Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 312: Marquisship
"Goddess, sing praises to Sumu—the wrath of the Xilin Plain, that catastrophic wrath."

"Under the witness of the crimson moon, he brought endless punishment upon Isildur."

"Druid Hirel broke off his antlers in the southern plains; Storm Ranger Ivo Kane lost his intelligent eyes in Kuraki; the undead army of the ancient ruins was wiped out outside Bearhold; even the Frost Treants were frozen beneath Sunset Keep and decayed into ashes; and the Dragon Knights perished at the top of the sky."

"Many heroic souls were thus sent to the underworld, where they fell into endless depravity."

"The souls of those heroes became nourishment for ghosts, and their bodies were abandoned as food for demonic hounds and vultures."

"Thus the will of the God of Light has been fulfilled!"

The bards wandered through the streets and alleys of Kuraki, praising the lord's achievements. These were all the results of Sumu's rule, and stories that everyone was familiar with.

Although Sumu has made considerable achievements in domestic affairs, they are clearly not as inspiring as the glorious victories in war.

"Hurry to the central square. The court ministers are going to bestow titles upon the lord there in recognition of his contributions to the kingdom, hoping to inspire the other heroes!"

"Lord Sumu will also distribute rewards to everyone and promote Kuraki's governing philosophy!"

Farmers, blacksmiths, carpenters—free people of all professions—temporarily put down their work and headed toward the central square.

The magnificent square, capable of holding 100,000 people, was now packed to the brim. Shield-bearers formed a human wall, isolating the inner area. It wasn't out of fear of unrest, but rather to prevent accidental injury to ordinary people.

A large number of elite troops have gathered inside the square. Su Mu wants to take advantage of Finaksia's visit to conduct a military drill!

Court ministers Gwen and Raven arrived together, accompanied by nearly a thousand guards and entourage, making a grand spectacle.

The military officers from the capital were all impeccably dressed, their golden armor gleaming in the sunlight. However, they caused little commotion; the city's inhabitants seemed accustomed to it, their expressions calm.

Instead, at the very front of the procession was the White Feather Emblem, the symbol of the kingdom, a treasure that the royal family would only take out when bestowing the highest honors.

It is said that those who possess the bloodline of Phinexia can summon the strongest army that helped humanity thousands of years ago—the Angel Legion—by activating their white feathers with their blood in times of greatest peril!

Of course, it's all just legend; no one has ever truly witnessed royalty summoning angels, so it must be quite difficult. But no one dares to underestimate Finaksia, after all, this is a world of heroes, where anything can happen.

Su Mu scoffed at the legend. He might not know if summoning angels was even possible, but summoning the dead was certainly within the royal family's capabilities. Thousands of years of accumulated power were something no ordinary force could easily challenge.

"Marquis Sumu, Lord Raven said your army is the strongest in the world, unparalleled in its kind. This time, even the phantom dragon of the dragon knight was slain. May I witness it for myself?"

"Lord Gwen, you flatter me. Although our troops are strong, they still need a suitable general to command them in order to achieve the best results."

Today is a perfect opportunity to put on a short performance for everyone!

Su Mu gave Ivan a wink, and the Raging Flame Knight rode a bloodthirsty warhorse into the formation of the strongest swordsmen.

The moment Ivan dismounted, he raised his broadsword, and a layer of crimson flames ignited around him. All the swordsmen were covered by fire shields, and the entire square seemed to be ablaze, even the clouds in the sky were dyed red.

The general thrust his broadsword forward, while the strongest swordsman transformed into a streak of crimson lightning, crossing the plaza to reach the city tower hundreds of meters away, where he swung his longsword toward the sky.

The energy gathered from the battle formation condensed into a giant longsword that shot straight into the sky.

A large hole was torn in the vast cloud, and sunlight, accompanied by flames, shone out from the hole, casting a brilliant light upon the city wall.

Even Gwen, who was used to seeing large-scale battles, and even former Marshal Raven, were shocked. Was this still a Tier 4 unit? It felt like their destructive power was comparable to Tier 6 cavalry. A weaker commander might even be routed by these swordsmen.

Before seeing this army, one might think that the Elf Dragon Knight Orlando was nothing special, and the Phantom Dragon was just an ordinary creature.

Only after witnessing Ivan's strongest swordsman legion did I realize that such a formidable army existed in the world.

With 500 swordsmen, one can rival an army of tens of thousands. If Su Mu were to focus on development and accumulate thousands of troops, what would that be like?

Raven had some understanding of Kuraki's troops, but he was still amazed this time. The swordsmen were clearly much stronger than before, and this unit seemed to have the potential to grow, which was truly terrifying.

Su Mu glanced at Ivan in the distance, a smile playing on his lips.

This kid pulled some tricks, showcasing his unique skills. When the magic battle formation is upgraded to a higher level, it gains a combined attack effect. Ivan is still a bit short of that, but he's quite close. He used a clever trick, having all the strongest swordsmen unleash their sword energy in one direction, but in reality, it doesn't achieve the effect of a single, unified attack. It's just that the static cloud layer is too large and doesn't have super strong defensive capabilities, making the demonstration very effective.

Given Ivan's proficiency, he might be able to master advanced battle formations after gaining some experience in the next war.

"Wan Sheng!"

"Lord Su Mu is mighty!"

The shouts of the crowd rose and fell, cheering for the strongest swordsman's spectacular charge.

This is a killing technique truly inherited from the battlefield. What is truly terrifying is its momentum—unstoppable, invincible.

The palace guards exchanged bewildered glances and lowered their heads. They finally understood why no one had cared when they entered the city; before such an army, their gleaming armor was nothing more than a dyed cloak.

The sound waves rose higher and higher, reaching the top of the city tower, moving everyone present.

Gwen looked at Su Mu, her expression somewhat unnatural.

Su Mu then stepped to the front and shouted loudly using his magical power: "Elton will win!"

"Eldon will win!"

"Drive away the barriers, defend our homeland!"

Most of the free people in Kuraki are refugees displaced by war. They gather here hoping that someone will raise their voice and lead them to avenge Isildur.

Blood feuds must be avenged in blood; Elton's people are not cowards.

Su Mu gestured for everyone to be quiet, and this action seemed to have a magical effect, making the square completely silent.

Seeing the hundreds of thousands of people in the square united in their determination, Gwen finally regained her composure and stepped forward.

“Isildur’s invasion of the kingdom has harmed our loved ones and destroyed our homes.”

Faced with a powerful enemy, the people of Elton did not back down. We fought bravely and successfully thwarted wave after wave of their attacks.

This is an honor for the King, a credit to all the generals on the battlefield, and a contribution from countless citizens of the kingdom!

Gwen then looked at Su Mu with a proud expression.

"General Su Mu was an outstanding figure among them, single-handedly resisting the dragon knights and making great contributions in the Battle of Sunset."

I hereby bestow upon Sumu the title of Marquis by order of the King.

Gwen took out the White Feather Emblem, dipped it in a few drops of holy water, and dripped it into Su Mu's palm.

"May you be brave and upright, and forever protect your land and its people."

May you be undaunted by hardship and fight against evil and heresy.

May you be loyal and faithful, and uphold the spirit of chivalry.

"I am willing to lead this powerful army, to be invincible in battle, to drive away the barriers, and to recover our lost territory!"

Su Mu hung the sword upside down, bowed deeply, and accepted Gwen's blessing.

"Governor of the Xilin Plain, nemesis of elves, slayer of the undead, commander of the strongest swordsmen, governor of Kuraki, dragon slayer."

To the master addressed above, Marquis Sumu!

"Wan Sheng!"

(End of this chapter)