The Southwestern Conflict Comes to a Close

"Whoever kills this brute, will be credited with first honors!"

This declaration ignited a fervor in the hearts of countless Imperial soldiers. Fear and pain were forgotten; all that mattered now was the thought of slaying the barbarian leader and earning the coveted first honors.

In the Imperial Army, decapitating an enemy general and leading the charge were considered the highest accolades. Despite the immense risk, these soldiers—many of whom were commoners—had joined the Imperial Army for this very moment.

They were ready to stake their lives for a chance at glory and fortune.

"Kill—!"

In the next instant, spurred by the promise of fame and the opportunity to change their destinies, countless swords and spears were thrust toward the surrounded barbarian leader.

The barbarian leader was no coward. He did not surrender, nor did he retreat. Instead, he swung his massive war hammer, launching a desperate counterattack.

"Come on, you Imperial cowards! My head is right here!" he bellowed, challenging his attackers.

From a distance, the Imperial Guard captain overseeing the battle was surprised by the barbarian leader's arrogance. Despite being severely injured, the barbarian didn't retreat. As a commander, he was acting recklessly, unaware that his presence was the only thing keeping the morale of his troops intact.

"Savages will be savages," the captain thought with disdain. "They have no concept of strategy. If we kill him, the enemy's morale will crumble." Elated by this realization, he shouted, "Fire the muskets!"

But the musketeers didn't target the surrounded barbarian leader. Instead, they aimed at the barbarian soldiers trying to rescue him.

As a seasoned captain in the Imperial Guard, he knew that once he made a promise, he had to follow through. And as an officer of his rank, he wouldn't stoop to competing with lower-ranking soldiers for the head of a mere barbarian leader.

"Fire!"

A hail of bullets was unleashed, cutting down hundreds of barbarian soldiers and scattering their ranks.

"You have one minute! If you can't kill him by then, I'll do it myself! Don't say I didn't give you a chance to earn your honors!" the captain shouted.

Despite giving the soldiers a chance, he knew that in the chaos of battle, every second counted. He was generous to allow them even a minute.

With that, the captain raised his sword and leaped into the barbarian ranks.

Boom!

His sword struck with such force that it created a shockwave, sending an invisible wave of pressure that disoriented everyone around him. The deafening noise left many clutching their ears in pain.

"Attack!" he roared, his overwhelming presence invigorating the Imperial troops, raising their morale even higher.

Splat!

Meanwhile, the barbarian leader, now with eight wounds and a broken war hammer, was on his knees, panting heavily. Faced with countless blades, he was forced to raise his armored arms in a futile attempt to defend himself.

In an instant, his arm guards shattered, sending blood splattering everywhere.

At this critical moment, a longsword cut through the air, its blade grinding against the remains of the barbarian's arm guards, sending sparks flying. The sharp edge continued downward, slicing cleanly through the barbarian leader's throat.

In a flash, blood spurted as his head was severed from his body.

"You did it, Urinin!" an excited Imperial Guard sergeant shouted, his voice brimming with excitement.

The Imperial soldiers erupted in a frenzied cheer, "Hurrah! Long live the Empire!"

"Long live the Empire!" the chorus echoed through the battlefield.

In stark contrast, the barbarian soldiers were struck with terror, their courage shattered.

Their general was dead, hacked to pieces by a group of ordinary Imperial soldiers.

Seizing this golden opportunity, the Imperial Guard captain, who had been ruthlessly cutting down the enemy, bellowed, "The enemy commander is dead! Attack—!"

The remaining barbarian warriors were paralyzed with fear. They dropped their weapons and fled, knowing that with their general dead, resistance was futile.

"Quick! Open the gates! The city is lost!!!"

Soon, the city's defenses crumbled, the gates were flung open, and the waiting Imperial soldiers stormed inside.

Clad in dark armor, the Imperial soldiers showed no mercy. Whether the barbarians surrendered or not, their sharp blades sliced through the air, leaving trails of death and bloodshed in their wake.

The fall of the gates marked the end of this campaign against the southwestern barbarians.

"Well, it looks like they've finished the battle."

From her vantage point in the sky, Selene surveyed the barbarian city below. Though it wasn't entirely ablaze, thick smoke billowed from various parts of the city, evidence of the recent carnage.

Descending slowly onto the city walls, Selene looked around and nodded in satisfaction. Countless barbarians had been driven from their homes, segregated, and imprisoned in different areas.

"General!" the highest-ranking officer in the area hurried over, saluting Selene respectfully upon recognizing her distinctive silver-white armor.

"Hmm... Have you taken a count of the able-bodied laborers yet?" Selene asked as she stood before one of the makeshift holding pens.

"General, we haven't had time to conduct a full count. We're still sweeping the city for any remaining hidden barbarians, so... we don't have an exact number of able-bodied laborers at the moment... My apologies..." The officer stammered, kneeling in fear at his inability to answer her question.

"That's fine. Stand up. I'm not blaming you. Just make sure to tally the numbers quickly. Oh, and have the other captains assemble here."

"Yes, General!"

Selene shifted her gaze to the holding pen in front of her. It was a crude enclosure made of branches and reeds, likely used to corral livestock.

Inside were no able-bodied young men, only several thousand elderly, women, and children. As Selene approached, surrounded by a contingent of elite soldiers, a few children clinging to their mothers froze, and one of the smaller ones burst into tears.

"Heh... I don't think I look that scary," Selene mused, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was the one who had led the campaign to wipe out the southwestern barbarians.

She raised a hand to stop the soldier who had drawn his sword behind her, and without paying any attention to the barbarian mother kowtowing with her child, Selene turned and walked away.

As she wandered aimlessly through the city, taking in the exotic architecture, Selene's curiosity led her to explore further.

"General!" xN

Hearing familiar voices, Selene turned to see Gensa leading a group of Imperial captains toward her. But what piqued her interest most was the heavily bound barbarian they were dragging along behind them.

"Who is this...?"