𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟓.𝟏: 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞
The decisive battle was to take place on a nameless plain, which had seen its fair share of conflict, and had finally been given a name.
The Aspim Plain, as it was called.
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Whether the plain was pleased to be named is uncertain, if it had a will of its own.
The naming was strictly utilitarian, for the sake of easier reference in military history.
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Regardless, the Gaillia army, twenty thousand strong, was stationed on the Aspim Plain, prepared to face the Royal Army.
For Gaillia, if they lost this location, they would have nowhere else to retreat.
For the Royal Army, without breaching this location, they wouldn’t be able to reach Gaillia’s city nor establish a bridgehead.
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Therefore, as this was a location that absolutely had to be defended and also absolutely had to be captured, the contest would revolve around the Aspim Plain.
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With the break of dawn, the twenty-thousand-strong Royal Army began to mobilize.
The flawless wedge formation moved as if it were the embodiment of a will to persevere.
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Facing them, the Gaillia-Masrur Allied Forces also arranged themselves in a wedge formation.
But they had two.
General Kytes leading ten thousand, and General Grant leading another ten thousand, each forming their own ranks.
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And those two armies also began to advance, in response to the Royal Army’s movement.
The opening was very traditional.
No tricks, just a head-on collision.
However, after some time of engagement, the Masrur army began to falter gradually.
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“Hold your ground! Demons!” or “Push them back!” such voices flew from the Gaillia army.
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In response, from the Masrur army, retorts like “Shut up!” and “You’re pretty arrogant for someone who’s getting help!” were thrown back.
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Their coordination was clearly lacking.
Information from the frontline commanders reached the higher-ups, and the Royal Army began to press on the Masrur army with greater force.
The Masrur army tried to resist, but whether due to lack of strength or low morale, they were forced to retreat repeatedly without recourse.
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They were on the verge of total collapse.
Pushed and pushed.
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Then the Royal Army noticed something.
Was their formation not stretched too long?
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Between the unit pursuing the retreating Masrur army and the unit facing the advancing Gaillia army, their formation had stretched out like a snake.
The upper ranks of the Royal Army realized the danger of their overly extended flank being attacked.
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The retreating Masrur army suddenly stopped in their tracks.
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And then, they switched fiercely to counterattack.
The frontline unit of the Royal Army, who had been eagerly chasing them, was caught off guard by the sudden reversal.
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Despite the continual push of allies from behind.
Many were pushed down or knocked over in the ensuing chaos.
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In the midst of the confusion, they saw it.
The spear tips of the Gaillia army, pointed directly at them.
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“Full assault! Strike a hole in the belly of the Royal Army!”
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General Kytes’ command echoes across the battlefield.
Facing the Royal Army, which exposes its undefended flank in the left wing direction, a violent onslaught was launched.
Collapsing, collapsing, collapsing.
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No formation, the Royal Army is breached.
It is only now that they realized.
The Masrur army was not being pushed back, they were retreating to lure out the Royal Army’s vanguard.
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And by the time they realized, the vanguard was almost annihilated.
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“Whole army shout! The Gaillia Army has opened the way for us!”
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At the order of Demon General Grant, the Masrur Army began the charge.
The ones in front of them had been scattered by the Gaillia army, so there was nothing to stop them from reaching the main body of the Royal Army.
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Realizing the crisis, the left and right wings of the Royal Army began to move to reconstruct the vanguard.
This was indeed an impressive move.
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It was proof that appropriate measures had been taken, to react this way if that happens, and that way if this happens.
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They barely held off the charging Masrur army.
But they forgot. About the Gaillia army that had scattered their vanguard.
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“Good. It’s time to break into the main force. Let’s offer our thanks to Masrur.”
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General Kytes grins slyly.
Having scattered the vanguard and seized the most advantageous position on the right side of the Royal Army, they had been waiting without launching an immediate attack.
Waiting for the moment when both wings of the Royal Army move in response to the movement of the Masrur Army.
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“Yep. We won.”
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Overlooking the battlefield, Lionel murmured.
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His unit was standing by a little distance away as a reserve force.
Watching the situation unfold as he had drawn it on his strategy map.
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It’s difficult to coordinate between the Gaillia and Masrur armies. So each should play their own game, that was the essence of the strategy Lionel had devised.
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The only instruction he gave to Kytes and Grant was just one.
If you clash with the Royal Army, the Masrur army will retreat slowly. That’s all.
The rest is, please rampage as you two generals please.
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“It’s amazing, Mother Nel.”
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Miliaria, standing next to him, modestly praised Lionel.
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“Oh, well, they are veterans after all. They knows exactly what to do.”
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But he misunderstood.
He thought that the petite magician was admiring General Kytes and Demon General Grant.
After all, he thought that all he had done was to prepare the field so that the two could exercise their talent and skills.
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Miliaria sighed quietly.
She felt like asking why he thought she was praising the old men.
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But well, she knew very well that this was how Lionel was.
So she poked the man she admired as a mother with her favorite ice wolf staff.
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“Ouch! Ouch! Why are you poking me?”
“Why do you think? You should think about it yourself, mom.”
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