Atop the city walls, Matthews' face was tense. A raging fire of fury and indignation burned in his eyes.
Corpses were strewn above and below the walls. Allen had been cornered, surrounded by several knights attacking in unison. The Troll Bolls was bound in iron chains, roaring repeatedly. It was futile, though; once his strength was spent, the Cuckoos might even capture him alive.
Just a little more! If he could just take this manor, he could immediately deploy the reserves and follow the retreating troops to storm Caria Manor.
With their support, they might seize the manor directly, use the Carian treasures to recruit more men, and Raya Lucaria Academy would sooner or later be theirs as well! Even if he couldn't take it, he would raze this manor to the ground, pulling up even the foundations of these loathsome walls. By then, the Carians would be trapped in an isolated city, finding it harder than climbing to heaven to step outside. But it was just that little bit short. He couldn't even fathom how the elite commando unit led by two Cuckoo Knights had been defeated by a group of remnants.
He only understood that while those remnants were useless individually, their collective impact was extraordinary!
The Carians were launching a counterattack, throwing themselves frantically at the Troll to cut its chains. The Cuckoo Soldiers guarding it retreated in panic as Bolls looked set to break free from his bonds. After a night of fierce fighting, both sides were exhausted. Now it was a contest of sheer courage, and clearly, the Carians held the upper hand.
Thump, thump, thump... Heavy footsteps approached as several massive Trolls appeared in view. One even had a lower leg severed and was crawling forward like a vengeful spirit. Matthews fixed his gaze on the blood-soaked figure at the front and gripped his greatsword tightly. "Who exactly is this person!?" He couldn't make out the face or gauge the strength, but such rallying power surely belonged to a high-ranking official.
As he wavered, a knight beside him spoke urgently: "Excellency, make a decision quickly!"
A burst of dazzling light appeared on the wall as Allen conjured a Carian Greatsword nearly ten meters long.
With a horizontal sweep, he sent the surrounding Cuckoo Knights flying. One halberd-wielding knight failed to dodge in time and was sliced clean in two, man and weapon alike.
Splat. The greatsword dissipated, and Allen crushed the head of a screaming knight underfoot, his handsome face twisted into a mask of ferocity. "I told you, you won't take this place!"
Matthews had no interest in a war of words. He snapped his gaze back toward the main camp, which remained silent. Only three to five hundred reserve soldiers were there, whispering among themselves.
The knight's expression grew increasingly savage. Those damned sorcerers!
He glanced at the Carian Knight before him and was the first to leap down from the wall, his roar carrying from afar. "Retreat!" A truly ruthless man is decisive even in flight. The Cuckoo Knights were well-versed in retreating. Seeing their commander leap from the wall, the others followed suit. "Retreat, quickly!" Men fell from the wall like dumplings into a pot. Fortunately, the physical constitution of humans in The Lands Between was robust; jumping from a five or six-meter wall was no issue.
Those who had breached the manor scrambled out through the gaps, wishing their parents had given them two extra legs. "Don't pursue! Defend your positions!" Allen shouted from the wall, but the Carian soldiers, having turned from defense to offense, couldn't be stopped. They chased after the defeated army, leaving a trail of corpses behind. They had barely charged a hundred paces when a series of whistles suddenly echoed through the dim dawn light. Catapults and ballistae fired in unison, pinning dozens of Carian soldiers to the ground and forcing them to sober up.
The Cuckoos were retreating, not routing. This military group was battle-hardened; how could they allow themselves to be chased all the way back to their main camp? Caught between advancing and retreating, the Troll Knight Bolls took the initiative to charge forward. His door-sized greatsword swept back and forth, finally providing cover for the soldiers who had pursued the enemy out of the manor to return safely. Seeing this, Knight Allen felt as if all his strength had been drained. He slid down against the damp wall, his chest heaving.
After several seconds, he forced himself up, his gaze happening to meet that of a swordsman inside the manor. Equally drenched in blood and equally exhausted, that swordsman felt so real that Allen completely forgot he had been cursing him as a coward just a few days ago. Regardless of what had happened in between, Thorne Wright, who had fought to the death, had clearly earned respect. Allen slowly and solemnly performed a knight's salute, and the swordsman returned it with a smile. After a moment of eye contact, the thick scent of blood jolted the knight's spirit.
He and Thorne raised their swords simultaneously. "Victory! To Caria!!" "Victory! To Caria!!!" Cheers erupted one after another, as if their vibrations brightened the Erdtree and shook the sun into the sky. The descending rays illuminated the earth, shining upon twisted corpses and houses billowing with black smoke. Broken swords and shattered shields reflected the light, while the survivors looked around in a daze, only then realizing that the previous night—
Had been so long! Chapter 12: A Promotion and a Raise? The sun rose as usual.
The fires of war had long since shrouded The Lands Between, turning countless towns and villages to ash. This battle of a thousand men in a corner of Liurnia could hardly cause a ripple. The sunlight stretched rapidly, passing over the ruined manor and finally falling upon the high outer walls of Caria Manor. A petite young girl rested her hand on the battlement, near a gap blown open by bombardment. Her deep blue eyes looked south, reflecting an incredible hue.
"They... they held it?"
The banner of Caria still fluttered at the highest point.
After a night of chaotic fighting, the manor had actually not fallen.
"It seems the Cuckoos have met their match. Logically, this shouldn't have happened. We can only wait for Allen to send the battle report."
A cool voice sounded as Blaidd strode along the wall. His armor was damaged, clearly showing he had been through a tough fight. A large, grayish-green hand was perched on his chest, its ten fingers twitching incessantly like a pet dog wagging its tail, though the jagged wound where it had been severed at the wrist was gruesome and terrifying.
The half-wolf warrior frowned, tore the hand off, and tossed it over the wall, where a skin-crawling sight awaited. Hands of all sizes were scuttling about like spiders. Some burrowed into the earth, others climbed the walls, all waiting for prey to arrive.
Master and servant were long accustomed to this sight.
Ranni turned back and asked softly, "Have they retreated?"
"They have, and they took all the corpses with them. But Alecto won't let this rest."
Because the girl was so petite, she only reached the wolf-man's chest.
Perhaps out of consideration for his master's dignity, Blaidd dropped to one knee:
"Princess, are you grieving for last night's losses? If I may be so bold, you even sent Adula to support them; you have done your best. Actually, according to War Counselor Iji's plan..."
Before he could finish, the girl raised a hand to interrupt. She naturally knew the counselor's plan. The automatic interception sorcery had already been set up. By using the manor as bait, they could have easily lured those greedy Cuckoos in, even ceding the outer walls.
Those Cuckoos had no idea of the Carian Royal Family's true depth. They would have certainly hit a wall at the inner city, and during their retreat, they would have been struck by magic arrows falling from the sky. The fields outside the city would have been littered with Cuckoo corpses.
"According to Iji's thinking, we could indeed have settled it in one battle, but that isn't the best outcome."
Blaidd paused, then nodded heavily. If they had done that, Caria, the Cuckoo Knights, and the Academy would all have lost their offensive capabilities.
Liurnia would have become a stagnant pond, merely waiting for someone to break the balance. "It is indeed steady, but too passive."
Ranni said nothing. The gentle south wind blew her blue hair. She gazed into the distance in quiet silence, and no one knew what this demigod was thinking. Was it pity for her subordinates? Hatred for her enemies? Or had her gaze already transcended The Lands Between, looking toward the vast starry sky?
The half-wolf stood quietly beside her, eyes narrowed, wishing time would slow down.
Unfortunately, a gust of wind blew from above as a dragon circled down on flapping wings. Thud. The wall vibrated for a moment. Quite a few scales had fallen off the Glintstone Dragon, and some water weeds were tangled on its head. "Good work, Adula." Ranni reached out, and the Glintstone Dragon hurried to lower its head, gently nuzzling her hand and letting out a 'ying ying' whimper, showing none of its usual ferocity. That tiny palm was a stark contrast to the massive dragon head, yet it conveyed a unique kind of tenderness.
"Is that so? You and Smarag still haven't settled the score, but you gave it several good slashes? Well done, Adula." Ranni seemed able to understand the dragon's language, nodding continuously as she listened to Adula recount last night's battle. When she heard about the Cuckoo's sneak attack, she frowned slightly, thinking the move was indeed cunning. Caria had focused all its attention on the front; a sneak attack from behind could have thrown them into instant chaos. "Fortunately, Allen is a veteran. He must have kept a reserve force, right?"
The Glintstone Dragon shook its head and related the true situation. Ranni froze, her eyes widening as astonishment was clearly written on her face. "Princess, what exactly happened?" Blaidd couldn't help but ask. Ranni patted the Glintstone Dragon's head, signaling it to rest. She turned back amidst the wind whipped up by its wings, a strange smile on her face. "The Cuckoo offensive was too fierce; Allen committed his reserves to battle early on. Only a five-man squad was left to guard the rear."
"That's impossible!" The wolf-man immediately shook his head and explained, "There were many Cuckoos in the sneak attack, led by at least several Cuckoo Knights. Even if Bolls himself had been guarding the rear, he might not have held them off."
"That is why this is a miracle. Not only did they hold, but they also rallied the retreating soldiers to launch a counterattack, eventually scaring the Cuckoos away." Ranni touched her fingertips together and smiled gently. "You know the hero who achieved such merit."
"Who?" Blaidd leaned forward; he could imagine how desperate and critical the situation must have been.
The Princess of the Moon looked south once more toward the manor still spewing black smoke, her words carried on the wind:
"Thorne Wright."
Thorne didn't know his outstanding performance had already been seen by the boss. He'd experienced too many similar, bitter battles; making his heart leap with joy was truly difficult. Besides, things like merit didn't matter. What kept a person alive wasn't fame, but tangible power.
"Hmm, the snowball is gradually growing. This body now has the strength of a lower-tier knight, but the effect of those last few kills I picked up was poor. Could I have hit a bottleneck?"
He walked across the slippery ground, lost in thought. All around him, soldiers hurried about. Except for the wounded, who could rest, most had to rush to repair the fortifications. But Thorne chose to slack off, constantly replaying the blood and gore of last night. If the initial Cuckoo Soldiers provided '1' point of strength, then as the slaughter continued and his physical fitness improved, the gains diminished to 0.8, 0.5, and 0.3.
He clenched his fist, and after confirming the sensation was correct, he shook his head with a bitter smile. 'Getting stronger by facing the strong? There really are no shortcuts on this path. And here I thought I could just farm small fry to snowball.'
Quantity could not replace quality. Being a 'Sword Saint of the Starting Area' was out of the question, but he didn't care. If one could reach the peak just by killing grunts, the journey would be far too boring. Unknowingly, Thorne reached the spot where he had charged on horseback last night. He paused, looking to the side.
A man lay slumped against a broken wall—it was the stoic halberdier from his squad. The man of few words was no longer breathing. A spear was lodged in his chest, and his hollow eyes stared at the ground as he died silently in this corner. Of the teammates who had fought together last night, only Karin and Arnold had survived. Thorne walked over slowly, leaned down, and silently closed the man's eyes.
"Console the fallen with victory; the brave shall be immortal." A low voice came from beside him. Thorne turned to see the blonde knight taking off his cloak.
He strode over to cover the corpse, his eyes fixed intently on Thorne. "Don't be sad. You brought this victory; this soldier no longer has any regrets."
Over five hundred Cuckoos had been killed or wounded in one night, and the elite commando unit was completely wiped out. This was, of course, a great victory.
"You flatter me, Lord Allen." Thorne remained calm, only for his shoulder to be slapped heavily.
"Excessive modesty is arrogance. When you win a battle, you should smile. When you repel the enemy, you should drink a few cups. Come, come, smile with me."
The knight laughed heartily as he spoke, cursing along the way. "Those despicable Cuckoos left corpses everywhere. I told them they couldn't take it, yet they insisted on bashing their heads against the wall!"
Thorne managed to squeeze out a smile, which made the laughing Allen feel quite awkward. He could only rub his nose.
"You're really no fun, kid. Sometimes I feel like you've come out of some Shura Field or experienced some kind of despair."
Actually, I have. Thorne's face twitched. This handsome knight's imagination was truly powerful. He quickly cut him off. "Does Lord Allen have any new orders?"
"There are, uh, don't be so nervous, it's a good thing." The knight patted Thorne's shoulder again. His gaze no longer saw him as a subordinate, but as an equal. Even though there was still a huge gap in their strength, that bravery had won him over. Allen personally led a warhorse over and looked toward the distant manor with some envy. "Go. Princess Ranni wants to personally bestow an honor upon you!"
Clop, clop... Rapid hoofbeats approached from the south.
A mild wind blew against his face, making him squint comfortably. Caria Manor grew larger in Thorne's eyes. After crossing the narrowest land bridge, a majestic city appeared ahead. It was a typical Western-style castle. Three layers of walls rose along the mountain slope. Massive towers and a grand gate practically had the words 'impregnable fortress' written all over them. Whoa—
The two horses stopped before the gate, their hooves lifting high. Allen, now in casual clothes, asked with a smile, "First time at the manor, right? What do you think?"
Thorne said nothing.
He glanced at the manor before him, then turned his horse to look at the narrow land bridge behind them, squeezing out a few words: "Indestructible. That land bridge won't allow large armies to pass. The field before the city has no cover; attackers would be subjected to all kinds of long-range fire. The surroundings are all sheer cliffs. A frontal assault would inevitably lead to a field of corpses."
"It seems you know a lot about siege defense." Allen showed a look of appreciation; a short sentence had summarized the characteristics of Caria Manor.
"I've read some theories in books before; they shouldn't be taken too seriously." Thorne shook his head modestly. In fact, Ashina's experience wasn't very practical in The Lands Between. There were no cannons here, but there were human-shaped nuclear weapons.
The two dismounted and handed their horses to the guards at the city gate. These guards were thin with long necks and looked somewhat deformed. When they spoke, they would unconsciously drool, which made Thorne look at them twice.
"Albinaurics, allies of Caria," Allen explained casually. He sauntered over and clapped an old man on the shoulder, nearly driving him into the ground. "Albus, it was quite lively last night, wasn't it?"
"Gentle, gentle! My old bones are about to be shattered by you." The Albinauric, staff in hand, dodged backward, his expression worried. "The Cuckoos failed to take the manor. They won't go looking for trouble in the village, will they?"
The knight shared the concern, but there wasn't much he could do about it. Carian forces were compressed into the northwestern corner of Liurnia, and the main army couldn't easily move out. "Don't worry, the Princess will find a way. If you're really uneasy, you can take some people back to the Village of the Albinaurics to check."
He could only offer the word of comfort before dragging the eavesdropping Thorne into the city.
Has the Village of the Albinaurics not been destroyed yet? Good thing I came early; otherwise, a landscape of ruins would be too boring.
Thorne glanced at the gatehouse, covered by a massive Carian Royal banner, but saw few guards.
He then passed through the deep, dark gate tunnel as a thin white mist swirled before his eyes. It was very strange. Behind him was clearly bright daylight, yet the city was so eerie. Before him was a massive garden, surrounded by trees and shrubs, where some glintstone crystals could be seen. A smooth stone path stretched forward, flanked by exquisite sculptures. Trees, sculptures, fountains—it was indeed the royal city of Caria. If the white mist cleared, it would surely be quite magnificent.