Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Dawn Ambush
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Dawn was breaking in the east.
Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!
A deafening bell rang out, and the camp went into full alert.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Form up quickly!"
"W-what's going on?!"
Morgan, who had spent the night in the command tent holding a meeting, rushed out in a panic and looked around.
Ironheart, who followed right after, scanned the surroundings as well, only to freeze solid upon spotting the rear of the camp.
"No... it can't be."
The Caliper forces stationed here had clearly seized a key position. They had built their camp backed against the mountains, dominating the high ground.
Even if they couldn't muster more troops, they held the higher, more defensible terrain.
That was why the opposing Albad forces hadn't dared to attack.
Assaulting up the hills put them at a severe tactical disadvantage.
But this formation, while on high ground, wasn't the absolute peak.
Strictly speaking, the mountainous terrain behind the camp rose even higher.
Still, it hadn't been a major concern, as scout lines blanketed every possible enemy bypass route, allowing them to detect and intercept first. In that case, they could strike the enemy's flanks for a decisive blow.
That was why they hadn't worried about it.
That terrain.
"This... this is impossible...."
Morgan trembled, his lips quivering.
Because two thousand soldiers had now pitched camp in that mountainous zone, looking down on them.
"General! Yussis Goldray's frontal force will soon be in range! It's a coordinated assault!"
The Caliper army, facing pincer attacks from front and rear, began to fall into chaos.
Vice Commander Ironheart hurried to reorganize the troops, but the enemy struck first.
Piping! Arrows rained down from the rear high ground.
The man commanding that guerrilla unit sneered at the flustered Caliper forces.
"Easy. Too easy—it's almost boring."
He was Gillas Melburn, commander of Albad's 2nd Legion and one of their key generals.
"Teacher was right—after Altiore Salleon retired, Caliper became a fangless tiger."
That all-out surprise assault on the northwest front.
It had been a feint.
By drawing attention with that move, they formed a guerrilla unit and sent it south in secret.
This force was a detachment from the 2nd Legion that had raided the northwest front, operating in utmost secrecy.
They had slipped south undetected by exploiting the disruption Yussis's army caused in Caliper's scout lines, then struck from behind.
"Teacher's stratagems are hard to read, but a general must always guard against diversions like east-then-west strikes. Hmph, what can you do? Incompetents die quietly.... William!"
"Yes, sir!"
"That banner you see is the command tent. Concentrate fire and bring it down."
"Understood!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Archers aimed in unison at Morgan's position.
Morgan faced a sky blackened by arrows.
It was the last sight he ever saw.
*
*
*
The Caliper camp in full alert.
I hurried to restore order amid the chaos.
"Don't panic! Calmly raise your shields and block the arrows! Soldiers without shields, take cover behind terrain! The enemy's arrows aren't infinite! Hold out just a little longer, and they'll stop!"
The foe was an army that had marched south in secret. They couldn't have brought heavy supply wagons.
'At most, each soldier has one quiver's worth.'
If they'd spaced it out properly, they might have kept firing for quite a while, but now they were pouring concentrated fire on the command tent area.
I directed the officers while timing the arrow volleys.
"Joshua, restore the unit's communication network quickly! Felix, rally the disordered vanguard! Yussis Goldray's force will attack soon. The vanguard must not collapse easily!"
"Got it!"
"Tch, half dropping the formalities now? Hey, you lot! Watch for arrows and head to the vanguard!"
They didn't argue anymore. Things were unfolding exactly as I'd predicted.
"Fudge bro, gather the wounded and non-combatants like admin troops."
"Got it."
Fudge bro dashed off.
And that's when it happened.
'The arrow barrage is thinning out!'
The volume was visibly dropping.
The concentrated fire had devastated the command tent area, but it had burned through their arrows just as fiercely.
'The enemy just showed an opening.'
If I'd been their commanding general, I'd have stretched out the arrow assault longer. That way, Yussis's main force climbing the mountain would gain more time.
Right now, they'd burned arrows too fast trying to wipe out the general and officers in one go.
This was the gap I could exploit.
"Master, follow me. We'll strike their unguarded flank."
"Right. Ilya Mercenary Corps, advance!"
I charged out with Master's unit, swiftly heading for our target.
Along the way, Master asked,
"Als, I've got a question."
"What is it?"
"How did you know they'd attack at dawn?"
"That? They had no choice."
The enemy had detached a guerrilla unit from the northwest front raiders and sent it south.
The longer they delayed, the higher the risk of detection.
"So they'd use the night for a forced march under cover of darkness. But attacking right on arrival? Still too dark."
"Problem?"
"Night battles are a headache for the attackers too."
Timing the assault precisely is tough.
To sync attacks, you need signals, and at night, only fire works effectively.
But that's glaringly visible, and even then, timing might not match perfectly.
Night ops have too many variables.
"Dawn, though? Easy to pinpoint. Yussis Goldray's army moves first."
"I see...! At daylight, Yussis's movements become visible from the rear terrain too."
"Exactly. So they hid, watched Yussis move first, then timed their attack to match. Perfect pincer sync. The rear force could strike anytime with arrows. Plus, in daylight, they could precisely target the command tent and turn it into a pincushion."
One move hides countless intentions.
Reading them perfectly lets you stand equal and reshape the board.
"But they made a tiny mistake there."
"Tiny mistake?"
"Burning arrows too fast. And because of that... they'll take this unintended counterblow."
Master's mercenaries and I, having circled around the left flank, now held position on the side of Yussis's force climbing to hammer our vanguard.
"We'll break through and sever their waistline like this. That'll shatter their momentum big time."
"Good. Stay back, Als."
"No, I can't leave all the burden on you, Master."
Yulia sis, who can't fight, was here too.
She'd moved to safety for now, but defeat would nullify that. At minimum, I had to prevent a rout.
Swish! I spun my spear and steeled myself.
"Here we go!"
"Ilya Mercenary Corps! Charge!"
Roooar!! The elite mercenaries charged in.
"W-what?!"
"Enemy raid! From the flank! Gahk!"
To Yussis's frontal force, who'd assumed the whole Caliper camp was pinned by arrows, we were a nightmare.
"Haaah!"
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!!
Enemy soldiers pierced through the throat by four lightning strikes, dropping like puppets.
Unlike killing those bandits before, guilt tugged at me, but I knew now wasn't the time.
'Kill or be killed!'
I hardened my heart and kept pushing the breach.
Crunch! It was the sound of Yussis's force—aimed at our vanguard—taking a flank hit, and to Gillas Melburn, the crack in his perfect plan.
"...What the hell is that unit?"
Gillas glared at the scene with otherworldly eyes.
A force stabbing into the flank of Yussis's unit ascending the hill.
Just around 500 strong, but devastatingly effective.
Since Yussis's army was climbing the slope, our side insertion caused troops to tumble down the incline, throwing their formation into massive disarray.
Gillas, who never dreamed Caliper had such secrecy after the arrow barrage, felt clubbed from behind.
"Did they spot Teacher's ploy and prepare a counter, luring our raid to strike back?"
Letting the raid in on purpose, then flipping it.
That would fit perfectly.
"No, impossible."
The enemy's troops were genuinely in chaos.
The arrow strike had wiped out all high officers, crippling command.
No one sacrifices their top brass just for that gambit.
"So it's some rogue unit acting independently.... Damn, was rushing the arrows the mistake?"
Who could've exploited that tiny slip?
Gillas swiftly admitted his failure and planned countermeasures.
"This is dangerous. Very dangerous."
Ultimately, Albad's main force was Yussis Goldray's 10,000 atop the hill.
Without them reaching the top, they couldn't take this position.
"Eliminate them before the enemy reforms."
Now it was a speed battle.
Gillas led all two thousand down the mountain, launching a swift rear assault on the Caliper camp.
*
*
*
"Haat!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Albad soldiers collapsing like scarecrows, throats pierced.
Drenched in enemy blood, I fought nausea and scanned around.
'Good—waistline perfectly severed!'
For an enemy climbing the hill, this split would delay their next push massively.
By then, reforming the vanguard tilts the battle sharply our way.
They had more troops, but terrain still favored us.
"Master! Enemy vanguard's turning tail! Time to withdraw! Stay longer, and we'll be isolated!"
Master, dancing through foes like a sword-and-spear ballerina, nodded at my signal.
"I'll clear the path!"
Master sheathed his sword, gripped his spear two-handed.
I synced and punched through to the far side, escaping the field.
"Huff! Huff!"
"You're wiped out, Boss Ilya!"
Breaking from the frontal fray, the trailing mercenaries collapsed in exhaustion.
I addressed them.
"Hang in just a bit more. The rear army's about to hit our main camp. Repel that, and we end this battle."
"...."
The mercenaries eyed me strangely.
One couldn't hold back.
"But who the hell are you, man? Face is new. Calling Ilya 'Master' means you're acquainted, though."
"I'm...."
I wore the hawk-shaped helmet Mother had given me.
Sleek design fully hid my face.
No plans to reveal myself publicly. Fame here could derail the story I knew.
Traitors might spot and target me early.
So even Chester-style spear-sword was sealed; just one spear.
"Just a mercenary like you guys. Call me Wade. Learned spearmanship from Ilya in the past."
"Wade? Don't recall that name in the corps."
"New recruit recently. Anyway, that's enough rest. Moving out now."
"Not even a proper break! Damn, you're rough."
Grumbling but following steadily—the mercenaries.
Tougher than regulars, battle-hardened, their morale held through grueling marches.