A space fortress where the Imperial Army's vessels were gathered.

Besides the regular army's fleet, the private fleets of those known as the great nobles had also assembled.

Watching the scene from within the fortress, Cleo truly felt the meaning of the phrase "violence of numbers."

"The view is filled with warships as far as the eye can see. I almost feel sorry for Liam, having to face this many ships. Six million—and if you include logistical support, we're talking tens of millions of vessels on the move."

Though his words were sympathetic, his expression held a faint, mocking smile.

Beside Cleo stood Marquis Hampson.

He was a large, wild-looking man who had simply combed his long hair back with his fingers, yet he was wearing a suit.

In his hand, he held a glass of liquor.

"They must have judged that they couldn't win without a fleet of this scale. It's not pitiful; it's an honor for Duke Banfield."

Hampson's remarks were typical of a warrior, but Cleo wanted to hear his true thoughts.

"Do you really think so?"

In response to Cleo's uncomprehending expression, Hampson showed a fearless smile.

"As a warrior, yes. But I'm also a lord entrusted with the border. To me, Banfield looks like a fool for getting himself into this situation."

"Liam, a fool?"

"Isn't he? I don't know if it's a sense of justice or what, but he kept defying His Highness the Crown Prince and now has a subjugation force sent after him. Liam is the fool for creating this situation."

Hampson's disparagement of Liam pleased Cleo.

But at the same time, he couldn't help but think.

(It's not like you, who never supported me, would ever end up in the same situation. Every last one of them started cozying up to me the moment I became Crown Prince.)

Hampson, who was hundreds of years old, was supporting Cleo as his second-in-command.

Hampson probably found it a nuisance to assist a young upstart who knew nothing.

But the reason he obeyed without complaint was that Cleo was the Crown Prince—the next emperor.

"I see. So Liam is a fool."

"You should save your sympathy for the people who have such a foolish lord. After all, once this subjugation force enters the Banfield territory, everything will be plundered. All the wealth Banfield has accumulated will become ours."

The purpose of the subjugation force was not limited to just defeating Liam.

To make an example of him and ensure no other noble would ever dare to rebel again, he would be utterly destroyed.

The planets would be ravaged until they were uninhabitable, and all wealth would be carried away by the subjugation force.

As for the populace, every single one of them would be—

As they were having this conversation, the other key figures began to gather.

A giant of a man, nearly two meters tall, wore a modified regular army uniform. The coat, typically given to flag officers, was designed to look like something a space pirate would wear.

In addition to a pirate hat adorned with a skull, the man wore an eyepatch.

The man's name was Cozmo.

He was a Grand Admiral of the regular army.

"If you're talkin' about plunder, count us in. My men are all fired up hearin' they get to rampage through that Banfield's territory."

Cozmo, who laughed boisterously, was dressed like a space pirate despite being in the regular army.

Hampson let out a small sigh.

"The Pirate Admiral, is it? Of course, we'll have a share ready for you. The Banfield house focused on domestic affairs, you know. Almost every planet they own is a mountain of treasure."

Cozmo licked his lips.

"That sounds great! A lot of my men hold a grudge against that guy for rising up by hunting pirates. They'll be more enthusiastic about their work than ever. After all, we've gathered everyone this time, assembling a grand fleet of over sixty thousand ships. We won't leave a single thing behind for the Banfield house."

The man named Cozmo was a former pirate. And every single member of the fleet he commanded, which was assigned special missions, was a former space pirate.

It was a fleet composed of fierce warriors who, after being captured by the Empire, had survived grueling selection tests and training that resulted in fatalities to join the regular army.

Within the Empire, they were known as the Plunder Fleet and were made to do the dirty work.

Leading them was the giant named Cozmo, who had a machine embedded in his left eye.

He was once a notoriously cruel man among space pirates, but now he had climbed the ranks to Grand Admiral as a dog of the Empire.

Next to Cozmo stood a young man with purple hair.

His name was Toraido—head of the Moss family, with the rank of Viscount.

The reason a viscount was summoned to this place was that Toraido possessed that much power.

"Personally, I find the merit of defeating Duke Banfield more appealing. After all, a promotion in rank has been promised upon the successful completion of this subjugation."

Unlike Cozmo, he was more interested in fame and reward than plunder.

When Cleo, who didn't know Toraido, tilted his head in confusion, Hampson gave a brief introduction.

"It seems Your Highness the Crown Prince is unaware, but the Viscount is a famous noble. He rose up in the provinces much like Banfield, and his power surpasses that of a mediocre count's family."

A man who had risen up like Liam—that was Toraido.

He had carried out reforms in his poor viscounty, developing it and also focusing on military strength.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I am pleased to make your acquaintance. For this subjugation, the Moss family has prepared an elite fleet of twenty thousand ships—an elite fleet that is in no way inferior to that of the Banfield house."

Hearing that it was not inferior to Liam's, Cleo narrowed his eyes.

"Is that true?"

"Yes. In addition to personnel trained to the level of the regular army, all our vessels are of the latest state-of-the-art models. Your Highness the Crown Prince—Banfield is not the only one who has been accumulating power."

There were other nobles in the frontier who were accumulating power, just like Liam.

Realizing this, the presence of Liam in Cleo's mind diminished slightly.

"If Liam can do it, then it's possible for others as well, is that it?"

"That's right. However, when it comes to swordsmanship, I must admit defeat. The One-Flash Style is too dangerous. On that front, I'd like to leave it to the last Sword Saint."

The person Toraido turned his gaze to was a handsome, long-haired man dressed like a Western knight. The sword he held was a rapier, a weapon specializing in thrusts.

The Sword Saint, Dustin.

The last Sword Saint of the Empire.

"The other three were defeated by the One-Flash Style, you know. Still, to think such an incredible sword art was hidden away. It's a wonder it never came to light before now."

Despite his youthful appearance, he used "washi" to refer to himself. His elderly way of speaking was a distinctive trait.

All of them were powerhouses of the Empire.

Cleo questioned the assembled group.

"I have a question for you all."

As they all turned to face him, Cleo narrowed his eyes, his expression becoming serious.

"Can you defeat Liam—the Banfield house?"

Leading a massive army of six million, they were challenging the Banfield house, which, despite its ducal rank, was still just a frontier lord. Naturally, it was a battle they were expected to win.

Hampson looked puzzled.

"Is the Commander-in-Chief doubting our victory at this stage?"

As if agreeing with Hampson, the others also seemed not to understand what Cleo was trying to say. So, Cleo elaborated on his question.

"This is a war we're expected to win. But surely you don't think just winning is enough, do you? If we win but suffer heavy losses, Liam's name will live on."

The people of the Empire might pass down his story as the frontier lord who gave the Empire a run for its money.

What Cleo desired was an overwhelming victory.

"Can you achieve an overwhelming victory against that Liam?"

Cleo, who knew Liam, had his doubts.

Could this assembled group truly achieve an overwhelming victory against the powerful Liam? In response to such anxiety, Hampson's lips curled into a smile.

"Banfield is certainly strong, I'll grant you that. He's the only one in the Empire's history to have invaded the Hegemony's capital planet. But so what?"

Toraido chuckled, covering his mouth.

"His wounds from the war with the Hegemony have likely not yet healed. And even if they have, the difference in numbers is insurmountable."

Thinking they were underestimating Liam, Cleo glared at the group.

"Many have said that, only to be taught a painful lesson by Liam, haven't they?"

Toraido shrugged and put on a serious expression.

"I'm not underestimating him at all. In fact, I'm a fan of his. We are both men who inherited desolate territories and developed them. So I know just how much he must have struggled."

"You respect Liam? You—"

"Whoa, please don't misunderstand. I do respect him, but for the sake of my territory's development, I would kill him without hesitation. If it's necessary, there's no reason not to do it."

Toraido, having been in a similar situation, even respected the man named Liam.

But even such an opponent, he could kill if it came to war.

Cozmo crossed his arms and looked at Cleo with a dissatisfied expression. His dissatisfaction was not with Cleo, but with Liam.

"We former pirates know better than anyone how terrifying Liam is. But even from our perspective, I don't think for a second that we'll lose this battle. I promise you an overwhelming victory."

Cleo looked at Dustin.

"Liam is a user of the One-Flash Style. Can you defeat him?"

Dustin smiled and gave a surprising answer.

"If the data is accurate, it would be impossible. There is likely no one in the Empire who can defeat him."

"What!?"

As Cleo reeled in surprise at that answer, Dustin shook his head.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, if this were a one-on-one—a hand-to-hand fight—I would have no chance of winning. But this is a battlefield. The places where Liam's One-Flash Style can be effective are limited. There is no need to face him head-on."

The Sword Saint, Dustin, correctly feared Liam and chose not to fight him directly.

Dustin said with a smirk.

"In the first place, he is the commander-in-chief. He won't come out onto the battlefield. And even if he does, the wisest course of action is to run and not engage him."

"There are other users of the One-Flash Style."

"I will deal with them. They'll appear in their mobile knights, won't they? Even if they can reproduce the One-Flash in a mobile knight, we just have to surround and crush them."

Despite being a Sword Saint, he stated his intention to avoid a fair and square fight.

Cleo started to laugh.

"—You all are quite reliable."

Before his subordinates, who were not foolish enough to challenge Liam with contempt, Cleo thought.

(With these men, we should be able to achieve an overwhelming victory against that Liam.)