The Choice Beneath the Cliff

The Northern Frontier winds swirled fine snowflakes, whistling as they swept across the bare rocks. The group of five stood silently on the edge of the steep cliff, below which lay a relatively open valley covered with a thin layer of snow.

The scene in the valley, however, was completely out of place with the desolate and silent world. The sharp clang of metal clashing, the suppressed roars, and a kind of heart-wrenching, childlike panting were mixed together, creating an atmosphere full of cruelty.

The two sides in the battle were not humans and Demons, but armies also clad in human armor. However, the battle was imbued with a suffocatingly vile atmosphere.

On one side, the force was significantly larger and more elite, equipped with gleaming armor and in impeccable formation. But what was most striking were those driven to the very front—a group of women and children with youthful faces and vacant, numb eyes.

They wore ill-fitting, tattered leather armor, wielding swords and shields far too heavy for them. Their faces were expressionless, like puppets manipulated by invisible threads. Silently and mechanically, they formed a fragile defensive line, using their bodies and wooden shields to fend off the attacks of the red-robed side. Whenever someone was cut by a sword or knocked down, a new child or woman would immediately take their place, expressionless.

Driven by these children were another group of knights, more numerous and better equipped, mixed among them. They hid behind the children, laughing cruelly, their swords mercilessly piercing through the gaps between the children, reaping the lives of the red-robed king's soldiers.

On the other side, the number of soldiers was smaller, and their equipment was much simpler. The soldiers' faces were filled with grief, indignation, and determination.

The leader was a man in his thirties wearing a worn red robe with royal crests still faintly visible. He had a weathered face that couldn't hide his upright character. His sword-wielding movements were hesitant because of the children in front of him, but they still carried an undeniable and resolute power.

He clearly couldn't bring himself to harm the children in front of him, so he skillfully avoided those small figures with his sword, striving to find the real enemies behind him to fight. This made him hesitant and put him in constant danger.

"Women... children... Marcus, you bastard...!" The red-robed king parried the slash of an elite knight with his sword, his voice trembling slightly with rage echoing through the valley. "You're still so despicable! You hyena who deserves to go to hell! You'll always resort to such vile and shameless means!"

Behind the opposing army, a king named Marcus, clad in magnificent armor, slightly overweight, and sporting a cunning yet cruel smile, calmly responded under the heavy protection of his guards. His voice, carried through the wind and snow, brimming with the smug satisfaction of victory:

"So what? Your Majesty Anthony, history is written by the victors. A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. Look around you, how many loyal fools do you have left? If you surrender now, I might consider... well, treat your people a little better? At least give them a quick death, so my subordinates won't have to suffer, how about that? Haha!"

On the rock face, even the biting wind seemed unable to dispel the nauseating chill rising from below.

Lupa gripped the spear tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. Her pink twin ponytails swayed violently in the wind, mirroring her boiling rage. Her heterochromatic eyes Burning with an almost tangible flame, and her body trembled slightly from extreme anger, but she restrained herself from rushing down immediately.

Lowell's voice rang out calmly from the side, devoid of any emotion, yet clearly reaching Lupa's ears. "You're furious, you can't stand it anymore, can you?"

Lupa turned sharply to look at Lowell, her voice hoarse with excitement. "Yes, Master! That's right... This... This is outrageous!" She looked down at the children with empty eyes, and at King Anthony, who had fallen into a desperate situation because of his kindness, her chest heaving violently.

Lowell's gaze remained fixed on the valley, his tone calm yet carrying a strange weight. "So... mercy is a quality only those with power deserve... If you're angry, then do what you want to do."

Lupa paused for a moment, "But you said you didn't like getting involved in human political conflicts, that you were afraid of trouble..."

Lowell gave a soft "hmm," turned his head, and looked calmly at Lupa with his eyes beneath his dark hair. "I may dislike trouble, but that doesn't mean I don't want to do it. Especially not at a time like this. Follow your heart, Lupa. Do what you believe is right."

These words were like the breaking of chains. The last trace of hesitation in Lupa's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by the unwavering determination of a warrior. She nodded emphatically, a sharp glint flashing in her heterochromatic eyes. "Alright!"

She turned to leap off the cliff.

At this moment, Linié quietly stepped forward. "Linié, come help Lupa."

Lupa felt a warmth in her heart and nodded vigorously. "Thanks, Linié!"

On the other side, Solitär's pale green eyes gleamed with excitement and curiosity. Pointing at the red-robed King Anthony, trapped in a desperate situation, she exclaimed with delight, "... A king in dire straits... his thought process, his decision-making logic, and this... um... is it 'fighting to the death' or 'tragic' emotion? It's so fascinating... Can I go and ask His Majesty up close what he's thinking?"

Lowell glanced at her, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You can. But remember the rules: you can't kill anyone, not even that stupid pig king. How you handle him is up to Lupa; you can only assist. After the battle, you can ask me anything."

Solitär immediately, a satisfied smile spreading across her face, "Okay! Solitär promises to follow the rules!"

"Let's go!" Lupa didn't hesitate any longer. With a low shout, she leaped down the rock wall like a cheetah, charging straight towards the heart of the battlefield with unstoppable momentum! Linié followed closely behind like her shadow.

Solitär gracefully leaped lightly, her figure ethereal, landing on the battlefield as if weightless, using Flight Magic to begin her observation.

Only Lowell and Frieren remained on the rock face.

Frieren's emerald eyes swept over the chaotic battle below, then glanced at Lowell beside her, and commented calmly, "You've softened again."

Lowell touched his nose and sighed, "If it were just the two of us, it wouldn't be so bad. But if we just watch like this, Lupa will have a grudge. Besides, women and children are the bottom line, even if Lupa isn't here... Choosing to be a soldier naturally means having the awareness to sacrifice for the country, but children should just live well. Also, speaking of which, the jewels on that pig seem quite valuable; they could probably be exchanged for a lot of desserts. And in the case of war between nations, with Anthony around, the greater good shouldn't be a problem."

Upon hearing this, Frieren's blue eyes brightened slightly. "Really? Well... never mind, since Lupa's already gone up, a mage like me isn't suited for this kind of chaotic battlefield."

"That's true." Lowell smiled, turning his gaze back to the valley. At this moment, Lupa had charged into the battle like a tiger descending the mountain! Oh, and there was a little tiger following beside her. Linié hadn't shown much momentum at all.

Lupa's target was crystal clear—the enemy knights who were hiding behind children and shooting arrows! Her lance transformed into a crimson lightning bolt, piercing the gaps in the knights' armor with precision and ruthlessness, or knocking away their weapons. Her spear technique, honed by Lowell and refined by Gravity Magic, had been completely transformed, swift as the wind and powerful as a mountain. Each strike carried an overwhelming force that ordinary knights could hardly withstand.

"Get out of the way! Don't block my path!" Lupa shouted, sweeping her spear and sending a knight who was trying to direct children to block the way flying, sword and all. Her heterochromatic eyes Burning with fierce anger.

Linié's fighting style was more direct and efficient. Her deep blue pupils locked onto her target precisely, and the magic-infused battle axe in her hand sometimes cleaved with powerful force, and sometimes deftly parried and thrust, perfectly coordinating with Lupa's offensive and clearing away threats on her flanks. Her movements carried an inhuman precision and calmness, efficiently dismantling the enemy's resistance.

The arrival of the two was like two boulders thrown into a lake, instantly shattering the balance of the battlefield! The pressure on King Anthony's side was greatly reduced. Although the soldiers were surprised by this sudden assistance, their instinct for survival and fighting made them burst forth with even stronger fighting spirit.

"Reinforcements? His Majesty's reinforcements!" a soldier shouted excitedly.

His Majesty Anthony was also taken aback. He swung his sword to parry an attack and looked at the two figures that cut into the enemy formation like sharp knives. Especially the girl with pink hair and a long spear. A hint of confusion flashed in his eyes, but more than that, he felt shocked and grateful for the narrow escape.

"Damn it! Where did these bastards come from!" King Marcus was both shocked and furious, his fat face jiggling. He waved his short, thick arms and shouted, "Stop them! Kill that red-haired girl first! And that pink-haired one too! Use those brats as shields! Now!"

More enemy knights tried to drive the children toward Lupa and Linié. However, this time, before the children could get close, an invisible defensive barrier quietly appeared around Lupa and Linié, gently pushing away the expressionless children, yet offering no resistance to the enemy knights' swords. It was Solitär had made her move so silently.

With her seemingly casual yet crucial assistance, Lupa and Linié moved with unparalleled ease. Lupa's spear swept through everything in its path, targeting enemy knights with each attack imbued with the rage of avenging the exploited children.

The tide of battle began to turn.

King Marcus's smugness had long been replaced by terror. He watched as his carefully constructed "children's shield," which he had relied on as a fortress, failed, and the two girls who had suddenly appeared were ridiculously strong. His personal guards were falling one by one.

"Useless! All of you are useless!" he cursed furiously, his obese body trembling with fear as he began to direct the sedan chair to retreat. "Retreat! Retreat first!"

However, he wanted to leave, but he couldn't.