# Chapter 68
Levi, who had retreated from the Iron Fortress, was able to exit through the northern secret passage. The terrain there had a gentler slope compared to the hills in other directions and the path outside the hill was well cleared, making it perfect for supply routes.
Escaping outside with two allies in black clothes including Chepel, Levi looked back toward the secret passage they had come through.
The enemy had identified not only the north gate, which would serve as a retreat path, but also the secret passages, placing the Immortal Army there. If it weren’t for him, who was essentially their natural predator, no one would have been able to retreat due to the immortal soldiers who wouldn’t die even when killed—they would have all been killed or captured.
Levi recalled the immortal soldiers blocking the path. Like those at the south gate who couldn’t attack him, these too couldn’t properly point a sword at him. Thanks to this, he had time to heal his fractured ankle, and as a result, they were all now nothing more than corpses.
‘Why?’
Why didn’t they try to attack him even as their comrades were dying? Even at the moment their own necks were falling off.
Naturally, Ion Verdit’s face came to mind. He too hadn’t even shown a blade to Levi.
Far from it, he had spoken words that were impossible to imagine coming from an enemy commander in war.
“Me, killing Levi—that’s impossible.”
The scene when he voluntarily brought Levi’s dagger to his own neck still flickered before his eyes.
“Unless I die by your hand.”
That appearance, as if he would truly die by Levi’s hand if desired, was clearly just an act to deceive him, Levi thought.
He didn’t want to be deceived or exploited by anyone anymore. So trusting Ion Verdit, who had already deceived him once, was something to absolutely avoid.
Nevertheless…
“Are you alright? Are you injured anywhere?”
“Tell me if anything hurts.”
For an ordinary person, or even for Ion Verdit who was far from death, it was an accident from which he couldn’t have possibly escaped unharmed. Yet he didn’t even think about wiping the blood flowing from his head and was only busy taking care of Levi, distorting his face as if he would burst into tears at Levi’s injuries.
Levi placed his hand over his loudly pounding heart. He wasn’t sure if it was because they were hurriedly retreating after abandoning the fortress, or because he was thinking of Ion Verdit.
“Count Aden, this way.”
Hearing Chepel calling, Levi finally moved his feet. Following him, there was a horse prepared in advance. Around it, men in black clothes who had been waiting bowed silently toward Levi and Chepel.
After helping Levi, who was still awkward with horseback riding, onto the saddle, Chepel, who mounted behind him, gave orders to the men around them. A few would remain here to hinder the enemy’s pursuit, while the rest would move together as escorts. Throughout all this, Levi couldn’t erase Ion Verdit, who completely filled his mind.
From atop the rapidly galloping horse, Chepel’s small voice was heard.
“You did well. Thanks to you, Count Aden, we were able to return alive.”
Levi’s dazed consciousness snapped back.
“Thanks to… me?”
“Yes. If you hadn’t been there, we would have all lost our lives to the Immortal Army blocking our retreat.”
Levi’s hands gripping the handle attached to the front of the saddle tightened.
“But I couldn’t kill them all. The survivors will threaten us again.”
“Then you can protect us again when that happens.”
At those words, Levi turned to look at Chepel, who was sitting close behind him holding the reins. A small smile resembling his lord appeared on his expressionless face.
“The only one who can protect us from the Immortal Army is you, Count Aden.”
Though they were clearly Chepel’s words, somehow Raziel’s face seemed to overlap with his.
“And you can also protect His Majesty.”
The added words seeped heavily into Levi’s heart.
‘Yes, I…’
I must protect Raziel.
He wanted that being, who had a human appearance yet wasn’t human, to live. Just as Levi himself had, Raziel too simply wanted to live.
Ion Verdit was someone who wanted to break and end Raziel’s life.
“I’ll kill everyone who treats Levi like a tool. I’ll tear them to pieces and kill them.”
Those words Ion had spoken to Chepel were nothing more than an act to seduce him. Though he looked at Levi affectionately as if he were more precious than anything in the world, beyond that must be the cold gaze he had shown when trying to assassinate Raziel.
‘The one trying to use me… is you.’
Levi’s pounding heart gradually cooled and settled.
❖ ❖ ❖
The Iron Fortress, known as the Caron Empire’s invincible stronghold, was thoroughly destroyed by 5,000 immortal soldiers and a brave army of 100,000 led by Grand Duke Ion Verdit of the Delos Empire.
Most of the Caron Empire’s soldiers defending the Iron Fortress lost their lives on the spot, while some were captured as prisoners of the Delos army.
Among the prisoners was Baron Husdinen, who had been guarding the Iron Fortress for a long time. He hurriedly headed for the northern secret passage only when all the gates had opened, as if he hadn’t foreseen this situation. However, Ion Verdit and his army were already positioned at the northern secret passage, which is why he was caught without being able to properly resist.
The only Caron Empire commanders who escaped the collapsing Iron Fortress were Count Levi Aden and Count Chepel Lance, along with a few soldiers under them. Though they regrettably let them go, Ion Verdit, who had already penetrated not only the north gate that would serve as the retreat path but also the existence of the northern secret passage, did not allow any further enemy retreats.
Even for the Holy One Ion Verdit with his Immortal Army, this was considered a battle where he couldn’t easily bring down the fortress, given that it was a siege battle rather than a conventional one. Not only the Caron Empire but also many in the Delos Empire thought the same.
However, contrary to expectations, Ion Verdit planted the flag of the Delos Empire at the highest point of the fortress before a full day had passed since the siege battle began. There wasn’t a significant loss of troops, and while he allowed the retreat of only a small portion of the Caron Empire’s army, most were killed or taken prisoner.
Immediately after the collapse of the Iron Fortress, Antarbo, one of the Caron Empire’s several symbols and a famous port city, fell into the hands of the Delos Empire’s army at once. Until then, the Marquis of Husdinen, Baron Husdinen’s father and the lord of Antarbo, was stunned, saying it was an unbelievable situation.
This news spread quickly throughout the continent, and everyone who believed that the Iron Fortress would remain firm despite the existence of the Immortal Army couldn’t help but be shocked.
The damage to the Delos army was minimal compared to the Caron army. The number of deaths was only about 10,000 out of 105,000, while the Iron Fortress garrison, which had a comparable number of troops, was almost annihilated except for those captured as prisoners.
It was a basic principle that an army attempting a siege in war should be at least three times the number of the defending forces. Even considering the abilities of the Immortal Army, it was believed that with similar numbers of troops, a long siege would ultimately be necessary.
However, mocking such predictions, Grand Duke Ion Verdit seized a quick victory by fully utilizing his quick judgment, intelligence, and his own abilities. The damage to his forces was also so minimal that it was hard to believe they had fought a siege battle.
As a result, even those who had said that the story of winning against an army of 100,000 with just 5,000 troops in the wasteland of the Black Forest must have been greatly exaggerated had to acknowledge Ion’s abilities and his army this time.
But one strange thing was that some of the immortal soldiers under Ion Verdit had “died.”
The reason they are called the Immortal Army is because they are soldiers who don’t die no matter what.
Even if their heads fall off and they collapse, after a few minutes, the head returns to the empty neck as if nothing happened, and the same goes for other body parts. Even if the body is mangled almost beyond recognition, it eventually regenerates, “returning” to its original state, so they never die.
It was puzzling that among such soldiers, there were “fatalities” numbering not just one or two, but nearly two hundred.
However, this question was almost buried by the enthusiastic cheers for bringing down the Iron Fortress and occupying the Caron Empire’s port city of Antarbo.
❖ ❖ ❖
In a secret meeting place deep within the Grand Duchy of Merkia.
Around the large round table sat those who had participated in the emergency summit previously held at the Delos Imperial Palace. However, unlike the previous summit, the Emperor of the Delos Empire and the Emperor of the Caron Empire were not present.
“What should we do now?”
In the dim and quiet atmosphere, a king of a small country spoke in an anxious voice.
“Isn’t even the great Caron Empire being thoroughly destroyed by that Immortal Army?”
“Already, vast territories in the southern part of the Caron Empire and even major port cities in the north have been devoured. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers have piled up as corpses in just a few days, and there are already people preparing to defect to Delos within the Caron Empire.”
The old Grand Duke of Merkia, who added his words with a serious face, stroked his long beard and surveyed the assembly.
“Though the war worthy of being called a war has just begun, what has shaken the balance is the Delos Empire with its Immortal Army that we’ve only heard about. The Caron Empire has no chance of winning.”
“We know that too! That’s why it’s a problem!” shouted the King of Altia, gritting his teeth and shaking both fists.
