Stuck in a Chinese novel

It was safe to say that my speech was filled with more threats than promises of victory and greatness. But that was meaningless. As long as they were with me, those superficial things would follow. However, along with those superficial things, another emotion will also come.

Bravery. They would stop fearing anything and everything. I had seen that happen to many of the great armies and even those under me had such incidents where rebellion was struck because I was too kindhearted.

Or the bravery to do whatever they want would also follow. With me behind them, who would they fear? That brings evil intent to the fold.

What they needed wasn't power or anything great like that. They simply required fear. To know that someone was sitting up above them with a will to do whatever was necessary. Someone who would kill them if they were to do anything that went against my morals.

I was sure that even in this army, such incidents would come and when I'd punish them, many would hate me. But, hate and frustration was better than death. Way, way more better so it was necessary to instill what kind of man they would be following.

"If I can give you glory, riches, and a lavish life, then remember," I finished my speech with final words, "I can take them as well. Your lives are now bound to me. Your lives are no longer yours but mine."

A dictator. Many would say that was the wrong method to rule but I disagreed. Stalin and Castro weren't betrayed by their own soldiers however, Tsar or Richard were betrayed by their own. Showing compassion brings betrayal. I learned that lesson the hard way. An iron fist rule was always the best.

"Prepare for battle. We invade the city of Count Astor in one hour." I said before I turned to Sophien and nodded. She moved and brought me some criminals from a while ago. It was no use killing them and I had absorbed all the soul power I could from them. The current vessel of mine couldn't hold any more so they were now held for other purposes.

Other purposes meant sacrifices but I didn't need to say that. With Alicia not present, no one was kind-hearted enough to forgive these scums for what they had done. At least not me.

I slit their throats and let them die. After they were fully drained of their blood, I sipped my finger in there and began chanting the spell that needed massive preparation. However, I had everything I needed so there was nothing to worry about.

"Ha Mun Re Tepedi Zinas Ra Mun Ze Seperai." The runic language of witchcraft. The ancient magic that held sacrifices was something lost to the original world. After a millennia of search and modifications, only then was I able to master sacrificial magic, the true form of witchcraft.

The blood began to rise in the air and began to cover the entire army in a circle including us. In the middle, the circle was connected by five lines creating a perfect pentagram. Then I began to allot the said runic symbols to the appropriate part of the circle and added some support to keep the circle stable.

All in all if I had my life power, I wouldn't have needed to sacrifices so many people nor would I have had to go through such a careful placement but after making bracelets of blessings, my life and death elements were thoroughly depleted.

Killing the people from before replenished a little of my death element but adding a drop in an ocean was of no use. With how things were, there was no choice but to do it the traditional way. The chance of risk and mistakes was higher but such words didn't belong in the same sentence where my name was mentioned.

In about forty five minutes, while everyone just witnessed the scene before them, I completed the circle. Once it was done, I yelled, "BE READY! THE WAR WILL SOON BEGIN!!!"

And with that, the scenery around us distorted and the next moment, it changed entirely.

~~

"Uwek!!!"

"Kwak!!!"

The reason I allotted one hour when it took 45 minutes to cast the magic circle was because of this. The side effects of teleportation. While the teleportation of this world was due to mana and it wasn't like the one I did, it didn't cause much discomfort once one got used to it.

However, mass teleportation and especially one like this caused one's innards to crumble, then reconstruct, and then the whole cycle once again, making the process really retching for those experiencing it for the first time. Well, those who get used it wouldn't differ much.

If even Rose was feeling sick, it was justified why the rest were dirtying the ground near me with infinite vomit.

However, the phase lasted for five, ten minutes at most. After that, I let them collect themselves. After they were all done, I addressed them once again. We were currently about ten miles away from a giant wall and behind that wall was the Astor County. It was a subsidiary state of some sort but it came under the church so the main force of that city consisted of priests and clerics.

You guessed it right. I was currently inside the barrier that the church had erected to keep the imperial family out. The teleportation skill that I used surpassed the limits of space and brought me to where I desired. It wouldn't be hindered just because there was a spatial barrier in the way.

Across the empty field, I could see the giant walls and the restless figures at the top of it. In just five minutes of our coming here, the gates were closed even without orders from the higher-ups. Well, given that there was an army at the doorstep of the city, it would be obvious to deduce what we were here for.

With all the preparations done, I turned to the commanders of the units and said, "Get them all in line."

My order was executed swiftly and in just three minutes my army was lining up orderly.

Tankers at the forefront, damage dealers behind them. Then defensive line and finally, mages and archers. While there were only a few mages in my army, their number was only a little over 200, they were all good enough and most of them were A ranks so if perfectly coordinated, they would take this city just by themselves.

However, even if Asmara was a genius, without practical experience, she couldn't really them perfect coordination. That would come from this battle. Trial and error was always welcome since they weren't going to die anyway.

"Pain," However, just because they wouldn't die, didn't mean they wouldn't feel the sensation of death, "is just an illusion. Death is the final pain. All others are just… imaginary."

As I said the words of my father to the soldiers, they couldn't really understand what that meant but they didn't need to. They would soon enough understand perfectly enough what I meant. I just hoped their mental strength was enough to bear the sensation of death again and again.

"My soldiers," I said as I raised my hand in the air and activated the skill [Magic Cannon]. A massive ball of light worth about 5000 MP formed on my hand and shone with great intensity that even the ones standing near me felt a little apprehensive.

I threw it at the gate that was blocking my entrance to the city and simply said, "CHARGE!!!!!!!!!"

The war had begun.

~~

"Astor, Redfield, and Stardew. All three counties have fallen in one day. Dispatched priests or clerics have mainly not returned. Those who have, they brought news of…" The priest explaining the current circumstances of the territory of the church stopped and hesitated to continue.

His hesitance stemmed from the same reason why no one in the room could utter another word or even keep their heads straight. The immense wave of mana filled the entire room, making it difficult to breathe. Though the young man who sat on the throne had a calm disposition and no response to the report, the same couldn't be held true because of the immense mana wave in the room.

Mana that cut their skins just from brushing past them and made it difficult for them to breathe. Even if they tried, they couldn't speak. The priest reporting the situation couldn't speak for the same reason. Whoever spoke among them would only have one fate awaiting them and it wasn't a pleasant one.

The scythe of the Grim Reaper was just around their necks. All that needed to be done to make the cut was to simply…

"Say it." The young man known as the pope of the holy church said.

"Utt—Utter destruction"

Thud.

All that needed to be done to make that cut was to simply utter a word. And your head would fall.

"Gather the armies here at the church. We will welcome that insolent brat here." The young man said as the waves of mana around him intensified. If even Rafael was here, along with the rest of his team, he wouldn't be able to stand against that mana.

The mana of a guardian ranked blessed.