When A Mage Revolts

As he was listening, Benjamin tensed up all of a sudden.

Were they coming soon?

"How’s… the setup for our defenses?"

"The Defense Runes you suggested had completed its initial setup. After some testing, its defensive capabilities are truly superb," The executive Prime Minister paused before continuing, "However, whether or not it could withstand the enemy’s cannons is uncertain for now."

The advocates for surrendering beside him continued, "Indeed, all of us have come here on behalf of the great director’s words. If this so-called huge barrier ends up shattered, I’m afraid the danger of our situation would only escalate; we can’t guarantee that we can safely return to each of our own cities either."

Logically speaking, these few Regina officials didn’t need to be present at Rock City. However, their determination in coming here, it was as if they wished to witness the day the casting got broken through, and all this was enough to justify their decision to surrender.

Benjamin shook his head.

"Rest assured, if Rock City was to fall, I will guarantee your excellencies’ safe passage out of here," in a blank guise, he said with hints of sarcasm.

"If the great director said so, then we are relieved," The official then snickered to himself and grinned as he said, "Besides… if that moment was to come, then you would have no need to object surrendering to the Kingdom of Helius, wouldn't you?"

Benjamin was somewhat speechless. It was the time of peril, yet this guy still managed to bring up this kind of talk? Benjamin would rather not waste his breath retorting, however. No good outcome could be reached through arguing about political disagreements anyway, let them be then.

"As the few excellencies’ wish."

Satisfied smiles found their way onto the faces of the few advocates. They all nodded and quieted down without saying anything more. They were still citizens of Icor after all, they had no intention of slandering this battle. Benjamin then sensed a row of horse carriages outside the city all, their belongings already packed up for departure.

Obviously, they didn’t think this battle could be won.

Benjamin couldn’t help but flare up a little. The citizens of Icor had to abandon their homes due to war, yet many higher-up officials only desired to protect their own lives and surrender.

However, this emotion didn’t last for too long.

"Prime minister! The Kingdom of Helius’s army had moved in!"

In an urgent sounding of the horn, the discussion within the city hall was cut short. Everyone turned around as a knight rushed in, shouting aloud toward everyone in the hall.

The atmosphere in the hall shifted in an instant.

"Already?"

The color on the executive Prime Minister’s face turned. Soon after, he and the president exchanged glances with Benjamin and nodded, revealing a flame of determination in his vision.

"Let us go, we should inspect the situation," the director rubbed his own beard and said in a deep, solemn voice.

Benjamin was the first to fly out, following behind him, many began to hastily make their way out of the big hall, out toward the city gate.

The alarm from the horn blared across Rock City, the usually barren streets now grew more desolate; the soldiers with stern faces rushed toward the city walls; the citizens hid in their homes and shut their doors and windows tight, leaving only a few slits. Looking through these slits were nothing but terrified pairs of eyes.

Soon enough, Benjamin arrived at Rock City’s eastern gates.

"...The Church’s army, is this all of them?" Standing above the city, he looked outwards to the scene beyond, couldn’t help but took in a deep breath, and muttered softly.

Around a few hundred meters outside the city dotted the black-colored heads of many, similar to the sudden vibrancy of a rainforest enveloping entire lands. Though Rock City was positioned high above the ground, Benjamin could still track every enemy from a favorable angle. However, with the waves of men before him, it still put him in an anxious state.

Even more so were the armors donned by their troops, the silver-melded plates gleamed brilliantly under the sun’s rays as if he’s witnessing a metallic sea expanding before him. Since the Church’s priests had completely blended in, this made Benjamin difficult to grasp their exact numbers.

In the frontlines of their formations, Benjamin noticed a general on a horse, one that wasn’t any familiar to him. Aside from this, he did not spot any other leading figures; he wondered where Grant was.

This made his stomach churned.

Moreover, way back in their formations, he spotted loads of Holy Cannons. The golden paint covered the entirety of them, exuberating a holy vibe, with no knowledge of their destructive capabilities. However, based on vibes alone, it certainly exceeded the Holy Cannons produced by the academy.

Due to the enemy’s massive formation, glancing from the front to back, the distance itself was already quite far out inbetween. Benjamin couldn’t estimate the number of Holy Cannons, and the System couldn’t finish its analysis either.

"My God… this, this is the legendary Holy Cross army?"

The others from Icor rushed their way here one after the other. They climbed above the city, gazed outward to the grand army and exclaimed upon realizing that.

It’s not unusual for them to be shocked, based on military strength alone, the Kingdom of Helius was definitely far above that of Icor’s. The weakened conditions due to the separation of kingdoms couldn’t fully recover in just a span of ten years, after all.

"Great Prime Minister, it’s not too late to change your mind," The officials advocating for surrendering continued to urge, "The moment the enemy army attacks, under the rain of cannon fire, we could end up as a barren land along with Rock City, without even a chance to surrender!"

"What’s to be panicked about? They hastily made their way here, it’s not like they could attack immediately," The executive Prime Minister took in a deep breath, waved his hand and then said, "This could end up as a prolonged battle, best for us to make preparations, to engage the enemy to the bitter end."

Although he was only a representative executive sent from Carretas to manage Icor, nonetheless in this instant, from the look in his unwavering eyes, this nation had bestowed upon him a brand new sense of duty.

He would fight for Icor to the bitter end!

Ten years ago, the entire continent belonged to the same nation, after all. The divergence gave birth to an estrangement and paranoia between the nations, yet it didn’t dim the sense of duty in the hearts of the men.

"....Hold on! They seemed to be planning to attack now," however, a moment later, the president suddenly uttered in despair.

Movements of the army could be seen from afar, all of them were marching toward Rock City. They hadn’t reached the speed of charging, but at this moment, no matter how far off they might have been, it was enough to place a humongous pressure on the city.

What was rather obvious, however, were those troops at the far end, dragging the Holy Cannons forward little by little.

"They’re… they’re about to open fire, they’re going to attack!"

The officials couldn’t withstand the pressure, be it the advocates for surrender or the battle, they all began to evacuate from the city with the help of soldiers. Following emergency protocols, the executive Prime Minister was sent away as well. Soon enough, only Benjamin and the president were left standing above the city, as well as the supporting mage soldiers defending the city.

They gazed afar at the slowly put together "Cannon Camp", all of their expressions stiffened, though none of them took a step back.

"One, two… come on now, it’s only sixty of these Holy Cannons, it wasn’t as exaggerated as intel suggested, put my heart into disarray it did."

Originally, the atmosphere was as suffocatingly tight as a string one would find on a musical instrument. The entire city froze in a gloom state, not a sound was whiffed. However, the System popped up at this moment and said this in an untimely fashion.

Benjamin facepalmed in silence.