James's initial assault was extremely fierce. When his troops arrived, they only paused briefly to fortify simple defenses before launching their attack without rest.
The king had given him little time. Today's offensive was mostly a probe—thousands of lives lost merely to test Valos's strength.
The results left James heavy-hearted. Valos's defenses were far stronger than he had anticipated.
He had thought casualties would number no more than a thousand—perhaps even just a few hundred—to gain some advantage.
But the losses were far greater. That meant taking Valos Bastion in a short time was unrealistic.
"Tighten the watch. Though we are the punitive army, that doesn't mean Valos's rebels won't strike us—especially at night. Do not relax your guard."
Returning to the temporary main camp outside the city, James considered a new plan. Perhaps targeting the unstable city-builders could be a breakthrough.
These people were the easiest to sway—most were likely forced to fight for Valos.
If he spread rumors tomorrow, promising pardon for their crimes or secretly sent envoys to negotiate, they might strike from within. With coordination inside and out, the outcome could change entirely.
An entire army might struggle to breach the city—but one or two skilled infiltrators could easily slip inside.
"Yes, sir!" the squad leaders answered in unison.
"The three thousand Lantis warriors are assembled," Alice reported, leading her elite troops before Rosen and the others in the dead of night.
"Vic, when the time comes, mobilize every available soldier. Launch a night raid on the enemy camp and draw out as many of their forces as possible. Alice, I'll use my ability to open several tunnels directly into their camp. You must eliminate or capture all their commanders and unit leaders in the shortest time possible."
With Rosen's ability, he could have long since tunneled into the enemy's base. But they hadn't known the enemy's true strength earlier, and James's troops had not rested at all—plus, an attack by daylight would have been too obvious.
Even for Rosen, creating underground tunnels took time, and night offered the best cover.
This was the quickest way to victory, with minimal casualties. The only requirement was elite skill—so only the Lantis warriors could take the risk. Rosen himself would move to ensure success.
"Understood," Vic and Alice replied. Yet Vic couldn't help doubting. Three thousand men, deep in enemy territory—could they truly withstand the counterattack? Could they really wipe out the enemy like this?
Though his own army would launch a frontal feint, the enemy wouldn't send out all their forces—especially at night, when coordination was difficult. Holding a reserve was the wiser move.
Still, an order was an order. He could only obey.
Night fell.
Suddenly, Valos Bastion's gates swung open. The scouts watching immediately noticed. In James's camp, troops were swiftly mobilized.
"Report! Over ten thousand soldiers are charging out from Valos Bastion!"
"No attempt to conceal their movement? No preparation to create noise first?"
"None."
"Feint or real attack?... Counter immediately! Whether it's genuine or not, since they've abandoned their fortifications, we hold the advantage. Wipe them out if possible—but don't pursue too far if they retreat." James's voice was low and firm, his massive frame towering in the command tent.
"Kill!" Battle erupted instantly. James thought it would be a brief clash—but the enemy showed no sign of retreat. Instead, the fight only grew fiercer.
"Idiots. Do they really plan to fight to the death? Is their commander a fool?" he thought grimly. Did they underestimate him because he failed to take Valos Bastion by day?
As the fight intensified, the ground beneath the battlefield suddenly softened—hidden tunnels forming below.
Alice led her warriors through the passages and stopped at their ends.
Rosen activated his power. In an instant, the packed soil at the tunnel exits turned to sand, revealing multiple pits opening to the surface.
The Lantis warriors surged upward, bursting into the heart of the punitive army, catching them completely off guard.
In this world, where many possessed unique abilities, attacks from underground were not unheard of—but creating so many openings at once shocked even the most vigilant defenders.
And these were no ordinary soldiers—they were an elite force.
"Enemy attack! Damn it, where did they come from? How did they bypass the outer lines?" A squad leader shouted as his unit struggled to fend off the surprise assault. These intruders appeared from nowhere—and their power was overwhelming.
"Witnesses say they came from underground—ah!" a soldier screamed, barely parrying a Lantis warrior's strike before being cut down.
"Impossible! We scouted this area when we camped—no tunnels below! Even a Devil Fruit user couldn't transport so many enemies underground at once!" The captain was stunned. They had done their safety checks—but never imagined they were facing a near-awakened Logia-type user.
"Captain James has been killed!" The cry rang out like thunder, shaking every officer still resisting.
"That's impossible… Pull back all units engaging the enemy! Tighten defenses!" a commander shouted—but before he could finish, Lisa decapitated him.
The order was issued, but with no follow-up, the command system collapsed almost instantly.
"They're too strong! How could Valos Bastion have such forces?! What is our intelligence division even doing?" a squad leader shouted in despair, locked in combat with a seemingly ordinary soldier who outclassed him completely, while his comrades fell one after another.
Though the punitive army was composed of elite troops from various noble families—none of them weak—they were still crushed by this sudden assault. The difference in strength was overwhelming.
"It's true! Captain James has fallen! We're finished! The rebels are attacking in full force—their numbers are almost equal to ours! Where are the officers? What do we do now?"
"The captain's dead!"
"My commander too!"
"Then what now?"
"Run! Stay here and we die for sure—we've walked right into their trap!"
The collapse of the chain of command threw the entire camp into chaos and panic.
The decapitation strike was a complete success. Though James was immensely powerful, he was no match for Rosen's overwhelming strength combined with Alice's assault. In a very short time, they brought the giant commander down and captured him alive.
"I didn't expect Valos Bastion to have someone like you," James said bitterly, heavily wounded and bound in massive iron chains, his face grim.
(End of Chapter)