[Skill Check: The Host has observed [Death-Wind Blade]]
[Elemental mismatch…]
[Problem occurred while observing…]
[Do you want to try to analyse?]
'Elemental mismatch? Does that mean I am not of wind element? Well, what will be the problem if I analyse?' With such a thought he confirmed.
[Analyse complete…]
[[Death-Wind Blade] Observation level: 0.07%]
[Unable to initiate the quest to learn it.]
'This is useless. I wouldn't able to learn it even if the old man shows it for 1000 times. So that is why it is hard to learn a cross-elemental skill.'
The result spoke for the usefulness of the skill. The crescent blade met the charging wall without any resistance. Before the cavalry could understand that something was wrong they were already sliced in half.
Another thing that amazed Kinoya that the radius of the crescent wind blade increased as it progressed. It almost took out the cavalry that was at the edge of the wave. When he was getting ready to charge out the order came.
"Move back."
'Who the hell will order to retreat right after the first contact?' Kinoya was surprised with the order so was his squad mates.
The whole array of soldiers started to move back slowly. There was no chaos at all, all of them was taking back steps without even looking back. First few steps were inconsistent but soon there was no problem at all. Kinoya could see the charging infantry that was behind the cavalry wave but the old man didn't give the order to stop. They continued until the enemy was just 100 meters away from them. Then the old man shouted again three commands.
"Halt. Fight but don't move. Kill." with the order, the atmosphere around the army changed. Kinoya didn't notice at all that none of the soldiers had taken out their weapon till now. The army had faith in the old man too much.
'Someday I will have an army like this of my own.' While thinking he took out the short scimitars.
The one charged at him was with a sword in one, shield in another but was full of opening. Kinoya aimed for his head, he used the shield to stop but it blocked the line of sight and it was easy for him to slice his throat by the angle. Next one was using a short spear and unfortunately, he was out of Kinoya's reach. So Kinoya had to move using the [Subtle Movement]. He closed in and pierced the heart. One after another poured in and he just fought. Soon he lost count of it.
When he stopped there was a pile of dead bodies in front of him, not just front also around him. The bloody smell around him didn't have much effect. The sabre in the old man's hand started to glow green. Another [Death-Wind Blade] met the cavalry and the result was as expected. Next order was the same too.
While residing back something click in Kinoya's mind. 'This is not the fight of strength or number. This is tactics, a real tactic.' The enemy is attacking in wave after wave cavalry followed by infantry. This is a tactic but it still depends on the numbers and the strength but the way of Empire's army was different.
He knew that the empire's army was 50,000-70,000 weaker than the empire's army so if they have to win they have to employ some tactics. The General of the west is doing just that.
It is a simple baiting tactic. It must be simple but by the standard of this world's war strategy, it was something that was something innovative. It was like they were baiting the enemy in some kind of trap. Kinoya didn't know what was the trap but he was sure that they were the one who was acting as bait.
Thinking of a strategy is one thing but expecting it was a different matter. To act as a bait the timing has to be just perfect, too slow you will die, too fast it won't work. But what he understood, was the Old man is somehow at the centre of the whole bait. You can't do it just because you are a general, you need experience, you need perfect control over the every one of you soldiers and most important of all that you need to read the flow of the battlefield correctly. He must be the one and if he is really the person then I have to give him a good impression.
"General Akai, are we really the bait?" One question was enough to make the old man stumble, who was walking backwards. Even if he didn't wear any star somehow the child understood that he was the general. Even if he has the control over the army he shouldn't have correctly guessed that he is the Akai. But that was not something that surprised him, it was the word 'bait'?
It wasn't something that a child who was in his first fight should understand. To understand it one has to know the whole formation of the army and Akai was sure that Kinoya was along with him from the start and there was no way he knew about the formation. But most importantly one has to understand the flow of battle perfectly well. That was not something that one could understand just because he has read some book or been taught. It needs experience. Even experience was not enough, it was not like every soldier in the battlefield could become a general.
Even when the general of west explained to him up to the last detail he couldn't help but praise the innovative idea of the general. And some child on his first fight cracked it. He didn't show any expression on his face and asked while residing, "How do you know?"
With the question, Kinoya can understand pretty well that the general is interested. "It was nothing much, I used to trap animal using bait. But…" Kinoya paused and it piqued the interested of the general. He asked in agitation, "But what?"
"Sorry general for my rude behaviour, but I don't know what the trap is, but if it isn't activated soon the enemy will understand and it will be too late."
Akai stopped in his tracks. It was not that he didn't think about it, he felt the pace of residing is too slow. But he couldn't force it. The general of West ordered him not to hurry, not to let the enemy understand that they are actually the bait. 'So this is the boy the Moon general recommended. He has his worth'
"General it will be better if we retreat." It was not that they were talking in low voice, the other could hear them perfectly well. But they didn't respond due to the respect to the general. But Kinoya's words made them bust out, even Kinoya's own squad members were ashamed.
The general was angry too, but he was calmer than other. He asked for the reason first. One who can decode the strategy so easily wouldn't say something so shameful so easily.
"The bait is losing its value," Kinoya said with a stern voice. Other might not understand but the general knew perfectly well what that line means.
"The new recruits were the most of the baits and most of them had fallen under the first wave. Those who survived were sorted by the second wave. At the beginning the bait was big, but by this third wave, I don't think it has enough strength to survive the more wave. Even if they do the enemy might not attack us."
"By the way we are residing there is no army at our back, even if they are, they are a long distance away. But they can't act as a trap so the main army must be at our side and they must be bigger than us. They will be a juicy trophy for the enemy than us and if they attack them everything will fail."
"Why do you think the main enemy is by the side?"
'I think I was right about it. The question was enough to give the position away. If you want to test me you are welcome.' Kinoya smiled in his heart and said, "Because if we were alone then they would have sent a big force and wiped us out. I don't know how many are we but it might be about 20,000-25,000. So they sent 10,000 in each of the cavalry and infantry to test the water. But we are falling too easily so they send the next wave quickly to wipe us out and they failed due to you. Now they might be suspecting there is someone stronger in the army who is able to block the charge of 10,000 cavalry charge alone. As the third cavalry wave meet the same result they are sure of it. And this is a perfect time."
With the third infantry wave in the view, Akai was becoming anxious. "Perfect time? Time for what?"
"Time to reel in the bait. They think there is someone strong in this army, they will try to take him out as soon as possible. So if we retreat now they might send a stronger army to take us out. But if we wait for more there will be two problems, one they might lose interest in us and more importantly they might understand we are the bait."
Kinoya's remarks weren't far off. When Kinoya was talking to Akai, Official Nus was practically screaming on top of his lungs, "That is a fucking trap, you idiots. Don't send army behind bait, attack the wing." He was at the small hill not too far away from the Eale plain. From here he can clearly see and the record all the details of the battle. As soon as the army 30,000 crumbled under the attack from just 20,000 he could understand what was wrong. It was unfortunate for him general Liyato couldn't hear him. He couldn't stop himself any more. "Record every detail, if a single detail is missed then every single of your family will be killed." With the words, he ran towards the tent of General Kirmac which was on the other hill.
After creating large commotion general Kirmac's guard allowed him to enter the acting commander's tent. "It's a trap, we have to stop him."
In front of Official Nus's shout, the Kirmac was calm, "Why?"
"The front 30,000 was made of new, inexperienced recruits, so they fall quickly. They won't use experienced soldiers as bait."
"But there is someone strong in them, which might be red general Akai." One of the other generals said.
"It is Akai, that was his [Death-wind Blade] that took down the cavalry of the 2nd wave. He is the bait."
"But if we take him out on the first day then that will be great."
"Are you an idiot?" Official Nus was so angry that it didn't matter to him whether the general was present or not. "Can't you see the whole army is moving backwards? Not just the 30,000 both the wings too, the speed is different but they are."
For the first time, General Kirmac's face darkened. "How do you know?" he asked in a calm voice.
"The time between each contact is increasing. At first, I thought it was my fault, but I count the time and I was right. If you see the dead bodies of the cavalry, you will understand."
Under the eye contact, one of the guards left just to run back in quickly.
"Whatever Official Nus said it true. And the third cavalry wave has already fallen."
"General, please." Nus pleaded.
"Order Liyato form stop attacking, now." With General's words two of the guards left in hurry. Nus also came out of the tent to look down on the battleground. The worst happened even before the pair of the guard can reach Liyato. The army that was about to face 3rd infantry wave turned around and ran away. Liyato who didn't know anything about the scheme sent 30,000 cavalries and 20,000 more infantry to take the head of Akai.
Official Nus was screaming as he looked the wings of the enemy that was moving backwards moved forwards in one swift movement and close the trap with almost 60,000 people, who was soon slaughtered under the arrows of 20,000 archers.
By the time the whole ordeal ended it was almost evening. Torria army couldn't do anything other than watching their own friend being slaughtered.
At the end of day one, The Empire lost just 35,000 whereas the Torria army lost staggering 110,000 soldiers. A shadow of gloom soon engulfed the whole Torria camp where the empire's camp was enjoying their victory. What was unknown to both of the camps this war will change the whole way the battle is fought throughout the continent. The future historian will say this is the battle that will give birth to the two most successful unorthodox general of the humankind.