Chapter 138: Calamity VI
Gerard and the knights of the Black Legion charged into the formation of the Tarkic Empire. Mounted atop their horses, they rode forward without hesitation, their swords cutting through everything in their path.
“Damn it! Stop them!”
“Stop them, no matter what! They number only in the hundreds! Compared to our forces, they’re just a handful of troops!”
Indeed, the number of Black Legion knights paled in comparison to the massive army of the Tarkic Empire, which boasted an enormous military force. But despite this…
Nonetheless, they were strong.
“Gah!”
“Agh!”
Ghastly screams echoed each time the Black Legion passed. Human soldiers and demons alike, who attempted to halt their advance, were crushed like paper under the relentless assault of the Black Legion. Ordinary soldiers were trampled by the horses before they could even raise their swords.
The lizardfolk, having suffered a previous defeat, were few in number, and even the werewolves fled before engaging. Arrows and weak spells, which risked harming their own forces, were blocked by the mana barrier, rendered useless.
“Kill them all!”“For the glory of Hangury!”
The Black Legion knights mercilessly cut through the enemy lines, slaying everything in their path. The tremendous speed of their cavalry, combined with weapons infused with mana, turned each strike into a lethal blow.
But the most terrifying presence was Gerard, who led the charge, ruthlessly swinging his sword to carve a path forward.
“These bastards! I am Mahadad, warrior of the Great Tarkic—gah!”
“Come at me, you Hangurian s*cum! This is Safia, hero of the Tarkics, challenging you!”
Even the strongest Tarkic commanders, galloping out to meet Gerard, were mercilessly cut down. There were few in the Tarkic Empire who could stand against Gerard in a one-on-one duel, and atop his black horse, galloping wildly, he seemed like a harbinger of death to the Tarkic army.
“D*amn! Shield soldiers, form up! We must stop their advance no matter what!”
“A-At once!”
The Tarkics hurriedly prepared a defensive formation as their allies were torn apart before their eyes. Against charging cavalry, a well-formed defense could usually negate their acceleration and stop the charge. That should have been the case, but…
“Haaa…”
Gerard’s sword began to glow as it gathered an immense amount of mana. The energy was so powerful that even those untrained in magic could sense it. The shield soldiers, who had been ready to block the cavalry, instinctively trembled in fear.
“Haaa!!!”
With a mighty shout, Gerard swung his sword at the formation.
Kuuuang!
The earth shook as if dozens of cannons had fired at once. The shield soldiers, who stood in Gerard’s path, were obliterated, turned to ash in a single blow.
The Black Legion surged forward, taking advantage of the gap.
The generals of the Tarkic Empire were in shock, witnessing their best defensive formation crumble so easily.
“The defensive line… in a single blow…”
“It’s… dangerous! The enemy is already here…”
“Don’t retreat! Hold your ground and k!ll them!”
The morale of the Tarkic forces collapsed as they watched their comrades turn to dust. Fear gripped them, and many began to flee, unable to summon the courage to stand against the Black Legion’s advance.
Meanwhile, Frank’s army, taking advantage of the chaos, regrouped and launched a counterattack.
“Attack! Drive them out of this place!”
At the generals’ command, soldiers with spears and swords rushed forward. The disorganized Tarkic forces couldn’t respond, and soon, they were forced to abandon their position at the barrier.
“Phew…”
After successfully repelling the enemy, Gerard exhaled a small, weary sigh. Though they had decimated thousands of enemies with only a few hundred knights, the effort had taken its toll. His mana was nearly depleted, and both the soldiers and horses were exhausted, with some even injured.
“Return to the fort. Rest and regroup. I’ll leave the rest to you, Frank.”
“I understand, Commander.”
***
A shadow fell over the faces of the Tarkic generals as they witnessed their forces being trampled without mercy.
“How is this possible…?”
“They defeated the formation that easily…”
“So, that’s the Black Legion… Their reputation wasn’t just for show.”
Though only a portion of the empire’s forces had engaged in the battle, it was still shocking to see such a small group of enemies decimate their troops.
“Who commands the vanguard?”
“It’s Ahab. He just roared, and then was taken down.”
“If this continues, the 2nd Corps will be next.”
The Tarkic corps commanders, though surprised, began to steel their resolve, even as they faced mockery from their allies.
Meanwhile, Padishah Shreman, observing the situation, expressed a small admiration.
“Hoh… the power of the Black Legion is formidable. Who’s leading the charge?”
“That’s Gerard, Your Majesty. He’s known as the mightiest warrior in Hangury and has proven his strength against the Dragona Empire in the past,” replied Accurus, the captain of Padishah’s guard, with a hint of jealousy.
Accurus, also a mage capable of using mana, felt his blood boil as he watched Gerard display such immense martial prowess.
However, Padishah remained calm, slowly nodding.
“I see… Hangury’s strongest general. The western continent has many talented individuals, it seems. It’s a shame…”
Although there were witches and mages under his command, capable of wielding magic, their numbers were far fewer than the entire army. And of those, only a handful could rival Gerard’s power. Despite the vast might of the Tarkic Empire, Shreman felt regretful that they lacked an overwhelming force like Gerard.
‘It’s a pity that the previous generation of Padishahs lost the Rose Empress… If they hadn’t made such foolish mistakes, they wouldn’t have had to create their own independent forces…’
Everyone on the continent knew the strength of the Empress and Princess of the Dragona Empire. Once a Duchess of the Tarkic Empire, the Rose Empress had gained independence due to the errors of his ancestors and now ruled over her own empire.
The loss of such a powerful leader weighed heavily on Shreman, especially since Tarkic lacked a general with comparable strength. Though they had maintained a good relationship and fought as allies under Shreman’s reign, it was a far cry from their former hierarchy.
“In any case, we have no choice but to deploy the 2nd Army.”
“It seems so. I’ll relay the order.”
At Padishah’s command, Accurus passed the imperial decree, and the 2nd Corps, which had been waiting to engage, began to move. At the same time, the sirens floating in the sky sprang into action.
Although the unexpected resistance had become a nuisance, Padishah Shreman still had confidence. Despite the retreat of the advance party, a much larger army waited behind them.
And above all, he knew that time was on their side.
I NEED YOUR HELP: During the recent unrest in the country I am from, our family hardware store was broken into and looted by thugs. I don’t know why they did it, since my family has always been minding our own business, without bothering anyone else. I’m guessing some people are taking advantage of the current lawless and chaotic state of the country.
Anyways, the incident now leaves me as the only earning member of my family. Long time readers know that I was already dealing with a mountain of trouble (that I inherited from my father), and was already struggling. I had created a plan of action, and was steadily moving forward. But this incident destroyed whatever plans I had, again. I don’t know why bad things keep happening to me again and again. I might as well be cursed or something.
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