Chronicle Legion:Volume 1 Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Knights and Feats of Arms (2)

Part 1

"They came as expected..."

Akigase Rikka came to the pinnacle of the nation-protecting keep and looked out at the scenery of Suruga.

The Suruga tutelary fort was located at the highest elevation in the area. At its center, the nation-protecting keep stood at forty meters, providing an expansive view.

Rikka saw with her own eyes—Crusades invading from Suruga Bay in the south.

Roughly a hundred Crusades were flying towards the land in a dense sphere, about to reach the sky over the coast. The tutelary fort was located on mountainous terrain facing the bay. The enemy would arrive soon.

"I guessed they would come either today or tomorrow. Just as expected."

Rikka shrugged. The Crusades were flying over the sea at around fifty or sixty kilometers per hour.

This was low-speed flight, since in principle, they were capable of going faster. The reason for this was very simple too. This sort of low-speed flight required negligible consumption of ectoplasmic fluid, allowing them to conserve energy for an all-out battle.

"Defending the tutelary fort would be an option, but unfortunately, Sakuya is in poor condition. Proceed with arrangements."

Rikka was alone on the roof facing howling winds while conventional military forces were standing by on the outskirts of the tutelary fort. The noetic officers inside the nation-protecting keep were listening to Akigase Rikka's whispers through noetic waves while confirming the current situation.

It was precisely a knight's duty to shoulder the expectations of fellow comrades-in-arms and to respond to their feelings—

Dressed in military uniform, Rikka drew the sword at her waist and released her own noetic waves.

"Upon my Appellation of Onikiri Yasutsuna—Assemble, my Legions!"

Rikka's powerful noetic waves radiated from the air over the nation-protecting keep.

The noesis swiftly manifested into Kamuys, bringing into the sky a blue army, ninety strong.

"Excellent."

Rikka re-sheathed her personal sword at her waist.

A famous trenchant blade of Genji pedigree. Its name had been inherited by Akigase Rikka as an Appellation.

Her act of drawing out this Japanese sword was precisely the manifestation of an Appellation. Exhibiting clear curvature, the slender blade of this rare and renowned sword featured a slightly wavy temper-line. Unlike the Zuihou held by the majority of Japanese Chevaliers, Onikiri Yasutsune remained physically by the user's side even when Legions were not being summoned. This aspect was also proof of a high-level Appellation.

"Come—Carry me!"

Rikka called to the ninety Kamuys above.

One of them descended, bringing its shoulder to the nation-protecting keep's roof level. With a nimble leap, Rikka went over the rooftop railing without hesitation, landing on the right shoulder of the hovering Legion.

"We will establish a ground formation. Go."

Carrying its commander, the blue Kamuy flew south towards Suruga Bay.

The remaining eighty-nine Kamuys followed.

The commander-in-chief was leading the fight against the enemy on the front lines. Rikka could not help but smile wryly. This method of fighting resembled military chronicles dating back to the time of the Genpei era, but it was also how modern wars were fought too.

By transmitting noetic waves, Chevaliers directed their Legion armies to fight.

In fact, it was possible to control Legions under one's command from far away—for example, out of visual range.

However, doing so would render oneself vulnerable to noetic disruption. Certain forms of noetic disruption were specialized to counter noetic waves rather than electromagnetic signals. Under interference, one would run the risk of losing command of one's Legions.

"The sea breeze is cold as expected."

It was currently 15:18 with a strong breeze blowing inland from the sea..

Rikka was standing on a Legion flying at sixty kilometers per hour at an altitude of two hundred meters. Nevertheless, Rikka remained warm thanks to her own resilient body.

The vitality and physical abilities of a Chevalier was much higher than that of ordinary people.

Taking large volumes of ectoplasmic fluid into their bodies and minds, they were enhanced by mystic powers.

"Square formation. Make haste!"

Her army landed at the Suruga Bay shore.

Along the coast were military zones created from reclaimed land where various facilities of the Tōkaidō provincial army were situated.

The chosen landing spot was an open plain. The instant they landed, apart from the one carrying Rikka, all remaining eighty-nine Kamuys sprinted at top speed. Their movements were swift and nimble as their agile silhouettes would suggest.

Of course, this was a group of eight-meter-tall giants running.

With every step they took, the Suruga coast would shake and rumble. Be that as it may, the eighty-nine Kamuys ran rather swiftly.

Despite their gigantic body size and commensurate weight, their movements were not sluggish.

Just as winged birds were quick and agile even when moving on the ground, the Kamuys' movements were very dynamic with plenty of acceleration.

This was a characteristic common to Imperial Japan's blue Legions.

Agility, tireless diligence, courage—The ninety Kamuys swiftly entered an almost square formation of ten rows by nine columns.

Occupying the center of the square formation was the Kamuy carrying the commander, Rikka.

The Kamuy army raised their bayonet rifles in perfect unison.

Their muzzles were aimed at the incoming British Crusades flying over Suruga Bay.

"The Japanese Legions, called Kamuys, aren't they? Numbering ninety—The one taking over as Suruga's castellan happens to be on our level... Poor guy."

The number of invading British Crusades over Suruga Bay totaled ninety-eight.

The commander, Steven was muttering to himself while riding a white wyvern, flying together with the airborne army.

"He would've had the chance to be honored as a Knight of Her Majesty had he been born like us under Her Majesty's reign."

In the British Empire, only warriors with outstanding Chevalier Strength were eligible for the title of "Knight of Her Majesty."

Steven's Chevalier Strength was 98 while his brother-in-arms Sir Lampard's was 90. Today, they had sortied from Fuji after establishing a tutelary pact, a situation completely different from yesterday's.

It had been a while since the last time they commanded the full number of Legions supported by their Chevalier Strength.

Steven snapped his fingers to summon a small retainer beast for communications.

Unlike the pipe fox of Japan, the British armed forces used sprites, whose appearances were palm-sized maidens with butterfly wings on their backs. The sprite was fluttering delightfully in front of Steven.

"Inform Sir Lampard on my behalf, 'I will charge as the vanguard according to plan. In the event I should fail, I leave the rest in your hands.

The sprite nodded and disappeared.

Retainer beasts responsible for relaying messages were capable of teleporting within four or five kilometers. Retainer beasts were not as convenient as phones, but were able to substitute for wireless communications. However, small retainer beasts run the risk of dying from overexhaustion if forced to invoke this ability ten-odd times in continuous succession, hence users must pay particular attention.

"My men, the prince—Sir Black Knight—has tasked us with the glorious mission of the vanguard. I look forward to your valor in battle!" Steven rallied the Crusades under his command.

Meanwhile, Sir Lampard's army was lurking further back, standing by as a reserve unit.

They were only four kilometers from the coast where Suruga's samurai were in formation.

The ninety-eight Crusades were flying in a spherical formation.

When advancing through the air, one would arrange their Legions in a close-packed sphere to create a formation devoid of blind spots in any direction.

This was one of the basics in Legion tactics.

Serving as the commander, the Chevalier would stay in the center of the formation—the more secure position—to be able to issue the most appropriate commands to the troops at any given moment.

"Agents of Her Majesty... Crush the enemy."

As soon as Steven issued the order, the Crusades forming the front of the "sphere" aimed and fired continuously at the coast four kilometers away.

The rifles shot heat beams capable of slicing through heavy concrete.

Ninety-eight bayonet rifles were firing flashing rays at the same rate as machine guns.

Had this barrage been directed at Tokyo's city center, the clustered buildings would definitely be punctured and sliced apart like plastic. In a few short minutes, a metropolis would be rendered a tragic wasteland.

However, the Suruga army in its square formation four kilometers away remained unscathed.

"As expected, having equal numbers shooting at each other isn't going to work that easily."

Steven smile wryly. Chevaliers were able to sense everything seen and heard by the Legions under their control. These mysterious winged giant soldiers also possessed outstanding five senses far surpassing those of humans.

At his command, the Crusades observed the scene four kilometers away.

Glowing particulates—the particles of protective barriers—were suspended in the air around the Japanese Kamuys.

"The denser the formation, the greater the defensive power of Legions... Since my side's attacks are not working, it should be the same for the other party."

No sooner had Steven spoken than the enemy side counterattacked.

Staying in their square formation, the Japanese Legions pulled their triggers. Naturally, their targets were the Crusades in the air over Suruga Bay, in other words, Steven's army.

Flashing rays were shot continually as the Japanese side's anti-air fire attacked Steven's forces mercilessly.

However, the British Legions were virtually unharmed too. Around the ninety-eight Crusades, particles of protective barriers glowed as well.

The light of protective barriers had the effect of reducing enemy gunfire.

The particles from Legions of the same army would superimpose to increase their density, producing greater defensive strength. In other words, packing Legions densely in greater numbers would dramatically increase an army's overall defensive strength.

Consequently, square and spherical formations with their high density were commonly used in battles between Legions.

"Continued exchange of fire between air and land will disfavor my side. My men, let us land on the ground and switch to barbaric tactics."

Legions were winged warriors and were capable to standing on the ground with their own two feet like humans. The consumption of ectoplasmic fluid was greater when traveling through the air.

The army led by Steven was flying towards the shore.

They gradually lowered their flying altitude, preparing for a protracted battle on the ground.

Using the same formation as the enemy, Steven arranged his Legions in a ten by ten array, keeping them as densely packed together as possible even during the change in formation. While they were landing, the enemy's anti-air fire did not cease for a single moment. Thus, several unfortunate Crusades located on the fringes where the barrier's particles were weaker were shot down.

A total of four Crusades were killed in combat, pierced in vitals such as the head or the chest, thus crashing into Suruga Bay.

The remaining ninety-four remained completely unharmed.

"Now the numbers are even... No, my side holds the advantage. Let us proceed to crush them with brute force."

The Crusades landed successfully on the beach at last.

Maintaining their square formation, they marched forward neatly at the same speed.

Their targets were Suruga's Kamuy Legions, in formation one kilometer ahead.

As soon as they entered melee range, the protective barriers of both sides would neutralize each other and lose effectiveness. What followed would be slaying enemies using the bayonets on their rifles, following the way of ancient battlefields to stab and decapitate foes.

Riding his wyvern, Steven slowly circled in the air over his Crusades.

Looking at the enemy army from an overhead view, he was stunned.

"Do the descendants of samurai still believe in the blessings of divine wind and intend to attack to the bitter end?"

The Japanese Legions had changed their packed formation.

In other words, the Kamuys had abandoned the security of the high-density square formation in favor of lining themselves in a row of ninety with their bayonet rifles raised anew.

"However... Don't expect favorable divine wind to blow every time," declared Steven boldly.

Visually confirmed by the Crusades, a female knight was spotted standing sternly on the right shoulder of a Kamuy in the center of the Japanese ranks.

Taking out the Chevalier in control of the Legions would be equivalent to winning the battle.

Part 2

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Part 3

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Part 4

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Part 5

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