Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Jos trembled as he loaded his ammunition, occasionally glancing forward at the enemy's movements. In those brief seconds before firing, he had experienced the most perilous moment of his life. A javelin had flown through the air with incredible speed, striking a comrade beside Jos. The unfortunate comrade was thrown into the open space of the square like a discarded rag doll. Though he was immediately dragged away by medics, Jos feared for his unfortunate friend's life, as he had clearly heard the sound of the javelin piercing flesh.
Thank the heavens, if the knight who threw the javelin had been just a bit more accurate, Jos might have been the one struck.
Not just one person was hit by the javelins; cries of pain echoed from both sides. The officers shouted "Hold steady! Hold steady!" fearing that the formation might be disrupted. Fortunately, the enemy's attack only caused minor disturbances, and due to their regular training, the soldiers quickly regained their composure.
Jos had never had a concrete understanding of the strength of knights, only knowing they were formidable. After some assassination training after joining the army, he thought he could manage a few rounds with a knight.
Now he realized how wrong he was. Judging by the force of the javelin, a knight could likely lift him as easily as picking up a chick and throw him away. Facing one head-on would probably result in instant death.
Fortunately, he was now holding a musket, and his comrades were armed with muskets as well.
Upon hearing the order for the third row to fire, Jos immediately pulled the trigger. After a burst of crackling gunfire, the Kent family knight he had targeted, along with his horse, was engulfed in a spray of blood. The knight's head fell back as he hit the ground, and the horse was also dead.
The first wave of cavalry had either been killed or fled, posing no further threat. The remaining cavalry stopped their charge and circled at a distance, observing the square.
However, the soldiers on the outermost edge of the square—the row where Sergeant Markalov was stationed—still firmly planted their rifle butts on the ground, their bayonets angled skyward. After firing, they did not reload but maintained this position. If the enemy continued their charge recklessly, they would have to use their bodies and bayonets to block and slow the enemy's advance.
Gunfire also erupted on the left side of the square. The Kent family cavalry was divided into two groups: one attacking the right side of the square's front, and the other approaching from the left. The cavalry attacking head-on had been hit by gunfire, causing the second group to urgently rein in their horses. Although they did not know what had happened, the sight of their comrades' fate prompted them to make what they believed was the safest decision.
But high-speed warhorses don't stop easily. Some had already entered the firing range of the muskets, and Joyce, commanding the left side of the square, immediately ordered the two outer rows to fire together, sending the lead elements of this group of cavalry tumbling off their horses.
As the sounds of firing erupted, Jaius felt the imminent danger. He tried to stop his horse and saw the family knights at the front falling from their mounts one by one.
Fire crossbows! Jaius immediately thought of this weapon.
It was said that the Grayman family had easily defeated the pirates of the Northwest Bay with these weapons. Previously, Jaius had dismissed these weapons as exaggerations by commoners, having seen all sorts of weaponry in his military upbringing.
But it turned out that the legendary weapon was real, and there were so many of them!
With flashes of fire and rising smoke, deadly projectiles were shot out at a speed invisible to the human eye, taking away one life after another.
The rumors described this weapon, and what he saw today matched the descriptions exactly.
What a terrifying weapon; he had underestimated the Grayman family.
But he would not give up easily. As an elite noble, Jaius's first thought when facing difficulties was how to resolve them, not to flee.
In his whole life, he had encountered many unforeseen difficulties, all overcome by his unyielding will. He believed this time would be no different. The Alden army consisted only of infantry and had a natural disadvantage against cavalry. Furthermore, their formation, hollow in the middle and facing outward, made movement nearly impossible. The initiative was still firmly in his hands.
"Whoo—whoo—"
Resolute, Jaius blew his horn. The cavalry around him gathered, moving in a circle while maintaining what they considered a safe distance from the Alden army. They eventually formed a large group, numbering close to 200.
Jaius led the cavalry at a slow trot, circling around the Alden army's square formation.
As he circled, he observed the formation, trying to find any weaknesses.
However, with the range and power of the fire crossbows, this four-sided formation seemed almost flawless. Even with a kite-style long-range harassment attack, they couldn't get too close before being taken down by the fire crossbows.
Although the outer layers of the hollow square appeared thin, with only three to four layers of soldiers, Jaius could see that the Alden army's arrangement maximized the firepower density of their fire crossbows, preventing the soldiers from feeling isolated.
"Firepower?" Yes, that term suddenly came to mind, perfectly describing the weapon in the enemy's hands.
If they formed a solid square, the width of each side would be greatly reduced, and the firepower output would also diminish significantly. Those in the middle of the formation would be blocked by those in front and unable to contribute much.
Damn it! What strategy should be used to break this cursed formation? The enemy remained stationary, showing no vulnerabilities. Any other army would have been restless with cavalry running around them.
As he pondered, the Alden army began to show unusual activity.
Jaius was overjoyed; the enemy finally couldn't hold back. Come on, come and chase us!
Yet, contrary to his expectations, the enemy did not disperse their formation. Instead, they opened gaps at the four corners of the square and some soldiers laboriously pushed out something.
Jaius's face turned pale instantly as he suddenly remembered something: if the rumored fire crossbows were real, then the other rumored powerful weapon...
He raised his whip and struck his mount sharply on the rear.
"Spread out! It's the 'Thunder Hammer'!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a thunderous sound erupted, and something seemed to roar through the air...
(End of the Chapter)