Daytime.
The sky was silent.
The entire city felt strangely quiet.
Along Ohio City's border wall, not a single knight could be seen. From left to right, from top to bottom, the wall appeared completely abandoned.
Standing atop the wall was Yuki, staring out at the vast plains beyond the city.
A short distance away, Tiyara stood on the same wall, also watching the open field outside.
Both of them were alert.
Their guards were up, and their sharp eyes carefully scanned the battlefield beyond the city.
Below the wall, outside the city gates, a massive army had gathered.
More than two thousand soldiers stood in formation.
At the front stood a single man.
Duke Jalrai.
Unlike the others, he sat atop a horse while the rest of the knights stood on the ground behind him.
Without turning around, Jalrai shouted loudly,
"Knights!"
Every soldier immediately focused on him.
His voice was so loud that even Yuki and Tiyara could hear it from atop the wall.
Jalrai continued,
"Our enemies may outnumber us, but we are far stronger than they are!"
Some knights looked nervous.
Some looked serious.
Others seemed uncertain.
Jalrai raised his voice again.
"Do not fear! Behind you stand your families! Behind you stands your homeland! The land you must protect!"
The knights' expressions slowly began to change.
Their eyes sharpened.
Their hesitation faded.
Jalrai continued,
"No one else can do this but you!"
He pointed toward the horizon.
"So today... show them your strength!"
The knights' morale instantly surged.
Excitement and determination filled their faces.
Jalrai shouted once more.
"HOW'S THE JOSH?!"
The knights roared back.
"HEY, SIR!!"
The ground itself seemed to tremble from their voices.
The echo spread throughout the city.
Jalrai grinned.
"HOW'S THE JOSH?!"
"HEY, SIR!!!"
Even louder this time.
Then Jalrai bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"I DIDN'T HEAR YOU! TELL ME—HOW'S YOUR JOSH?!"
The knights exploded with energy.
"HEY! SIR!!!"
The sound was deafening.
Even Yuki and Tiyara on the wall had to cover their ears.
Yuki winced.
"T-Too loud... agh..."
Jalrai finally grew silent.
His gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
Then he shouted,
"Here they come! Be ready!"
Every knight instantly became serious.
Far away, a cloud of dust began rising into the sky.
The dust moved closer and closer.
Then the enemy finally became visible.
Crocas.
Creatures resembling a mixture of giant lizards and crocodiles.
At the ends of their tails burned bright flames.
And there were thousands of them.
Jalrai immediately raised his hand.
"ATTACK!"
The knights charged forward.
The battle began.
Mages positioned at the rear launched spells.
"THUNDER!"
"FIRE FLAME!"
"WATER PUMP!"
"STONE CUTTER!"
Magic attacks rained across the battlefield.
Some Crocas dodged.
Some blocked.
Others were struck directly and killed.
However, the Crocas quickly retaliated.
Flames erupted from their mouths.
Several charging soldiers were engulfed instantly.
Even iron armor couldn't fully protect them.
Some soldiers hid behind allies and shields to survive.
Others suffered burns but continued fighting.
Soon, the frontline warriors clashed directly with the monsters.
One knight rushed forward and slashed a Croca across its back.
Blood sprayed from the wound.
Without hesitation, he struck again.
The second strike finished the creature.
The Croca collapsed.
Dead.
Meanwhile, Jalrai watched calmly from atop his horse.
I don't think we'll lose this war.
They're not particularly powerful.
There are just a lot of them.
His gaze drifted toward the city wall.
And even if a few Crocas somehow get through...
Yuki and Tiyara are there.
They'll take care of them.
He looked back toward the battlefield.
My soldiers could handle that job too, but it would weaken our numbers here.
A war needs every fighter it can get.
So having those two guard the city is the better choice.
Meanwhile...
On the city wall.
Tiyara sat lazily on the ground with a bored expression.
"Waaah..."
She watched the battle with half-open eyes.
Yuki remained standing, carefully observing the fight.
"I don't think they need our help."
Tiyara turned toward him.
Then, in a teasing tone, she said,
"Yeah, I know that. But you wouldn't understand because you don't have a brain."
Yuki's smile twitched.
"..."
His expression darkened slightly.
"Don't you think that's a bit too much?"
Without looking at him, Tiyara replied,
"Not for me."
Then she smirked.
"But for you? Yes, it is. Because my intelligence is already high. Yours is way too low."
Yuki's face grew even more annoyed.
Yet he didn't argue.
Instead, he sighed.
"Haaah..."
Then he looked back toward the battlefield.
"Anyway... let's just wait until they win."
He paused.
"After that, let's leave this place and travel somewhere else."
The moment Tiyara heard that, her ears seemed to perk up.
She immediately turned toward him with sparkling eyes.
"Where?! Where?!"
Yuki shrugged.
"I don't know yet."
"We'll decide after this war ends."
Tiyara smiled brightly.
"OM~kay! ^^"
The two continued watching the battlefield together.
And despite the intense fighting...
Not a single Croca had managed to even reach the city wall yet.
The war continued.