288 – Breaking Through Like This (2)
Harold suddenly looked flustered.
He hadn’t expected the archer cavalry to spring out like this. After all, there hadn’t been anyone with a bow on their back when he first saw the ranks of Penris.
It was hard to imagine that they had developed a folding bow using new materials in Penris.
The spear-wielding soldiers facing them were equally bewildered. The heavy infantry holding shields had all been positioned to defend the sides. There was no one to block the arrows.
Desmond’s commanders and soldiers could only stare blankly as they watched the archer cavalry pull back their bows.
Squeak…
With an intense focus, Lumina drew back her bowstring, aiming at Desmond’s army.
“I can do this.”
In truth, her mind was just as scrambled. Despite the rigorous training she’d undergone since first riding a horse, this was her first time participating in an actual war.
It wasn’t just her. The elves, who had partially learned to communicate with nature, could feel the heavy and horrific energy permeating the battlefield.
A tingling sensation coursed through their bodies. Staying here went against the elves’ instincts.
“But it must be done.”
There was no backing down. Even though they had found their mission and nature as elves, those who had spent a long time in the human world were more accustomed to human ways of thinking.
They knew very well how humans lived.
“If I don’t kill, I will be killed.”
Being too gentle could only lead to greater sacrifices.
Elves, living by their nature, were no different when it came to defending their territory.
And right now, their territory was the Penris Territory.
They couldn’t know whether the lord would keep his promise in the future, but for now, they had no choice but to stand with him.
“Oh World Tree, bless Penris.”
With her resolve solidified, she released the bowstring.
Thwang!
With that signal, all the elves and archer cavalry let their arrows fly.
Whoosh!
Thousands of arrows poured down like rain on Desmond’s army.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Argh!”
The heavy infantry stationed on the side raised their shields to block the arrows, but the soldiers in the center couldn’t do the same.
The spear-wielding soldiers of Desmond’s front fell weakly. Those in the back were also downed by the rain of arrows.
The archer cavalry, having released their arrows, immediately turned their horses and started to veer away. They were trying to circle back to their original positions.
It was exactly the movement Ghislaine had taught them.
Seeing this, Harold shouted in exasperation.
“Chase them!”
There were no weaker foes than the cavalry behind them. And Desmond’s cavalry were already moving to strike the enemy from behind. Though they had sustained considerable damage, it wouldn’t be a great loss if they could wipe out all the archer cavalry.
Harold’s eyes quickly scanned the battlefield.
Thump, thump, thump!
The cavalry from Penris that had moved ahead slipped past the cavalry chasing the archer cavalry. They clearly intended to maneuver around and attack Desmond’s ranks from the side and rear.
“Shields! Block!”
Clank! Clank! Clank!
The heavy infantry deployed on the side quickly moved to form a wall of shields.
The 2,000 archer cavalry were on their way back to their original positions, so it wouldn’t be easy for the remaining cavalry to break through the layered shields.
Indeed, Penris’s cavalry began to circle without charging in.
Taking advantage of this gap, Desmond’s cavalry ran desperately, pursuing the archer cavalry.
They aimed to strike from behind and sweep them away before they could change direction.
Thump, thump, thump!
Dududududu!
The speed of Penris’ cavalry was so fast that it was hard to keep up. Nonetheless, Desmond’s Army gritted their teeth and desperately tried to close the distance.
Suddenly, Lumina turned her back and drew her bowstring towards the rear. At the same time, all the archer cavalry turned to follow her.
“What in the…?”
The eyes of the pursuing Desmond’s knights wavered.
She’s shooting an arrow while completely letting go of the reins on a wildly galloping horse? And she’s looking backward? All two thousand of them?
Just a moment ago, they thought it was a forced attempt to deal damage. But not now.
‘This is nonsense. It takes years of training in horse archery to become a skilled archer cavalry. How are they all this good…?’
They didn’t seem to be uncomfortable at all. It felt as if the horses were adjusting themselves to prevent their rider from falling.
But he couldn’t think any longer. Before he could even raise his small shield, arrows rained down on him, blackening his vision.
Papatapatapak!
“Graaah!”
Heeheehee!
Screams and the whinnying of horses echoed as Desmond’s cavalry began to fall.
They were charging at full speed and had no chance to dodge or block the arrows.
Except for the knights in full plate armor and magic armor, the soldiers fell helplessly.
“Uwaaaah! No!”
Kuwung! Kwaang! Kwaang!
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the cavalry following behind became entangled and toppled.
Even in the midst of it all, arrows kept flying. The cavalry pursuing the archer cavalry collapsed almost embarrassingly easily.
Harold gritted his teeth at the sight.
“How… How could that guy have already amassed such power…?”
It was impossible for there to be this many archer cavalry. There was no way the newly emerging Penris Territory could field that many archers.
It took too much time and money to train them—most lords had given up on creating archer cavalry.
Except for small scouting parties, they’d disappeared at some point, so Harold hadn’t been concerned. If he had known Penris had this many archer cavalry, he would have prepared different strategies.
“What the hell… what has he been doing all this time…?”
Over a hundred knights, new armaments made from unusual materials, 6th Circle Mages, and more than two thousand archers.
Unbelievable power was unfolding right before his eyes.
Dududududu!
The cavalry of Penris, which had been circling around the heavy infantry, began to change direction.
Then the archer cavalry, which had been moving backward, turned to encircle Desmond’s army from both sides.
Seeing this, Harold shouted loudly.
“Shields! Protect our allies!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than the arrows of the archer cavalry struck the sides of Desmond’s army.
Paaaaak!
“Uwaah!”
“Counterattack! Counterattack!”
“Block! Raise your shields!”
No matter how hard the heavy infantry tried to block, they couldn’t stop thousands of arrows raining down from the sky.
The spear and bow troops inside were busy falling without being able to do anything.
“Shoot! We also need to shoot!”
Desmond’s archers tried to provide covering fire, but it was of little use. The archer cavalry, with their incredible mobility, kept moving and harassing the sides of Desmond’s army.
From the receiving side, it felt like a dishonorable attack.
“Block! Block it!”
Cries from commanders echoed everywhere, but the heavy infantry couldn’t regain their composure. The barrage of arrows made it hard to get a clear view of the battlefield.
Thanks to their large shields, they were safe, but their allies were falling around them, unable to be protected.
Ah, the allied forces that couldn’t support us fell one by one here and there.
Desmond’s Army, unprepared for the Archer Cavalry at all, found themselves dragged around helplessly.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Seeing the Archer Cavalry circling wildly, Harold shouted with bloodshot eyes.
“Bring in the troops from the left and right flanks! Quickly!”
At this rate, they would be dragged around until everyone collapsed.
The armies engaged with the Kingdom Army and Perdium Army had to turn back and chase after the Archer Cavalry.
Booooo!
The trumpet sounded loudly, and Desmond’s Army, fighting the Kingdom Army and Perdium Army, heard the sound.
Emerson, the commander of the Cavalry Unit facing the Kingdom Army, bit his lip.
“If we just pressed a little harder…”
Emerson’s Cavalry Unit had already pushed almost half of the Capital Nobles’ Alliance Army back.
The allied army mixed with the 3rd Legion was clearly undertrained and uncoordinated. Thus, they were caught off guard by Emerson’s tactics, which targeted their weak points.
“Is it because of the Archer Cavalry?”
Emerson quickly grasped the situation. If one wasn’t prepared in advance, it was hard to stop the Archer Cavalry.
Since the infantry couldn’t keep up, they had to confront them using archers and cavalry. But given the excellent armor of the opposing side, it didn’t seem easy at all.
The armed heavy infantry of the allies were holding up well, but if they continued to fight this way, they would eventually be worn down little by little.
After all, the cavalry were mostly under his command. He had to burrow into the rushing paths of those Archer Cavalry to break the flow. Only then could the allied infantry move.
“Incorporate the infantry slowly as we deal with the Kingdom Army! All cavalry, follow me!”
As Emerson led his troops, they began to pull back and change direction.
Seeing this, the commander of the Capital Nobles Alliance, Baron Etherian, let out a sigh of relief.
“Whew! That was close. How are they fighting so well? Since the enemies are retreating, let’s fall back a bit!”
He almost lost his head trying to avoid losing his investment. Baron Etherian swore never to meddle in Count Penris’s affairs again.
On the other hand, the 3rd Legion, true to its elite status, was holding up well against the onslaught. Baron Clifton, the leader of the 3rd Legion, made a different decision from Baron Etherian.
Seeing Emerson retreat, it was clear that something was wrong in the center. At times like this, they had to properly encircle Desmond’s Army to gain the upper hand.
“This is our chance! This time, we push forward! Move quickly!”
“Waaahhh!”
As the 3rd Legion advanced little by little, Baron Etherian couldn’t pull back entirely.
If he stayed back alone, he would be wiped out in war anyway. That fearsome Count Desmond didn’t seem likely to spare them.
If by chance they won, he would be harshly criticized for having retreated instead.
“Um… We should head back too!”
Desmond’s Army, which had lost its cavalry, began to be slowly pushed back by the Kingdom Army. Emerson, although sensing the situation, had no choice but to move toward the center.
Fortunately, Emerson managed to pivot his forces easily while dealing with the Kingdom Army, but Baron Garein, facing Perdium, couldn’t do the same.
“Damn it! Has Perdium been fighting this well?”
The knights and soldiers of Perdium fiercely pressed the attack against Desmond’s Army. Even with superior numbers, Desmond’s Army was merely busy defending.
“Waaahhh!”
It wasn’t just their fighting power; their morale was phenomenal. The Perdium Army continuously shouted and showed no signs of tiring.
“Stop! Hold on!”
Bam! Bam!
“Uaaahhh!”
Although the number of knights from Perdium was small, each one displayed skills above that of intermediate knights.
was showcasing their skills.
These were the knights of Perdium who had learned a new Mana Circulation Method from Ghislaine. When they unleashed their power with determination, a terrifying Destructive Power erupted.
Zvalter was swinging his sword at the front, shouting louder than anyone else.
“Don’t hold back! We must push through this way to successfully break the siege!”
Always one to worry, he was anxious even now. Ghislaine’s army was fighting well in the center, but they were greatly outnumbered.
He wanted to break through here quickly, fearing that if they were surrounded, they could be wiped out in an instant.
All knights and soldiers who received his orders swung their weapons without reservation.
Randolf, directing soldiers on one side, was unlike Zvalter; he was exuberant and rampaging.
“Hahaha! I can’t believe we can fight like this! We’ve become so strong!”
Fighting in reality, they were overwhelming far more enemies than he had thought. Spending all their time in the Northern Fortress may have led them to underestimate their own abilities.
Thanks to Ghislaine, the strengthened forces were matching even Desmond’s Army, known as the strongest in the North.
Skoban, who always found himself dragged along, mumbled while cutting down Desmond’s soldiers.
“Wow, this really works? Why are we so strong?”
Desmond’s Army, which would have terrified him just from hearing their name in the past, was now being pushed back, not out of fear but by their determination to push forward.
The rigorous training that made them want to spit blood had not betrayed them. That strength was now manifesting in battles against both the barbarians and Desmond’s Army.
Seeing how well Perdium’s army was fighting, Baron Garein was unable to withdraw his troops. Even with more soldiers, they were barely holding on.
If he made even the slightest retreat, they would be quickly overwhelmed by the opposing forces.
“Ugh… how is Perdium managing like this…?”
Baron Garein wore a face of disbelief as he fought. Even with much experience in the North, he had dismissed them as mere barbarian raiders.
But who would have thought he would find himself pushed back by the very Perdium he had belittled? The anger and humiliation surged within him as he fought.
Since Baron Garein could not retreat his forces, it was only Emerson’s scattered troops that moved to save Harold’s main unit.
Seeing that, Harold gritted his teeth and shouted.
“Just hold on a little longer! Our allies will come to help!”
Although it was unfortunate that Garein wasn’t coming, if Emerson could just cut off the movements of the Archer Cavalry, they would find some breathing room.
If that happened, they could quickly reposition their soldiers and reverse the siege.
While he was busily turning his head, he suddenly felt his heart drop at the sight ahead.
‘Oh no!’
The front was empty. The lines of spearmen had already crumbled, and everyone was busy hiding behind the heavy infantry.
While everyone was distracted by the Archer Cavalry on the flank.
The cavalry of Penris, which had circled around, was charging back toward Desmond’s Army’s front.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
Seeing the wide open space, a cruel smile appeared on Ghislaine’s face.
“We’ll break through like this.”
Ghislaine’s eyes turned red. His spear began to burn with an intensity that was incomparable to before.
Zing—!
At the same time, bright light began to emanate from the armor of the knights following him.
The cavalry of Penris and members of the Labor Assault Corps tightly gripped their spears between their shoulders.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
The speed was incomparably faster than before. Especially Ghislaine on the Black King was now running so fast that none of his allies could keep up.
Kwaaaah!
Rays of red light shot into the ranks of Desmond’s Army.
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