Wolves of Hader

Chapter 64

When the knights of the Hader family charged forward, the Urada forces also spread out to the left and right and rushed in.

The enemy numbered close to 1,500, while the Hader knights were only about 80 strong. Yet, no one was afraid.

"Waaah!"

Eighty members of the Hader knight order slammed directly into the Urada forces.

Cha-cha-cha-chang—

Puh-buh-buh-buh-buk—

Weapons clashed with weapons, bodies crashed into bodies. But common soldiers and knight orders were worlds apart. The Hader knights pierced straight through the enemy lines.

The vanguard attackers cleared a path by striking down foes, and pairs of defenders with spears and shields plus archers advanced together, subduing enemies on either side.

The few Buffers among them cast buffs to enhance their allies' combat power and defense.

As soon as the Hader knights broke through the enemy's front line, Russell shouted.

"The strike squad, follow me!"

Russell and the eighteen men of the strike squad dashed like the wind towards the mages.

They plowed through the layers of foes who tried to block them. Parrying thrusting spears, they charged directly towards the mages.

At that, the mages who had been casting fireballs scattered away in panic.

But within moments, one was struck in the back by something and tumbled to the ground.

It was an Arrow of Light, shot by Lok, the Elin, from the fortress wall watchtower.

Bellen was also summoning a flock of light to disorient the enemy's vision.

Another mage was struck by an Arrow of Light and fell.

Just then, rushing out in urgency to block Russell and the strike squad were none other than the knights of the Syren family.

The elite knights of the Syren family hurled themselves toward the strike squad all at once.

At the same moment, Russell and the strike squad simultaneously unleashed their skills.

The special technique unique to the Hader knight order, which wasn't used during the ambush several days ago!

Ku-kwakwakwang—

Kakang— Pu-bubuk—

As Russell and the strike squad's techniques went off in succession, knights from both sides were thrown back by colliding magic power.

The Syren family's knights had never seen such techniques before.

There was a rapidly closing double-bladed spinning onslaught.

A bizarre linked attack by those wielding hammers.

A dazzling chain assault by those armed with spears.

Archers so adept with daggers, they rivaled assassins.

Some carried light shields, and surges of magic power raged from massive hammers.

Spears were swung so quickly that afterimages seemed to linger in the air.

Such speed and strength could hardly be accounted for by mere human ability.

Just what was that fleeting handling of magic power, those strange forms of attack?

In an instant, as eight knights fell, the Syren family's knights, flustered, retreated.

But they were immediately forced to fend off the attacks of Russell and the strike squad, who pressed right after them.

The combat strength on both sides was evenly matched.

The Syren family's knights had the edge in experience and fundamentals, but the strike squad far surpassed them in strength and speed.

There were other ways in which the strike squad differed from regular knights.

They had elementals assisting their use of magic power, and they had fought fierce battles against the Tak beast warriors.

In contrast, the Syren family's knights, after years of training, had mostly only subdued others; they never fought for their lives.

Thus, when these bold and relentlessly fierce enemies displayed bizarre techniques as well, the Syren family's accumulated experience became worthless.

The Syren family's knights, who had jumped in with overconfidence, were slowly forced back, and Urada's knights began to replace them in the front line.

Chang—

Pubuk—

Russell's spear pierced the neck of a fallen knight, then was pulled out. He shouted at the Urada knights blocking his way.

"Do not die in vain, Urada's knights! You were deceived into coming here!"

A meaningless cry.

As the Urada knights kept attacking, Russell drove his spear ruthlessly into their bodies and sprang away.

To the Urada knights, Russell's techniques did not seem like those of a human being.

It was because he was using a [Skill], not just a simple thrust.

At that moment, someone shouted.

"What are you doing? Stop them!"

"What are you people after? We already had serious doubts about the lord's decision!"

"Do you defy your lord's will? Seize them! There are only nineteen of them!"

Russell began to force his way through toward the shouting Syren family knight.

The strike squad followed, cutting down the Urada knights rushing at them.

Meanwhile, the sixty remaining Hader knights, who had broken through the enemy, were fiercely fighting.

It wasn't a losing battle; they were overwhelmingly dominating.

As soon as the strike squad broke through, the Urada forces surrounded the Hader knights in layers.

It was a tactic to trap them with shields and simultaneously stab with spears—a chaotic melee ensued.

The Hader knights formed a circular defense and continually repelled the onrushing enemy.

Unlike the strike squad, their armor wasn't alloyed, so casualties started to mount.

But as soon as someone was wounded, the Buffers used healing skills.

The wounded received not just elemental healing, but also recovery potions, letting them recover quickly.

When those who had fallen got back up to fight again, Urada's soldiers were deeply startled.

They mistakenly believed the Haders had priests.

Moreover, every time a Buffer struck a tuning fork, the Hader knights' combat strength surged.

The clang—sound meant their shield blocks became almost impossibly strong.

No wonder the soldiers kept thinking of "the gods" and "divine strength."

This had a significant impact on Urada's troops.

"Don't retreat!"

"Push forward!"

The officers at the rear yelled to rally their men, but those actually surrounding the Hader knights could only fall back.

Eventually someone shouted,

"We can't win! I stabbed that man, but he's back on his feet!"

"Nonsense! Don't retreat! Slash their throats!"

"I saw it! They—"

"Anyone who retreats, I'll kill myself!"

Puk—

An Urada officer who was shouting took an arrow to the chest and fell backward. It was an arrow shot by Lok.

As Urada's side faltered,

The Hader knights silently faced the enemies before them. They had never fought in battle before.

Yet none of them was afraid or wavered. Once actually fighting, they realized it was doable.

In fact, it was the enemy who showed fear and retreated.

Just as the Berserkers gained confidence in their skills in the capital, these knights, experiencing their first real battle, were confirming their own true abilities.

So all of them felt proud.

Having joined house Hader and becoming true knights at this moment—for everything they'd achieved.

Urada's soldiers became even more afraid of these Hader knights, unaware that the Hader knights' stamina and magic power were gradually dwindling.

While the melee raged on the field,

A battle was starting inside the fortress as well.

At its center stood Ross Hader.

While the Hader knights were surrounded,

Urada's troops placed ladders on the fortress wall and began to climb.

They entered without bloodshed. But they couldn't break through the narrow passage leading inside the fortress.

Ross Hader, two Dran, and four guardian knights thoroughly sealed off the entryway.

Ross Hader, holding a great spear and a light shield, skewered onrushing Urada soldiers with wild abandon.

Those who broke through were stopped by the guardian knights, or by Urald and Wundbark.

As casualties piled up in the narrow corridor, Urada's soldiers found it ever harder to charge.

More and more soldiers poured in, but they too were blocked at the front.

Indeed, Ross Hader and the guardian knights began pushing forward, subduing enemies so thoroughly that even the fallen could not rise again.

Then, Wundbark shouted,

"Bellen! Give the signal to Captain Russell! Lok, don't miss your chance!"

"Understood!"

Hiding in the watchtower to provide support, Bellen and Lok again summoned a flock of light and fired Arrows of Light toward Russell's side.

Around that time, Russell and the strike squad were locked in a war of attrition.

The Syren family knights and mages avoided direct fighting, while only Urada's knights stubbornly blocked their way.

It was a ploy to exhaust Russell and the strike squad's magic power and strength.

Russell realized this—but kept fighting because Lok's arrows were hitting the mages. Four out of ten had already fallen.

Russell's target from the start had been the mages. It was only because the Syren knights kept blocking them that they'd been fighting.

"Look for the signal!"

Right after Russell shouted, a flock of light flew erratically.

It confused the visibility of the Urada knights, then shot straight into a barrack on the right.

At that moment—

Russell leapt high and dashed toward that barrack. The strike squad also kicked off the ground and leaped forward.

From the opposite side of that barrack, two mages ran out in panic. At that moment—

Puk—

One mage was struck in the back by an arrow and collapsed.

The other, face pale with terror, was smashed in the face by the strike squad's hammer.

"The gate is open!"

"Support the head of house!"

Russell and the strike squad broke through the Urada knights blocking their way and rushed to the fortress.

Russell had to make a crucial decision mid-battle. If he didn't choose quickly, the course of battle would change.

Should he rescue the head of house first?

Aid the exhausted knights?

Or, even if his magic ran dry, prioritize taking down the Syren knights and mages?

He finally chose to rescue the head of house—since there were only seven people blocking the way into the castle.

He also needed time to recover at least a bit of his magic power.

Russell and the strike squad charged through the castle gate.

They plowed through the tightly packed Urada soldiers in the narrow passage without hesitation.

"Don't let a single one escape! Show these invaders what happens to those who storm this fortress!"

Ross Hader and the guardian knights also began pushing forward.

Trapped at both ends, Urada's soldiers could neither advance nor retreat and fell one after another.

Then someone shouted—

"Captain Russell! The Syren knights are attacking our order!"

Ross Hader also called urgently.

"Russell! We're fine here, help the knights outside!"

"Understood!"

Russell and the strike squad dashed out the fortress gate.

At the sight of the battlefield, Russell ground his teeth. What he'd feared was happening.

As soon as the strike squad left, the Syren knights, as if having waited, began attacking the Hader knights.

The knights were spent, both their magic and stamina running dry, and had no way to defend.

As Russell and the strike squad came running out, the Syren knights immediately withdrew.

It was a hit-and-run move to sap Russell and the strike squad's strength.

Already, over a dozen Hader knights had fallen.

The Buffers were using recovery potions immediately, but it seemed even so, casualties were inevitable.

Seeing this, Russell's rage reached its peak.

He blamed himself for not having known that the head of house was handling things overwhelmingly and that he should have supported the knights.

The Urada forces were reforming ranks around the surrounded Hader knight order.

The Syren family knights guarded the surviving mages and slowly marched forward.

Russell, the strike squad, and the Hader knights watched as their enemies closed the encirclement.

No one gave up. No one was willing to die. They fought only to recover and restore their magic power, bit by bit.

Soon, nearly 500 Urada soldiers completely surrounded the Hader knight order.

An Urada commander stepped forward.

"Surrender! This battle is already over!"

Russell eyed the commander quietly.

And then, coolly, he asked,

"What is your name?"

"I am Macco Urada! I'll say it again! If you surrender, the citizens will be spared! But if you keep resisting, every last citizen will be beheaded!"

Russell, expressionless, stared at his opponent. After a moment's silence, he spoke quietly.

"I promise you this—you will die by my hand."

The commander responded with a laugh.

"Survive first, and then you can—"

At that moment—

"Captain! On that mountain!"

At someone's shout, everyone on the battlefield looked to the left-hand mountain.

Everyone stared with faces asking, "What is that?"

A pack of wolves was rushing down from the rocky mountain slope at breakneck speed.

With people riding on their backs.

Russell recognized it instantly.

The Wolves of Hader had come.

"Our Berserkers are here!"

"Lord Roger is coming!"

"Waaaaaaaah!"

The Hader knight order let out a great cheer.

Hearing that resounding roar,

Russell's eyes began to turn increasingly red.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

This is so hype!!!

【( `Д´)o:【】:::::::〉】

Also, I like that Roger made sure to make his soldiers/knights stronger, and not just him being strong alone...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】