The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 289: Chapter 288: Breaking Through as Is (2)



Harold momentarily showed a bewildered expression.

He hadn't expected cavalry archers to suddenly appear here. When he first observed Fenris's formation, there hadn't been anyone carrying bows on their backs.

The idea that Fenris had developed collapsible bows using new materials was beyond imagination.

The spearmen facing them were equally caught off guard. The heavy infantry, equipped with shields, had all been positioned to defend the flanks. There was no one to block the incoming

arrows.

Desmond's commanders and soldiers could only stare blankly as the cavalry archers drew their bowstrings.

Creak...

Lumina, staring sharply at Desmond's army while pulling her bowstring to its limit, held her breath for a moment.

'I can do this.'

In truth, she was just as overwhelmed as anyone else. Despite undergoing intensive training since first mounting a horse, this was her first time participating in an actual war.

It wasn't just her. The elves, who had partially awakened to the ability to communicate with nature, could feel the heavy and dreadful aura hanging over the battlefield.

A tingling sensation coursed through their bodies. Staying in such a place went against their instincts.

'But I must do it.'

Retreat was not an option. Even though the elves had rediscovered their mission and nature, those who had spent much time in the human world were more accustomed to human ways of thinking.

They understood all too well how humans lived.

'Kill, or be killed.'

Hesitation would only lead to greater sacrifices.

Even the elves, who lived in harmony with nature, knew they had to protect their own territories.

And right now, their territory was the Fenris estate.

They didn't know if the lord would keep his promises in the future, but for now, they had no choice but to stand with him.

'Oh, World Tree, grant Fenris your blessing.'

Resolving her mind, she released the bowstring.

Thwang.

That was the signal. All the elves and cavalry archers released their bowstrings simultaneously.

Fwoooosh!

Thousands of arrows rained down on Desmond's forces.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

"Aaargh!"

The heavy infantry stationed on the flanks raised their shields to block the arrows, but the soldiers in the center couldn't do the same.

The spearmen at the front of Desmond's formation fell helplessly. Even the soldiers behind them were struck down by the relentless barrage of arrows.

The cavalry archers immediately turned their horses and began retreating to the flanks. They maneuvered in a wide arc, aiming to return to their original positions.

Their movements were exactly as Ghislain had instructed and trained them.

Harold, watching this unfold, shouted with a furious expression.

"Chase them down!"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

There is no one weaker than cavalry showing their backs. Desmond's cavalry, already positioned to strike at the enemy's rear, moved to give chase. Although the losses had been severe, eliminating all the cavalry archers would mitigate the damage.

Harold's eyes swept over the battlefield quickly.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

The leading Fenris cavalry brushed past the pursuing Desmond cavalry. It was clear they were taking a broader route to target the flanks and rear of Desmond's formation.

"Shields! Block them!"

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The heavy infantry positioned on the flanks swiftly formed a shield wall.

The 2,000 cavalry archers were returning to their original positions, and the remaining cavalry would find it difficult to break through the layered shields.

Sure enough, Fenris's cavalry didn't charge but continued to circle around Desmond's forces.

Taking advantage of this moment, Desmond's cavalry pursued the retreating cavalry archers with all their might.

Their goal was to strike before the archers could reposition themselves, wiping them out in a single sweep.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

The speed of the Fenris cavalry was remarkable, making it difficult to catch up. Still, Desmond's forces gritted their teeth and gradually closed the distance.

At that moment, Lumina turned her body and aimed her bow at the pursuing cavalry. The other cavalry archers followed her lead, all turning around and drawing their bows.

"What is this...?"

The pursuing Desmond cavalryman's eyes wavered.

Shooting arrows from horseback while letting go of the reins and balancing solely with their legs? While facing backward? And all 2,000 of them?

Earlier, he thought their attack had been a desperate, crude attempt to inflict damage. But now it was different.

'Impossible. It takes years of training in both horsemanship and archery to become proficient as a cavalry archer. How are they all so skilled...?'

None of them seemed to be struggling. It was as if the horses were adjusting themselves to

keep their riders steady.

The thought couldn't go further. Before he could lift his small shield, his vision was consumed by a torrent of arrows.

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

"Aaaargh!"

Neighhh!

Screams and horse cries filled the air as Desmond's cavalry began to fall.

Galloping at full speed, they had no way to dodge or block the arrows.

Except for the knights clad in full-body armor and barded horses, the other soldiers were

defenseless.

"No! This can't be happening!"

Crash! Thud! Thud!

The sudden attack caused the leading riders to fall en masse, triggering a chaotic pileup of the

pursuing cavalry.

The arrows kept flying. The cavalry chasing the archers from both sides crumbled far too

easily.

Harold clenched his teeth as he watched.

"How... how does that bastard already have such a force...?"

Having so many cavalry archers made no sense. A fledgling territory like Fenris shouldn't have

been able to produce such a force.

Cavalry archers were a unit most lords gave up on because training them required too much

time and resources.

Apart from their use in small scout units, they had long fallen out of favor, so Harold hadn't

paid them much attention. If he'd known Fenris had so many cavalry archers, he would've

prepared a different strategy.

"That bastard... just what has he been doing all this time..."

Over 100 knights, weaponry made from new materials, a 6th-circle mage, more than 2,000

cavalry archers.

One by one, unbelievable forces were unfolding before his eyes.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

The Fenris cavalry circling the heavy infantry began to turn.

Meanwhile, the cavalry archers, who had retreated, wheeled around and advanced, closing in

on both flanks of Desmond's forces.

Seeing this, Harold shouted loudly.

"Shields! Protect our allies!"

As soon as he finished, the cavalry archers launched another wave of arrows at Desmond's

flanks.

Fwoooosh!

"Aaargh!"

"Counterattack! Counterattack them!"

"Block them! Raise your shields!"

No matter how much the heavy infantry tried to defend, they couldn't block all the thousands

of arrows raining down from the sky.

The spearmen and archers inside the formation were helplessly struck down.

"Shoot! Shoot at them, damn it!"

Desmond's archers fired back, but it was ineffective. The cavalry archers, with their superior mobility, evaded the arrows while continuing to harass Desmond's flanks.

From the receiving side, the attacks seemed endlessly frustrating and underhanded.

"Block them! I said block them!"

Despite the commanders' frantic shouts, the infantry couldn't regain their composure. The unrelenting rain of arrows made it hard to take in the battlefield.

While the heavy infantry were relatively safe thanks to their large shields, they couldn't

protect all their allies, and soldiers were falling everywhere.

Unprepared for cavalry archers, Desmond's forces found themselves at a significant

disadvantage.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

As the cavalry archers continued circling them, Harold shouted with bloodshot eyes.

"Call back the forces on the left and right wings! Hurry!"

If this continued, they would keep being dragged around and eventually collapse.

The forces fighting the royal army and the Perdium troops needed to return to deal with the

cavalry archers.

Bw0000000!

A loud trumpet blast resonated, reaching Desmond's forces engaged with the Kingdom Army

and Perdium troops.

The cavalry commander facing the Kingdom Army, Emerson, bit his lip.

"We were so close to pushing through..." Emerson's cavalry had already forced the Capital Nobles Alliance's troops to retreat halfway.

The alliance army, mixed with the 3rd Corps, was visibly undertrained and poorly coordinated. As a result, Emerson's strategy of attacking the weaker spots worked like a

charm.

"Is it because of the cavalry archers?"

Emerson quickly grasped the situation. Cavalry archers are challenging to counter without

prior preparation.

Infantry couldn't keep up, so archers and cavalry were the only viable counters, but the

enemy's superior armor made that no easy task.

The allied heavy infantry, equipped with proper defenses, were holding their ground well.

However, if this continued, they'd slowly be worn down and destroyed.

Most of the cavalry was under his command anyway. He had to personally intercept the

ceaselessly moving cavalry archers to disrupt their flow. Only then could the allied infantry

maneuver.

"Infantry, retreat slowly while holding off the Kingdom Army! All cavalry, follow me!" Under Emerson's orders, his forces began retreating gradually, changing direction. Watching this, the commander of the Capital Nobles Alliance, Viscount Idorian, sighed in

relief.

"Damn it! I thought I was a goner. How do they fight so well? Now that they're pulling back, let's step back a bit too!"

He had come here to avoid losing his investment, only to nearly lose his head. Viscount

Idorian swore never to get involved in Count Fenris's affairs again.

On the other hand, the 3rd Corps, befitting their elite status, stood firm under the assault. The

3rd Corps' commander, Viscount Clifton, made a decision contrary to Idorian's.

Seeing Emerson's retreat, he deduced that there was trouble at the center. In such a case, surrounding Desmond's forces properly would secure victory.

"This is our chance! Advance now! Move quickly!"

"Waaaaaah!"

As the 3rd Corps began to advance, Viscount Idorian found it impossible to retreat entirely.

If he retreated alone and his side lost the war, they'd all be slaughtered anyway. It wasn't

likely that the terrifying Count Desmond would spare them.

And if, by chance, their side won, he'd face severe backlash for retreating.

"Well... let's push forward again!"

With the cavalry absent, Desmond's forces began to falter, gradually giving ground to the

Kingdom Army. Emerson, despite guessing this would happen, had no choice but to move

toward the central army.

While Emerson could swiftly reposition his forces against the Kingdom Army, Viscount Garein, facing Perdium, wasn't as fortunate. "Damn it! Since when was Perdium this strong?"

Perdium's knights and soldiers pushed Desmond's forces fiercely. Despite having greater

numbers, Desmond's troops were barely holding their ground.

"Waaaaaah!"

It wasn't just combat strength-their morale was overwhelming. Perdium's forces roared

endlessly, showing no signs of fatigue.

"Hold the line! Stand firm!"

Bang! Bang! "Aaaaargh!"

Although few in number, Perdium's knights displayed skills surpassing those of mid-level

knights. These were the knights trained under Ghislain in the new mana cultivation techniques. When

they unleashed their full power, the destructive force was staggering.

At the forefront, Zwalter swung his sword and shouted. "Don't hold back! Push through here quickly to complete the encirclement!" Always one to worry excessively, he was in a rush even now. Although Ghislain's central forces

were fighting well, they were severely outnumbered.

If they were surrounded, they could be annihilated in an instant. Zwalter was desperate to

break through quickly.

All the knights and soldiers under his command, following his orders, swung their weapons

with all their might.

On another side, Randolph, commanding a group of soldiers, was fighting with a different

kind of fervor.

"Hahaha! Who knew we could fight this well? We've become this strong?"

To his surprise, they were overwhelming far more enemies than he'd ever imagined. Spending

so much time stationed at the northern fortress had made him underestimate their own

strength. Thanks to Ghislain, their enhanced forces were proving effective even against Desmond's troops, renowned as the strongest in the north.

Even Skovan, who always fought reluctantly, murmured as he struck down Desmond's

soldiers.

"Wow, this actually works? Since when did we get this strong?"

In the past, just hearing the name Desmond would've made them quake with fear. But now,

instead of being intimidated, they were pushing back greater numbers.

The grueling training that had made them cough up blood hadn't betrayed them. Their

newfound strength, proven in battles against barbarians, was now being unleashed against Desmond's forces.

Perdium's unexpectedly strong performance left Viscount Garein unable to withdraw his forces. Despite having more troops, they were barely holding on.

If he pulled back even a portion of his forces, they'd quickly collapse under the enemy's

onslaught.

"Ugh... why is Perdium, of all places..."

Even as he fought, Viscount Garein's expression betrayed disbelief. Despite their experience

with skirmishes in the north, he'd dismissed them as nothing more than trifling raids by barbarian looters. To be overpowered by those he had so scornfully dismissed was humiliating and infuriating.

Since Viscount Garein couldn't withdraw his forces, the only troops sent to aid Harold's main force were a portion of Emerson's. Watching this, Harold ground his teeth and shouted.

"Hold out a little longer! Reinforcements are coming!"

It was regrettable that Garein couldn't come, but if Emerson's forces could disrupt the cavalry

archers, it would provide some breathing room.

If that happened, Harold could reorganize his troops and counterattack to encircle the enemy.

Turning his head urgently, Harold suddenly felt his heart drop.

'Ah, damn it!'

The front was exposed. The line of spearmen had already collapsed, and the soldiers were

busy hiding behind the heavy infantry. Everyone was too distracted by the cavalry archers on the flanks.

At that moment, the Fenris cavalry, which had taken a wide detour, were charging directly at

Desmond's front lines.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

Seeing the wide-open front, a cruel smile spread across Ghislain's face.

"We break through here."

Ghislain's eyes turned red. His spear blazed with a crimson light, far fiercer than before.

Ziiiiing-!

Simultaneously, the armor of the knights following him began to radiate a bright glow.

The Fenris cavalry and labor assault corps gripped their spears tightly, resting them against

their shoulders.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

Their speed was incomparable to before. Especially Black King, which sprinted so fast that his

own troops struggled to keep up.

Boom!

A red streak of light shot into Desmond's formation.

[T/L: Please support me and read 385 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans]