Chapter 441: You're the One That Is Surrounded (2)
"Go and check if there are traps."
Woroqa aimed to confirm the presence of traps, just as he had done previously. At his cautious command, a hundred barbarian warriors emerged and charged toward the Raypold forces.
Thud thud thud thud!
The warriors, mounted on horses, approached the Raypold forces’ formation and began surveying the surroundings. They even took a quick look at the edge of the nearby shrub forest, just in case.
The Raypold forces remained unresponsive. They neither shot arrows nor casted magic.
It was as though they were intentionally allowing the barbarians to inspect them, exuding an air of confidence.
Their attitude only further irritated Woroqa.
"Arrogant bastards... Let's see how long they can keep that smug attitude."
As before, the Raypold forces positioned their heavy infantry at the front, with cavalry stationed behind them, just as Woroqa had observed previously.
The formation was simple. A long, rectangular lineup suggested their intent to merely hold the line and endure.
"They intend to tire us out, don’t they?"
No one could fight continuously all day. If they failed to break through that formation, they would end up stuck here for several more days.
On top of that, Woroqa couldn’t ignore the growing dissatisfaction of the other chieftains. His leadership and capability were already under scrutiny.
"This time, I will make sure to crush them."
Having confirmed there were no traps, they could attack without reservation.
Barbarian warriors, being entirely cavalry, had inherent tactical limitations. While their mobility provided excellent penetration power, Raypold's heavy infantry were far from easy opponents for cavalry.
"With the flanks blocked by forests and a river, we can't execute a wide flanking maneuver. We have no choice but to wear them down."
One of the chieftains turned to Woroqa.
"You're not planning to lure them in and surround them like last time, are you?"
"That's impossible with their numbers here. We can deploy far more warriors than they can. Their superior equipment will allow them to hold out, but they’ll eventually tire faster than we will."
"Alright then. Let’s push through and end this quickly."
"Maintain the formation and hit their front line simultaneously, just in case."
A wedge formation would maximize the destructive power of a cavalry charge. However, Woroqa doubted the Raypold forces would be easily pierced, so the plan was to gradually break through their front ranks.
By striking multiple points at once, the chance of falling victim to enemy tactics would also decrease.
"Go! This time, kill them all!"
Bwooo!
A war horn sounded, and the first line of barbarian warriors galloped forward with determination.
Thud thud thud thud!
Their momentum was even fiercer and sharper than before. The sting of their previous defeat still burned within them.
"Waaahhh! Oh ancestors, watch over us!"
The war chiefs at the forefront let out thunderous roars, echoed by the warriors behind them.
Woroqa had deliberately positioned the most powerful war chiefs in the front line.
He needed to quickly break through Raypold's solid defenses to avoid being drawn into their tactics.
Thud thud thud thud!
As the barbarian warriors increased their speed, the Raypold forces finally began to respond.
Fwoosh!
Arrows and spells flew through the air. Unlike before, their attacks weren’t concentrated on the center but spread out broadly in random patterns.
Hummm...
A dark aura swirled around the barbarian warriors, deflecting the incoming arrows and spells.
The priests of the Salvation Church were well aware that a swift conclusion to the battle was essential, so they spared no effort. As a result, the Raypold forces’ attacks failed to inflict significant damage.
The barbarian warriors crashed into the Raypold forces’ front line.
Boom!
The Raypold formation wavered, with parts of it pushed back. While many warriors were dismounted due to spears jutting out between shields, more of them succeeded in landing their attacks than falling off their horses.
"Die!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The leading war chiefs swung their massive axes, hammering down on shields.
Attacking from horseback carried immense power. Their elevated position also gave them a tactical advantage.
The Raypold forces focused solely on blocking the descending strikes with their shields while cutting down the horses that approached too closely.
Slash! Slash!
Neighhh!
Horses, their legs slashed, collapsed all over. However, the warriors seemed prepared for this outcome. They landed smoothly and quickly swung their axes.
Thanks to the powerful war chiefs, gaps began to appear in the Raypold forces' formation.
Seeing this, Woroqa issued another command.
"Second line! Move in!"
Thud thud thud thud!
The waiting warriors charged forward. They aimed to exploit the breaches created by their comrades and maintain relentless pressure.
Boom!
Once again, the barbarian cavalry crashed into the Raypold formation. This time, they didn’t hesitate to push past their own fallen comrades.
The clash caused more of the Raypold soldiers to become entangled with the warriors, further disrupting their formation.
Neighhh!
When their horses were attacked, the warriors immediately dismounted and fought on foot. The riderless horses scattered in all directions.
"Third line! Move in! Dismount and engage!"
The warriors were now piling up, engaged in a fierce struggle against the Raypold forces. At this point, any further cavalry charges only resulted in more casualties among their own ranks.
Thud thud thud thud!
The warriors dismounted as they drew closer, shouting war cries as they charged.
"Waahhhhhh!"
The warriors surged forward with reckless abandon, forcing their way through. Those at the rear pushed their allies forward relentlessly, moving their line closer with every inch.
The casualties among the warriors were significant, but the results were undeniable. The first line of Raypold’s forces was nearly broken.
It was then that Amelia issued her command.
"Fall back."
Boom!
The disorganized front of the Raypold forces slowly retreated, allowing the barbarians to press forward further.
"It's working! Keep pushing!"
Woroqa yelled, elated.
He had committed a staggering 30,000 warriors. At this point, sheer numbers alone would make it impossible for the Raypold forces to hold their ground.
Although the Raypold formation remained intact, they were undeniably being pushed back. Step by step, they were yielding ground.
Boom!
Another step back for the Raypold forces. At this rate, they would be the first to tire.
The barbarians still had plenty of reinforcements to deploy.
Woroqa understood this well. He screamed hoarsely to his troops.
"Push! Don't stop, keep pushing! They'll collapse before we do!"
Amelia, who had been observing the battlefield, suddenly raised her head.
High above, Dark was circling in the sky. Amelia watched the falcon for a moment, before narrowing her eyes and turning her gaze forward.
Then, she slowly raised her hand.
Bwooo!
A horn sounded, and the flag bearers in the rear began waving their banners.
Woroqa watched them with suspicion.
At first, nothing happened. There was no visible change in the enemy formation. But soon, the sound of hoofbeats began to reach his ears.
Thud thud thud thud!
Woroqa bit his lip nervously and turned his head.
‘We checked the edge of the shrub forest… or so I thought.’
They had launched their attack after confirming that there were no hidden troops in the area.
But soon, a contingent of forces emerged from the shrub forest.
Woroqa’s eyes widened in shock.
"What the!"
The forces that appeared were Raypold’s cavalry. Every single one of them was mounted.
The delay after the signal sounded, suggested that the troops had been concealed deep in the forest or perhaps beyond it.
Realization struck Woroqa like a thunderbolt.
"So, they had more forces all along!"
If he had known about these additional forces, he would have considered the possibility of an ambush.
Yet, Raypold had continuously fought with only 10,000 troops against his own. Since they maintained that number throughout the battle, Woroqa had no reason to suspect any hidden reinforcements.
Amelia had deliberately concealed these troops to deceive him from the very beginning.
"Could it be..."
This even explained the annihilation of the 3,000 warriors he had sent separately. The hidden forces had likely been deployed to deal with them.
"How did they predict our movements so precisely...?"
Woroqa struggled to comprehend. Were the hidden troops moving of their own accord, acted independently?
But there was no time to dwell on such questions.
"Those bastards...!"
Thud thud thud thud!
The cavalry emerging from the forest began to form a wedge formation.
If they continued this way, they would strike the flanks of the warriors currently pushing back the Raypold forces.
From the steady flow of troops exiting the forest, Woroqa estimated their numbers to be at least several thousand.
"Or maybe... this is an opportunity!"
He still had 20,000 warriors at his disposal. He believed he could take on these newly revealed cavalry forces effectively.
Thud thud thud thud!
But the Raypold forces showed no concern for this. They focused solely on their charge, aiming to crush the 30,000 warriors in front of them.
Woroqa bursted into laughter, his voice ringing out over the battlefield.
"You foolish woman! You've played your last card because you couldn’t hold out any longer!"
Despite knowing about his reserve forces, Amelia had moved her hidden troops. It could only mean she was at her limit.
If they destroyed these cavalry reinforcements, the enemy’s morale would plummet.
Their faith in this hidden unit had likely been their sole source of hope.
"Move now! Crush those bastards, and victory is ours!"
Neighhh!
The warriors gripped their reins tightly. If they acted now, they could inflict heavy damage on the newly arrived enemies.
Just as they were about to advance
Thud thud thud thud!
"Huh?"
The ground trembled, and the sound of hoofbeats echoed from behind. These hoofbeats were far stronger and more forceful than any they had heard before.
The warriors froze in their tracks, halting their movement. Slowly, Woroqa turned his head.
The moment he identified the source of the sound, chills ran down his spine.
Thud thud thud thud!
A man riding a black horse charged forward with a ferocious grin.
Fwoosh!
The black horse was suddenly enveloped in swirling, dark crimson smoke, making it look like a demon straight out of hell.
Thud thud thud thud!
As the smoke trailed behind, the horse's speed only increased, widening the gap between the man and his troops until he was charging alone.
Despite the man being alone, Woroqa did not underestimate him. He knew exactly who this approaching figure was.
"The Crimson... Demon..."
It was Ghislain Ferdium. That bastard had successfully sealed the rift and arrived on this battlefield.
To think he had managed to close a rift of that magnitude and still lead his army here.
It was unbelievable. Noit was incomprehensible.
"I... I..."
Woroqa couldn't finish his sentence. His thoughts were in turmoil.
Why had he ever thought to fight such a foe? His mind went blank. He couldn’t think of anything or issue any other command.
"Chieftain!"
The loud shout of Monga, the war chief, snapped Woroqa back to his senses.
Shaking his head vigorously to clear his thoughts, Woroqa forced himself to focus. He couldn’t let it end like this.
"Stop him! Everyone, stop that man first!"
Woroqa screamed, pointing at Ghislain with desperation.
The barbarians were now surrounded: Raypold forces in front, the river to their left, and Ghislain to their rear.
The only advantage they had was their sheer numbers and the fact that their warriors were not easily intimidated.
The warriors raised their weapons high and let out a thunderous roar.
"Charge!"
Thud thud thud thud!
The warriors who had been preparing to flank the Raypold forces turned their horses to charge toward Ghislain.
They, too, grinded their teeth at the sight of him.
"That bastard’s coming alone again!"
"This time, we’ll kill him for sure!"
"Our ancestors’ blessings are with us!"
A ferocious wave of 20,000 warriors charged forward. Watching them, Ghislain’s lips curled into a smirk.
Fwoosh!
His body was soon enveloped in the same dark crimson smoke, merging him with the Black King.
The Black King, accelerating like a bolt of lightning, finally collided with the warriors.
BOOOOOM!
A thunderous explosion shook the battlefield as if the heavens and earth had collided. Warriors in Ghislain’s path were torn apart in the impact.
Craaaack!
Ghislain tore through half of their formation before coming to a stop.
The sheer destructive force stunned the warriors, freezing them in place momentarily.
The ability to take on thousands of soldiers alone this was the overwhelming power of a Master.
"Surround him! Everyone, surround and kill that man! He must die first!"
Woroqa’s shout snapped the warriors out of their stupor. They screamed and charged at Ghislain again.
"Kill him!"
Ghislain lightly patted the Black King’s neck and spoke.
"Go wild as much as you want."
Neighhhh!
The Black King let out a jubilant cry and began rampaging freely.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Each time the Black King kicked, the bodies of the warriors exploded. Enveloped in Ghislain’s energy, the Black King was no ordinary horse with Ghislain’s mana and energy, it had become a disaster-level monster.
"What the hell is that horse?!"
The warriors struck by the insane horse were astonished. It was stronger than most war chiefs.
But it wasn’t just the Black King causing havoc. Ghislain, atop his steed, wielded his spear with relentless precision.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Barbarian warriors couldn’t even approach him before their heads were severed.
Under normal circumstances, Ghislain would never have fought like this. Even as a Master, it was nearly impossible to survive alone against 20,000 enemies. His strength wasn’t infinite.
But Ghislain wasn’t holding back. He wasn’t the one surrounded.
"You’re the ones who are surrounded."
Ghislain uttered with a faint chuckle.
At that moment
BOOOOM!
Fenris, the Ferdium knights, and their cavalry crashed into the barbarian forces.
"Arghhhh!"
The warriors, whose formation was already in disarray because of Ghislain, were quickly overwhelmed.
From the shrub forest, Raypold’s cavalry emerged, striking the flanks of the barbarians still engaged with their heavy infantry.
BOOM!
The barbarians, who had been pushing forward relentlessly, had nowhere to escape and were cut down mercilessly.
"Arghhh! Stop them! Kill these bastards first!"
Though the barbarian warriors still outnumbered their enemies, they desperately turned to fight off the encroaching cavalry.
At that moment, Amelia rose from her position and extended her hand.
"Advance. All units, move forward."
Boom!
The Raypold forces, who had been slowly retreating, suddenly stopped. Then, with their shields raised, they began marching forward with vigor.
Boom!
The sudden advance caused the barbarians facing them to falter.
Amelia, surveying the battlefield, spoke in a cold voice.
"Leave no one alive."
As planned, she had drawn the enemy in and created a perfect encirclement. There was no escape for the barbarians.
At last, the end of the battle was in sight.