Chapter 1340: Chapter 249, Ambush_3
“Understood!
Pass down my orders. Tomorrow, we will convene in the main camp to discuss military deploynts and strategies to defeat the enemy. Commanders of the legion and above must attend on ti.”
…
At the Jade Palace, upon hearing the news of the battle at the Holy Mountain, Caesar IV uttered “What a pity” three tis in a row.
It was evident that he was deeply dissatisfied with the final outco. With such a massive effort, they still failed to breach the Holy Mountain. Any future attempts to take it would only beco more challenging.
So mistakes need only be made once!
As long as the Clergy leadership had any sense, they would undoubtedly reinforce the defenses of the Holy Mountain from now on. Even the most gullible leader wouldn’t place their gilded new-generation clergy at such a strategic lifeline.
This whole crisis primarily stemd from inadequate coastal defenses. If the defenders at the Port of Santis had held out for just a few more days, the tide of battle would have completely shifted.
“Your Majesty, while the Clergy might have averted disaster this ti, their accumulated prestige has suffered considerably as a result of this battle.
Especially with the Angel Summoning — they actually managed to summon a group of Fallen Angels. That’s a wound they’ll be hard-pressed to recover from.
It’s been said that during the great battle that day, seven Cardinals perished, and even the Heresy Adjudicator lost his life amidst the chaos.
Keep in mind, that man was a Sanctuary Powerhouse!
The last ti a Sanctuary Powerhouse was slain, if I recall correctly, was over three hundred years ago.
What’s even more laughable is this: the person who killed him was none other than soone the Clergy themselves summoned!”
Marquis Omar gloated gleefully.
As a trusted confidant of Caesar IV, recently promoted to the prestigious position of Minister of Foreign Affairs, he knew full well that this was the ti to make his mark.
Unfortunately, with the current state of the Continent, while one couldn’t say the Departnt of Foreign Affairs was completely redundant, the room for maneuver was, in truth, very limited.
This was the fallout from his predecessor’s competence. All the straightforward, result-driven tasks had already been completed during the prior term.
What remained were only the thorny challenges no one wanted to touch.
Even with the King’s backing, Marquis Omar dared not abruptly overturn the Kingdom’s foreign policy, or even criticize it too boldly.
After all, the forr Minister of Foreign Affairs remained active in the Court, now elevated to the esteed post of Minister of Finance.
Still unsteady on his feet, Marquis Omar lacked the clout to stir up a political factional battle. Especially amidst an Orc invasion, any reckless upheaval would carry even greater risks.
“You always did have a way with words!
But the Clergy’s losses this ti truly are significant. The war isn’t over yet, and already nearly half of their leadership has been replaced.
By this logic, it’s safe to surmise they’ve lost a substantial number of their elite warriors as well. These things depend on ti to build back, and recovery will not be a matter of days or even months.
Trading ordinary elite forces to whittle away at the Clergy’s foundation — this was a battle well worth it! Had it not been for the Orcs stirring up trouble, we could have intervened as well and guaranteed Shelter VII would cough up blood in fury.
Now, it’s all up to the determination of the Frank people. If they continue the assault, the Clergy’s losses will only mount!”
Caesar IV chuckled.
Good moods are always relative. When it ca to war, Caesar IV lived a life far more leisurely than Shelter VII.
The other was a Pope, compelled to be on the frontlines of the slaughter, while as a King, Caesar IV could afford to sit in the Royal Palace eating snacks.
“Not ddling in military matters is the greatest support one can give to the frontlines!”
The remark, while grating to the ear, beca less botherso when heard often enough.
Watching the disheveled state of Shelter VII, Caesar IV suddenly felt that doing less wasn’t necessarily a bad thing after all.
…
In the Papal State, the rampaging Magical Beast Legion finally crossed the border, arriving a full day earlier than anticipated.
Twenty thousand Terrain Dragons thundered forward, shaking the earth beneath them. Wherever the army passed, destruction marked the way.
Countless fields were trampled under the claws of the Terrain Dragons, leaving the harvest utterly obliterated.
Yet such concerns were trifling — in war, speed often determined victory. Returning to the battlefield to defend the holand promptly was the true priority.
Suddenly, spotting birds circling in the distance, the seasoned Delazan Army Commander imdiately reined in his mount and instructed his guards:
“Pass down the order to halt the advance!
Send the Flying Dragons to reconnoiter but caution them to avoid getting too close.”
This cautious directive ca entirely as a lesson learned from prior misfortunes.
When the Holy Mountain battle erupted, the Flying Dragon Cavalry had already been dispatched to return swiftly to support it.
It was due to the Aerial Forces’ unrelenting harassnt of the enemy that the Holy Mountain was ultimately spared.
However, with the primary aerial units redeployed, the remaining Flying Dragon Cavalry under Delazan’s command had beco dangerously scarce. This weakness hadn’t gone unnoticed, and the army had soon suffered ambushes from the enemy.
Several Flying Dragon riders had lost their lives during reconnaissance patrols, tragically falling in combat.
The remaining Flying Dragon Cavalry under Delazan’s leadership now represented the army’s last reserves of aerial strength. Should that be lost, the only alternative would be to use Eighth-order Strongn as scouts.
That, of course, was unthinkable. Strongn have their pride, and suggesting Eighth-order elites to serve as re scout horses would get any commander ambushed the mont they set foot outside.
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…”
A barrage of arrows whistled out from the woods, crashing into the army lines. In that instant, no one needed any orders to realize they were under attack.
To face the threat of ambush on their own territory filled Delazan with a boiling fury.
“Raise shields, full assault!”
With the capability to face challenges head-on, Delazan had every confidence. Possessing twenty thousand Terrain Dragon Cavalry, they wouldn’t fear even an army of a hundred thousand enemies.
Elite forces moved like elite forces. Despite their brief mont of shock, they regrouped imdiately, forming battle arrays in record ti and thrusting forward.
Watching this unfold, Marquis Sunil, hidden within the forest, allowed a slight smile to curl his lips before decisively commanding, “Retreat!”
Evidently, this guerrilla tactic was far from unique, having been employed countless tis before.
Just like before, an ambush involving Magic Crossbows was launched, followed by an imdiate withdrawal into the forest. The ti-pressed enemies had no ans to give chase effectively.
The difference was that this ti Marquis Sunil had co in person instead of delegating to his subordinates.
Should the enemy realize his identity, they would imdiately recognize the looming danger. After all, where a commander appeared, it often indicated the presence of the main force.
Recognizing the repeated ploy, Delazan vented his accumulated rage into a nearby tree, splitting it in half with a single strike. Enraged, he bellowed:
“Give chase!
This isn’t mountainous terrain. I refuse to believe these whelps can run very far!”
At his command, the army plunged into the forest in the blink of an eye. As they closed in on their quarry, the ground abruptly began to quake.
“It’s a trap!”
Realizing the situation, it was already too late. From the mont they entered the forest, their military formation had begun to deteriorate.
While the Magical Beast Cavalry was capable of fighting in the woods, their effectiveness in such terrain was significantly diminished compared to open plains.
Piecing together the ambushes encountered along the journey, it was plain to see the enemy had carefully orchestrated a series of traps to lure the army into unsuitable terrain for battle.
Before Delazan could issue counterasures, the forest ca alive with movent. Countless Undead creatures erged from below, engaging the Terrain Dragon Cavalry in chaotic skirmishes.
“Don’t get entangled with these Undead creatures! Break through!”
Delazan urgently commanded.
His instincts scread that if they delayed any longer, catastrophe was imminent.
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