novelraw Chapter 246: Abyssal Holy War – Final Resistance (5)
Chapter 246: Abyssal Holy War – Final Resistance (5)
The noise caused by the clash of one million against one million shook the world just by itself.
The situation was such that one's ears were deafened by the sound of cannon fire, gunshots, and shouts covering the entire battlefield.
I was observing the battlefield from the high ground on the hill.
Instead of the encampment peculiar to the line infantry that basically forms a long line formation, we extended a long column formation in preparation for the drones' incursion, and mobilized even the hills to establish double, triple firing lines to narrow the battlefield as much as possible.
Only by doing so could Eris cover as wide an area as possible, and likewise, make it easier to deploy the Magic Corps, whose primary strength was limited in number.
In a situation where nearly half of the mages were pulled out to assist the Magic Tower Master's grand magic, this measure was desperate to block the demonic tribes' magic bombardment.
Even so, the battlefield where a combined two million troops from both sides fought was too vast, even for being wide.
Because it was absolutely impossible to cover everything just from the center, Giselle Davi was assisting the mages along with skirmishers from the Revolutionary Army camp, but that role was being carried out individually by the Schützen in Krafte, and by the skirmishers in the Imperial Army.
As I was observing the battlefield, Louis Desaix's voice could be heard from behind my back.
"This looks like some Apocalyptic War."Rockets and cannons flew in from the demonic forces' camp, and our Artillery Corps fired shells back at them.
Occasionally, when the demons brought in a machine gun emplacement and tried to shoot, our mages' fireballs would promptly fly in and destroy it, or lightning would strike down and roast them as they were.
On the other hand, the demonic side also frequently launched fireballs, and purple lightning struck down from the sky.
A significant number of those were blocked by our mages' magic barriers, but there were some that were not.
I saw the sight of a fireball that had just flown in exploding, and four or five soldiers thrashing about while caught on fire before collapsing.
"Certainly, it is."
At least the demons had a culture that focused on individual power, so while they might focus on their individual magic barriers, it seemed they had no idea of protecting others with a magic barrier like us.
If the demons, who basically had a superiority in mana, had responded in the same way we did, honestly we would have been at a disadvantage, so it was a benefit from our stance.
To use their idea of thinking, perhaps inferior demonic races who needed to be protected from human magic were existences not even worth protecting.
At that moment, an eerie cry echoed out.
"Fr-from the sky!"
Ah, damn it.
That brought back bad memories.
Several black birds were flying in the sky and approaching our camp.
The soldiers shot at the sky in their own way, but because their attention had been concentrated on the front and they fired in a panic, the formation of a field of fire was delayed.
"Oh, damn it! Now even the sky!"
Amidst Alexandre Berthier's lamentation, the flock of birds flew in rapidly, descending over the soldiers' heads.
"Uwaaah, get away!"
"Aaaagh! My eyes, my eyes!"
The soldiers tried their resistance by stabbing with their bayonets, but it only scattered them into black mana, and the raid of the flock of birds didn't stop.
In the meantime, I swept my gaze across the battlefield-
And spotted giant birds with multiple eyes attached.
Halphas. It was his race.
I immediately took out the bow I was carrying on my back, strung the bow, and nocked an arrow.
Seeing the small population size, they were definitely high-ranking demons, and they were threatening in reality too, but...
I infused the arrow with mana and the divine power fluctuating in my heart.
The image I was thinking of was the sniped arrow at D'Artagnan, from the Blue Knight's Last Battlefield.
Just like the one Eris had consecrated, the arrow began to burn with a white light.
I soon let the arrow fly, and the flying arrow scattered dozens of birds into dust as it flew in-
Shattering the giant bird's magic barrier and hitting it square in the chest.
"Screeeech-!"
With a death cry that could be heard all the way here despite the considerable distance, the bird collapsed, and simultaneously, a significant number of the flock of birds that had been tormenting the soldiers scattered down into black mana.
The moment I immediately pulled out the next arrow and fired it the same way, the next demon tried to strike my arrow away with its arm, but when that arm exploded completely, it tumbled on the ground and screamed.
When I immediately pulled out another one and let it fly, that horrific bird finally went silent, and soon cheers were heard from below.
"The birds are disappearing!"
"L-Long live His Excellency Marquis Lafayette!"
Good, it worked perfectly well against high-ranking demons too.
As I clenched and unclenched my fist, estimating the consumption of mana, Desaix spoke in a somewhat bewildered voice.
"You are amazing, Your Excellency the Marquis."
I had thought it would work, but honestly, I was a bit surprised myself.
When I first faced Halphas, not just an arrow, but even a sword attack couldn't reach him.
Halphas might have been an exceptionally strong guy even among that race, but I suppose I had become that much stronger.
"It's all thanks to Her Majesty the Queen."
"Pardon?"
"There's just something like that."
I scanned the enemy position with narrowed eyes.
That bird from before, it couldn't be seen anymore.
Even if it was there, was it hiding without revealing its true form?
Either way, it served as a warning in its own way to their high-ranking demons.
Come to think of it, hadn't Halphas said he belonged to Pride Inc.?
Somehow, I felt like I knew why such a powerful primary strength crawled out so sluggishly only now.
It meant those so-called high-ranking demons couldn't be mobilized by someone on Paimon's level, and only took orders from Baal...
Anyway, this made it certain.
"I will leave the command to you, Commander Desaix."
"Hmm, are you going out with the cavalry again?"
"Yes. They've started deploying their main force directly to the battle line."
I glanced at the blue orb descending from the sky, then turned my gaze back.
Eris took a towel from a soldier, wiped away her sweat, and then received water and drank it.
She was holding up well so far, but it probably wasn't a light burden.
Defending against that insane sword attack, even using a crystal, would by no means be an easy task.
There was also a limit to the number of Divine Power Amplification Crystals.
I didn't know how often the sword attacks Baal was flying around could be used.
Anyway, since there was a limit to the crystals and Eris also had a stamina problem, if he kept throwing them, we would have collapsed eventually.
However, Baal didn't know how many Divine Power Amplification Crystals we had.
If he thought he couldn't break us just by simply throwing sword attacks, and if that arrogant demon raged because of it.
Even now, if their ruin was descending upon them at this very moment, that guy would definitely attack directly.
"Baal's sword attacks have stopped, and high-ranking demons have begun appearing on the front line as well. If so, Baal will also attack together with the main attack force. And there is a high probability they will strike the flanks first."
Right now, those in charge of the Center Army were the soldiers of the Revolutionary Army and the Northern Allied Kingdom.
The reserve units were naturally deployed focusing around the Center Army as well.
Above all, the command post, the Magic Tower Master, and Eris were together here.
The Center Army's battle line was the thickest and highly trained.
If so, rather than piercing through there, attempting a breakthrough on the flanks to strike the Magic Tower Master in the rear was the most rational judgment.
"Since the enemy possesses overflowing troops that are more than enough to pour into all defense lines anyway, it's reasonable to assume the enemy's sharpest blade will come toward the side that is relatively weaker and offers better maneuverability."
And that sharpest blade would definitely have Baal at its center.
"Understood, His Excellency Marquis Lafayette. Then..."
Desaix glanced at Damien De Millbeau, who was screaming and urging on the soldiers down below, and spoke with a light chuckle.
"Have a safe trip. This time again, I believe that if I wait and lead well, you will spoon-feed me the merit."
"Need you ask? The professional acting commander-in-chief, who is always the most faithful even in the least noticeable role."
"Hahaha! May God's blessing be with Your Lordship, the Marquis, and Francia."
"Victory to the Commander and Francia."
I immediately mounted a horse and galloped toward the cavalry unit I had moved in advance.
*
My judgment wasn't wrong.
Because no sooner had I led the Cuirassiers and arrived at the left flank of the Germania Imperial Army than I bumped into a messenger who had just come out to run toward us.
"Uh, eh? Marquis Lafayette? Ah, no, Your Lordship, the Marquis?"
"The enemy troops?"
"It is the demonic heavy cavalry! Estimated to be around fifty thousand!"
"Intense."
Fifty thousand heavy cavalry.
"Haha, if our arrival was even a little later, we might have seen the Imperial Army getting crushed in one swoop?"
"Morelle."
"Whoops, excuse me."
The messenger's expression worsened, so I spoke quickly.
"Where are the Imperial Cuirassiers? Guide us."
"Yes, sir!"
As we rode our horses following the messenger, Morelle opened his mouth.
"Your Lordship, the Marquis. The chasseurs and I are thinking of just striking the demons from behind, what do you think?"
"Not facing the cavalry?"
"Yep. Honestly, what much can our light cavalry do against the elite demonic heavy cavalry who are bound to handle mana?"
"Even so, even if you strike the demons' rear, the drones' morale won't break."
Moreover, it was an army of a million. Striking the rear wasn't a problem that ends with just that. Conversely, due to the characteristics of drones, the light cavalry could suffer severe damage.
"Conversely, since they are mindless drones, their attention will definitely be drawn to us. While we're at it, we can sweep away the demons who were bombarding from the rear. No matter what happens, it will be a great benefit to the defense line."
"...The light cavalry's loss will be severe, won't it? Right now, you too have a taste for leading the charge. It's too dangerous."
Morelle meekly nodded his head.
"I know. My subordinates know it too, and the agreement with the unit members has already been concluded."
"...Morelle."
"Haha, why make a face like that? It's a battlefield where we're all fighting with our lives on the line anyway. ...Anyway, against those damned drones, there's no reason to pursue them for exploiting victory, and since the reconnaissance battle is over now, we have no other role either."
Morelle, who always had a frivolous demeanor, continued speaking.
"There's a saying among the chasseurs: a chasseur who survives until thirty is a coward. But I'm well over 30 already. Of course, the fact that I'm still alive is thanks to fighting well and being led well, but..."
The man who was once Raphael Valliant's right hand pleaded, smiling broadly.
"On this damned island, there's no common sense like reconnaissance battles or pursuits, so we were itching for action. Give us an opportunity to show that our light cavalry doesn't just do the annihilation of stragglers because we lack courage, and that we are men more than anyone else."
"Ha..."
To volunteer to walk right into a suicidal position.
But in a situation like this, everyone was ultimately fighting in a place of death.
Honestly, I was even thankful that they were taking this upon themselves.
"...I authorize it. But don't even think about getting surrounded and dying. You're light cavalry. Sting like a bee, float like a butterfly, and escape. If you don't, I'll be beaten to death by Her Majesty the Queen."
"Whew, of course not! Uhahaha, we definitely need an adventure story of this level to have a story to tell when we get back!"
"Right. I'd be sad if I couldn't hear that annoying chatter of yours anymore, so come back alive."
"Uhaha, isn't Her Majesty's nagging more annoying than my chatter?"
"You caught me."
By the time Morelle and I were giggling and laughing while looking at each other, we merged with the Imperial Cuirassiers.
"Oh, to think you'd come in person. Isn't this an honor?"
"Commander Leonhardt?"
The one who welcomed us was Jill von Leonhardt.
"Why is the commander here?"
Jill replied with a grin.
"For the same reason as you, Marquis Lafayette."
I chuckled lightly.
Good grief.
Anyway, even as nominal commanders, everyone was going around risking their lives.
"Enemy cavalry, approaching!"
I turned my gaze forward.
A heavy cavalry of fifty thousand.
Demons, covered entirely in jet-black magic armor and even wearing heavy armor, were approaching with their spearheads raised upward, scattering an ominous purple aura.
Was Baal among them?
Just looking at this, I couldn't tell.
Gaston was out on the Krafte Army's side, so I had no choice but to trust him just in case.
"Wow, they look ominous just looking at them. Would it be safe to assume a significant number of them are knight-level?"
"Probably."
Our troops were thirty thousand Revolutionary Cuirassiers and fifty thousand Imperial Cuirassiers.
We had more numbers, but looking at their appearance, it was hard to think we were in an advantageous position.
I glanced back, but the soldiers' eyes were burning with fighting spirit.
Indeed, that made sense.
They were the elite who claimed to be the descendants of the Knight Kingdom in name.
Yet on the unique battlefield of this damned island, they hadn't even had the opportunity to be active until now, and currently, their somewhat respected commanders were standing right before their eyes.
They were the knights of a new era in name, so it would be stranger if they chickened out here.
I opened my mouth as I watched the enemy cavalry slowly approaching and then gradually increasing their speed.
"I'm asking just in case, Commander Leonhardt. Any thoughts of stepping back?"
"Well, honestly, I never thought a day would come where we really fight shoulder-to-shoulder like this, but..."
Jill chuckled lightly and drew his sword.
"I'm also somewhat of a knight, to tuck tail and run away after coming this far."
A smile naturally formed on my lips at his answer, and I drew my sword and clashed swords with him.
"Glory to the Empire. Victory to Leonhardt."
Jill made a slightly bewildered expression, then raised his sword high alongside mine and replied.
"Glory to Francia. Victory to Lafayette."
Yes, this was enough.
Even if we took long, winding paths, even if we were once enemies.
On this battlefield, if we fought together sharing the same will, that was enough.
"The final descendants of the Knight Kingdom!"
"The Last Knights of the Empire!"
The beginnings were separate.
But the end is one.
""Charge!""