Chapter 112: Mock Battle
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 112: Mock Battle
Sir Gale was by no means an easy opponent. Jin, who had been tasked with investigating my tournament rival, had summed him up as such.
‘The man who did the most to make the current king.’
A commander whose military insight and strategy had brought the king countless victories.
As if to prove this was no empty reputation, his soldiers moved with perfect discipline.
The infantry was divided into three units and arranged in a line. They were uniformly armed with spears, a formation that looked ideal for stopping a cavalry charge.
He knows the cavalry is the key.
According to the rules of the mock battle, we only had five cavalrymen—not even twenty percent of our total force.
Considering that twenty to thirty percent was the optimal ratio, our cavalry might have seemed weak. In reality, it was the exact opposite.
A dense formation was necessary to stop cavalry. But the mock battle only permitted a force of thirty men. And what’s more, all the cavalrymen were knights.
If anything, the stage was set for us to make the most of our cavalry.
“The cavalry that broke off to the right will decide the battle,” Zant commented.
“If we charge, they’ll try to use their cavalry to split our formation down the middle, won’t they? They’ll sow chaos, then surround us with their infantry to finish us off. A classic encirclement and annihilation tactic,” Piole added, chiming in from my other side.
My response was simple.
“Dense formation! Form a wedge!”
It was a pyramid formation, with me and the cavalry at the apex.
“You’re just going to smash right into them? The casualties will be huge.”
“This is a mock battle.”
“Ah, right.”
Piole laughed sheepishly.
I didn’t think she was wrong to point it out. It was just proof of how accustomed she was to real war.
“Besides, the shock will be that much greater when a seemingly reckless charge succeeds.”
“You… you’re really pissed, aren’t you?”
Piole grinned as if she knew everything.
Meanwhile, the stands had grown so noisy that we could hear them even from this distance.
“Look at that—is he really planning to just charge in like an idiot?”
“The difference in speed between the cavalry and infantry will break his formation! They’ll be picked off one by one!”
“Hahaha. Such country bumpkins. They don’t know the first thing about strategy or tactics!”
“They called him the Undefeated Knight? Tsk, what an empty title.”
“I guess that sort of thing works on the hicks in the south. Hahaha.”
Even the king’s face was etched with deep disappointment.
Despite hearing all the ridicule, my knights and mercenaries were all unfazed.
Those who have witnessed a miracle firsthand do not have their faith shaken by the words of others.
I raised my sword to give a final boost to their morale.
“Just remember one thing! The slow ones don’t get a single damn coin! Charge!”
No other words were needed.
I spurred my horse forward without a second thought.
“Look at him! He’s really charging headfirst!”
“This will be an easy victory for Sir Gale. For the first match to be so anticlimactic…”
The crowd’s jeers grew louder.
Just as they’d said, the speed difference between the cavalry and infantry began to split our formation.
I could see the incredulous look on Sir Gale’s face. He must have found it hilarious that he was reaping the benefits of deploying his cavalry without even having to move them.
Still, like the veteran commander he was, he quickly composed himself and responded.
“Form a dense line at the center! We’ll deal with the cavalry first!”
He merged two of his three infantry units, concentrating them in the center. The remaining unit spread out wide to the left and right.
It was a formation that clearly revealed his intent: block the charge with a dense line, then encircle and annihilate us.
“Their cavalry is flanking! They’re trying to hit us from behind!” Piole shouted, pointing at the enemy cavalry swinging around. Only she, with her godlike horsemanship, could speak so clearly while riding at full gallop.
Sir Gale intended to crush us quickly before turning to deal with our infantry.
I pulled out my war hammer and pointed it at the enemy.
Nothing changes.
I felt a little sorry for the mercenaries, but they wouldn’t be getting any spoils from this fight. It would be over before their turn ever came.
“Raise spears! Raise spears!”
The enemy infantrymen held their spears upright. Though the tips were blunted with cloth and cotton, their sheer length was threatening enough.
But my horse, who had charged across battlefields with me for two years now, did not hesitate. It knew I would protect it.
And I did.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud—
As our charge continued unabated, the enemy soldiers faltered. Their spear tips wavered, and my horse cleverly exploited the gaps that appeared.
I swung my war hammer, knocking away the remaining threatening spear shafts. Once I was inside the range of their spears, it was easy.
The soldier was quite well-trained, judging by how he immediately tried to draw his sidearm sword.
But my war hammer reached his helmet first.
The full-force blow sent the soldier’s neck spinning around like a toy.
Needless to say, it was an instant kill.
“Wh-What…!”
In a mock battle, with blades dulled and impacts cushioned by cotton and cloth, deaths were rare.
They had never expected such a grotesque end.
The faces of the dead soldier’s comrades filled with bewilderment. They should have been trying to block my war hammer in that moment.
CRACK!
Swinging upward like an uppercut, my war hammer slammed into another soldier’s face.
The soldier’s head popped clean off, like a Lego figure’s. The dangling spine that came with it was a sight worthy of a horror film.
“Hiiiek—!”
At the sight of such a bizarre death, the enemy soldiers instinctively stumbled back.
But there was no paradise where they fled. The allied cavalry charging in behind me began to trample the faltering enemy infantry.
“You bastard—!”
An enemy knight who had been embedded within the infantry line rushed toward me. He had been waiting for my speed to drop while I dealt with the soldiers, and now he made his move.
My horse was as cunning as the knight. As the man targeted it, my mount reared up on its hind legs, a threatening display.
The knight, startled, reeled back.
I didn’t miss the opening my horse had created and swung my war hammer.
The knight tried to block it with a horizontal slash, but the force behind my hammer pushed his sword aside and struck its intended target—his helmet.
“Guuh—”
The helmet caved in as if struck by a cannonball. The knight wearing it couldn’t possibly have survived.
He collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, an anticlimactic end for a knight.
“Sir Beringaran!”
Sir Gale’s cry, which was almost a scream, echoed across the battlefield. It was his mistake. Thanks to him, I had pinpointed his exact location.
“Hiyah!”
“Protect Sir Gale!”
The enemy seemed to have realized I was targeting their commander. The knights interspersed among the infantry hurriedly gathered in front of Sir Gale.
“You cur! I’ll be your opponent from here on out!”
“I’ll join you!”
Two knights closed in from either side. Their target was my horse, a clear attempt to stop me from getting any closer to Sir Gale.
My mount wasn’t physically exceptional, but its unique cleverness had been a great help to me.
It would be a shame to lose it here, so I kicked off the saddle and leaped down. As I landed, I smashed the skull of the knight who had been swinging his sword at my horse’s legs.
“Keuk—”
My clever horse, realizing its job was done, fled to a corner of the arena. Leaving my mount behind, I ran toward the remaining knight.
“Bastard! Don’t expect me to go down as easily as Sir Geshod!”
The knight swung his sword lightly. He likely intended to use his superior reach to keep me at bay and look for an opening.
“You’re mistaken.”
How could he keep me in check with a dulled sword? The sight of his comrades dying must have made him think this was a real battle.
Instead of retreating, I advanced with my round shield held high. I used the protruding iron boss in the center to deflect his sword outward, then swung my war hammer.
My weapon was also wrapped in cloth and cotton, but the superhuman strength behind it was more than enough to inflict a fatal blow.
“N-No—”
The horizontal swing of the war hammer struck the knight’s face. For a moment, his face exploded as if a bomb had gone off.
“Heok—!”
The knights standing guard in front of Sir Gale, who had been watching me, gasped.
Noticing that the cloth wrapped around my hammer’s head had torn, I tossed the weapon aside. It was still usable, but I didn’t want to be accused of cheating.
Instead, I picked up the dulled sword of a dead enemy knight and charged toward the remaining knights.
“Stall him!”
The last two knights, their faces tense, tried to block my path.
Just then, I heard the sound of hooves behind me.
“Leave them to us!”
It was Zant and Piole.
Behind them, I could see the enemy cavalry desperately spurring their horses on to save Sir Gale. It seemed the outcome of the mock battle was no longer their concern.
“I’m counting on you.”
I cut through the space between the knights and rushed toward Sir Gale. Two knights tried to stop me, but thanks to Zant and Piole engaging them at the perfect moment, I was able to come face-to-face with him.
“You madman… was this the leadership you spoke of?”
Sir Gale raised his sword and shield, an incredulous look on his face.
I tossed my shield aside and gripped my sword with both hands.
“Strategy and tactics are nothing more than tricks to compensate for a lack of power. They’re meaningless in the face of strength that can overwhelm everything.”
This was my way of saying it.
My very existence was a tactic in itself.
“…I suppose I have to admit that. But I won’t go down easily!”
“No hard feelings. Truly.”
Sir Gale brought his shield forward. Having witnessed my power, he likely intended to rely on his shield to bide his time and look for an opportunity.
It soon became clear that this was a miscalculation. A kick, carrying all the momentum of my charge, sent him flying into the air.
“Keoheok—”
He landed on his back, and the impact must have been severe, as he could only flail about, unable to get up easily.
I slowly approached him.
“Enough! Stop!”
King Bronx II’s harsh voice boomed from behind me. I ignored it and raised my sword like an executioner lifting his axe.
I swung it down immediately, planning to feign that I hadn’t heard him over the chaotic noise from the crowd.
“You crazy—!”
Sir Gale hastily dropped his sword and raised his shield with both hands.
That wise decision saved him. The shield shattered into pieces, absorbing the impact. Even so, enough force remained to strike his shoulder and upper chest…
“Keuk—”
But what mattered was that he was alive. I was raising my sword again to finish him off when it happened.
Bwoooo—
The horn signaling the end of the match blew. I glanced over and saw Bronx II haranguing the match official.
“It seems it’s not your time to die.”
I thrust the sword into the ground between Sir Gale’s shoulder and head. The blunted blade sank halfway into the earth as if cutting through tofu. His pale face was reflected on the sword’s flat.
I turned and looked back at the path I had carved. Our infantry, having arrived late, was surrounding the remnants of the enemy force.
Zant and Piole hadn't held back either, as the ground was littered with enemy corpses. The knights, in particular, had suffered heavy losses.
Sir Gale, the head of House Stormwood, was seriously injured, and more than half of his ten knights were dead. He could never have imagined suffering such a blow in a mere mock battle.
I widened my gaze.
The people who had been criticizing and mocking us before the match were now struck dumb.
King Bronx II’s face, in particular, was flushed red. His hands, gripping the railing tightly, were trembling.
Why? Not the scene you were hoping for?
I grinned and raised a clenched fist.
“Waaaah—!”
A roar of cheers erupted, and the frozen moment in time began to flow again.
In the commotion, my clever horse, which had fled to a corner of the arena, sidled up to me and snorted.
“You little…”
It truly was a cunning animal. As soon as I mounted, the match official approached, looking nervous.
“Sir Allen. His Majesty wishes to see you.”
“Understood.”
The king was in the viewing box with the best view.
As I rode my horse along the edge of the arena closest to the stands, the cheers grew even louder. Handkerchiefs rained down from all directions, thrown by noblewomen and their daughters.
The festive atmosphere lasted only until I was before the king.
“Did you not hear my command?”
Bronx II glared down at me fiercely. His eyes were bulging, as if he wanted to devour me whole.
Feigning innocence, I glanced around.
“Did you say something, Your Majesty? It was so loud that I’m afraid I did not hear you.”
King Bronx II’s face hardened.
It seemed my performance hadn’t been enough. If he had recognized me as a serious threat, he wouldn’t be acting like this.
“I did not realize this was what you meant by the leadership you were so confident in.”
“I believe leadership is the ability to achieve a military objective. Simply commanding soldiers well is but one aspect of it.”
“That’s sophistry. Your feats were only possible because this was a mock battle. You cannot face an army of hundreds or thousands alone.”
“That would be the standard for ordinary men, Your Majesty.”
King Bronx II’s face twisted in anger.
“Your words have thorns. Do you truly intend to oppose me?”
I found his victim act laughable. To react so sensitively to what was done to him, without a thought for how he had treated me.
The only way to deal with people like him is to give them a taste of their own medicine. Only then will they realize what they’ve done wrong.
“I will continue to strive to meet Your Majesty’s expectations.”
With that warning that this would not be the last time, I withdrew. I could feel the king’s glare burning into my back.
Meanwhile, the nobles who had been watching us began to murmur.
“I thought he was the king’s knight…”
“Isn’t that what everyone thought? Didn’t he accompany the princess at the last banquet?”
“Isn’t there a rumor he’s marrying Count Dresden’s daughter? Perhaps he’s with the Dresdens, not the king.”
The third opinion gained traction because Count Dresden himself was waiting for me in the ready room.
I was able to recognize him thanks to Erik, who was stuck to his side. The father and son looked as alike as two peas in a pod.
“You are even more impressive than what Erik told me.”
He offered his hand with a warm smile. I stared down at it for a moment before meeting his eyes again.
“I believe you have something to say to me before we start with pleasantries.”
It was his fault that his eldest son, Aron, had conspired with the king to stab me in the back.