Chapter 176 - 162: Strike
Chapter 176: Chapter 162: Strike
SCREECH!
The cry of a griffon again.
General Curry looked to the sky, his brow furrowed with unease.
General Curry wondered if he was being overly cautious, but the number of griffons today seemed abnormally high.
Normally, a single scouting run over his camp would be enough for the humans. But they had come and gone three times now—three separate groups of griffons.
’Are the men at Thermopylae planning a night raid? Or have the human reinforcements already arrived?’
Curry couldn’t figure it out. Deep down, he leaned toward the former explanation—or rather, he leaned toward the idea that he was just overthinking things and nothing was happening at all.
After all, no matter how he looked at it, it made no sense. At least, General Curry couldn’t fathom how Robson could possibly arrive on the battlefield at the same time as him.
Even if they could, Curry didn’t believe they could maintain their combat effectiveness. It defied all common sense and went against standard human capabilities.
General Curry hadn’t even considered the possibility. If humans were truly that formidable, they would have unified the entire continent long ago, instead of being locked in a standoff with the elves in the northeast, each side leaving the other alone.
Comparatively, General Curry was more inclined to believe that the enemy at Thermopylae would launch an attack. After all, he had a significant lack of intelligence regarding the situation there.
The Beastmen had determined Thermopylae’s garrison was weak based on the humans’ actions on the Western Front. Essentially all human armies were trying to send troops to reinforce the pass.
If the humans were just putting on a show, the cost would be far too high.
It was a pity they had no Thunderhawks.
’If only we had Thunderhawks tonight,’ General Curry thought. ’Then I wouldn’t have to rely on guesswork.’
"How many soldiers are on camp guard duty tonight?" General Curry asked his adjutant.
"We’ve assigned twenty percent of our soldiers, over 400 men, General," the adjutant replied.
"Add another ten per— No. Have all the Extraordinary Wolf Cavalry keep their eyes peeled tonight!
Send men to watch Thermopylae. Dispatch a hundred of them to scout the northern plains. Report any activity immediately," General Curry ordered.
Robson’s earlier speculation had been correct. General Curry’s army had failed to maintain a complete formation during their forced march. In fact, Robson had overestimated their numbers; only half of the entire Wolf Cavalry army had reached the destination.
Moreover, so many had been scattered that many units were in a state where commanders didn’t know their soldiers and soldiers didn’t know their commanders. The entire command structure needed to be rebuilt.
"But... General, our Wolf Cavalry Corps hasn’t rested for over ten days straight," the adjutant couldn’t help but point out.
The Wolf Cavalry Corps under General Curry was one of the most elite units in the entire Beastman Corps.
They had been active on the battlefield ever since Prince Kase began planning the siege of O’Neil Fortress.
Extraordinary or not, they were still creatures of flesh and soul. They needed rest. The continuous exhaustion was already pushing the Wolf Cavalry Corps to its breaking point.
"We are warriors of the Empire! This is a hardship we can overcome!" General Curry declared.
The adjutant opened his mouth. He wanted to say that he, too, hadn’t shut his eyes in over ten days.
General Curry realized his words had been a bit too harsh.
"Endure these next few days. Once we break through Thermopylae, His Majesty will not treat us poorly," General Curry said.
It was the only promise General Curry could make. He wasn’t well-regarded in the Empire’s court and lacked personal wealth, so all he could do was make empty promises in the Beast Emperor’s name.
’As for whether the Beast Emperor will fail the soldiers... we’ll see after the battle is won.’
The adjutant sighed.
...
The moment the sun vanished completely, night fell. But Robson’s camp was brightly lit with torches.
"Hey! You’re so heavy! You need to lose some weight!" Hans grunted, struggling to pull Odin onto the wagon.
"It’s all this armor...
Wearing this stuff is no easy task..." Odin grumbled.
"Why couldn’t you put the armor on the wagon first and then put it on once you were up here?
Ugh! Odin, you idiot!" Hans couldn’t help but complain.
Odin felt a little ashamed hearing Hans’s complaint.
"Hey! Look at this armor! Look at this sharp sword!
Tonight, I’m going to kill at least five Beastmen!" Odin declared, sitting on the wagon and rapping his armor, which made a CLANGING sound.
"You’re crowding me! Move over a bit," Hans grumbled.
This wagon was much wider than the ones used for hauling cargo. It was covered in strange runes that made it incredibly sturdy and fast.
Even the horse pulling it was a breed Hans had never seen before. It was blood-red with a white mane and a single horn on its head. It was a very rare type of horse.
Not only could it adjust its own course, but Hans had personally seen it kick down a large tree.
"Kill five Beastmen? No guts! I’m going to kill ten!" Hans said.
For the past few days, Hans had been holding in a lot of frustration. The soldiers of the entire 1st Regiment had only marched for half a day before those Officer-lords herded them onto wagons.
’That was their golden opportunity to get rich!’
What was even more infuriating was that while they sat on the wagons, the soldiers from the 2nd and 3rd Regiments got to walk on the ground!
It was completely unfair! Classic preferential treatment!
Everyone in the 1st Regiment, from top to bottom, was seething. They felt the noble lords didn’t want the 1st Regiment to earn their money.
Now, that great noble lord had issued another order: three Silver Coins for every Beastman!
Everyone was once again stunned by the noble lord’s extravagance, especially after those same lords had given the bonuses for the forced march to the soldiers of the 2nd and 3rd Regiments.
Now, all the soldiers of the 1st Regiment were thinking about using this chance to make a fortune! At the very least, they had to earn back all the money they missed out on from the forced march.
Unlike the two of them, who were just shooting the breeze, Captain Jason was inspecting his weapons and equipment.
Jason took out the sword issued from above and lightly drew it across his forearm. A thin cut immediately appeared.
Jason now had a good sense of the blade’s sharpness. He hadn’t tested it with his finger, as that might affect his fighting. On the battlefield, every mistake was fatal.
In addition to the sword, Jason also took a small hammer and tucked it into his belt.
If he ran into any heavy-armored units, that little hammer with its pointed head would definitely give the enemy a nasty shock.
Although Beastmen rarely had heavy-armored units, Jason’s experience told him it was best to carry such things just in case. Seemingly insignificant equipment could end up saving your life.
"Huh? Where’s Jack? Where did Jack go? Doesn’t he usually love boasting with us?" Hans asked after talking with Odin for a while, only then realizing someone was missing.
Listening to the two banter, Captain Jason also realized that he hadn’t heard Jack’s voice today.
Hans glanced over and saw that Jack was already on the wagon, staring off to the east in a daze.
"What’s up? What’s on your mind? Let me guess how many Beastmen you’re planning to cut down? Twenty?" Hans teased.
Jack ignored Hans, his gaze fixed on the east. Hans found it strange and followed his line of sight.
Fifty meters away, an area was brightly lit. There stood several hundred Knights in full plate armor, with hundreds of barded warhorses. Hans knew those were real Knight Lords, just like the lord of his hometown.
It seemed some kind of ceremony was taking place over there. Everyone looked fired up...
As a hunter’s son, Hans had always had sharp eyes, and over a month of fighting in the army had only sharpened them further.
He spotted a young woman with long hair; her small head was a stark contrast to her bulky armor.
Hans recognized her. She was an incredible figure herself. He’d heard she was the daughter of that great lord in the army. Hans had seen the two of them talking and laughing together many times.
Sure enough, the great lord and the young woman shared a brief hug. Hans couldn’t tell what they were saying.
...
Robson was a bit taken aback by Valentino’s sudden embrace. By the time he reacted, she had already let go.
Robson looked at Valentino’s face, which was now slightly flushed.
"Shouldn’t there be a farewell kiss? Aren’t you afraid we might not see each other again?" Robson teased.
Valentino’s face grew redder. Her previous action had been purely spontaneous—she felt it, so she did it. When exactly had that feeling begun? It was a truly profound and mysterious question, one that likely no one in the world could answer.
Robson took the initiative and hugged her.
"Stay safe, Valentino. I wish you well."
"You too, Robson. I wish you well," Valentino said.
After they separated, Valentino, under Robson’s gaze, put on her helmet, leaving only her jade-green eyes visible.
In an instant, the shy young woman transformed into a valiant human Count. The martial prowess of the Franks gave the armored girl an extraordinary, heroic air.
Valentino swung herself onto her horse and positioned herself before her assembled Knights.
By now, the entire Fengman Knight Order had finished equipping themselves. Even the cavalry was arranged in an orderly formation. Seeing their liege lord’s gaze upon them, all the Knights stopped what they were doing.
Valentino raised her Knight’s Sword high, its tip pointing to the sky above the Fengman Knight Order.
"For the King! For the Lord of Dawn! For the great Franks!"
Valentino’s voice, now enhanced with battle aura, was resonant and powerful, ringing with conviction. In that moment, she was the epitome of martial valor.
The Fengman Knights all drew the Knight’s Swords hanging from their saddles and pointed them toward the tip of Valentino’s sword. This was the Sword Salute, a pledge that the Knights would answer their liege’s call and carve a path forward for her, even at the cost of endless sacrifice.
"Fengman! I pledge my blood and honor to you! I answer your call! I will vanquish your sworn enemies!"
"Fengman! I am your sword and shield! A Knight’s loyalty lasts until life’s end!"
"Fengman! I pledge my blood and honor to you! I answer your call! I will vanquish your sworn enemies!"
"Fengman!..."
...
Hans witnessed the entire scene. ’What is blood? What is honor?’
Hans had never learned these words, nor could he comprehend their meaning.
He only knew that the Knight Lords’ roars were powerful and soul-stirring. He even began to feel that perhaps the reason he fought shouldn’t just be for a few stinking silver coins in reward.
Hans looked at Jack, who was still leaning against the edge of the wagon, lost in a trance.
’Is this the knightly spirit Jack is always talking about?’ Hans thought he was beginning to understand why Jack was so obsessed with restoring his family’s name.