Chapter 67 : Chapter 67
Chapter 67. Rear Disturbance (2)
The Special Task Force Company's first victory was concluded cleanly without a single fatality.
There were only a few minor injuries.
‘Is this… what it means to be the strongest unit?’
Liviano, the Light Cavalry Platoon Leader, thought as he watched the battlefield being quickly cleared.
Back in the Transport Battalion days, the Infantry Platoon was certainly strong.
He had witnessed their strength firsthand during the battalion competition.
But he had never imagined their strength was to this extent.
Now that he was part of the same unit under the name Special Task Force Company, this fact felt even more real.
Of course, the Infantry Platoon had not played a significant role in this battle.
The Archery and Light Cavalry Platoons had cleanly subdued the enemy before they could even strike the rear of the Imperial cavalry.
However, achieving such a result was only possible because they were in the same unit as the Infantry Platoon.
To be more precise, it was possible because Roden was the Special Task Force Company Commander.
The fact that the Archery Platoon could fire five arrows when they could previously only manage three,
and that the Light Cavalry Platoon not only neutralized the heavy cavalry's powerful charge but also caused them to fall from their horses due to the rebound, was all thanks to Roden.
‘How on earth did this happen….’
Even though the battle was over, Liviano was still dumbfounded.
And it wasn't just Liviano.
“I can't seem to understand it at all….”
Olinto muttered as if he were having the same thought.
Because of this, Liviano's gaze naturally turned toward Olinto, and Olinto, feeling the gaze, also looked at Liviano.
Thus, their eyes met in mid-air.
“Are you thinking the same thing?”
“You too?”
Having confirmed each other's thoughts, the two men burst into hearty laughter, "Hahaha."
“To think that what the Company Commander prepared would work so well.”
“There are still more battles left, but at this rate, I feel like we will never lose.”
It was while Olinto and Liviano were exchanging their impressions of the battle.
“What are you two doing? If we are to escape this place with any haste, you two must lend a hand as well. Move quickly.”
Chevalier approached and said this.
Only then did Olinto and Liviano notice the Infantry Platoon calmly clearing the scene without a hint of surprise.
‘How familiar must they be with this situation….’
‘Is this what they call the difference in experience?’
In any case, Chevalier was right.
This was not the time to be lost in sentiment.
Olinto and Liviano answered in turn.
“Ah. I'm coming now.”
“Right. We must hurry.”
Thanks to everyone's full efforts, the Special Task Force Company was able to quickly finish cleaning up and leave the battlefield.
It was after the first battle.
***
Thus, the Special Task Force Company left the battlefield where the first fight had taken place and roamed the Imperial territory.
Sometimes they went deep, and other times they pulled back to the outskirts as if to withdraw immediately.
The reason the Special Task Force Company showed such movements was none other than this.
It was to evade the Imperial pursuit unit as much as possible and buy time.
And in the time they had earned, Roden recharged the defense magic on the shields and the Strength Enhancement magic on the shortbows.
‘It’s a good thing recharging is easier than enchanting; if it weren't, it would have been very difficult.’
The time required for recharging magic was about one-fifth of that for enchanting.
For that reason, the defense magic required about an hour of charging time, and the Strength Enhancement magic about 36 minutes.
Roden completely recharged all the equipment while evading the Imperial pursuit for two days.
And as soon as the recharging was finished, he asked Liviano.
“What is the size of the pursuit unit?”
“It’s about a company in size. They are approaching us quickly. I think they might catch up to us by tomorrow.”
Roden nodded upon receiving Liviano's report.
It was impossible to evade the enemy forever within Imperial territory.
Unlike our forces, which had to move while maintaining a watch on all sides, not knowing when the enemy might appear, the enemy could charge toward us without such worries.
Therefore, what was more important than the fact that a battle would occur was the size of the pursuit unit.
And the size of the pursuit unit also matched Roden's expectations.
‘They couldn’t have increased the size beyond this. During the last rear disturbance operation, their entire army went out to catch us, and they had to retreat their front line after being pushed back by the main battalion.’
In other words, if the Imperial Army had any learning ability, they could not deploy a large force to chase the Special Task Force Company.
‘In that respect, a company-sized unit was probably the maximum number they could mobilize for a pursuit.’
Of course, that didn't mean he could underestimate them.
The fact that the Imperial Army decided to crush one company with one company meant they were that confident.
‘They probably played the strongest card they could.’
It was a situation that required caution.
Roden looked around and then gave an order to the Special Task Force Company.
“Over there, let’s set up an ambush when we reach that small forest.”
At Roden’s command, Chevalier asked a question.
“An ambush… Are we going to fight again now?”
“We’ll be caught by tomorrow anyway. Rather than fighting like that, it's better for us to choose the battlefield. And conserve some stamina.”
Everyone nodded at the reasonable explanation.
Thus, a short while later.
The Special Task Force Company hid in a suitable place and caught their breath.
The second battle was just around the corner.
***
Meanwhile.
Muhib Tota, the Pursuit Commander leading the pursuit unit, spotted something and ordered a halt.
At his command, the well-disciplined pursuit unit stopped in unison.
“What is it, sir?”
The Deputy Commander asked Muhib.
Muhib surveyed the surrounding terrain again and answered.
“That small forest over there has terrain particularly good for an ambush.”
“That it does. But would the bastards who are fleeing for their lives be lying in wait in an ambush?”
“The possibility is high. The enemy has taken risks to frequently check our position. They probably know we have drawn close.”
“So you’re saying that rather than being caught by the tail and forced to fight, they’ll try to turn the tables with an ambush.”
“Yes. That's it. So send scouts to check the situation over there beforehand.”
“Understood.”
Thus, the Deputy Commander sent a few infantrymen into the forest.
However, even after a long time, the infantrymen did not return from the forest.
The Deputy Commander spoke with a dark expression.
“It’s certain there’s an ambush.”
“It seems so.”
“What should we do?”
Muhib thought for a moment before answering.
“Set fire to the forest. The weather is so dry, the flames will rise quickly.”
It was as the Deputy Commander was about to move as Muhib had said.
A sound was heard from within the forest, and the Special Task Force Company revealed itself first.
The Deputy Commander clicked his tongue at the sight.
“Tsk tsk. To reveal themselves for a frontal confrontation before we even set a fire. How arrogant. As if they know who we are.”
It was just as Roden had expected.
The Imperial Army had formed the pursuit unit with their most elite forces.
This was evident just by looking at the fact that Muhib, unlike an ordinary company commander, was a 4-star expert.
However, Muhib was not just a 4-star in terms of personal skill.
His abilities as a commander were also outstanding, which was why he recognized it at a glance.
That the discipline of the Special Task Force Company was not ordinary.
“Do not be careless. This may be a tougher fight than you think.”
Thus, Muhib rebuked the Deputy Commander who was looking down on the Special Task Force Company.
Because of this, the rest of the soldiers in the pursuit unit who were watching also sobered up.
***
‘As I thought, a formidable opponent has come.’
He had known it from the moment the enemy commander had pinpointed the ambush location and ordered the pursuit unit to halt.
That the enemy commander was no ordinary man.
Furthermore, it wasn't just the commander of the pursuit unit who was excellent.
Their overall combat strength was also extremely superior.
‘They’ve composed their cavalry of heavy cavalry again. Is the Imperial Army overflowing with money?’
In particular, the difference in the armament of the cavalry they each operated was large.
As they had to face each other head-on with similar numbers, this difference was decisive.
Normally, it would be enough to consider certain defeat.
Btu even in this situation, Roden did not think of defeat.
If he had to say, his side was not lacking in armament at all.
In fact, it was a situation where one could say they were ahead.
Moreover, in this era, in this world, war was not fought with just armaments.
How skilled each soldier was, and what kind of synergy these soldiers could create by uniting as one, was also extremely important.
And in this aspect, Roden was more confident than anyone.
That was why, despite the apparent disadvantage in combat strength, he gave the following command.
“All forces, charge!”
At that, the Infantry Platoon stepped forward as if they had been waiting, followed by the Archery Platoon.
“Charge!”
“Waaaah!”
The Light Cavalry Platoon moved to the flank of the charge direction to prepare to counter the enemy cavalry.
They intended to strike the enemy's flank if the opportunity arose.
At this bold charge by the Special Task Force Company.
Not only Muhib, but the entire pursuit unit could not help but be flustered.
They had never imagined that the Special Task Force Company, which had been in an ambush just a moment ago, would be the first to charge.
But Muhib, like the excellent commander he was, quickly pulled himself together.
Then he gave a command to the pursuit unit.
“We can't lose either! All forces, charge!”
Thus, the distance between the two sides closed rapidly, and the archers, now in range, fired their arrows.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Not only the Special Task Force Company but also the Imperial pursuit unit fired arrows at the same time.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Since both sides had anticipated the arrows, neither suffered great damage.
However,
“Huh?”
“What is this?”
From the moment the second volley of arrows was fired, the atmosphere changed.
The Special Task Force Company's second volley of arrows struck the Imperial pursuit unit much faster than they had thought.
“Aargh! It hurts!”
“I’ve been hit by an arrow!”
Because of this, the Imperial pursuit unit could not properly respond to the arrows.
It was the moment when the tide of battle, which was thought to be overwhelmingly in the Imperial pursuit unit’s favor, began to slowly turn.