Elf Kingdom: Game of the World Tree-Chapter 946 - 667: Elf Mercenaries
The thick clouds obscured the sunlight, rolling continuously, casting the whole world into darkness.
The howling wind blew incessantly, making the fluttering flags rustle...
An old man dressed in a red ceremonial robe and wearing a red bishop’s crown stood on the hillside, looking at the sky with a solemn expression.
In his hand, he tightly held a golden medallion of the sun.
It was the symbol of the Eternal Lord.
The old man looked at the dark clouds in the sky, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening, and then he said in a grave tone:
"Evil forces have shrouded the stars, today’s battle... I’m afraid won’t be easy."
As soon as he finished speaking, with a burst of laughter, a dignified yet hoarse voice picked up the conversation:
"Haha, Lord Nicholas, you worry too much. With three times the troops and days of siege, today will surely be Otto’s downfall!"
The speaker was a tall middle-aged nobleman.
He wore shiny knight’s armor, with golden hair and blue eyes, and his high hooked nose added a stern look. The Twin Lion Flag held high by the guards fluttering in the wind indicated his identity.
He was Duke Rosen, the marshal of the Imperial Expedition Army, who had been reprimanded by the Empress due to the Wells family affair some time ago. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
The old man in red gave Duke Rosen a faint look, and his profoundly serene gaze made this immensely powerful duke unconsciously lower his laughter.
"Your Grace, do not be careless, have you forgotten the Battle of Peach Grove?"
The old man said faintly.
Duke Rosen’s face stiffened slightly.
Peach Grove was a place at the border of the Fengye Territory and the Western Domain. About a month and a half ago, he had led his troops to engage Marquis Otto’s forces there, and it could be said to have been a disastrous defeat...
That battle was a disgrace to the Rosen family.
"That was an accident. I never thought Otto would be able to summon the Fallen War Beast, nor did I know where he got those Titan descendants..."
Duke Rosen said through gritted teeth.
After speaking, he squinted his eyes:
"However... the greatest losses that day were actually among the conscripted mercenaries. My main Guard Corps did not suffer much. Now, with the strong support of the church and the addition of the Judgement Knight Order, plus the heavy spear crossbows I’ve drawn from all over this month, even if Otto has war beasts, they’re no match!"
After finishing, he looked down the hill, spread his arms, and said with some bravado:
"Lord Nicholas, seeing such an army, don’t you think so?"
And after speaking, he turned around respectfully and said:
"Of course, mundane wars should be resolved by us nobles. If powers beyond the extraordinary truly appear, I ask for Lord Nicholas’s intervention."
The old man nodded slightly, looking grave and devout:
"Of course, my Lord would never stand by and watch innocent lambs get devoured by evil..."
Duke Rosen became more invigorated, laughing loudly before looking into the distance and saying:
"Then let’s put an end to this unnecessary rebellion together!"
Listening to his resolute words, the old man followed his gaze.
Beneath the hill was an endless army.
Reorganized, its core was the Imperial Third Guard Corps clad in red armor, with various mercenary groups conscripted as the vanguard, and the white-clad Eternal Church Judgment Knights as the elite among the hundred-thousand-strong army!
Among the ranks were ominous chariots, each ten meters long.
These were war equipment specially designed to combat large Demon Beasts—the heavy spear crossbows.
Banners fluttered continuously among the army, the deafening sound of footsteps gradually arriving as the army marched, resembling a Thunderbolt.
Such a massive military force could only be deployed on the flat expanse of the Fertile Plain.
The enormous Imperial Army resembled a vast red flood, or like a wide open net, surging forward into the distance.
On the other side, however, was the silver-gray army, clearly fewer in number, thus at a significant disadvantage...
This was the army organized by Marquis Otto, numbering only a third of the red flood.
They were arranged in a defensive formation, guarding behind gigantic, Bimong-like fearsome beasts.
Amid the howling wind, the two torrents finally clashed.
The battle... began.
The mercenary groups, serving as the vanguard, roared as they charged into the marquis’s army. Their discipline was far inferior to regular troops, but years of combat experience endowed them with clearly superior strength to ordinary soldiers, with every individual’s power above the Black Iron Middle Rank.
On Marquis Otto’s side, although the army’s strength seemed slightly weaker, their organized defense formations diminished the Imperial Army’s advantage.
Once the two sides clashed, it was a brutal melee.
The overwhelming sound of battle cries erupted, with men falling every second, and with each second, new soldiers surged forward under the army’s impetus to fill the gaps left behind.
And suddenly, accompanied by a series of roars, Marquis Otto’s beasts moved.
They pounded their chests and charged into the ranks of the Imperial Army, their reckless actions and fearsome bulk making them seem like unstoppable mountains, crushing everything before them into mere flesh.
Until the sound of arrows piercing the air arose, and flaming giant spears launched from within the Imperial Army, halting their frenzy.
That was the Imperial Army’s crossbows.
The crossbows’ attack served as a signal, and the long-range assault commenced.
