading the strongest fifty soldiers who had emerged from the dock. They were adorned in bright silver armor, and held the formidable bronze spear, Gae Bolg, as they advanced slowly.
Their steps were muffled, yet their aura was strong. Each of them wore a deadly expression, akin to a giant dragon lurking in the abyss.
"Thud, thud, thud—"
"Thud, thud, thud—"
Despite their small number, the gathered momentum of these fifty soldiers was stronger than King Ban's army of a thousand!
It was clear that these were not ordinary soldiers, but rather monstrous warriors who had emerged from piles of corpses and seas of blood.
These were the true strong ones, who had survived the sea of beasts and formed the army that had fought for years on Hadrian's Wall, massacring the sea of beasts.
Upon arriving at the front of the castle, they simply stood there, without uttering a single word. However, the sheer killing aura emanating from them was enough to silence King Ban's army of a thousand.
King Ban's generals were left in shock, their mouths agape as they witnessed the sight before them.
Merlin approached Shirou with a smile and announced, "Your Highness, Arax has returned with the troops!"
"Thank you for your hard work, Arax," He acknowledged, before stepping forward to face his soldiers. "There are those who say that the people of Camelot are cowards," he proclaimed. "But tell me, you unmatched warriors gathered under the wings of the Red Dragon, what will you do?"
"We fearlessly ascend mountains of swords, fearlessly plunge into seas of fire; always at the forefront, never faltering even in the face of death!"
"We fearlessly ascend mountains of swords, fearlessly plunge into seas of fire; always at the forefront, never faltering even in the face of death!"
"We fearlessly ascend mountains of swords, fearlessly plunge into seas of fire; always at the forefront, never faltering even in the face of death!"
The deafening roar was earth-shattering, echoing with the valor of the warriors, and proclaiming the boundless might of humanity!
Its intensity left everyone stunned and shocked.
Shirou turned to face King Ban and smiled, "King Ban, do you see them? These are my warriors, my army, the people of Camelot!"
King Ban felt a chill run down his spine as he faced the fifty pairs of eyes that seemed to bore into him like fiery daggers from hell. His spirit wavered, and he instinctively held his breath.
