"These… could it be that…"
Ritsuka stared at the hundreds of heavily armored war horses before him, his eyes twitching slightly.
"King Ophis, are you saying that we can break through the encirclement of tens of thousands of monsters with just a few hundred cavalrymen?"
While Ritsuka was surprised by the appearance of this era-defying cavalry, he understood that in extraordinary times like these, it wasn't wise to cling strictly to historical norms. Even so, the idea of using heavy cavalry against monsters seemed risky.
Heavy cavalry was indeed powerful against ordinary infantry, but monsters were a different matter. Charging into such a horde on horseback seemed like a reckless move. Wouldn't it be more sensible to deploy light cavalry for guerrilla tactics?
Ophis ignored the question and glanced behind her.
More than 500 soldiers, fully armed, stood in neat formation.
Of the 506 men who had been given Ophis's Blood Protection six months ago, more than half a year later, none had been lost. This wasn't surprising. Ophis's blood had significantly enhanced their physical fitness, and its essence, being infinite, greatly prolonged their lives. Ordinary injuries healed quickly, and even fatal wounds didn't lead to immediate death, thanks to Medea's miraculous abilities.
As a mass-produced, weakened version of Siegfried, these 500 men were among Ophis's elite troops, cared for by Medea and protected by dragon blood. Their survival was almost assured.
"King!" the soldiers shouted in unison, throwing their weapons to the ground.
Ophis nodded and looked at Jeanne, who responded with a nod and a wave of her hand.
Two hundred warriors stepped out, selected their mounts, and mounted them with practiced ease.
"Wait, are we really using cavalry to fight these monsters?" Ritsuka asked, still puzzled.
At this point, Ritsuka wasn't panicking. He knew that Ophis wouldn't send hundreds of people to their deaths without a plan.
Ophis seemed uninterested in answering, so Jeanne spoke up.
"These horses were bred by King Ophis using a special method, with regular additions of the blood of high-level fantasy creatures to their feed. They're now almost like half-fantasy creatures themselves. While they lack combat abilities, as mounts, they're sufficient to break through the formation of magical beasts."
"They can knock down an elephant moving at the speed of a cheetah," Ophis added.
Ritsuka's eyes twitched again. Knocking down an elephant was quite a claim. He wondered what exactly was meant by the highest-level fantasy species. From his knowledge, the highest level seemed to be dragons.
Rather than risk an uncertain battle with magical beasts, Ophis had chosen to enhance horses with dragon-related traits, creating a cavalry capable of breaching the monster encirclement.
"Two hundred cavalrymen should be enough to create a breach in the monster's formation, allowing us to enter the forest quickly," Ophis explained.
Li Xiang's expression changed slightly. It seemed clear that these two hundred cavalrymen were being used as a means to clear a path, with little chance of survival.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Ritsuka couldn't think of a better solution. The Servants and Command Spells could force their way through, but their resources would be depleted, leaving them unprepared for the goddess.
Lily frowned and looked at Merlin.
"Isn't there a way for the teacher's illusions to help us avoid the monsters and sneak into the forest?"
"Yes! Lord Merlin should be adept at illusions, right?" Mashu added, looking hopeful.
Merlin shook his head.
"I appreciate the confidence, but I'm nearly at my limit. Plus, that fake Enkidu will be on guard against my illusions. It's possible to surprise him, but trying to rely solely on illusions to get through is unrealistic."
"What!? Is there something Merlin can't do?"
Roman's voice came through the communicator, causing Merlin to frown.
"Well… maybe it's time you faced the truth, Romani. How about experiencing death and reincarnation to correct your habit?"
"..."
"Doctor? Doctor?" Mashu called out, tilting her head.
"It seems the contact with the doctor has been lost," she finally said.
"Forget about that idiot," Ritsuka sighed, turning her attention back to Ophis.
"Is this the only solution?"
Ophis paused briefly, then nodded slightly.
"If you only need to break through the monster group, there are many methods. But considering all factors, this is currently the best approach."
"Understood."
Ritsuka sighed heavily and nodded.
"I see."
Many lives had been sacrificed to help them reach this point, but Ritsuka knew she couldn't make it a habit. She had to honor their sacrifice by surviving and achieving her goals.
"Then I'll lead a team of 100 to create a gap in the encirclement," Ritsuka declared.
Seeing Ritsuka's determination, Jeanne stepped forward.
"Miss Jeanne?"
"Yes, I haven't had the chance to greet you properly. Nice to meet you again, Ms. Ritsuka," Jeanne said with a smile, nodding to Lixiang.
"Well, I look forward to your guidance this time!"
Ritsuka had confidence in Jeanne leading the cavalry. Her experience in the Anglo-French War made her unmatched in this regard.
Joan of Arc turned to Lily, who was still smiling.
"Then I'll leave the second team of a hundred to you, Lily… or should I say, King Arthur, Sir Altria!"