Chapter 208: That is correct. You have won (2)
It wasn’t difficult for the soldiers carrying hooked ropes and ladders to reach the walls. Our numbers were overwhelming, and it was virtually impossible for the defenders on the wall to kill enough of us to prevent us from approaching.
However, the moment they reached the palisade, many soldiers fell, struck by arrows. The palisade we had built in front of the wall was fulfilling its role admirably.
I watched the scene unfold and quickly issued an order.
“Supporting fire! Target the archers on the wall!”
A barrage of projectiles, which could be described as a catalog of personal long-range weapons – short bows, longbows, crossbows, mechanical crossbows, and more – began. Less than a second after being fired, the arrows, hidden in the darkness, flew through the air, some finding their mark in the unfortunate Imperial soldiers.
War cries drowned out screams, and the sounds of death were also buried under the roars of battle.
Simple shouts, angry cries calling out the names of fallen comrades, and roars filled with the unshakeable belief in victory. The Kingdom Army soldiers began to climb the walls with explosive momentum.
However, the defenders were prepared, if not perfectly, then at least adequately.
The stones hurled by the catapults, accelerated as much as possible, were already deadly weapons in themselves. Even without being heated, when doused in oil and set alight, they instantly transformed the battlefield into a bonfire fueled by human kindling. Sometimes, they incinerated the soldiers carrying the torches.
The soldiers hit by the filth would have time to ponder whether it was fortunate or unfortunate. But covered in excrement, all they could do was rage.
The threads of resentment intertwined, and if they were visible, the top of Pelasion’s wall would quickly become a magnificent tapestry.
The walls of Pelasion were sturdy. Despite being a hastily constructed structure built on a solid foundation, it had become solid enough to serve as a fortress in a matter of days.
“2452nd Division! Mobilize all forces to clear the palisade! The top priority is the path to the wall! Prepare the battering ram!”
I deployed the unit nicknamed the “Woodcutter Division” due to its unusually high number of axe-wielding soldiers. It would be better to smash the palisade than to simply clear it.
Meanwhile, a crashing sound echoed from afar, indicating that one of our ballistae had destroyed a catapult on the wall. Beyond the dimly lit battlefield illuminated by torches and bonfires, I could see a giant shadow collapsing.
“Catapults 3, 6, and 8 destroyed! Ballistae 12 and 18 destroyed! Enemy catapult 3 destroyed!”
“Good! Continue!”
A siege battle suddenly unfolded in the darkness. The area near the walls of Pelasion, initially shrouded in oppressive darkness, was now dotted with countless torches, casting the walls in a faded yellow light.
Silhouettes of people crawling up the walls. They looked like tiny insects climbing a wall.
The Imperial soldiers diligently cut the hooks and removed the ladders, but for every one hook and two ladders removed, two hooks and three ladders were placed.
The wind blew towards the Kingdom Army. I smelled the scent of worn clothing, burning flesh, and spilled blood.
The raw and repulsive stench of the battlefield.
“Battering ram ready!”
“Charge! Break down the walls!”
Several horses pulling the battering ram galloped towards the path cleared by the 2452nd Division. The pointed, wheeled log rolled slowly at first, then gained speed.
Rumble! Thud! Rumble!
The sturdy wheels crushed any stones they rolled over, even pulverizing corpses. The battering ram charged towards the walls, trampling over the path created by our allies, over what used to be our allies.
Just then, a flash of light erupted from the top of the wall.
Magic?
Thud!
A wall of earth rose in front of the battering ram. The riders pulling the battering ram were blinded by the sudden wave of earth or thrown from their horses, and the ram, charging with terrifying momentum, continued forward for a short distance due to inertia before coming to a halt.
At that moment, some of the nearby platoon and company commanders must have given orders to their soldiers. Some soldiers rushed forward, pushing and pulling the battering ram.
The battering ram, which had almost slid back down the slope, began to move forward again.
However, the distance to the wall was too short to gain enough momentum, and there were too few soldiers to provide the necessary force.
The battering ram regained speed and charged, but having been pushed uphill by manpower, it was reduced to a noisy nuisance.
Boom!
A loud noise resonated, but the wall remained unyielding, and the soldiers clinging to the battering ram became easy targets for the enemy. Dozens of arrows rained down on the battering ram, and the soldiers fell like scarecrows.
“Next!”
My order was relayed instantly. The battering ram, having retreated after striking the wall, was quickly pulled away from the entrance. Thanks to a resourceful field commander, the battering ram was rolled down the slope and recovered to our lines.
Meanwhile, the second battering ram, which had already set off, reached the wall unimpeded, thanks to the excellent supporting fire from our archers.
Crash!
What rude gates, refusing to open even after being knocked on.
The third and fourth battering rams followed.
To those behind the gates, it must have sounded like the footsteps of demons rising from hell. Every time the battering ram collided with the massive gates, a tremendous booming sound dominated the battlefield’s cacophony.
“The fifth one is going!”
“This is boring. I’ll do it.”
“Huh?”
I turned to see who had spoken. But by the time I looked, Al was already sprinting towards the walls of Pelasion.
Clad in magical armor, his legs were faster than the battering ram pulled by several horses. He lightly leaped onto the top of the battering ram.
Al? What are you trying to do?
“Telescope!”
“Yes!”
Sispa quickly handed me the telescope, and I brought it to my eye.
Al, perched precariously on the end of the jolting battering ram, somehow maintained his balance, his posture protecting his head from arrows. The riders pulling the ram, unaware of his presence, continued their charge towards the gate.
Finally, when the battering ram crashed into the wall with a thunderous roar, Al’s body was thrown forward by the force of the impact. No, at that moment, he launched himself towards the gate.
The force of the impact and his jump perfectly synchronized, propelling him more than four meters into the air. He then unleashed a fist towards the gate.
It was then. The Iperfect armor that encased his body momentarily glowed a faint blue.
The moment Al’s fist collided with the wall, an unprecedented, earth-shattering sound reverberated across the battlefield.
Kaboom!
The war god’s hammer smashed against the wall. Over 30,000 people would believe it if I said so.
Al’s single blow had shattered the gate.
Thud.
I dropped the telescope in astonishment. Surely, he had used the power stored within his magical armor, but to break down a gate with the strength of a single person?
The battlefield fell silent.
The gates, which had refused to open no matter how much they were battered, now lay wide open, as if the previous resistance had been a mere jest. No, to be precise, the gates had been completely destroyed and had collapsed inward.
Oh, my goodness. Unbelievable. This is…
“Achuni…”
Sispa’s hushed voice echoed the sentiments of everyone present.
Invoking the name of God for such an extraordinary event.
Even those who were in the midst of battle were stunned by this sight.
I instinctively opened my mouth.
“Charge.”
“Pardon? Charge?”
Sispa questioned me as if she didn’t understand the meaning of the word “charge.” Her question brought me back to my senses.
Ah, right! I’m in the middle of a war!
“All forces, charge! The gate is open!”
My voice echoed hollowly through the air. Only after three seconds did Kun regain his composure and shout, so flustered that he used the Common Tongue.
“All forces, charge! The, the gate is open!”
His voice was laced with disbelief. Despite the incredulous tone of his command, the soldiers responded.
First, they took a step forward, then gripped their weapons tightly on the second step. On the third step, a delayed war cry erupted.
Uwaaaaaaaaaah-!
“Levidian, let’s go! Aila, Joey, let’s move!”
I grabbed the reins of Finder, who was standing beside me. Finder, who had been dozing off amidst the chaos, startled by the war cry, lifted his head and neighed.
“Hey! Wake up! It’s time to charge!”
I kicked Finder’s belly as soon as I mounted him, and the surprised horse quickly started to gallop. Behind me, I heard the sound of other horses’ hooves and Sispa’s voice.
“Co, Commander-nim! You’re doing it again!”
I grinned and gave an order to her and the remaining troops, mostly cavalry.
“Listen up, all remaining Kingdom Army soldiers! Commander Arisein Uk Herduke commands you! Charge towards Pelasion!”
Even without Kun relaying the order, the sight of the Commander charging towards the enemy lines must have become familiar to the Kingdom Army. Behind me, the explosive neighing of horses and the thunderous sound of hooves followed.
After a short gallop, I saw Al standing in front of the gate, catching his breath. He looked slightly pale but didn’t show any signs of significant fatigue.
“Al-!”
I called out his name. Al raised his hand and clenched it into a fist. A sign of success. I was overjoyed by my friend’s accomplishment, this unbelievable feat, and extended my hand.
“Let’s go!”
“Hmm.”
I grabbed Al and lifted him up, and he jumped onto my horse behind me. Together, we entered Pelasion.
“When you wear the full set, it activates a special effect. It allows you to gather all the power of the armor and convert it into destructive force. However, doing so disables the special magic embedded in the armor for 24 hours. It worked out well after using it.”
“I see. Ah, deploy archers on that road over there.”
“Yes, Commander-nim.”
Within an hour and a half, the Kingdom Army had seized control of 80% of Pelasion’s outer wall. Thanks to the Imperial Army, whose defeat was already apparent, retreating repeatedly.
As befitting a fortress city, Pelasion’s interior was clearly divided into sections.
Both the outer and inner walls were divided into 10 sections, and including the central area, it consisted of a total of 21 sections.
A significant number of Imperial troops remained only in the three sections of the southern inner and outer walls and the central castle. Most had retreated south to regroup for a counterattack.
At this point, they should have abandoned the city and retreated, but since the command staff in the central area hadn’t withdrawn, the Imperial Army clung to their lingering hope.
I knew the reason.
Artshever was waiting for me.
I declared a curfew in the residential areas and deployed the Kingdom Army by section. Meanwhile, I listened to the account of Al’s heroic act and assessed the situation in Pelasion.
Aila frowned as she looked at the tall castle standing tall in the center.
“What is that bastard thinking, staying put like that? Did his ass suddenly become as heavy as his 1,600 lives?”
“It means he has a move that can turn the tables.”
I subtly threw out a suitable remark.
My words were true. It was like a powerful move where a knight, previously hidden among the pawns, suddenly jumps out and captures the queen.
If I lose this bet, it would be like literally flipping the board.
Aila crossed her arms and said,
“Even so, I didn’t expect him to hide like a coward. He’s not planning to blow up the entire fortress as the fortress administrator, is he?”
“Come on, no way. This isn’t the legendary mythical age, is it? That kind of thing wouldn’t happen. Risel, are you planning to attack the inside?”
“Of course. It seems like they’ve fortified their defenses quite well. Hmm, I’m tired and would love to get some sleep.”
I yawned and put my hand in my pocket. A rustling sensation reached my fingertips. It was a note I had found while organizing my belongings in the tent that served as a meeting room, right before the siege.
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