Chapter 529: Self-directed Oscars (3/4)
Translator: Atla.s.studios Editor: Atla.s.studios
All the soldiers from various sources panicked at the sight of the Undead Army. Even though the Reformist Party had dispatched the Southern Legion Commander and requested the military soldiers to a.s.sist in stabilizing the team, they weren’t mentally prepared for this battle. They had never expected the enemies to snipe them from the rear.
Celestina had no intentions of letting them off. She hovered in midair and her hands drew mysterious, yet sinister-looking symbols one after another. Thick bursts of scarlet smoke exploded, shrouding the soldiers and they felt like they were trapped in a cage of immense heat. They choked, wiped tears, and ran frantically while the fortunate soldiers by the perimeter escaped the ordeal by shrinking their formation. However, their formation was messed up by the chaotic rumble in the middle.
This legion of over 1,500 soldiers was in a hysterical chaos. The soldiers inside were desperately rus.h.i.+ng out while those on the outside were trying to maintain the formation. Those at the back pushed forward while the soldiers in front retreated as they weren’t mentally prepared…
The entire legion seemed as though a huge, soft sponge cake and the Undead Fighters sliced through easily like a sharp knife!
“Ahhh!”
The soldiers s.h.i.+vered as they faced the white skeletons with spiritual flames burning in place of their eyes. The Undead Creatures took big strides and fresh blood splattered as ice-cold radiance flashed.
This opening a.s.sault had begun the prologue to the ma.s.sacre.
“d.a.m.n it! Maintain your formation, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds! Stop retreating and listen to my command!”
Gazing at the collapse of the frontline, the Southern Legion Commander was furious and breathless. It was apparent that the soldiers had no intentions of fighting back at the enemies at all. The Undead Creatures merely killed a few of them and the others hurled their weapons and fled with tails tucked between their legs. Such idiotic behavior came with an expensive price tag when the Undead Creatures charged mercilessly into the human crowd and commenced their annihilation.
What made the Commander most furious was that even though there were many Undead Creatures, their battle style was primitive and wild. Hundreds of Undead Creature formed several triangles a.s.sault formations and penetrated his own. If he was able to command effectively, he could have surrounded the enemies and devour them bit by bit. After all, these lowly Undead Creatures relied fully on the simplest commands and instincts and they weren’t as versatile as humans.
But now, all these b.a.s.t.a.r.ds have crumbled before the war even begun!
The other Officers lashed their reins and berated to appease and control the panicking soldiers. As the frontline collapsed entirely, the soldiers by the rear became restless. The salient weakness of the miscellaneous troops had come to light at this point.
“… Don’t these b.a.s.t.a.r.ds know how to fight a war?!” Kesot gritted his teeth furiously as he observed the chaos from the rear. As the Vice-Commander of the Southern Legion 3rd Division, he had received orders from the Reformist Party to temporarily lead this brigade of soldiers to the Grosso Plain. Kesot was aware that these miscellaneous troops wouldn’t be useful during battle, but he didn’t expect that they would be this bad… Just look at their miserable selves fleeing in disarray. All of them are worse than streetfighting thugs!
Kesot wasn’t an outstanding serviceman, but, even so, he knew that nothing good would come out of this chaotic situation. Even though their side was overwhelming with manpower, quality was another matter…
“Retreat.” Kesot decided and he commanded the Officer beside him. “Blow the horns. We will retreat to the Riverside Town to reorganize our defense line! Also, dispatch someone to the Grosso Plain Stronghold and inform General Michael that we’ve been attacked! We need his reinforcements!”
“Sir?” The Officer gaped, but Kesot waved his arm as though he knew what the former was thinking about.
“Just go!”
“Yes…” The Officer gulped and left swiftly while Kesot let out a long, hopeless sigh. He knew what his troops were thinking… It was about two hours ago when his troops were replenis.h.i.+ng their supplies in the Riverside Town and the residents who were horrified by the Necromancer were glad to meet them. The soldiers were like ‘Guardian Angels’ to the residents and they were proud of that reputation. After all, soldiers trained to fight and defend their country.
But now, the brave soldiers had become miserable dogs escaping with tucked tails out of a sudden. He could imagine how the residents would react to that if they were to witness it. But now, were there other choices?
The ma.s.sacre by the front line continued as Kesot contemplated hopelessly.
After sweeping three villages, Rhode had 800 ‘Undead Fighter’ cards. He casually split them into eight teams with a hundred each and attacked in a.s.sault formations.
This method wouldn’t work if he was facing a powerful and formally trained legion because his Undead Creatures would be instantly divided and encircled entirely. However, Rhode was facing miscellaneous troops who weren’t expecting to face an ambush and the situation took an advantageous turn for him.
The soldiers would have performed better if they all belonged to the Southern Legion because the n.o.ble private soldiers and city guards were an unreliable bunch. Their usual missions from day to day were mainly dealing with citizens, pickpockets, or smugglers, and they had never seen such terrifying creatures like the Undead Fighters. The soldiers had lost their mettle after witnessing their comrades getting slashed mercilessly. Although they attempted to counterattack, their attacks were harmless because the Undead Creatures could still march on even if swords pierced their chests or hacked their brains. The only way to defeat them was to shatter them into bits thoroughly.
It was apparent that these soldiers lacked experience in dealing with the Undead Creatures. These white skeleton warriors were as though the scariest enemies from the nightmares of h.e.l.l. They were invulnerable, emotionless killing machines!
Oh, Lord. How do we even fight them?!
The soldiers were terrified and their fighting spirit had extinguished. All they could do now was to defend themselves as they retreated from this ridiculous place and its terrifying enemies. The white skeleton warriors marched forward with their butcher knives, ma.s.sacring everything in their path mercilessly.
At this moment, the bugle-horn boomed out loudly.
“Hmm?” Celestina turned around curiously and spotted the soldiers retreating like a receding tide. The surprised Demon young lady hovering in midair twitched her brows in astonishment. “I didn’t expect Master to be right… But that’s fine. It seems like I still get to have some fun…”
She chuckled and flapped her black, elegant wings forward.
This was the real nightmare for the reinforcements.
“Retreat! Everyone retreat!” An Officer on his warhorse waved his weapon and berated the soldiers around him. But, his voice muted abruptly and everyone witnessed a shadow flitted across them like a lightning bolt. The unknown force threw the Officer into the air and he crashed to the ground, dead like a ragdoll. Then, a gigantic shadow descended and blocked their way.
“It’s a pity that you have nowhere to hide now, foolish humans,” Celestina stood gracefully before the soldiers. An icy, cruel smile unrolled on her beautiful face and countless th.o.r.n.y whips discharged from her sleeves, spreading wildly like a ma.s.sive spider web. The black-robed Necromancer observed the soldiers from behind her silently.
The soldiers halted abruptly. After all, Demons had a worse reputation than Undead Fighters. Even though there were only one Demon and one Necromancer before them, this was enough to freeze them to the spot in fear.
But they had to make a decision.
The wailing behind them had gotten louder and clearer, which meant that the terrifying creatures were closing in. If they were to escape, they had to dash forward… But…
“There’s only two of them. Go!”
A dozen warhorses galloped and the Knights aimed their swords at the young lady. They were the soldiers of the Southern Legion and formally trained soldiers like them had to make choices decisively. We must break out of here! And leave this place!
“Foolish.” A gleam of disdain and ridicule flashed in Celestina’s eyes. She unhurriedly lifted her right hand and snapped gently.
Swis.h.!.+
Th.o.r.n.y whips ejected from her sleeves once again and the Knights were unfazed by the same old trick. They struck their swords and they realized their mistakes immediately.
And this would become a scene they may never forget.
They collided into an invisible barrier and were flung off from their warhorses, cras.h.i.+ng to the ground like lifeless rag dolls. Meanwhile, Celestina didn’t move an inch.
O-Oh, Lord… Is this the Demon’s power?
“Foolish, lowly Slaves.” Celestina’s crisp, cruel voice sounded and left the soldiers shuddering. “You dare to defy me? Do you really think you can leave this place?”
Celestina covered her mouth and chuckled. “This is just your delusion, mortals. It is only right that you, as my amus.e.m.e.nt, end your lives here. Now, are you ready to offer your lives to your Master?”
“O-Oh, Lord…” The soldiers shrieked in horror as they gazed at the lifeless corpses. The Demon and Necromancer were like towering walls blocking their path to survival. They had no other ways of getting past them.
“d.a.m.n it, what are you waiting for!” Kesot raged at the soldiers that had stopped moving. He drew his sword and strode out of the crowd, pointing at Celestina.
“There’s only two of them! Charge forward and we can leave this place! If you don’t want to die here, then listen to my command!”
“…”
No one spoke, but they stepped forward one after another. They didn’t want to end their lives here. Even though Celestina was horrifying, no one wished to surrender their lives in the face of death threats. Shortly after, various hundred soldiers gathered together.
“Charge!”
The Undead Army behind were approaching and Kesot had no time to waste. He swung his sword forward and led the brigade of soldiers like a pack of hungry wolves while the soldiers by the rear bolted towards the front. Even though they didn’t believe that Kesot could defeat the Demon, they might still stand a chance to survive.
“Foolish.” Celestina snorted and flicked her wrists.
Swis.h.!.+ The th.o.r.n.y whips laid quietly on the ground, fluttering wildly, raising gales of wind in all directions. In the blink of an eye, countless black dots shot out from within like a storm and shrouded everyone.
“Argh!”
The leading soldiers screamed and covered their b.l.o.o.d.y faces as they crumble to the ground while the soldiers behind them were either rolling about, wailing painfully, or covering their faces. Countless razor-sharp thorns had pierced into their bodies like viper fangs, bringing them excruciating pain.
“Uh…” Kesot groaned abruptly and collapsed to the ground. Although his reactions were quick to defend himself with his s.h.i.+eld, the thorns had punctured his legs and he couldn’t move anymore.
Is this the end?
Kesot gazed at everything before him hopelessly.
His vision had grown dark.
However, at this moment, a glaring radiance shone from above.
“Sinister executioner, your evil doings shall end here!” A lucid, dignified voice sounded.