Please support the translation by reading the translation and commenting on otakutl official site.
Thank you.
Everyone from Otaku Translation
Chapter 120: The Final Battle Part 9
The commander of the Silver Elves removed his golden spired helmet, shaking his head to let a cascade of silver hair fall freely like a waterfall. He exhaled deeply, his pale silver eyes coldly surveying the battlefield littered with carnage. The corpses of lizardfolk lay scattered amidst the ruins, their blood flowing in rivulets that trickled across the ground. The air was thick with the acrid stench of gore—a scent that would turn the stomach of most ordinary people. But for the battle-hardened elven warriors, it was the sweet aroma of victory.
No, not victory—far from it.
Hjúkigr had fled. His subordinates had wanted to give chase, but Minnis stopped them. The Silver Elf commander sheathed his gilded, ornate rapier with deliberate calm and gestured for his troops to regroup, preparing for their next move. His orders were sharp, precise, and devoid of hesitation.
At the same time, he noticed Tiger Finch approaching from the opposite end of the battlefield, leading another contingent of elves. Though Tiger Finch was no stranger to Minnis’s post-battle demeanor, he couldn’t help but pause momentarily. After such a brutal fight, Minnis emanated an aura of breathtaking beauty. There was something almost too delicate about him, yet the bloodstains on his golden armor created a jarring contrast, accentuating his ethereal allure. Combined with the traditional long silver hair of the Silver Elves and his perpetually aloof expression, Minnis exuded an otherworldly magnetism.
“Commander,” Tiger Finch began, quickly collecting himself. “The battle here has concluded.”
“Yes,” Minnis replied with a curt nod.
He turned his gaze toward the ceremonial hall, where the gray banner still fluttered defiantly in the wind. But the state of the battle there remained unknown to all.
“But we are far from claiming victory,” Minnis said. “We will retreat along our original path as planned. Let us hope your lord fulfills his promise instead of gambling with his life.”
“Wait,” Tiger Finch interrupted. “That wasn’t the original order from our lord.”
Minnis looked down at him with an imperious glare.
“You saw that monstrosity,” the Silver Elf commander said icily. “Even at the height of our strength, we’d need three of us to match it without faltering. Do you truly believe your lord can hold it off for more than half an hour?” He paused, his voice cutting like steel. “Captain, my criterion for judgment is simple: victory above all else. On the battlefield against the Dragon of Darkness, there is no room for mercy.”
“But—”
“I have no time to debate this with you,” Minnis cut him off. “I am merely informing allied forces of our actions out of courtesy. Or, to put it another way, Antietta or your lord—who holds greater importance in this battle? Choose wisely.”
Tiger Finch fell silent, glancing involuntarily in Antietta’s direction.
Minnis shook his head. “Very well, human. Allow me to clarify one point: Metissa gave her life for this cause. What may seem incomprehensible to you is, in our history, the understanding that leniency toward oneself is the abandonment of tomorrow’s hope. I trust you comprehend.” Lowering his voice, he added softly, “In fact, I’ve already sought Antietta’s private consent regarding this matter.”
With that, he straightened up and raised his hand.
“The Phoenix Guard, prepare to move out.”
---
As Minnis and Tiger Finch had anticipated, the first battle under Antietta’s command was not proceeding smoothly. With no natural defenses to rely on, the lizardfolk quickly breached the outermost wall. Lacking significant obstacles, the mercenaries found themselves within range of the enemy crossbowmen. Even retaliatory volleys struggled to gain traction.
Yet the indomitable spirit of Rubis’ Mercenaries shone through. At the forefront, three mercenaries faced nearly thirty times their number in relentless waves of attacks. They lost their position three times, only to reclaim it each time with sheer determination. The density of the lizardfolk assault was so overwhelming that Antietta’s attempts to send reinforcements twice were thwarted before they could reach the front lines. In the end, the last surviving mercenary detonated the sole disintegration crystal in their possession, inflicting the heaviest casualties the lizardfolk had suffered since the battle began:
Fifteen lizardfolk collapsed on the sloping ramp between the first and second walls.
But the fighting grew bloodier still. A grueling tug-of-war ensued between Rubis’ Mercenaries and the lizardfolk, every defensible point becoming a meat grinder. After suffering a casualty ratio of 22:4, the lizardfolk finally broke through the outer wall and advanced toward the central platform outside the ceremonial hall.
By this point, nineteen minutes had passed since the start of the battle, and ten minutes since initial contact with the rear guard.
The mercenaries began to fall back, but this was only a temporary solution. Their defensive perimeter was shrinking dangerously, leaving less and less room to maneuver. Behind them stood Antietta.
An arrow whizzed past the young noblewoman’s fair cheek—
Blood welled from the shallow cut, but she seemed oblivious. Her hands gripped the flagpole tightly, steadfastly holding her ground at the edge of the platform. She calculated the passage of time and shifts in the battle, waiting for an opening. Yet every mercenary death weighed heavily on her heart. Under Brandon’s leadership, there had been no casualties. But now, barely ten minutes into her command, losses were mounting catastrophically.
When Tia, a young elven girl, threw herself in front of Antietta to shield her from a fatal shot, the sheltered noblewoman felt tears threatening to spill uncontrollably. Still, she bit her lip and endured, gently laying the pale, serene-faced elf maiden on the ground. Her body still retained warmth, as though she were merely asleep.
Antietta felt someone press a handkerchief into her hand.
She turned in surprise to see Fleur, the fallen girl’s sister, watching her calmly.
“You’re injured, Lady Antietta.”
“No, it’s nothing…” Antietta took a deep breath, choking back tears. “I’m sorry…”
Fleur’s pink lips parted as if to speak, but she hesitated and remained silent. Brandon hadn’t explained, and neither could she.
“Please hand the flagpole to me, Lady Antietta. It’s too dangerous here,” Fleur said after a moment’s hesitation.
Antietta shook her head.
“No, this is my place.” This was her promise to Brandon, and she resolved to keep it.
The lizardfolk breached the fourth line of defense, forcing the mercenaries to retreat further. Both sides were nearing the gentle slope formed by the collapse of one side of the lower platform—a distance of less than fifty meters. Fleur saw the lizardfolk crossbowmen raising their weapons, aiming repeatedly until they pinpointed the location beneath the banner. Though their accuracy left much to be desired, persistence paid off.
Fleur frowned, stepping in front of Antietta and resting her hand on the hilt of her slender elven blade. Like her sister, she had exhausted her magic, yet she remained resolute in fulfilling her duty.
“Fleur.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you…” Antietta coughed softly, her voice barely audible.
The elven maiden offered a faint smile, but her expression quickly turned grave as she focused on the advancing enemy below. The lizardfolk tightened their heavy crossbows, emitting a cacophony of creaks and groans. As they raised their weapons once more, Fleur clenched her sword hilt, uncertain whether she could deflect all the bolts aimed their way.
The crossbows rose—
Antietta and Fleur both felt their breath hitch. Even those prepared to face death couldn’t escape the creeping despair of its inevitability. Yet the imagined onslaught never came. Instead, a small, glowing crystal flew from behind them, tracing a graceful arc before landing among the horde of lizardfolk below.
It was as though a crimson flower bloomed in an ocean of ink-green scales. A deafening explosion sent limbs and entrails flying, followed by a rain of blood. Everyone froze—lizardfolk, mercenaries, even Antietta and Fleur. The only remaining disintegration crystal should have been in Antietta’s possession, but she had given it to the three mercenaries earlier...
Instinctively, Antietta turned her head—
A loud clang rang out as a sword clattered onto the platform, tossed from the rubble behind them. Below, Roma scrambled up, panting heavily. Collapsing onto the platform, she grinned triumphantly despite her exhaustion. “Phew, I almost got lost… Whew… It wasn’t easy finding this place… An… huff… Antietta, I know swordsmanship. I can protect you… Ugh, I’m so tired…”
“Wait,” Antietta asked, bewildered. “Roma, how did you get here? No… I mean, didn’t you give your disintegration crystal to Brandon?”
At this, Roma’s face crumpled into a pout. Clutching her bag, she murmured, “Well… I might have kept just a tiny bit…”
“How much? Wait…” Antietta suddenly realized why the explosion’s force had seemed off that night. Grabbing Roma’s shoulders, she demanded, “You mean those ten crystals weren’t used together yesterday? Were they the ones?”
“Absolutely not! I swear, I only had nine… no, eight!” Roma’s eyes darted nervously as she shook her head vigorously.
Project Update: Volume 2 is now fully translated! However, as I'm currently focusing on stacking chapters for Volume 3, the release of the remaining chapters in Volume 2 will slow down a bit.
For more updates and to stay connected, feel free to join the Discord on the otaku translation blog.
If you would like to support this translation, you may choose any one of the options below.
How to find a list of chapters
Please find the chapter label next to your favorite translator's name, and click the label.
