Berserk, Total War: Second Son of Nobles

Chapter 730 The Undying Zuo De

"The Band of the Hawk?"

In the dead of night in the inner fortress of Rhône, the dim candlelight cast dappled shadows on the stone floor and wooden beams, barely outlining the silhouettes of King Midland and the high-ranking officials standing around him in the hall. There were no superfluous decorations, only the faint sound of the burning candles, which was particularly clear in the quiet hall.

The king sat upright in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below. After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly, his voice steady yet carrying an unyielding tone.

"My mind is made up. The gateway to the Dordore Territory, Forgney Castle, will be conquered by the Band of the Eagle."

The moment the words fell, Count Yuris stepped forward almost immediately without hesitation. He knew what the king's decision meant. Forgny Castle was the most crucial pass and fortress in the Doldore Territory. Taking it would be enough to elevate the Eagle Band's status several levels, and would also allow Griffith, the foreign mercenary leader, to gain a firm foothold in the court and army of Midland, even surpassing all the local nobles and regular army generals.

He was the king's younger brother, and seeing his elder brother so blindly trusting a mercenary group with no foundation, his dissatisfaction and anxiety were almost overflowing. He could not accept that the entire regular army of Midland and the private armies of hereditary nobles were on standby, yet such a crucial battle was to be handed over to a group of mercenaries gathered from the countryside. This was not only a disregard for the regular army, but also allowed Griffith to take all the credit. No nobleman would tolerate such an arrangement.

"Your Majesty, this is unacceptable."

Count Yuris's voice was clearly urgent. He had to stop this decision, even if it meant confronting the king's authority. He couldn't watch all the military merits fall into Griffith's hands. In his eyes, the Band of the Hawk was nothing but a bunch of country bumpkins who relied on brute force to fight. They had been elevated to an undeserved position by the king based on just a few small victories.

"Although the Eagle Band has achieved some victories recently, they are still mercenaries from the countryside. Entrusting them with a task like conquering Fogni Castle is tantamount to putting Midland's defenses in danger. Your Majesty must not make such a rash decision based on temporary victories."

A brief silence fell over the hall. The remaining officials exchanged glances, all seeing the agreement in each other's eyes. Count Yuris's words expressed the sentiments of most of the nobles and generals present. They were unwilling to see a foreign mercenary group steal the credit and status that belonged to the local forces.

“What Count Yuris said is exactly what I was thinking.”

Henry, the new commander of the Midland army, stepped forward and echoed the sentiment. Several years ago, after Ludwig led a large army to launch a major attack on Midland, he relinquished his military power and returned to his own territory to enjoy a peaceful life. It was only recently that he was recalled by the king and appointed as the new commander of the army, returning to the core of the military.

He also disliked the Eagle Band. What right did a bunch of self-taught mercenaries have to bypass the regular army and take over the battle of Fogni Castle? This was not only a disregard for him as the new army commander, but also a denial of the entire Midland regular army system. He had to stand up and fight for this mission, both for the honor of the new army and to protect the military power and status he had regained.

Henry looked up at the king on the throne, his tone calm and composed.

“If Your Majesty grants my request, I am willing to personally lead the new army to the front lines and participate in the attack on Vogenyburg, ensuring that the fortress is captured in the shortest possible time and the mission assigned by Your Majesty is accomplished.”

The king slowly turned his head and looked at Henry. It was just a brief glance, without any extra expression, but it made Henry's heart sink.

Henry instantly understood the meaning in the king's eyes: dissatisfaction, displeasure at his rash request to fight.

"you sure?"

The king's voice remained steady and flat, yet it carried an irresistible sense of oppression, striking Henry's heart directly.

Henry's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he swallowed back the confident words that were on the tip of his tongue. It wasn't that he was unsure of victory; in his eyes, the defenses of Forgnie Castle were not particularly strong. The power of the cannons was enough to easily breach the walls, and the resistance of the defenders would not cause any trouble. But he dared not persist any longer. He knew the king's temper, and if he angered him, the consequences would be beyond his ability to bear.

"This……"

Henry opened his mouth, but ultimately uttered no words of rebuttal. He silently retreated to his original position, remaining silent and accepting the king's arrangement. Though he felt resentful, he could only suppress all thoughts and refrain from crossing the king's bottom line.

Seeing that Henry had no further objections, the king withdrew his gaze and looked back at everyone in the hall. Without giving anyone another chance to speak, he made the final decision.

"My mind is made up. Immediately send an order to Griffiths: once the Band of the Eagle has completed its combat preparations, launch an attack on Fort Vogni without delay."

"As ordered."

Count Yuris clenched his fists, suppressing the surging displeasure and anger in his chest. He responded somewhat stiffly, knowing that there was no way to change things now. Griffith had ultimately taken the greatest credit. He could only bury all his dissatisfaction in his heart, turning his gaze to the other side of the hall, unwilling to look at the king or think about this matter that made him so furious.

Not far away, young Hoss stood at the edge of the crowd, his gaze fixed on Count Yuris's back, taking in the Count's anger and resentment, while quickly calculating in his mind.

Count Uris's hostility toward Griffiths was so intense, and his dissatisfaction with the king's decision so profound, that there might be an opportunity to exploit. He showed no emotion, simply standing quietly in place, keeping everything in mind, waiting for the right moment.

Ignoring the various thoughts of the people in the hall, the king raised his hand to signal the meeting to continue and calmly began to propose the next resolution.

"Next, let's discuss the next matter."

"Previously, all noble territories and royal territories within the country had completed the conscription of soldiers. However, after summarizing, there is still a considerable shortage of personnel in the front-line army. The replenishment of food and manpower has become a problem at present. I intend to conscript prisoners from prisons and incorporate them into the army to fill the troop shortage. What are your thoughts on this?"

The hall fell silent again. The king had just rejected everyone's proposal, and they were already holding back their emotions. Moreover, the policy of recruiting soldiers from prisons would not benefit the nobles and officials present. It would neither increase their families' military strength nor bring them any benefits.

Everyone chose to remain silent; no one was willing to speak out, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, expressing their stance through silence.

The king looked at the silent crowd below, neither asking further questions nor pressing the issue, clearly having anticipated this outcome.

"Since no one objects, this matter is settled. We should make arrangements immediately to select suitable prisoners from various prisons and incorporate them into the front-line army to replenish the manpower gap."

No one spoke in the hall; everyone tacitly accepted the decision, and the meeting temporarily came to an end.

……

Boom!

A muffled rumble of thunder exploded in the clouds. Griffith, riding a white warhorse, stood on a hillside. Rain poured down on him, soaking his armor, but he made no move to dodge. He remained firmly seated on his horse, his right hand tightly gripping a strange red stone, the rough texture of which lapped against his palm. His attention was completely focused on the distant direction of Forgione Castle, without the slightest distraction.

Below the hillside, Guts led the Hawk's assault team to the breach in the walls of Vogeny Castle, pouring into the city and engaging in fierce combat with the defenders. The sounds of clashing weapons and shouts of soldiers mingled together, constantly coming from the direction of the castle. Guts led the charge, his weapon flashing as he slashed at the enemy soldiers coming towards him, his offensive swift and relentless.

Not long after, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from the hillside. A messenger rode up to Griffith, reined in his horse, quickly dismounted, knelt on one knee, and reported the situation at the front to Griffith.

"Commander, our army has completed the siege of the remaining enemy forces in Fort Vogni. The garrison outside the castle has been basically wiped out, with only a small number of enemy troops still stubbornly resisting inside the castle."

Griffith tightened his grip on the red stone slightly, his gaze still fixed on the direction of the inner castle, and asked a question.

"Where is the commander of the castle's garrison now?"

"We have yet to find the leader, but Captain Gus has led the assault team to surround the inner fort. However, there is a single enemy soldier guarding the inner fort alone. He is extremely strong and our army has attacked many times, but he has blocked our advance and we have not been able to advance even half a step into the inner fort."

As soon as the messenger finished speaking, Gorcas, who was standing to the side, immediately let out a sneer, his face full of disdain.

"one person?"

Gorkas smirked, his tone full of sarcasm.

"It seems Yoda has no one left to use; he's only sending one person to guard the inner fortress. How pathetic."

Griffiths, however, was not as relaxed as Golcas. His brows were furrowed, and he had a strange feeling that things were not as simple as they seemed.

To single-handedly guard the inner fortress entrance and halt the advance of an entire assault team is something no ordinary soldier could accomplish. Even the most elite warriors would struggle to withstand a continuous charge of dozens or even hundreds of men without support. Moreover, the Eagle Band's assault team comprises the most elite warriors, far surpassing the combat prowess of ordinary mercenaries and soldiers. Logically, no mercenary would accept such a certain death sentence, facing an entire elite force alone. It defies the survival logic of a mercenary, suggesting a hidden reason behind it.

Standing in the crowd, Jiedu looked at Griffith's solemn expression and recalled the rumors he had heard before the war. His heart tightened, and he immediately spoke, breaking the atmosphere.

"It couldn't be him, could it?"

Everyone turned to look at Jiedu, waiting for him to continue. Gorkas also put away his disdain and realized that there might really be something fishy about the matter.

"Before the war began, I heard from my former mercenary comrades that a mercenary named Zod had defected to Yoda's side and joined the enemy army, stationed in Fort Forgney."

"Zoder?"

Casca immediately replied, her voice carrying a hint of seriousness.

Upon hearing this name, the members of the Band of the Hawk around them stopped talking, exchanged glances, and whispered among themselves, their faces showing varying degrees of solemnity. Clearly, this name was not unfamiliar to them.

Standing at the back of the crowd, Bibin looked at everyone's strange expressions with a puzzled expression. He rarely came into contact with the legendary rumors in the mercenary circle and had no concept of the name Zod. He couldn't understand why everyone had become so serious because of a name.

"Who is he?"

Bibin looked at Rickett beside him and asked.

"Bibing, don't you know Zod?"

Rickett looked at Bibin with a serious expression, without the slightest hint of a joke, and began to explain Zod's origins to him.

"The immortal Zod is a legendary warrior known to everyone in the mercenary community across the entire continent. Almost every mercenary who roams the battlefield has heard his name. He has fought in countless battles, and the number of soldiers and mercenaries who have died at his hands is too numerous to count. But this is not what makes him most terrifying."

Rickett paused, then continued, his tone carrying an undisguised sense of awe.

"There have always been rumors in the mercenary circle that although Zuo De was clearly killed in battle, every now and then people would see him on different battlefields. He was still fighting and killing, and had never really disappeared. What's even more unbelievable is that the earliest verifiable information about him can be traced back to a hundred years ago. For a hundred years, he has been active on various battlefields. And this is only the part that we know for sure. His earlier deeds have long been unverifiable."

"A hundred years ago?"

Bibin stared wide-eyed, his face filled with shock. He couldn't believe it. An ordinary person's lifespan is only a few decades, yet someone could be active on the battlefield for a hundred years. This was completely contrary to common sense and beyond his comprehension.

"That's why the mercenaries call him the Immortal Zod. This title didn't come out of thin air; it was passed down from countless people who witnessed it firsthand."

Rickett, seeing Bibin's shock, offered no further explanation; the facts were already shocking enough, requiring no further embellishment.

After hearing Rickett's words, Gorkas laughed again, but this time his laughter contained less disdain and more disbelief.

"Don't be ridiculous. Don't tell me you actually believe these fairy tales that are meant to fool newcomers. How could anyone live for a hundred years and still be fighting on the battlefield? This is utter nonsense."

Gorkas waved his hand, trying to dispel everyone's concerns and dispel their disbelief in such an absurd rumor.

"But the fact is that many veteran mercenaries regard Zuo De as a war god on the battlefield and have great awe for him. This is not a fabricated story, but something that many people have personally experienced."

Rickett immediately retorted.

"Alright alright."

Seeing that Rickett was adamant, Gorkas stopped arguing. He still didn't believe in the legend of immortality, thinking it was just a rumor.

Griffiths did not participate in the argument, remaining silent throughout, his brows furrowed even more, his gaze fixed on the direction of the inner fortress of Fogninisburg.

Based on his intuition honed over years of battles, he clearly sensed an extremely strong aura of danger emanating from the inner fortress. It was an unprecedented sense of oppression that gave rise to an intense premonition of the future in his heart.