Chapter 177
Chapter 177
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: Splendidly Like Flames (4)
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We had been moving stealthily along the valley for quite some time when dusk began to thicken the air.
The rangers who had scouted ahead from the main force returned with their report: beyond those ridges lay the Imperial Army's encampment.
"They haven't heard from the other units yet, so the guards weren't all that strict."
I raised my hand quietly at the ranger squad leader's report.
"Halt here for a moment."
Arwen nodded and quietly wheeled her horse to face the rear of the column.
"Full halt."
"Everyone stop."
"Hold position."
Her orders were relayed by the unit commanders to the troops, and a brief commotion arose as men and horses came to a stop.
But since everyone knew we were on a surprise attack, the disturbance was minimal.
Thousands of horses panted heavily, their sweat-soaked riders awaiting my command.
Part of me wanted to keep charging straight into the battlefield, but both the horses and riders needed rest.
"Take a short break."
The commanders murmured my order in low voices.
"Full rest."
"Rest at your discretion."
"Take a breather."
The riders dismounted in a rush, resting in their own ways.
"Ugh, I'm dying!"
"Never thought I'd play cavalry in my life. Gonna keel over."
The rangers flopped onto the ground haphazardly and started snoring almost immediately.
"Rest in whatever position's comfortable."
"Anyone with horse issues, report it."
The central troops were less sloppy than the rangers but still sprawled out on the ground to shake off their fatigue all the same.
"Whoa, whoa. Good boy."
"Hang in there just a bit longer."
The knights stood ramrod straight, tending to their mounts or checking gear.
They showed some fatigue, but their fighting spirit burned even brighter.
Everyone was performing beyond my expectations.
Honestly, I hadn't anticipated the central troops and knights keeping up this well—rangers aside.
As I watched them with a swell of pride, a strange pulsation caught my attention.
I turned toward its source.
Far ahead, beyond the ridge, the night sky flickered bright then dark repeatedly.
Rumble.
A faint thunderclap followed a beat later.
Snap.
The rangers, sprawled out snoring, bolted upright. The central troops froze mid-stretch. The knights gazed at the flashing sky while inspecting their horses and gear.
"Looks like they've begun."
Arwen, who had slipped to the rear, returned and spoke to me.
I looked up again, taking in the sky beyond the ridge.
To distant onlookers, the sky alternating between day and night was merely awe-inspiring and mystical. But to the Imperial troops right beneath it, it was nothing short of a nightmare catastrophe.
Those were the magical blasts erupting as warlocks, paired with wyvern knights, rained destruction on the ground.
"Waking them from a sweet sleep with thunderbolts? That'll snap them awake."
Ilai, who had snuck up—god knows when—muttered a quiet condolence for the Imperial troops, who must have been catching a quick nap after the long march.
"Time for us to move again soon."
At my words, the commanders began urging the troops as if they'd been waiting.
"Prep to move! Anyone still glued to the dirt, what the hell?"
"Hurry up! You wanna scrounge scraps left by the wyvern knights again?"
The column buzzed with activity in an instant.
"Count Branburg."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The central domain lord, who had been awaiting my orders, dropped to one knee before me.
"Take the Iron Hawks and Ballerhard rangers up that hill. Be ready to loose arrows the moment the signal drops."
"It shall be done without a hitch."
Count Branburg led the Iron Hawk archers and rangers away from the main force.
"Ehrim Kiringger."
"Your Highness."
"Take the Iron Lions and heavy infantry to the hillside and hold."
A hundred Iron Lions and mounted heavy infantry charged toward the hill.
"Arwen. Lead the light infantry to the opposite hill."
"As Your Highness commands!"
Arwen saluted with her sword to her chest and departed with the light infantry.
"Ilai. Take Dawn, Daybreak, Twilight, and Silver Fox to the flank."
Ilai led the knights, including the Gawain trio, away.
All that remained were the central cavalry I'd gathered, the Black Spear Cavalry, and the Winter Knights.
"We charge straight in the moment the warlocks' bombing stops."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"Let's go."
The one-eyed cavalry captain and knights roared fiercely and spurred their mounts.
I led them up the hill overlooking the Imperial encampment.
Boom! Boom!
The distant blasts grew louder.
"Whoa, whoa. Easy."
After soothing our horses, excited by the ground-shaking shockwaves, we pressed on for a while. At last, we crested the hill with a full view of the battlefield.
"A living hell."
Tents engulfed in flames spread fire rapidly as soldiers, ablaze from head to toe, ran chaotically.
A few units still clinging to order scurried to extinguish the blaze, but they were few.
Most Imperial troops just flailed in panic, fleeing the inferno.
Acrid smoke stung my nose, screams of fire-wrapped soldiers piercing my ears.
Hand on my sword hilt, I waited calmly for the moment.
Rumble. Thud.
The relentless blasts began to taper off.
"Prepare."
I raised my hand and lowered my visor.
Clank.
A dull metallic sound rang out as my vision narrowed through the slit.
Beyond it, the world was a sea of red.
"Hoo."
Battle loomed. Excitement and tension flooded my body.
I reined in my pounding heart and steadied my breath.
My heightened battle lust and heated breaths filled the helm in an instant.
I wanted to spew the pent-up heat right then.
But I forced down the thrill and bided my time.
Waiting for the blasts to fully cease. For the sky's flashes to vanish completely.
And finally, the moment arrived.
Rooooar.
In the void left by blasts and light, a colossal aura began to rise.
An overwhelming presence that made my skin prickle.
The savage king of the heavens was about to descend upon the earth.
"Hoo."
I drew a deep breath.
Before the sky knights arrived. Before the Dotrin royal family's monster devoured the Imperials whole.
I expelled the deep breath.
"Charge!"
Packed with boiling fervor.
In my mind, I chanted the war poem endlessly.
『Snow-capped mountains, frozen valleys, blood-soaked walls silent as the grave,』
『Only the dawn's advance horn echoes through.』
Boom. Boom...
S-save me...
Remion, a light infantryman of the 92nd Legion, cracked his eyes open groggily to faint noises.
Boom!
A ear-shattering explosion hit right then.
"Wh-what?!"
Startled, Remion bolted from his tent. No sooner had he emerged than something crashed onto it.
Boom!
The tent collapsed in the blast.
Whoosh.
Flames erupted. Soldiers who hadn't escaped burned as they stumbled out.
"Gaaah!"
"S-save me!"
Remion stared blankly. No time even to think of rescuing comrades.
"Wh-what is this..."
Everywhere was an inferno.
The entire camp had become a hell of fire.
As he gawked, something fell from the sky again.
Boom!
Screams cut off mid-plea amid flying embers.
Remion turned to see charred corpses.
Comrades who'd joked in the tent moments ago.
No sorrow.
He couldn't even comprehend what was happening.
Remion stood frozen, staring at the flames.
Ding-ding-ding!
The enemy attack alarm rang belatedly.
"Enemy!"
Soldiers and knights poured out, yelling wildly.
"Grab swords! Prepare for attack!"
"Put out the fire first!"
Officers bellowed.
Snapping to, Remion snatched a sword from the dirt.
"Extinguish the fire first! You wanna burn the whole camp?!"
An officer yelled at him.
Remion couldn't decide: fight or fight fire?
So he just flailed about uselessly.
Other soldiers milled in confusion from mixed orders.
"Stop panicking! Head to the camp outskirts first!"
A knight in ornate armor spotted him and barked.
"I-I can't tell directions in this blaze!"
"Idiot! Follow me!"
The knight turned. Remion followed.
"Follow me!"
The knight rallied panicked troops as he ran.
Remion alone at first, the group swelled to dozens.
"What the hell's going on?!"
"How should I know? Dotrin Kingdom scum, probably!"
"Damn them!"
The huddled soldiers chattered loudly.
With comrades around, Remion's fogged mind cleared a bit.
He eyed the knight ahead.
Steadfast amid chaos, trustworthy.
Follow him, and I'll live.
So he clung desperately, fearing to lag.
But it was futile.
Screeeee!
A chilling whoosh, and his body flew.
"Uh..."
His mind cleared as he hit the ground.
Ears rung from blast trauma; sounds muffled.
Better that way—no screams or booms to dizzy him.
Thinking so, he struggled up.
Balance wrecked, but he managed.
Ah...
Finally seeing around, Remion despaired.
A plate-armored knight writhed on the ground, red-hot. Remion rushed, prying at armor joints.
"Knight!"
He seized the helm.
Sizzle.
Flesh-searing stench, agony like fingers melting—but he fought to save his guide out of hell.
"Knight! Hold on! I'll... I'll!"
Fumbling blindly at straps, he finally yanked off the helm.
"Uh..."
Inside: only a blackened horror. Thrashing had ceased.
Splat.
Remion stumbled back, falling on his rear.
"Agh!"
Blistered palms screamed then. As he wailed, surroundings sank in.
Lightly armored infantry lay twisted, limbs torn, rolling on ground—unlike the knight.
"This is a nightmare!"
Kicking back in horror, something gripped his ankle.
He wrenched his neck around creakily.
"S-save... please."
A half-melted face oozed tears or pus.
"H-heek! Let go!"
The hand tore free without resistance.
Remion staggered up and ran.
Toward cooler spots. Instinct drove him on.
At last, he reached the unburnt camp edge.
"I-I lived..."
Before joy, earth-shaking hooves thundered.
"Ah..."
Remion stared blankly at the distant hill.
Over a thousand cavalry charged down.
Not friendlies.
Their lead banner: crouching lion of the enemy kingdom.
Thud-thud-thud.
The cavalry fanned out flawlessly. Remion scanned for cover.
None.
He gripped his sword with burned hands.
"I-I didn't come here to die like this!"
He'd dreamed of cutting down kingdom rabble, joining victory parade, claiming that woman, striking rich. Maybe even rising high on luck.
"I won't die. Never!"
Visions of glory fueled his grip.
Dum-dum-dum!
Advance drums.
"Outta the way!"
He dodged instinctively as endless troops surged from camp.
Singed and filthy, but proud Imperial knights.
"Pikemen! Spears up!!"
Pikemen past him slammed 3-meter spears' butts down, tips aimed downhill.
He chuckled at his earlier bravado.
"Saved now."
Relief washed over him. Imperials would smash that handful of cavalry.
But faith shattered fast.
Tweeeee!
A sharp whistle from the flank hill; an arrow flew.
Toot!
Trumpet belatedly.
Swish-swish-swish.
Arrow storm poured on pikemen.
"Gaaah!"
Pikemen toppled like dominoes.
Then the vanguard hit.
No screams, no clash.
Slice.
Just flesh parting.
That alone.
Thud-thud.
Phalanx became headless corpses. Spears severed, rolling.
"Kingdom paladins!"
Imperial knights behind screamed.
Beyond them burst radiant gold and dawn-blue flashes.
That was Remion's last memory.
One infantryman's rise-or-die dream ended, body riddled by arrows.