Chapter 774: 774: Brave March's Power

The dwarves, led by the queen in the center of the line, move through the wasteland.

They were not running. They advanced at exactly the same speed, steadily and unhurriedly.

There was no war cry to raise their morale, no roar to disguise their fear. Only the repetitive sound of marching echoed through the wilderness.

But they were so quiet that one would wonder if they were even here to fight. They looked nothing like an army about to go into battle.

And this did not change when they clashed with the antidemon's forces either.

「Hmph!」

「Hmph!」

「Hmph!」

Those were the only sounds uttered. There were still no hearty shouts and screams. Yet the results of their march were tremendous.

One blow, one kill. No, it was even more than that. With each swing, they blasted multiple swordsman-types to pieces. Their battle line pushed forward without changing speed in any way.

The army of antidemons in front of them gave way as if it was just an illusion.

The wall of dwarves completely held back the wave of antidemons, erasing them bit by bit.

Normally, they would probably be fighting in shifts by swapping the front and back rows. Yet this was not even necessary because their enemy was too weak.

I saw them taking hits too, but they seemed completely unaffected by the attacks of these lower class antidemons.

That's not surprising. After all, they're super-enhanced warrior dwarves wearing top-class heavy armor.

Even Fran and I would have been knocked away by them if we didn't go all out.

Like farmers cutting weeds, the dwarves kept walking in silence. Within a minute or so, the antidemons had completely vanished.

It was nothing spectacular. They just kept on walking and waving their weapons. Even Queen Orfalve, who is supposed to be the strongest of all the warriors, did the same repetitive actions at the front of the line.

But anyone who was really watching could tell their extraordinary strength and skill.

They marched completely in sync, and were so tough that they never even needed to pause. It's no wonder they are considered one of the strongest forces in the world.

Orfalve looked back at Fran, who was following behind her, and opened her mouth with a smug look on her face.

「What do you think, Fran? How do you like my skill?」

「Nn. Amazing!」

Fran nodded in excitement, and Orfalve puffed out her chest with an even smugger look on her face.

「Fuhahaha! Of course! It is a skill that has been passed down to us dwarf kings from generation to generation, and the key to our kingdom's defenses!」

Behind her, the dwarves were still quietly lined up. Not one of them was injured or even short of breath.

Even 4,000 low level antidemons could not possibly tire them.

「The king inherits it?」

「That is correct. This skill is passed on to whoever becomes king via an artifact in our royal palace. That divine artifact is said to have been handmade by the God of Techniques.」

So that Extra Skill can be passed down from one generation to the next? Such a feat would certainly be fitting for a divine artifact.

Besides, that would be very useful for the ruler of a nation since the king will always become a hero. The king's rule will be supported by that charisma and military might.

「The effect of my Extra Skill "Brave March" is simple and clear. As long as I continue to march at the front, it will enhance the power of my subordinates. That is all there is to it.」

「You have to keep leading the way?」

「Indeed, but it is only natural that a king should lead their people into battle. That will never become an issue.」

Orfalve says that as if it's nothing, but isn't that a pretty hard requirement? It is, at the least, pretty difficult for any human king.

According to my common sense, the king is supposed to be protected in the back. Since, if he gets killed, his side automatically loses.

Perhaps this skill is best suited for the dwarven kings, who seem to always be tough and combat focused.

「Will I get stronger if I fight with you?」

「Only if you swear your wholehearted loyalty to me.」

「Loyalty......? I can't.」

「Fuhahaha! That much is obvious! In the first place, I doubt the skill would have much effect if the Beast King attempted to use it with his subordinates.」

「Really?」

「As far as I know, only dwarves, insectkin and onikin would be able to make full use of this skill. Beastmen, demonkin, and dragonkin value their individuality too much.」

It makes sense now that you mention it. For example, I don't think the average beastman would pledge allegiance to their superiors.

A beastman would obey someone if they are strong, or because they are a good ruler. That is not the same thing as loyalty, since they obey their leader because they benefit from it as well, or at least that's the feeling I get. I guess that's just their racial tradition.

「It would be difficult for a race that is not suited to working in groups.」

This skill requires not only combat ability but also group cohesion. True loyalty is not as easy as it sounds.

Dragonkin are said to be ambitious, and demonkin are individualistic. There may not be many who are truly loyal to their king.

Not to mention the humans. There are few who can truly pledge their allegiance to their king, and fewer kings who are capable of leading a charge into battle.

「S-So......」

「?」

「About the wine......」

「Nn. As I promised you, I'll sell it.」

「Oh! You have my thanks!」

Fran took out the bottle of old elvish wine and handed it to Orfalve.

Orfalve accepted the wine with a big smile on her face, looking as if she is about to rub her cheeks on it. The royal dignity of a queen had completely vanished.

However, there was no disappointment or dismay on the faces of the dwarves who were looking on.

Rather, they were looking at the bottle joyously, just like Orfalve.

Why were the other dwarves so happy when the queen had purchased the wine? I mean, there's clearly not enough for everyone, right......?

「Why are they so happy?」

「These expensive drinks are awarded to those who have performed well. One drink for each of them would be enough for a dozen people. They are all aiming for that.」

The dwarves performing well......?

From what I saw in the fight just now, the dwarves are group oriented. They lined up in a formation and blew up all the antidemons in one hit. In that sort of situation, they would never have a chance to play an active role as an individual.

In other words, for them to stand out, they would have to fight against an enemy strong enough to disrupt the dwarves' formation and force them to fight individually.

Is that really what you want?

But the dwarves didn't seem frightened. In fact, they even seemed to be looking forward to the appearance of such a powerful enemy.

Perhaps I underestimated their obsession with alcohol.

「Mm-hmm. Everyone's morale has been boosted. I have made a good purchase. This expedition is going to be even more fun than usual!」