Chapter 169 – The Strategic Turnaround (3)
A dozen black knights passed by me, wielding their weapons.
Great swords clashed, maces flew, and spears were thrown. I stood firmly on the ground and blocked all attacks. The area was covered in dust and echoed with the sounds of combat, but that didn't pose a great obstacle for me at that moment. If anyone showed the slightest carelessness...
Suddenly!
A young man's head soared into the air.
Black blood spurted from the severed neck.
"<Han! It seems the path is clear. Let's regroup first!>"
"By order."
About twenty heroes, including Edith, stepped forward to reinforce the defensive line.
However, they couldn't play a decisive role. At best, they only delayed defeat.
At that moment, the real protagonists who could change the course of the battle were us.
No matter what method we used, it was imperative to act. Otherwise, we would all die.
Among them...
'I have to do it.'
I repelled enemy attacks, occasionally counterattacked, and used my wit.
I thought about how a few of us could influence the course of the battle.
'This is what I want.'
Interestingly, the method was simple.
When three Black Knights threw their spears simultaneously, I rolled on the ground to dodge them and shouted to the comrades fighting beside me.
"Move! We need to change the battlefield!"
"Where to?"
"Don't you see just by looking? Where else could it be?"
I got up and ran immediately.
The rear ranks of the battlefield were at the end of a steep slope. In the last row, the army's mages grouped in threes, preparing for the next magical bombardment.
"Exactly. This means fighting on enemy territory."
"Of course."
We plunged into the chaos.
Although it was more dangerous, fighting in the midst of enemy territory was our only option to disorient them. I strengthened the muscles of my calves and gave a strong push against the ground. My body slid downhill like an arrow.
"Brother!" Jenna, riding Kishasha, reached out her hand to me.
I took her hand and, with agile movements, mounted the tiger's back.
The Black Knights fiercely pursued us from behind.
"Belkist, take care of the mages! Just prevent them from using magic."
"Understood."
Belkist raised his blood-covered sword.
I passed halfway down. Originally, I should have been blocked by a transparent wall at this point, but now the path was clear. I calmed my accelerated breathing. So far, it's just a preliminary battle. The future was real.
"What the!"
The Mage at the back made eye contact with me.
Ping! Jenna, who was behind me, quickly killed the guy.
'As soon as possible.'
Even now, at the front, the Cult Army was probably devouring the Lion Army at all times.
"Huff!" Jenna took a deep breath, and a red glow appeared in her eyes.
Three arrows were shot with the short bow in different directions, piercing the three Mages. The Mages, who belatedly felt the surprise attack, screamed.
"Back! Look back! It's an enemy attack!"
"What are the guards doing!"
The infantry soldiers in heavy armor stepped forward.
It seemed to be a special bodyguard of the Mage unit.
With their shields in front, the Mages began to launch attacks towards this place.
Bam!
The arrow shot with Jenna's short bow suddenly curved like a snake and pierced a gap in the shield wall. A hole was made in the head of a Mage who was casting a spell.
Combined ability, Serpent Arrow.
It was a high-level archery technique that changed the trajectory of the shot in a curve.
The line of soldiers with shields wavered.
While Jenna kept shooting, I stroked Kishasha's mane.
"Go through in one blow."
"<Got it! We'll speed up!>"
I held the sword hilt loosely in my right hand and gathered strength.
"Keep calm! Keep calm and fight the enemy...!"
"Kaaaaaaa!"
Kishasha jumped over the shield wall in one stroke and bit off the officer's head.
At the same time, I swung the great sword. The soldiers caught in the path were swept away like toys, like sand dragged by the waves.
"I'll take care of the Mage!"
Bam!
Every time Jenna shot, a Mage died.
Incredible skill. Even if a soldier with a shield was in front or hidden behind terrain, the arrow would inevitably veer and choke the target.
"This is not enough."
The magic body was only a part of the Cult Army.
I cut in half the Mage who was fleeing, his face turning as white as a sheet of paper.
"What are you? Where did you come from? Clearly, it was during the preliminary reconnaissance... Ugh!"
An officer wearing elegant armor fell to the ground, clutching his throat.
Belkist passed by him and retrieved the dagger from his neck.
"Go. I'll handle this."
"Don't die."
"Do you believe that?"
Belkist smiled and raised his sword, his gaze fixed on the horizon marked by the turmoil of battle.
<Where are we going?>
"There, where the captain is."
I knew that if they managed to kill all the higher-ranking commanders, the morale and command of the enemy troops would suffer a devastating blow.
Kishasha, understanding the importance of the mission, turned her head and lunged forward with renewed vigor. Behind, amidst the chaos of mages and guards, Belkist was locked in a frenzied duel with a Black Knight, their swords clashing with strength and precision.
"Jenna, if you see any high-ranking bastards, kill them all," ordered Belkist without taking his eyes off the combat.
"Just aim for the guy in the shiny armor. Leave it to me," Jenna responded confidently.
At that moment, the officer in charge of the supply unit received a mortal arrow and fell to the ground, his eyes reflecting a final confusion. The presence of two warriors mounted on an imposing tiger lurking in the rear sowed panic among the enemy ranks.
"Ignore them."
<Got it.>
There was no need to worry about minor distractions. Their target was the imposing three-story tent pitched on the hill, from where numerous flags fluttered in the wind. It was the command post that directed all troops, the heart of the enemy operations.
"The question is: can we win even if we take command?" Belkist pondered aloud as they dodged troops preparing for a cavalry charge, leaving them in disarray in their wake.
The enemy's response was not long in coming. A troop of archers appeared atop the hill, preparing to shoot.
"Fire!"
Nearly a hundred archers loosed their arrows in unison. As Kishasha hesitated before the hail of projectiles, Jenna shouted:
"You don't have to dodge them! Keep going!"
With dazzling speed, Jenna began shooting into the sky. Her arrows collided with those of the enemy, deflecting or destroying them in mid-flight.
"What's that?!" Exclaimed an officer, astonished at Jenna's supernatural ability. It was clear that what they were witnessing could no longer be considered a human feat.
"She's an absolute monster," someone else murmured.
If it weren't for that inhuman ability, they probably wouldn't have been able to advance.
The enemy archers, overcome with fear, began to disperse like a swarm of ants at Kishasha's approach. No matter how much the officer tried to keep them in formation, his efforts were in vain; Jenna had struck terror into her hearts.
The path to the command center was now clear, revealing the remaining defenders:
[Order Army Soldier Lv.21] x 217
[Order Army Knight Lv.25] x 28
He was very crowded.
Hundreds of troops had gathered en masse.
It must have been a defensive line to prevent the headquarters from falling.
"Edith, how are things going?"
<It seems the formation hasn't collapsed. We're holding on as best we can.>
"Have you contacted their captain?"
<He thanks you for the assistance. Thanks to you, we've gained some time, and he plans to reorganize the troops and retreat.>
"We can't retreat. Tell them to fight."
After a brief pause, Edith continued.
<He told me not to talk nonsense.>
"There's a Mage there, right? Ask them to connect me directly."
After getting in touch with Katio, who was resting, I asked him to connect me to the captain.
It didn't take long before I heard an unfamiliar voice.
<I don't know who you are, but thank you for the help. I'm from House Asynis...>
"Skip the introductions. We don't have time for that."
I kept talking.
"I won't accept you fleeing. You must win."
<I appreciate the help. But this is different. How absurd! There's a limit to recklessness!>
"I'll kill all the higher-ups for you. That should solve it."
<What?>
I cut off the communication.
What a person needs to do to defeat an army.
It's not complicated. You just need to cut off the head.
Of course, carrying it out wasn't as simple.
[Order Army Soldier Lv.21] X 453
[Order Army Knight Lv.25] X 67
‘How many exactly are there?'
The troops in front of the headquarters kept increasing.
They multiplied endlessly, blocking the way. It would be lucky if there were only soldiers. Several layers of fences and high barricades obstructed the path.
"Do you think we can break through? Even for you, Kishasha, getting through that seems..."
There was nervousness in Jenna's voice.
It was true. Kishasha, in tiger form, surpassed a common warhorse in every aspect. However, the impossible couldn't be made possible. Biological limits existed.
We are three.
There are, approximately, five hundred there.
If we simply break through, somehow it might work, but then we'd have to deal with those in the headquarters. Surely, the selected elites are everywhere.
‘...But.'
We must do it.
There's no turning back now.
"Jenna."
"Yes."
"Just take me there. I'll take care of the rest."
The officers dressed extravagantly were watching us.
[Danger!]
[High-Level War Commander]
[Sir dao Sistina Lv.43]
[Danger!]
[High-Level War Commander]
[Rodvio Sistina Lv.43]
[Danger!]
[High-Level War Commander...]
With countless alarms sounding, indicators of named characters appeared.
I quickly checked the list.
In total, seventeen. Levels range from early to late 40s.
Seeing their levels, they were individuals with great individual combat ability.
"…Brother."
Kishasha didn't stop her steps.
Dodging a rain of arrows, spears, and swords, she continued her run.
"I just need once."
"Understood."
Jenna also nodded.
The distance to the headquarters is about 20 meters.
There's no longer space between nearby soldiers.
They faced us with spears and swords, or even with their bodies.
Kishasha's speed started to slow down.
‘Can't we break through?'
Soldiers with shields formed the first line, followed by spear users in the second, and swordsmen in the third.
Between the silver square shields, the spears became visible. Kishasha tried to find a gap in the formation, jumping from side to side, but couldn't dodge all the attacks.
[Kishasha (★★★★) is bleeding. Her health will decrease every certain time.]
A blind spear tore Kishasha's skin and cut her flesh.
Attacks were also coming towards us from above.
‘Are we surrounded?'
The rear was already blocked.
Finally, when all paths were blocked, Kishasha stopped.
[Order Army Soldier Lv.21] X 674
[Order Army Knight Lv.25] X 92
[Order Army Mage Lv.31] X 5
[… Order Army…]
I forgot to count the number of enemies.
<Han.>
"What?"
<Even if I die here, I won't blame you.>
I smiled slightly.
I looked towards the hill.
Our gazes met those of a middle-aged knight who was looking at us with cold eyes.
[Danger!]
[Commander-in-Chief of the Order Army]
[Valention de Sangre Férrea Lv.56]
You're the chief.
‘Killing him...'
Would cause temporary confusion.
After all, the commander-in-chief would have died. But that would be it. The chain of command would soon be restored.
There were sixteen commanders ready to take his place. It would only be a brief moment of confusion, with no real impact on the overall situation.
‘Sigh.'
I exhaled.
"KRAAAAAAANG!"
Kishasha's roar came next.
The soldier in the vanguard staggered from Kishasha's powerful roar, who then stretched her body and leaped into the air. Her huge body jumped several meters high.
<I believe in you, Han!>
Kishasha grabbed me in the air and threw me.
Towards the other side, where the headquarters was. Hundreds of soldiers and barricades suddenly fell away.
"This isn't enough."
The range isn't enough.
A bit more.
Just a bit more!
"Let's go!"
Jenna, beside me, extended her intertwined arm.
Keeping my balance, I kicked Jenna's arm and flew even higher.
[Jenna (★★★) is bleeding. Her health will decrease every certain time.]
An arrow grazed Jenna's forearm.
She took it in my place. Without looking back at Jenna falling, I swung my sword.
The jump height is 10m. After kicking again the high earth wall in the middle, I jumped towards the headquarters.
‘Definitely...'
Killing one isn't the end.
There are countless replacements even if one head is cut off.
Like the Hydra.
Therefore.
"There's no choice but to kill them all."
[Han (★★★) has activated the Exceed ability!]
Crack.
With the sound of bones misaligning, immense pain shook my brain.
"All I've done so far."
I used and deactivated the Exceed ability hundreds of times.
Though it was hellish pain, I endured by gritting my teeth. Everything, the journey with Jenna, the bone-wearing training, was for this moment.
I landed in the midst of a clearing where 17 named enemies were gathered.
At the same time, several weapons lunged towards me. All aimed at vital points.
"It's too late."
I grinned sinisterly.
¡Bang! I stomped the ground with all my strength.
My right hand was already wielding the sword.
[Ability, Conqueror's Spirit of the Sword activated!]
