Chapter 257: Siege on the Azarin Empire’s capital (IV)
The next morning seemed deceptively peaceful. For a brief moment, it felt as if the tension from the night before had dissipated. Richard and the other generals this was just the calm before the storm. They had spent the night ensuring the full mobilization of the city’s military forces, and by dawn, nearly twenty thousand soldiers stood ready within the capital.
While the sheer number of troops seemed impressive, Richard and his fellow generals did not allow themselves any sense of comfort. They knew that less than half of these soldiers had received proper military training, and only around five thousand had managed to enter the Level System. The rest were mere mortals and would be little more than cannon fodder if forced to fight in the open.
The generals were keenly aware that reinforcements were needed—especially the Paladins and Priests from the Church of Glory. Unfortunately, those forces, powerful as they were, belonged to Pope Jerom. The man had shown reluctance the previous day, and Richard knew that Jerom would not easily hand over control of his Paladins and Priests.
Richard inhaled deeply, steeling himself as he prepared to approach Jerom on the top of the south wall, determined to convince him to contribute the full might of the Church to the war effort.
Just as Richard was about to reach Jerom, something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. His heart skipped a beat, and before he could fully process what he was seeing, a massive explosion erupted on the southern wall.
"What’s happening?" one of the nearby commanders shouted, his voice rising above the sudden chaos.
The soldiers of the Azarin Empire instantly assumed the enemy had made their move, but Richard could see that the enemy troops were still far from the walls. His mind raced as he sought an explanation for the explosion.
Before he could reach a conclusion, two more deafening explosions reverberated through the air—this time from the west and east walls. The ground trembled beneath his feet as the powerful blasts echoed across the capital.
Richard’s heart pounded, but he forced himself to remain calm. Years of battle experience had taught him to respond quickly and decisively in moments of crisis. He immediately began organizing reports from his commanders stationed along the walls, piecing together the situation as fast as possible.