Sigurd, the ancestor of the Sigurdians, had as many children as he had displayed bravery across the continent. According to records, the number was so vast that it couldn’t be counted on two hands. But in those times, it was a common occurrence. A ruler with great strength was obligated to produce as many descendants as possible—it wasn’t a choice but a duty. Sigurd, too, followed this societal trend and fathered many children. As a great hero who once shook the continent, he bore the heavy responsibility of passing on his noble bloodline.

By the time he had over twenty children, Sigurd appointed his most outstanding eldest as his heir and passed down his kingdom. He retired early, feeling that his era had passed. Fortunately, his eldest son led the kingdom splendidly, thanks to inheriting Sigurd’s powerful bloodline, which made him far superior to his siblings. Moreover, even in retirement, Sigurd remained influential and valued the bonds between his children, ensuring minimal conflict among them.

However, this harmony only lasted while Sigurd was alive and his eldest ruled. With over twenty of Sigurd’s descendants, and their own children multiplying, the number of potential heirs to the throne grew rapidly. This meant more claimants to the throne. Initially, since Sigurd’s eldest had children early, the kingdom remained stable. But problems arose later when his heir had children too late in life, leading to a civil war among the claimants.

The civil war dragged on for years, enough to bring down the once-mighty Sigurd Kingdom. The once-strong soldiers perished in endless battles, and the fertile lands turned barren. The claimants, obsessed with the throne, ignored the kingdom’s collapse, engaging in a relentless game of elimination. Neighboring nations, waiting for Sigurd’s downfall, seized the opportunity and began encroaching on the kingdom’s territories.

Ten years into the civil war, a new heir was finally decided, even though only the capital remained, and enemy forces were closing in. Ultimately, the great hero Sigurd’s kingdom fell at the hands of his descendants. However, not all of his descendants perished. Some survived the worst and formed tribes, eventually growing to rival the nobility of other empires. These tribes united to fend off foreign invasions, forming the Sigurd Tribe Union, which persists to this day.

Though they could be called a kingdom, they maintained their tribal union to avoid repeating the mistakes of their ancestors. Many in the empire, unaware of this history, dismissed the Sigurdians as barbarians, spreading malicious rumors about their lack of civilization and backward technology. But anyone with sense knew the Sigurdians were far from barbarians. Their ancestral kingdom, though fallen, had once dominated much of the continent, and its legacy wasn’t entirely lost.

During the civil war, while many were blinded by ambition, some foresaw the kingdom’s collapse and preserved its technologies. Though much was lost, not everything disappeared. Particularly, the knowledge of Colossal Mechs was fiercely guarded, allowing the Sigurd Tribe Union to maintain a high level of Magic Engineering, enough to wage war against the empire. Moreover, they possessed something the empire didn’t—the ancient Colossal Mech Fafnir, which only the Great Chieftain could operate.

***

Gilbert, having issued the order to march, took the vanguard of his unit. While it might boost morale for the commander to lead from the front, strategically, it was a risky move. If he were incapacitated, the command structure could collapse. Fortunately, Fermo, his deputy, could take over, but Fermo couldn’t just stand by and watch Gilbert’s reckless actions.

[Commander! What kind of unit has its commander at the front?!]

“Deputy Commander Fermo, I trust you.”

[Is that really what you should be saying right now?]

“Save the scolding for later. We’re about to engage the enemy vanguard.”

[Sigh… Understood. We’ll continue this after the battle.]

“Noted.”

Ending the communication with Fermo, Gilbert spotted the advancing forces of the Sigurd Tribe Union in the distance. He halted the entire army and reviewed the plan once more. His strategy, based on Tactical Combat, was a gamble. If it worked, the war could end with minimal losses; if not, they’d face prolonged consequences.

[Enemy distance: approximately 1 km. Prepare.]

A red light flashed as CT-777’s warning echoed through the cockpit. Gilbert gripped the controls, focusing on the Colossal Mech at the enemy’s forefront. Its golden body and massive iron sword were unmistakable—it was Fafnir, one of the ancient Colossal Mechs renowned for its top-tier performance in Tactical Combat.

[For Sigurd!]

A rough but powerful shout, amplified by magic, reverberated through the valley. The pilot of Fafnir, aiming to seize the initiative, drew Gram, Fafnir’s unique weapon, and swung it at Gilbert’s mech, channeling blue mana. Gilbert, however, wasn’t one to take such an attack lying down. He infused his iron sword with golden mana and swung back.

**Boom!**

The clash of mana-filled swords sent a shockwave rippling through the valley, splashing water and startling birds into flight. The Fafnir pilot, not expecting his attack to be blocked, chose to retreat, creating a brief lull in the battle. Gilbert used this moment to check the durability of his sword.

“CT, the golden Colossal Mech’s greatsword has a mana-dispersing field.”

[Analyzing input and situation. Estimated match: 90%.]

“High probability.”

[Analyzing the wave before the swords clashed. Considering the analysis of a high-level knight, the match rate is close to 98%.]

Gilbert’s quick analysis with CT-777 showed the AI’s impressive capabilities. [Searching for countermeasures based on the information. This will take time.]

“Don’t worry. I already have a countermeasure.”

[Collecting combat data.]

Gilbert’s confidence in his countermeasure reassured CT-777, which shifted to gathering combat data. Their bond, forged through numerous battles, was evident in this exchange.

The brief calm ended as Fafnir attacked again. Gilbert, instead of meeting it head-on, used parrying techniques to deflect Gram’s strikes. This method, devised by players’ collective wisdom, allowed him to counter Gram’s mana-dispersing field without damaging his own weapon.

**Clang! Clang! Clang!**

Gilbert’s piloting skills were near-miraculous as he deflected Gram’s heavy blows with ease. Even for a seasoned knight, such precise parrying would be challenging, but for Gilbert, it was second nature. His Control Skill Stat was at the theoretical limit of 100, allowing him to maneuver the Colossal Mech as if it were his own body.

After dozens of exchanges in mere seconds, Fafnir retreated once more.

[Who are you?]

A familiar voice came from Fafnir—the same one that had rallied the Sigurdian warriors earlier. Gilbert knew exactly who it was: Brynhild Vanir, the Grand Warrior of the Vanir Tribe and a key figure in the Sigurdian invasion.