Chapter 332
The Holy War(17)
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Brendel watched the sky and earth grow distant . The spearmen in front were lowering the grip on their spears, the shiny helmets lowered one after another and the spears rose among an ocean of helmets . He vaguely heard Bessie’s voice as sharp as a sea monster, a hissing sound, then arrows shot over their heads and landed somewhere further .
The queue of the Northern Coalition Army was like blue and white waves which produced a series of explosions . The continuous flares merged with screams, the force of the air ripples seemed to have crossed tens of meters in just seconds, bringing shrapnels of metal to hit his armor .
The blazes were blinding, Brendel could not help but squint his eyes . The Beale Infantry began their final charge before him . Their formation had turned into a curved line and they were crossing the shallow waters of the creek . Disintegration Crystals exploded beneath their feet, forming pillars of water . Countless youngsters fell amidst the misting water and their comrades continued on, hurdling over their corpses . About fifty meters from both sides of the Marchenko and Leviko Mountains was the forest where . Finn and Constantine’s infantries hid . Their archers did not have to worry about accidental injuries so they shot all their arrows towards the two mountain tops, causing countless explosions . The deafening explosions were so powerful they practically gouged out the ground . Black pine tree branches broke and flew all over the place and the flags of both Northern Coalition Armies fell one after another .
Suddenly, a few flashes broke out in a distance .
Brendel knew what it was right away, Magical attacks! The mages of the Northern Coalition Army have finally joined the battle . The dots of fire crossed thousands of meters instantly and turned into fireballs as big as a skull . But a light blue water curtain opened up right above the noble private soldiers and the fireballs crashed into them, scattering the red flames .
But the roaring of the explosions still caused some commotion among Count Audine’s private soldiers and the formation was beginning to get messed up . Brendel realized it and was about to boost their morale when a clear and calm voice was heard .
“Don’t retreat, I’m here! I’m fighting alongside all of you!” The princess’ voice was firm and steady but the way she gripped so tightly onto her sword until her hand turned white gave away her real feelings .
“Your Highness!” Brendel turned and saw Princess Gryphine standing not far away from him .
Princess Gryphince glanced at him with uncertainty in her silver eyes before she turned away and shouted solemnly, “I am the princess of Aouine! I will be here, and let us let our blood flow across this place together today!” The majesty of royalty was extremely infectious to ordinary people . Seeing the princess standing behind them, the noble private soldiers miraculously calmed down .
Freya stepped forward to join the first row and she pulled out her sword to stand side by side with the noble private soldiers . Although this girl from the countryside of Bucce was not good with words and could not say anything to motivate and inspire passion in people, as long as she held tightly to her Lionheart Sword and did not step back, no man would be willing to abandon her to face the army alone .
The few students of the Royal Cavalry Academy that stayed in the central position who were behind her decided to set an example . They moved to the forefront of the lineup . Nobody talked but it was as if they were glowing with an indescribable spirit . Brendel’s heart was thumping and he felt his blood boil with excitement .
He put down the Halran Gaia across his chest and raised his head to look ahead . A line of blue and white waves was crossing through the smoke of the explosion area . The Northern Coalition Army’s light infantry had crossed the river beach and were getting close .
Viscount Von Dougning crossed the explosion area with hardship and spat out the sand that got into his mouth . He lifted his head and looked past the flames, seeing Count Audine’s noble private soldiers that had just steadied . So they have a capable officer too… He thought to himself .
The two armies collided .
The noble private soldiers held out their spears . The Beale light infantry vanguard was stabbed before they could even reach out with their halberds, the sharp spears piercing through their side breastplate and they all fell to the ground . From a distance, it looked like the Beale Infantry’s swallow-tailed flags were falling like dominos .
The noble private soldiers took a step back but the second row of the Beale infantry had reached through the spears with their halberds . But the halberds were stopped by the shields and the noble private soldiers in the back rows pierced them with spears through the gaps .
The light infantry in the back rows kept coming, stepping past the bodies of their comrades . The noble private soldiers had to keep stepping back . But the attacks came unevenly and even as those leading the front rows kept yelling “Move backward! Move backward!” the front line still lost their formation .
Brendel knew this was not good but then he realized that the Beale’s light infantry did not take advantage of these broken off sections, they were just pushing forward blindly . He suddenly came to his senses, What I’m leading is a noble private army, but the other party is nothing more than a second-line army made up of human light infantries that were not even of the first class .
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He let out a sigh of relief . I’m being too nervous . This is just the Year of the Sword, the soldiers here aren’t the famous units of the later generations . He calmed down and lifted his head to look at the sea of helmets, shields, spears, and swords . There were a group of Earth Drake Rangers cruising around outside the formation .
“It’s that guy……”
Brendel realized that the opponent rangers were just waiting for an opportunity to seize .
He unwittingly looked towards the north side of Marchenko and Leviko Mountain . Viscount Von Dougning was making the same moves . The young viscount who was riding on the Earth Drake saw that Finn and Constantine’s Army had appeared at the edge of the forest and the three phalanxes of the noble private soldiers were right at both the right and left flanks .
“Hmm, it’s moving forward faster than expected . ” Viscount Von Dougning was startled . He knew exactly what standards Finn and Constantine’s Armies were at so he did not expect them to cross through at the explosions at such a critical moment .
The gods are on Seifer’s side .
But what flashed through Brendel’s mind when seeing the same scene was Bessie did a good job .
The noble private soldier’s phalanx moved backward step by step with their backs facing the Anker Mountain . The Grey Fins Nagas and Royal Cavalry Academy’s students who had previously retreated appeared at both sides of the south of Anker Mountain .
Viscount Von Dougning suddenly understood what Brendel wanted to do . He wanted to concentrate the superior forces on the right and left flanks and lure and defeat the Northern Coalition Army at the Marchenko and Leviko Mountains . Viscount Von Dougning immediately ordered, “Let Viscount Finn and Baron Constantine hold on, tell them victory is just a step away and not to worry and to use in all the military forces . ”
He paused, “Pass my orders to Count Vitokin, the best is to have him give out the same orders . ”
The messenger cavalry immediately went .
The battle gradually started to intensify .
Because of the repeated attacks, the formation of the noble private soldiers had slanted to one side . It was like a huge piece of melting butter with a corner almost melted away . Viscount Von Doughnin was observant and seized this opportunity . He pointed his spear towards that side of the noble private soldiers and shouted, “Focus all attacks on the left flank of the phalanx . Take down their main formation and victory will be ours!’
Brendel heard Count Audine screaming in anger behind him, “Be careful of those rangers, don’t expose our side to them!” He felt a sense of crisis for the first time . The other side is indeed a well-known commander in history . If it’s just about commanding armies, I probably wouldn’t win against him .
“Mr . Brendel . ” There was a splash of red on Princess’ Gryphine’s fair face, her hand was trembling slightly from gripping her sword too tightly . She looked around from atop her horse and saw that they were surrounded by an ocean of endless enemies . “The left flank can’t take it any longer!’
Brendel just nodded at her .
“Maynild!” He turned around and shouted .
“Here!”
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“I’m handing the commander role to you . ”
Maynild turned her head, Brendel saw the strange look in her eyes under her flowing black hair . The female knight did not ask any further and just nodded .
“Mr . Brendel, you…?” The princess was stunned, “What are you planning to do?”
Brendel was turning his horse . The princess’s startled voice caught the lower class officers’ and knights’ attention . They were stunned to see their commander leave and headed directly to the left flank by himself .
What is he trying to do?
Under the pressure of the Coalition Army, the left flank of the noble private soldiers was stepping back and the formation gradually loosened up until it was eventually squeezed into a small triangular shape . If Viscount Von Dougning’s Earth Drake Rangers turned to this side, failure was just a matter of time .
It was already too late .
Has the commander gone crazy?
That was what Viscount Von Dougning thought, too . Although he had not seen Brendel, his opponents have not given up the left flank yet to protect the central formation instead . Their reaction is too slow . He could not help but sneer, Or maybe they were too arrogant .
No matter how capable the commander was, it still required a qualified army to work . Those students from the royal family do not know what a real battle is like .
He could already see the noble private soldiers’ flank as well as their panicking infantries . The panic on their faces was exactly like the wild beasts of Toquinen, it was the natural look of despair .
The rangers leveled their spears and advanced .
The ground started to tremble . Every time the giant claws of the Earth Drake came in contact with the ground, the pebbles on the river beach would be as if they were infused with magic and started to dance and roll around and dusty haze arose . But their shining spears pierced through the haze . Viscount Von Dougning lowered his body and stabbed his spear right into the opponent’s formation while letting out a beast-like roar .
The huge force directly penetrated through the elliptical shield and the rangers continued to add pressure while the Earth Drake broke through the shields with its humongous body . The noble private soldiers’ phalanx could not take it anymore and started to retreat one by one .
It was at this moment Viscount Von Dougning realized victory was in his hands . The defeat of Count Audine’s left flank would lead to sweeping the entire main camp of the princess, then the Beale’s light infantry and his Rangers would divide the battlefield, like what they did to the foolish Lion Beastmen in the East battlefield .
But it was at this moment that he heard a distant howl .
The howl came from the dense forest, the endless wilderness . The young Viscount thought he saw a hallucination in the next second . He saw the ground covered in darkness under a silver moon with a giant wolf running .
The long howl made the mountains shake . The howl of the wolf echoed throughout the forest as if it had overcome time and distance, near and far . It surrounded the whole battlefield .
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“A wolf?”
A black shadow covered the sunlight over Viscount Von Dougning . He raised his head and saw a huge object jump high into the sky, its black fur shining under the sunlight . Its bloody red eyes were cold and murderous . It was still the afternoon, when the sun shone the brightest, but the young Viscount could not feel even a slight sense of warmth as chills ran down his spine .
He subconsciously raised his spear and pierced it into the giant wolf’s black fur but it was as hard as a rock . Sparks flew from the spear at the collision . It was not a hallucination, it was real .
Viscount Von Dougning clearly saw the black wolf turn its body in the air to barely avoid the spear and landed near the Earth Drake .
“What strength…” Viscount Von Dougning felt his hand trembling due to excessive output of force . He lifted his head and saw a few hundred pairs of red eyes emerging under the shadow of the Anker mountain . A pack of wolves was running through the forest and was obviously charging towards them .
“Wolves!”
“A lot of wolves!” The Beale Infantry behind him also saw their new enemy . In fact, everyone in the battlefield saw the black pack of wolves barging in from the side, it was as if there were black doors at the edge of the forest with huge beasts charging out one after another .
“All sorts of crazy things are here . ” Viscount Von Dougning finally came to his senses and spoke to himself . He did not have time to think further as the cavalries charged forward . He turned to look at the black wolf that came at him just now . It was flung back by the Earth Drake and seemed like it did not intend to chase after them, instead turning and charging towards the infantries behind .
Countless black wolves were doing the same thing on the battlefield . It was as if they were a synchronised and disciplined army . No, in fact a real army could not reach such standards .
Viscount Von Dougning felt his heart tightened and he realised that these wolves were probably not as simple as magical beasts from the forest . Druids? No, Druids can’t control magical beasts?
The Beale Infantry suddenly cried out .
The Viscount lifted his head and he could not believe what he saw at that moment . The sea of black wolves separated into two as if to give way and opened a path in the middle . A person riding on a horse made his way through the pack of wolves .
That person was Brendel .
Brendel lifted his head to look at him too .
A black crystal gradually appeared on his forehead and it shone strangely .
Brendel positioned his main camp here not because he trusted in Audine’s private soldiers but because he trusted in himself . It was not impossible to fight against thousands of soldiers alone .
And now he was proving his point to the Viscount .
I am the left flank .
The sky started to turn bright, countless shining green Wind Spirit Spiders instantly rose into the sky from the forest and formed a huge light formation behind Brendel . All the Beale infantries’ gaped . Their Dragon Knights had an encounter with the power of these small things a day ago and now it was their turn .
Brendel stood on his horse’s back and pointed his sword forward .
A rain of golden red rain poured down towards the direction his sword pointed at . The Earth Drake Rangers’ at the forefront had their heads pierced through by the lights and hundreds of knights turned into ash just in a blink of an eye . What disappointed him was that Viscount Von Dougning, who was cautious, had led a few of his soldiers to flee before the Wind Spirit Spiders even rose into the air and managed to escape .
The Wind Spirit Spiders’ attack still had some flaws . By the time Brendel went to look for him, he had already mixed into the Beale light infantry, even giving up his mount . This man is such a coward! How did Freya even defeat him?
But this was not beyond Brendel’s expectation . This person did not even have the courage to fight against him during their time in Ampere Seale so it was even less likely now . It was known that there were plenty of nobles who were willing to fight to the death for their honor .
Brendel shook his head and did not order the Wind Spirit Spiders to continue to attack the Beale infantry yet . He knew that the war was not over and he should save up as much Element as possible . Moreover, the enemy in front of him was no longer a threat .
Right in front of him, the “army” of black wolves and stone leopards were colliding with the Beale infantry . However, these few hundred peak Silver and Iron ranked wolves and leopards could only resist an army of a few thousands .
Brendel was waiting for an opportunity .
The commanders of the Beale Army were waiting for Finn and Constantine’s Armies to complete the siege .
Brendel could not help but lift his head .
The peaks of the Marchenko and Leviko Mountains where massive explosions were happening came into his sight .
Viscount Finn stared at Count Vitokin’s subordinate before him while the explosion noises continued . He shouted as loud as he could, hoping to suppress the explosion noises with his own voice, “What did you say?”
“You’re saying the Viscount is asking me to attack? And to use all of the military forces?”
That knight nodded .
“Yes . Viscount Von Dougning had reported the fact that you and your men had put the vanguards into the battle while risking your lives to the Count . The Count also praised your army for its courage and determination . Both of them hope that you will invest more forces into the front line for support as victory is near . ”
Both of them were shouting loudly as it was the only way to make themselves heard by the other party . The mountain top was trembling as if it was about to completely blow up .
Viscount Finn showed a strange expression on his face . Since when did I put the vanguards into the battle? Didn’t my vanguards all die during the first attack? The enemies’ ‘spell’ was horrifying, I’ve never seen such a ‘spell’ that could go on continuously without stopping .
“Lord Viscount?”
“This…”
Viscount Finn did not know what to say at that moment . What should I say?