I, who was eager to retire, became an Imperial General.

Chapter 174 He's practically a god of war!
Was Siegfried ordered by John to stop himself?
So, has the plan changed?

On the other side, after hearing Siegfried's words of reminder, Leia immediately fell into deep thought.

But soon, after using her extraordinary wisdom, Leia understood everything:
Stop the assassination (X)

Continue the feint attack to allow Siegfried to complete the rescue, thereby persuading Dolan to defect to our side. (√)

I see, I understand now!

As expected of the amazing Major John, he even took this step into account!

Realizing John's 'scheme', Leia suddenly understood. Combined with Siegfried's eyes that kept blinking at her, she could easily see through John's plan.

Immediately after his eyes lit up, he picked up the dagger without thinking and launched another attack on Dolan in front of him.

"Whoosh!"

"It's over!"

Seeing that his superior officer had completely failed to understand his message to the other side to retreat, Siegfried immediately lunged forward.

But recalling the tone of Commander John's voice when he gave him the order, Siegfried had no choice but to steel himself and swing his poorly practiced longsword at Leia.

The plan is to try to stop the opponent and force them to retreat during the engagement.

At the same time, they were prepared for their longsword to be knocked away by the opponent's attack.

To Siegfried's surprise, Leia's seemingly powerful strike, upon contact with his longsword, proactively released the magic she had gathered, reducing its force.

Surprisingly, even though he had never practiced swordsmanship before, he was able to steadily receive the opponent's attack, and his right hand holding the sword did not even feel the slightest bit of recoil.

This is……

Looking at the officer in front of him, who exuded murderous intent like a top assassin but was actually deliberately throwing the game.

After a brief moment of astonishment, Siegfried quickly understood everything.

At the same time, under the other party's meaningful gaze, he did not hesitate to imitate the other party, frantically releasing his magic power in all directions. While cooperating with Leia's deliberate trolling, he also imitated theatrical performances, constantly uttering angry shouts, thus creating the scene of two peerless masters fighting.

"With me here, you won't take another step forward!"

"Prepare for judgment, you villain!"

"For the glory of the empire!"

"Ding Ding Ding!"

"boom!"

A cacophony of metallic clanging, Siegfried's majestic roar, and the explosions created by the two unleashing their magic relentlessly echoed through the night streets.

The terrifying airflow formed by the surging magic swept away all the metal around it, and even Dolan behind them was blown into a rolling gourd by the residual force of the two's battle.

After rolling away in a disheveled manner, Dolan disregarded his image and hid behind an abandoned haystack cart, cautiously peeking out to watch the battle while frantically praying that his allies would arrive as soon as possible.

The reason he didn't run away was because Dolan knew that the damned Allied female assassin's target was him.

If he were to run away now, and the other party were to discover him, they would be desperate and would definitely try to force back the tough guy named Siegfried, and then kill him while he was injured.

Besides, who knows if the other side has any teammates?

So instead of risking trying to escape, it's better to stay here and watch the fight.

"!"

And looking at the two figures in the arena, so fast they seemed like phantoms, constantly unleashing terrifying power during their battles.

While Dolan was shocked, he was even more excited.

too strong!
It's really too strong!

Although his opponent's fighting style, wielding a bow in one hand and a sword in the other, seemed rather strange to him.

But the power generated by this burst of magic, and the way it overpowered the Allied female assassin who was as strong as a monster, already proved the opponent's strength!
Siegfried Fafner, the man who saved his life, was practically a god of war!
No wonder John Maslow emerged unscathed from the Assassin Star's assassination attempt and even wiped out their prized Black Feather assassination squad.

With such a fierce general guarding them, it would be a miracle if those useless Allied assassins could successfully carry out the assassination!

Feeling the magical aura in the air, so different from that of ordinary people, and watching the two exchange deadly blows in a truly spectacular fight, Dolan couldn't help but feel amazed.

As the next heir of the Beatrice family, and with his father Erias Beatrice's former status as a Grand Rank warrior, Dolan, despite not improving his strength after years of training, possesses a level of knowledge far exceeding that of ordinary people. He naturally understands the difference between the truly strong and the weak.

Whether it was the magical power Siegfried displayed that far surpassed that of a high-ranking mage, or the opponent's seemingly terrible swordsmanship, which in fact could accurately block the opponent's attacks and launch counterattacks every time, while also effortlessly dissolving the opponent's magic in the blink of an eye, his martial arts were so exquisite that they were almost comparable to the legendary sword saint.

In addition, there was a brand-new, unique spell that was always wrapped around the other party, emerald green in color, and had never appeared in the Imperial Magic Records.

All of this demonstrates that the other party is definitely a powerful individual with immense potential!
With sufficient resources for training and support, the other party can absolutely become a true general.

It's not impossible for him to even surpass his own father!
Compared to the mighty Siegfried, Toby, his right-hand man, was less than a piece of shit!

At least Dad can help me complete my self-inflicted injury scheme!

If I could get my hands on such a formidable person, what would I have to fear from assassinations later?

It's a good thing they didn't bring a bunch of guys to beat up that ugly woman, Roxie!
It's decided, I have to recruit this hunky guy to my side!

No matter what!

Siegfried exuded an aura of power, and even the residual force from his battles with his enemies could tear the surrounding ground apart.

Dolan, with his discerning eye, spotted the peerless master, and his eyes immediately blazed with an unprecedented desire.

At this moment, he even wished he were a woman, so that he could use his status and seduction to directly lure this incredibly strong and muscular man into his home.

However, just as Dolan was pondering what reason he should give John Maslow to demand the man back, the two men in the arena, who were putting on a show of rigging the match with exquisite acting skills, began communicating in a voice only they could hear, without Dolan noticing.

"boom!"

"Captain, my hand is a little numb, should we leave?"

"Ah."

"Ding!"

"How about you leave after two moves?"

"it is good."

"Oh!"

"Um, Captain, please remember to hold back later, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop them."

"As much as possible."

"!"

After communicating through several close-range attacks, the two locked eyes and, in another exchange, pretended to be struck by an irresistible shock, each flying backward from mid-air.

"Tattoo!"

After landing, in order to highlight how incredibly powerful Siegfried was, Leia deliberately feigned exhaustion, holding the dagger in one hand in front of her chest while panting heavily.

But the eyes hidden behind the black cloth were filled with murderous intent as they looked at Siegfried ahead.

The killing intent emanating from his body caused the air to gradually turn chilly.

At the same time, the magic power on her body was constantly expanding and condensing, forming a layer of almost tangible light on her body surface.

Because no unique technique was used, it only appeared in blue.

But beneath this immense concentration of magic, a chilling aura began to emanate from the air.

It's obvious at a glance that the opponent is building up a powerful attack!
"!"

Seemingly not expecting the captain to go so far, Siegfried, sensing the dangerous aura emanating from the captain, immediately abandoned his relaxed demeanor.

Instead, he threw down his longsword, swiftly drew a uniquely shaped metal arrow from the quiver on his back, nocked it on the maroon bow in his hand, and instantly drew it to its full extent.

"Buzz!"

At the same time, a rich emerald green magic began to emerge from his body, and then, under his control, it instantly covered the arrow at his fingertips, transforming it into a huge green spiral arrow.

The magic emanating from both sides shone brightly, forming two dazzling bands of light, one blue and one green, against the night sky.

The surging magic created a whirlwind that began to churn and rise around them, instantly bringing the atmosphere to a fever pitch.

"Crack!"

It seemed that even the ground could not withstand the power brought about by the full-force burst of power from these two strong individuals, who far surpassed the level of high-ranking mages and were only a hair's breadth away from the Grand rank.

The street, already damaged by the previous surge of magic, was now instantly shattered beneath their feet by countless terrifying spiderwebs under this oppressive force.

Almost at the instant the stone slab shattered, the two who had been facing off also unleashed their attacks at the same time.

"Whoosh!"

"Boom!"

The thrown dagger exploded in mid-air with a piercing bang, propelled by terrifying force.

Then, it was launched from the bow along with the emerald green spiral arrow, and driven by magic, the sonic boom that exploded resounded throughout the entire street.

In slow motion, a green arrow, moving at high speed like a horizontal tornado stirring up the surrounding rocks, approaches a dagger that leaves countless afterimages and traces a blue, spear-like trail in the air under the condensation of magic.

And the moment the collision actually occurs.

These two completely different forces, after a brief period of distortion, completely transformed into an extremely dazzling explosion.

"Boom!"

An unprecedented shockwave swept across the entire street, illuminating the area almost like daytime. When the aftershocks subsided, all that remained in Dolan's shocked vision was a street with a huge, inexplicable crater, and a figure holding a longbow with his back to him.

Like the figures depicted in chivalric romance novels, the powerful figure stands against the wind on a desolate battlefield after defeating a formidable foe that inspires despair.

Then, under the bright moonlight, and in Dolan's gaze, almost moved to tears, Siegfried, who seemed to radiate light and was like a true hero, saluted him and then spoke in a deep voice:

"The enemy has been defeated, Lieutenant General Dolan, you are safe!"

"!"

……

The residual force of Siegfried and Leia's special effects destroying the ground quickly attracted the attention of John, who was leading a search party.

When John arrived with his men, he was met with a scene that left him speechless.

Dolan, dressed in the uniform of an Imperial lieutenant general, had lost his usual imposing manner. Instead, he was actively massaging Siegfried's shoulders and legs, his eyes revealing an undisguised fawning that practically screamed "sycophant."

Siegfried seemed uncomfortable with being deliberately flattered, and even more so with being so favored by a man.

But given the other party's rank of lieutenant general, he couldn't say anything. He could only sit on the hay cart with a stiff smile, letting Dolan massage his shoulders and legs, his handsome face filled with frustration and helplessness.

So, what is going on?
Seeing this bizarre scene, even John couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

But after exchanging a glance with Wendy, who was equally bewildered beside him, and then looking down at Siegfried, whose face was full of speechlessness, he thought for a moment and then deliberately increased the speed of the magic pack's eruption, creating some noise to attract the attention of the two below.

He then led everyone to land on the ground, and before Dolan could speak, he stepped forward apologetically to apologize:
"General Dolan, I am late in providing support this time and failed to arrive in time. Please punish me!"

"Ah, it's Major John! You've come at the perfect time; I was just about to look for you!"

Seeing John arrive and realizing he was truly safe, Dolan breathed a sigh of relief.

He initially wanted to ask John for the man directly, but then he thought that doing so might cause misunderstanding and would also be unbecoming of a lieutenant general.

Therefore, Dolan coughed lightly twice, then straightened his back and waved his hand, saying:

"It's alright, it's alright. I've seen plenty of assassinations. Besides, this time those damned Allied forces even sent a super-level assassin to try and kill me."

"Fortunately, Mr. Siegfried, whom you sent, was indeed quite capable. With my assistance, the two of us killed that foolish enemy within three moves."

"Now that the enemy is dead, Major John, you don't need to blame yourself for this assassination."

After saying that, Dolan pretended to be calm and put his hands behind his back, as if he wanted to put on the appearance of a calm and composed lieutenant general.

Of course, this is on the premise that you have to ignore the smell of urine emanating from him.

Did you help Siegfried kill Leia within three moves?
Who is Leia, who just returned to the base and reported to me?
Could it be a ghost?

Listening to Dolan's earnest boasting, a strange look flashed in John's eyes, but on the surface he still pretended to admire him and said:

"I see. General Dolan truly lives up to his reputation as a hero of the Beatrice family. It seems you are indeed an outstanding successor of the Wisdom and Action Technique, just like your father. I was overthinking it this time. I'm afraid even without Siegfried, you should have been able to easily kill that despicable assassin!"

Killed my ass! That monster scared the crap out of me!

If Siegfried hadn't miraculously saved me, the grass on my grave would probably be two meters tall by now.

I was just bragging, how could you take it seriously, you bastard?

Upon hearing this, Dolan couldn't help but curse inwardly.

However, because of the boast he had made earlier to save face, he could only laugh awkwardly and not tell the truth.

However, he noticed the strange look Siegfried was giving him.

Considering that the other party might misunderstand his words as wanting to steal his military merits, thus creating a rift between them and causing problems in recruiting them later.

Dolan quickly pretended to be very hot and fanned himself with his hand, then hurriedly praised Siegfried for his contribution:
"Of course, that's not quite right. Although I did contribute to the attack, ultimately it was Mr. Siegfried who deserved the credit. So Major John, you shouldn't get confused."

"Furthermore, Mr. Siegfried saved my life this time, so he must be rewarded handsomely!"

At this point, Dolan immediately had a flash of inspiration and then offered his suggestion:

"To be honest, my guard regiment was completely ineffective in this attack and was defeated by the assassins. So I think I need to rebuild a guard force to ensure the safety of me as the commander."

“I think Mr. Siegfried Fafner is very suitable to be the commander of the new guard regiment. In my opinion, a corporal is too low a rank for such an outstanding person as Mr. Siegfried. He should be at least a major!”

"Major John, would you be willing to part with it?"

I'll cut off your head, you brat! I sent people to save your dog's life, and instead of being grateful, you want to poach my people?

And the person they poached was this major's future army commander-in-chief?

How could a few dishes make you drink like this?
Sure enough, I shouldn't have stopped Leia from killing you, you bastard!
John couldn't help but inwardly curse the other man's family history, but outwardly he replied with a forced smile:

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant General Dolan, Corporal Siegfried has already joined the 1st Magic Battalion. According to the Imperial Air Force regulations, I have no authority to transfer him from his current unit unless he has committed any misconduct.”

"As for Corporal Siegfried's rank, it's because he has only recently joined the army and has not yet completed the corresponding training. He has not yet mastered the skills required to serve as an officer."

"However, I also believe that in the subsequent combat and study, it is only a matter of time before Corporal Siegfried is promoted to the rank of Corporal. Otherwise, I would not have taken the initiative to apply to Marshal Dormammu to allow him, who is not from the Academy, to join the 1st Battalion's ground support force as a special recruit."

"Therefore, although I understand your appreciation for Corporal Siegfried, I cannot agree to it for both personal and practical reasons. So please allow me to decline your suggestion on behalf of Corporal Siegfried."

"..."

Seemingly not expecting John to reject him so decisively, Dolan's expression immediately fell.

He had intended to use his lieutenant general status as an excuse, but then he realized that since they belonged to different branches of the military, his status was just a formality in the eyes of the other side.

Considering that John was even willing to seize power for victory, if he really angered the other party, he was afraid he would be in deep trouble.

Even the next day, news would spread that someone had tripped over their own feet and fallen to their death on the street because they weren't paying attention while walking at night.

Dolan quickly abandoned his idea of ​​using force to intimidate others and instead began to think of more feasible countermeasures.

Forcing it wouldn't work, but Siegfried was a formidable man with immense potential, and he genuinely wanted to recruit him.

So, is the only option left to go for the softer approach?
Well, judging from John Maslow's past record, this guy is a typical military zealot who will stop at nothing to achieve victory.

Furthermore, judging from the fact that the other party spent lavishly when governing the town of Bahamut, they are not the kind of person who can be swayed by petty gains.

However, everyone has weaknesses, and as a military failure, he certainly couldn't contribute any military merits.

But when it comes to money, I have plenty.

Although money can't sway him, if you embellish it artistically and portray the minerals you're currently mining as spoils of war, John Maslow, with his demonstrated intelligence, will surely understand.

I can easily transfer the enemy to my side by trading them, under the pretense that I need a strong force to ensure the safety of my general.

Once the person arrives, all I need to do is keep throwing money at them and promising them military ranks. With a few simple moves, I'm not afraid they won't be tempted.

In this way, wouldn't I be able to achieve my goal of recruiting this formidable person?

Thinking of this, a glint of light flashed in Dolan's eyes.

Then, under John's puzzled gaze, he stealthily leaned closer and whispered:

"Major John, how about we talk business? I assure you, as a lieutenant general, you'll definitely be interested in this deal!"

Business?

what business?
Could it be related to something Dolan has been covering up all along?

John's heart stirred slightly. After seeing the other party's suggestive look, he immediately understood. After thinking for a moment, he gave up the idea of ​​leaving directly with his men. Instead, he ordered Lunepo to take his men to guard the surrounding area, leaving only Wendy to stay by his side as a guard.

"Lieutenant General Dolan, what business do you want to discuss with me?"

Inside the empty shop, after turning his gaze away from Wendy, who was guarding the door.

John turned to look at Dolan, who was looking hesitant. Although he was very curious about the so-called business, he pretended to be impatient and said:

"Lieutenant General Dolan, with a major battle imminent, I really don't have much time to linger here. After all, this battle is very unfavorable for our army, as you should be aware of. So, if you have anything to say, just say it."

"..."

Seeing John's impatient expression, Dolan was also filled with conflicting emotions.

He hesitated whether to tell the other party about his silver mine.

After all, this involved the crucial matter of bringing honor to his ancestors. If the bastard in front of him was a simple-minded fool who insisted on bringing this matter to the higher-ups, then he might end up losing both his money and his reputation.

But if he didn't say anything, he felt that it would be difficult to persuade the other party to give him Siegfried, a fierce general, since he had nothing but money.

Therefore, even Dolan couldn't help but fall into a dilemma.

But sensing John's increasingly impatient gaze, Dolan took a deep breath and made his decision.

He felt that if John was willing to seize power for military merit, then John must also be determined to join the reformists.

The consequence of reporting this matter to higher authorities would only be that Wolf, as the Imperial Minister of Finance, and the other nobles of the conservative party would reap the rewards, while the reformers would be lucky to get even a scrap.

Therefore, even if the other party's purpose is to gain military merit, they are unlikely to report it.

Even if a deal could be reached, he would lose some mineral resources, but John Maslow was just a fool who only knew how to fight, and the other party had no idea about the mineral vein's output and value.

As long as I, as an expert, casually spout some information to fool the other party, I can verbally give them 30%, but in reality, the exact percentage is up to me.
Therefore, I still have a lot of room to maneuver in this matter!
With his extraordinary wisdom and eloquence, John Maslow was destined to be completely fooled by him, believing that he could acquire a powerful general with unlimited potential with less than 300 million dollars in resources.

This is an incredibly profitable business, isn't it?

It's feasible, absolutely feasible!
After weighing the pros and cons in his mind, Dolan immediately cast aside all hesitation, and then, under John's curious gaze, uttered a sentence that made John's pupils shrink instantly:
"Major John, to be honest, I recently discovered a mineral vein with decent reserves within the Golden Lion Territory. According to the data obtained by my experts, the reserves of this vein, if converted into currency, are approximately 1000 million D."

"I'd like to offer 20% of it in exchange for a powerful military force to protect my safety. Would you be interested?"

"!"

……

(End of this chapter)