Chapter 151 - 143: This is Bad, This Arrow Has Eyes
Chapter 151: Chapter 143: This is Bad, This Arrow Has Eyes
When Loki saw the Arrow Towers in the distance and the humans packed densely atop them, he didn’t think much of it.
If he had seen a figure clad in armor or leather armor shimmering with Magic, wearing a tattered cloak and wielding a Magic Crossbow as tall as a man...
...Loki wouldn’t have hesitated to flee immediately.
That was the standard attire of a Moon Elf Divine Archer, and legend had it they could shoot down dragons with their arrows.
Of course, legends were just legends, and dragons weren’t as terrifying as one might imagine.
But as a Gray Dwarf of the Standard Yellow Banner, Loki had dealt with Moon Elves for years. A full legion of Divine Archers could very well shoot down his Griffin Knights.
Facing humans, however, Loki let his guard down. This world’s technology tree had developed in a very strange way.
While no one had developed a truly universal industrial system from Magic Technology, the study of each race’s biological characteristics was not only widespread but also exceptionally advanced.
A high-level Potion, for instance, could easily regenerate a severed limb.
As humanity’s long-standing rivals, the Beast Race had naturally conducted related research. It was all very inhumane, but the concept of "humane" had long since been swept away with the international councils of old.
Loki was considered a high-level intellectual in the Beastman Empire, having studied at a specialized academy.
’The Moon Elves have special methods to enhance their arm strength, things that even the Beastmen haven’t been able to uncover. Could humans possibly know them?’
This had always been Loki’s line of thinking, and he had always acted accordingly. He found the layout of the human camp below almost laughable. The human general had created a one-kilometer buffer to prevent friendly fire, which Loki saw as nothing but a waste of firing range.
That is, until he saw a human loose the first arrow. Just as Loki expected it to plummet mid-flight, he noticed its trajectory seemed... off.
’Not good! It’s coming for me!’
Loki instantly determined that if he continued flying blindly, a collision with the arrow was virtually inevitable.
Fortunately, Loki didn’t become the leader of the Griffin Corps for nothing; he was an exceptionally skilled griffin rider.
Climbing was impossible. A griffin wasn’t a Thunderhawk, and even a Thunderhawk carrying a person could only reach an altitude of a hundred-odd meters.
After dodging the arrow, Loki breathed a sigh of relief. That was close. His expression grew solemn.
’Again?!’
Loki hadn’t expected the enemy to reload so quickly. The first arrow had barely passed when another sliced through the air toward him. This one was clearly different—it was moving at least twice as fast as the last.
Loki failed to dodge it. Fortunately, the griffin beneath him took the arrow in his stead.
The whole exchange left Loki’s heart pounding. ’How can the humans have someone like this?’
Just as Loki began to think he was the only one in trouble, a griffin’s long shriek echoed across the battlefield, followed by the cries of two more.
It was from the east! Loki twisted his head to look. A small squad of three griffins had mindlessly charged a Magic Cannon Tower, only to be riddled with arrows from the Arrow Tower positioned in front of it, turning them into pincushions.
’What’s going on?’
Loki’s expression turned grim. He couldn’t understand it. After all, in the entire war between the Frank Kingdom and the Beastman Kingdom, Tier Five mortal troops were exceedingly rare.
But now, after all the experience Robson had grinded, he not only possessed such troops but could deploy them in droves.
Of course, this was all predicated on certain conditions—for instance, that the Griffin Knights were being used for assault missions rather than reconnaissance.
.....
Michelle’s expression soured as he watched his second arrow fail to bring down its target. It soured even more when he saw his allies on the other side of the field had already scored kills. His face was practically black.
Fortunately, the surrounding Soldiers were all focused on their own defensive sectors; no one noticed their commander’s awkward predicament.
’Why is he so damn slippery!’ Michelle cursed inwardly.
The troops he led were among the more skilled ones. Other units might not have even been able to remain calm enough to draw their bows and fight.
Michelle glanced at another Arrow Tower a hundred meters away. The three griffins it faced had foolishly charged right up to it, only to be engulfed by a sea of bolts from the Magic Crossbows.
’What kind of damn luck is this! Why won’t the Lord of Dawn grant me some favor?’
Michelle grumbled, then nocked another arrow.
He knew that if he didn’t step up his game, his unit would likely miss out on this week’s military provisions.
...
Robson reached his cannon emplacement and breathed a sigh of relief. He watched as the enemy Griffin Knights kept their distance, clearly afraid to approach the Magic Cannon Tower.
The aerial threat was neutralized, just as he’d expected. He had, after all, deployed one hundred of his Tier Five Frankish Elite Shooters. Among them were even a few Tier Six Frankish Border Watchers. Armed with the Magic Crossbows they had prepared and the fine bows captured from the Fox Race, Robson’s Frankish Shooters were now in their ultimate form.
"Send word for the Magic Crystal Cannons to cease fire for now. Have them coordinate with the main battery and send the Mages to perform maintenance," Robson ordered his adjutant.
The adjutant acknowledged the order and descended from the platform. Shortly after, five couriers on swift horses galloped out from the main battery, racing toward the other secondary emplacements.
Indeed, Magic Crystal Cannons had a cooldown period. Each shot was a tremendous strain on the Magic Array inscribed on the cannon itself.
This was also why Magic Crystal Cannons weren’t popular among the Beastmen. Their level of magical craftsmanship meant their ability to repair the cannons was extremely limited.
An expensive device like a Magic Crystal Cannon would essentially become a single-use item in their hands. The Beastmen naturally wouldn’t invest too many resources into them.
During the initial strategic planning, Robson had deliberately positioned the Magic Crystal Cannons on several hilltops. This was to guarantee their range and ensure the Magic Crystal Gunners could target any location he designated.
However, mortals were still just mortals. Even though a small team of Robson’s gunners had reached the rank of Tier Five Magic Crystal Gunner, their mortal constitutions were a limiting and unavoidable fact.
Of course, if they were simply asked to bombard the bridge, hitting it wouldn’t be a problem, given their advantageous high-ground perspective.
But Robson needed more than just hitting the bridge. The Somme River was a full kilometer wide. Over such a distance, even a direct hit on the bridge might just waste a precious cannon shot on some insignificant troops.
Looking at the Heavy Infantry massing on the opposite bank, Robson caressed the Magic Crystal Cannon beside him, a pang of regret in his heart.
If only his forces were a bit stronger, he, Lord Robson, could have happily claimed the armor from that batch of Gray Dwarf Heavy Infantry. While the Magic Crystal Cannon would melt some of them into slag, a portion of the armor would have survived.
Even if it were just slag, those chunks of iron looked impressive. He could probably sell them as scrap to the Gutierrez family for a good price.
But there was nothing to be done. If the battle weren’t taking place on a bridge, Robson could have sent his Cavalry to snatch the armor.
Then again, if the battle weren’t on a bridge, Robson would have to rely solely on the mobility of his army just to survive.
’First, we’ll hold off this wave,’ he thought. ’In any case, when it comes time to defend Sirich City, these guys and their gear will all be mine, Lord Robson’s, precious treasures.’