The Duke’s Eldest Son Escaped to the Military

TL: Pai_

In the end, with everyone’s agreement, the fallen warriors, including Crimson, were temporarily laid to rest behind the fortress.

A place that could be dangerous if the fortress walls were breached.

As they looked at the fallen warriors laid to rest there, many steeled their resolve.

'We won't let them breach again!'

Officers and soldiers who visited the place where Crimson's temporary resting place gritted their teeth.

The fortress walls, which had been breached multiple times by the overwhelming physical prowess of the Frost Giants.

However, they prepared for the next battle with the determination that it would not be breached again.

Crimson’s determination to defend this place even in death ignited a fire in their hearts as well.

The Northeastern Army, having lost its commander, solidified its resolve burining with determination, and the same was true for the Mobile Field Army and the Northern Army.

Once the Northern Commander and later the Northeastern Commander, Crimson had worked tirelessly for the entire North, earning the respect of all.

However, the determination of the other forces was no different.

“We must... protect it.”

If this place, where nearly all of the Empire's forces had gathered, were to fall, the Empire itself would no longer be safe.

Thus, they too prepared to stake their lives on the line.

Even as the commanders were battered and broken, they defended with their lives.

Something was planted in the hearts of the soldiers who witnessed this, though not as deeply as in the Northeastern Army.

The determination to defend this place at all costs?

The will to stop the Frost Giants with their very lives?

What it was may have differed from person to person, but one thing was certain, the mindset of those who had only thought about survival had begun to change.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Frost Giants only honored the fallen warriors’ glory for a mere two days.

By dawn, the Frost Giant army once again began advancing, breaking through the snowstorm.

At that very moment, another notification echoed throughout the human camp.

[Another ancient species, the White Dragon, is beginning to awaken.]

- The restrictions on awakened ancient species will loosen over time.

- As time passes, more ancient species will awaken.

Amid an already dire situation, the voice of the system brought news that could drive humanity to despair.

But instead of succumbing to despair, the army defending the mountain range burned with even greater resolve.

In recognition of their bravery, the system rewarded their courage.

[For your unyielding bravery, the system grants a reward. All humans defending the mountain range are awarded the skill Indomitable Will.]

- Skill Effect: Temporarily increases strength during battle.

- This skill is always active during battles as long as you do not give up.

- The skill’s effects increase as more ancient species awaken.

- This skill is limited to the second story of the Apocalypse and will be retrieved upon story completion.

Despite the sudden reward from the system, the soldiers did not rejoice.

Instead of celebrating the reward, they burned with even greater determination.

In this decisive battle, where both the Frost Giants and the humans were fighting for the survival of their respective species, neither side could afford to retreat.

As the war grew fiercer, humanity gradually grew stronger.

But so too did the Frost Giants.

"Dragons!"

A dragon boasting snow-white scales.

The sight of dragons flying in with horns as white as snow made the commanders grit their teeth.

Among them, only the leading dragon and a few others fully resembled true dragons, but as time passed, the rest would regain their original forms.

They had to reduce their numbers as much as possible before that happened.

“I will handle the Giant King alone.”

At Iron's declaration, the two family heads silently looked up at the sky.

The other dragons were manageable, but the massive dragon leading the charge was too much for airships and Drake Knights to handle alone.

“I’ll take care of it.”

At Lioner’s words, Terrion nodded.

Just as Terrion was about to move to face the warlord that Ariel was currently engaging—

"Go up there."

At Ariel's words, Terrion frowned.

“That’s reckless. You still lack the skill to face the warlord.”

Even Crimson, who had a wealth of experience, had been forced back by him.

For Ariel to face such an opponent alone was unreasonable.

“...I know. But I must do it.”

Ariel said this as she looked up at the sky.

The massive White Dragon leading the charge.

As the dragon began to fully unleash its power, tens of thousands of massive ice chunks materialized in the sky and began to rain down.

Though it wasn’t as overwhelming as Heurimre’s power, it was certainly at a level that even a Master would struggle to handle.

Moreover, this wasn’t the full extent of the White Dragon’s strength.

As time passed, the magnitude of its power would only grow, and at that point, the two family heads would have no choice but to join forces.

Rather than waiting for that moment, it was better for the two of them to work together from the beginning and cut off the breath of this dangerous dragon.

“...Can you hold out?”

“Yes! I can do it.”

At Terrion's question, Ariel replied with a determined expression.

Reading the firm resolve in her words, Terrion sighed softly and gave her a small nod.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

As time passed, their situation would only grow more disadvantageous.

Thus, they had to reduce the number of ancient species as quickly as possible, before they could fully reclaim their powers.

It was no longer just about holding the line.

Everyone mustered all their strength, fully intent on cutting off the breath of their enemies.

Even the Frost Giants, seeing the humans transform into more aggressive and fearless warriors despite the dire circumstances, fought back with all their might.

The dragons, however, were different.

They were arrogant, and they demonstrated just how powerful they were.

The difference in class between them and the wyverns, nicknamed Ice Dragons, was clear. Even though the dragons hadn’t fully recovered, their overwhelming majesty was on full display.

Nonetheless, the humans did not break.

-So the lizards have appeared as well?

As Heurimre leisurely gazed at the sky, Iron’s white sword came flying toward him.

Kwaang!

-You seem to be in a hurry.

Without responding to Heurimre’s comment, Iron swung his white sword once more.

'I'll kill you!'

Iron thought as he swung his sword with all his might.

The longer this dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for humanity. Even if it pushed him to the limit, the Frost Giants had to be dealt with.

Knowing this, Heurimre too could afford to remain composed.

‘Time is on my side.’

‘I don’t have time!’

With completely opposing thoughts, Heurimre engaged in the battle.

Unlike two days ago, when he had launched an all-out offensive, his current stance was defensive.

Seeing this, Iron attacked even more ferociously.

‘I will break through!’

Iron, who had been darting around using his small white sword, planted his feet firmly on the ground and assumed a stance.

At that moment, a massive white sword materialized and sliced into the Frost Giant.

This wasn’t just about holding his ground anymore—it was Iron’s will to advance, manifesting as a steel path.

This path took shape through Iron’s massive white sword.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Every time Iron swung his white sword, Heurimre countered with his axe.

However, Heurimre, who until now had been steadily advancing, began to take small steps backward.

At the same time, shallow wounds began to form across his body from Iron's swiftly swinging sword.

‘He pierced my aura?’

As Heurimre processed this thought, Iron’s sword flew at him once again.

Iron’s attacks followed textbook patterns.

Instead of relying on unconventional moves, Iron’s sword strikes were swift and powerfully relentless, which allowed Heurimre to deflect them with relative ease.

And yet, as time passed, the number of wounds on Heurimre’s body continued to increase.

'...How?'

At the very moment Heurimre questioned this, Iron’s sword once again flew toward him.

-Is he hiding an unpredictable pattern?

Heurimre muttered to himself, but at that moment, a small wound appeared on his left arm.

Seeing Iron attack with such determination, even if it meant creating tiny wounds when he couldn’t break through head-on, Heurimre smiled with satisfaction.

-Yes! Come at me! Try to kill me! I, too, shall aim for your weaknesses!

With those words, Heurimre swung his axe with ferocious intensity.

As the two strongest beings fiercely fought while aiming for each other's lives, in the sky, the White Dragon that had been showing its might had its body stained with blood from the two Family Heads' attacks.

-How dare you! How dare you!

The White Dragon, as if humiliated, roared in indignation, but it was forced to dodge as Lioner’s attack closed in on it once again.

If the dragon could fully reclaim its original power, defeating the two humans would have been trivial.

With the power he once wielded, equivalent to that of a Grand Master, he could have easily taken on both of them at once and killed them.

But having only recently awakened, the restrictions on his strength were far too severe.

- Protect me! Buy me time!

- Yes!

At his command, other dragons rushed in to defend their leader.

In response, Terrion launched thousands of swords at them.

While the dragons cast frost magic to block the thousands of swords, Lioner, riding a drake, relentlessly pursued the dragon leader.

- Kraaaah!

Chasing after the fleeing dragon leader, Lioner managed to slash one of its wings.

With its wing injured and its flight speed reduced, Lioner succeeded in delivering a critical blow to the dragon leader. However, finishing it off completely proved impossible.

A sudden swarm of dragons gathered around to protect their leader.

Was it because their leader was injured?

The dragons began to retreat hastily.

But as they tried to flee, the Drake Knights and the airship unit fiercely pursued them, determined to kill even one more enemy.

-Has the sky been lost? Arrogant lizards. I knew from the moment they started rampaging without recovering their power.

Heurimre muttered as he turned his gaze toward Iron.

-This time, it's our defeat.

“……”

-I hope you’ll be stronger next time.

Iron remained silent in response to Heurimre’s words.

Even if the battle continued right now, it would be difficult to reach a conclusion.

Though he tried to pursue, Heurimre just smiled slightly and nodded.

Behind him, Iron could see Ariel and the Masters from the Southern Confederation, barely holding on.

-I hope the next war will be more interesting.

With a leisurely expression, Heurimre began to withdraw, and the other Frost Giants followed suit, retreating once more.

Thus, the Imperial Army managed to endure yet another invasion.

But despite their victory, no cheers of triumph came from the soldiers.

Instead, a heavy silence blanketed the battlefield.

"The next battle will be even more difficult."

At Terrion's words, Lioner gritted his teeth.

He should have finished it himself, but in the end, he couldn’t deliver the killing blow.

The dragons had suffered significant losses in this battle, so they would likely lie low until they recovered some of their strength.

“Still… it’s not as if there’s no hope.”

In the distance, reinforcements appeared.

The Leonhardt Knights, having dealt with the monsters and Frost Giants in the West, had arrived to provide support to the central front.

And leading them were two young men.

The second son, Caeden, who had reached the 6th stage at a young age.

But even he stood behind one particular young man.

“He’s become a Master.”

The moment he saw him, Terrion immediately recognized it and smiled.

Aiden Leonhardt.

The one hailed as a genius and long considered the next candidate for the position of Family Head of the Leonhardt Family had finally broken through the wall and ascended to become a Master.

Ariel of the Godly Sword family.

Aiden of the Lion Family.

Both had broken through the wall and reached the Master Level.

If they could do it, then hope was not lost for others as well.

While it was undoubtedly a problem that the enemies grew stronger the longer the war dragged on, humanity, too, was not stagnating.

They were growing stronger at an unprecedented rate, and that included themselves.

Above all, what Terrion was waiting for was Iron.

Iron, who had already broken through the wall and reached the transcendent realm.

But his specialty was not the sword- it was the Divine Beasts.

“I wonder when your son’s cute little birds will make their appearance.”

Terrion said with a smirk.

At this, Lioner chuckled softly and replied.

“I’m curious about that too.”

Lioner also looked toward Iron with curiosity in his eyes.

He couldn’t easily predict just how powerful his monstrous son, who was already immensely strong, would become once he could fully utilize his Divine Beasts.

Although the situation was undoubtedly bleak, whenever they looked at these young warriors, they could see a faint glimmer of hope.

The other commanders felt the same way.

The Frost Giants launched another invasion not long after the previous battle had ended, and this time, the dragons, having reflected on their earlier arrogance, attacked with calculated precision.

“Dragons are swarming in from the South!”

“Th-they’re coming from the East too!”

As if to show that ancient species were not only concentrated in the North, awakened dragons swiftly flew toward the mountain range.

And amidst the chaos came the voice of the system.

[Another ancient species is awakening!]

[The skill Indomitable Will has grown stronger!]

Hearing the news that yet another ancient species had awakened, Jaiden Wicks scowled and muttered,

“This is hopeless.”