Reincarnated with the Country System-Chapter 178: The Battle of Surma River and The Temple of Darkness

For fifteen days, Strom and the Royal army have been fighting near the Surma River. The tide of war has begun to turn. After the war with Latvia ended, many soldiers of the Royal army were sent here from the north. This greatly increased the number of the Royal army.

Strom also recruits more mercenaries. He arranges for more troops by pressuring the nobles.

....

The morning sun is beginning to rise, its dim light casting a long shadow over the bloody field of the Surma River.

The waters of the river were now mud and rubble, the banks littered with the remnants of battle—broken shields, shattered weapons, and fallen soldiers from both sides.

The air was filled with the acrid smell of smoke, blood, and charred flesh. The cries of the wounded echoed softly, a poignant reminder of the terrible cost of this conflict.

Strom stood at the edge of his camp.

His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, observing the positions of his forces and the distant movements of the royal army. The past fifteen days had been brutal, with neither side gaining a decisive advantage. Casualties on both sides had mounted, and the riverbanks had become a graveyard for thousands.

But the tide of battle was now turning against Strom.

A large portion of his force were mercenaries and bandits. Although they had been confident and high-spirited at first, they were now losing their spirit. They were here for the money. They had no loyalty to Strom.

Many fled under the cover of night, unwilling to face the relentless onslaught of the royal army. They were not a regular army, so they lacked discipline. Only the Krigs were fighting properly. But they were also greatly outnumbered. The nobles' forces, though better trained, had also taken significant losses.

On the other hand, the royal army was also not in good shape either. General Voss's forces were repeatedly pushed back from the riverbank, but their disciplined formation and strategic use of the terrain enabled them to hold their line.

Hippogriff raiders, though fewer in number, had proven to be a thorn in Strom's side, disrupting supply lines and harassing his wyverns.

However, the royal army's infantry was exhausted, and their archers were almost out of arrows.

Both armies were thin, their resources were dwindling, and their morale was faltering. Still, neither side was willing to retreat.

Strom had thus far led the war from a distance from the front lines. But today, he could wait no longer. His forces needed a boost, a show of strength that would revive their spirits and strike fear into the hearts of his enemies.

As a B-rank Aura Knight, he was a rare and fearsome presence on the battlefield. His aura, although not yet at the level of an A-rank, was still enough for him to turn the tide.

"Today, we will end this stalemate," Strom told his commanders.

"I will lead the attack myself. Prepare the reserves and have the Krigs ready to support my advance."

His commanders nodded, a mixture of relief and fear on their faces. They had been waiting for this moment, but they also knew the risks. If Strom fell, the entire campaign could collapse.

....

On the south bank, General Voss was also preparing for another day of battle. The past

fifteen days had taken their toll on him as well. But the defeat of Latvia and the arrival of more reinforcements had boosted his morale.

"They can't hold out much longer," Viscount Alden said.

"But our supplies are also running low, and our men are tired. We must intensify our attacks, and end this war quickly."

General Voss turned solemnly to his officers. "Tell our soldiers to prepare. Today we will launch a bigger attack."

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....

As the sun rose in the sky, the sound of war horns echoed across the battlefield.

Strom's forces began their advance, their ranks moving forward.

In front was Strom himself, his aura shining brightly as he advanced towards the river. His presence was like a radiance, drawing the attention of both friend and foe.

The Royal Army's archers let loose a volley of arrows, but Strom raised his hand, and a shimmering barrier of Aura deflected the projectiles. The arrows shattered harmlessly against the barrier, and Strom continued his advance, unfazed.

"Forward!" he shouted, his voice rising above the din of battle. His forces cheered behind him, their spirits buoyed by his presence.

The Royal Army's infantry moved to meet them, their shields locked together in a solid wall. But Strom was not to be stopped. He slammed into the front line, his Aura-enhanced strength shattering shields and sending soldiers flying. His sword moved like a blur, cutting through armor and flesh with ease. Wherever he went, chaos followed.

The wyvern riders rose into the sky. The massive creatures roared as they flew overhead, their riders armed with fire pots and javelins. They descended upon the ranks of the royal army, dropping their deadly loads and causing chaos.

The royal army opened fire with ballistae, their massive bolts hurtling through the sky. One wyvern was struck in the chest, the force of the impact sending it crashing to the ground. Another bolt narrowly missed a rider, who pulled his mount into a steep climb to avoid the next shot.

The Hippogriff raiders, though fewer in number, took to the sky to engage the wyverns. The aerial battle was fierce, with both sides suffering losses.

Storm's aura made him nearly unstoppable, his aura radiated like a blazing sun, casting an otherworldly glow around him. The Royal Army soldiers hesitated as he approached, their shields trembling in their hands. Strom's voice thundered across the field, cutting through the chaos.

"You stand before the storm itself! Flee now, or be swept away!"

With a flick of his wrist, Strom unsheathed his sword, the blade humming with the energy of his aura.

"Gale's Edge!"

Strom's blade moved in a wide arc, a crescent of aura slicing through the air. The attack was swift and devastating, cutting through the front line of Royal Army soldiers like a scythe through wheat. Shields splintered, armor cracked, and men fell before they could even raise their weapons.

The soldiers who survived the initial strike stumbled back, their faces pale with fear. Strom pressed his advantage, his aura flaring brighter as he charged into their ranks.

While he was fighting with the Royal army, a Krig soldier rode up to him on horseback.

"My Lord, we received an important message just now."

The Krig soldier approached him and pulled the reins of his horse,

Strom pulled his sword out of a soldier's mouth. There was a lot of blood on his body. He had piled up the corpses here.

"What happened now!? Is this so important?"

"My Lord, Fort George has been destroyed."

♦♦♦

Nia, Nile, and a group of Shadows with them. They were walking through the forest in the thick darkness of the new moon night. There was only silence and pitch darkness all around. The light of the torches in their hands pierced the darkness a little and showed the way ahead.

There was no sound around except for the sound of the horses' hooves. There were also numerous quashas nearby, which were swinging strangely from the branches of dead trees that hung down. This scene made the place even more eerie.

"Is this here?" Nia's voice echoed softly in the darkness.

"Yes, this is here," Nile replied.

Nile and Nia were in the middle, and around them, the Shadows, dressed in black hoods, were moving forward. So that if any danger came, they could immediately protect them.

"That's it," Nile said softly, his eyes fixed ahead.

They all pulled the reins of their horses together and stopped. In front of them, they caught sight of a huge abandoned temple. The darkness made it impossible to understand the true size of the temple. The walls of the temple were made of black stone, which had eroded over time, but its solemnity and mystery were still intact.

Nile, Nia, and their companions dismounted. A few Shadows stayed behind to handle the horses, while the rest entered the temple with Nile and Nia.

The air inside the temple was bitterly cold, as if it had been closed for centuries. The cold air entered their lungs with each breath.

The place was very scary. As they moved forward, they saw numerous statues around them. Most of the statues were damaged, broken. But the strange thing was, these were not statues of any gods. Rather, they were the ruins of demons. The statues had distorted faces, their faces were huge and terrifying, as if they represented some dark force. The statues seemed to be thousands of years old. As if they had been lost in the womb of time.

They climbed the broken stairs to the upper floor. The stairs were so dilapidated that they had to be careful with each step. After climbing up, they saw that there was no door or entrance. The whole place was abandoned and damaged.

The dust and cobwebs on the walls showed that no one had entered here for many years.

The darkness was so deep that they could not see well around them. They could only see as much as their torches could illuminate. In the glow of the light, strange signs and symbols carved on the walls were faintly visible.

After they climbed up, they reached a large hall-like space. In the middle of the hall was an altar, made of black stone. Around the altar, some sources of light could be seen, such as burning candles, but it was not clear how they were lit. On the altar were some strange objects arranged, which looked like they were part of some ancient ritual.

The air in the hall was filled with a scent, like the scent of ancient incense or herbs. The scent was creating a kind of illusion in their minds, as if they were walking through some strange dream.

Nile and Nia walked towards the altar, a mixture of curiosity and fear in their eyes.

The Shadows surrounded them.