The Immortal Genius Spearman

Chapter 166

The moment the ashen giant warrior swung its spear,

BOOOOM!

Damian’s aura descended upon the Imperial soldiers like a thunderclap, creating a deafening explosion.

And in its wake—

“Arghhhh!”

“M-My arm!”

“Ughhhh!”

The Imperial soldiers were thrown back as if a massive bomb had detonated. Severed limbs fell like discarded debris, littering the battlefield.

Casalt stood frozen, trembling uncontrollably as if rejecting reality itself.

‘How… How is this possible…?’

The giant form towering before him resembled a mythical colossus. Though entirely ashen in color, the figure’s features were unmistakable—a heavily armored warrior on horseback, clutching a massive spear.

Most striking were its blood-red eyes, gleaming like crimson flames.

Casalt watched helplessly as the spear swept down on his soldiers with ruthless precision.

“This… This can’t be happening!”

His breath hitched, and he spun around at the sound of a cold voice.

“Did I scare you?”

“H-Huh?”

Casalt turned to find Damian standing right in front of him, his expression icy.

Casalt’s legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

Thud.

“Ugh… Ughhh…”

He tried to rise, but his legs wouldn’t respond. The sight of not one but two Aura Masters had shattered his resolve entirely.

Thud!

Before Casalt could react further, Damian leaped forward, landing right in front of him.

The cold glint in Damian’s eyes, combined with the killing intent radiating from his presence, froze not only Casalt but also the surrounding Imperial soldiers in place.

Damian’s gaze swept over Casalt and his men as he spoke.

“You will pay for the crimes you’ve committed.”

“Ugh… Do you think this will bring down the Empire?” Casalt shouted in defiance, though his voice wavered.

“Do you think the Empire is untouchable?”

“We… We’re the strongest force on the continent! The mightiest—!”

Casalt’s words were cut short.

Slash!

Damian’s spear swung in a wide arc, slicing Casalt and the soldiers around him cleanly in half.

Splatter!

A cascade of blood poured down, staining the chariot and pooling on the ground beneath.

The soldiers encircling the chariot froze, unable to process the brutal reality unfolding before them.

“L-Lord Casalt…?”

“Lord Casalt is dead?!”

“Arghhhh!”

The scene of their commander being slain so swiftly filled the remaining soldiers with sheer terror.

Casalt wasn’t just an ordinary commander—he was a high-ranking officer capable of wielding advanced magic. Yet he had been struck down in a single blow.

‘What is happening? Lord Casalt… killed in one strike…?’

The soldiers were overcome with confusion and fear.

And then.

Thud!

Damian impaled Casalt’s severed head onto his spear, raising it high for all to see.

“The enemy commander is dead! I, Damian of the Baroque Kingdom’s Caion Unit, have slain the commander!”

Damian’s voice, amplified with aura, echoed across the battlefield like a lion’s roar.

“What?! The commander is dead?!”

“Casalt has fallen?!”

The Imperial forces were thrown into chaos.

Meanwhile, the allied army’s morale soared.

“We’ve taken their commander’s head! Kill the rest of them!”

“They’re just a rabble now! Finish them off!”

“Slaughter them all!”

Emboldened, the allied forces surged forward, overwhelming the disoriented Imperial soldiers.

The tide of battle turned decisively.

Pwooouuu! Pwooouu!

“Retreat! Retreat!”

“Fall back!”

The Imperial forces blew their retreat horns and began withdrawing in haste.

With their commander dead and faced with two Aura Masters, there was no hope of holding their ground.

“Retreat before we’re all killed! Pull back now!”

“Run for your lives!”

The Imperial soldiers fled, their ranks breaking apart in disarray.

Celestine watched the retreating Imperial forces, her gaze shifting to where Damian stood.

‘How did he get there so quickly?’

The enemy commander had been positioned deep within the Imperial ranks, surrounded by layers of soldiers.

Celestine herself had identified his location and was advancing toward him.

But Damian had not only reached the commander first—he had done so with a standard infantry unit.

“Incredible combat ability,” Celestine muttered to herself, once again marveling at the strength of the Caion Unit.

She had dismissed the rumors of them decimating the Rose Knight Order as exaggeration, but now she could see the truth.

Turning her attention back to the fleeing Imperial forces, she made a decision.

“Don’t pursue them! Let the fleeing soldiers go!”

“Reform the ranks! Do not chase the enemy!”

At Celestine’s command, her aides relayed the orders, ensuring the soldiers didn’t lose themselves in the heat of battle. A disorganized pursuit could easily lead to a counterattack.

Once the troops were reorganized, Celestine approached Kiaran.

“Well done, General Celestine,” Kiaran said, greeting her with a smile.

“It’s thanks to everyone fighting together,” Celestine replied humbly.

Her gaze briefly flicked back toward Damian’s position.

The battle had ended far sooner than expected, thanks in no small part to his actions.

She turned to Kiaran.

“It’s time for us to split forces.”

“We’ll head to Nardern,” Kiaran said with a nod.

“Then we’ll move toward Statznal,” Celestine replied.

The plan had been predetermined.

Kiaran extended her hand, and Celestine shook it with a smile.

“We’ll regroup at Everblade in a week,” Kiaran said firmly.

If any forces failed to reach Everblade on time, those who arrived first would strike the enemy from the rear to assist.

With the first phase of the plan executed smoothly, the allied forces split into two groups, heading east and west.

As Celestine led her troops westward, she paused and turned to watch the Caion Unit moving eastward.

‘The Caion Unit…’

A newly formed infantry unit, already surpassing the power of most knightly orders.

‘How much stronger can they become?’

Watching their distant figures, Celestine found her thoughts growing more complex.

***

"What do you mean?! An Aura Master?!"

The Imperial capital of Jutermel was in utter chaos.

Within the meeting chamber of the high ministers, tension simmered as the Imperial Chancellor Benoit Yulianos shouted in fury.

It was already outrageous enough that the allied army advancing north included an Aura Master from the Artian Kingdom.

"Two of them?! Are you telling me the Baroque Kingdom has deployed an Aura Master as well?"

"Y-Yes, that’s correct."

"Is it Hainel? Has he appeared on the battlefield in person?"

"We… We have not yet identified them. However, the only confirmation is that they are not someone currently known in our records."

"Someone unknown?"

"If it isn’t Hainel, then it must be Anubel, right?"

Anubel Verharc—the second Aura Master of the Baroque Kingdom. After Hainel had withdrawn into seclusion, Anubel had become the kingdom’s primary representative as an Aura Master.

Though Anubel was widely active, it was rare for him to venture far beyond the Baroque Kingdom’s borders.

At that moment—

Clunk.

"What a commotion," came a voice.

"You…!"

Benoit frowned deeply as he looked at the man entering the chamber unannounced.

Ailes Vilzen.

The treasonous criminal who had been imprisoned in the depths of the Imperial dungeon dared to walk freely into this chamber.

Yet Ailes showed no hesitation as he entered, his gaze sweeping over the ministers with a mocking air.

Benoit cleared his throat loudly and addressed him.

"Hrmph! I don’t recall summoning you. What business brings you here?"

His voice was thick with displeasure, making it clear that Ailes' presence was unwelcome.

Unperturbed, Ailes smirked and responded.

"You’re asking why I’m here? The so-called insects of the kingdoms have breached the Empire’s borders, and since you can’t seem to handle it properly, I decided to step in."

Benoit’s face twisted with anger.

The condescending tone, the smug expression—it was clear that every word Ailes uttered was meant to provoke.

Despite his seething irritation, Benoit signaled with a nod for the messenger to provide the information Ailes demanded.

The messenger hesitated briefly but then spoke.

"As of now, the allied forces have split into two groups, heading east and west. Their subsequent movements remain unclear."

Click, click.

Ailes clicked his tongue as he processed the report.

"Useless. What kind of training have the soldiers been given if they can’t even track the enemy’s movements?"

He made a mental note to propose a harsher training regimen once the war ended. But first—

"That means… their target is Everblade."

"Everblade?"

"They’ve split their forces to the east and west. How does that lead to Everblade as the target?"

Some of the ministers questioned him, puzzled by the apparent leap in logic.

Ailes sighed, already exasperated at the prospect of explaining something so elementary.

He strode over to Benoit and snatched the command baton from his hand.

"What are you—?!"

A few ministers gasped in disbelief at Ailes' audacity.

Unbothered by their reactions, Ailes used the baton to gesture at the map spread on the table.

"Listen carefully."

He pointed at two locations on the map: Nardern and Statznal.

"After the battle at the border, the allied forces split, moving east and west. In other words, their immediate targets are here—Nardern and Statznal. Once those are secured, they’ll consolidate their forces and move toward Everblade."

He spoke with absolute certainty, not speculation.

"Their ultimate goal is, of course, the capital. Even if it’s just to threaten us, Everblade is a crucial stepping stone for them."

However,

"Attacking Everblade while leaving Nardern and Statznal intact would be suicidal. Everblade’s towering walls and extended fortifications make it a formidable target. If reinforcements from Nardern and Statznal strike their rear during the assault, they’ll be completely isolated."

It wasn’t a complex strategy.

To Ailes, the enemy’s movements were utterly predictable.

‘This level of incompetence is why the Empire has suffered so many setbacks.’

The Empire was undeniably powerful—no one could dispute that.

But that same strength had allowed complacency to fester within its ranks.

Relying solely on Aura Masters to secure victory had bred an overconfidence that blinded them to unexpected variables.

Now, the Empire was repeatedly failing.

And with the current situation—

"Any further failures will leave lasting scars on the Empire. Scars caused by your incompetence."

"What did you say?"

"Incompetence, you say?"

"Watch your words!"

The atmosphere in the chamber grew increasingly hostile, with ministers glaring daggers at Ailes.

Benoit looked ready to lash out, his eyes filled with fury.

Ailes, however, merely chuckled, a mocking sound that cut through the tension.

"Hahaha… You fools. If you had any sense, you’d realize the severity of the situation simply by the fact that I’m standing here at all."

"…"

His words doused the room like a bucket of cold water.

Ailes Vilzen—a convicted traitor, the mastermind behind a rebellion that nearly succeeded—was here.

That alone spoke volumes.

"If we fail again, someone in this room will have to pay the price—with their neck."

Ailes' laughter echoed through the chamber, a sharp and chilling sound.

No one else joined him. Not a single soul.