At the year's end, Rifidi unches an assault with the 28th, 33rd, and 37th Kingdom Legions at the core.

  The 12th and 13th Border Legions on the southeastern frontier form the left wing, while the 9th and 10th Border Legions in the southern region form the right wing.

  Backed by a coalition of 30,000 southeastern noble troops, a total force of 100,000 soldiers bypasses the watchful eyes of Peace Haven and suddenly invades its territory.

  This marks the first invasion Peace Haven has faced in a decade.

  Arnold, leading the Second Legion, makes his troops surrounded by Rifidi's forces intentionally.

  They put up a tough resistance for two days, but ultimately, due to heavy casualties and being outnumbered, they scatter and retreat to various border fortresses for refuge.

  These fortresses are incredibly sturdy, each capable of housing over 500 people.

  Now, most of the dozen or so fortresses are crammed with nearly a thousand troops each.

  With the advantage of high ground and strong defenses, the Ika's army can only surround them, unable to breach them quickly.

  Meanwhile, the blood-red smoke of Peace Haven rises, summoning a rge number of militia. Chaos reigns as troops hastily assemble, preparing for the battle.

  Despite the efforts of officials to calm the popuce, many residents still flee northward in panic.

  Henwell mobilizes soldiers from the new recruits, the city garrison, and the factory district guards. Within a day, he forms a 20,000-strong force and sends them to the front lines to engage the Ika Kingdom's army.

  Rifidi, the commander, truly experiences the elite might of Peace Haven's forces.

  Henwell, with fewer than 30,000 troops, manages to use several rge fortresses to halt the advance of Rifidi's 60,000-strong army.

  However, from Rifidi's perspective, Peace Haven's defeat seems inevitable.

  He has already crushed the enemy's Second Legion, and the First Legion will soon be blocked by his fnking forces.

  It won't be long before Peace Haven falls into his hands. The prospect of reciming lost territory and turning the tide of the entire war fills Rifidi with dreams of the rewards that await him.

  The war in Peace Haven rages fiercely, with every defensive line contested through countless back-and-forth battles.

  While Rifidi sends his troops into Peace Haven, he also mobilizes a reorganized legion and three border legions, pushing from the northern border into Vorry territory, threatening the western nds of the Phoenix family. This forces the Phoenix family to hold back, unable to support Peace Haven.

  Henwell simultaneously appeals to the Vorry Duchy for aid while pulling defensive battalions from the Ogiro direction.

  After a few days, Henwell gathers over 50,000 troops along Peace Haven’s front lines. The only fully staffed legion is Peace Haven’s garrison legion, forming the center of their defense.

  Rifidi tries to concentrate his forces to strike Henwell’s center, but gains no advantage.

  Every day, Peace Haven sends down a flood of wounded soldiers from the front, while rge numbers of militia are summoned and thrown into the fight.

  Three days ter, Rifidi grows impatient and intensifies his assault. He organizes 5,000 cavalry, aiming to break through Peace Haven’s defenses by sheer force.

  But Henwell scrambles over 3,000 cavalry himself and personally leads them to meet the kingdom’s horsemen head-on.

  Dressed in full armor, Henwell wields his war spear, sshing left and right as his steed charges at full speed. No knight or elite cavalryman can withstand a single blow from him.

  Eventually, Henwell gets cut off, surrounded deep within the kingdom’s cavalry ranks.

  Yet, he shows no fear, relentlessly cutting through enemies without so much as a hint of exhaustion.

  Watching Henwell spin his war spear like a helicopter rotor, mowing down foes in an unstoppable frenzy, Rifidi’s eyes widen in disbelief. “Who the hell is this Henwell? Is he a Battle Knight?”

  Every kingdom commander watching from afar swallows hard as they see the bloody path Henwell carves—ten meters wide of shattered flesh and bone.

  How the hell can one man be this damn ferocious?

  Rifidi orders several Battle Knights to engage, aiming to capture the lord of Blood Hill, Peace Haven's Henwell.

  But then... nothing.

  No one can even distinguish the Battle Knights from the kingdom's regur cavalry as they fall, each skewered and flung from their mounts by Henwell's war spear.

  Rifidi abandons the idea of capturing Henwell alive. "He's strong, but he's still flesh and blood. Can he really kill all of us? Shoot him! I want him dead! Once he's gone, Peace Haven's army will crumble!"

  Moments ter, a rain of arrows indiscriminately showers down on Henwell's position.

  But Henwell surprises them with a jaw-dropping move. His four-meter-long war spear spins at high speed, while a blood-red mist emanates from him and his steed, Night Charger.

  The swirling mist shreds the incoming arrows, and any that slip through fail to penetrate the protective blood aura enveloping Henwell and his horse.

  As Rifidi watches in shock, Henwell suddenly changes direction, charging straight at him.

  Rifidi calmly waves his hand, "Form up the heavy infantry! Block him!"

  A thousand-strong heavy armored formation quickly stands in Henwell's path. He doesn't bother to go around; instead, he thrusts his war spear through the massive tower shields.

  But the sheer weight stops both Henwell and his horse in their tracks.

  Mounted, Henwell lets out a furious shout, his war spear bending slightly under the strain.

  With a powerful flex of his waist and arms, he lifts the connected shield wall, sending it crashing into the ranks behind.

  Henwell spurs his horse forward, leaping into the heavy infantry formation.

  His war spear sweeps through, shattering armor, twisting bodies, and sending a spray of blood and flesh flying.

  In no time, Henwell breaks through the heavy infantry lines.

  Rifidi, now panicking, yells, "Stop him! Kill him! Kill him!"

  Half an hour ter, the kingdom's army retreats several miles. Soldiers and cavalry skirt around a five-meter-high pile of bodies at the center of the battlefield.

  Atop this grim monument stands Henwell, war spear in one hand and sword in the other, ughing at the retreating kingdom forces.

  "Ha ha ha... Who else? Who—else—wants some?"

  The kingdom's commanders watch Henwell's taunting with grim expressions. Everyone had heard of Henwell's prowess, but no one expected him to be this formidable.

  What was supposed to be a breakthrough of Peace Haven's defenses today has turned into a morale-crushing rout, thanks to Henwell's rampage.

  The kingdom's forces now need several days to regroup before they can unch another full-scale assault.

  In his tent, Rifidi rages, "That damn Henwell! How can he be so fierce? What are we supposed to do now? If we don't take him down, and he pulls this again in the next attack, it could turn the tide of the war!"

  The commanders remain silent, no one daring to speak.

  Rifidi turns to Scar Tiger, "Do you have any brilliant ideas on how to take out Henwell?"

  Scar Tiger feels like he's about to wet his pants; he has no idea what to do. His mind is haunted by the nightmare of Henwell mowing down soldiers like a whirlwind.