Chapter 428 - 176: Entering the Fray
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
As time passed, the second volley of cannon fire rang out once more.
"Charge! For the Empire!"
Chief Liete drew the scimitar from his back. He no longer had the mind to care about the scene unfolding behind him.
The human position was just ahead.
"Something’s wrong! Some of those shots are headed for us!"
Hearing this, Chief Liete looked up in shock. Several Energy Balls grazed past his head before exploding amidst the formations behind him.
"ARGH!"
"Look out! Get out of the way!"
Amidst a chorus of screams and cries of pain, many Centaur Warriors were blasted into the sky.
"The gate! The city gate is about to collapse!"
Suddenly, someone cried out in alarm.
Several Energy Balls landed with precision around the city gate. Unable to withstand the pressure, it finally broke apart.
A massive chunk of stone fell, completely blocking the path.
"Damn it! This is bad!"
"Damn it all!"
Chief Liete was filled with rage. Most of his forces were still inside the city; only a small group had made it out.
But no matter how furious he was, there was nothing he could do now.
The gate had collapsed. Those inside couldn’t get out, and those outside couldn’t get in.
"Attack! Break through these humans!"
Turning back to face the humans blocking his path, Chief Liete bellowed as he charged forward.
"Cut them down! Avenge our fallen!"
"Cut them down!"
Seeing their kin buried under the rubble, the Centaur Warriors were overcome with grief and fury. This anguish turned into strength, driving them to slaughter every last human before them.
The soldiers of the Second Regiment had been waiting for this moment.
Seeing the Centaur army charge, all the soldiers followed the plan and took cover inside a series of wagons.
These wagons had been specially ordered by Robson from the Gauss Clan. They weren’t large, but they were covered in spikes, each one tipped with sheet iron.
Robson had designed them based on the armored war wagons of his past life, specifically to counter the countless cavalry on the grasslands.
The Beastman Grassland was teeming with Warg Mounts, Saddle Horses, and all sorts of other mounts, not to mention strange races like the Centaurs.
In a world with Magic, these peculiar inventions could be put to good use.
"No! Halt! Go around those wagons!"
Chief Liete got a clear look at the contraptions and broke out in a cold sweat.
At his current speed, if he didn’t use his battle aura, even he would be bloodied by those sharp spikes.
For those behind him without any Extraordinary power, these things were lethal.
Unfortunately, Chief Liete’s warning came too late.
The Centaurs behind him were already consumed by rage. They paid no mind to the obstacles and even shoved Chief Liete forward in their frenzy.
"No! Stop! Stop!"
"Stop, I said!"
The Centaurs in the rear kept pressing on, shoving those in front and forcing them forward.
"ARGH!"
Finally, with a spurt of blood arcing through the air, the Centaur at the very front cried out in agony.
The sharp spikes plunged deep into the Centaur Warriors’ abdomens and chests. Under the immense force of the charge, their eyes went wide as they were impaled and pinned firmly to the wagons.
Everything was too chaotic. Even when Chief Liete unleashed his Golden Tier aura, his orders couldn’t get through.
"Loose arrows!"
But it wasn’t over. With the Centaurs’ charge now halted, the soldiers hiding behind the armored wagons leaped out. Wielding arrows and spears, they charged the Centaur Warriors.
The scene instantly descended into a chaotic melee.
....
Watching all of this unfold, Bo Yang finally let out a sigh of relief.
’The Second Regiment has held the front line!’
"Bo Yang! Look to the east!"
Bo Yang frowned. From the East City Gate of Julian City, Centaurs were now pouring out.
And it wasn’t just the East City Gate; the same was happening at the West City Gate.
The Centaurs weren’t fools. With the North City Gate destroyed, they had simply changed their formation.
"What now? Should we destroy the east and west gates too?" Earl Uman asked with a frown.
Bo Yang shook his head and gazed at the distant sky.
With his Extraordinary vision, he could clearly see a red dot in the distance, steadily approaching.
"No need. The Earl and his men are almost back."
Suddenly, Bo Yang felt a great weight lift from his shoulders.
’At least I haven’t messed things up yet.’
Earl Uman looked up and, sure enough, also saw the silhouette of Robson’s approaching red dragon.
Unlike Baron Boyang, Earl Uman felt as though he hadn’t had his fill of the action yet.
In the short span of a single day, Earl Uman had finally been able to put his skills to use in a familiar domain.
In the past, when Robson was around, everyone was as docile as a pet, leaving him—the second-in-command—with nothing to do.
"A report!"
Just as the two were lost in thought, a Ranger came running up the mountain.
"Reporting, My Lord! A Beastmen army is on the move from the north! They’ve already set out."
Upon receiving the news, Bo Yang nodded.
"Pack up the Magic Crystal Cannons. Have the other regiments proceed according to the original plan."
"Earl, we should get going as well."
....
「On the battlefield farther north of Julian City.」
Several of Robson’s new regiments were already moving under Bo Yang’s command.
Thousands of warriors from the Centaur Clan, however, did not charge directly. Instead, they took up a position opposite the humans, resulting in a standoff.
The one leading the Centaur army this time was none other than the Grand General of the Centaur Royal Court, who was also Chief Liete’s uncle.
According to the Centaur Royal Court’s original plan, they were going to abandon the Centaur soldiers in Julian City. They were just supposed to send someone to inform them to prepare for a breakout.
However, after more than a year of war, the Centaur Clan had very few warriors left.
Furthermore, Robson’s intentions were all too clear. Anyone with eyes could see that he was planning to push into the grasslands.
And the first obstacle when advancing onto the grasslands from Julian City would undoubtedly be the Centaur Royal Court.
The Centaur Royal Court was currently at its weakest point in thirty years, with most of its warriors still locked in standoffs with humans on the central and western fronts.
The previously insignificant Centaurs of Julian City had suddenly become important.
"Father, why don’t we just charge?"
Next to Quintus, a younger Centaur asked in confusion.
"We are here to rescue them, not to crush these humans," Quintus replied.
"As long as we can tie down the human elites on the main battlefield, it will be enough.
You must always consider the consequences of your actions. Don’t be like your brother..."
Hearing this, Hughes slowly lowered his head.
His brother was Aemon. He had been serving under the Fourth Prince on the Western Front. Who could have imagined he would end up dying there?
With the Centaur Clan making no move, the humans were also at a loss for what to do.
According to Bo Yang’s orders, the enemy should have charged by now, which would have triggered the next phase of their plan.
’What’s going on now? Why aren’t these Beastmen moving?’
For a moment, the human soldiers were left standing awkwardly in place.