Derek's judgment was not wrong; the barbarians had not bypassed Ironwall City solely for military reasons. Despite the series of military and political reforms the barbarians had undergone over the past thirty years, some aspects were still deeply ingrained and hard to eliminate—like the chieftain system centered on small tribes and the conscription system.
This time, many of the barbarian warriors in the invading army had been provided by various tribes. The barbarian commander had to take the demands of these tribal chieftains into account. Allowing small groups to bypass Ironwall City and raid the surrounding areas was a way to placate these chieftains. Moreover, it also served to slow down reinforcements from the Kingdom of Locke.
However, the barbarians had underestimated the difficulty of storming the city. For years, Ironwall City had been fortified primarily against invasions from the Holy Cross Kingdom. As a key city in the northern province, it had been built more with military considerations than commercial ones. This strategic focus inadvertently saved the northern province.
It had been half a month since the barbarians first attacked Ironwall City, yet they had made no significant progress. The raiding barbarian squads were also quite vigilant. Upon sensing Derek's forces approaching, they quickly regrouped and prepared to retreat. They knew that only by gathering in sufficient numbers could they stand a chance against the main forces of the Kingdom of Locke.
Half a month had been enough time for the barbarians to realize the fighting strength of Locke's forces. At least, the nobles of the northern province hadn't grown so decadent that they couldn't lift a sword. On the contrary, the nobles here were as fierce as wolves.
The small barbarian squads quickly converged and followed their pre-arranged plan to retreat. Though they carried some loot, they weren't too worried about being pursued by Locke's forces. They believed that large armies would inevitably be slow and cumbersome, while their own troops were well-equipped with mules and horses for just such an occasion.
As Derek's forces closed in, they encountered barbarian scouts about ten miles ahead. Simon, leading three to five cavalrymen, gave chase, and a pursuit ensued.
Derek climbed to a high vantage point, getting his first real look at the barbarian soldiers. From what he observed, he could deduce quite a bit.
"The fact that the barbarians have placed their scouts so far ahead indicates that they have a fully developed military organization—they're not just a ragtag group. And this scout's riding skills are impressive. The barbarians are physically larger than us by a good margin; it seems everyone has been too optimistic."
Derek's mood grew heavy. What he had thought was going to be an easy fight against a weak opponent had turned out to be a confrontation with a formidable foe—a feeling he didn't like at all.
However, no matter how skilled the barbarian scout was, he was up against Simon, a knight of the elite. It didn't take long for Simon to knock the scout off his horse.
"Keep them in check, rotate your rest periods. I want those barbarian scouts too afraid to come out; I want them blind," Derek ordered.
The cavalry could move fast, but the elite infantry trailing behind them were slower. Given the time needed to rest and regroup, they would have to hold off the barbarians for at least a day.
It was a tough task for just over twenty cavalrymen. The barbarians only needed to keep their heads down and march, and they could soon outpace Derek's forces.
But Derek split his knights into two teams, taking turns harassing the barbarian convoy. They would make occasional aggressive moves, acting as though they were about to charge.
When the barbarian cavalry gave chase, the knights would retreat. If the barbarians tried to press forward, the knights would provoke them again.
After a few rounds of this, the barbarians grew increasingly frustrated.
"Let me take some men and teach them a lesson. Give me all the cavalry, and I'll make sure these damn Locke riders regret this," one burly barbarian growled. He was a lower-ranking chieftain, but his combat prowess was not to be underestimated.
After some consideration, the other chieftains agreed to lend him their cavalry. Altogether, they managed to gather 52 riders.
When Simon led his men to harass the barbarians again, this time, the barbarian cavalry swarmed out in force. They were no longer content with just driving away the annoying Locke riders. Despite Simon's immediate retreat from the battlefield, the barbarian cavalry gave chase, determined to wipe out Simon's squad.
Derek, leading the other team of cavalry, was resting when Simon returned in a hurry. Without wasting a moment, Derek mounted his horse.
"Brothers, this is our chance to make a name for ourselves!"
Compared to the barbarians remaining holed up, having them come out was better. This way, they could engage in small-scale, precise strikes and weaken the barbarian cavalry.
If they had to engage in a full-scale battle later, whether it was assembling for a charge or retreating, it would result in significant losses. It was better to deal with the barbarian cavalry now, reducing the casualties among the infantry.
The knights had been training for a long time for this moment—to take on the barbarians. Now that the opportunity had arrived, they mounted their horses, their resolve steely.
"Flank them, flank them," Derek shouted.
Seeing this, Simon led his cavalry in a wide arc, eventually rejoining Derek's group.
Derek had already positioned his forces on a high ridge. Thanks to Simon's guidance, the barbarian cavalry had slightly tilted their formation, exposing a vulnerable flank to Derek's view.
Perhaps the barbarians never imagined that a mere ten horsemen would dare to launch a counter-charge, but they were about to find out otherwise.
As the northern warhorses accelerated, their heavy hooves thundered. The mail armor clanked crisply, and within a few seconds, the cavalry unit transitioned from a standstill to full speed. The barbarian cavalry, noticing this bold assault, saw their formation become somewhat chaotic.
It was evident that the barbarian cavalry was of decent quality; despite their unfamiliarity with each other, they managed to turn around. However, Derek was faster, ruthlessly driving his forces into the only gap in their formation.
He sliced through the barbarian cavalry from a diagonal rear position. The mail-clad cavalry, charging at full speed, swiftly executed a piercing maneuver. The barbarians suffered unexpectedly high losses, with over a dozen riders falling in a short time.
Even with some disorder in their formation, such casualties were surprising. They quickly realized that this cavalry unit was different from the previous harassing forces; even their horses were armored.
Derek and Simon had divided their forces into two teams: one lightly equipped for harassment and the other in full armor, ready for this exact situation. Their preparation paid off. Combined with the elite cavalry's combat prowess, the barbarian morale was shattered almost instantly.
Meanwhile, Simon had circled around and launched his own charge. The barbarians, still reeling from the initial chaos and with some facing Derek's direction, were caught off guard once more.
Derek and Simon regrouped, with most of their twenty-odd riders still intact. "Charge!" Derek commanded.
The barbarian cavalry managed a feeble countercharge before finally collapsing. When the remaining dozen or so riders returned to their wagon train, the barbarian soldiers could scarcely believe their eyes.
"Did you run into an ambush?" was the only explanation they could think of.
But the barbarians shamefully admitted the truth. The remaining petty leaders quickly realized they were in serious trouble. Given the Kingdom's cavalry's performance and their bold raids and harassment, it was clear they were dealing with an extraordinary force.
Should they abandon their supplies and flee, or set up camp and wait for rescue? The barbarians fell into chaos, and as night fell, they had no choice but to make camp.