“I will dispose of them silently and slowly since we can’t let blood spread in the area since the wind will blow the smell to the camp. Be ready to move as soon as I return.”

  Zelos nodded and then laid down as much as he could and then Kaitrine disappeared in the darkness of the night.

  While Zelos waited, he wondered what he should do to avoid that kind of situation… where they had to work so much just to defend their lands. One didn’t have to be a genius to understand that all of their neighbors saw the people of the Hillania country as easy targets. The best option against that would be not to become easy targets. Making them fear Zelos and the others seemed like the best option… there were two ways to show that, with might and with cruelty.

  As Zelos waited, his thoughts were not only on the imminent confrontation but also on his approach to leadership. He believed in inspiring fear through strength rather than cruelty, especially considering the dire circumstances of their homeland.

  He understood that the country they were in was already in a dire situation, and adding cruelty to the suffering would serve no purpose. Instead, Zelos sought to instill fear in the enemy through the might and prowess of his actions.

  Yet, his idea of leadership wasn’t solely about intimidating the enemy. Zelos recognized the importance of earning the respect and admiration of his allies. He knew that true leadership wasn’t just about commanding obedience but inspiring loyalty and devotion.

  Zelos considered becoming more than just a commander; he aimed to become a figure that his allies looked up to with respect and admiration, someone they would be proud to fight alongside. His goal was to embody the qualities of a true leader, one who led by example, inspired greatness, and commanded the loyalty of his comrades.

  “A general, huh? I never thought that I would say that, but the way the enemies organize themselves is probably the best option when it comes to organizing forces. I don’t think that I am all suited for that, but having an army that will follow my orders will certainly improve my strength and influence.”

  The downside of becoming one was that Zelos would truly become entangled with the fate of that country… that was one huge demerit since Zelos would never be able to cut ties with his past and he would be going against his original policy of only fighting for himself. Still, that was a problem that he will have to consider for a while. Moreover, he could feel the atmosphere ahead changing and then he saw Kaitrine returning.

  “We need to get going, the enemy’s camp is starting to get more busy. The new general is as troublesome as the others.”

  Zelos nodded and without wasting time, they began to proceed to the enemy’s camp without hesitation. Ahead, they could see on one side where the chariots were parked and on the other, they could see hundreds of horses resting on improvised stables. Naturally, all of those were heavily guarded. The chariots only had a handful of guys guarding them, though.

  Before long, Zelos and Kaitrine nodded at each other and then they split up. Zelos began to crawl as he approached the enemy’s camp and soon confirmed that the guard’s discipline was really high. They were standing in silence, but their focus was perfect. The only part that they messed up was the fact that they didn’t have weapons in their hands since they didn’t think that they could be ambushed there..

  Zelos didn’t think that he could afford to take his time there, but other guards were on the other side where the chariots were parked… if he makes too much noise, he will alert the entire camp. That wouldn’t only put his job in jeopardy, it would also cause a lot of trouble to Kaitrine. Still, in the end, Zelos didn’t hesitate in throwing his iron balls at their faces. Almost instantly, the enemies fell backward with their skulls crushed.

  Zelos checked the surroundings and confirmed that no one noticed the sound of their fall, so he soon resumed his advance. He began to walk using his legs, but he still kept his posture as low as possible.

  Zelos’s heart began to beat insanely fast when he arrived at the chariots. He never thought that he could become so nervous like that… it seemed that the pressure of the result for the battle was getting to him since countless lives hang on the balance.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  In any case, Kaitrine told Zelos to focus on the frontal parts of the chariots, but he moved under them and then damaged the joints that connected the wheels with his sword. Zelos knew that when the joints of the wheels of a chariot break, it can have significant consequences, both for the chariot and for the soldiers operating it.

  A broken wheel joint renders the chariot immobile or severely impairs its ability to move effectively. The chariot can become stranded on the battlefield, leaving its occupants vulnerable to attack. If the chariot is in motion when the joint breaks, it can cause the vehicle to lurch or veer off course suddenly. This sudden disruption can throw the driver and crew off balance, potentially causing injury or making them easier targets for enemies.

  Repairing a broken wheel joint in the midst of battle is challenging. Soldiers must quickly assess the damage and attempt to fix it under pressure, all while under the threat of enemy attack.

  Although Zelos didn’t damage them completely to make them unusable, it was more than enough to make it break after just moving after a couple of meters, and once that happened, the whole thing was pretty much done.

  In no time, dozens of these were damaged thanks to Zelos’s hard work. His sword was quite sharp that night. Still, it didn’t take long for Zelos to notice some movements of many torches in the distance… he thought that he would be discovered much faster than Kaitrine, but maybe her job was much harder.

  In the end, Zelos hurried up and strikes the joints of the chariots even faster than before. Thanks to that, he ended up making a lot of noise and soon some soldiers that were moving toward where Kaitrine was supposed to be soon heard the noises nearby and eventually saw his shadow.

  “Enemy attack! They are targeting the chariots!”

  Before long, Zelos saw countless soldiers dashing at him, so he didn’t hesitate in smashing the closest chariot with his sword and then threw the broken parts at the enemy’s approaching. Much to the enemy’s surprise, some of their allies were impaled by the projectiles and fell dead immediately, forcing the others to grab their weapons and defend themselves.

  The enemies weren’t organized yet, so he had the chance to destroy several other chariots and when the enemies got close, he threw the pieces at them. They eventually stopped when some archers finally arrived and then began to fire the arrows. This time, Zelos was forced to turn around and run away.

  As chaos erupted in the middle of the enemy camp, confusion spread like wildfire. Soldiers moved around to make sense of the sudden attack on their rear, their previous sense of security shattered by the unexpected assault.

  At first, the enemy fighters struggled to comprehend the source of the attack. Rumors and shouts filled the air as they attempted to ascertain the size and strength of the assaulting force. Some believed it to be a significant flanking maneuver, while others feared it was the beginning of a full-scale assault from a hidden army.

  As the confusion increased, the enemy commanders hastily issued orders, trying to rally their troops and organize a response. Units shifted position, attempting to face the perceived threat from the rear while maintaining their front lines.

  However, the confusion only deepened when it became apparent that the attack was coming from a much smaller force than initially feared. Amidst the chaos, it dawned on the enemy soldiers that only two individuals were responsible for the disruption.

  The sound of horses grunting began to echo in the area, and soon Zelos saw horses running in all directions. There was fire in some of the tents as well, so that seemed to be something Kaitrine would do, but when Zelos looked over his shoulder, there were no signs of her.

  “She can’t be captured with her speed… she is too fast for that,” Zelos thought. “Still, she tires fast, so perhaps something happened…”

  Large groups of enemies began to take position in the back of their camps, but soon they returned to the other direction, part of Liry’s plan was to launch an attack as soon as they damaged the enemy’s cavalry and it looked like she already gave the order, now the enemy’s attention was split.

  “I guess I will have to return there at least until Kaitrine shows up here.”

  Zelos made up his mind and soon revealed himself to the enemies. They soon pointed their weapons at him, including the bow, but when they were fired, they were moving essentially in slow motion from Zelos’s perspective.

  Zelos dashed to the side since the darkness of the night still could be dangerous and fool him. Fortunately, he avoided all the arrows… while the enemies were nocking and preparing the second volley, Zelos saw more enemies moving in the opposite direction…

  “Liry should have started the fight on the other side… with their focus split in two sides, we will have better chances. We just need one more thing to turn the tides of this battle in our favor.”

  Zelos turned to the enemies when they were about to fire the arrows. He stepped in with all his might and then used his charging technique. The enemies fired their arrows, but Zelos passed below the projectiles and then appeared in front of the enemies… with a single horizontal swing, he cut the necks of all the enemies in front of him.

  “I have to get rid of their general,”