To ensure that Yuta and the others could act more freely, the main force of the Musou Iron Cavalry Corps needed to act as conspicuously as possible. First, they had to select a suitable base of operations—one that would be easy to defend yet strategically advantageous for offense. Emina managed to locate such an ideal spot, albeit with certain challenges.

“It’s a bit too conspicuous and might draw attention from both the Empire and the Axis Alliance, but I think it’s the best option based on the conditions,” she said.

“As expected of Emina. Indeed, it’s perfect. Its conspicuousness is part of the strategy, so there’s no problem,” Jean reassured her.

However, even this seemingly perfect location had a minor weak point, which the Sword Saint pointed out.

“Jean, about that hill—if someone places long-range artillery on the southwestern mountainside, wouldn’t it make us a prime target?”

“Yes, that’s why I’m planning to station a separate defensive unit there,” Jean replied.

“I see. So you’ve already accounted for that. Well done.”

For the defensive unit stationed on the southwestern mountainside, the Kiyone unit and the Nanami unit were deployed. Additionally, a defense squad was placed on a hill in the middle of the river, which could potentially serve as a base for enemy attacks from the north. The Largo unit, known for its unparalleled defensive prowess, was assigned to this location.

The offensive mainstays included the Sword Saint’s unit, the Rinne Carlo unit, the Emina unit as a mobile strike team, the versatile Aljuna unit, and the highly maneuverable Arthur unit. Conversely, the defensive backbone comprised the Falva unit, the Geneju unit, which boasted the strongest force in the Musou Iron Cavalry Corps, and the stalwart and enduring Mirti unit.

Separate from the Musou Iron Cavalry Corps’ main force, there was a guest army formed primarily by the regular forces of the Amuria Federation. This detachment was commanded by General Reginant and included the Nagisa unit, the Malmum unit, the Milmum unit, the Satoru unit, and the Pefu unit. This group stationed itself at an old castle ruin near the main force, equipped with 30 high-combat-capability Ride Carriers and 3,000 Magicraft units, making them a reliable presence.

Additionally, there were two elite units directly under Yamato’s command: the Brünnhilde unit and the Tris unit. These units were expected to adapt flexibly to offensive and defensive maneuvers as the situation demanded.

With everything set, they maintained a state of readiness, waiting to see how the enemy would act. In this region, skirmishes had already broken out between the Elysian Empire and the Raddle Axis Alliance, with both sides on high alert. It wouldn’t be surprising if either decided to attack them at any moment. In such a precarious situation, staying idle would be meaningless. Yuta decided it would be better to take the initiative.

“Let’s make a bold move so Yuta and the others can act more freely. Fire the long-range artillery at the enemy camp!”

Even the nearest enemy camp was tens of kilometers away. Normally, firing long-range artillery at such a distance wouldn’t cause significant damage—it would merely waste ammunition. However, it was sufficient to make their presence known.

The long-range artillery targeted one of the Raddle Axis Alliance’s positions, firing dozens of explosive shells. Though the shells had low destructive power, their flashy explosions threw the enemy camp into complete chaos, just as expected.