Chapter 242
Kacherto Rienz could not understand the report from the Fourth Legion's deputy commander.
Thinking about it logically, there was no reason for the enemy to launch the first attack.
The defensive forces of Wordsworth were currently stationed at Obenue Fortress.
It was an impregnable fortress that had defeated the Eighth and Fifth Legions one after another and had even endured the Fourth Legion's offensive.
All they had to do was firmly shut the gates and hold back the incoming Demon King's army.
Was there really any reason to launch a preemptive attack and waste their own troops?
Unless they intended to pursue the retreating enemy after the long siege had exhausted their supplies and provisions, there was no reason to do so.
Either way, our forces are superior in a direct confrontation, so this is actually a good situation.
It was like prey willingly entering a crocodile's mouth.
The crocodile only had to close its already-open jaws.
However, the cautious Kacherto Rienz tried to figure out what the prey was planning.
They wouldn't deliberately engage in a direct confrontation while knowing they would suffer heavy losses.
Unless the lord commanding the defensive forces was seriously incompetent.
At the very least, this was not the kind of command one would expect from someone who had already defeated three legions in succession.
Therefore, Kacherto Rienz became certain that they had some unpleasant scheme he had yet to discover.
“Um… Commander?
Your orders…”
“Summon the dead to stop the enemy, and withdraw the camp to the border.”
“Understood… What?!”
At the quiet order, the Fourth Legion's deputy commander closed his mouth and opened his eyes wide.
His expression seemed to ask why they would give up such an easy opportunity to exterminate the humans hiding inside the fortress.
“Until we understand their intentions, don't respond more than necessary.”
Kacherto Rienz simply threw the Legion Stone he had been carrying to the deputy commander and said nothing more.
Dududududu-!
Dududududu-!
The sound of hundreds of horses carrying knights pounding against the ground spread across the battlefield.
Behind them, the soldiers advanced at a fierce speed while shouting war cries.
Their momentum and noise shook the heavens and earth like thunder.
“Kahahahaha!”
At the front of the cavalry, Javer Lemarque, commander of the Gray Wolf Knights, widened his wolf-like single eye.
After spending the entire war shut inside the fortress and only defending, he finally felt refreshed as he charged out through the gates and into enemy territory for the first time.
“Good!
Advance!”
“Stay calm, Sir Javer.
We are throwing ourselves into the jaws of death right now.”
Running alongside Javer was Nelphers Luciliron, the leader of the Veronia Battle Priests.
He narrowed his brows.
“Even with the fortress walls supporting us, our forces are only roughly equal.
Since we're going outside to confront the enemy, you must keep your composure.”
“Kahaha!
What is there to worry about?
Your priests will cover us!”
“During the defense, the priests were able to provide tremendous support using the Holy Power Stones placed throughout the fortress.
But the situation is different now.”
The Holy Power Stones were essentially fixed artillery designed mainly for siege warfare.
They could not be used during a swift surprise attack on the enemy's main camp.
“You worry too much!”
“This isn't unnecessary worry.
It's only natural that—”
“Who came up with this plan?”
“Hmm… Saint Glenn.”
Nelphers fell silent.
“Hehehe.
Exactly.
Since he gave us the order, all we have to do is follow it.”
There was deep trust in Javer's eyes as he looked straight ahead.
Of course, Nelphers also deeply respected Glenn for his astonishing administrative abilities and his qualities as a Saint.
But wasn't this order far too extreme considering the situation they had been given?
However, Nelphers's worries ultimately turned out to be unnecessary, just as Javer had said.
Bwooooooo-!
The knights at the front simultaneously pulled trumpets from their waists and blew them.
Soon, black figures began appearing at the edge of their vision.
Kweeeeeeeek!!
A massive army of the dead was blocking the path of the Obenue forces.
“Hehehe… Hahahahaha!”
Javer burst into hearty laughter.
The fact that the force blocking their army was not demons but the dead told him exactly what choice the Demon King's army had made.
Nelphers Luciliron understood it as well.
“They're planning to buy time and retreat.”
“See?!
What did I tell you?!”
At Javer's triumphant remark, Nelphers embarrassedly placed a hand against his forehead.
“I suppose I still don't have enough faith.”
“Well, it doesn't matter!
Our first priority is to carry out the orders we were given perfectly, isn't it?”
Nelphers raised the corners of his mouth.
“…Yes.
Then I'll leave it to you.”
“Then watch closely!”
At the same time, Javer and Nelphers kicked their horses and increased their speed.
The horses carrying the two men shot forward like arrows toward the massive army of the dead.
Fwaaaaaang-!
Shraaak!
Two flashes of light pierced through the black wave.
At the same time.
Kacherto Rienz and the Fourth Legion were hurriedly dismantling their camp.
Normally, a great deal of military supplies would have been lost during a retreat.
But the Fourth Legion did not leave a single thing behind.
While several thousand undead blocked the enemy's main force from the front, they could minimize their losses.
And even if the enemy pursued them this far, their own forces were still superior.
We're only withdrawing temporarily because we're taking the enemy's suspicious intentions into consideration.
Since this was not a defeated retreat, it was only right to take everything they could.
Thinking this, Kacherto watched the withdrawal while continuously considering what the humans were planning.
“I have a report, Commander.
Combat has begun at the front.
The undead have clashed with the enemy cavalry.”
A demon commander knelt before Kacherto Rienz and continued his report.
“The enemy vanguard consists of the Gray Wolf Knights and the Veronia Battle Priests.
Judging from the battle so far, it appears they have launched an all-out attack.”
“Then the undead will be broken through before long.
I'll provide another Legion Stone, so use it.
Anything unusual besides that?”
“Nothing so far.”
“What about the traitor?”
The demon who had assassinated the Fourth Legion Commander just before Kacherto arrived.
A demon who attacked from unseen places using a cold, dark-blue demonic energy.
Kacherto Rienz believed that individual was the human side's joker.
“I'm sorry.
Seven squads of the patrol forces are constantly searching the area, but there has been no information.”
“Do not neglect the search.
They may be straightforward, but they aren't foolish.
The attack from the front is undoubtedly a distraction.”
Just as the kneeling adjutant stood up after saying he understood.
“Ah, I finally found you.”
A voice suddenly rang out from above their heads.
The thing amplifying that voice was none other than Holy Power.
“What…?”
“What is that voice all of a sudden…?”
At the unexpected voice, the demons dismantling the camp turned their heads.
Kacherto, standing at the center of them, looked up toward the source of the voice.
Soon, he discovered several people looking down at them from the hill directly above the camp.
Four figures stood against the enormous moon.
Half of them were human, while the other half were demons.
But Kacherto Rienz's gaze was fixed on one man.
