Now that we had that precious intelligence, it was time to devise countermeasures. The reports hadn't confirmed explicitly whether those knights were paladins, but given the circumstances there was no doubt in my mind: they were paladins. One hundred A‑rank knights, and Hinata at their head.
That was worse than the fifteen thousand in a standing army I'd faced before—the concentration of elite combatants made them far more dangerous. This was not something I intended to face alone. Charging straight at them would be nothing short of suicide.
My executives began to speak freely, proposing options. The discussion was blunt, practical, and fast—exactly what a crisis demanded.
"Why don't we simply cut them all down?" someone offered without hesitation.
Those who spoke without thinking were always the most confident. They didn't care about feasibility; only outcomes mattered. That sort of bluntness was why some among us had acquired shockingly reckless Unique Skills.
"Engage them in open battle?" another mused. "If we do that seriously, we'll suffer casualties for sure."
Benimaru's voice carried this time—not prideful, but measured. He'd grown; after countless mock duels with Hakurou, his judgment had sharpened. He had asked to lead the field army, and I'd considered trusting him.
"What about an aerial strike with Hiryu?" a commander suggested.
"That could work," someone else replied, "but we're dealing with paladins. These are A‑rank knights, each fortified by multilayered divine barriers. Even an air assault won't punch through. If our goal is to only delay or detain them, leave that to Geld."
"Geld's forces outnumber them," Geld said. "We can harry the flanks, force delays, minimize casualties."
Ideas piled up, each reflecting a different priority. Speed. Preservation. Overwhelming force. Attrition. The talk drifted to victims—how many lives would be lost depending on which plan we chose. The notion that everyone would be fine after the war made such talk almost absurd, but the problem was Hinata herself. She was deadly. In our first encounter I'd done everything I could just to escape; a true clash would have killed me. And crucially, she hadn't even shown her full strength.
Right now, the only one certain to take Hinata on directly was me. I believed I would prevail—but I could not be certain how many paladins supported her, what protections they held, or what the church backing them had prepared.
"Do we fight to kill, or do we try to spare them?" I asked aloud, because it mattered. These paladins weren't mere mercenaries. They carried the mantle of guardianship, blessed by the spirits. They protected border villages, rescued survivors without pay, and bore the hopes and prayers of ordinary people who hated monsters and clung to those knights as salvation. Their role in this world could not be dismissed.
Benimaru met my gaze. "If we can avoid slaughter, we should. But we must be realistic. If they're irredeemable puppets of the Church, diplomacy will fail."
Geld chimed in, practical as ever: "Slow them. Pin them down. If they're tied up, we can negotiate through intermediaries. If negotiation fails, we adapt."
I let the room breathe for a moment, weighing options. The strategist in me favored containment—disrupt their march, sever supply lines, use terrain and magic to slow them without direct annihilation. But the protector in me understood the blunt truth: if Hinata would not listen, if she intended to burn bridges and prevent any chance of mutual understanding, then bloodshed might be unavoidable.
"If we can get Hinata to talk," I said finally, "we might clear up their misunderstanding. Convince even a few paladins to question the orders—reduce the threat by breaking their certainty."
Souei, who'd brought the reports, simply nodded. "I'll prepare channels. We'll try subtle approaches first—false flags, intercepted dispatches, anything to stall them and open a door."
"Good," I said. "And Benimaru—prepare a rapid response force. Geld—have your troops ready to harry and delay. Hakurou, train with the frontline men; if it comes to a clash, they must be steady."
They agreed, efficient and crisp. Plans were drawn, contingencies stacked. We would not rush into slaughter, but neither would we be naïve. Hinata had chosen the path of hostility; it was on us to shape the response—surgical where possible, crushing when necessary.
As the executives dispersed to carry out my orders, I stared out toward the horizon where Hinata's column would soon appear: one hundred horses, one hundred blades, and one woman who believed she could fix everything with steel and conviction.
If a conversation could prevent bloodshed, I would risk everything to open it. If not… then Eterna would show no mercy.
Unfortunately, because we were monsters in their eyes, there was no room for negotiation. I understood that thinking—villages razed, parents slain; hatred ran deep. Non-sentient monsters still ran wild in some regions. Near Eterna the outbreaks had mostly stopped, and I suspected few monsters were spilling out from here anymore. But elsewhere, attacks continued. If we annihilated the paladins now, who would protect those border villages? Leaving things to chance would be irresponsible.
All of it grated on me. Hinata's stubbornness had driven us into this. With no path to earn their trust, a clash was unavoidable. Worse, these paladins were not easy opponents we could beat and then let live. They were anti‑monster specialists. Underestimate them and we would be the ones crushed. If we could win overwhelmingly, perhaps we could make them listen—but that was a hopeful stretch.
I wanted victory with as few losses as possible. Single combat would be ideal. A decisive duel with Hinata could break the paladins' resolve in one blow. Problem was, I couldn't be certain of everyone's strength. I had no guarantee things would go my way.
"All right," I said, standing to address my executives. The room quieted. "Considering future stability, our objective is clear: win while keeping paladin casualties to an absolute minimum. We cannot afford victims on our side either. Now hear my orders."
"First," I continued, "Geld — take the Yellow Numbers and position them around Eterna. Hold the perimeter. Do not allow the paladins to penetrate. Protect the country at all costs."
Geld bowed once. "Understood. We'll form the outer ring and keep them from breaking through."
"Benimaru, the Green Numbers and the Kurenai will take station behind the Yellow Numbers. At the moment battle begins, you'll snipe from within their formation. Treat Geld's line as our final defensive boundary. If enemies reach it, annihilate them without reserve."
Benimaru's jaw tightened. "I'll hold the line and strike where it matters. If it gets bad, I'll pull back and keep the force intact."
"Shion, the Yomigaeri will lead the frontal assault," I said. "Gabil and the Hiryu will be our mobile strike force. Gobta and the Goblin Riders will handle hit‑and‑run operations. Yomigaeri: you will strike head‑on. You probably won't win outright, but use your undead nature to disrupt and slow them."
Shion met my gaze. "We'll hold them as long as it takes. Expect no mercy from me."
"Gobta, your riders will support Shion: harry them, disrupt formations, hit supply columns. Keep your strikes surgical—don't get overextended or captured."
Gobta grinned like a blade in the dark. "Leave the chaos to us. We'll bite, run, and bite again."
"Hiryu will remain on standby above," I said. "Rescue any captured riders, and plug gaps in the line. Above all, prepare for single combat. I will request it if I must. It would be ideal if the paladins could stand and watch our duel—let their morale break when they see their hero bested."
"Souei," I said, "observe from the shadows. Keep the battlefield's threads in your hands. Diablo — avoid direct engagement unless necessary. Watch from the sky and strike only if an exceptionally powerful knight appears. The same applies to the other executives: seek out threats and handle them decisively."
Souei inclined his head slightly. "I'll watch and feed you everything."
"Benimaru," I said, looking each of them in the eye, "final defense is yours. Geld, take your orders from him. If the paladin strength exceeds expectations and victory seems impossible even with our full army, Benimaru and the others will withdraw immediately. Escape to the high orc villages and live to fight another day."
Benimaru's face was unreadable. "If we must withdraw, we will do so in order. No one gets left behind."
I let that settle, then added one last directive in a voice that made the air grow cold: "Veldora — if I lose, be Hinata's opponent."
The name hung in the room. No one questioned it.
"We will proceed on those terms," I said, finality in every syllable. "Prepare now. We will not let needless slaughter decide this conflict, but we will not be soft. If negotiation opens, we will take it. If it does not, Eterna will stand."
They dispersed with purpose. Plans were set. Lines were drawn. I watched the maps one last time, thinking of the columns of paladins on the march—their banners, their discipline, Hinata's single-minded face at their head. If a single combat could spare lives and open a door, then I would force that opening. If not… then we would do what had to be done to protect Eterna.