Fate: The Forged Arthur Pendragon

"Please look here."

Lucan's finger traced the winding paths on the parchment map, stopping at a small castle symbol below a marked point for the capital. He explained to Suya,

"Our original direction was to take a ship from Plymouth Port on the southwest side of the kingdom to Southampton, and then proceed directly to the Golden Iron Curtain, returning to the capital to report."

"But now, that path is impassable. As for the reason... I believe you already understand."

Suya nodded.

Although he couldn't understand this old-fashioned map, which was so simplified it lacked elevation lines, scale, or compass direction, only showing a bunch of castles, nor did he know where he was on the map. In fact, he couldn't comprehend how Lucan and Merlin could clearly understand and plan their next moves from such a map.

But Suya had just been beaten by the Macedonians.

He had personally seen countless Macedonian troops along the path from south to north. He had firsthand experience of how difficult this route was.

"The sea route and the direct eastward path to the Golden Iron Curtain have been completely sealed off, so we have no choice but to take a detour."

Lucan looked at the three people gathered around the single-legged dining table and continued,

"Currently, to our north is the city of Saul, ruled by Sir Bourn."

Hearing this, Suya remembered Bourn's territory they had just passed through, and the deserted, empty city. He couldn't help but ask,

"Wait, this Sir Bourn you're talking about, what's his relation to this Bourn's territory we're in?"

Dagonet immediately answered Suya respectfully,

"It's the same person. Both these areas are ruled by Sir Bourn. He was a knight enfeoffed by the Duke of Cornwall, and later bought his title from the King and the Duke of Cornwall with money."

Then, as if fearing Suya might misunderstand their situation and make a misjudgment, Dagonet carefully explained,

"It's currently the seventh day since the war began. The King of Conquerors' army is advancing in a straight line southeast, so cities on the north side of this path haven't suffered large-scale attacks."

"Although with the collapse of the first two defense lines, it's only a matter of time before the surrounding areas fall, the city of Saul to the north is currently still under Sir Bourn's control. Moreover, the knight should have received orders from the capital in the rear and is now actively evacuating civilians to the rear."

"As long as we reach there, we can use this temporarily opened route to reach the capital."

"This is the only route we can attempt right now."

Dagonet's explanation had no flaws.

Merlin and Lucan also agreed.

However, Suya always felt vaguely uneasy.

Anyone who has played a strategy game knows that when attacking a city, you always have to leave the enemy a retreat path, then slyly block it, creating a situation where you can surround and trap them like pigs.

He looked up at the three of them, asking anxiously, "So, if we go there, we won't encounter any difficulties?"

"You also said that this place is already a mess, with Lyceum mages, Enforcers, Crusader Knights, mage killers..."

These terms, even though Suya didn't know what they all were, sounded very intimidating!

Merlin shook her head and explained,

"Non-semi-heroic practitioners find it difficult to gain an advantage against organized armies."

"Furthermore, individuals of that caliber have largely been conscripted into the army by the King of Conquerors."

"And these scattered practitioners from various factions, without a complete tactical squad structure, will generally not impede organized armies if encountered, unless they wish to die."

Merlin thought for a moment, then added,

"Although our numbers are still a bit small, they're barely enough to form Anti-Magic and avoid detection eyes. Plus, with two titled experts in the team, and me, if we're unlucky enough to encounter an obstructionist, our combat power is entirely sufficient to handle the danger."

"Titled?"

Suya heard this term again, and Dagonet, who was constantly observing his expression, immediately explained in detail,

"Titled-level, we who practice martial arts generally call it Master-level."

"It describes individuals who excel in a profession, far surpassing ordinary people, and is a level of evaluation for ability situated between Professional-level and Heroic-level. Upon reaching this level, one gains a portion of power and abilities that transcend ordinary people."

"But overall, this level is limited in strength. It's the equivalent of being able to knock down a horse with one punch, or defeat seven or eight ordinary people in a few rounds. It's completely incomparable to the heroes who dominate battlefields. If we encounter a well-trained army, we would only be able to flee in disarray after a single charge."

"My King, your knight, Dagonet, and this disloyal thief are both of the titled level."

No, you're more like a thief than Lucan, the thief!

Suya silently scoffed.

However, even though Dagonet expressed it modestly, having witnessed Lucan's battle with Seleucus, Suya wouldn't take the self-deprecating words of these non-humans seriously.

As a Master-level Lucan, his speed already exceeded the limits of human perception, allowing only afterimages to be seen. In a real fight, facing such a powerful opponent, Suya would be incapacitated in less than a single round.

No matter how many martial arts he had learned or how many combat techniques he had secretly acquired,

In the face of pure numerical superiority, those were all just flashy moves!

At this point, having learned that Dagonet was also a Master-level existence, Suya understood why Lucan had to deceive Merlin into cooperating before daring to act against the knights outside.

Lucan might be able to toy with them using the exaggerated speed of a Master-level thief, but he absolutely couldn't directly withstand a round of encirclement led by Dagonet and his cavalry, nor could he possibly kill all the knights led by Dagonet.

And now,

Suya finally felt a little relieved.

Although Lucan's previous words still lingered in his mind,

Once his identity as king was exposed, he would undoubtedly face fierce targeting and schemes from both enemy and allied forces. But these were matters to consider later.

For now, as long as the knights were prevented from revealing his identity,

With two Master-level experts guarding him, and Merlin, who seemed to have a powerful trump card, by his side, his situation was clearly countless times safer than when he first transmigrated!

However,

Lucan spoke up at this moment, his voice faint.

"My King... however, speaking of which, we might indeed encounter some anticipated difficulties. Please look here—"

He moved his finger to the area in front of the city of Saul on the map and drew a circle.

"As explained before,"

"Armies only encounter armies."

"And unfortunately—in front of us, within this area, a powerful Macedonian army is currently lurking."

"They come from the Egyptian region ruled by Macedonia, led by a semi-hero who commands the Sphinx Knights."

"This is a friend of the King who once studied with Aristotle alongside the King of Conquerors, rumored to be a bastard son of Philip II, the true ruler of Egypt, and a candidate for the next Pharaoh of Egypt—"

"The Sphinx Knight, Ptolemy!"

Suya blinked.

Ptolemy?

Holy crap, a Pharaoh!

And a legendary figure who founded the last ancient Egyptian dynasty!

"Wait... let me process this. What did you just say? Say it again?"

Lucan patted Suya's shoulder, offering an encouraging smile:

"My King, you must lead us in a charge against this Sphinx Knight!"

Suya was stunned, frozen for a long moment. He helplessly pointed to himself.

"You mean—"

"Me, fighting a Pharaoh?"