Chapter 296: A Second Attempt (3/3)
“Well done.”
The Goblin King praised pale from atop his Terrifying Carnivorous Horse(Andrewarchus).
“Yes. Zeilduk is doing a good job keeping their monster beasts at bay,” Pale said.
“Indeed.”
The Goblin King looked away from the rising smoke beacon to look at the battle in the skies.
“Gi Za says he has a secret plan but refuses to tell me anything. How troubling.”
“…Forgive him, Your Majesty. Word would spread if others were to know, after all.”
“I know. There’s no need to stand on ceremony.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Unable to withstand the gentle gaze of the Goblin King, Pale found herself bowing her head.
“It was I who gave permission for this plan; hence, it is only natural I also be responsible for it. There’s no need for you to be so concerned.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty!”
Pale knelt on one leg, while the Goblin King watched on as the river from upstream came pouring in, heaving up the dry earth, dyeing itself in its hue, transforming it into a muddy stream that ferociously approached the army of 300,000.
“It should be about time.”
“Yes. We will push the enemy into the river.”
“I permit it. Go!”
Pale drew her bow and shot an arrow at the sky to signal the operation begun. She was a skilled archer even among the elves, so much so that she is said to be blessed by the G.o.d of Archery, Za Ruga, himself. As a whistling sound unique to elven archery resounded, three arrows shot out one after another.
In the next moment, the battle below came to life.
“Onwards! Let’s take down these small fries!”
Gi Gu Verbena raised his voice and commanded his army. With an axe in his right and a sword in his left, clad in the armor bestowed by the king, this goblin, who could rule a mult.i.tude most effectively among the goblins, gave the order for his army of nearly 6,000 to advance.
The enemy forces were divided, so when he’d confirmed the state of the muddy stream, he brought out his entire army to decide the battle once and for all.
“Onwards!”
At the top of his voice, he fiercely encouraged his men, who stood on the front lines with their great shields, and commanded them to drop the enemy into the raging river.
“Don’t lose to our neighbors now!”
Next to Felduk were the rampaging monster beasts, turned excited excited by the sight of the roaring river. Gi Gi unleashed those monster beasts, who in their normal state were already superior to humans be it in size or strength. When such creatures were thrown right into the midst of an unruly mob, there could only be one result: a maelstrom of confusion so great that the word “confusion” itself would be too to describe it.
“We contact Vilan-dono here, right?”
“Yes.”
Upon seeing that the enemy no longer retained any power, Gi Ji confirmed that with Gi Gi, and Gi Gi immediately nodded.
Though they had succeeded in inflicting critical damage on the soldiers crossing the river, neither the goblin king nor Pale nor Gi Za had any intentions of allowing the remaining soldiers to escape. And the soldiers yet to cross the river were attacked by Aransain.
Their long swords dazzled in Rodo’s light, their narrowed eyes like those of predators eyeing their prey.
“This is our time to pay them back for that last battle!” Far said.
Far of Short Sword Battle Maiden(Valkyria) looked at her flanks, then commanded her forces from the head of Aransain.
“Don’t be reckless now!” Zaurosh said.
When she saw Zaurosh of the Proud Clan(Leon Heart) come up from behind her with his sickle spear, she made a faint smile.
“Who do you think you’re talking to!?” Far said.
Far spun her long sword above her, and the cavalry behind her raised their speed. These were the cavalry tactics that once dominated the central plains under the War Princess. And they, who were the quintessence force that made those tactics possible, were now the main force of Aransain.
“Attack!”
The mana guards behind Far and the others shot their fire bullets into the air. They drew a trajectory like that of an arrow and upon landing burst all at once.
Then came riding at full speed with perfect coordination the cavalry. The Valkyria loved their wild horses, and their attack when they charged was just as wild. They would ride through the disorganized enemy lines and distract them with walls of flames to crack them open, then to make that crack bigger, they would ride even deeper in, paving open the way for the Paradua tribe, who rode on black tiger back, and the hors.e.m.e.n of the Leon Heart Clan. Riding on their ferocious beasts, they would skewer their enemies through with their spears, and the enemies sent flying would become a landslide of sort to push their own allies into the river.
“Withdraw!”
Gi Ga Rax then timed the stopping of their momentum to change their formation to that with him at the head. The way they disengaged without pause was just like that of a cavalry order with over a hundred battles under its belt.
“The flood will stop soon,” Pale said.
“Yes. Let’s use that opportunity to chase after them,” the Goblin King said.
As Pale and the Goblin King watched the battle unfolding below them, they considered their next moves.
“It will depend on how the flying warships move, but we should make our move while Gi Za’s forces are keeping the sky under control,” Pale said.
“Right. We’ll pa.s.s the mountains and attack Altigand again,” the Goblin King said.
The Goblin King’s narrowed eyes beheld the nearly destroyed enemy forces, then it turned to the land of Altigand that lay beyond, and before long, the shadow of the hero──
In the early autumn of the 5th year of the King’s calendar, the battle at the border of Elfa and Altigand was finally decided when Alrodena quickly regrouped from her earlier defeat to slay Altigand’s army of 300,000 soldiers.
Once again, Alrodena reached out her claws for the main land of Altigand.