After Leon's order, the center of the frontline moved as Filgiri advanced along with the other knights the moment the first wave of enemies reached the coast. The initial impact was immediate and violent, mixing water, ice, and mana into a single clash that turned the kingdom's edge into an unstable battlefield within seconds. The frozen ground trembled with each collision, the sea surged in irregular waves, and magical creatures that did not belong to the kingdom emerged alongside enemy soldiers, creating a chaotic combat line where there was no room for perfect organization. The main leader was the first to reach the enemies.
"Advance, men."
"Yes, sir."
Unlike the elite knights who led the main formations, Filgiri was in the middle of the line, where the pressure was constant. His position among the strongest was still recent, having reached rank 6 not long ago—something that did not place him among the most powerful, but was already enough to consider him a good knight within Leon's forces. He knew that, and he also knew he couldn't compare himself directly to names like his son or Knigrave.
'I don't need to be the strongest… I just need to endure.'
His experience had always been based on that—resilience and persistence. The blade in his hand came down against the first enemy he encountered, a knight coming directly from the opposing ranks. The clash of weapons produced a sharp sound, followed by sparks scattering through the cold air. The impact reverberated through Filgiri's arm, but he did not retreat. He used his body weight to push the opponent back, maintaining constant pressure until he created a small opening, then twisted the blade and struck from the side, forcing the enemy to lose balance.
Around him, enemy mages had already begun launching large-scale attacks. Explosions of compressed water crashed against the frozen ground, raising fragments of ice while bursts of mana cut across the battlefield without clearly distinguishing allies from enemies. Visibility became increasingly polluted, making it difficult to identify targets accurately.
'This is a very intelligent formation… so this is what my lord faced constantly in war?'
Filgiri narrowly dodged one of those blasts, feeling the impact graze his shoulder and tear part of his armor. The pain came immediately, but he was already used to it. It wasn't the first time he had been hit in battle, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
'Ignore it… and keep going for Lord Leon.'
He understood little about real wars, since this was the first time he had been summoned after reaching rank 6 a year ago. Before that, he had been a guard at the Solfyr mansion. Of course, he still was, and to him, this small battle already showed the weight Leon carried—and that only made him admire him even more.
'I will make him win this battle, even if I die.'
He advanced again, encountering a mage who was still trying to keep distance. Before the spell could be completed, Filgiri closed the gap and delivered a direct cut to the chest, dropping the enemy before he could react. But there was no time to celebrate, as another came from the side. He blocked instinctively, feeling the impact partially break through his defense. His body was pushed back a few centimeters, but he held firm, adjusting his stance as his mana began to manifest more clearly.
"Enhancement Magic."
His affinity was nothing rare or extraordinary—just a common type of magic. No elements or special properties, only a direct increase in the body's capabilities: strength, endurance, and speed in controlled levels. It wasn't something that changed the battlefield, but it was enough to keep someone standing longer than they should.
"Reinforcement."
Mana flowed through his muscles, strengthening his movements as he advanced again. His blade came down with greater force, forcing the opponent to step back. He followed with another strike, then another—each movement direct and efficient. He didn't waste energy, only maintained the rhythm, blow after blow.
'Do as he taught you—keep your breathing steady.'
He killed his opponent with a cut to the throat, but the number of enemies was too large. Magical creatures began to appear among the soldiers—some advancing chaotically, others guided by enemy mages. One of them lunged directly at Filgiri before he could fully react.
'Damn it.'
The creature, a servant-type, slammed into his chest and sent him flying backward, sliding across the frozen ground as his breath faltered for a moment. His armor absorbed part of the damage—but not all of it. Pain spread through his torso, making it difficult even to stand.
'Not yet…'
He forced his body to respond and managed to stand again. The battle continued around him without pause, as if no one had time to notice who had fallen or who was still standing. Filgiri advanced again, even as his body clearly showed signs of wear. This time, however, he couldn't avoid all the attacks.
"Die already, knight."
A cut sliced through his side from an enemy knight's sword, opening a deeper wound. Another hit his leg, reducing his mobility. Even so, he continued. His reinforcement magic kept his body functioning—even when it should have already failed.
'Just a little more…'
Magical creatures advanced toward him, but the sea creatures that protected the border appeared. One—a giant octopus—grabbed several and dragged them into the depths, while other creatures launched attacks at the enemy knights. The knights dodged and then turned toward him with killing intent.
'Now.'
He advanced, striking the enemy knight who tried to slash his chest. The blow was slower than before, but still precise enough to land first. After his opponent fell, two more enemies advanced. Raising his sword, he defended against one, but the other cut his thigh. Then a kick from the first knocked him down. His body didn't respond as before. The magic was still active, but no longer enough to sustain everything. His muscles failed, his breathing became irregular, and blood began to flow uncontrollably.
'Damn… I'm not done yet…'
"Good work, Lord Filgiri, but it's time for you to retreat for now and be healed."
"But—"
"Orders from Lord Leon. He said you can return along with the others after being treated."
He wanted to resist and continue, but the orders had already been given. He was temporarily removed from combat while another rank 6 knight took his place at the front. He was carried to a safer area while the battle continued without losing intensity.
'I wanted to keep fighting.'
Filgiri kept his eyes on the frontline as he was carried away, watching the silhouettes of knights still fighting, the sound of impacts echoing across the battlefield. His will to fight was strong, but just as Leon had realized—not only him, but other knights as well—their bodies were no longer responding.
'…There's still a lot to do.'
His wife was among the support mages, healing several knights before moving on to him. She wore a small smile of relief upon seeing him, even injured.
"Good thing Lord Leon stopped you from doing something reckless."
"But I wanted to do something reckless."
"Don't admit that in front of your wife."
As the two smiled at each other, Leon had already taken the frontline in an area where there were few knights besides himself, while Trevon was further south, fighting a rank 9 knight just like him.