Chapter 710: Masters of Strategy ( 710 )

Garius stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back.

"I’m sure the newly deployed Pekko Units are already scattered along the outer rim. Their orders remain, to defend and guide. Let them do their duty."

The officer nodded quickly, but froze when Garius added with calm authority.

"This is a dark fireball attack from the sky, correct?"

The officer’s eyes widened.

"Y-Yes, my lord! Exactly as described... but—"

Inside his mind, Lord Garius didn’t even need to read the report yet. How does he know?

Before the officer could dwell on it further, Garius continued smoothly.

"Notify all regional command posts—eastern hills, southern ridge, Gaze City, and the five northern relay towers. Set all garrison and magic defense protocols to maximum alert. Activate full mana shield barriers on all primary towns."

The officer quickly straightened and saluted.

"Understood, my lord! Right away!"

As the officer sprinted off, Alf stepped beside Garius.

"...He’s getting bolder."

Garius’s eyes narrowed.

"Or more desperate."

Garius walked with measured steps down the stone hallway, his cloak trailing silently behind him. The estate subtly vibrated with the activation of multiple layered barriers.

"Alf."

"Yes, my lord?" The butler kept pace beside him.

"Inform my sons—Marcellus and Cedric. Tell them to meet me in the private war room immediately."

"As you command." Alf bowed slightly, then tapped his mana earpiece, already relaying the order.

"Erinnette." Garius’s voice remained steady.

"Yes, my lord?" the head maid replied from just behind.

"Where are my wives?"

Erinnette responded calmly.

"Currently in their respective rooms. Worry not, my lord—they are already under guard. Our strongest elite battle maid units have surrounded their wings. No threat will reach them."

Garius gave a slow nod.

"Good."

He glanced slightly to the sides—two heavily armored puppet knights, crafted from sleek white ore and armed with advanced mana rifles, walked ahead of him at a controlled distance. Another two followed behind, keeping formation. These weren’t just guards. They were Javier’s personal shadow escort units. Silent. Deadly. Loyal only to Javier—and by extension, to him.

He wasn’t surprised. Javier always left precautions even in places where others felt safe.

Inside Garius’s mind.

Hmm... I’m sure of it now.

Those four units weren’t alone.

He could feel them, subtle presences. Carefully positioned. Camouflaged with layered concealment spells. Silent. Watching. Waiting.

That brat already deployed dozens more. Units that look human, clad in those black suits with armor padding and strange lenses over their eyes... no doubt spread across the estate. Not just here, but likely inside the barracks too.

Knowing him... they’re probably escorting every one of my wives right now. Even without orders

Garius smirked.

Heh... Always pretending to be lazy, always acting like he doesn’t care...

But in the end... he protects everyone. Even if no one asks him to.

Once Garius stepped into the war room, the door shut behind him with a low thud.

He moved silently, his long coat trailing behind him with each step. Before him, the massive war map of the Armand Region covered the entire table—detailed terrain lines, defensive posts, mana relay towers, border checkpoints.

His gaze fixed sharply on one point.

The Armand Border Wall.

Between the Armand Region and the Human Kingdom.

"...So this is where it begins," he muttered.

A red-glowing line blinked repeatedly—a clear indicator of enemy magical discharges. The area was already marked with cross-marks, representing incoming dark mana—most likely from the fireball barrage earlier.

Garius narrowed his eyes.

"Knowing Edmund... who also thinks like me," he said quietly, "he’s not launching those dark fireballs just for damage. He’s using them as a distraction—targeting Javier’s automated defense systems, drawing out response patterns."

He paused, analyzing the spread.

"With his current mana output, at Fifth Stage Celestial, he can maintain this bombardment for hours without fatigue."

Alf nodded.

"That explains the constant wave pattern. It’s not a true attack, just pressure."

Erinnette crossed her arms, also nodding.

"To bait a premature counterstrike."

Garius stepped forward, tapping the map.

"He’s testing the limits of Javier’s defenses. But not only that... I’m sure Edmund is aware of the mana cannon and how devastating it was during the last engagement."

His finger traced a likely path across the forest region just behind the border wall.

"He won’t charge directly. Not again. Which means... he’ll summon units."

Alf raised a brow.

"You suspect he’ll use..."

"Golems," Garius replied curtly. "Thousands of them. Mass-summoned stone and dark-metal units. The kind of fodder that can absorb a hit but clog targeting priority. If he floods the area with them, Javier’s cannon won’t have the cooldown interval to hit real targets effectively."

Erinnette clenched her fist lightly.

"And all that just to distract? What’s his main attack?"

Garius looked toward the upper section of the map. It displayed sky routes and elevation overlays.

"He’ll send his elite Wyvern Unit. The first wave was wiped out, yes... but those were freshly trained. New blood."

His tone darkened.

"The next batch won’t be. These will be veterans. Enhanced. Faster, smarter, fused with celestial blessing."

He tapped a small crystal on the table. The map zoomed out, and lines representing anti-air coverage began to appear across the Armand Region.

"...He plans to break through. Not with brute force, but with timing. Hit the cannons from above once they’re occupied with the golems. Overwhelm us with darkness. Strike where we least expect."

Garius’s right eye flickered faintly with a glow.

Knowing that Javier’s mana cannon had recently wiped out the entire army led by Gilmon, and that the anti-air mana guns, along with the mana missile system, had annihilated over a thousand wyverns without taking a single casualty—Garius narrowed his gaze at the map.

His fingers tapped once.

Twice.

Then he spoke.

"Edmund’s not reckless. Not anymore," he said, voice calm yet heavy. "He knows brute force won’t work against Armand’s defenses. Not with how Javier has fortified the border."

"He’ll use Golems. Enchanted with Dark Miasma. These aren’t standard constructs. With the way that mana signature was woven in the last report... I estimate each of them can withstand three, maybe even five direct hits from our mana cannon before crumbling."

Alf furrowed his brow. "So they’re meat shields. Durable. Designed to clog our aim and waste shots."

Garius nodded.

"But it won’t end there," he continued. "If Edmund’s nearby, and he always is when he pulls tricks like this, then I’m certain he’ll resummon those golems."

Erinnette raised an eyebrow. "Resummon... from the broken parts?"

( End Of Chapter )