Chapter 34 - The Princess's Army

The army didn't become visible until five minutes later and by that time the entire fort was ready and primed for battle. Leone and Zombiman had taken places on specific parts of the battlements that the commander had recommended so they could back up the regular troops while Stalker was going to be helping defend the weak points and provided help to whoever would need it. His proximity mines wouldn't be able to be used on the battlements because of the risk of harming our allies but he would easily be able to lob them into the enemy, which should hinder their effort to get onto the walls.

Lilah and Domino had taken up similar positions with Gible acting as their help. With his dig, he could move surprisingly fast and appear behind enemies easily. It would allow him to take the same role as Stalker, though he would be able to take down groups more easily on the wall with his flame thrower.

Rath and Blair were flying overhead with the talon riders preparing to bombard the enemy the moment they came into range, They could have probably flown to them and already started but I didn't want to risk anything. The enemy might have some secrets up their sleeves and in all honesty, Blair had already lost more than half of her lives due to stray bolts of magic and arrows. She wasn't like the rest of the team. She didn't have superhuman durability. If she died then I doubted I would be able to summon her again until after the battle. None of my summons had ever died but I didn't think the time to resummon them would be minimal.

Even with all that, however, the odds didn't look good. The army was huge. It was most of the princess's army and unlike the force of two thousand which had been a mess and hadn't used proper tactics, this army was marching in formation and was clearly well disciplined and trained. They didn't have many siege engines with them but those they did have looked far more threatening than a simple catapult. A large ballista-like weapon that looked to shoot three large bolts at once. That was already bad enough, but the bolts looked to be enchanted with who knew what effect.

"I'm glad we have Domino," I muttered. "Because we're gonna need all the luck we can get."

"Hm? What was that, your majesty?" Asara asked.

"Nothing," I replied then I turned to her. "Are you sure you want to stay here with me? I'm not averse to the idea but wouldn't you do more good alongside your riders?"

"Perhaps," She said. "But my riders can handle themselves and this position only has you, the rest of your allies are elsewhere. You and I shall hold this section of the wall."

I opened my mouth to respond but stopped when I spotted a lone rider closing in on the gate below me. I frowned and looked for any others but it was only the lone rider. He stopped a few feet away from the gate and called up, "I wish to speak to your commander. I have terms to offer. We need not end this in bloodshed."

I glanced at Asara then jumped up on the wall. Before this world, I would have never been able to do such a thing but with Migi in my arm and running through my bloodstream I was more than capable.

"You will speak to the king," I shouted down at the rider as I gave him a once over. I didn't recognize him. He was a younger man probably in his mid-twenties with black hair and brown eyes. He was dressed in ornate robes with pieces of metal armor here and there. He looked like some form of battle mage.

"You are king?" He asked in a disbelieving voice. "I didn't come here to jest."

"I am king," I said. "Whether or not you want to believe that doesn't matter. You came here to offer terms. Terms of what?"

"Of surrender of course," he replied. "Surely you can see that you cannot defend against us. There will be no siege. We will take the fort with ease then the capital. Surrender now and spare your men and yourself, though if you truly are king then you will die either way."

I stared at him for a long moment before I began laughing. "You truly are a fool. Do you actually think I'll surrender? I'll tear this fort down before I let you and the duke have it. You think you will take us with ease. Look around. With little more than fifty riders and my own power, we tore your two thousand to shreds. We will do the same to you."

He snorted. "lies. Your false bravado will not help you. You are bluffing."

I smiled down at him. "Am I now? Well if I'm bluffing then march your army closer and let us see what happens. I will rain down fire and death upon you and your men. You who would start another meaningless war and for what? to avenge the princess? How many have died because of the heirs? how many innocents? Instead of stopping this bloodshed and helping me help the kingdom you and the princess's pet decide to start another war. I cannot wait until I have your duke kneeling at my feet alongside the rest of the people who think that starting a war against me is a smart idea."

I felt my anger surge as I glared down at the man. "Go! run back to your army and whoever commands you like a good dog. They will not live to see the end of this day."

I didn't bother waiting for a reply. I jumped back down and let out a deep breath.

"That was... well said, your majesty," Asara said after a moment.

"Surrender?" I laughed. "I don't consider myself sadistic but I'm going to enjoy watching their army burn."

I looked back out to see the rider gone, and the army still marching, They were only ten minutes away now and I could tell that they had picked up their pace. They were moving at a light jog and in just a few more minutes Blair and Rath would begin their bombardment.

"It's time," I said, getting ready to use my situation token. The moment the battle started up in earnest I would use my situation token then my common tokens.

The army kept moving and a moment later a bright flash lit up the portion of the frontlines followed by the sound of screaming men and an explosion. There was a loud roar and I looked up to see Rath and Blair sending attack after attack into the enemy, but unlike before they were being damaged more heavily and were moved far more erratically, trying to dodge as many projectiles as they could while still attacking. I could already see a few deeper wounds on Rath and despite the chaos, they were causing, the army was still marching forwards, now at a run, with large ladders held above some of them. Others were glowing with power, mages, and kords readying for the battle. Their discipline was showing and they weren't slowing down.

"You ready Asara?" I asked, glancing over at her.

"Of course, your majesty," she said giving me a real grin and spinning her weapon around one before sitting it at her side. She looked eager and I felt pity for the enemy soldiers who thought this would be easy. They were all about to get a wake-up call.

"Impact!" One of the soldiers shouted.

The enemy hit the wall like a wave and like someone had flipped a switch the battle began. Screams, shouts, and the sound of magic and gunfire were loud in my ears as I sent a mental command to Migi to transform into a blade. I saw Asara's shock at the transformation but ignored it as a soldier jumped over the wall and charged at me. I took his head easily and saw Asara beside me dealing with her own soldiers. I glanced up and down the battlements and saw fighting all around.

Now was the time. I focused and used my situation token, praying for something good.

[1 Situation Token Used]

[Summoning Entity]

The brief flash of white light came and went, briefly lighting up the area around me.

[Summoning Complete: Jin Bubaigawara/Twice(My Hero Academia)]