First sabotage

Seika gathered his army and this time he took all soldiers he could, leaving a bare minimum back to protect the city and maintain order.

His plan was to intercept Esdeath's army near the borders where most of the vegetation was no longer covered in heavy snow. His scouts were supplying him with information about Esdeath's army's route so he thought of the best area where to meet them.

He ended up leading his army to the plains with a large hill in the distance where he expected the enemy to arrive. He made sure to order all his men to take a long rest because later they would be on the constant move.

It didn't take that many days before scouts spotted human figures on top of the hill in the distance, alarming everyone to get ready.

Seika squinted his eyes and could see one figure that certainly stood out from the others.

'Esdeath...What will you choose to do? Abandon your army and charge at us all alone or will you stick to your men?'

"Everyone! Get ready to slowly retreat, generals keep tight contact with our scouts to match the enemy's speed. If they run, you will also run, if they stop, you will also stop and recover your stamina!" Seika gave out his orders and even though it caused several people to whisper in doubt, they still shouted in unison.

"YES!"

On top of the hill, a tall, beautiful and slender woman with long, light blue hair and blue eyes was looking down at the army in the distance below the hill.

"So that's the Northern Tribes' army? Seems like there is plenty for everyone" She said with a sadistic smile before her eyes caught the figure standing in front of the army.

"Hm? Is that the so-called Hero of the North? I wonder how strong he is...?!" Her eyes slightly widened after she saw him smiling at her before turning around and slowly leaving along with his army.

"This...General Esdeath-sama, should we pursue them"

"Descend the hill and catch up to them" Esdeath instructed causing her soldiers to be slightly surprised that she wasn't going first after all, with her speed, she would be able to catch up to them fairly quickly.

'What a blatant provocation...interesting' Esdeath knew that Seika wanted her army to follow him and she decided to entertain him.

As Seika's army traveled on the path surrounded by the woods his scouts reported that Esdeath's army successfully descended the hill and was now pursuing him.

"Pick up the pace, it seems like we have impatient puppies chasing after us!" Seika shouted with a carefree smile. The sight of his confidence obviously boosted soldiers' morale despite the fact they were basically running away.

"Henter, Doya, follow me" Seika threw the cloak over himself before separating from the army, and entering the woods.

As they were waiting for the Esdeath's army to arrive, Seika turned to Henter who was patiently waiting on the branch of the tree, watching the path.

"Did you see that woman standing on the hill?" Seika asked Henter.

"...Yes" His tone was enough to tell Seika that he remembers her.

"Don't let your emotions cloud your judgement"

"I will succesfully complete the mission"

After hearing him say that, Seika nodded his head with satisfied expression.

It wasn't long before Esdeath's army started passing by the location, they let Esdeath who was at front pass by first. When the wagons with supplies started passing by, Henter jumped from the woods.

"Enemy at sight!" As expected from Esdeath's army, they immedietely noticed him. Henter started sprinting towards the soldiers who draw their weapons. When Henter got in range of the first soldier who who thurst his spear at him, his body twisted in very inhuman way, completely missing the target.

Henter used the soldier's shoulder as jumping platform to jump over large number of soldiers, landing on one of the wagons. He put something on top of the wagon before jumping down among the numerous soldiers.

"Die!" They immedietely started slashing their weapons at him.

"Slow, slow!" Henter wasn't even a bit troubled by the numerous opponents and skillfully dodged all of their attacks while sprinting back toward the woods.

"My work is done" Henter said as he entered the forest.

"Leave the rest to me!" Doya replied with her cheerful voice while standing on the branch and aiming at top of the wagon with one eye closed.

*bang!* *BOOM!* The moment she fired, an explosion engulfed both wagon and several soldiers standing near it, even a few nearby wagons caught on fire.

"Good job...?!" Seika praised as he watched them with proud smile before his eyes widened when he saw Esdeath running towards them.

"Run!" Henter also noticed the newcomer and shouted at Doya who quickly followed after him, jumping from branch to branch.

"General Esdeath-sama!"

"Put out the flames and continue pursuing the main army, I will return shortly!" She quickly left her instructions before running inside the woods to pursue the saboters.

'They are fairly skilled to be able to cause this much damage before I could get there.' Esdeath thought as she was slowly closing in distance between them, having finally a clear view on their backs.

Both Henter and Doya glanced behind them to see Esdeath slowly catching up so they looked at each other and nodded their heads before each went to the opposite direction.

"Hm? If I will pursue that cloaked person, I will waste too much time and I don't want to leave my soldiers to pursue the enemy alone for too long...then the girl it is!' Esdeath quickly decided to chase after Doya who was visibly slower than Henter.

"If you stop and reveal everything you know, I might not torture you" Esdeath extended her hand and created a few icicles and sent them at Doya's back.

"Tch!" Doya easily dodged them but her speed dropped shortening the distance between them even further.

"Who in their right mind would accept such a chance!" Doya shouted back at her in annoyence.

"Heh!" Esdeath revealed a sadistic smile after feeling her fear, she finally draw her rapier and slashed it upwards, sending a freezing aura freezing everything in its path.

'It's much faster!' Doya's eyes widened since if she wanted to dodge it, Esdeath would invetably finally catch up to her.

"No you don't!" Esdeath stopped running when she heard the new voice and saw a large wave of darkness closing in on her from the side.

'Dangerous!' That was the only thought in Esdeath's mind as her eyes widened seeing such a powerful attack directed at her.

She instantly put her hands on the ground and a several meters thick ice wall rose from the ground right in front of her right before the attack engulfed her surroundings.

After several seconds of being surrounded by the darkness, it finally dispersed, and her large wall of ice crumble into pieces. She quickly narrowed her eyes and started looking around but couldn't sense anyone nearby anymore.

She looked towards the place where she attacked Doya but only saw several trees cut in half and frozen but no body.

'She run away. Still...this is-' She glanced at the surroundings that were engulfed by the darkness and saw that all vegetation nearby completely disappeared as if erased from the existance, not even small pieces or ashes remained on the ground.

'Teigu user and strong at that...interesting' Esdeath's face filled with caution disappeared and was replaced by an excited smile.

"?!" Her eyes widened when she realized her army was still pursuing the enemy, even if she had strong surboninates protecting the army against the stronger opponents, they wouldn't be able to take on attacks such as the one she just faced. She quickly started running back to her army.