Regressor of the Fallen Family Chapter 136
On a dark night when even the moon had set, a faction centered around the Second Prince began to make its move. Although they lowered their family crest and minimized torchlight, it was impossible for the large number of thousands to move without making any sound. Despite various miscellaneous noises, no one had the illusion that everything could be perfectly controlled.
Those with keen eyes and ears could not help but notice their movements. Some who had been keeping a close watch on the McLaine had swiftly reported their movements to their masters.
On the second day of the operation, when the McLaine was leaving the southwestern part of their territory to bypass the mountain range, a report reached them.
“This is the intelligence report you mentioned. We’ve been tailed, and they’re only a day’s distance away. Their army has moved directly towards us, completely deviating from the planned route of advance.”
“Hmm. I thought they would only leak information, but they’ve taken a gamble… Did they set out intending this from the beginning? Well, this might actually be for the better.”
“For the better?”
“If we had stuck to the original plan, we would have had to risk danger at least twice more, but now they’ve given us a better excuse. There’s no need to stick to the plan and risk danger.”
“Oh? So?”
“A terrain that’s good for defending against a rear attack is just in sight. It’s a high ridge that turns around the mountain range.”
“That’s right. It’s a good place to rest for about a day.”
The McLaine father and son exchanged smiles.
Soon after, all of the McLaine command was convened.
“Bifrost? They must be out of their minds. Have they gone mad?”
Heinckel’s voice represented the sentiments of all the knights gathered in the tent.
“Their inability to match us should be clear by now. If they’re not insane, they must have prepared some kind of measure.”
At Eileen’s clear voice, all eyes in the tent turned towards Logan.
Logan gave a wry smile and nodded his head.
“Yes. The original expectation was that the enemy would attack based on the information leaked by them. Anticipating the power of about two counts, I was thinking of setting a trap slightly off our usual path.”
The faces of the knights grew stern.
Even the McLaine now possessed unparalleled power, but it was unthinkable for anyone to believe they could face the power of two provincial lords without any damage.
Noticing their expressions, Logan continued with a smile.
“However, with them coming at us directly like this, the situation has actually improved.”
“Really?”
“Since there’s no need to proceed with the operation as planned and risk any level of damage. We’ll just deal with Bifrost and withdraw from this war!”
Upon hearing Logan’s words, the knights’ eyes widened.
And the next day, as the sun reached its zenith yet the army did not advance, causing murmurs among the soldiers, the anticipated event occurred.
“An army has appeared in the rear! The army of Bifrost, recognized by the rose in flames!”
“They’re here.”
“All troops, prepare for rear defense! Prepare for battle!”
With Logan’s order, he took the lead towards the rear, and the command swiftly reversed the forces to face what was coming.
The approaching Bifrost army stopped in confusion.
On the high ground of the ridge, bypassing the mountain and leading uphill, ‘targets’ were waiting.
Although the scouting party had detected them a while back, they could not change their path or stop.
“I didn’t want to believe it, but we alone cannot handle them. As planned, we need the help of ‘them’…”
“How much further to the agreed place?”
“One more day’s march. But for that man and his elites, it would only take a few hours.”
“Fine. Send a message to ‘them’ explaining our situation. Ask them to come as soon as possible. And say we’ll try to hold out in the meantime.”
“How so?”
“We’ll have to force our way. It’s not like there’s no path to the south gate from here.”
“Even so… They will not believe it.”
“If they attack without proof, they won’t be able to attack us right away. And if they do attack… No choice but to fight.”
“Your Highness, if we do that…”
Crack.
“We can’t turn back now. Send the message quickly! He is coming.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Please be careful.”
“Hah. To think that I’d have to hear such things while facing McLaine.”
Roger Bifrost grimly urged his horse forward.
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
Each side, wary of the other.
Two horses stopped, maintaining a distance of over 100 meters between them.
And then, Logan’s powerful voice reached Roger Bifrost’s ears.
“Count Bifrost, what brings you to this road? This is not the march route of Bifrost, is it?”
“The march route is at the discretion of the commander on the field. We chose this path to avoid the eyes of our enemies.”
Roger Bifrost’s magically amplified voice echoed, as if he intended the entire army to hear.
Logan’s voice, however, did not waver.
“If you continue this way, it will be difficult to time your operations. To go to the south gate of Harun from here, you’ll have to cross over the mountain.”
“There are ways. I am a mage of the 5th circle after all.”
“Even a grand mage from legends would find it difficult, not just a 5th circle mage.”
“Well, it’s pointless to waste time here with a great undertaking just ahead. Shouldn’t we move quickly?”
“In this situation?”
Are you telling us to just go ahead, leaving you behind?
With an implied disbelief, Roger Bifrost chuckled in response.
“Well, if you have a different plan, may we pass first? As you also mentioned, we have urgent matters to attend to.”
“Pass first?”
“If you’re okay with it.”
“If that’s so, go ahead.”
Perhaps because the answer came too easily,
“What…?”
Roger Bifrost’s expression stiffened, but there was no delay in his response.
“Ah…haha, thank you for understanding. Troops, quick march! We’ll move past the McLaine army!”
However.
The face he turned away couldn’t help but tense.
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
The Bifrost army ascending the ridges.
And the McLaine army looking down upon them from above.
As the distance between the two sides grew closer, not only the commanders but also the expressions of the soldiers were tinged with tension.
Eventually, Bifrost stopped advancing, just beyond the range of the repeating crossbows.
“Ha, it seems you have no intention of letting us pass, contrary to your words?”
“Your army also appears tense. Why is that?”
“In times like these, when we should not be confronting our allies, should we allow each other to pass? If you don’t trust us, shall we move on? We’ll keep our distance and move again later.”
Roger Bifrost tried to hide his tension with words, but Logan burst into a relaxed laugh.
“Haha, there’s no need for such.”
“What?”
“You said the march route is at the discretion of the commander, right? We’ll consider changing our direction too. For now, we’ll return to camp.”
“What are you talking about…?”
“All troops, march! Return to the main camp!”
“Yes!”
In front of the halted Bifrost troops, the McLaine army began to approach from below.
With that, the colors of Roger Bifrost’s face started changing in real-time.
From white to blue, then to red.
“What are you doing…?!”
“Let’s drop the act, shall we? Or shall I contact Duke Valdermaine right away to confirm whether this action, taken on the discretion of the commander, is forgivable?”
In response to Logan’s calm retort, Roger Bifrost, his face red as if about to burst, finally let out an anticipated outcry.
“Begin combat! Move as prepared!”
At the same time, Logan also drew his sword.
“All troops, charge! Wipe out Bifrost!”
The flawed performance ended, and the real battle began.
‘Why didn’t they just flee?’
Logan found it strange.
The difference between McLaine and Bifrost was unmistakable, and Roger Bifrost’s reason for not retreating but approaching despite the high likelihood of combat following the shoddy act was unfathomable.
But that question was quickly answered immediately after the start of the combat, in an unpleasant way.
Accompanied by the grating voice of the enemy, about a thousand cavalrymen sprang from the enemy lines, wielding fear-inducing weapons.
As he watched, Roger Bifrost clenched his teeth.
“Now, let’s give these accursed fools a warm gift! Prepare!”
“Yes!”
Following Roger Bifrost’s order, Bifrost knights lined up in the center of the formation and reached into their bosoms.
One after another, they began to draw out blue stones.
“Experiencing one’s own weapons could be a good lesson.”
With Roger Bifrost’s cruel laughter, the now-reddened stones launched into the air.
The red stones, thrust forward by the powerful force of the force-users, were frighteningly fast as they headed straight for the cavalrymen of McLaine’s crossbow unit.
Recognizing this, Victor’s face turned ashen.
“Rib…!!”
The order was cut short as the situation was urgent.
But as evident by the crossbow cavalry’s normal training level, their response was quick.
A few with outstanding reflexes didn’t even waste a second firing their crossbows at the incoming red stones.
But they were not all legendary archers; how could they shoot down hundreds of stones?
Although a handful of bolts managed to hit the incoming bombs, the majority continued their descent, glowing red as they fell toward the crossbow cavalry.
Victor’s face went pale in that moment.
Above their heads, starting from the empty skies, a gigantic golden net unfolded.
Gwaaang!!
‘Ck!’
It was a moment of impulse.
He couldn’t just let the crossbow cavalry suffer a catastrophic blow.
Using the power of the Ghostly Shadows and Boots of the Wind God, Logan soared above the crossbow cavalry’s heads like lightning.
And, without giving it much thought, he stretched out his sword with all his might.
But as a ray of golden light, the longest-range attack available to him, formed at the tip of his blade, his reason slammed the brakes on his unconscious impulse.
‘Oomph.’
‘This isn’t enough.’
The piercing light of destruction was certainly powerful, but it wasn’t sufficient to cover the large area and eliminate all the Libertatio falling in different locations.
Right now, there was no need for such overpowering destructive force. He only needed enough strength to cover a wide area and cause the bombs to explode.
This was a perfect harmony of reason and instinct, achieved under a crisis. It brought forth what couldn’t be achieved even intentionally in normal times: a variation (變式) of the Sword of Divinity.
The golden light that formed at the tip of Logan’s sword spread into five branches, expanding outward in a zigzag pattern, eventually stretching forward in all directions.
Each individual ray resembled lightning streaking across the sky, and the combined sight was like a vast golden net spread out in the heavens.
And that golden net, carrying just enough force to set off the bombs, spanned across the entirety of the sky above the crossbow cavalry.
Gwaaang!!
“Aaahh!”
There were injuries, but they were trivial compared to the number of Libertatio thrown down by the enemies.
“What, what’s this!”
“What…?”
“It’s the Young lord!”
“Don’t stop! Advance! The enemy is right in front of us!”
The initial confusion was brief.
With Victor’s shout, the crossbow cavalry once again picked up speed.
And they mounted their crossbows toward the more bewildered enemy knights.
Papapabak, tatatatang!
As an arrow storm rained down on Bifrost’s charging knights, halting their momentum,
“How did this happen!”
A furious roar erupted from deep within the enemy lines.
The shaken voice of the enemy leader had the magical ability to completely restore order among their ranks.
‘They have no more bombs.’
This realization reinvigorated Victor and the crossbow cavalry.
“Keep firing and scatter to the sides!”
Following Victor’s command, the crossbow cavalry flawlessly executed their original mission.
But Bifrost would not fall easily.