The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 290: Chapter 289: Breaking Through as Is (3)



"Aaaaaargh!"

Desmond's spearmen fell like dominoes under Ghislain's charge, which shot through them like a beam of light.

Boom!

The following charge by the knights and cavalry was no less devastating than Ghislain's attack.

With their formation shattered, they had no way to block the cavalry's assault. Desmond's lines crumbled in an instant.

When the formation collapses, so does the chain of command. Desmond's forces plunged into chaos, unable to respond effectively.

Shouts from commanders echoed everywhere.

"Block them!"

"Focus on the enemies right in front of you!"

"We have the numbers advantage!"

Long-trained instincts were ingrained in their bodies. Even with their formation in disarray, Desmond's soldiers instinctively regrouped and attacked the enemies before them.

"That's the lord! The one on the black horse!"

At someone's shout, Desmond's forces rushed toward Ghislain to pull him down. But it was futile.

Every time Ghislain swung his spear with his glowing red eyes, the approaching Desmond soldiers lost their heads.

Some tried to attack his horse, only to witness something bizarre for the first time in their lives.

Snort!

The black king, with fierce eyes blazing, began rampaging wildly.

It leaped to dodge incoming weapons and kicked at enemies that approached. The horse fought furiously, paying no attention to the fact its rider was atop its back.

Seeing this, Ghislain let go of the reins and focused solely on wielding his spear. It was as if both horse and rider were competing to see who could kill more.

The synergy between the unruly master and horse was unmatched.

Thud! Thwack! Crack!

"Argh! What's wrong with this horse?"

"It's too fast! I can't even see the spear!"

"Stay back! Don't get close!"

Desmond's soldiers were thrown into disarray. The erratic movements of the horse and rider made them impossible to predict.

Whenever they thought they saw an opening and charged, their heads flew off in an instant. Thwack! Thud! Thwack!

With every dull sound, Desmond's soldiers' heads were sent flying in all directions.

The knights following Ghislain poured their mana out without holding back.

Since armor enhancements had been activated, staying mounted was disadvantageous. One by one, the knights dismounted.

Among them, Gordon shouted louder than anyone else as he leaped off his horse.

"Today, I'm working my legs to the limit!"

Boom!

Mana surged into his legs, propelling him forward with explosive power. The other knights unsheathed their weapons and stormed into Desmond's ranks.

"The black-armored ones are here!"

"There's even more of them than before!"

"Don't give them any openings!"

Desmond's troops, upon seeing Fenris's black-armored knights, screamed in terror as if gripped by a nightmare.

They had suffered greatly at the hands of Gillian and his knights in the past, witnessing their power firsthand.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The fully unleashed power of the knights' armor was awe-inspiring. Within moments, hundreds of Desmond soldiers lay dead.

The heavy infantry, realizing the danger too late, rushed en masse to push back Fenris's forces.

Desmond's elite knights also joined the fray, trying to hold back Fenris's knights.

Although Fenris's troops had quickly broken through the front of the formation, their

numbers were limited, and their momentum inevitably began to slow.

At that moment, Ghislain seized the reins of black king tightly and shouted.

"Move aside!"

The moment his voice rang out, Fenris's knights and soldiers moved to the sides without even looking back.

Shwaaash!

A clear path was instantly carved out, like a sea parting.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

Ghislain's horse charged forward without hesitation.

Ghislain let his spear hang low and opened the third core again.

Rumble!

His eyes turned an even deeper shade of red.

Desmond's troops, meeting the fierce gaze of Ghislain's horse and the even fiercer gaze of Ghislain himself, hesitated instinctively.

"Stop him!"

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The heavy infantry planted their massive shields into the ground, forming a wall. Soldiers who had witnessed the earlier charge clenched their teeth and braced themselves.

But Ghislain had no intention of colliding with them head-on.

Flash!

"Huh?"

Desmond's troops looked up.

The black king leaped high into the air, clearing the shield wall.

Boom!

Ghislain plunged into the center of Desmond's formation and slammed his spear into the ground, unleashing a powerful shockwave.

"Gaaaah!"

The soldiers nearest to Ghislain coughed up blood and collapsed, while those slightly farther

away stumbled and lost their footing.

However, their hesitation was short-lived. There was no way they would merely stand by

while an enemy lord charged into their formation alone.

The densely packed medium infantry turned to surround Ghislain, and Desmond's knights redirected their focus toward him.

At that moment, something unimaginable happened.

Rumble.

The spears carried by fallen soldiers began to rise into the air. Desmond's troops stared in

horror as if witnessing ghosts.

Before they could comprehend the situation, hundreds of spears rained down on the soldiers

surrounding Ghislain.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

"Aaaaaargh!"

With spears moving of their own accord through the air, panic spread rapidly. While knights managed to deflect the projectiles, the soldiers fared much worse.

Each spear carried varying levels of force. Some were deflected by armor or shields, while

others pierced straight through, killing instantly.

"Spears... flying on their own?"

"It's magic! Count Fenris is using magic!"

"What are our mages doing?"

Though it wasn't magic, no one present could recognize the technique Ghislain was using.

Not just Desmond's troops but even Fenris's knights and soldiers stood momentarily

dumbfounded.

Aside from a handful of knights who had accompanied Ghislain to the Shadow Mountain Range, most were witnessing this skill for the first time.

"So, this is the technique we've only heard about."

"I told you! That's an insane skill."

"With that, he could probably fight alone!"

Their astonishment was short-lived. Ghislain, who had disrupted the formation, shouted

loudly.

"Get your heads in the game!"

Rumble!

The third core opening couldn't last long. Blood vessels bulged in Ghislain's reddened eyes,

and veins began to protrude all over his body.

Startled by Ghislain's roar, Fenris's senior knight Gordon waved his hand and shouted.

"Alright, let's get back in there!"

Even with the armor's power, breaking through the tightly packed heavy infantry with their

large shields wasn't easy.

However, Ghislain's initial disruption had thrown the formation into chaos, making entry

much easier than before.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Fenris's knights and soldiers stormed back into Desmond's formation, swinging their

weapons.

Faced with this extraordinary and reckless strategy, Desmond's forces were helplessly

overwhelmed.

Desmond's forces still held superior numbers, maintaining a thick rear line, but at this rate,

even the soldiers in the rear would eventually fall.

Fear finally began to appear in the eyes of Desmond's soldiers.

However, Ghislain wasn't feeling at ease either.

'I need to get through faster."

Fenris's main forces all had limits to how long they could sustain their strength. With so many

enemies, they'd exhaust themselves before they could kill them all if this dragged on.

'What a persistent lot.'

Ghislain and Fenris's forces were punching straight through Desmond's formation. They

killed everyone blocking their way, but reinforcements kept pouring in from the flanking

lines.

This was the terrifying aspect of a large army. No matter how many you killed, their fighting power didn't seem to diminish.

On top of that, the individual skill of Desmond's soldiers wasn't negligible. Even though

Ghislain and the Fenris knights held the upper hand, the pace of breaking through the lines was slowing down.

Ghislain's sharp gaze swept across the battlefield.

Emerson's cavalry, previously fighting the Kingdom Army, began moving to target the cavalry archers. Fenris's cavalry archers, which had been harassing Desmond's rear, now had

to retreat to avoid the approaching enemies.

'We need to take out the mages first.'

To secure a decisive victory, Fenris's forces needed to eliminate Desmond's mages. That

would allow Fenris's own mages to freely attack the remaining enemies.

The mages positioned on the flanks weren't the concern. The real target was the high-circle

mage, heavily protected in the rear of the formation.

Boom! Boom!

Ghislain poured out mana without holding back, hammering away at the center of Desmond's

formation.

Following his pre-issued orders, Fenris's forces pressed forward relentlessly behind him.

Thanks to their brutal focus on attacking a single point, Desmond's forces began splitting

into two.

From afar, Harold watched this with labored breaths.

"That bastard... is he really this strong..."

Even seeing it with his own eyes, he couldn't believe it. This was beyond the rumors. Though

Harold had already assessed Ghislain highly due to previous encounters, even that had underestimated him.

It was staggering enough to witness the preparations Ghislain had made, but his individual

strength rivaled that of a high-level knight.

At this level, calling him the "North's Finest Sword" wouldn't be an exaggeration. He was more than capable of handling thousands of soldiers by himself. "But why... why is he doing this?"

Something felt off about his movements. Ghislain advanced with brute force, ignoring all else. With his skills, employing a different strategy would have been more effective. Yet, his single-minded advance was putting him in a precarious position, as Desmond's forces gradually began to surround him. If Fenris's knights tired out, Desmond's forces could

counterattack and crush them.

"What is he aiming for?"

Harold was unaware that Fenris's forces had limited endurance and that their strength came

with a time limit. However, Ghislain's movement direction quickly revealed his intentions. Following Ghislain's sharp movements, Harold bit his lip.

"He's targeting the mages."

The direction Ghislain was heading toward contained Willow, Desmond's high-circle mage.

As someone capable of countering Fenris's 6th-circle mage, Willow was a significant threat to Ghislain.

While Desmond's forces were steadily forming a surrounding formation, Ghislain's sheer

power made it clear that Willow would be captured before the formation could be completed.

But withdrawing Willow farther back wasn't an option. To disrupt enemy magic or cast his own spells on enemy forces, Willow needed to maintain a certain range.

For now, Willow's 6th-circle abilities allowed him to hold his position and counter the enemy

effectively from his current distance.

Finally, Harold decided to deploy his trump card, something he had hesitated to use until

now.

"Lenos."

"Yes, my lord."

"Take the entire escort unit and stop that bastard. Emerson will deal with the enemy cavalry

archers and mages."

"...Our duty is to protect you, my lord."

"If Willow falls, we'll be at a disadvantage. Besides, it seems the enemy has no hidden cards

left. Focus on stopping him."

"...Understood."

For a lord of Desmond's stature, having numerous knights in his retinue was a given. Among

them, the most skilled were appointed as escort knights.

These elite guards, known as the Royal Guard, numbered 50 under Count Desmond. They

weren't just numerous; they were highly skilled. Their captain, Lenos, was a high-level knight, while the others were all at least mid-level knights.

Harold was deploying even this elite group, which was usually reserved for his own protection, to stop Ghislain.

Lenos spoke with a calm but firm expression.

"Let's move."

Clad in gleaming armor, they mounted their horses and rode out.

Trained for defense and interception, their tactics excelled at blocking enemies and

protecting targets.

Fifty Royal Guards could capture or subdue even a Baron Hutton-level combatant without

killing them.

Thus, Harold believed that no matter how skilled Ghislain was, the Royal Guard would

prevent him from reaching Willow.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

But they weren't the only ones riding with urgency. Having evaded pursuit by the Kingdom

Army, Emerson began chasing Fenris's cavalry archers.

The cavalry archers, aware of the situation, gradually pulled back while continuing to harass

Desmond's rear.

Surveying the battlefield, Emerson issued new orders to his adjutant.

"I'll spare 1,000 troops. Crush the enemy mages at the rear."

"Understood."

The adjutant immediately led 1,000 cavalrymen toward Fenris's mages.

Currently, Fenris's mages were guarded by about 300 soldiers in the rear. These guards, dressed in dirty gray robes, wielded massive two-handed swords. The swords,

with extended handles, were designed specifically to slice through mounted foes.

As Desmond's cavalry approached, the guards encircling the mages began walking slowly

toward them.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Desmond's cavalry gripped their spears tightly, increasing their speed, determined to crush the scruffy-looking guards and reach the mages.

"Some filthy beggars are blocking our way."

The cavalry's adjutant sneered, confident that their numbers would easily overwhelm the

guards.

One of the robed figures stepped forward, glaring at the charging cavalry. Walking slowly at

first, he gradually broke into a sprint.

As the distance closed, the cavalry's adjutant shouted and thrust his spear.

"Die, you fool!"

Whoosh!

The robed man swung his massive blade at the charging horse.

Boom!

The adjutant's spear never reached its target. Instead, his body, along with his horse, was

cleaved in half and sent flying.

The robed man swung his blade several more times, cutting down the oncoming cavalry.

Boom! Boom!

Neighhh!

As the leading cavalry fell, the remaining guards leaped into the fray. Wielding their massive

blades, they mercilessly slaughtered Desmond's cavalry.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

"Aaaaargh!"

"Who are these guys?!"

"Avoid them! Move aside!"

Desmond's cavalry fell one after another to the robed guards. Many were tripped up by the

bodies of their fallen comrades, unable to stop in time.

As a brief moment of respite fell, the first robed man tossed back his hood with a bored

gesture.

Sweeping back his tangled red hair, Kaor, the Ogre Slayer, smirked arrogantly. "Guess who's here."

The robed guards were none other than Kaor and the hunters from the Shadow Mountains,

renowned for their monster-slaying prowess.

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