Ancient Imperial Calendar Year 1830
Weeks after the declaration of war, the Kislavein forces divided into three.
The first army of three million soldiers, under the command of Kislavein Dynasty Lord Ricardo Kislavein, headed towards the Central Lands.
The second army of three and a half million soldiers, under the command of Marco Kislavein, headed towards the Southern Lands.
The third army of three and a half million soldiers, under the command of Dynasty Lady Marilin Kislavein, launched an attack on the Northern Lands.
Marilin's appointment as the supreme commander of an army drew countless criticisms.
There was a rule applied without exception across the Five Lands:
Men fight on the front lines while women protect the cities and their families.
However, in compulsory situations, women had previously commanded armies.
Lady Astrid, the last Dynasty Lord of the Ving Dynasty, had ascended the throne after all the men in her family were killed and successfully commanded her armies.
There were a few such examples, but why was a woman—even if she was the Dynasty Lord's wife—becoming the supreme commander while there were still many men in the Kislavein family?
Despite such questions and countless criticisms, Ricardo did not change his decision.
The Kislavein armies were advancing towards the Lands they would conquer with a massive fleet consisting of thousands of enormous warships.
Ricardo, Heinricht, and Benjen were talking on the Dynasty Warship at the very front of the fleet.
"You can be very stubborn at times, Dynasty Lord," said Heinricht.
In the face of Heinricht's justified criticism, Ricardo responded with a calm expression.
"You're right, Heinricht. But Marilin is the strongest and smartest person in the Western Lands after me. Leaving her behind would be a great loss."
"Is it worth it, despite people's criticisms, their opinions, and a tradition that has lasted for millennia, and despite keeping your sole heir away from his mother?"
In response to Benjen's question, Ricardo answered with the same calmness.
"I don't care what people think. If I did, I wouldn't have started this war nor would I be sitting on my throne. No matter what we do, people will always criticize, belittle, and curse us. Nothing we do will satisfy people. I have never acted based on 'what will people say,' and I never will."
Faced with Ricardo's logical words, Heinricht and Benjen fell into silence.
Uncomfortable with this silence, Ricardo decided to change the topic.
"How are your marriages going, gentlemen?"
Heinricht and Benjen adapted to the changed topic and answered in turn.
"It's going very well, Dynasty Lord. Frankly, I didn't think Luna and I would have such a good marriage," said Heinricht.
"Although I couldn't marry one of your sisters like the others, at least I have a loyal wife and children," said Benjen.
Ricardo added with a laugh.
"Look at it this way, Benjen. If you had married one of my sisters, we couldn't give or take daughters from your line for 10 generations."
Heinricht and Benjen looked at Ricardo with astonished expressions.
"Dynasty Lord, what are you trying to say?"
Before Heinricht could finish his sentence, Ricardo turned his back and spoke with a laugh.
"Exactly. I'm thinking of taking your daughters when my heir Richard chooses his wives in the future. Or perhaps we'll marry my daughters to your heirs."
Heinricht and Benjen bowed their heads excitedly and shouted with voices full of excitement and joy.
"WE WOULD BE HONORED, DYNASTY LORD!"
As the trio continued their conversation, the Central Lands came into view.
Ricardo said in a serious voice.
"It seems they've come to greet us."
The armies of the Costin Dynasty were waiting for the Kislavein soldiers on the seashore.
The Kislavein forces reacted quickly and assumed battle positions.
Benjen channeled his mana into his eyes and scanned the area from one end to the other.
He relayed what he saw to Ricardo in a worried voice.
"Dynasty Lord, they've occupied the entire coastline."
Ricardo, maintaining his composure, replied.
"I see, Benjen. Heinricht, do you think we can win?"
Like every intelligent strategist, Heinricht maintained his cool, made his strategies and calculations, then answered Ricardo.
"Even if we win, our losses will be very heavy."
Ricardo bent his knees, channeled mana into his legs, and prepared to ascend.
"Then let's begin."
With a leap, Ricardo rose a hundred meters into the air. He spread his hands to the sides and simultaneously cast thousands of different spells.
From fire, water, air, earth, lightning, dark magic, and Nur Power, he formed thousands of spears, arrows, meteors, tornadoes, and countless other shapes of spells within seconds.
"I was wondering how much stronger I became after killing my father and touching Lahite. Let's test it."
Ricardo unleashed his spells upon the Costin armies like rain.
Although the Central Landers tried to protect themselves and escape, hundreds of thousands of their soldiers were killed.
Horrified by what had happened, Kerem Costin, the Costin Dynasty Lord, stared in shock and anger at the pile of corpses and the Kislavein forces about to set foot on his lands.
"The soldiers I worked so hard to gather suffered such damage in the first attack... How powerful are you, Kislavein Dynasty Lord?"
The Red Berets, the special guards of the Costin Dynasty Lord, waited for the order their Lord would give.
The Red Berets took their name from the red berets they wore on their heads.
This group, trained from childhood, were the strongest and most elite warriors of the Central Lands.
The Kislavein forces had begun landing their first units on the shore.
Ricardo descended from the sky to the ground, ensuring his soldiers were conducting the landing securely.
Kerem Costin visualized more than ten scenarios per second in his mind, drowning in his thoughts.
Every second I wait brings my Dynasty closer to its end.
The Kislavein Dynasty Lord alone has the power of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. If we count the three and a half million soldiers behind him, our task is very difficult.
Over the past ten years, since declaring himself Krael II, I invested all my resources into my armies and gathered a full six million soldiers.
If the Ashterah Dynasty hadn't attacked our eastern region with two million soldiers, we would have had the numerical advantage.
I sent two and a half million soldiers to the East to fight the Ashterahs.
Even if our numbers were equal, I thought we could win by holding the coastline. Apparently, I made a big mistake.
Kerem Costin channeled his mana into his brain and eyes and performed a quick calculation.
"I've lost five hundred thousand soldiers. The numerical advantage is with the Kislaveins. No matter how powerful Dynasty Lord Krael II is, he must have limits. Even if he is the world's strongest warrior and mage, he is also human. Every human has limits."
Kerem drew his sword and gave the order.
"ATTACK!"
Three million Costin soldiers advanced like lightning towards the Kislavein soldiers who had just set foot on land.
Ricardo moved to the very front lines, drew his sword, covered his body and sword with his aura, and prepared for battle.
"There you are, Costin Dynasty Lord."
Ricardo turned to his personal guards, the Blood Falcons, and gave the order.
"THE COSTIN DYNASTY LORD IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. ATTACK!"
Ricardo and the Blood Falcons began running towards Kerem Costin.
Soon after, the Kislavein and Costin units began fighting hand-to-hand.
Ricardo and Kerem were among the first to engage in combat.
When their aura-charged swords first clashed, a massive Aura explosion occurred.
The soldiers around them were blown into the air by the blast's effect, fell hard to the ground, and died.
Ricardo displayed the swordsmanship he had honed for years with great mastery, forcing Kerem into defense and not even leaving an opening for him to attack.
"I'm disappointed, Costin Dynasty Lord. I expected you to be a powerful warrior."
Kerem did not react to Ricardo's provocations, maintained his composure, and waited for an opening to attack, but he couldn't find an opening anywhere.
"Damn it, he's leaving no openings. Then I have only one option left: I must use magic. Krael II must have just expended all his magic."
Kerem aimed to surprise Ricardo by spewing fire from his mouth.
Ricardo ignored the flames heading towards his face.
He had aura equivalent to the mana he had spent.
When Kerem realized his flames were ineffective, he panicked and managed to retreat with a final move.
He spoke with shock and anger.
"Impossible. No matter how powerful you are, how can my flames, spewed right in your face, not affect you? Not even your hair is singed."
Ricardo spoke mockingly.
"When I heard you won the civil war and ascended the throne, I had high expectations, but I'm disappointed."
Though Kerem tried to stay calm, he was inwardly seething with rage.
"No, I must stay calm. I have to stay calm. If I die, the Costin Dynasty dies too. I have to win this war."
Using all the mana he possessed, Kerem attacked.
Ricardo countered the spells coming at him with the shield and armor he formed from his aura, without even taking a single step from his spot.
"Are you trying to imitate me? It's futile, Costin Dynasty Lord."
As Ricardo advanced towards Kerem, he cut down every Costin unit that crossed his path.
"Facing me with these weaklings was your biggest mistake. But I understand you too. With the wreckage left by the former Dynasty Lord, the damages from the civil war, and a war-weary populace, this was all you could gather. If circumstances were different, even if you couldn't win this war, you could have inflicted heavy losses on us, Costin Dynasty Lord."
"Damn it, I've exhausted all my mana, but he still keeps advancing. Even if I die, I must keep advancing."
Kerem understood he would lose and die, but he wanted to keep fighting.
"Even if I die, I must set an example for my people."
He launched fierce attacks with all his aura, but not a single one left a mark on Ricardo's shield.
"You are strong. As strong as my friends, even stronger. But your misfortune was encountering me."
Ricardo cut off the head of the exhausted Costin Dynasty Lord with a single move.
He held the severed head and impaled it on the tip of a spear formed from aura.
When he thrust the spear into the ground, the Kislavein and Costin soldiers learned of the death of Costin Dynasty Lord Kerem Costin.
"THE DYNASTY LORD IS DEAD! FLEE!"
As the Costin soldiers fled, the Kislavein soldiers shouted victory cries and swung their swords.
The first battle of the Second Great Lands War, the initial clash between the Kislavein and Costin Dynasties, was won by the Kislavein Dynasty.
But this was only the first battle, and there were still five more major battles to take place within this year.