The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations - Chapter 280

Chapter 280 – Live Together, Die Together (3)

“Waaaaaahhh!”

The siege towers were no longer necessary. Desmond’s army surged forward into the fortress without any obstacles in their way.

When the first unit breached the gates and swung them open, entry became even easier.

They flooded into the vast fortress, filling it to the brim as they began to form formations.

Harold scowled fiercely as he gazed at the distant Fenris forces.

“Those insignificant wretches have been holding me back until now. Capture them immediately and tear them to shreds.”

The Fenris forces positioned themselves near the opposing gate, ready to retreat at any moment.

They had set up their defenses between strategically located buildings and waited. In front of them stood rows of tightly arranged wooden barricades, prepared for close combat.

These barricades allowed even a small force to hold off a larger army.

“Waaaaaahhh!”

Desmond’s soldiers roared again, moving like a tidal wave. Knowing that arrow fire would have little effect, they decided to overwhelm their enemy with sheer numbers.

Boom!

Wrapped in bandages, Gillian stood at the forefront, wielding a massive halberd.

Given his poor condition, he intended to maximize the advantage of distance in combat.

Gillian glanced briefly at the sky.

Dark clouds were beginning to obscure the heavens, and fierce winds whipped through the fortress, signaling the resumption of battle.

“It’s going to be a long night.”

After taking a deep breath, Gillian turned his gaze forward. Determination burned in his eyes.

“Prepare yourselves.”

Clatter!

At Gillian’s command, the knights and soldiers of Fenris raised their spears in unison.

Boom!

The weapons of Desmond’s soldiers clashed with those of the Fenris forces. As with the first engagement, the defense of the Fenris army was overwhelming.

“Aaaargh!”

The vanguard of Desmond’s forces fell pitifully. It was an inevitable outcome.

Harold, who had already faced the Fenris forces in battle, would not have been unaware of this fact.

Swish!

As soldiers at the front lines fell, Desmond’s knights leapt forward from behind, swinging their swords.

“Ugh!”

The sudden ambush left the Fenris soldiers’ armor slashed open as if it were paper.

Although made from Galvaniium, which was lightweight, it was not stronger than steel. It could not withstand the mana-infused blades of the knights.

Boom!

However, every time Gillian swung his halberd, the approaching knights of Desmond’s army had their heads crushed.

“On this narrow pathway, we have the advantage! Hold your ground!” Gillian roared.

Ziiing―!

Light radiated from between the gaps in the Fenris knights’ armor. Having spent days recovering their bodies and mana, they fought with renewed ferocity.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Gillian and the knights slaughtered the advancing Desmond soldiers indiscriminately. The knights launching surprise attacks were no exception.

No one could penetrate the Fenris front lines.

Even the magic raining down from Desmond’s rear forces was ineffective.

Ziiing―!

Each time light flashed from the armor of the Fenris knights, the incoming fireballs from enemy mages dissipated futilely.

With Willow defeated, low-circle magic was useless against them.

The rear Fenris troops stood ready with their bows drawn, targeting Desmond’s forces. As Gillian and the knights held the narrow passage, the soldiers focused on ranged attacks.

“Loose!!!”

Whoosh!

At Gillian’s shout, countless arrows flew toward Desmond’s rear.

“Aaaargh!”

Screams echoed from everywhere, but the damage to Desmond’s forces was not significant.

Shield-bearers stationed throughout their ranks under Harold’s command raised their massive shields, protecting their allies.

Ultimately, the battle’s outcome would hinge on the engagements at the front line.

“Do not falter! We can hold them!”

Gillian, unafraid of death, spared no effort. His halberd swung like the wind, cutting, smashing, and piercing enemies in succession.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

But his body was far from normal. The more he moved, the more unbearable the pain became.

At some point, Gillian’s body was drenched in blood again. Half of it was from the enemy, and the other half spilled from his own reopened wounds.

“Grrr…!”

Yet, he gritted his teeth and refused to stop his attacks. His eyes still burned with fierce killing intent, his aura radiating unyielding determination and valor.

The knights matched Gillian’s intensity, giving their all to the fight.

“Arrgh!”

“Push forward!”

“Just a little more, and we’ll break through!”

The battlefield was filled with noise—screams and the clash of weapons resounded without end.

Desmond’s forces, facing fierce resistance, attempted to leverage their numerical superiority.

“Encircle them! I said, encircle them!”

Following the commanders’ orders, Desmond’s soldiers climbed onto the buildings flanking the battlefield, firing arrows and casting magic.

While their attacks might not inflict significant wounds, they aimed to disrupt and collapse the Fenris formations through accumulated shock.

Some forces circled around, attempting to strike the rear of the Fenris army.

Of course, the Fenris forces weren’t idle observers to Desmond’s maneuvers.

“Suppress them!”

When it came to archery, the Fenris forces held a clear advantage. Desmond’s soldiers atop the buildings were unable to exert proper pressure and fell one by one.

Thanks to the efforts of the rear guard, the Fenris front line could focus entirely on the enemies before them.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The brutal battle continued, with the armor of the Fenris knights at the front growing stained crimson from the ceaseless slaughter.

However, it was becoming increasingly difficult to hold back the tide of enemy forces. Both mana and stamina were steadily depleting.

The movements of the Fenris knights became noticeably slower. Both sides could clearly see that fatigue was taking its toll.

“It’s working! Push harder!”

As cracks began to show in the Fenris defense, Desmond’s soldiers pressed forward with greater intensity.

The Fenris front line started to buckle and was gradually forced back.

Observing this, Gillian shouted once more.

“Front line! Fall back! Second line, advance!”

The knights on the front line retreated, replaced by the reserve knights who surged forward with renewed energy and unleashed rapid strikes with their spears.

Pababababak!

“Aaaargh!”

The vanguard of Desmond’s forces crumbled instantly. The Fenris forces quickly restored their formation, reversing the tide and pushing Desmond’s troops back.

Their tactics were exceptionally effective.

By utilizing their superior equipment and terrain, the Fenris forces held their own against overwhelming numbers.

“Rotate positions!”

Gillian ensured timely rotations when he noticed knights growing fatigued. His leadership at the forefront made this possible.

At some point, the ground before the Fenris line became so densely packed with the bodies of Desmond’s soldiers that there was hardly any space to step.

Desmond’s troops had to clear their comrades’ corpses to advance further, temporarily halting the battle’s intensity.

Staring at the unyielding Fenris forces blocking their path, Desmond’s soldiers began to feel fear.

“They’re demons… That’s a demon army…”

“How can they still stand against us with so few numbers…?”

“Is every soldier in Fenris like that?”

No matter how hard they advanced, the Fenris line remained impenetrable. By now, exhaustion should have taken its toll on their enemy, but the determination emanating from them was still palpable.

Harold, too, felt a mix of awe and rage as he watched the Fenris forces.

“These bastards…”

Their skill was incomprehensible. He had known they were strong, but to endure this long was beyond his expectations.

Countless of his elite soldiers—men he took pride in—had fallen to these lowborn scoundrels. If this continued, the losses would only mount until every one of them was subdued.

Equipped with superior gear and holding the advantageous position, the Fenris forces had nullified the numerical advantage of Desmond’s army.

“Withdraw the soldiers for now. We’ll reorganize the lines. Summon Baron Hutton and Willow, and deploy the strongest knights to the front.”

Baron Hutton and Willow were both injured, but there was no alternative. If the enemy’s line was that formidable, their own forces needed to match it.

However, Harold didn’t intend to simply engage in a fair contest. He admitted he had been blinded by his anger and rushed into the fray too hastily.

“Adjust the trebuchets’ range to target those bastards. Leave no place for even a single rat to hide—reduce the surrounding area to rubble.”

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

The trebuchets outside the fortress began to move closer.

Harold didn’t expect the trebuchets to destroy the Fenris forces outright. He knew they could simply move out of range.

But if the entire surrounding area was demolished, setting up a proper encirclement would become much easier.

Just as the trebuchets were prepared and the assault was about to resume, a soldier approached Harold and reported.

“The enemy… has vanished.”

“What?”

“They appeared to retreat slowly, then opened the gate on the opposite side of the fortress and fled.”

Grit.

Harold clenched his teeth. As expected, the enemy had never intended to hold the fortress. Their objective had been to buy time.

Taking a deep, frustrated breath, Harold asked.

“Casualties?”

“So far… approximately three thousand men have been killed.”

“…”

Harold tilted his head slightly and gazed at the sky.

The dark sky had begun to lighten with the break of dawn.

Through the initial skirmish and the battle that raged throughout the night, a total of 3,000 elite troops had been lost. The enemy truly were monsters.

It was understandable—if all 100 of them were knights, such a feat wasn’t impossible.

Especially when they fought like this, blocking the path strategically.

He surveyed the surroundings again. The fortress was so devastated that calling it a fortress was almost embarrassing.

Though it was a critical stronghold, capturing it had cost over 3,000 troops and an invaluable amount of time.

‘I should’ve killed him sooner.’

All of this was the result of leaving Ghislain alive.

From the moment that man first interfered with his plans, Harold should have used any means necessary to eliminate him. The price for underestimating him had been far too great and painful.

“Haah…”

Harold closed his eyes and tried to calm himself.

His insides were boiling, but the enemy had already fled. Venting his anger here would only unsettle his troops further.

It wasn’t too late. With the fortress now secured, the road leading to Fenris Castle lay open.

If they moved quickly enough to seize the lord’s castle, carving up Ghislain and his subordinates would fully satisfy Harold’s rage.

Suppressing his emotions, Harold spoke in a low voice.

“We depart immediately. Take only the bare minimum rations and move. The main force will advance first to encircle Fenris Castle, while the engineers and supply units follow as quickly as possible.”

The soldiers were undoubtedly fatigued, but there was no choice. Rest could wait until Fenris Castle was surrounded.

Desmond’s army swiftly reorganized and set off toward Fenris Castle.

Following the road, they moved at an impressive pace for such a large force.

After two days of uninterrupted travel, they set up camp to rest briefly.

That’s when they were hit by an unexpected ambush.

“We’re under attack!”

Gillian and the knights, who had fled the fortress, launched a surprise attack on Desmond’s camp.

Despite being an elite force, Desmond’s army hadn’t been lax in their vigilance. They responded to the intruders with the skill their training demanded.

However, the Fenris forces killed only a few weaker soldiers before retreating swiftly. With their large numbers and cumbersome organization, Desmond’s army couldn’t easily pursue a small, agile group.

Though the ambush was repelled, it wasn’t the end. After a fight, time was needed to clean up and regroup.

“Clear the bodies!”

“Reorganize the scouts and pursuit teams!”

“Report the remaining troop count!”

Commanders shouted orders in all directions, struggling to restore order to the camp.

Desmond’s army had once again been forced to waste valuable time due to the Fenris forces’ harassment.

Harold ground his teeth as he looked at the chaotic encampment.

“Those bastards… again…”

He had thought Ghislain was the only troublesome figure in the Fenris domain. Given his track record, that seemed reasonable.

But even Ghislain’s subordinates turned out to be such a handful.

Because of them, the pace of the advance was continually delayed. Capturing a single fortress and moving a 30,000-strong army had already taken over fifteen days.

There was still considerable distance to Fenris Castle. Between here and there, plenty of forests and mountains offered cover for the Fenris forces.

“They’re playing games with us. It really is like their backyard, isn’t it?”

Hearing Harold’s remark, his adjutant spoke cautiously.

“At this rate, just reaching the destination could take more than fifteen additional days.”

“We can’t keep dancing to their tune. Increase the march speed.”

“That will… leave us more vulnerable to ambushes and will heavily drain the troops’ stamina and morale.”

Harold glared at the adjutant with a terrifying gaze and growled.

“Do it anyway. If the rats have nowhere to hide, they’ll have no choice but to come out. We don’t have time to spare.”

“…Understood.”

Harold didn’t bother to conceal the murderous intent surging from him.

“Was the enemy commander’s name Gillian? I’ll make sure to chew him up along with Ghislain.”