Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover-Chapter 251: [] Hunting Caligula

The sun set in the west.

On the plains, the second battle had already begun.

On one side was a dead man who did not belong to this era—the former Roman emperor who had been assassinated. On the other side was the governor personally appointed by the current Augustus, along with his army of over a thousand men.

In terms of numbers, Caligula, who had come alone, was at an absolute disadvantage.

But clearly, combat strength could not be judged by numbers alone—especially when the soldiers were facing a Berserker with Strength A+.

At this level of strength, slaying dragons, tigers, lions, cockroaches, sharks, or even demons and monsters was effortless. The current Caligula was a tyrant who could stir up a storm on the battlefield.

Thus, upon spotting the soldiers of the First Legion, the muddle-eyed Berserker did not retreat. Instead, he let out a low growl and charged forward with savage ferocity, his clawed hands tearing toward the frontmost soldiers.

"Shields up!"

Sakatsuki activated his own Spirit Origin, and even from a distance, his command instantly reached the hearts of the frontline soldiers.

Shields were raised in unison—wooden constructions covered with animal hide, reinforced with narrow strips of cold, gleaming metal.

The defensive line appeared impregnable, yet when the soldiers at the very front locked eyes with the frenzied former emperor, they couldn't help but shudder.

This was the suppression a Servant—a monster in human skin—exerted over ordinary humans.

And that wasn't even accounting for the soldiers who had witnessed Gorin's death firsthand—their hands trembled uncontrollably.

Can we really win against such an enemy?

At that moment, Caligula roared and struck, his claws slashing at the shields.

"Boom!"

In the blink of an eye, a crimson glow erupted.

The Berserker recoiled as if electrocuted, while the soldiers at the front grunted and were forced back several meters. Their comrades immediately stepped forward, filling the gap and forming a new barrier before Caligula.

The enemy's numbers were far too few—just a dozen men could completely encircle him. And how many shield-bearers were there in a single legion? Even without achievements worthy of being recorded on the Throne of Heroes, the combined strength of so many was enough to withstand the Berserker's onslaught.

Of course, the greatest credit went to the white-haired commander standing atop the high platform.

[Merciless Execution of the Defeated: EX]

This was why Sakatsuki had chosen to fight here rather than relocate—after a major battle, this was the best stage to unleash the power of bloodlust.

The moment Caligula touched the shields, endless blood-qi surged forth, solidifying into an unyielding force that clashed head-on with the Berserker.

"We blocked it...?"

A soldier stared in disbelief at his nearly unscathed shield. He had clearly felt a force capable of sending him flying, yet after the crimson flash, the impact had weakened significantly.

Gazing at the beast-like man roaring incessantly ahead, the soldier suddenly felt he wasn't so terrifying after all.

"Third rank, advance! First rank, prepare!"

The centurion's shout snapped the soldiers back to attention. Their eyes hardened with resolve as they stepped forward fearlessly.

Come on!

After briefly easing the soreness in their arms, the shield-bearers of the first rank advanced again, instantly filling the gap Caligula had created. The Berserker, meanwhile, writhed in pain from the blood-qi's backlash, unable to take another step forward.

It was then that the next command arrived.

"Javelins ready. All troops, retreat one step."

Boom!

Under the influence of the Spirit Origin, the javelin troops moved as one, their thousand footsteps merging into a single thunderous drumbeat.

Caligula's attack met empty air. Before he could react, the javelins hidden among the ranks were hurled forth, crimson patterns crawling along their shafts the moment they left their wielders' hands.

Blood-qi!

Needless to say, enhanced by Sakatsuki's Spirit Origin, the javelins rained down on Caligula like converging rivers. As their tips struck the Berserker's raised arms, the viscous crimson energy erupted, carrying with it the pain of the dead and the hatred of the fallen.

Instantly, countless bone-deep gashes split open on Caligula's sturdy limbs. Wherever the blood-qi spread, desolation followed—spiritual particles wailed before being annihilated, vanishing without a trace.

Caligula howled and broke into a frenzied sprint, trying to escape this cage trapping a cornered beast. But the iron shields flared with crimson light once more, effortlessly barring his path.

"Second Legion, flank the First Legion in a pincer formation. First Legion shield-bearers, withdraw immediately after taking a hit. Do not advance recklessly."

Under Sakatsuki's command, the thousand-strong legion moved like building blocks, each piece falling seamlessly into place. Unnoticed, the soldiers who had faced the Servant earlier quietly retreated into the darkness, replaced by the heavily armored but nervous soldiers of the Second Legion.

A Berserker—a high-tier familiar with extreme Mad Enhancement—was now being treated like a lion in a hunt. His claws and fangs could only hone the enemy's will; his roars could only temper their courage. Step by step, he was being led toward defeat.

Rosario, also observing from the high platform, finally understood Sakatsuki's plan. He turned to the white-haired general in awe, his eyes filled with admiration.

He's actually using an enemy as terrifying as a demon incarnate to temper his soldiers?!

Suddenly, a commotion broke out at the front lines. Rosario instinctively looked over—Caligula had endured the blood-qi's backlash and, ignoring his mangled arms, tore through a soldier's shield in front of horrified eyes. He grabbed the man and—

Rip!

A spray of blood arced through the air, scattering in radial patterns across the ground. The soldier didn't even have time to scream before being torn apart.

The gruesome sight sent a wave of panic through the surrounding troops. As they stared at the blood-drenched, demonic figure, a chill ran down their spines, and the fear of the Berserker resurged.

"Do not panic. This is war, soldiers!"

Sakatsuki's voice cut through the chaos, steadying their nerves and bringing them back to their senses.

Yes, even if the enemy was just one man, this was still war.

And in war, death was inevitable.

What they needed to do was strive to avoid mistakes—and trust their comrades and their commander.

"Next time you face such danger, remember to abandon your shield and retreat. Your comrades will fill the gap for you."

The governor's voice remained as calm as ever.

"Above all, never let the enemy break the encirclement. If you retreat out of fear, you'll only get your comrades torn apart alongside you."

"Javelin troops—attack!"

Another volley of blood-qi-enhanced javelins descended from the sky. This time, Caligula didn't try to block them. Instead, he rolled aside with startling agility, dodging the projectiles while darting toward the shield wall, attempting to disrupt their attacks.

An arrow split the air.

No one saw the meteor-like trajectory—only a flash of crimson before the enemy staggered back, grievously wounded. The arrow embedded in his chest trembled, its tip buried three inches deep.

In the distance, the white-haired youth clad in bronze armor calmly drew another arrow from the quiver presented by his kneeling subordinate.

He nocked it, drew the bowstring, and infused the shaft with blood-qi.

[Great Qin Combat Techniques: B+]

Release—shoot!

***

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