Chapter 310

*BOOOOOM*

Every time that ear-splitting roar sounded, a siege weapon would shatter into pieces.

The soldiers who desperately tried to move the siege weapons out of the way met the same fate, while those who fled without looking back barely managed to survive.

But the outcome was the same.

The siege weapons were destroyed.

It was a harsh reality, but in a siege battle like this, siege weapons were far more important than the lives of a few soldiers.

It meant that they were being completely outmaneuvered tactically.

The tactic of using the Turtle Catapult to specifically target the siege weapons was dealing a heavy blow to the Crown Prince’s army.

“Damn it! How is it so fast?!”

Marius roared in frustration.

The Crown Prince’s commanders had also predicted that the enemy would use their precious monstrous catapult against the siege weapons.

It was a reasonable prediction.

So they had deployed all their siege weapons at once, as they had no way to counter the monstrous catapult.

There was only one monstrous catapult.

And it could only fire one shot at a time.

So they had calculated that even if they suffered some losses, a significant number of siege weapons would survive and reach the castle walls.

It would also have the effect of confusing the enemy with multiple targets.

But,

*BOOOOOM*

“Damn it, again!”

The boulders launched from the monstrous catapult were even faster than before.

And instead of confusing the enemy, its accuracy was terrifyingly precise.

Their calculations had been completely wrong.

At this rate, all their siege weapons would be destroyed before they even reached the castle.

“Captain, our losses…”

“There’s only one way. Keep advancing.”

Vinchel said coldly.

Retreat?

They might be able to save a few siege weapons, but it would be meaningless.

They had already crossed the point of no return.

There was only one path forward.

“U-Understood, Captain.”

Marius reluctantly agreed.

He also knew that they had to see this through to the end.

“But there’s one encouraging thing.”

“Huh?”

“They haven’t used those monstrous arrows even once. It means they don’t have many left.”

“Ah, now that you mention it…”

Marius’s eyes widened.

He had also realized it.

“Then their defenses will be weakened!”

Marius’s voice brightened.

The soldiers were powerless against the monstrous arrows.

But if the enemy couldn’t use them, the soldiers would be able to reach the walls more easily.

“Yes. We’ll move when the soldiers reach the walls with the ladders.”

Vinchel and the other Imperial Knights,

They weren’t the type to just command from behind.

They were more accustomed to fighting on the front lines.

In a siege battle, their role was to climb the walls, eliminate the enemy, and secure a foothold for their soldiers.

The key was to gain numerical superiority on the walls.

If they could do that, the enemy would be forced to retreat.

“Understood. I’ll move to the north gate.”

Marius replied.

North, south, east, west.

The four Imperial Knights were each assigned to a gate, their task to quickly secure a foothold on the walls.

“Make sure you complete your mission.”

“Yes, sir.”

Marius moved out.

* * *

“We’re almost there! Keep moving! Push harder!”

The Crown Prince’s army had finally reached the foot of the castle walls, after braving a relentless barrage of arrows.

They had suffered casualties, but their numbers were still overwhelming.

Because they were a massive army.

“T-They’re coming, Young Master!”

Dolph shouted, fidgeting nervously.

He was also a citizen of the Celtrine territory, fighting alongside the soldiers on the front lines.

“Calm down. They haven’t reached the walls yet.”

Max said, nocking an arrow.

“Keep firing. Kill as many as you can.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

Dolph hurriedly fired another arrow.

Max was already firing.

*Twang! Twang! Twang!*

He fired arrows rapidly.

And his accuracy was impeccable, his arrows finding the gaps in their armor.

“Ugh!”

“Argh!”

Soldiers groaned in pain as arrows pierced their flesh.

He could have inflicted more damage by using his advanced skills, like Explosion Arrow, but he was conserving his energy.

His stamina wasn’t unlimited.

He had to save it for the crucial moment.

And he knew that moment was coming soon.

The Celtrine forces were focusing their fire on the Crown Prince’s army, trying to prevent them from reaching the walls.

But the Crown Prince’s army finally reached the foot of the walls.

“Set up the ladders! Climb the walls!”

“Gasp! T-They’re really coming this time, Young Master!”

“So what if they’re coming?”

Max chuckled and shouted, “Front row, spears and shields! Don’t let them climb the walls! Back row, keep firing your arrows at the enemy below!”

At his command, the soldiers in the front row lowered their bows and raised their spears and shields.

They formed a wall of shields, as if a second wall had appeared on top of the castle walls.

The soldiers behind them continued to fire their arrows, harassing the Crown Prince’s army.

“Set them up!”

*Thud!*

*Crash!*

Siege ladders were placed against the castle walls.

Everywhere.

Celtrine Castle was facing its greatest crisis.

“Climb!”

“Woohoo!”

“Push them back!”

“Kill them!”

The Crown Prince’s army swarmed up the siege ladders like ants.

Their eyes were filled with a desperate determination.

The Celtrine forces on the walls were the same.

They would die if they couldn’t climb the walls.

They would die if they couldn’t defend the walls.

The inevitable clash of their wills resulted in a fierce battle.

“Thrust!”

“You bastards! Don’t even think about climbing!”

The Celtrine soldiers thrust their spears with all their might.

*Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!*

“Ugh!”

“Argh!”

The Crown Prince’s soldiers screamed as they were impaled by spears and fell from the ladders.

*Thud!*

They crashed onto the ground, writhing in pain.

Broken bones were the least of their worries.

Those who had suffered internal injuries coughed up blood and foam, their bodies convulsing before finally going still.

It was a gruesome sight.

But the Crown Prince’s army continued to climb the ladders, their eyes fixed on the top.

They knew that their only chance of survival was to push back the Celtrine forces on the walls.

“Those persistent bastards!”

“Get lost, you bastards!”

The Celtrine forces desperately defended the walls.

They thrust their spears, pushed with their shields, and kicked with their feet.

It was a chaotic battle.

The Celtrine forces had the advantage of height.

So the Crown Prince’s army was suffering heavy casualties.

But,

The Crown Prince’s army was too numerous.

They kept climbing, wave after wave.

The Celtrine forces couldn’t withstand the pressure forever.

“Ugh!”

“D-Damn it!”

They started to lose ground, one section of the wall after another.

But they were still small breaches.

The Celtrine forces still had the advantage.

But it wasn’t a good situation.

Like a small spark that could ignite a raging fire, the Crown Prince’s forces on the walls would continue to grow.

Max knew that better than anyone.

‘I’ll stop them here.’

He finally unleashed the energy he had been conserving.

His eyes narrowed, and he quickly nocked an arrow.

– Explosion Arrow.

*Twang!*

The arrow flew towards a siege ladder.

And then,

*BOOOOOM*

It exploded.

“Aaaargh?!”

Screams of confusion and pain.

The soldiers, engulfed in flames, fell from the ladder.

The explosion had shattered the middle section of the ladder, like a broken bridge.

“Aaaargh?!”

The soldiers fell, one after another.

Their flailing limbs were a pitiful sight.

*Thud!*

*Crash!*

They crashed onto the ground, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles.

Some had broken their necks and died instantly.

They writhed on the ground like trampled worms.

It was clear that they were no longer in fighting condition.

In an instant, a siege ladder and the soldiers on it were eliminated.

But Max wasn’t done yet.

– Explosion Arrow.

*BOOOOOM*

“Aaaargh!”

“N-No!”

– Explosion Arrow.

*BOOOOOM*

“Ugh!”

He continued to destroy siege ladders, one after another.

The Celtrine forces at the south gate, who had been under intense pressure, finally had some breathing room.

It was a nightmare for the Crown Prince’s army.

Vinchel, who was commanding the south gate, gritted his teeth.

“Max Celtrine, you little brat! How long do you think you can keep this up?!”

He finally made his move.

He had realized where the key to this battle lay.

Max Celtrine.

He was the Celtrine forces’ greatest threat, their linchpin.

If they could eliminate him, the Celtrine forces would crumble.

Vinchel was certain of it.

*Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!*

His horse galloped towards the castle walls.

And then,

He leaped from his horse.

A superhuman jump.

But he couldn’t reach the walls.

At that moment,

He drew his sword and created a foothold in midair.

He landed gracefully on the sword.

“W-What?!”

“H-How?!”

Everyone who witnessed it gasped in shock.

It was an inhuman feat.

But only one person,

Max, remained calm.

“Don’t try to take shortcuts.”

He nocked seven arrows at once.

The Multi-Shot technique, one of Hiresia’s secret techniques.

It was inferior to Hiresia’s true Multi-Shot, which could fire up to ten arrows at once, but even seven arrows were a force to be reckoned with.

*Twang!*

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Seven arrows flew towards Vinchel, who had just landed on his sword.

Even Vinchel, the Sword Saint, had never seen such archery.

And the timing was perfect.

He had been about to jump onto the walls, but Max didn’t give him a chance to gather his strength.

“Damn it.”

Vinchel had no choice but to fall back to the ground.

*Thud!*

He landed gracefully, unlike the soldiers, but it was still a humiliation for him.

He had used his Sword Control Technique, but he had been forced to retreat without accomplishing anything.

“Max Celtrine, young and full of vigor, has driven back the enemy’s old and decrepit commander like a fly!”

Max, ever the opportunist, seized the chance to taunt Vinchel.

“Woohoo!”

“As expected of the Young Master!”

“Old man, go home and play with your grandchildren!”

The Celtrine forces’ morale soared.

The Crown Prince’s army’s morale plummeted.

The Sword Saint’s prowess was a source of confidence for them.

But he had been driven back by the enemy commander’s arrows, like a fly.

They couldn’t help but feel shaken.

*Grit!*

Vinchel gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching so tightly that he thought his teeth might shatter.

For the first time in his life, he truly wanted to kill someone.

Max Celtrine.

He would kill him.

He would definitely kill him.

Vinchel’s eyes were bloodshot.

“You bastard!”

He drew his remaining nine swords.

The Sword Saint was truly enraged.

Max, unfazed, made a hand gesture.

A signal to the residents who were standing by the large ballistae.

– Fire at will if he tries to climb the walls again.

That’s what the signal meant.