The Vastness of Magical Destiny

Balmore was equally aware of this point. The momentum exhibited by the enemy was vastly different from what he had imagined. Lances stood like a forest, giant shields like mountains. The usual chaotic scenes were absent; only a frightening stillness existed, as unmovable as mountains. The three times larger half-beastman armaments now appeared incredibly ferocious and terrifying. Balmore’s feeling of falling into an endless abyss grew stronger, and he realized that this battle would bring trouble he had never imagined.

"Your baron, something seems off. How did these half-beastmen suddenly become so impressive? This is completely different from the army we encountered in Banassia. Should we hold our ground and strengthen our defenses instead of hastily attacking? We should observe the situation before proceeding."

Balmore seemed to have perceived the danger. Although he knew the baron had never taken his suggestions before, as the deputy general, he had to consider the best interests of the entire army and fulfill his responsibilities.

Baron Haranto was also hesitant. While the half-beast army’s armor appeared rudimentary and their weapons mismatched, they were still an army. Most concerning was their displayed fervor and determination. He couldn’t help but wonder if the wild charge of the three times larger half-beastmen could shred his soldiers to pieces should his army fail to suppress them with strict discipline.

"Baron Haranto, do not be intimidated by the facade these creatures present. These half-beastmen are no different from the ones in Banassia – a facade of strength with hollow insides. If necessary, we can reenact the scenario from Banassia once more. It’s laughable that these ridiculous half-beastmen can simply don a tattered helmet, strap on some broken leather armor, grab a few wooden sticks and hoe handles, and suddenly transform into soldiers. I believe that as soon as our magic is cast in front of them, everything will repeat itself. You just need to order your soldiers to be ready to charge; in this battle, we can achieve a more complete victory."

The robed magicians who had always followed the baron finally spoke. They were not very interested in this one-sided fight which lacked suspense. To them, it might be somewhat refreshing to watch these half-beastman slaves, who had probably never seen mages casting spells, scatter into a frenzied rout, but such battles were truly tedious.

Haranto hesitated. Although the half-beast men stood with a formidable air and remained motionless, it seemed they were waiting for an attack from the enemy’s side. Looking closely, the half-circle defensive formation of the half-beast soldiers was extremely cautious. Towering shields thoroughly covered the front-line soldiers while long spears protruded through gaps in the shields, slanting into the ground, and more half-beasts awaited behind with javelins, hand axes, and even stones, quietly waiting for the explosive moment of combat.

Could it be that these half-beasts had developed defenses against magic attacks? Haranto quickly dismissed the thought. Half-beastmen were inherently magic-blind; expecting them to learn such a complex and sophisticated art was ludicrous. There had never been a tale of a mage amongst the half-beasts, not even those with half-beast bloodlines, as if having half-beast lineage meant it was impossible to learn magic.

It was also improbable for them to secure the assistance of mages. Across the Leon region and the entire Homer Region, aside from Cyprus with mages serving the duke, there were none others.

Seeing the reserved and prideful demeanor of the mages, Haranto swiftly made up his mind. If he could quell the slave uprising in the Leon Region by defeating the rabble from Mandu, the unrest would largely subside. As for Izmir, Haranto believed the outcome would not be much different from his own. The ridiculous attempt of these foolish half-beastmen to overthrow mortal rule and seek freedom through such means was utterly absurd. If such a phenomenon were allowed to progress, would The whole continent not fall into disarray?