Chapter 300 - Defensive Battle

Kaiser immediately ordered his men to fire the cannons. Multiple shells flew straight at the enemy army who were leisurely and arrogantly setting up camp.

When the first volley struck, the Merkruz army received a substantial amount of casualties. It was the first time that the Alternians had ever experienced weapons created from gunpowder. Of course, the Earthlings hadn't used gunpowder in their cannons, but instead had created something close to gunpowder by simply grinding down Flare Stones, a unique ore that could be mined from the Sky Piercing Mountains.

The Flare Stones were easily combustible rocks that could produce a flame or an explosion if someone simply injected the required amount of mana into them. Through trial and error, the Earthlings were able to create the right amount of 'Flare Powder', the name for the grounded down Flare Stones, which could produce the same effects as gunpowder from earth.

The process of creating Flare Powder was also much easier than creating gunpowder since all the earthlings needed to do was mine and grind down Flare Stones. These Flare Stones were also what the blacksmiths in the kingdom used as a replacement for coal.

The best part about these stones was that they didn't produce residue or waste such as smoke and the like because mana was used to create the flames. In a sense, these cannons that the earthlings had created could be termed as magic cannons, but instead of firing large concentrations of mana, like the Mag-Cannon, they instead fired cannon shells which had Spark crystals stored in them.

These Spark crystals were a type of ore that could be mined from within the No-Man's Land. There was a mine just located inside the valley that had a ton of these crystals. One crystal could produce a substantial amount of electricity when enough force was applied to them.

So, the Research Department of Silvaria had the brilliant idea of packing together a few tens of these crystals inside an enclosed space and tried to see the outcome of what would happen. The result created a sort of plasma field that would vaporize anything within its area of effect once they were triggered. There was no need for mana to fuel this process because the spark crystals only needed a good amount of force or impact to trigger them.

It was dangerous at first, but the Research Department was able to develop specified cannon shells that could prevent these crystals from triggering during the firing process. The cannons were very practical during monster wave defenses... and also in their current predicament.

Kaiser never really put much emphasis on the creation of small caliber guns because they didn't have much use against the monsters. Cannons, however, were a different story. The large shells and crystals stored within them were able to penetrate the tough hides and muscles of the monsters and potentially vaporize their innards, which led to a quick subjugation.

Ever since gaining an increase in their physics, the Earthlings had begun relying on martial arts and cold weapons crafted from the unique ores found within the No-Man's Land and Sky Piercing Mountains to fight their battles against the monsters. However, Kaiser didn't want to neglect to create any of the earth's weapons.

The cannons were naturally not only good for defending the kingdom against monsters, but they were also very good against repelling humans.

Volley after volley of cannon fire bombarded the Merkruz Army and for a while, they were taking a one-sided beating and losing many of their soldiers. Alexandre frowned when he saw all those 'Mag-Cannons' on the city wall.

'Do they also have the Empire's weapons? No—those things don't fire mana, but instead some sort of metal shaped cone which triggers some sort of High-Ranked Magic Spell... damn, that's so ingenious! Firing magic spells instead of mana! Did the Empire already know about these people and feel threatened by their existence so they created the M-Jammer?' Alexandre pondered inwardly, now he wanted to ally with these people, but seeing the situation where each side was baring their fangs against each other, he could only put a stop to such thoughts.

'I'll take away their cannons and their people once I've conquered them. I won't let those Regulus bastards or those Empire schemers have them!'

"Increase the output of the M-Jammer! These bastards seem to only be using low-tier magic-spells!" Alexandre commanded.

His subordinates immediately increased the M-Jammer's effects and the cannons on the walls immediately stopped firing.

"What's wrong?" Kaiser urgently asked.

"S-Sir! We can't seem to use mana anymore! Without mana, we won't be able to trigger the firing mechanism!"

"...Tsk, it's that M-Jammer Fatima was talking about. How odd...we could use it fine earlier, did they increase the output?"

"Sir, what will we do now?" A soldier asked.

Kaiser looked forward and started thinking, 'If we can't use mana anymore, then those bastards over there can't either...'

"Prepare the anti-monster traps and weapons! We'll use the trebuchets and the ballistae to fight!"

These were the earliest defensive weapons that the Silvaria Kingdom employed when they first fought back the monsters attacking their valley. It wasn't until later on that they were replaced by the cannons and other modernized defensive weapons that the earthlings were able to create using the limited tools and materials they had.

"Reporting, sir!" A soldier exclaimed as he arrived next to Kaiser.

"What is it?"

"The scouts have reported that the enemy soldiers are bringing in their siege weapons from the rear of the army! They've also retreated a few hundred meters from their previous location and they are out of reach from the ballistae, but we can still reach them with our trebuchets!"

"Hmph... Predictable, tell the engineers to deploy the armored plating, those rock shooting trebuchets won't be able to put a dent on our walls! We won't let them take this wall, remember men, behind us, lies all our families and friends! These bastards want nothing more than to kill us all or enslave us! So we fight until the last man! Their army of 200 thousand can't attack all of us at once! So this will be a battle of attrition!"

Kaiser left these words behind before he quickly descended from the walls and walked towards the command post in the distance. When he entered inside, he immediately asked Fatima how their investigations for this M-Jammer were going.

"We still can't identify which weapon is the M-Jammer...we're not even sure if it's big or even just pocket-sized!" Fatima replied.

"Our scouts who are on the mountains..."

"Ever since the M-Jammer was deployed, we've lost our abilities to enhance our bodies. Our scouts can't take a look at anything too specific since they're so high up on the mountainside!"

"..."

"We can try and send an elite team to ambush their commander, but we don't even know who the person is! Unlike the Regulus army, the Merkruz Principality's King is pretty smart. He had all his men dress in uniform so not one among them stands out..."

"Our cannons are useless and so is our mana... we can only face them head-on and defend the walls using the ballistae and trebuchets... if we get lucky, one of the trebuchets might just hit the M-Jammer," Kaiser joked as he tried to lift the heavy atmosphere in the command center.

"...that's a little too optimistic, Father," Fatima said with a strained smile.

"We can go look for it," Serilla stepped forward, Lucia who was behind her also stepped up and nodded readily in agreement.

"Hm?"

Right now, the two were in their human forms. Earlier, before the M-Jammer's output had been increased, Lucia used what little mana she could to transform herself and her sister back into their human forms. Angelia, however, opted to stay in her foxkin form because apparently, her 'buddies' preferred her that way.

Right now, that 'Monster Princess' was actually out on her private ranch which housed all her monsters and were currently prepping all of them for battle.

When Anastasia heard Serilla offer such a suggestion she firmly denied her, "I won't allow that! I know that you both are powerful, but currently, we all can't use mana. It's too dangerous to send you behind enemy lines like this..."

Serilla was expecting this to some degree so she immediately turned to her mother-in-law and said, "I'm... not that good in using mana in the first place, but unlike my sister, I don't use mana, I use Ki instead."

Serilla raised her foot and stomped on the ground. Her dainty foot smashed straight through the ground unimpeded and cracked the area around her. She only realized too late that this was the command center and she had just destroyed the flooring.

Serilla apologized immediately before saying, "Ki is another type of energy that you can find here. Not many people know about it because not many people cultivate it."

"Oh? This is the first time I'm hearing this," Kaiser said as he eyed Fatima and Rowan.

The two in question were similarly puzzled at this new energy that Serilla was talking about. There were no records of it in any of the kingdom's books, but the evidence in front of them was impossible to deny.

Seeing their puzzled looks, Serilla immediately opened her mouth and answered,

"It's not something anyone in the modern age would cultivate. The first person who cultivated it in this age is probably my husband and he's the one who taught us how to do it."

"Cecil?" Fatima said with a thoughtful expression.

"Hah! That boy, always doing the most unexpected," Kaiser roared with laughter. "Fine, I'll let you go find it, but on the condition that once you do find it, please don't do anything rash. Report back first and we'll all come up with a plan to destroy it! My son would most likely be upset if I let anything happen to you! Wahahahaha!"

Receiving his approval Serilla nodded back with determination. She turned to Lucia and quickly said, "You stay here, Lulu!"

"Huh? Why?!"

"Tsk, you know why! You can't use Ki that well so you should stay back here! If you follow me, you'll only become a burden."

Lucia began to pout, but eventually she relented to her sister's demand because she was right.

"Aw...Alright..."

"Just defend the walls with our family okay?"

"Mhm..." Lucia nodded sullenly.

"We only have to endure until darling gets back, he'll take care of everything once he's back!"

"...Alright."

Anastasia was still worried so she couldn't help but ask, "Are you going by yourself, Seri dear?"

"Y-yes, mother...actually, I'll be taking my butler with me. He can also use Ki and he'll be there to guard me."

"...Okay," Anastasia already knew that she wouldn't be able to persuade Serilla from going so she could only send her off with her blessing. Before that, she made sure to give some 'pep talk' to Quinn.

The family saw off Serilla and Quinn as the two immediately began nimbly scaling the mountainside with precision and speed. The family couldn't help but raise a brow when they saw the superhuman-like feat that the two were displaying. Skipping the man-made trail and just jumping up the mountainside from ledge to ledge.

"My, my~ all my little Cel's wives are so capable~" Anastasia hummed happily as she returned to check on her youngest daughter. She also pulled Lucia over with her because she was worried to Lucia might recklessly try to follow after the 2. It was written all over her face and Anastasia quickly picked up on this.

"Don't do anything rash Lulu~ I know you want to help, but please have faith in your family," Anastasia gently reprimanded.

Knowing that she had been caught, Lucia playfully stuck out her tongue and apologized, "I'm sorry mother~ Ahaha, it's like all mother's how some kind of superpower, how could mother-in-law and mother both figure out what I'm thinking by only looking at me?"

"Hmhmhm~ that's because all mothers have a special connection to their children. I'd like to meet your mother someday Lucia."

"I'll bring her over for a visit sometime!"

"Then, it's a promise! Now, let's go see what our family's little trouble maker has been up to." Anastasia said as she pulled Lucia along to Angelia's 'zoo'.

******

Over on Serilla and Quinn's side, the two individuals followed the route that the Silvaria Kingdom's scouts had taken and it didn't take long before they arrived at the location which was just above the central section of the Merkruz Army.

While Serilla and Quinn were carefully observing the soldiers below, Quinn couldn't help but say amidst the silence.

"The Queen is very... fearsome..."

"Hahaha, she only asked you to properly protect me," Serilla chuckled in reply.

"It sounded more like the Queen was threatening me..."

"Isn't that just like how darling would ask you?"

After making a brief comparison in his mind, Quinn exclaimed quietly, "Ah, now that you mentioned it, Lady Serilla...the Master indeed always similarly ordered me when it was in regards to both you and Lady Lucia's safety."

"Like mother, like son, no?"

"The correct expression should be 'like father, like son', my Lady...but..."

"Darling doesn't resemble father that much, right?" Serilla said what was on Quinn's mind.

"Y-yes...the King is a boisterous and steadfast person... Master isn't as boisterous, but he is steadfast...or single-minded..."

"Oh? Are you insulting your Master in front of his wife?"

"N-no milady! I would never! It's just...I couldn't find the right word to describe—"

"Hahaha~ I'm just playing with you Quinn, I know how my darling is! He's loyal to a fault, but he's indeed a bit simple-minded and has a one-tracked mindset like you say...anyway, let's get back to finding that M-Jammer!"

"Yes, milady."

"Once we've cleanly swept through this part of the army, we'll slowly proceed to scout further back. Make sure you stay low, although we're up here, someone might take notice if we act too conspicuous."

******

Over at the frontlines of the Merkruz army, their siege weapons were fully deployed and were showering the Silvaria Kingdom's walls with a rain of boulders and rocks.

Just like Kaiser deduced, the enemy couldn't use mana as well. Their only plan of action was that while their siege weapons were attacking, the Merkruz army's vanguard would slowly and cautiously approach the walls and directly try to scale them and fight the Silvaria kingdom's soldiers head-on.

The Merkruz forces were going to try and overpower their enemies using the one advantage they had, their overwhelming numbers.