Chapter 159 : Chapter 159
Chapter 159. Unexpected (4)
The Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit, having launched their attack precisely at the start of the siege, immediately struck the rear of the unwary Imperial Army.
"Waaaaah!"
"Die!"
Thanks to this, it was their side that seized the initial momentum.
Arrows imbued with aura, regular soldiers capable of using aura, defensive magic used in the right places, and even the New Recruit Unit's poison magic.
The Imperial Army, unable to properly respond to the splendid attacks of the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit, suffered troop losses moment by moment.
"Calmly form ranks!"
"There is nothing to fear! Our numbers are greater!"
The Imperial Army commanders raised their voices, but the performance of the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit was exceptionally brilliant.
Moreover, this was not the end.
Seureuk.
Like this, Roden and Michael used Eternal Shadow to conceal themselves and began to roam the battlefield.
And every time the two swung their swords, an Imperial Army commander lost their life one by one.
As a result, the Imperial Army's ranks could only remain in a state of chaos.
Perhaps if Smith and Sarai hadn't hurriedly stepped forward, the Imperial Army would have collapsed right there.
"It's the stealth magic reported recently! Use detection magic!"
"Gather in one place first! Then we can win!"
Eventually, due to Smith and Sarai's response, Roden and Michael had no choice but to retreat.
If their forms were revealed amidst the enemy lines, it would be dangerous even for the two of them.
"Do not spare the use of magic artifacts except for the explosive crystal orbs!"
"Just hold on a little longer! Just a little!"
Especially significant was that the Imperial Army regained its senses and began using magic artifacts.
For that reason, the tide of battle, which had been turning in favor of the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit, instantly became even.
Since there was a difference in numbers, it would be the Imperial Army that gained the advantage given a little time.
'They should be showing a reaction from Kroxen Castle by now...'
Even just responding to the attack was not enough.
They had to attempt a breakthrough at one point with the mindset of escaping somehow.
'Indeed, will their thoughts reach that far?'
While Roden harbored doubts.
Rumble. Kuung.
Finally, the gates of Kroxen Castle opened, and from within, Alexis's direct unit and the Vanguard Battalion revealed themselves.
***
At the sudden appearance of the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit, Alexis and Tobias widened their eyes in surprise.
The two stood speechless for a while.
The first to break the silence was Tobias.
"Kuhahaha. Didn't I tell you? That the Main Battalion Commander would definitely come to save us!"
Only after hearing Tobias's words did Alexis regain his senses and reply.
"It, it really is the Main Battalion Commander! The Main Battalion Commander was alive! Even with his forces preserved!"
"This is not the time. Please give the order to respond, Corps Commander."
"R, right. I should. Gather the troops. We will open the gates immediately and go out to crush the Imperial Army that has tormented us for nearly a month."
Thus, Alexis's order officially fell, and Tobias hurriedly went out to assemble the troops.
Since the Imperial Army, which had been conducting the siege, was retreating due to Roden's appearance, there was no problem in assembling the troops.
In the meantime, Alexis regained his composure and examined the battle situation.
The Imperial Army seemed unable to regain their senses after receiving the sudden attack.
However, the numbers of the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit were too few.
Perhaps because of that, the overwhelming momentum of victory gradually tilted, and the aspect changed to both sides fighting evenly.
"Now, open the gates! Let's help the relief forces and show the Imperial Army what we're made of!"
Tobias, having gathered all the troops before anyone knew it, raised his voice like this.
Alexis's direct unit and the Vanguard Battalion responded to this.
"Let's kill them! Let's slaughter the Imperial Army!"
"We've waited only for this day! You bastards!"
Perhaps because they had suffered a lot until now, everyone looked full of malice.
However, Alexis urgently intervened and blocked this momentum.
"Wait!"
"?"
"I will change the order for everyone to stop."
Changing the order in this situation, what does that mean?
Don't tell me, he intends not to respond?
Everyone present harbored doubts, and Tobias opened his mouth as a representative to resolve these doubts.
"Change the order, you say! If we don't respond now, such an opportunity will never come again! Please let us open the gates!"
But this was a misunderstanding.
Alexis had no intention of not opening the gates.
He also intended to respond to the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit.
Alexis opened his mouth calmly.
"Do not worry. We will open the gates and respond to the relief forces."
"Then why..."
"Come here first and examine the battle situation, Vanguard Battalion Commander. Then you will know what I am saying."
His body was burning with excitement, wanting to open the gates and go out immediately, but a superior's order was absolute.
For that reason, Tobias tilted his head but climbed back up the castle wall.
Then he watched Roden fighting the Imperial Army.
"Ah, surely?"
"Right. That's it. Due to the lack of troops, the relief forces are slowly starting to be pushed back. And this will be the same even if we join them. The numbers are still insufficient."
"...Even more so, our army has suffered from a lack of food for quite a long time, so our combat power has weakened. We shouldn't just respond."
"Right. And the Main Battalion Commander wouldn't be unaware of this either. And yet, coming to save us like this means..."
"He hopes we attempt a breakthrough at one point to escape Kroxen Castle."
"That is exactly it."
Fortunately, since Tobias was also a commander leading an army, he could grasp at once what Alexis was trying to say.
And since their opinions matched, there was no need for other worries.
"I will change the operation's goal to a breakthrough at one point, not simply responding."
"I will take the lead. Since the vanguard is the most important in a breakthrough at one point."
"Then I will also stand beside you, Corps Commander."
Alexis and Tobias, having changed the operation in an instant, raised their voices in turn.
"Open the gates! I will take the lead!"
"Follow the Corps Commander and break through the Imperial Army's encirclement!"
And simultaneously with this shout, the gates of Kroxen Castle opened.
***
As the gates of Kroxen Castle opened, Smith and Sarai couldn't help but be flustered.
No matter how numerous the Imperial Army was, if Kroxen Castle responded now, the balance they barely managed to achieve could tilt again.
Smith spoke to Sarai.
"Since this place has stabilized quite a bit, I will use a mobility-type crystal orb to go over there. Can I entrust this place to you?"
"Do not worry. It's only blocking a battalion-level force."
Smith nodded and immediately used the mobility-type crystal orb.
Smith, arriving near Kroxen Castle like that, raised his voice.
"Do not panic! The Ingens Imperial Army does not collapse!"
Perhaps because Smith, the supreme commander of this unit, appeared, the Imperial Army quickly regained its composure.
Gathering in one place to prepare for the clash was the very evidence.
'It's done. At this level, it will be us who eventually achieve victory.'
It was when Smith breathed a sigh of relief and muttered inwardly.
Alexis's direct unit and the Vanguard Battalion finally rushed at the Imperial Army.
And,
"Huh?"
Smith couldn't help but be flustered.
Alexis's direct unit and the Vanguard Battalion were not just running to respond.
Surprisingly, the Corps Commander Alexis was standing at the forefront.
Even with a 7-star aura raised.
In a wedge formation.
"It's a breakthrough at one point! Prepare for impact! Hurry!"
Smith urgently grasped the situation and raised his voice, but it was already too late.
Alexis reached the Imperial Army leading the troops and swung his sword.
As a result, the Imperial Army had to be swept away like autumn leaves.
"Kueegh..."
"Spare me!"
Moreover, this was not the end.
Supporting from behind was the 6-star knight Tobias, and because of that, the Imperial Army had to lose their lives without even putting up a proper resistance.
Like that, the encirclement was being breached.
"Damn it! Imperial Army knights, follow me!"
Smith, witnessing that scene, urgently mobilized the knights around him and moved to where Alexis was.
As a 6-star knight, the only way for Smith to stop Alexis was to coordinate an attack with multiple knights.
"The Allied Forces Corps Commander is exhausted from not eating anything for days! Do not fear!"
But in truth, the one who was afraid was Smith.
Because he knew better than anyone how reckless it was to fight a 7-star knight.
Even among beasts, a hungry beast was more fearful than a full beast.
Sure enough,
Buuung! Seogeok!
With a single horizontal slash containing a secret technique that adds power, the bodies of three knights who moved with Smith were severed.
They raised aura to block, but it was useless.
Furthermore,
Shuuuk! Seogeok!
Alexis did not stop there and fired sword energy, the proof of a 7-star knight.
Due to this, three more knights lost their lives, and Smith barely succeeded in defending with a sword curtain.
If the power of the sword energy hadn't weakened after the three knights died first, he wouldn't have succeeded in defending either.
'...What should I do?'
Since Smith also knew this fact, he could only watch Alexis roaming among the Imperial Army like a hungry beast while sweating cold sweat.
And in the meantime, the Imperial Army's encirclement thinned once more.
Now Smith had to make a decision.
Whether to struggle to stop Alexis somehow while accepting the damage.
Or to let Alexis go.
Smith, who chewed his lower lip tightly, eventually shouted.
"Retreat! Do not try to stop the Allied Forces unreasonably anymore!"
It was the moment when Alexis's direct unit and the Vanguard Battalion, who grasped Roden's intention and attempted a breakthrough at one point, saved their lives.