Chapter 55 : Chapter 55
Chapter 55. The Rout of the Barbarians
Kroll II stood upon the high platform, gazing at the blood-soaked battlefield stretching across the icy plains in the distance. A cold gleam flashed in his eyes as he ordered the signal soldiers to wave the command flags.
“First and Second Monster Legions—commit all forces!”
The moment the command flags swung, the two monster legions composed of Two-Headed Wyverns and giant wolves surged forward like a black tide, roaring as they charged toward the defensive lines of the Kadiya Kingdom.
Seeing this, Prince Tanley immediately issued an order to the Dragon Rider corps beside him.
“Follow them. Crush their formation.”
Dozens of giant dragons spread their wings and rose into the sky. Dragon breath poured down like molten lava, forming a pincer attack together with the monster legions.
The soldiers of Kadiya and the warriors of the Barbarian tribes were already exhausted. Days of bloody fighting had drained them completely. Facing this sudden and ferocious assault, they had no time to organize any effective resistance.
Screams erupted one after another. The defensive line collapsed like a dam overwhelmed by a flood. Entire ranks of soldiers fell beneath the fangs of magical beasts and the burning breath of dragons.
However, at that very moment, a monster legion composed of raptors suddenly burst out from the Kadiya formation.
This legion did not attempt to collide head-on with the monster legions of the Kroll Kingdom. Instead, like a sharp dagger, it lunged precisely toward the knight orders on the flank.
Those knights and nobles were already exhausted. Their vision blurred from blood loss and fatigue, and many could barely keep hold of their longswords.
The raptor riders moved with terrifying speed. Curved blades flashed with cold light as they swept through the ranks, cutting down knights in swathes.
The formation of the noble private troops was instantly torn apart. Amid the chaos, many men died before they could even see their attackers clearly.
“Damn it!” Kroll II roared angrily at the sight and immediately ordered the communication soldiers to send out a rapid series of flag signals.
On the other side of the platform, Prince Koren, commander of the First Monster Legion, immediately understood. He patted the neck of the Two-Headed Wyvern beneath him.
“Stop them.”
The Two-Headed Wyvern let out a thunderous roar as Prince Koren led his Two-Headed Wyvern legion into a diving charge.
Like streaks of black lightning, they plunged directly into the formation of the raptor legion.
The Two-Headed Wyvern legion and the raptor legion instantly tangled in brutal slaughter, dragon roars and beast cries mixing together as blood rained across the battlefield.
The situation on the icy plains fell into a stalemate once again. But this time, both sides had already reached their limits. Every second devoured countless lives.
Kroll II’s knuckles turned pale. He knew that the outcome of this war would determine the fate of the entire Southern Frontier of the Kadiya Kingdom. There was no room for even the slightest mistake.
On another part of the battlefield, the arrival of the Second Monster Legion instantly reversed the tide of battle.
This legion had rested for an entire week. Both soldiers and beasts were full of energy and at their peak condition, like a blade long held back and now unleashed.
The moment they entered the battlefield, they transformed into a spearhead, charging forward with the allied forces of the Kroll Kingdom and the Dragon Kingdom.
“HOOOWL—”
The giant wolf legion took the lead, their howls shaking the icy plains as they leapt toward the Kadiya defenses.
Their sharp fangs tore through the flesh of the Barbarians. Many Barbarian warriors who rushed forward did not even have time to scream before being torn apart and devoured by several giant wolves.
Meanwhile, the dragon riders swept through the sky, their dragon breath pouring down upon the enemy formations and plunging them into chaos.
“Block the gap! Quickly, block it!”
A tribal chieftain roared with bloodshot eyes, brandishing a stone axe as he personally rushed forward to supervise the battle.
But the impact of the Second Monster Legion was simply too overwhelming. The Barbarian tribes had already suffered heavy casualties.
Now, facing enemies at their peak strength, their defensive line was torn open like paper. The allied forces poured through the breach like a collapsing flood, devouring the Kadiya positions.
Reinforcements from the Kadiya Kingdom were still on the way, but the Barbarians could no longer hold.
Watching their comrades being ripped apart by magical beasts, fear spread like a plague. No one knew who first dropped their weapon and turned to flee.
Soon after, more and more Barbarians ignored the orders of their chieftains and fled backward like a collapsing tide.
“Traitors! Get back here!”
The tribal chieftain roared in fury, cutting down a deserter with his blade, but the tide of retreat could not be stopped.
His personal guards rushed forward to execute the fleeing soldiers, yet they were pushed backward by the overwhelming mass of retreating warriors. The speed of their killing was far slower than the speed of the fleeing crowd.
Even more chilling was the behavior of the shamans who had been granting strength and defensive blessings to the warriors.
At this moment, they quietly withdrew all their enhancement spells and instead poured their blessings onto themselves, fleeing faster than anyone else.
They knew clearly that the battle was already lost. Staying would only mean dying alongside the rest.
The collapse of the Barbarian tribes was like the first domino falling, instantly dragging down the entire left flank.
When the soldiers of the Kadiya Kingdom saw the flank collapse completely, their morale shattered. Some began to hesitate, others quietly stepped backward. The formation that had barely held together moments before fell apart in an instant.
The giant wolves of the Second Monster Legion chased after the fleeing soldiers, tearing into them, while dragon breath continued to fall from above. The allied main force poured through the breach and divided the Kadiya battlefield into several fragmented sections.
Across the icy plains, fleeing soldiers and pursuing beasts became entangled together. Screams and roars intertwined, turning the battlefield into a one-sided slaughter.
The tribal chieftain stared at the chaos before him. The stone axe slipped from his hand and clattered onto the ground. The blood drained from his face.
He knew it was over.
Yet the chieftains of the other tribes, seeing the collapse from afar, did not dare remain any longer. Ignoring the battle entirely, they turned and fled with their own tribal warriors.
In their panic, however, they ran straight into several Kadiya legions that were arriving as reinforcements.
The fleeing Barbarians crashed into them like an uncontrollable flood, instantly scattering the formations of the reinforcements.
“Stop them! Stop them!”
Several commanders of the reinforcement legions roared as they drew their swords.
“Cut down the Barbarians rushing toward us! If we do not stop them, we will all be trampled to death here!”
Blades flashed as the foremost fleeing warriors fell one after another, their blood meant to halt the stampede.
But the Barbarians behind them were already consumed by terror. They only rushed forward, trampling everything in their path. The sounds of trampling, screaming, and clashing blades merged into complete chaos.
At the same time, within the central command tent of the Kadiya Kingdom’s battlefield.
The Eldest Princess, Selena, stood before a sand table. Through the gap in the tent curtain, she observed the chaos outside.
Her silver-gray hair was tied behind her head, and her expression was as cold as the frozen plains beyond the tent. The staff in her hand struck heavily against the ground with a dull thud.
She suddenly turned her head, her gaze sharp as a blade, staring directly at the Third Prince of the Barbarian Royal Court standing nearby.
“These are the warriors your Barbarian tribes are so proud of?”
The Third Prince’s face flushed red, then pale. His fists clenched tightly, the knuckles turning white.
Looking at his tribesmen outside—fleeing in panic and even crashing into their own allies—his lips trembled, yet he could not utter a single word.
Shame, anger, helplessness—countless emotions surged within him, finally reduced to a suppressed growl.
Selena sneered and turned away from him. Her eyes returned to the sand table where the flags marking their positions stood.
The left flank had collapsed. The right flank was pinned down. The central army was thrown into chaos by the fleeing troops.
The entire defensive line trembled like a dying candle in the wind.
“Deliver my order.”
Her voice was icy and devoid of warmth.
“Send the Royal Guard forward to block the breach. Inform all soldiers—anyone who retreats will be executed.”
The guard acknowledged the order and hurried out, leaving only Selena and the Third Prince standing face to face inside the tent.