The Greatest Warrior of All Time Returns-Chapter 365

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Chapter 365

The Royal Palace of Bata.

At the moment, I am meeting the princess in my capacity as a Guardian.

“Thank you for stepping forward so readily.”

“It is merely what I ought to do.”

“But even if you provide a Nightmare’s artifact… at present, I don’t know if the royal family can repay such a debt…”

“Ah. Actually, that Succubi Queen’s artifact is in short supply, so even if I wanted to offer it, I can’t. We have a clause in our trade agreement with the Succubi stating that we will not exploit their labor.”

The Nightmares currently work diligently.

But if you suddenly demand mass production ahead of schedule, of course they can’t deliver.

“What? But you said you would gladly help…”

“Yes. I can’t provide the Succubi Queen's artifacts. However, we can support you with military supplies.”

She nodded slowly, pondering my words.

“I didn’t know Cascadia had any sort of arms that could be supplied in large quantities.”

Just as she said—Cascadia doesn’t have stockpiles of swords or armor.

“Surely… you don’t mean that you intend to go personally? I’m sorry, but that’s impossible. This war is bound by several treaties, and direct military deployment is forbidden.”

In that sense, the Kingdom of Taporna is truly cunning.

They struck at the exact moment when Dima’s allied nations would find it hardest to intervene.

“There’s no need for me to go. But someone does need to teach them how to use the military supplies we’ll be providing.”

We land on the island—one hundred knights outfitted with Arc Dragon Tooth gear equipped via horn-mounts.

They move to a designated location over Dima, then descend.

Then, after sweeping everything clean, they return to the island, and we perform dimensional shift.

Not as an excuse—this is a literal airborne carrier.

The princess stared blankly at me as she listened to my explanation.

“That… is that actually possible?”

“Yes. It’s possible.”

“By the heavens… That Sky-Island… and to think it has that level of capability…”

The terrifying aspect of a sky-island is precisely that:

It does not require strong individuals.

Whoever owns the island simply gains overwhelming strategic power.

Of course, becoming the lord of R'lyeh is no easy feat—but to others, it looks like I’ve become a game-changer who can alter the entire course of a war merely because I discovered the island.

“Someone will need to deliver the supplies. Your Highness, I will go.”

“Thank you, young lord. But you must not involve yourself in the war directly.”

“Of course. This time I intend to stay one step removed and simply observe the performance.”

“But… if Dima truly becomes desperate…”

She clenched her fists tightly.

“In that case… intervene, even if you must break the rules. Please save them.”

A completely different tone from earlier.

I looked at her, surprised.

“The Kingdom of Dima aided us long ago. Strictly speaking, interfering directly violates long-established diplomatic traditions… but I cannot accept the fact that our Kingdom of Bata cannot directly help them in their time of need.”

Considering that not long ago both the Holy Kingdom and the Great Forest sent reinforcements for the Coral conflict, these treaties really do have many complications.

Even if the Holy Kingdom is a special case and the Great Forest is exempt from treaty limits…

“I understand, Your Highness.”

“Thank you, young lord.”

The princess slowly rose, stepped close, and clasped my hand as she looked up at me.

She was still a young woman, yet her gaze did not waver.

“Ah… and I heard news of your wife’s pregnancy. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ve prepared some excellent items for prenatal care. When you return, come and receive them.”

“Items good for prenatal care… you said?”

“Yes. They’re things my mother used when she was pregnant with me.”

Oh.

If that’s the case, there’s no reason to refuse.

Royal items tend to be well-proven.

* * *

The Kingdom of Dima is hardly what one could call prosperous.

More accurately—it’s a small rural kingdom.

Its entire population barely matches the size of a major kingdom’s capital region.

However, Dima possesses long-standing underground resources.

By mining and selling them, they’ve sustained the kingdom.

Naturally, many external powers sought those resources, but the royal family skillfully navigated those pressures, surviving between whales as a shrimp.

All except for Taporna.

The current Kingdom of Dima felt like a house of mourning.

They were painfully aware they lacked the combat capability to stop the military force Taporna had been building.

Their knights were not nonexistent, but their abilities were below average, and their numbers small.

Soldiers, war horses, grain reserves—everything had been underprepared due to long-term peace.

Armor and weapons were far too few for an actual war.

A prudent choice during peaceful times—but foolish when facing imminent conflict.

Dima, however, had not simply remained idle.

When signs of a declaration of war appeared, they immediately used teleportation gates to request aid from nearby kingdoms and the Pascalia Empire.

Manpower could be arranged somehow.

They knew no one could lend troops.

So instead—at least send military supplies.

Ideally, they wanted troops or powerful warriors…

But the moment someone provided those, that nation would find itself in legally problematic territory due to the treaty.

Within Dima’s audience chamber—

The king and his ministers sat in heavy silence.

If war can be avoided, it should be.

But contrary to public belief, the cause of this cursed war wasn’t something simple like resources.

“Your Majesty… please abandon me. I cannot allow the entire kingdom’s people to be placed in danger because of me…”

“My queen. I cannot become the shameless man who hands his wife over to those barbaric fools.”

The beautiful woman beside him wept.

Publicly, Taporna used excuses—sky-islands, this and that—but the king of Dima knew the truth.

The current King of Taporna is a notorious womanizer—and he has set his sights on the Queen of Dima.

For “peace," he told them,

If she personally brings the peace treaty, then he would consider negotiations.

Anyone with half a brain could understand what that meant.

The moment the queen crossed the border…

The only thing returning would be a signed treaty.

“However… at this rate, Dima’s fate…”

“Your Majesty the Queen… we will protect you by any means necessary.”

“Even if we tried to send you, the kingdom would revolt instantly.”

The Queen of Dima was beloved by all—nobles and commoners alike.

No one disliked her.

And so the situation was utterly humiliating.

When Taporna’s ultimatum arrived, followed by news that the frontier forts had collapsed—

All they could feel was overwhelming despair.

No strategy worked.

No solution appeared.

They did have strategic weapons—experts-level knights or high mages—but so did Taporna.

And Taporna had more.

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Even if they wanted to strike back, letting their guard down even slightly would reveal vulnerabilities and lead to a total breakthrough.

“The most serious problem is troop movement. Somehow, they know our every deployment route. It feels like we’re attacking, not defending.”

The king pressed his temples, exhaling deeply.

Did the gods truly desire Dima’s destruction?

While that thought lingered—

“Your Majesty! Aid from Bata has arrived!”

At that one shout, everyone’s heads snapped up.

The Kingdom of Bata—a former greatest ally of Dima, and recently closer than ever.

And the nation producing the artifacts made by the mysterious Nightmares stirring up the continent.

Dwarven weapons used to be famous—

But now, in artifacts, “Nightmare-made” meant premium tier.

“Could it be—artifact support!?”

“This is excellent news! With Nightmare artifacts, our combat power could drastically increase!”

They waited eagerly as the visitor entered the hall.

“It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Leon Cascadia, holding the position of Guardian of the Kingdom of Bata.”

A young man—just past boyhood—with gray hair and blue eyes entered.

Everyone held their breath.

He did not exude any obvious aura—

Yet they felt as if their breath had been snatched away, inexplicably.

“Oh… welcome. That the Kingdom of Bata would lend aid so freely—it brings me great joy.”

“Thank you for your hospitality. However, it is currently impossible for Bata to provide Nightmare artifacts.”

The hall chilled instantly, like a bucket of ice poured over them.

“W-What do you mean…”

They knew Bata could not send troops.

So they expected supplies.

Without artifacts, there was little hope of withstanding the war.

But now—it was impossible?

“Then—perhaps weapons, grain, or war horses—”

“That is also difficult. And I trust you know that sending soldiers or knights is prohibited. As much as I would like to fight on the front line myself, I cannot officially move.”

Slam!!

One minister slammed his fist on the table.

“If supplies are impossible! And artifacts are impossible—are you saying you cannot help us at all?!”

He trembled with rage and betrayal.

The others said nothing, but their expressions matched his.

“No. The Bata royal family has decided to provide Dima with great support—support that will allow you to win this war.”

At this, even the king straightened with a hardened expression.

“Very well. Sir Leon Cascadia. Tell us—what has Bata sent?”

“The sky-island R'lyeh will be made available to you for the duration of the war.”

Confusion swept through the chamber.

“A… sky-island?”

“R'lyeh?”

They didn’t understand.

They didn’t know what kind of strategic value R'lyeh truly possessed.

* * *

Taporna Army—Logistics Base.

This place functioned as a rear staging area where vast amounts of supplies flowed in and out.

And the Taporna forces largely believed the war was already won.

Even in a one-on-one fight between Taporna and Dima, Taporna held the advantage—

But with secret support from another faction, victory was certain.

Taporna had never possessed this much military material.

But the Pinas Archipelago had contacted them and provided supplies.

“Dima won’t hold much longer. The central continent may send supplies, but it will be too late to overturn the tide.”

The real issue was manpower.

No matter how many weapons you had—

If there were no soldiers, a war could not continue.

General Grek of Taporna glanced leisurely over his map.

After a long investigation, they had created a complete strategic map of Dima.

As long as they delivered supplies quickly, the front line would bring victory automatically.

“War is easy.”

He chuckled and sipped his wine lazily.

There was no way Dima could attack this place.

Even if they formed a strike team, the distance was too great.

They would be spotted long before arrival.

And if they sent a small unit, they would be swallowed by the defending forces.

“Once His Majesty conquers Dima, he will wage wars of conquest across the entire central continent.”

The current King of Taporna called himself the Conqueror King—

And, at least in terms of bold action, he lived up to the name.

Though there had been opposition at first, the war’s favorable progress had earned him overwhelming support.

Dima’s greatest ally was Bata.

And Bata, rumor said, harbored a monstrous being.

But so long as such a monster served its own royal family faithfully, it would not join this war.

There was no reason, and no justification.

Just then—

A thunderous rumble echoed from the sky.

“Hm? I don’t recall any storms forecast.”

Stepping outside, he saw part of the clouds sparking with violet lightning.

Then—

Rumble! Rumble!

The swirling cloud layer suddenly split in a perfect circle.

And through the rift—

A massive island emerged without a sound.

A sky-island.

The same one that had stirred up great commotion across the central continent.

Grek’s eyes widened.

He had heard nothing about Bata’s sky-island leaving its borders.

What was happening?

Just as he tried to order an investigation—

Something white fell from the island.

Knights.

Knights clad in armor that radiated overwhelming force.

Arc Dragon Tooth—gear so powerful that even a child wearing it could overpower an Expert-rank knight.

If they could not leave the island—

Then the island itself would move.

One hundred of Dima’s elite knights, outfitted with Arc Dragon Tooth, descended over the rear logistics base.

“W-Whatever they are—intercept them!!”

Grek shouted frantically—but he did not know.

He did not know how overwhelming the power of Arc Dragon Tooth truly was.

[Translator - Night]

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