Chapter 163 - I MARCH!

With this, Robin put the issue of Knighthood breakthroughs aside, not wanting to think about it anymore, and began to look towards something else that would fill his time... Talismans.

In just a few days he managed to design another type of talisman, the fireball talisman, on the same idea as the wind blade that the attack should be directed at a specific person, so Robin designed a talisman that shoots a ball of fire towards the target

In front of opponents who wear powerful armors or are at a level higher than that of the talisman, using fire against them will be more effective, at least it will take them a few moments to deal with the fire on their clothes…

And just like the wind blade, Robin designed three levels 6~8~10 and sent them to the academy to make an urgent batch of them before the war started.

As for the foundation modification session on Caesar that month, it did not take place. 

Robin told him to focus on recovery before the war began and that he would complete it for him later, after all... only two months left.

The news surprisingly didn't make Caesar happy, but he actually tried to talk Robin into doing one or two more sessions!

After seeing the changes in his power after only 6 sessions, the hour of pain he spend monthly suddenly became worth it, and it's actually not as painful for him as before...

But Robin refused straight away! 

Leaving aside his exhausted body... Robin feared for Caesar's mental health

going through such torture on monthly biases is already enough for a strong grown man to lose his mind after only three sessions! 

...and also, the changes that are happening in his cultivation base are starting to show their effect on his personality...

The following days witnessed a great acceleration of events, before General Edward left, he had already gathered an army of more than 120,000 soldiers, and by now the army actually reached a surprising 200,000 strong!

the battalions began to take their final form, the officers and generals were divided according to their specializations, and the final free training operations began

The three boys also began preparing their squads and the officers below them to make it easier to control their new special forces

It was also decided that Saint David - level 25 now - would lead the army to war and started making plans

Within another three weeks.... the army was ready to fight at any moment

At the end of the third week, a month and a week before the arrival of the appointed time... 

Robin went to the patriarch's office and told him, "It's time to get our weapons here... send to General Edward and tell him to start advancing towards us, and put our army here on active state, just in case..."

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4 days later - Robin's Palace

"Robin, Robin!!" Billy hurried in and started yelling

"I'm here, why are you screaming like that, is there anything new?" Only 4 days have passed since he issued the orders to move on such a large army, General Edward certainly still hadn't reached the border with the Duchy of Evren yet.

"Disaster! Edward has sent us a message now, he says that his intelligence unit has detected large movements on the border with the Duchy of Evren and that there are at least 220,000 soldiers waiting for them there, and the numbers are increasing!"

"WHAT?!" Robin was dumbfounded, this wasn't supposed to happen, "Damn it..."

Robin clenched his hand, a direct confrontation with Duke Donald Evren was not something he wanted, he thought the army would be enough to intimidate him and let them pass! 

this is a major problem that couldn't be taken lightly, "Does the patriarch have an opinion on this?"

"He is now gathered with the rest of the saints and has sent me to tell you the news and bring you there, come with me!!" Then Billy put his hand on his shoulder and quickly pulled him with him

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Seconds later - the meeting room in the patriarch's personal facility

"What now? Is it another war?"

"Can we even do it?"

"The army of Duke Evren is very strong, whether in the numbers of knights and saints, armaments and war horses, or the great military experience, they are all elites..."

"I suggest that Edward stop the army and have it stay at the New lands until we find a diplomatic solution with Donald Evren."

"impossible!!" A shout came from the door at this point, and then Robin entered, "If the army is stopped now, who will ever give us face after that? And what do we do after we stop it? Surely he will impose penalties for *trying to cross the borders with out permission* and raise the taxes to 20% or 30% at least"

"Ah you came," the patriarch who was sitting at the head of the table rubbing his forehead, straightened, then added, "Do you have an opinion on what we should do?"

"...The Bradleys and Altons' war with the Lying Water Kingdom will not end quickly. We can attack Tawi and Rufus later on, or we can just turn a blind eye to them for good, they are nothing! Let's get rid of Evren's threat first... 

These weapons with General Edward must arrive at Jura then be sent to the two Duchies at the appointed time before their war, or else the promise I made to the Dukes of Alton and Bradley will be for nothing, and I'm not a man who breaks his word!"

"You are not suggesting an open war against the most powerful duchy in the kingdom, are you?" One of the saints asked sarcastically

"I still have some love in my heart for you Uncle Smith, please don't try to irate me, I'm not in the mood today..." Robin replied with a sharp smile which made any further words remain in the saint's throat, 

then continued after being silent for a few seconds, "...Does anyone know when the two armies will meet?"

"According to the army's natural progression speed and calculating the distance, it will reach the border with the Duchy of Evren in two days." Patriarch's reply

"Two days..." murmured Robin, his eyes starting to move over those present at the room, 13 saints in all, the 5 Burtons' old saints plus 8 recent saints.

After a few seconds, he made up his mind and said, "It is alright then, I will go there immediately with backup."

"Huh? What good is this? This will give Evren enough time to gather more soldiers, while we are so far away, if our army moves now we will be there in about ten days." Billy shook his head, "Do you even have a plan?"

"Not all of us will go, I will take the Legions of Fire, Wind, and Darkness, and I will also take you Billy and the 8 new Saints here, we will ride at once on the war horses... 

as for the patriarch and everyone else, remain here with the main army and bring them behind us as quickly as possible and with much noise as possible as well... the whole kingdom must know that you are marching"

"And what would 3,500 youths and 8 level 21 Saints do in a major war like this?" One of the saints did not like what he heard

"...I will think of something on the way to stop the war peacefully if possible, if he doesn't stop, our two armies are capable of burning the Duchy of Evren to the ground with everyone in it! I want to see how long that Donald wants to test my patience!!" Robin's reply

The saints began to look at each other, one of them was about to speak when the Patriarch gestured at him to stay silent and spoke while he was looking at Robin, "we will do as you say."

Robin nodded and went out and pulled Billy in his hand, and as he came down the stairs he spoke to him, "I see you've broken through to level 23 lately, congratulations.. go and tell the three boys to gather their men, we'll be off in an hour... Aha, find me a way to communicate with General Edward and with Sage Albert."

"No problem," Billy replied and then jumped out of a nearby window

In the conference room upstairs...

"Why do you let him do whatever he likes, Brian? He's still an inexperienced child, have we lived our lives in vain for you to only take his word for it and ignore us?

he has tossed us in 2 major wars already and now he wants a third one, with a Duchy this time!! and you still want him to do whatever he wants? 

Why don't we just stay where we are selling talismans at auctions and live off its profits? why do we have to march because he says so? I don't agree to this!!" A new saint started shouting after confirming that Robin had left the building