novelraw Chapter 225 : Change of Status
Chapter 225 : Change of Status
Chapter 225: Change of Status
From the northeastern corner of the encampment, alongside the sound of explosions, a dozen flaming arrows shot into the sky.
It was the signal to retreat.
Yam glanced back, a helpless expression of regret appearing on his face.
He had known from the very start that this rescue operation was doomed to fail, as the camp had already been completely overrun by the time they arrived. Still, he issued the order to engage—primarily to rescue any survivors who might have made it, and secondarily to inflict as much damage as possible on the enemy, hoping to gain strategic leverage in the Third Defensive Zone.
Thus, the troops he led were naturally divided into two groups.
Hales led the Vengeful Undead to attack from the southeast, while Yam took the others and launched from the northeast.
This division was to maximize command efficiency: putting two unfamiliar units together could easily cause command confusion. Moreover, Hales was a Fourth-Tier Bloodline User whose personal strength was sufficient to handle most threats.
Still, to be safe, they had agreed on a retreat signal.
For Yam's side, it was when Akar fired numerous flaming arrows into the sky—they were to withdraw. For Hales, the cue was the sound of a signal arrow soaring through the air.
After breaching the camp, Yam's unit had been fortunate enough to rescue many craftsmen and logistics personnel—precisely the kind of manpower they were most lacking. From these craftsmen, Yam learned that due to prior losses, the Third Defensive Zone had lost a significant number of cavalrymen, leaving behind hundreds of warhorses.
According to intel, the camp now held at most 200 cavalrymen—originally, the Third Defensive Zone had 800. But after their field defeat, the survivors had holed up and were forced into a defensive posture. Several cavalry deployments failed to make a difference, and as a result, the unit dwindled down to just 200 riders and 500 warhorses. There were still over a hundred wounded cavalrymen in the infirmary. Thanks to Yam’s timely breach, casualties among the wounded were relatively low.
But cavalry without horses were of little use. Even if rescued, they couldn’t perform effectively, as their training was entirely distinct from other soldiers.
Thus, Yam made a swift decision: lead a team to the stables and salvage as many warhorses as possible.
Charging non-stop, Yam and his men quickly reached the stables. Although the Aust Empire forces had already launched an assault there, frightening the horses into chaos, Yam’s team included experienced mercenaries like Aliman—skilled in many trades—who quickly calmed a number of the trained warhorses. Only professionally tamed horses could be soothed in such chaos; ordinary ones would have been impossible to manage.
Working together, they soon led a group of warhorses out of the cavalry camp's gate.
When Yam saw Akar’s signal in the sky, he too began preparing for withdrawal.
He had paid close attention to the battlefield upon entering the cavalry camp.
According to the craftsmen, between the cavalry camp and the stables, there were still roughly 500 horses and 200 cavalrymen. The battlefield now held only dozens of corpses—indicating that at least a hundred cavalrymen had escaped.
Although the stables were in disarray, with horses running wild, Yam had quickly estimated there were fewer than 300 horses. This was why Aliman and the others were able to subdue them and lead them away.
But just as Yam was preparing to withdraw, a second explosion thundered through the air.
He turned sharply—to see that the three main flags over the command center had fallen.
Flag severed?!
His heart jumped, his face turning grim.
Each of the three flags had a different meaning.
The first, adorned with the golden emblem of the Tyrella Kingdom, signified that the land belonged to the kingdom and was under its protection.
When that flag fell, it meant the kingdom had lost control—effectively, their claim had been nullified.
The second flag belonged to the Southern Army of Tyrella, indicating that the garrison stationed in the zone reported to the Southern Command.
Its fall meant that the Southern Army had been completely annihilated and could no longer protect the land.
Compared to those two, the third flag—which represented the local commander—was trivial.
Indeed, it was precisely because the first two flags fell that the commander’s failure became the most disgraceful.
But what truly darkened Yam’s face was the wartime emergency law of the Tyrella Kingdom.
With the flags of the Third Defensive Zone down, this wasn’t just unclaimed land now. It also meant that all unit numbers of the Southern Army stationed here were dissolved: the spear, sword, cavalry, and archer units all lost their official status, and would have to return to Southern Command HQ for reassignment.
That was under normal conditions.
But Yam’s force had not yet been dissolved!
He was the commander of the First Supply Army of the Red Eagle Territory, assigned to support the Southern Army of the Tyrella Kingdom in Bayor Territory. He was ordered to reinforce the Third Defensive Zone and had yet to report and be officially attached to the local command.
Therefore, he was considered an independent reinforcement force.
According to Tyrella’s wartime law, if the highest-ranking commander in a zone fell, the next in rank would assume command. Likewise, if all local forces were destroyed and unit numbers rescinded, command would pass to the highest-status unit remaining.
In other words—
From the moment those flags fell, regardless of whether the Third Defensive Zone’s original commander was alive, Yam automatically became the new military leader of the entire zone.
If the zone fell, he would bear full responsibility.
Who wouldn’t be cursing at that point?
If Yam died, Akar would succeed him.
If Akar died, then Aliman.
And after Hales, things got delicate. Based on rank, the next in line were Apaz and Lurt—Aust soldiers who served as sub-commanders of the Vengeful Undead. They joined the Shelf Mercenary Group under Hales, making them the third and fourth officers there. Since the mercenaries were designated as the Second Army by Yam, Aliman served as third commander, and thus Apaz and Lurt became the fourth and fifth of the First Supply Army of the Red Eagle Reinforcements.
All of them were now irrevocably tied to the Third Defensive Zone by the fall of those flags.
"Aust Empire! Curse your whole family!"
In the temporary war room, everyone wore a grim expression.
As if constipated for days.
Aside from Yam, Akar, Hales, and Aliman—Yam’s original command team—there were about ten newcomers.
These included the Sword Unit Combat Commander and Spear Unit Combat Commander, as well as the Quartermaster of the Logistics Army and the Chief Craftsman overseeing camp construction and maintenance.
Craftsmen were vital in military operations—handling camp repairs, siege equipment, and sometimes weapon maintenance and forging. The chief among them held military rank equal to combat commanders.
The craftsmen Yam had rescued specialized in camp construction and repair—not weaponry. Fortunately, the Vengeful Undead had weapons experts but lacked construction engineers, so the two sides complemented each other.
The Cavalry Unit’s Combat Commander was unaccounted for. The Archer Unit had suffered the worst casualties—Yam had rescued few from there. On their way out, however, many craftsmen, under the quartermaster’s command, carried off a large stock of arrows.
Now, Yam’s forces had swelled to over 11,000. He had brought 9,000 from Bayor Territory; over 500 were rescued from the Sword and Spear Units; over 1,000 from the infirmary; the rest were craftsmen and logistics personnel—plus nearly 300 warhorses.
Yam’s side had suffered losses as well.
They lost soldiers during the battle inside the camp.
Especially Akar’s team, who encountered several Third-Tier Bloodline Users from the Aust Empire. Their clash caused the earlier explosion—Akar had issued the retreat signal fearing reinforcements or even Fourth-Tier foes.
Until the second explosion, everyone assumed the original zone commander had escaped. The flag showed he came from a count’s family—surely, he wouldn’t have stayed to die.
But shockingly, he had held his ground to the bitter end.
The news came from a few senior officers who had escaped the command post. They were all minor nobles from outside the Southern Region. To prevent collusion with the Southern Duke, Tyrella’s royal family ensured that top officers weren’t selected from local nobility—or only from loyal vassals.
Now, Yam had a headache.
"How's the situation?"
"Our army is too large to hide. We've already raised our banner. The enemy saw us arrive. They've withdrawn and are regrouping," reported Aliman, who handled reconnaissance. "Judging from their formation, it’s a vanguard army. We haven’t connected with the Second or Fourth Zones, so we don’t know the enemy’s full strength."
"From the survivors’ reports, the enemy commander is likely Adino Sumansitel," said Lurt. "But he’s not leading this vanguard."
"Who is this guy?" Akar asked.
"A skilled Aust commander specializing in maneuver warfare. He serves under the Duke of Blood. He's a Fifth-Tier," Lurt replied gravely. "His troops excel at raids and rapid assaults. Most of his campaigns exploit enemy vulnerabilities through constant movement, then exploit gaps to destroy them."
"He targeted the Third Zone from the start. The assaults on the Second and Fourth Zones were feints—meant to divert the Southern Army’s forces, isolating the Third Zone."
"And that’s what makes him so terrifying."
"He manipulates enemy psychology to devise misleading strategies. If the Second or Fourth Zones relax, and Adino spots a flaw, those feints will become real attacks—and they'll be crushed."
Hearing this, Yam’s brows furrowed.
"Then this vanguard force before us is key."
Yam looked to Aliman.
"About 15,000 strong, no less," Aliman replied quickly. "There are three Fourth-Tier Bloodline Users among them. That’s likely how they took down the zone's Fourth-Tier commander so quickly."
"Fifteen thousand men, with fewer than ten Bloodline Users, three of them Fourth-Tier—" Hales said slowly. "If we can destroy them completely, it’ll seriously hurt the Aust Empire."
Based on intel, the Aust Empire had about 50,000 troops left in Ashak. Taking out 15,000 here would leave just over 30,000.
With only 30,000 remaining, their movements would become easier to predict.
But.
They faced a serious issue.
"Adino is a Fifth-Tier. We have no one to match him," Aliman said again.
"Request reinforcements," Yam responded without hesitation. "The enemy has already lost one Fifth-Tier. They likely have only two or three left. As far as I know, the Black Hawk Legion has no Sixth-Tier. So their Sixth-Tier commander must come to reinforce Ashak—or the Black Hawk Legion can’t enter meat-grinder mode with the Southern Army."
"That one Fifth-Tier shows how seriously the Aust Empire takes this twin assault. If we and reinforcements can kill him—"
"We might even reclaim the Rorylan Territory!"
"Aubma will definitely support this plan."
"But first, we must wipe out this 15,000-strong Aust force."