Knight: Becoming King of the World

Henry pointed his sword forward, his voice thundering across the square, "Forward! Let the enemy tremble before our swords!"

At Henry’s command, the army began to move slowly, their strides powerful. The thudding of warhorses’ hooves, the marching of soldiers’ feet, and the clash of weapons made everyone feel the army’s solemnity.

The townspeople watched the army depart, their hearts filled with reverence.

As the army receded into the distance, the residents of Westwood Laine Keep also began their day’s labor.

The best they could do while the army was on campaign was to not cause trouble and to keep Westwood Laine Keep from grinding to a halt. The last thing anyone wanted was for Henry to return victorious only to find Westwood Laine at a standstill!

Henry and his generals were at the front of the column, their gazes fixed on the distance, filled with the conviction of certain victory. ’They were invincible. Their will was unbreakable!’

As the sun rose, the army’s shadow stretched longer and longer across the land. Their goal was singular: victory. If they could also craft a work of art from a pile of skulls along the way, all the better.

"Hm?"

Bain, who was commanding the largest contingent of infantry and adjusting their marching formation and speed, was surprised to notice something. All of Henry’s Personal Guard infantry, as well as Vasco himself, were now equipped with the Lizardmen’s Obsidian Weapons captured from Hobia.

These Obsidian Weapons were neither blades nor swords. They were covered in sharp spikes, yet were exceptionally sharp and hard.

The problem was that these Obsidian Weapons were quite heavy, posing a challenge for humans.

The Lizardmen could wield these heavy weapons with ease thanks to their outstanding strength and Endurance. For human soldiers, however, prolonged use would lead to excessive exhaustion, preventing them from using the weapons to their full potential.

’If they get exhausted on the battlefield and are cut down, or run out of strength after killing just a few enemies, they’d be better off with a long pitchfork. At least with that, they might be able to stab a few Cavalrymen...’

Of course, Bain had never seen or even heard of a pitchfork taking down Armored Cavalry, as Henry claimed. He just assumed Henry was joking.

Vasco, the captain of the Personal Guard, noticed Bain’s gaze. He proudly puffed out his chest, showing off his own Obsidian Weapon.

The weapon glinted with a dark light in the sun, looking exceptionally mysterious and dangerous.

Bain returned the gesture with a polite smile, then rode up beside Henry. He asked in a low voice, "My lord, aren’t these Obsidian Weapons a bit too heavy? I’m afraid our most elite Warriors won’t be able to wield them for long on the battlefield before they’re exhausted."

Henry smiled, understanding Bain’s concern. "Bain," he said, "have you forgotten about their training and diet? These men in my Personal Guard are the best of the best, the ones who have been with me the longest."

"They are powerful Warriors who have undergone one to two years of high-intensity training, and their bodies have been built up by a consistently rich diet."

"Even the men from the Northern Lands or the forests of Battania are not as strong or powerful as they are."

Bain thought about it and realized it was true.

Henry took the training and diet of his Personal Guard very seriously. Their weekly training load was two to three times that of a regular soldier, and their diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and meat, ensured they would build both stamina and muscle.

These Obsidian Weapons were certainly heavier than human weapons like swords and short staves, but still within a manageable weight for a person.

Bain himself had picked one up and swung it around for a long time before his arm grew tired and his wrist started to ache.

The Personal Guard, whose rations and training were on par with his own Attendants, could indeed wield these Obsidian Weapons.

Henry continued, "Furthermore, the sharpness of these Obsidian Weapons is beyond compare with ordinary arms."

"A single swing can easily shatter an enemy’s weapon and armor. With weapons like these, if used properly, we can gain a decisive advantage on the battlefield."

Bain nodded. He understood Henry’s reasoning.

Though heavy, these Obsidian Weapons were the perfect counter to heavily armored foes. Besides, the Personal Guard’s strength and Endurance had been rigorously trained; they were more than capable of wielding these weapons freely on the battlefield.

And with those fifty soldiers in Legion infantry armor wielding these Lizardmen weapons, they’ll be able to both take a beating and dish one out. It’s like giving a tiger wings—they’ll be unstoppable.

Bain laughed. "Alright, it seems I’ll have to step up my own training. Otherwise, I might not even be able to keep up with your Personal Guard in the next battle."

Henry smiled and shook his head, patting Bain’s shoulder. "You’re already doing great, Bain. But if you want to fight with one of these Obsidian Weapons, I can give you one."

Bain glanced at the Riding Spear and heavy bow hanging from his saddle, then shook his head. "No thank you, my lord. I’m more comfortable with the Riding Spear and heavy bow you gave me."

Henry smiled. ’Back on the Half-Beastman battlefield, the main reason he’d given those weapons to Bain was that the Riding Spear didn’t let him use his full strength. The sharp, long-poled Yanyue Saber was far more satisfying.’

’Where did all those Half-Beastmen run off to? In a few more years, another large batch of Gnolls, Kobolds, and the like should be all grown up, right?’

’Sigh, Half-Beastmen were so much better. They were easy to fight and dropped a ton of loot. Not like the Lizardmen. After fighting them in the desert, all you could scavenge were some Obsidian Weapons, and the casualties were extremely high.’

As Henry pondered this, he also wondered why the Lizardmen, creatures that obviously belonged in a rainforest, had appeared in the desert.

’Could it be that there are tropical rainforests further south?’

As Henry’s army advanced, news of his campaign began to spread.

Spies lurking in the shadows fixed their gazes on Henry’s army, reporting its movements and size in detail to their masters.

Among these spies were Mercenaries working for gold, and Wandering Knights from the western coastal regions trying to pledge their loyalty to various nobles.

When the other nobles learned that this restless lord, who hadn’t known a moment of peace since arriving in the eastern grasslands, was on the march again with his army, they were all scared into a chilling silence.

This was especially true for the nobles of the Anti-Henry Alliance. When they received news that Henry’s army was heading north, their hearts were filled with a mix of emotions.

Some of them had once fought alongside Henry on the battlefield; they knew how terrifying his army could be.

Despite having superior numbers, they still felt a sliver of unease and fear when faced with Henry’s army.

As the nobles’ spies observed Henry’s army, they were also assessing its combat effectiveness.

Seeing the morale and equipment of the soldiers in Henry’s army, the spies knew this was a powerful force—one that would not be easily defeated.

As Henry’s army continued its march north, news of its advance spread even further.

In remote villages and small towns, when people heard that Henry’s army was approaching, their hearts filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Some hoped that Henry would kill their damned lords so they could become his subjects. This was especially true for the tenant farmers, who were among those most eager for Henry’s victory.

Henry’s army marched ever northward, passing through forests, crossing mountains, and fording rivers.

The Anti-Henry Alliance Army received word that Henry’s forces were about to reach the Akakarat Region. They also learned that some of the nobles who had attended Henry’s New Year’s festival had joined his ranks with their own armies, which made the Alliance even more tense.

If it were just Henry alone, their twenty thousand against his three thousand should have been a sure victory. But as Henry’s forces continued to swell, the pressure on them mounted.

As the vast Alliance Army was about to reach Akakarat City, they discovered Henry had already arrived ahead of them, made camp, and was waiting.

’The damned demon was right in front of them!’