Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Northern Conquest Battle (5)
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Armored knights pierced the enemy lines like a wedge, carving deep wounds into their ranks, with the infantry following to rip those gaps wide open.
This was an incredibly straightforward method of attack, but before the advent of guns and gunpowder weapons, it was the most common tactic used across both East and West.
It was a strategy that proved highly effective in securing victories in war.
The only reason I hadn't employed it so far was that the size and deployment of the forces under my command hadn't suited it.
Deep down, I had always wanted to give it a try at least once.
"To smash these barbarian scum using a classic tactic fused with a surprise assault, and to plan and lead it myself... I'm one lucky bastard."
I truly believed that.
Because it meant I could wipe out these vile barbarians cleanly with a strategy of my own design.
In other wars, I sometimes felt a pang after killing soldiers, but with these monstrous criminals who had committed atrocities beyond measure, as long as I didn't go overboard with torture, it was justice served.
With those thoughts in mind, I charged alongside the knights, thundering past our own lines toward the barbarians.
"The 4th Division! The 4th is here to support us!"
"They're done for! Push them back!"
"Long live the Reich Empire! Long live His Imperial Majesty the Emperor! Long live the reinforcements!"
For the infantry from Ludwig's main force, who were locked in the early stages of melee while their archers rained arrows nonstop, the sight of a large formation bearing the 4th Division's banner charging to strike the enemy must have been an exhilarating rush.
After all, they had just been getting shredded by enemy infantry who slyly avoided close combat. Now, with our "reinforcements" arriving, the tide would turn—they could finally crush the enemy who could no longer flee.
"The 4th Division's reserves are here to back us up! Command thinks we've already won!"
"We've practically sealed the victory! Just a bit more effort!"
"Kill the barbarians! Don't let the 4th Division show us up!"
Those were probably the shouts from the majors and higher officers.
And no doubt, they were thinking something like this:
'Damn it, no matter how you slice it, up until now we've been dead even against Ludwig's army. We had no spare forces for reinforcements—how the hell did they show up?'
'I didn't hear anything about a full division arriving in a stalemate like this at the strategy meeting.'
Still, with the experience and skill that had gotten them through the Reich Army's brutal promotion wars, they figured as long as reinforcements were a boon, it didn't matter how they came— no downside.
So they'd cheer first and ask questions later.
Once the war ended and they learned our regiment had gotten pre-approval from Count Venner to pose as a division and charge in silently?
They'd be stunned.
"Arrows! They're shooting at us from all sides!"
"Head down, eyes on the ground! Grip your spear and run if you don't wanna die!"
"Squeeze out every last drop of strength and charge! Ram right through 'em!"
With arrows starting to fly, our distance to the enemy was roughly 100 to 200 meters.
Which meant the knights were about to slam into them with their massive frames and lances.
After sprinting like that for about two minutes, the arrows coming straight at us suddenly stopped.
I looked up to see around a hundred knights turning the enemy lines into a total wasteland.
"Knights? Shit!"
"Spare me! I've always hated dying. Right now, I desperately wanna live."
"My arm's gone. Am I dead now?"
Ahead, the knights in perfect wedge formation were mincing Ludwig's pathetic infantry into hamburger or skewering them like human kebabs with their lances.
As a result, human blood, chunks of flesh, and severed limbs began flying freely across our battlefield.
The rusty iron tang of blood mixed with its fishy stench grew thick in the air.
Having successfully punctured the enemy's gap with a fierce initial assault, our knights avoided blocking the infantry's path. They swiftly drew their war maces mid-charge and swung them as they withdrew.
Even from afar, every mace swing claimed at least one victim—sometimes two or three unfortunates at once.
"The knights are pulling back through the gaps between our infantry units!"
"Leave the rest to the division commander and infantry—fall back!"
The knights retreated smoothly to the rear, threshing enemy heads and bones like grain with their cavalry maces, without a single enemy soldier hindering them.
The enemy infantry plunged into utter chaos.
"Save me! Save me! I don't wanna die yet!!"
"Calm down and grab your spears! Damn it, if you don't wanna die, stand up, grip your spear, and advance!"
"Screw that—standing there with a spear just means a dog's death..."
In this mess, the officers—guys who looked like enemy commanders—drew their swords and desperately tried to reorganize the troops for battle.
They hacked down any idiots trying to flee or too slow to grab a spear or pitchfork and face us.
Despite their frantic efforts to rebuild their lines, the distance between us, their shattered forces, and our supporting infantry was now about 50 meters.
That meant we'd clash in roughly ten seconds.
Right on cue, the covering fire from our mages and crossbowmen began, supporting the spear- and mace-wielding infantry in the melee.
Hundreds of arrows and spells streaked out, and the enemy's already crumbling left flank collapsed entirely.
"Good! 1st Battalion! Grip your weapons and smash through!!"
"Long live the division commander! Long live the Reich Empire! Long live Lord Deus!"
"Don't lose your nerve! Cowards die first!"
And so we charged the enemy. I gripped a soldier's spear tight and sprinted toward the foe in front of me.
Aiming at the enemy's throat, I thrust the spear and pierced the wretched barbarian.
"...Monster. A monster appeared. We're all dead!"
"Regroup the unit! Calm down and get back to your positions—grab your spears!"
"You worthless worms! Get your heads straight. Lose here, and you're all dead!"
But even those shouting officers and commanders met their end at the hands of our surging soldiers and officers.
Witnessing that, a few enemy troops bellowed:
"The enemy's got ten thousand at least! A huge army. We're done for. Aaaah!"
"Lord Ludwig, Lord Ludwig—send reinforcements!"
"S-spare me! I'll do anything you say!"
No matter how they begged, none of us—not me or anyone else—would show mercy to these heathens and heinous criminals.
With that, all of us, myself included, went berserk like demons, riding the momentum to kill one more bastard.
And like Laura had once done, I—as regiment commander—drew my sword and took the vanguard, declaring:
"Your division commander leads from the front! At the victory feast, any soldier or officer with fewer barbarian kills than me gets guard duty! Fight like you're ready to die!"
Something I wouldn't normally do unless we were in dire straits.
But with thousands—no, they thought we had about eight thousand—soldiers charging full tilt.
In their eyes, eight thousand troops were bearing down with unstoppable momentum.
In a situation where the enemy was gripped by fear and couldn't reform, even leading the breakthrough was relatively safe.
Human survival instincts made it hard for anyone but the boldest to thrust a blade at foes charging with such ferocity.
If it were easy, why would I have drilled the infantry to hell and back?
Thinking it was just doing what needed to be done, I naturally advanced—slashing throats or stabbing hearts of every enemy in my path.
"Protect the division commander! We have to guard him!"
"The division commander's at the front! Throw away your lives!"
"Swing those maces right! Kill at least one per swing!"
With our commanders' and soldiers' morale piercing the heavens, we plunged deep into the enemy lines in no time.
Back in the Bisocia campaign, I'd have pushed further to nab their overall commander.
But not knowing where their top commander was, charging blindly deeper risked encirclement once they regrouped by barbarian infantry.
Time to pull back.
"That coward Ludwig must've fled in fear of us! So leave the gutless rat cowering and withdraw for now!"
With that, at the perfect moment, we struck another gap, inflicted maximum damage on the way in—and on the way out, we smashed more dazed barbarian skulls.
As I pondered our next move and scanned the surroundings, it was clear our silent charge tactic had been devastatingly effective.
Ludwig's army was getting completely pushed back by our Northern Army.
We had seized the advantage, and our "silent charge" had decisively shifted the war's momentum—earning us massive credit.
But this war, prepared over years, wouldn't end with just this.
"All units, return to reserve positions. Then we'll watch for the next opening."