Chapter 71: Realization

Just as Lucan was preparing for his demise,

On the other side,

Hector had already arrayed his forces, his expression grim as he watched Lucan continually tearing off his false faces.

He took a deep breath, and without looking back, coldly addressed the Companion Knights:

"There is only one chance,"

"We must kill him before he rips off this face!"

Behind him, Knight Worvan's expression changed.

To kill Lucan, did that mean he had to kill his sovereign, Mausolus?

This was something Worvan was absolutely unwilling to do. He immediately asked tentatively:

"Commander… are you going to use that?"

Hector expressionlessly and slowly drew the sword from his waist, pulling out the bronze blade, mottled with verdigris, from its scabbard.

"Worvan,"

"Since you would say such a thing, then I'll ask you the same question—"

"Worvan Hawkins,"

"To whom do you believe you are sworn as a knight!?"

"I…" Worvan's face froze. Faced with this question, he was instantly speechless.

Before becoming a Macedonian Companion Knight and swearing allegiance to Hector, he had been a knight of the Halicarnassus Cavalry, and the sovereign he served was precisely the King of Halicarnassus, Mausolus!

And now,

The current sovereign wanted to kill the sovereign he had previously sworn allegiance to, and posed such a question. Knight Worvan Hawkins couldn't help but fall into an agonizing dilemma, constantly questioning himself—

That's right,

To whom was he sworn as a knight?

"Step back, Worvan, I won't make it difficult for you. You are currently not qualified to stand in this battle formation, nor are you qualified to bask in this king's glory."

"Take the former Halicarnassus soldiers from the knightly order and move to the side."

Worvan Hawkins lowered his head, trembling all over. Then, he slowly looked up again, gazing 100 meters away at Lucan, who stood within the light domain, his head covered in blood, his face twisted in a ferocious expression.

He gritted his teeth and waved his hand behind him.

Soon, out of the 3,000 Companion Knights, over 2,400 left Hector's side.

Hector heard the continuous clatter-clatter behind him, and the resolute expression on his face instantly stiffened.

He had thought only a few hundred would leave, but he hadn't expected Philotas's influence over the army to be so profound!

But soon, the even more serious situation before him forced him to rein in his shock and anger.

With the remaining five hundred-odd true Companion Knights,

Hector's gaze sharpened, and he raised the rusted bronze sword in his hand high.

This was a gift from the King of Conquerors, obtained by his father, Parmenion, the Macedonian general who had assisted two generations of kings in achieving their great conquests—

A Noble Phantasm named [Ionioi Hetairoi] (King's Army).

Unlike the true Ionioi Hetairoi in the King of Conquerors' hands, which manifested the grandeur of the entire Macedonian Empire, this Noble Phantasm could manifest the power of the King's Knights.

"Hoo."

Hector gripped the bronze sword hilt tightly, exhaling a long, white stream of breath.

He poured all of his C-rank magical energy as a demigod into it,

And then,

Swoosh!

He pointed forward!

In an instant,

"—Boom!"

Thunder roared, and the world lost its color!

Suddenly, countless continuous hoofbeats sounded in his ears, and his nostrils were instantly enveloped by a battlefield filled with yellow sand and gunpowder.

"Haha…"

Hector's entire body twitched uncontrollably. This uncontrollable true Noble Phantasm relentlessly drained his magical energy, stamina, and even life force, causing him to gasp for air.

Between illusion and reality, Hector arduously raised his head,

And there, he saw a phantom, tall figure, standing majestically on the chariot of the Divine King, peerlessly graceful and overwhelmingly powerful!

Gazing up at that back,

And beholding the king's glory,

As Hector looked at that figure, for some reason, he felt as if he had boundless strength.

He puffed out his chest, astride his warhorse, and with all his D-rank strength, raised the bronze longsword bestowed by the King.

Standing before the five hundred knights, he used all his might to loudly chant:

"All sounds cease, iron hooves thunder!"

"This body, this soul, are all cornerstones for my King's grand vision!"

"What we seek is not rest, but to follow the path pointed by the crimson mantle—

To the ends of the world, to the other side of the starry sea!

This is our immortal bond! This is our eternal oath!

Our name—

Is the King's spear, the King's shield, the King's limbs!

Our soul—

Has long been forged into that pioneering feat, engraved upon that path of conquest!

Now, answering the King's call!

Gather here, with our sincerity and valor!"

"—Here, release!"

"Tear open the veil of reality, crush the thorns ahead!

Manifest, our battleground!

Gallop, our immortal army soul!

Our journey—

Is a scar in the heavens!

—『Ionioi Hetairoi』!"

At this moment,

"—Boom!!!"

Straight beams of lightning descended from the sky, pouring into Hector and into each Companion Knight behind him!

Flashes of lightning transformed into illusory knights riding electric warhorses!

Fifty thousand phantom Companion Knights covered the entire hilly terrain.

After the figure at the very front nodded slightly,

A cavalry unit voluntarily rode behind Hector, completing the roster of three thousand Companion Knights.

It was also at this moment,

All confusion vanished from Hector's heart; his gaze became incredibly clear.

"That's right, no matter what my identity is—commander of the Companion Knights, a knight of Britannia, a relative of the traitor Philotas—"

"That King's heart would not mind!"

"As long as my soul forever yearns for her, then I am worthy to stand behind her,"

"To gaze upon the King's glory, to covet the King's power, to desire the King's flesh—"

"And to dedicate everything for the King's ambition!"

"Then—"

Hector raised his head, looking at the light domain standing amidst the hills, before the three thousand Companion Knights' formation, looking at the thin, solitary, blood-soaked figure within the light domain.

"Star Beast, we will slay you here!"

He raised his hand,

Closed his eyes,

And heavily brought down the bronze sword in his hand!

"King's Cavalry—

Charge!"

As his words fell,

"—Boom!!!"

The sound of hooves, tearing apart the very earth, resonated,

And just ten seconds later,

All was silent.

Hector opened his eyes and saw that the light domain that had enveloped and protected Lucan, like an inverted bowl of light, had vanished.

On the ground, only countless hoof prints and charred lightning marks remained.

He took a deep breath, gripped the warhorse's reins, and raised the four-meter-long lance in his hand high,

His gaze locked firmly on Lucan, who stood dumbfounded in front of him, having suddenly stopped tearing at his face and abandoning the ascension ritual.

It seemed that both he and the opponent had already understood,

This battle had ended.

"Giddy up!"

Clamping his legs against the horse's belly, the warhorse instantly transformed into a dark lightning bolt under the activation of a combat skill, carrying him across 200 meters in a flash.

Hector leaped high off his stirrups, using all his might to thrust the lance at Lucan's brow!

And just then—

"—LUCAN!!!"

A savage roar, almost shattered by collapse, exploded!

"You dog, you dog!"

"Die!"