I Got Fired As an Adventurer, So I’m Starting Anew As an Alchemist! Frontier Exploration? Alright, Leave It to Me!

203. The Counterattack Has To Be Thorough, Isn’t It?

“Gwahahahahaha! Taste the sharpness of my spear!”

Leading the charge from Dawn Fortress was Shingen, the one-eyed warrior riding an exceptionally large two-legged bird.

“Father! At least, at least refrain from taking the vanguard!”

Hanbei, following behind, tried to stop Shingen, but couldn’t catch up to the renowned bird-riding warrior.

“What fool of a general charges in himself! You stay at the rear!”

Next to shout was Motonari, head of the O’Brien family. Even his usual fearless smile was gone. Shingen spat back at him.

“You’re the one who shouldn’t overexert yourself as the brains! Stay put and guard the fortress with Masamune!”

Masamune, head of the St. Clair family, one of the three great houses, remained at the fortress with Kyle’s troops as a reserve force, ready to defend the likely targeted Dawn Bridge.

“Let me through! I will offer the honor of the first strike to Muten-sama! Kukuku… This will surely make that girl fall for me…”

“What did you say!?”

Shingen shouted, not catching the latter part of the words, but Motonari ignored him. He didn’t want it known that he had a crush on Nobuna, who was much younger, almost like a daughter to him.

Moreover, Motonari’s son, Kagataka, also had feelings for Nobuna, making the father-son duo a real nuisance.

That troublesome son, Kagataka, was of course participating in the battle.

Flying his two-legged bird, he brushed his bangs, though it was pointless on a bird at full gallop.

He shouted towards Nobuna.

“Fufufu! I, Kagataka, will protect you!”

Behind the Mizuho troops charging from the fortress, three units ran parallel: Nobuna, her brother Kanetsugu, and Kagataka.

“Kagataka! Your duty is to protect Kanetsugu’s unit! Understand your role!”

“Ugh… Anyway, I’ll protect you too!”

“Your help is more trouble than it’s worth!”

Let’s explain the three units they lead.

First, Kagataka O’Brien’s unit consists of general samurai equipped with bows and swords.

Though numerous, few bear the samurai crest, making them a typical Mizuho troop. Kagataka himself bears the samurai crest, but his skills are average. Not weak, but unremarkable, a mass-produced samurai.

In other words, an ordinary unit.

Of course, Mizuho troops are elite, having trained vigorously during their stay at Golden Dawn, chugging stamina potions, making them undoubtedly superior to the kingdom’s average soldiers, but Kagataka doesn’t stand out.

By Mizuho standards, he’s just ordinarily strong.

Kagataka’s unit’s mission is to directly shield Kanetsugu Wilhelm’s Onmyo unit (a guard unit).

Kanetsugu’s unit is composed of those bearing the Onmyoji crest, akin to an imperial magic unit.

A group of sorcerers using special summoning techniques called Shikigami, but of course, they are notably weak in close combat.

Kagataka saw this shielding mission as an honorable duty to protect the vital Onmyo unit. Not entirely wrong, but Shingen and Motonari envisioned Kagataka’s unit as a meat shield. No room for familial or human sentiments here.

Lastly, Nobuna’s unit is small in number.

This is natural. To balance the rare Onmyo Samurai crest she bears with unit strength, it’s a select group of strong individuals who, while bearing the Onmyoji crest, can also fight with swords or bows.

Nobuna’s unit is tasked with commanding these three units, guarding Kanetsugu’s Onmyo unit, and also expected to perform as an Onmyo unit.

In critical moments, they even have secret orders to use Kagataka’s unit as a decoy and retreat with Kanetsugu’s unit.

What’s expected of the Onmyo unit is not attack, but defense.

And soon, the time came for them to fulfill that role.

◆

The elite units led by Shingen, Hanbei, and Motonari charged into the forefront of the monster horde approaching Dawn Fortress.

The vanguard was Shingen’s unit, slightly followed by Hanbei and Motonari’s units, plunging into battle. The surroundings quickly reeked of blood.

“Gwahahahaha! These enemies have some backbone!”

Though he spoke of backbone, with each swing of Shingen’s giant cross spear, monsters were sliced like twigs and sent flying.

“Gwahahahaha! The hard mithril spear forged by Leafan is magnificent!”

It was a weapon gifted by Kyle, meticulously forged by Leafan despite his busy schedule. The cross spear, larger than usual to match Shingen’s stature.

“Chestoooooo!”

Hanbei, leading the charge with Shingen, also wielded a hard mithril spear. This one, made by Leafan’s master, Velund, was equally exquisite.

“Father! It’s not just the weapon’s performance. The Sharpness Oil from Craft is also remarkable!”

Naturally, all soldiers were supplied with Sharpness Oil. While it had little effect on orichalcum weapons, it significantly enhanced mithril weapons.

But the greatest beneficiaries were the following samurai.

Their Mizuho blades had excellent sharpness, but being steel, they had their limits. The Sharpness Oil greatly increased their cutting power, reducing the burden on the blades, allowing them to maintain sharpness throughout the battle.

Hanbei grinned wickedly as he watched his subordinates cut down monsters like paper.

“Gwahahahaha! You’re looking like your wild younger self, Hanbei!”

“I’d rather not dig up my dark past, but I can’t suppress the impulses of my youth now!”

“Good! Rampage to your heart’s content!”

“Roger!”

Now the epitome of calm and hardship, Hanbei was once an uncontrollable ruffian at Nobuna’s age.

Though slightly embarrassed by the reference to his wild days, the long period of defensive battles had left him with pent-up frustration, and his blood was boiling to the extreme.

Following these two ruffians was Motonari. As Shingen pointed out, he was a samurai who valued wisdom over martial prowess.

But unlike Kagataka, he was highly skilled as a warrior. While cutting down monsters, he grasped the battlefield as if overseeing it.

“Kukuku… The left flank’s breakthrough is weak. That fool Hanbei has narrowed his vision.”

Motonari muttered, shifting his unit left to thicken the attack.

Amidst this, he noticed wounded and fallen comrades. Surely Shingen and Hanbei noticed too but ignored them.

“Hmph. Leaving it to me, are they? Really…”

While complaining, he issued orders.

“Administer Healing Potions to the wounded immediately! Even scratches! Don’t worry about reserves! This is an order!”

His subordinates used Healing Potions like water, ensuring no one was left behind, and all wounded quickly returned to the front.

Watching this, Motonari shuddered.

The Mizuho Divine Kingdom had few alchemists, and their skills paled compared to the empire or kingdom. Thus, recovery potions were precious and not for soldiers’ use.

“Really… Do those fools realize how abnormal this is?”

Motonari recalled the war preparations. The stockpile of Healing Potions at Dawn Fortress amounted to centuries’ worth by Mizuho standards.

Moreover, they could be replenished via the bridge anytime, making the astonishment immeasurable.

“Craft, the Twilight Alchemist… A terrifying man.”

Thinking of the alchemist who easily overturned strategies at a tactical level, Motonari felt a chill down his spine.