Ch.151Ruins of War

Year 58 of the Amurtat Calendar.

An army of 200,000 soldiers, divided into two groups of 100,000 each, marched toward two ruins. Finally, upon reaching the ruins, the silence was shattered by the sounds of artillery and gunfire.

At the entrance to the ruins, demons and soldiers faced each other. Soon, priests and officers pointed their swords and began to shout.

“For Amurtat! Attack!”

“Death to the demons! May the angels protect us!”

Above the priests who slaughtered demons while emanating holy radiance, shells were fired, and consecrated bullets rained down upon the demon ranks amid gunfire.

“Kyaaaaaaah!!!”

The lower demons, unable to speak, screamed as they watched their bodies turn black, and soon another volley of gunfire struck their crumbling flesh.

Ratatatatatatat!

Without time for the gunpowder smoke to settle, cannons desperately fired round after round, while below, soldiers gritted their teeth as they pushed ramrods into their gun barrels to reload.

Their opponents were not humans but demons and beasts, and they could not be felled with a single shot.

“Don’t panic! If you follow your training, victory will be ours!”

“All artillery units! Prepare for canister shot!”

“First rank! Holster rifles! Draw swords!”

Shing!

The commands of officers and non-commissioned officers pierced through the artillery and gunfire to reach the soldiers’ ears. The first-line soldiers holstered their loaded rifles and drew their gleaming consecrated swords.

“Prepare for close combat!”

“Close combat!!! For Amurtat!”

“Graaaaaaah!!!”

The demon horde, with their crimson skin, horns protruding from their heads, and goat-like legs, collided with Amurtat’s infantry. Armor crumpled, flesh rotted, and a chaotic melee ensued.

“Die, demon!”

“Kyaaaak!!!”

A demon with fierce, glowing eyes that was tearing apart a soldier was silenced after several gunshots. No demons dared approach the battle priests who swung iron maces with both hands while reciting verses from scripture.

“Repent! Atone!”

“Sinful souls! The servants of the angels have come!”

“There is no escape from the angels’ tribunal! Face your final judgment here on earth!”

Crack! Squelch!

With priests breaking demon horns like dried reeds, formations of legion soldiers that wouldn’t collapse no matter how many were killed, and cannons firing canister shot from above, the demons were eventually forced to yield the path leading deeper into the ruins to humanity.

In truth, they would have died even if they hadn’t yielded, but well, such was the life of demons.

After the battle, Amurtat’s legion treated the wounded and gathered their dead. With the help of priests, they raised holy fires to dispose of the corpses.

This was a demon nest, and if they had tried to take the bodies back, the corpses would have risen as undead before they could even be buried.

*

“Lances forward!”

Thudthudthudthud!!!

While the soldiers drove back demons with cannons and rifles, the knights were repelling beasts with lances and swords.

Knowing that beasts attracted by the smell of blood approaching the ruins would cause serious problems, the knights utilized the mobility gained from horseback to skewer the monsters heading toward the ruins.

“Gweeeeek!!!”

Thudthudthud!

Wielding massive lances weighing tens of kilograms with ease, the knights on armored warhorses deflected attacks from beasts coming from all directions as if they were merely brushing off light rain.

Whether due to their equipment, their training, or both, the beasts that charged more recklessly than demons were no match for the knights. The knights began to form a bloody circular formation around the ruins, as if drawing a magic circle.

“Don’t let a single one into the ruins!”

“We must not slow down until the flare signaling the recovery of the core fragment is launched!”

Tens of thousands of knights raised clouds of dust as they began to separate the beasts from the ruins. Having drawn the aggression of the beasts, who had forgotten about the ruins, the knights drew their swords and charged at full speed.

“The time has come to fulfill our knightly oath, brothers!”

“Long live Emperor Tiberius! May Amurtat be eternal!”

“Graaaaargh!!!”

With the knights’ fierce charge—a battle cry made manifest—the beasts, mere cannon fodder, were instantly cut into seventeen pieces by the knights’ swords. The forests and fields became littered with the entrails and limbs of beasts.

The knights’ aura-infused swords could cut through anything, and their ferocious steeds could break through any obstacle.

From the ruins came the sounds of gunfire and artillery, while from the forests and fields came the knights’ shouts, the beasts’ screams, and the sound of unresisted cutting.

Since cavalry charges were impossible in urban warfare, this was the best approach for the knights, and for the infantry as well.

After all, they couldn’t fire cannons while knights were charging.

In just one day, tens of thousands of demons and beasts were wiped from existence, and the human army, having suffered thousands of casualties, began to penetrate deep into the ruins to accomplish their objective.

*

Bang!

“Kyeeek!”

“Be careful! They’re coming from the ceiling!”

“Reload quickly!”

“Kyaaaak!”

“Behind you!!”

Urban warfare was hell, whether in modern times or the medieval era.

Having to break through enclosed spaces while being attacked from all directions—it was an incomprehensible battle.

In such situations, strategy and tactics were useless.

All one could do was bring an organization that wouldn’t collapse despite losses and enough troops to push through to the end.

Ratatatatat!

“Kyeeeek!!”

“Everyone draw swords! Charge!”

“””Uwaaaaaaah!!!”””

Fortunately, Amurtat’s army excelled in both organization and manpower, and they were gradually making progress, though at the cost of mounting casualties.

However, the purpose of this war was to recover the core fragment, not to exterminate all demons and beasts.

Therefore, they needed to find the core fragment as quickly as possible, but the search was progressing slowly due to collapsed pathways and ambushes by demons appearing in every block.

“Still haven’t found it…”

“No… There are many blocked paths, and the demons’ resistance is fierce…”

“Damn it! At this rate, we’ll attract all the demons in the area! Break through somehow! Push in more men than those who die!”

It might sound incompetent, but in this world, this was the best strategy.

What missiles or rockets did they have?

In this era without even breaching bombs or explosives for rough terrain, the only way to win in urban warfare was to accept enormous casualties.

And since they were dying for Amurtat, they would have no regrets even if they died as expendable resources.

*

After three days and a total of 50,000 casualties on both sides, Amurtat’s expeditionary force finally obtained the core fragment.

“It’s the core fragment!”

“We’ve finally found it!”

“Let’s get out quickly! Demons will be coming soon!”

The First Army was the first to discover the core fragment, and the soldiers who detached it hurried to escape from the ruins without delay.

Fortunately, they were able to avoid further combat, but the situation for the Second Army was a little… no, very different.

“Kyeeeek!!”

“Advance! Keep advancing! Those who bring back the core fragment will receive generous rewards from His Majesty!”

“There are too many enemies!”

“Show your spirit! Amurtat’s soldiers never disappoint Him!”

Due to various adverse conditions, they had drawn significant aggression from the demons and found themselves unable to advance despite the core fragment being right in front of them because they couldn’t deal with the demons.

The demons could claw faster than the soldiers could reload, and they could lunge faster than the soldiers could thrust their swords. The soldiers, fixated on the core fragment, were paying a heavy price.

“Damn it!! Retreat! Retreat!! We’ll try again later!”

Eventually, to prevent further casualties, the soldiers retreated. The next day, knights were dispatched who, dismounting from their horses, cut through demons with their aura and successfully recovered the core fragment.

Having successfully obtained the targeted core fragments, Amurtat’s army began to withdraw promptly.

In this brief war of about one and a half months, Amurtat permanently lost 70,000 of its total force of 200,000.

But it was acceptable.

The core fragment would wash away their blood, and those who died in the embrace of the angels would enjoy eternal peace.

Thus, the priests consoled the survivors.