[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system":3,"chapter-the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-116":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Exiled Duke's Lottery system",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1366824,1809,"Chapter 116 - 109: The Breaking Point","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-116",116,"\u003Cp>Morning came beneath dark frozen skies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow drifted across the valleys between Elarion and the southern coalition while cold winds swept over thousands of waiting soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield had changed completely from the confident days at the start of the campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the frozen plains before Elarion looked cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cratered earth stretched across the valleys. Broken shields remained half-buried beneath snow. Burned corpses still lay scattered where artillery had erased entire formations days earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And above it all—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elarion’s trench lines waited silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the southern encampment, tension spread everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No soldiers laughed anymore. No nobles spoke casually about victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because every assault so far had ended in disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet retreat remained impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too many nobles had joined the coalition. Too much prestige was at stake. Too many soldiers had already died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So today—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coalition would gamble everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the massive command pavilion, dozens of nobles and commanders gathered around the battlefield map beneath flickering lantern light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center stood Kassian Valcriox.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young heir looked exhausted now despite maintaining his composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several casualty reports remained scattered across the table before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every single one terrible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice remained calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We adapt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several commanders nodded immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because unlike previous meetings—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s strategy actually held promise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kassian pointed toward the eastern trench sectors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grand Knight Aldric leads the breakthrough personally.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several nobles visibly relaxed hearing the name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldric was a monster even among grand knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A veteran of eastern campaigns. A killer of mage lords. A warrior rumored capable of surviving direct siege magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone could break Elarion’s trenches—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another commander pointed toward multiple reserve markers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The master knights and elite detachments advance beside him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the mana cavalry?\" one noble asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kassian’s eyes shifted toward the western valleys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They strike once Elarion commits its defensive firepower.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sentence changed the mood immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the mana cavalry represented the coalition’s greatest battlefield asset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not ordinary horsemen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These riders fought atop terrifying magical beasts:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>frostfang wolves larger than warhorses,plated drakes,armored panthers,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>horned mountain lizards bred for combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fast. Savage. Difficult to stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And most importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could overwhelm battlefield coordination through sheer speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strategy was dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But smart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grand knight assault would force Elarion revealing artillery positions and defensive responses first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once their attention locked forward—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mana cavalry would strike from multiple flanks simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overload the trenches. Overwhelm coordination. Break through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time since the war began—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coalition finally possessed a genuinely threatening plan.(7\u002F10 from author for first time using brain)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far above the battlefield, Aurethar watched from a frozen mountain ridge while Kieran rested nearby against shattered stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon narrowed his golden eyes slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?\" \"They finally started thinking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Quest achieved-Brain found)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kieran glanced toward the battlefield below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grand knight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I noticed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon snorted smoke lazily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still probably suicidal.\" \"But less embarrassing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside Elarion’s forward trench command sector, Lucien stood beside a reinforced observation scope while officers waited nearby for orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trenches remained disciplined despite the approaching assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riflemen prepared ammunition calmly. Artillery crews checked firing angles. Messengers moved rapidly between sectors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scout descended rapidly into Lucien’s trench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien looked toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Report.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enemy assault formations assembling.\" \"Grand Knight Aldric confirmed.\" \"Mana cavalry moving west and east.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several officers stiffened hearing that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One artillery captain muttered quietly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...They’re committing everything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric folded his arms beside Lucien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They know ordinary assaults won’t work anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So they escalate.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The war horns sounded shortly afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the assault began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coalition infantry advanced first through the snow in dispersed formations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No shield walls this time. No clustered ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had learned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attackers spread themselves across the battlefield while elite knight detachments moved rapidly between infantry groups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Knight Aldric advanced like a moving fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black mana armor covered his enormous frame while crimson energy drifted around him like smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even from extreme distance—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure surrounding the man felt monstrous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then northern rifles opened fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bullets tore across the battlefield immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several mana infantrymen collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet unlike ordinary troops—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assault continued smoothly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elite knights dodged unpredictably. Master-ranked warriors redirected bullets using mana bursts. Some rounds struck reinforced armor directly only to ricochet away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coalition had adapted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for the first time—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elarion’s rifle fire alone failed slowing the advance properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then artillery opened fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOOOM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first shell detonated among advancing infantry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow and steel fragments erupted outward violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Men died instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the formations kept advancing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of clustering—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assault groups spread further apart while maintaining momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another shell landed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Casualties mounted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coalition advance continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far above the battlefield, Aurethar watched carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?\" \"They actually stopped marching like idiots.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kieran looked downward silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They learned from losses.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon snorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shame.\" \"I was enjoying the free comedy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back below—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Knight Aldric suddenly accelerated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snow exploded beneath his feet as the giant warrior burst forward toward the trench lines with terrifying speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several riflemen visibly panicked seeing him close distance so quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bullets struck his armor repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks exploded across black steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Aldric did not slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then war horns echoed from the western valleys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the mana cavalry arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Massive frostfang wolves burst through the snow carrying armored riders glowing with blue mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them came armored drakes and black panthers charging across frozen terrain at horrifying speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the eastern sectors—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another cavalry force emerged simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousands of magical beasts surged toward Elarion’s trenches from both flanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield erupted into chaos immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the trenches officers shouted urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mana cavalry!\" \"Western flank!\" \"Eastern sectors under pressure!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Artillery crews struggled adjusting firing coordinates quickly enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riflemen rotated toward the incoming beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several wolves collapsed instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More replaced them immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magical beasts ignored fear completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One drake leapt directly over outer trenches before soldiers dragged the rider down in brutal close combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another cavalry rider tore through riflemen before disappearing beneath concentrated fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And amidst all the chaos—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Knight Aldric kept advancing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closer. Closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One-hundred-fifty meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several artillery crews could no longer fire safely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was exactly what the coalition wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overwhelm battlefield attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then break the trenches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric turned sharply toward Lucien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They’re almost through.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien remained calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That answer confused several officers instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien gave a quiet order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bring them out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several trench officers immediately moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidden steel doors farther behind the trenches slowly opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coalition commanders frowned in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then something enormous rolled forward from beneath camouflage nets and reinforced bunkers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nobody understood what they were seeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machine looked impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gigantic armored vehicle moved slowly across the battlefield on reinforced tracks while black smoke poured from vents along its hull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steel plates covered the body completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground trembled beneath its weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coalition officers stared in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What is that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No answer came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because nothing like it had ever existed before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far above the battlefield—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurethar blinked slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then slowly grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh.\" \"Oh this is new.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Kieran looked disturbed now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That thing shouldn’t exist.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon began laughing softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The armored machine rolled steadily toward the battlefield while coalition soldiers watched in growing confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No visible horses. No mana crystals. No beast pulling it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The front of the machine shifted slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Metal openings rotated outward across its hull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several coalition officers frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Weapons?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the world exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>RATATATATATATATATATATAT.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound hit the battlefield like thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Streams of bullets erupted from the armored machine continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An endless storm of metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana cavalry charging across the western flank were shredded apart before understanding what happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frostfang wolves collapsed in rows beneath overwhelming fire. Drakes exploded into blood and broken scales. Panthers vanished beneath storms of bullets tearing through flesh and armor alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entire cavalry formations disappeared within seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coalition soldiers froze in absolute shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because nothing in the world fired like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurethar nearly fell off the mountain laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"WHAT IS THAT SOUND?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon’s laughter thundered across the peaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He built a weapon that screams continuously!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Kieran stared silently now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The legendary knight looked genuinely disturbed for the first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Impossible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The armored machine rotated sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more guns opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>RATATATATATATATATATATAT.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eastern cavalry force collapsed instantly beneath overlapping fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riders died before reaching engagement range. Magical beasts tore apart mid-charge. Entire attack waves vanished into blood and snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Panic spread through the coalition lines immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because there was no rhythm to the weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No reload. No pause. No breathing space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only endless death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Knight Aldric roared furiously before charging directly toward the armored machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crimson mana exploded around him violently while explosions erupted beneath every step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bullets struck him continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Armor cracked. Mana barriers flickered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant warrior advanced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One step. Another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Lucien gave another order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shoulder cannons.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidden trench compartments opened instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Northern soldiers emerged carrying strange metal tubes across their shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coalition officers barely noticed them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their attention remained locked on the screaming armored machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>WHOOSH.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first rocket crossed the battlefield trailing smoke and fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOOOOOM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explosion engulfed Aldric completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield froze again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then more rockets launched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>WHOOSH. WHOOSH. WHOOSH.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entire elite detachments vanished beneath explosions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master knights died instantly. Mana infantry scattered in terror. Remaining cavalry broke formation completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet somehow—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldric survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grand knight emerged from smoke burned and bleeding while half his armor hung shattered from his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Aurethar looked impressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That one genuinely hates dying.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the armored machine rotated fully toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All its guns aligned simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For one brief moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield became silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>RATATATATATATATATATATATATAT.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The storm of bullets engulfed the grand knight completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Armor shattered apart. Blood sprayed across snow. Crimson mana collapsed violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldric staggered forward one final desperate step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then collapsed face-first into the frozen battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(This man deserves a salute )\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence spread across the battlefield afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the coalition had just witnessed warfare changing before their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And somewhere high above the battlefield—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurethar laughed harder than ever before.\u003C\u002Fp>",1694,"2026-06-05T21:32:57.730Z",1,"novelbin.me","1d28916739f5d8ed1fa4b9e28d8a733ce5f858273f6cd1a5421b0eec694ac0c3","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-117","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-115",144,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-cover.jpg"]