Became a Strategist with a 100 Intelligence and 100\% Accuracy-Chapter 262: This Time

'...What is this...?'

Tifa looked down at her own body in bewilderment.

She didn’t understand why, but right now, power was overflowing inside her.

To be precise, it was the same strange energy she had vaguely sensed before during her training. A power that had always been just out of reach—something she could feel but never grasp.

But now, it had completely seeped into her body, running wild without restraint.

It was an exhilarating feeling unlike anything she had ever experienced.

Tifa lightly swung her axe.

Yes.

She could fight.

The feeling of struggling, of being pushed back moments ago—it was as if it had all been a lie.

Her body felt as light as a feather.

That’s right.

She absolutely couldn’t afford to die here!

"Come at me, you bastard!!!"

"Kgh...!"

Their weapons clashed once more.

If there was one small relief for Sade, it was that this time, his weapon hadn’t been literally sliced in half.

However, after just a few exchanges, the difference in power became painfully clear.

Just moments ago, it had been the exact opposite—

Now, he was the one who couldn’t win.

If this woman possessed this much power...

There was simply no way he could defeat her.

Sade adjusted his stance once again, eyeing the woman before him.

She was gripping her axe, surrounded by a blazing blue aura.

It looked as if she was clad in armor woven from pure light.

Her appearance was reminiscent of the knights described in old prophecies—those mythical warriors of the apocalypse the religious fanatics used to rant about in peaceful times.

And at the same time—

For the first time in his entire life on the battlefield, Sade felt something he had never once experienced before.

—Fear.

Yes.

What he felt now—was pure fear.

There were countless things that could drive a person to terror.

But above all—nothing was more terrifying than encountering something unknown.

That was exactly how Sade felt now.

Wasn’t it only natural to feel fear when faced with a human being who was suddenly glowing bright blue?

'W-What the hell...?! What the fuck is happening to this woman?!'

Sade immediately turned his horse, attempting to retreat—

"Haaaaaah!"

Schhk!

His horse’s head was sliced clean off.

The beast let out a sickening sound as it instantly died, and Sade was thrown violently from the saddle.

"Uaaaagh!!!"

He hit the ground hard, tumbling over himself, but even as he rolled, his mind was desperately racing—searching for a way to survive.

He could have been paralyzed by terror, overwhelmed by the horror of what he had just witnessed—

But his survival instinct was far stronger than his fear.

'I have to escape...!'

If he could just run, he could live.

Even though he had been thrown from his horse, he might still have a chance.

This was a battlefield.

If he could slip into the chaos, hide among the soldiers, he could use the confusion to escape!

Whatever had just happened to this woman, however their army would deal with it—none of that mattered right now.

He could figure all of that out later.

All that mattered now—was survival.

While Sade’s mind was scrambling for an escape plan—

Tifa, on the other hand, had fully recognized the power flowing within her.

And now—she was ready to test it.

'...I feel like I can send this power outward...'

This wasn’t a matter of theory or skill.

It was instinct.

Just as a newborn baby instinctively breathes—just as a starving child instinctively reaches for food—

Tifa, the moment she accepted this power into her body, already knew how to use it.

Completely naturally.

As if she had always been meant to wield it.

'Like this...!'

Fwoooosh!

The axe in her grip burst into flames.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Despite the fire wrapping around her weapon, even reaching down to her hands—

She felt no heat.

She didn’t know exactly what this power was...

But her body felt stronger, pain had disappeared, and her fatigue had completely vanished.

And then—

Her eyes landed on Sade.

The man was now scrambling to flee.

"You think you can run...?"

Without even thinking, Tifa reached out toward him.

She wasn’t consciously trying to do anything.

But—

The power now flowing through her, the mana now fully awakened in her body—

The moment it became active, even the smallest gesture couldn’t be just a meaningless motion.

Shwoooosh!

"Haaaaaaaah!!"

At that moment—

The flames burning at the tip of her axe leapt forward, responding to her will.

As Sade continued to flee, in a split second, his instincts screamed at him—

He turned his head.

And in that moment—

Ah.

A ball of fire—something that could only be described as magic—

Was barreling straight toward his face.

In that instant, Sade felt exactly what Tifa had felt just moments before.

Death.

If that fireball struck his head—

He would die.

Without a doubt.

There was no time to dodge.

He wouldn’t even have the chance to think.

By the time his brain processed what was happening—

He would already be dead.

The only thing his mind could comprehend in that fleeting moment was—

Yes.

That fire—

Was just like magic.

And this world—

Did, in fact, have magic.

"Magic, s—!!!"

BOOOOOOOM!!!

The massive fireball slammed directly into Sade’s face.

And then—

His body collapsed, lifeless, onto the ground.

Sade Astron.

Once known as a fearsome warrior under Karelia’s command.

Betrayed by his own lord, cast aside, forced to form a mercenary band.

A man who had bathed in the blood of countless enemies, all just to survive another day.

And yet—

For someone who had lived such a violent, merciless life—

His death was shockingly anticlimactic.

If anything, an outsider might even call it a blessing—

A painless, instantaneous death, in the middle of the battlefield.

Tifa rode her horse toward his fallen body.

...Dead.

No human could survive after losing their head.

He was definitely dead. There was no guilt. No pity.

Why should there be? This man had tried to kill her. If she hadn’t awakened this magic-like power...

If she hadn’t been able to fight back...The one lying in a pool °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° of blood right now wouldn’t be him—

It would be her.

'...Wait a minute.'

Yes.

Magic!

Tifa finally realized—her power was magic.

If no mages had appeared in this world, she would have never even considered such a possibility.

But one had already emerged in Serpina’s army.

Which meant...

That strange sensation she had been feeling—was mana.

Tifa turned her head, scanning the battlefield.

There were plenty of enemy soldiers gathered—

The perfect targets to test her magic on.

"――!!!!"

She roared, her voice splitting through the sky.

Then—

She once again accepted the source of that power—mana—into her body.

It surged through her, an overwhelming energy so immense it felt as though she had been reborn.

I will win this battle for Lunarian.

I will bring victory to our army—

And with my own hands, I will see Lunarian’s rule over this continent fulfilled...!!!!

She spurred her horse forward—

And charged straight into the enemy ranks.

And then—

***

"A-A mage...!"

"Run! You can’t fight a mage!"

A mage...?!

Vanessa turned her gaze once more toward the source of the explosions.

BOOOOOM!!!!

...Indeed, whatever was happening looked like magic—something was exploding in massive bursts.

A method to create such colossal explosions artificially?

At least in her realm of knowledge, there was no other possible explanation.

Unless, of course, a mage from the northern continent had descended to this battlefield.

But what she was seeing right now—was undeniable reality.

And it was impossible for the mage rumored to be under Serpina’s command to be here helping Lunarian’s Army.

Which meant—

There was only one conclusion.

There was a mage—among their enemies...!!

Vanessa’s eyes widened in pure disbelief.

For the first time in her life—

Even in the moments she had begged her own lord to kill her—

Even then, she had never lost her composure.

But now—she did.

"Damn it...!"

The greatest fear for any human being—was the unknown.

Vanessa knew this fact well.

That was why the soldiers were fleeing, completely forgetting even the concept of military law.

They had no idea how wide the reach of this power was.

They had no idea how deep it ran.

As soldiers, this was disgraceful—

But as living beings, it was the most rational choice they could make.

Vanessa tried to restore order, shouting over the chaos.

"Everyone, calm down! This is a trap! Even if they have a mage, it’s still just one person! We still outnumber them—there’s no way they can win against our superior numbers!"

Her voice—

Did not reach anyone.

BOOOOOOM—!

The explosions—

kept coming.

No matter how large an army was—

If they had no will to fight, they would never win.

Just like ten thousand soldiers prepared to die could easily defeat fifty thousand men who were only trying to survive.

It didn’t matter if they had five times the numbers—if the enemy lost their will to fight, they could crush them.

And they were barely holding a two-to-one advantage.

Lunarian planned this from the very start...!

The two mercenary forces—

Had been nothing but a smokescreen.

She had waited—

Waited to reveal the mage at the perfect moment, plunging them into chaos—

Before launching a decisive strike!

"Shit... shit...!!!"

Vanessa bit her lower lip so hard she drew blood.

With the frontlines falling apart, she could not allow herself, the chief strategist, to be captured.

She could only hope that Sade would come to his senses and rally the troops—

But soon enough—

She would realize that Sade would never again be able to answer her expectations.

"...!!"

It wasn’t just the Karelia army that was shocked.

Jinor—the one overseeing this entire battle—

Also turned toward the interception unit, utterly stunned by the sudden appearance of a mage.

"This... can’t be...!"

When the mercenaries had first arrived as reinforcements, he had thought—

His analysis had been correct.

Even though their numbers weren’t as large as he had expected—

Since his hypothesis had been right, he had assumed he could find a way to turn the battle around.

But a mage...?!

And not just any mage—

One of Lunarian’s own generals... had awakened to magic.

Not even for a single second had he ever considered this possibility.

This situation—

Everything was unfolding too perfectly in Lunarian’s favor.

It felt wrong.

If the gods truly existed...

Then it felt as if they were entirely on her side.

Jinor was an intelligent man.

His experience and wisdom had made him one of the greatest tacticians on the continent.

But even so—

He was still human.

And when faced with the impossible—

He felt something beyond awe.

He felt—

Fear.

The moment he recognized the emotion he was experiencing—

A single message flashed through his mind.

The words from Lunarian’s true strategist.

The man Lunarian placed absolute faith in.

[Go to Lunarian Iniang.]

"!!!!!!"

Swen...

He knew.

He had always known.

That Lunarian Iniang was the ruler who would unite the entire continent.

And now—

Now that he had witnessed this battle firsthand—

There was no longer any room for doubt.

Yes.

He had already trusted Swen’s words.

That was why he had come this far.

But seeing the proof with his own eyes—

That was an entirely different feeling.

Lunarian...

She is destined to be the next Empress of the continent...!

Jinor realized it.

In those red eyes—

The fate of every living soul on this continent was held. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

***

—Battle Outcome.

With morale completely shattered, Karelia’s 200,000 troops were utterly overwhelmed by Lunarian’s forces.

This was an unprecedented event—

Not just in the southern continent—

But across the entire world.

And from this battle onward—

The Karelia army began its downfall.