Ch.216Highest Praise

Arrows rained down from the wall and the Imperial heavy cavalry’s charge was causing increasing losses on both flanks, but Habar’s attention had already shifted away from cavalry operations.

He knew well that ordering the White Banner to engage in a shooting battle while dodging the downpour of arrows would be an unreasonable command—unlike the Red or Blue Banners.

Despite numbering two thousand on both flanks, the White Army’s cavalry was intended as a delaying tactic from the beginning.

He had determined this was the best approach with three thousand troops—though it might have been different had he committed all five thousand.

“Third Thousand-man Unit! Raise your shields and charge! We must exploit the gap while the enemy cavalry is engaged!”

From the moment he saw the Imperial soldiers emerge from outside the wall, Habar had been focusing on just one area.

The eight hundred Imperial infantry split into three groups. Specifically, the center group where only four hundred had managed to gather.

—-

Habar’s objective was never to defeat the entire enemy force. That would be impossible as long as the Wall stood.

The order he received from Ser Khan was to attack the Wall and shake it up.

Habar understood this to mean he should deplete the Wall’s defensive forces, making it easier for Ser Khan’s main army to conduct a siege later.

Though it was merely a forged order from Amin… that was something Habar couldn’t have known.

While the Imperial heavy cavalry was threatening, the core defensive force of the Wall was ultimately infantry and archers.

This deployment of heavy cavalry outside the Wall was exceptional.

With Imperial infantry—normally impossible to approach—now appearing before him, Habar’s focus naturally shifted toward them.

Eight hundred wouldn’t be the end of it.

He planned to quickly defeat them and then target the infantry reinforcements that would follow.

“Charge! We must break through before those Imperial slugs can regroup!”

“KAAAAAAAH!”

As Habar’s command echoed once more, the White Banner infantry began sprinting with all their might.

Ferociously, like wolves rushing toward their prey.

—-

“Damn it…! Fifth and Sixth Infantry Units! Hurry and join the center group!”

Lord Ludwig shouted urgently.

With the enemy’s objective clearly being the annihilation of the central infantry, he needed to get the newly deployed infantry units to join the center as quickly as possible.

He couldn’t withdraw the First and Fourth Infantry Units as they were moving to protect the rear of the flanking cavalry.

The heavy cavalry’s successful charge was steadily crushing the enemy mounted archers, but due to the twofold difference in numbers, the archers in the enemy’s rear ranks hadn’t suffered significant damage yet.

If they scattered to the sides and surrounded the heavy cavalry, the cavalry would also have to accept considerable losses.

“Mages, attack the enemy center! Baron Median too!”

Even more arrows were raining down from the wall than before, but the White Banner infantry, advancing with shields raised like turtles, were taking almost no damage.

Lord Ludwig was well aware of this and was directing most of the fire at the enemy cavalry.

Magic seemed better suited to inflicting meaningful damage on them.

Sturdy shields might block arrows, but they wouldn’t extinguish fireballs.

The mages nodded and began collectively drawing mana.

“I wonder if this will work well.”

Haschal calmly murmured as she raised her right hand gripping a spear.

A metal spear made entirely of metal from tip to shaft.

Ten identical spears were planted in a row behind her like stakes.

She chose throwing spears instead of arrows because she remembered Hersella saying that Karma of Murder arrows were less effective against well-defended enemies.

“Fire at will! Burn them all to ashes!”

Before Haschal could launch her spear, the mages’ spells were completed first.

Twenty fireballs fell like meteors toward the area below the wall.

“The bastards are using dark magic!”

“Warrior unit! Throw your spears! Such magic—just burst it in mid-air!”

Following Habar’s command, fifty warriors mixed among the front ranks of the infantry simultaneously hurled their spears.

– KWANG! KWAANG!

The thrown spears and fireballs collided and shattered against each other.

Half-melted metal pieces scattered in all directions along with fragments of flame.

A spectacular fireworks display unfolded in the sky above the battlefield.

Looking down at the scene, Haschal drew upon the power of Karma of Murder.

An ominous energy spiraled around the entire spear, undulating.

The reddened spear emitted a humming groan.

Without Lacy’s blessing or Yasa’s gunpowder, and not intending to pour all her power into a single strike, it wouldn’t match what she had demonstrated at Einfeldt…

But Hersella’s technique had been added. She would soon see its power.

“Haaah….”

Tensing every muscle in her body, Haschal pulled her arm back and—

– TUKWAANG!

With a sound like a cannon blast, a dark red flash shot out like lightning.

—-

The Karma of Murder throwing spear launched with a thunderous roar.

By the time Habar realized what the sound was, it was already before his eyes.

‘This is, could it be…!’

Habar’s eyes widened to the point of tearing.

It was already too late to block it.

There wasn’t even time to order his men to dodge.

– PUEEEERK!

Tearing through the infantry’s shields like paper, the red spear embedded itself in the front line of the formation.

“KUEOGH!”

“KUAAAAAAAA!”

Soldiers impaled by the spear screamed as they clutched at the shaft.

The spear, flying with unbelievable power and speed, crushed one soldier’s head like fruit, pierced through a second soldier’s chest, and tore through a third soldier’s groin before embedding itself in the ground.

The final soldier’s desperate scream was probably loud enough to be heard atop the wall.

Because it was fired at an angle, despite its tremendous power, the casualties were only three… but Habar’s expression was twisted like that of a demon.

A weapon wrapped in dark red energy spiraling around it.

He knew well what this meant, and what would happen next. He had seen it once before.

…Though he had never imagined it would fall upon his own forces.

“Fall back! Get away from the spear! No, block it with shields!”

It was an impossible order.

They were advancing in tight formation to block the rain of arrows while charging forward.

The next moment, the red streaks of light enveloping the spear all unfurled at once.

From a distance, it resembled a peacock spreading its tail feathers.

But what followed was far from such beauty.

– KWADUDUDUK!

Accompanied by desperate screams, chunks of flesh scattered in all directions.

A volcanic eruption of blood dyed the White Banner’s armor red.

Soldiers near the spear were shredded like raw meat, and even those further away had their limbs severed and fell into pools of blood.

Nearly thirty troops collapsed in a single strike, with screams and groans flowing like a melody.

“HA-SCHALRRRR! YOU BETRAYED USSSSS!”

A rage-filled roar echoed loudly.

Twenty more fireballs created by the mages rained down in response.

======[Haschal]======

‘That voice is overflowing with resentment, isn’t it? What do you think?’

The roar that this Habar person let out was loud enough to reach the top of the wall through the battlefield noise.

Judging by how quickly he recognized my identity from just one throwing spear, he must have known Hersella.

[What is your purpose in asking me about my impressions of your actions? ]

‘No, I just thought you might know him well.’

[I care not. They are not my subordinates, and they attacked despite knowing I was in the Empire, so they committed betrayal first. More importantly, your throwing posture was wrong. Do you not know how to throw a spear? Throw it lower, skimming the ground. Don’t plunge it downward. ]

Hersella revealed her indifferent attitude, as if she couldn’t care less whether the White Banner lived or died.

No, considering her advice about the throwing posture, she was actually helping me kill them more effectively.

She said earlier she wouldn’t help with killing her kinsmen, but she seems to enjoy giving pointers. This woman.

“Huu…”

After exhaling my heated breath, I drew a new spear from behind me.

Ten more shots. Unless I planned to leave the battle after just throwing spears, this number was the best I could manage.

Hersella’s technique… Mangyin, was it? Anyway, this technique had high killing power but consumed considerable energy when fired at long range.

– HWARLURK!

Another flickering fireball flew toward the enemy and burst again. Just like before.

The mages were surprisingly ineffective. I couldn’t blame them though.

While high-ranking mages might be different, it wasn’t easy for twenty ordinary mages to land spells against nearly a thousand enemies.

With fifty warriors just for interception, most magic would be neutralized and dispersed in mid-air.

Still, one or two shots did manage to strike and burn some enemies.

– KWAANG!

The second throwing spear.

Aimed at the right side of the formation, the spear once again swept through dozens of men.

“Kuuuk…. Spread out as you charge! We must minimize casualties! Regroup in front of the Imperial forces!”

Habar shouted as he threw a spear to intercept yet another fireball.

“Rear ranks, take up bows! Intercept that witch’s fireballs! Whether fire or spears, once we close in, they won’t be able to use them anymore!”

It was a surprisingly astute judgment for someone reputed to be a mindless warrior. I suppose that’s what makes him a Champion.

As he said, once infantry melee combat began, such attacks would no longer be possible. It would sweep away our own troops as well.

“UOOOOOOH!”

The White Banner troops roared as they charged forward.

– KWAANG!

The third throwing spear.

This time I aimed for their left flank. About twenty fell.

Clearly, as they spread out, the effect was noticeably reduced compared to earlier.

Then the fourth and fifth.

Habar moved around trying to block the spears, but since I deliberately aimed away from him, his movements were meaningless.

“HASCHALRRR-!!”

After watching the sixth spear strike from a distance, Habar finally lost his temper.

“YOU, VILE WOMANNNNN-!!”

What high praise.