Chapter 52: Summoning in Front of the Array (4)

Early the next morning, all the humans in the fortress had already woken up early, with some sentinels and patrol members staying awake all night. By the time everyone in the fortress was ready to go, waiting for any movement from the orcs, it was already morning before the orc camp finally started to get up, lighting fires and preparing food.

However, people didn’t expect those barbaric orcs, still living in a semi-primitive society eating raw meat, to understand much about discipline. It was already quite remarkable that tens of thousands of orcs could gather under the leadership of their chieftain and shaman without falling apart.

Only after the last fire in the fortress went out and the half-sated orcs sent out a shaman priest who understood human language to issue a challenge did things move. Those on the city walls looked down and saw a vast expanse of flat land in front of the fortress covered by green-skinned orcs—heads packed tightly together as far as the eye could see. What they saw was even more shocking than what Donald had seen from an owl’s perspective. Moreover, most people here didn’t have Donald’s mental strength; some timid ones showed signs of fear, and even those with stronger nerves couldn’t help but feel a chill.

The orc camp was several hundred meters away from the fortress walls, which were at least three stories high. The shaman priest still had to use magic to convey his voice to the humans inside the fortress.

“Cowards who dare not face the great orcs head-on and instead hide inside the fortress. You’re even more fearful than goblins…”

Although the accent was unclear, most people understood the general meaning—that both sides should send teams to fight each other before the actual battle began. There were also insults aimed at provoking the humans. Everyone on the human side was furious, especially the noble private armies, whose quality varied greatly, leading them to retort angrily.

In contrast, the young general from the Ansel family stood calmly in the center of the city wall alongside the prince, showing little sign of worry. This impressed Donald, who had been observing everyone.

The orcs’ goal was simply to win in a small-scale battle, showing the humans their bravery and strength, demoralizing them, and thus suffering fewer losses in the upcoming fight and increasing their chances of victory. Smart people could figure this out quickly, but the usually foolish orcs surely couldn’t devise such a strategy—it must have been the plan of the wise shaman priest among them.

Once the noise among the people on the fortress had subsided somewhat, General Ferdinand raised his voice and shouted at the noble warriors and their private armies, “I believe everyone has seen the orcs’ provocation. You are all elites of the kingdom, summoned by His Majesty the King to bring brave soldiers to the Holy Sword Fortress. Now that the orcs have issued a challenge, who among you is willing to lead his troops to show these ignorant orcs the strength of our human race?”

At these words from the commander, the nobles who had been shouting to teach the orcs a lesson suddenly fell silent as if their throats had been choked.

Looking at the group of over a dozen tall, muscular orcs emerging from the orc side—each two heads taller than humans, wielding massive axes half their height—the noble youths who were new to battle felt dizzy just at the sight.

Though they all appeared valiant in their shiny armor, it was mostly for show; most of their armor was purchased as decorative items, light enough to allow ease of movement. Judging from their fancy patterns and intricate designs, it was clear they could hardly withstand any attack. Compared to real armor, they differed greatly in both weight and defensive capability.

It might have been fine for them to wave flags and shout from the city walls, but once they stepped down from the fortress walls and the orcs launched a full-scale attack, it would be difficult to return to the fortress. After all, none of them could fly, and the baskets moved slowly. By the time they reached the top, the orcs would likely have already reached the walls.

Thus, the noble youths who had been eager to prove themselves these days were now silent. Many of them even felt their legs weaken, terrified by the might of the tens of thousands of orcs below, struggling to stand without the support of their subordinates.

Seeing these nobles so cowardly, the young general inwardly cursed them as good-looking but useless. The enemy camp had only sent a small group of orcs to challenge them, clearly aiming to demoralize the humans.

“There’s no other choice. It seems we must have the elite swordsmen in the legion prepare for battle. With their skills as bronze swordsmen, they should be able to match the number of orc axe warriors. Coupled with the exquisite sword techniques passed down through their families, the high-quality equipment provided by the legion, and the power of sword energy, defeating these orcs shouldn’t be a problem. The only concern is if the enemy shaman casts the Bloodthirst spell—then the ferocity of the orcs could double!”

Just as the commander was about to issue orders, suddenly a noble stepped forward.

This noble was none other than Donald, who had previously rendered great services. He glanced at those noble youths who had been at odds with him, ignored their resentful and guilty looks, and then bowed to address the supreme commander of the Holy Sword Fortress.
“General, these orcs are trying to demoralize our army. Since they dare send so few of them to their deaths, why not let me finish the job for them!”
Seeing Donald take on this difficult task proposed by the orcs on his own, everyone’s expression changed. Most thought he was simply going to his death, and several kind-hearted noble youths tried to dissuade him. But recalling the shocking scene in front of the command post earlier, they swallowed their words.
Compared to single-handedly defeating over 200 orcs, dealing with this small group of orcs was undoubtedly an easy task. They all wanted to see how this young mage would defeat them. They had seen a few mages before, but such a rare profession as a summoner was one most of them would never encounter in their lives.
So most people believed that if Donald had such plans, he must be well-prepared, and their attitude toward this newly rising young noble began to change.
The nobles led by Bordon naturally didn’t want to see Donald achieve more glory and hoped he would be overwhelmed by the orc army after going down, leading to some internal conflict.
The young general Ferdinand also remembered Donald’s feat of killing over 200 orcs and thought, How could I have forgotten him? He too wanted to see the strength of a summoner, so despite some objections, he issued an official order.
“Mage Merlinna, with the orc army approaching, it’s impossible to open the city gates. I can only order a basket to be lowered to send you down. I’ll keep the basket waiting for you. If in danger, protect yourself and return to the basket immediately. A summoner is a force the kingdom cannot afford to lose—we need you to continue serving the kingdom in the future!”
“Thank you for your concern, General. No need for the trouble. I have my own way of going down. Please watch closely, you and everyone here!”
After receiving the order, Donald didn’t head to the basket on the fortress wall but summoned an creature that no one had ever seen before.
“In my name, appear! Horned Eagle Beast!”