Chapter Eleven: Miscalculation

Yeller was equally aware of the urgency of the situation. Although the Attic knights had received proper training to resist magical attacks, it was their first time facing such relentless magical assaults in the field of battle.
The enemy launched large-scale mixed spells right away—wind and lightning magic working in perfect harmony and complementing each other, disrupting the Attic knights’ offensive rhythm instantly. This also gave the Homer knights, who hadn’t truly collapsed, an excellent opportunity to counterattack. If the Homer knights succeeded in their plans, the Attic knights would face utter destruction.
Yet Yeller still hadn’t figured out the enemy’s true intentions. While the Homer knights’ counterattack would deal heavy blows to the Attic knights, they surely couldn’t ignore their own powerful cavalry force. Could they really think they could act recklessly without caring about the lives of their knights? Yeller shook his head—such an act would only lead to their own execution by the grand guild.
The messages sent back by the scouts confirmed that the half-orcs and barbarian armies were still stationed about thirty miles away, seemingly intent on staying put. Even if the half-orcs and barbarians mobilized immediately and moved faster, they couldn’t arrive in less than two hours. And even if they rushed over at that speed, they wouldn’t be able to engage in battle without at least two hours of rest. In other words, for at least three hours, the barbarians and half-orcs posed no threat, and their own mobility far surpassed that of those infantrymen.
Yeller sighed. It seemed he had no choice. It was his responsibility to save those proud and foolish knights. Hopefully, this lesson would make them more sober and prevent them from being arrogant again.
“Holer, pull your heavy cavalry back and keep them on standby. Marcos, divide your light cavalry into two groups and attack the enemy in a wedge formation!”
The light cavalry warriors, already growing impatient, immediately drew their swords. The sharp blades exuded a killing aura, casting a chilling atmosphere over their ranks as a cold light spread forth toward the enemy.

Leclerc immediately sensed the change in the situation. As a strong knight, he had a much sharper sense than ordinary knights. The overwhelming aura of murderous intent coming from behind their formation clearly indicated that the enemy’s light cavalry had already launched an attack. Although magical attacks continued unabated, the Attic knights, protected by their magic-resistant armor, were gradually adapting to them. Their formation also showed that they were prepared to counterattack.

Leclerc had to admit that although his opponents lacked combat experience, their strength should not be underestimated. Their extensive experience and long history gave their knightly order considerable strength.

A slight yet steady tremor of the ground prompted Leclerc to decide immediately to abandon a counterattack and retreat. The enemy cavalry, unlike the knightly order which placed great emphasis on unified formation, would hardly give themselves any room to turn once they charged. To avoid direct confrontation, they had to leave before the enemy could act.

Moreover, everything seemed to be going according to plan. The gentle slopes and lowlands ahead appeared spacious and flat at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the terrain there was much more complex. It would be difficult for large groups of cavalry or knights to maneuver effectively, making this area an ideal place for skirmishes.

Shots and slashes clashed violently across the gentle slopes and lowlands. The knights of the Homer Knightly Order fought their way back, retreating one or two kilometers before stopping and becoming more aggressive. Even with the support of their powerful cavalry, the Attic knights maintained remarkable resilience. The Attic cavalry had to disrupt their formation to better adapt to the uneven yet complex terrain, especially those damned bushes that were almost everywhere. Forming an effective charging formation was practically impossible.

As soon as Yeller stepped onto the higher slopes, he realized he had made a major mistake—he hadn’t paid enough attention to these lowlands. He hadn’t expected the terrain inside to be so complex, with bushes and trees intertwined. Although his light cavalry had an advantage due to their numerical strength, the Homer knights still posed a strong resistance. Their strange behavior made Yeller feel uneasy.

This clearly seems like a trap. Could it be that they deliberately set it here to draw their cavalry forces here? What about their ambush forces? Yele didn’t think the Homer Knights could hold out until those half-orcs and barbarians arrived. Even if they did make it in time, the battle would likely already be nearly over, and at best they could only show up to clean up the battlefield.

The Homer mages had also disappeared. Under such circumstances, if mages dared to show themselves openly, they were simply seeking their own deaths. The Homer Knights wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. Yele kept encouraging himself, but a sense of foreboding lingered in his heart.

Just as Yele racked his brains trying to figure out what tricks his opponent might have in store, the barbarian and half-orc armies led by Baoling were charging at full speed.

“Thirty miles, one and a half hours—no rest time, engage in battle immediately!” Aside from these brief orders, there wasn’t a single extra word. Baoling was used to giving such commands to his half-orc and barbarian subordinates. Rigorous training had left no room in their minds for anything other than obedience to orders.

“The Homer Knights will hold out until we arrive.”

“Can they really?”

“The Rypeng Knights and Earth Dragon warriors will ease their pressure to some extent, but that won’t change the overall situation. Only we can determine and change it,” Baoling replied coldly. “We must win this battle, and victory depends on our speed. Throw away everything but weapons! All javelins must be discarded before engaging in close combat. Understood?”

“Understood!”

If Yele could have seen these barbarians and half-orcs, acting like beasts, charging through the mountains at full speed, he would have understood why Baoling had such absolute confidence in this gamble. But he couldn’t see it, nor could he know, so he was doomed to lose this battle.