I look at the muzzle, it has grooves.
「The grooves probably won't work but it is powered by a magic gem so it should rotate. The range will be much longer and the trajectory will be more stable.」
「As expected. Even so, it's amazing that you were able to make a magazine for it.」
「Yeah, I understood the basic structure so I could build it using combined magic tools but only three prototypes were able to shoot. Also, even one magazine costs a lot of money so please don't shoot in vain.」
I took a test shot out the window at the tree in the distance and heard a crackling sound. A branch fell so I probably hit the target.
When I pulled the lever, the bullet slid in and I could fire immediately again.
The recoil was milder than that of a flintlock, probably due to the use of a magic detonator for ignition.
Bullets can be loaded quickly and the accuracy and range increased.
「Can't we mass produce this? I think we can overwhelm anyone if we line up soldiers armed with magic rifles.」
「No, not at this time. There have been too many manufacturing failures and it can't be considered as a stable weapon. It also uses expensive magic tools so building a cannon would be better. Magic rifles are made for self-defense of those who absolutely must not die.」
「I see.」
「Three guns should be enough for now. Takeru-dono, since you promised Wake-dono, you probably need to contact him now.」
It looks like this magic rifle has yet to go beyond the range of roman weapons.
「I want to try the rifle against the imperial army as soon as possible.」
「Takeru-dono is my important general so please don't go in deeply. Make sure you'll be able to come back.」
I think I'm cautious enough.
However, since sensei warned me, it might really be dangerous.
Well, we're going to take on 70000 enemies after all.
If I run out of options, I'll run into the Oracle's Great Cave and throw the furukisha at the enemy.
It's a double-edged sword but it should work as the last resort.
When I told my plan to use the Oracle's Great Cave against the enemy siege to sensei, sensei asked me if I was insane.
With the dungeon master as our ally, the cave, which now spans ten floors before the ground, is a great stone factory in times of peace.
In war, it is an impregnable fortress that no human castle can compare to.
It should be a perfect base to torment the incoming imperial forces.
And just like that, the war against the empire begins.
-0-
—Scene Change—
-0-
The Lauren Knights territory has been attacked.
In the territory of the Lauren Knights, it seems like Count Brynie faction of the Lauren Knights has risen again so knights are having duels against each other.
The imperial army ignores the futile struggle and passes through them.
This time, they tried to advance their troops directly to the city of Spike without going through the City of Lauren.
However, the narrow mountain roads of the Moke Mountains stood in the way.
I asked Oracle-chan to carry me and we flew through the air to scout out the approaching enemy hordes.
「Amazing, it's like a scene from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. 」
I've already seen the battle of 10000 troops.
However, seeing the 70000 enemy forces from above, all I could see were crowds, crowds, and more crowds.
The sight of 50000 men trying to cross the mountain road in the Moke Mountains was breathtaking.
It was like a huge army of ants gathering on a pile of sugar.
On the mountain road, the volunteer corps and Viscount Oracle's troops were desperately trying to reduce the number of approaching enemies by trapping them, dropping rocks and logs, but they were outnumbered, they're only less than a thousand. They were outnumbered and overpowered.
If we didn't give the order to retreat at the right moment, they might have been swallowed up by the enemies crossing the mountain.
On the other side of the 50000 imperial troops, a little further away, an army of 20000 strong rear guards is slowly approaching.
That's also a big army but they are slow since they have the supplies and siege weapons. The troops that surround them are not from the empire but from the territorial army so they will not actively participate in battle. That's according to sensei's assessment.
「Hey, do you want to try and attack from above?」
「Yeah, let's sprinkle these burning stones.」
Oracle-chan hit the enemy's spearhead with a shockwave. Though we were supposed to only scout, we can't leave the volunteer corps alone.
I also aimed at the only knight with a luxurious helmet who seems to be the frontline commander using the magic rifle.
The enemies are eager to shoot up using their crossbow and longbows but they will never hit me given the altitude.
We quickly left that place though since there are intermediate mages who shoot us with fireballs.
Even if that hits me, I won't get hurt since I have high fire resistance but this is how far our one-sided attack will go.
「Takeru, let's escape as fast as we can.」
「Yeah….」
The trump card of the imperial army, 500 flying dragon knights. Their flock is moving towards us.
The flying dragon knights who are using wyverns as mounts are standard air fighters of a fantasy world. If we were surrounded by them, things would be bad.
The common sense of the art of war "Battles are fought with numbers" doesn't change even if I'm in another world.
But that's true. Facing 50000 or 70000 with the power of one is insufficient.
「With that, it's impossible to launch an aerial battle against the empire.」
「We'll have to drag them to the ground in order to fight against them.」
Well, how to do that will be sensei's job.
The flying dragon knights came too. I sent a signal bullet to my allies to make them withdraw before the enemies caught up to them.