Chapter 92
Chapter 92
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Decapitation Strike
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Caliper army, which had been marching since dawn, reached the foothills of the Delston Mountains before noon.
"Units, move to your positions!"
At Delbadova's command, the troops took their places.
The key strongholds in the Delston Mountains this time were three locations.
The northwest highlands, the northern highlands, and the northeast highlands.
To strike these three points simultaneously, the Caliper army deployed 8,000 on the left flank, 4,000 in the center, and 4,000 on the right flank.
"Hoo!"
Delbadova took a deep breath.
Though the troop numbers were even, the terrain heavily favored the enemy. Whether they could turn that into victory rested entirely on him, the supreme commander.
"There is no time to hesitate. All forces, advance!"
With a roar, the Caliper army penetrated into the mountains.
Barrett, the commander of the Western army, sneered at the sight.
"Come on up. I'll turn this mountain into your grave."
He didn't even consider defeat.
This wasn't arrogance. There simply wasn't a single element that could lead to defeat.
He was confident that, barring any unforeseen variables, the Delston Mountains could never be breached, especially since they wouldn't lose in tactical combat.
"General! The Caliper army is quickly striking and climbing the right stronghold!"
It was the highlands on the left from Caliper's perspective, but the right from the West's.
Barrett chuckled, as if he had expected it.
"They're trying to seize the highlands quickly and utilize their archers, huh? What a boring choice. Respond as planned!"
However, the Caliper army's momentum was too fierce to brush off lightly.
Having committed fully half their forces to that point, they aimed for a breakthrough, charging swiftly toward the highlands.
"They're going for an all-or-nothing gamble. I like the base, but it's a foolish move."
The moment the Caliper army, which needed to attack all three strongholds, overcommitted to the left, their army's balance crumbled.
Barrett had no intention of playing along with their intentions.
If they focused on one spot, he could simply push down from the other areas.
He sent his central and left forces downward to attack the Caliper army's center and right flanks.
If the center and right couldn't advance, even seizing the left highlands would be meaningless.
"This ends it. You continent's fools."
Even seizing the left highlands wouldn't be easy.
The Caliper forces heading up encountered a massive obstacle.
The Caliper army swiftly broke through and headed for the northwest highlands.
This highland was a flat open area without trees, cleared by merchants to create a cart path.
Thus, it was an ideal spot to position archers.
Delbadova, gasping for breath as he reached the highland, gritted his teeth at the sight of the Western troops already in position.
"They got here first after all…!"
The enemy captain, Fisher Partin, called out to Delbadova.
"You've made it this far quite admirably. I'll praise your spirit."
"You're that spearman from before. I heard from the prisoners. Hanenman's Five Dragons or Yellow Dragon or something. Anyway, a flashy name for show."
"Hah, I think such grandiose names are unnecessary myself. Being a single warrior is enough. I am Fisher Partin. State your name, baldy."
"Delbadova Rguin."
Soon after, Caliper's officers followed him up.
Cadets including Ruan and Kesfer, along with Delbadova's aides.
They burned with fighting spirit at the sight of Fisher. Partly to avenge past humiliations, but above all, to claim military merit.
With numerical superiority on Caliper's side, now was the perfect moment to capture Fisher.
"General! Give the order!"
At Ruan's spirited shout, Delbadova pointed the tip of his axe blade at the enemy.
"Charge! Create space for the archers to position!"
"Uooooh!"
The soldiers from both sides tangled chaotically, beginning to slaughter each other.
With no trees in the area, a fierce melee unfolded.
"Hup!"
Boom boom boom! Fisher swung his spear like a possessed man, severing soldiers' necks. Blood sprayed wherever his spear passed.
"Is that all you've got!"
"Your opponent is me! Raaah!"
Delbadova swung his two-handed axe with mighty force. Even Fisher had no thought of blocking it head-on.
"Good power, but…!"
Clang! He angled his spear shaft to deflect the attack, then aimed for the openings in Delbadova's guard. But Ruan Chase's sword strike from the side forced him to retreat.
"You won't escape like last time! Haaah!"
"Hmph! All talk!"
Fisher now faced a pincer attack. Kesfer and Delbadova's aides joined in, focusing their assault on him.
As all of them were aura users, Fisher couldn't afford to underestimate them.
"Protect the captain!"
"Kill them all!"
Fisher's aides rushed to defend him, igniting a full-scale bloodbath.
"Graaah!"
Crack! The axe blade bisected an enemy officer.
"Haa! Haa!"
Delbadova, breathing heavily in the frenzy, sensed killing intent aimed at his temple.
"Huh!?"
Whoosh! A spear tip flashed like lightning. Delbadova used his axe's flat as a shield, but crack! The aura-infused tip shattered the blade and stabbed his forehead.
A hair's breadth from piercing bone and brain if it had gone 0.5cm deeper.
Delbadova retreated, wiping no blood from his forehead as he discarded the axe and drew his backup sword.
Blood covered his eyes, dyeing his vision red, but he glared fiercely, unperturbed.
Even Fisher was impressed by this momentum.
"Your martial prowess isn't exceptional, yet that spirit. As an enemy commander, I salute you!"
"Hah, what nonsense. Martial prowess isn't what matters."
"What?"
"I'm no martial artist. I'm a soldier! For the success of the operation, for the army's victory—sacrificing this one life is a given!"
Clang!! For the first time, Fisher stepped back.
As Delbadova said, it wasn't due to skill. He was simply overwhelmed by momentum.
"You bastard!"
Fisher's pride was deeply wounded.
In pure martial skill, Delbadova didn't even reach his ankles. Yet he was forced back by sheer spirit.
"I'll kill you…!"
From that point, Fisher's aura surged again. His movements grew faster and fiercer.
Delbadova refused to yield, even as his body was stabbed and slashed by the spear tip.
"Don't falter! Combine forces and counter!"
This tenacity made Fisher increasingly anxious. Caliper clearly had the numerical edge.
'If this drags on, I might be in danger! If that Chester Style user joins…'
And there, Fisher sensed something off.
'Wait, why isn't that guy here right now?'
At first, he thought he was still in the rear. Then the melee distracted him.
He might not have noticed without the growing impatience.
'Something's up! They're aiming for something else!'
He quickly turned his gaze to the center and opposite flank.
His troops descending the mountains to annihilate the enemy. That way, even if they lost the left highland, no problem would arise.
"Ah…!"
Realizing Caliper's aim, Fisher bit his lip hard.
The spot he looked at.
It was where commander Barrett was.
*
*
*
Barrett watched the situation optimistically.
The battle unfolded as he predicted. While Fisher held out, his other troops pushed down, trapping the enemy in a bind.
"Even so, Fisher's side seems to be struggling quite a bit. Is that Chester Style brat he mentioned putting up a fight? Hmm."
Just in case, Barrett raised his fur fan to send reinforcements to Fisher when—
A chill crawled up his spine.
"What is this…?"
He cautiously turned around.
And soon, clang! His guards drew swords and began fighting.
"Enemy attack! Enemieees!"
"What!?"
He widened his eyes in shock.
It was inexplicable how they had bypassed to reach here, and above all, how they pinpointed his location.
"Haat!"
Swish! Als pierced the guards with fluid, flowing movements and appeared before Barrett.
"You!"
Sword in left hand. Spear in right.
"The Chester Style brat…!!"
"And you must be the commander Barrett. I heard from the prisoners."
"Urk!"
Barrett hastily hid his fan, but his flashy attire stood out compared to others.
"That's why commanders shouldn't wear such gaudy clothes. What's with that fan? Advertising you're the commander?"
"K-Kill this bastard, now!"
Guards rushed to protect Barrett.
Dilas and Aegert disposed of them.
"Can't get close!"
"Raaargh!"
The two swiftly cleared the surroundings. Behind Als followed a special forces unit of about 100 men.
They were veteran mercenaries selected by Als from the army.
Als had used them to stealthily bypass the battlefield and ambush Barrett.
"Y-You bastard!"
Only then did Barrett realize the trap Als had set.
"You made me send my center and left down…!"
"Correct."
At that moment, with center and left forces descended, Barrett's main base weakened.
Moreover, with battles scattered everywhere, opportunities for stealthy flanking increased.
Als had proposed this yesterday in a private meeting with Delbadova.
[General, Kesfer's plan is too obvious and likely readable.]
[Then what do you suggest? We have no other options.]
[Yes, so we should commit even more force instead. To provoke an overreaction from the enemy.]
[Overreaction?]
[If we overinvest in a point other than the center, the enemy will counter by pushing down. I'll use that opening to flank, locate the enemy commander, and take him out.]
[Too dangerous.]
[No, this plan puts your life at greater risk than mine, General. To draw their eyes, you must lead the left flank personally. Is that alright?]
[If that's the case… no need to worry.]
Barrett's trembling hand went to the sword at his waist.
"H-How did you pinpoint my location?"
"I read the command structure's flow from the soldiers' movements, and it pointed here?"
"S-Such a crazy thing is impossible…!"
This was a vision-limited mountainous area.
Mountain warfare differed vastly from other battlefields, making adaptation difficult. Yet to read the command flow and pinpoint location there.
'No, if this guy's that guy, it's not strange!'
Barrett suddenly recalled Fisher's words.
The one who killed Three Great General Lexit with a mountain fortification scheme.
The supernova mercenary who joined the 20 Warlords' vacancy after Dunan's death.
"You're that strategist Wade…!!"
"Whoa, talkative. Aegert, Dilas! Can't gauge his level, so pincer and eliminate!"
Judging Barrett might be skilled, Als opted for a joint attack.
His worry proved unfounded; Barrett, lacking martial prowess, couldn't even block Als's first strike and was effortlessly beheaded by Aegert's sword from the side.
The death of Barrett, the army's supreme commander.
It meant the collapse of the command structure.