On the other side, after seeing Cerydra and Esdeath enter the castle to search for Numa Seika, Hysilens did not remain idle. Instead, she led the remaining forces, preparing to deliver a devastating blow to the noble army of sixty thousand.
"Lord Dux Gladiorium, isn't this a bit too impulsive?"
"Yeah, exactly! The gap in our numbers is just too massive!"
These were, after all, a temporary militia. Although they possessed some combat capability, they lagged far behind a regular army, and their numbers offered absolutely no advantage.
A ragtag group of less than a thousand men—how could they possibly defeat a regular army exceeding sixty thousand in a head-on confrontation? Unless a miracle occurred, there was no possibility of winning.
It wasn't just the soldiers; even the three captives from the Oarburgh Clan thought the same. Even if Hysilens' individual ability was peak, she could not lead such an army to victory against sixty thousand elites. Even a powerful Teigu user would find it difficult to face ten thousand alone.
The morale of those below withered instantly upon seeing the situation on the battlefield. No one believed they could win. If they charged down, they would likely be casually cut down by the enemy on the way.
"You are quite right." Hysilens nodded slightly. Since the soldiers could judge the situation, she, as the Dux Gladiorium, naturally could as well. "You are no match for those regular troops. I have known this for a long time."
"In that case, let's just withdr—"
The eyes of the soldiers below lit up, and they immediately intended to persuade Hysilens to leave, but the rest of the words were choked back into their throats.
"So, you all just stay here."
Ignoring the soldiers behind her, Hysilens summoned her twin longswords. The aura surrounding her body became increasingly powerful.
This scene stunned everyone present. Even the captive Melad and her two companions widened their eyes. Intelligent as they were, they guessed the other party's intention the moment they saw Hysilens draw her swords.
She truly intended to challenge an army of sixty thousand by her own strength alone!
Is that even realistic?
Cold sweat trickled down Melad's face as she recalled various battles in history. Whether before or after the birth of the Empire, military confrontations mostly consisted of tens of thousands against tens of thousands. Even if thousands could face ten thousand, it usually happened when the disparity wasn't this astronomical.
Although the war landscape changed significantly after the appearance of the Teigu—where a formidable Teigu user could indeed stand against ten thousand—Hysilens...
She was not a Teigu user!
After this period of observation, Melad could responsibly tell anyone her conclusion: Hysilens did not possess a Teigu. The reason she was strong was purely due to physical fitness and superb swordsmanship—a literal crushing of stats.
To think there really was a being in this world whose physical body differed so much from ordinary people. If it was her, could she actually do it?
Melad thought of many possibilities. Although she was close to the truth, there was still a discrepancy. Hysilens had never displayed her abilities as a Siren or an oceanic Demigod in front of them; she had always relied on raw physical dominance.
What a joke! Having been in this world for so long, Hysilens hadn't encountered a single Teigu user or a decent opponent. How could she possibly bring out the true strength of an oceanic Demigod?
In the anime Akame ga Kill!, Teigu users were numerous because the story took place within the Empire. Once you left the Empire's territory, you would find that Teigu users were unexpectedly rare. There were only forty-eight Teigu in the world, and most were within the Empire's borders. It was not easy for Northern Tribes to obtain such treasures.
So, Hysilens moved.
Still without using any oceanic authority or her Siren talents, she relied solely on that powerful physical constitution. With a single leap, she reached mid-air, flying toward the distant battlefield like a cannonball, leaving behind one final command.
"Everyone, standby. I am going to meet this so-called army of sixty thousand!"
★ ★ ★
Upon the battlefield, the roars of soldiers never ceased. However, there was a difference.
The Noble Army that came to eliminate the Prince let out roars of excitement, while the army protecting the Prince only emitted screams of despair before death. The situation was irreversible. Their army of over a hundred thousand was being beaten back steadily by sixty thousand. Were they weak?
No! It was the enemy that was too strong.
When the old King was still alive, these nobles were all smiles, declaring their loyalty. However, with the decline of the Royal Family, their true nature was finally exposed. It turned out these fellows had long been secretly cultivating an army to deal with the old King, just waiting for the critical moment to strike a fatal blow.
And these combined forces attacking the Prince were specifically trained; an average army had no possibility of victory.
"Hahaha! Once the mission is finished, I'll be promoted and granted nobility when I return. I'll reach the pinnacle of life!"
A man who appeared to be an officer quickly shifted his gaze after finishing off an enemy with a spear, looking for the next target. Not just him, almost everyone in the Noble Army carried such thoughts. As long as they killed Numa Seika, glory and wealth would be theirs.
Boom—!
The sound of breaking wind came from a distance. No one paid it any mind; they were all locked in slaughter.
Boom! Boom! Boom—!
But the whistling sound did not disappear. On the contrary, it grew louder until a blue meteor descended from the sky. Only then did the people present stop their movements, looking at the looming figure amidst the dust.
"A woman?"
When Hysilens' figure appeared, they were all stunned. They hadn't expected that the one who made such a huge commotion would be a woman who looked fragile.
"Yo, little babe, you want to—"
Whoosh—!
Before the words could fall, Hysilens' body vanished, appearing behind the man in an instant.
Thud!
A certain dark object fell to the ground, making a crisp sound. Although it was impossible to see clearly due to the night, everyone could guess. That was a head.
Hysilens performed a sword flourish, her expressionless eyes sweeping across all the noble troops present.
"One slain..."
"Fifty-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine remaining!"
As the flat voice left the girl's mouth, the kill count began to increase at a rapid speed. It soon surpassed the ten thousand mark, heading straight for sixty thousand.
When a ray of morning sunlight crossed the horizon, a vivid red filled the entire battlefield. Even the original snow became as dazzling as rubies.
Whether it was the army protecting the Prince, or the ragtag militia and Oarburgh Clan captives, they all stared wide-eyed at the scene. The girl stood in a battlefield composed of blood and hard ice, the newly risen sun above her head, her feet treading upon tens of thousands of corpses.
[Achievement: Slay 60,000 Unlocked]
At this moment, Hysilens thoroughly claimed the feat. Her name would likely spread across the entire world from this point forward.