In a temporary Military State base set up on the Meta Conveyor Belt, a strategy meeting was in full swing.

A square table was surrounded by organized chaos. Although the general officers discussed numerous strategies around a single table, no clear solution to overcome the situation emerged.

The content mentioned varied, but a common theme in their statements was anxiety.

“On our side, our forces have weakened, while on the other side, they remain robust. Moreover, now that it has been revealed that they can interfere with the Meta Conveyor Belt, pursuing them on the belt is pointless.”

It was a total defeat. It was perhaps the most devastating loss since the birth of the Military State.

There were many excuses that could be made. The opponent was a legendary existence, Tyrkanzyaka, and on top of that, a Beast King, who should remain neutral, explicitly sided with the other side.

And above all… The opponents’ skills, especially the invisible swordsmanship of the young swordsman, far exceeded their predictions.

Patraxion shouted in fury.

“That little kid! He hid his strength when fighting me! Does he think I'm an easy opponent? I will never, ever forgive him!”

“...General. How do you plan to do that? I must remind you again that you should not act alone.”

When his disciple, Colonel Gand, asked cautiously, Patraxion clenched the spear in his hand and replied vehemently.

“How, you ask?! Next time I meet him, I'll crush him with my full strength. I hate those who don't use everything they've got in a duel!”

“This isn't a duel! It's an operation!”

“Every conflict is a series of duels or a collection of them! Anyway, next time, I'll definitely draw out the kid's full power!”

“Don't only think of drawing it out! Think of defeating him with all your strength! Only then will we be able to rescue Major General Historia! Isn’t that so?!”

When Colonel Gand mentioned Historia, an uncomfortable silence lingered in the meeting room.

Historia had been the most proactive in this operation. Leading the Gunner Corps, she engaged in delaying tactics and held the enemy back all day. Even in a disadvantageous situation, she confronted them alone to protect her troops.

No matter the personal feelings she had in this mission, Historia had fought valiantly and risked her life. The general officers felt not only admiration but also a slight sense of debt towards her.

Patraxion asked seriously.

“Major General Historia? Did you just say Major General Historia?”

“Yes, I did. Is there a problem?”

As everyone looked solely at Patraxion, he replied nonchalantly.

“Hey, didn't you once say Historia was acting all arrogant despite being so young and trying to look cool while playing with guns? But it seems like after you got crushed in your duel with her back then, you started using honorifics, huh?”

“It's about maintaining decorum! Please keep that in mind too, General! You're not the only high-ranking officer here!”

“I'm the highest ranking here. Right now, that Granny Mage Marshal isn’t around eith….”

“It is not time to stay so relaxed, just because I am not present!”

The door swung open and the Mage Marshal entered, having finished reconnaissance and belt repairs. Patraxion grumbled and straightened up his posture.

“Tch, speak of the devil. It seems even a tiger comes when you speak of it. I'm not the boss here anymore, huh.”

“Don't talk such nonsense and think about rescuing the Major General! Who knows what kind of harsh treatment the Major General is undergoing while being held by the enemy?!”

Mage Marshal Prelvior, one of the few beings who could rebuke Sunderspear without hesitation, commanded respect.

During the kingdom era, mages, known for their scarce and mystical abilities, were exclusively the privilege of the nobility. The nobles kept more powerful and impressive mages as retainers for occasions that needed the ‘Arcane’. As such, a mage with Unique Magic upheld power in unimaginable ways.

Meanwhile, Prelvior, who took on all kinds of dirty and tough tasks from construction to warfare, received substantial support from soldiers and citizens alike. She declined glory, however, stating she just did it to cover her magic expenses.

In the kingdom, they half-mockingly and half-admiringly called her the Kingdom's Worker because she, a mage, did menial tasks.

The Sunderspear was relatively careful with his words in front of the obstinate her.

“Yeah! That’s why you should go do some flying practice and come back! If someone gets caught in your wind erroneously, they would have every bone in their body broken! Without a general officer who can survive such a fall, you can’t even fly! How long will you keep flying around, clinging onto the ground like some kite?”

“Silence!”

Emphasis on the relatively, of course.

Prelvior, who had strode in, stood in front of the table with a map of the Military State, threw a rolled mana herb onto it, and spoke.

“The Beast King, I’ve received a solution regarding her.”

“What is it?”

“Try not to engage if possible. If we do not attack first, the Beast King will not show a willingness to attack either. However, if the King of Cats acts hostile again, I was told we just needed to burn this mana herb, which is used for calming.”

The item Mage Marshal had placed on the table was a cigar exuding a refreshing scent. Patraxion picked up the mana herb and sniffed it, before frowning.

“Who gave this to you?”

Mage Marshal answered.

“Warforger, Maximilien.”

“Does that guy make medicine in addition to weapons? Well, alchemists do have a rather dark side. So, when is the secret weapon arriving?”

“The Warforger is currently manufacturing a weapon for combating them and will join us as soon as it's finished.”

“He still hasn’t finished making it? By then, they might have already fled to the Duchy. I also need to repair my spear, but whenever I need him, he’s never around.”

“You insolent thing! When an adult is speaking, you should not interrupt! Moreover, you should listen quietly if you have nothing to say!”

Mage Marshal barked out as she looked around the room.

“Listen well. The plan has been devised. The next battlefield is the Far East Terminal! They will probably make their way to the Duchy along the Coastal Road from the Far East Terminal. And we will hold a decisive battle there to prevent them from reaching the Coastal Road!”

The Far East Terminal was the largest terminal in the Military State and also housed various control facilities for maintenance and repairs of the Meta Conveyor Belt. It had been chosen as the next battleground because it was where the Meta Conveyor Belt flowed the slowest.

As everyone was nodding in agreement with the rational plan, a staff officer cautiously asked.

“However, are we not behind them at the current moment? How do we get ahead of them?”

“The one who just raised his voice! When asking a question, raise your hand first!”

“I-I shall rectify it.”

The staff officer raised his hand and asked again. Only then did Prelvior turn towards him and said robustly.

“Right! You should identify yourself so I can see who is talking! Only then will I be able to respond! Remember this. Identifying oneself! Is the basics of reporting!”

“I shall remember.”

“Quick to rectify. That is a good attitude to have!”

Prelvior nodded in satisfaction and explained again.

“The Far East Terminal houses the multi-purpose armored corps, Bernartern, on standby. They will conduct a delaying action.”

The name that came from Prelvior's mouth was that of the most elite corps of the Military State. The staff officer responded in surprise.

“Bernartern? Aren’t they a Level 5 Elite Corps directly under Command, prepared only for war? They are being used for this kind of operation…?”

“Tyrkanzyaka is a one-man army. As such, this amount of force is absolutely necessary. Moreover, considering her ability to summon darkness as troops, it is much better for us to clash with a corps. Bernartern will handle the battle with Tyrkanzyaka and we will attack from the rear.”

It was essentially a strategy known as the hammer and anvil. While Bernartern held them back and the Meta Conveyor Belt sluggishly moved, the Mage Marshal and the Sunderspear, among other general officers, would raid them from behind and finish them off… was what the operation entailed.

And just like all plans, it was perfect. As long as everything went according to what was planned, of course.

Naturally, the staff officer pointed out a potential issue.

“What if they avoid the fight at the Far East Terminal?”

“If they come down from the belt, it will be advantageous for us. On flat terrain, the corps’ strength can be fully utilized. Maneuver warfare is all that is needed to finish them off.”

“That’s true, but they are individuals with an entire Corps-Grade level of power. If they hide somewhere and engage in guerrilla warfare, it could be troublesome.”

“Signallers are leading all personnel in monitoring. Not only will they not be able to leave the country, but they also cannot hide anywhere.”

“U-Um…“

After a moment of contemplation, the staff officer glanced around and, with the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, proposed one last possibility.

“What if… they use Major General Historia as a hostage…?”

Prelvior, who already maintained a steely demeanor, had her expression hardened even further.

Sorcerer Lankart and Gunmaster Historia. Two talents believed to lead the future of the Military State, now with only Historia remaining intact.

Though not particularly affectionate, Historia was respectful and reasonably adaptable, traits which Prelvior had come to appreciate. Although their fields were different, she inwardly held Historia in higher esteem than Lankart.

If it was her choice, she would have used any means to rescue her, but…

“…There will be no negotiations. Aim to reclaim her, but be prepared to abandon if necessary.”

There were no negotiations when it came to the Military State. Bowing once led to bowing twice, eventually causing a domino effect that could bring down the state.

Do not jeopardize the nation for an individual. It was the identity and fundamental premise of the Military State.

As the general officers nodded gravely, the Sunderspear alone sported a cryptic smile. Though she tried to ignore it, she was unable to due to the irritation it caused, thus causing the Mage Marshal to finally point it out.

“General Patraxion, if you have something to say, do not just snicker in the back and say it out loud!”

“Keke, you people probably don't know.”

Patraxion, with a mischievous smile, replied with a face full of playfulness.

“The Darling Little Girl of the Military State, that troublesome punk. She got captured on purpose.”

“...What did you just say, Patraxion?”

“You see, about Historia... Even when the situation turned against her and it was time to escape, she deliberately charged in. I’m saying she infiltrated them.”

Everyone was shocked by this unexpected revelation. Amidst this, Patraxion alone nodded and spoke.

“She pretended to fight hard, but she can’t fool my eyes. She could have just rolled off the belt, but instead, she chose to engage in a battle with the King of Cats and then pretended to be weakened.”

“Why take such a risky move?”

“Who knows? But is it truly risky? Apart from wreaking havoc by annihilating a few bases and attacking the Capital Headquarters, what else have they really done?”

“It is more than dangerous enough! They cut off the arm of the Earth Sage and burned down five supply bases! For absolutely no reason!”

“I doubt there wasn’t a reason at all. At any rate, it doesn’t seem like they randomly kill people. So, it’s clear she pretended to be captured to infiltrate their ranks.”

However, deliberately getting captured was dangerous, especially when an individual's power surpassed that of a group. After all, due to her being caught as a captive, it shifted the balance of power.

It was too extreme to be called a mere impulsive action. The staff officer spoke, harboring that slight doubt.

“Could it be possible that she has just defected…?”

At that moment, all the general officers turned their eyes towards him.