Chapter 35: Molting

Normally, Roberland’s anti–Demonic Beast tactics were centered around Experts and Elite warriors.

Against the Demonic Beasts that each displayed monstrous strength, it was always the Experts and the Elite warriors who broke the first charge.

Experts could strengthen their bodies and weapons through the power of Aura, while Elite warriors, though unable to reinforce their weapons, could still draw out great strength using Aura.

A pack of Deer-Oxen charged? Then an Expert would first be sent to blunt their momentum, followed by an Elite warrior to break them, and finally ordinary soldiers would rush in to finish them.

Iron-armored wolves swarmed? Then an Expert would first be sent to scatter them, followed by an Elite warrior to sweep them away, and then ordinary soldiers would move in to finish the job.

That was usually how it went.

But I had pulled the Experts back, sending forward heavily armed troops made up only of Elite warriors and ordinary soldiers… and so they felt unfamiliar and afraid.

They must have been half in doubt.

Would this really work? If it didn’t, would everyone just die?

It would work.

Because I had trained them, so it could not be otherwise.

And if, by some one-in-a-thousand chance, it failed?

Well, then I could just kill them all myself. Three hundred Deer-Oxen were nothing.

“Shield bearers, lower your stance! Deer-Oxen strike by lifting upward from below. If you don’t want to get tossed, stay low!”

“The horns of Deer-Oxen are sharp like blades! Stay well hidden behind your shields! If not, your face will end up prettier than you want!”

“Spearmen, angle your spears right! If you fail to pierce, your Squad Leaders are all dead men!”

“Don’t be afraid! I’m right behind you!”

Experts who had taken command stood between the ranks, rousing and encouraging the soldiers.

Dudududududu—!

The Deer-Ox pack closed to 300 meters ahead.

At their speed, it was only seven seconds to cover that distance.

Even now, they were running insanely fast, but usually they burst into a second acceleration at about 100 meters, and just before collision, they rammed in at an incredible speed of over 300 km per hour.

So, now was the time.

“Archers! Ready to fire!”

Kkiriririk!

Behind me, 800 archers drew their bowstrings all at once.

“Aim at 150 meters forward… Loose!”

Swaeeeaaak!

A rain of arrows poured down over the charging Deer-Ox pack.

But those were not just ordinary arrows.

That was my first weapon, made to face those monstrous beasts’ charge.

The Imperial Bow.

Also called the Black Bow.

Small, light, with excellent force transfer—it was hailed as the greatest bow under heaven.

Maximum range: 400 meters.

Effective range: 150 meters.

Even remarkable in accuracy.

My archery corps was entirely armed with these Black Bows.

Of course, the Empire strictly controlled the export of Black Bows, but that wasn’t a problem at all.

As long as I cast, ‘Want to trade for an ancient artifact?’, there was nothing in the world I couldn’t obtain.

Eight hundred of those Black Bows all at once breathed out the wind.

Swaeeeaaaak!!!

The Black Bows’ uniquely short arrows, known as “Blackshafts,” tore through the air with an ear-splitting shriek and buried themselves into the hides of the Deer-Oxen.

Kkiieeehh—!

With chilling screams, more than ten Deer-Oxen tumbled to the ground.

But their hides were so tough and resilient that even after being peppered with arrows, most still came charging unscathed.

‘Still, I’ve stolen their acceleration timing.’

And to those beasts, I fed my second weapon—javelins.

“Javelins! Throw!”

Whooodoodoodook!

More than a thousand heavy spears all at once crashed into the faces of the Deer-Ox pack.

Kkeeehhhhh!!!

This time, more than thirty of them fell.

With the tenacious vitality worthy of Demonic Beasts, they charged on even with spears stuck through their bodies, refusing to die.

But more important than the number that fell was that the collapsing Deer-Oxen disrupted the charge of the entire herd.

Some Deer-Oxen leapt over the ones falling ahead,

others tripped and staggered, unable to avoid them in time,

and still others veered off to the sides…

Not only had their speed slowed, but their once tight formation had broken apart into loose gaps.

At the last moment, not only had they lost the timing for explosive acceleration, but even their density had weakened.

And what I had prepared for such a moment was—

long, sturdy spears!

The spearmen targeted the now-scattered Deer-Ox herd with greater precision and braced themselves.

“Spears! Hold!”

Kwaaduk! Kwaduduk! Kwaaduk!

The Deer-Oxen rammed themselves into the spears.

From their monstrous momentum, the tough, springy spear shafts made of Tang wood bent into curves, some even snapping outright.

Even with the spears firmly braced on shields planted into the ground, the spearmen were shoved back, shields and all.

But even so, the herd’s momentum had clearly been blunted.

To the point that the Elite warriors could handle them.

“Shield bearers!!!”

“Urraahhh!”

Kwaaaaang!

At last, the Deer-Ox herd collided with the shield bearers.

As Demonic Beasts, they boasted absurd power, but having had their momentum broken in succession by arrows, javelins, and spears, the beasts could not overcome the wall of shields raised by the Elite warriors.

Kagagak! Kagak!

Their blade-like sharp horns scraped against the kite shields, scattering piercing metallic sounds.

“Whoa!”

“It’s working?!”

“It’s working!”

Exclamations of awe flowed among the soldiers.

After all, the charge of three hundred Deer-Oxen was something that even Mid-grade Experts had to brace for injury against.

To have blocked such monstrous charges with only Elite warriors and ordinary soldiers—of course exclamations burst out.

I was excited as well.

Now that the Deer-Ox herd’s charge had been stopped, it was time to knead them as I pleased.

This was even more exhilarating than swinging the blade myself.

“First and Second Divisions! Hold your positions! Third and Fourth Divisions! Circle around left and right to encircle and annihilate! Archers! Concentrated volleys on the left and right wings!”

“Ha!”

The Elite warriors in the front pressed back the scattered Deer-Oxen with their shields and cut their necks with swords.

Right behind them, the spearmen continuously thrust their long spears, easing the burden on the Elite warriors.

While the line held, the Third and Fourth Divisions wheeled around to the flanks, driving into the sides of the confused Deer-Ox herd.

This time, ordinary soldiers stood at the front in phalanx formation, holding shields with both hands.

No matter how strong Deer-Oxen were, once their charge was halted, if four shield bearers braced against each other’s backs, they could not easily be pushed aside.

Meanwhile, the Elite warriors behind the phalanx held their five-meter spears in reverse grip, raising them overhead, stabbing down on the Deer-Oxen outside the line.

Puk! Puuk! Puk!

Even if four men to a rank braced in formation, the Deer-Oxen’ monstrous strength would have eventually forced them back. But with Elite warriors ceaselessly stabbing spears from behind, the beasts could not press forward.

Each time they tried to shove through, a spear pierced them. Each time they gathered strength to push again, another spear impaled them. One by one, the Deer-Oxen fell and were steadily driven back.

And then—

Swaaahhh!

Eight hundred Imperial Bows poured down relentless showers of arrows from the left and right wings.

At close range, the Blackshafts drove even deeper into the Deer-Oxen’ hides.

Blocked at the front and gradually pressured from both flanks, the Deer-Oxen scattered in confusion. Some, driven by killing instinct, rushed headlong into the storms of arrows and spears. Others, thinking they had an opening, withdrew backward. In the process, the herd spread apart, their unity dissolving.

The formation of the Deer-Oxen became full of gaping holes, like a sponge.

Now was the time to cut their throats.

The two hundred remaining Deer-Oxen would be crushed beneath Sword Aura.

“Demon-Slaying Squad! Advance!”

“Ha!”

The Demon-Slaying Squad was a unit of sixty Low-grade Experts and ten Mid-grade Experts.

Sword Aura blazing brightly, they charged forward.

The front-line soldiers lowered their stances to clear the path for them.

Thud! Thud!

The Demon-Slaying Squad stomped the ground hard, leaping high, and vaulted straight over the front lines, plunging into the confused Deer-Ox herd.

Kwaa-jik!

Thud!

Kkiiieeehh!

With chilling screams, ashen-colored blood sprayed up like fountains.

Sword Aura, unlike the sword energy of old, was stronger in destructive force than in cutting power. Every time a Deer-Ox was struck, its wounds burst open and flesh flew apart.

Fired up, the Demon-Slaying Squad members shouted.

“Unbelievable! Deer-Oxen are this easy?!”

“Cut them down! Sweep them all up!”

In truth, Deer-Oxen in full charge had always been terrifying even to them.

But now, standing still and flailing under pressure from both flanks, the Deer-Oxen weren’t frightening in the least.

They were easy.

So easy that it felt almost wrong.

Kwaa-jik!

Chwaak!

Kkiieeehh—!

The Deer-Ox herd crumbled like dust swept by a broom.

Sensing their disadvantage, some Deer-Oxen quickly broke from the formation and retreated, but even that was pointless.

Because I still had my last weapon.

“Cavalry! Charge!”

Two hundred heavy cavalry, who had been circling slowly, now thundered forward.

They skewered the retreating Deer-Oxen on their lances.

Kkiieeehh—!

The last Deer-Ox fell.

The entire battle had lasted only fifteen minutes.

An overwhelming victory.

*         *         *

Kalserik looked around with eyes full of wonder. All he saw were soldiers brimming with excitement.

“Did you see that? I stabbed straight into a Deer-Ox’s forehead with my spear!”

“Bah—amateur. I went for the eyes!”

“I stabbed the Deer-Ox’s balls. Questions?”

The first victory.

And a complete one at that.

The mood of the entire army had changed.

“Man, every time the Count commands, my spine just—zzzap! Zzzap! Feels electric!”

“Right? It’s like playing in the sand with a herd of Deer-Oxen.”

“Electric? I pissed myself.”

“Damn… no wonder it smells. Get lost.”

The soldiers’ shoulders loosened with ease.

The hearts that had once pounded with anxiety now beat with confidence.

Even as they advanced deeper, into the very center of the Border, there were those who hummed tunes instead of feeling fear.

Molting.

It was like a rebirth.

Like a butterfly, fully formed inside its cocoon, finally tearing its way out.

Like the moment when it realized its fluttering wings truly worked in this world.

Kalserik felt it.

That the soldiers before and after the battle had become completely different beings.

Naturally, he recalled the earlier battle that had created this miracle.

‘It was a stroke of genius.’

That was Kalserik’s judgment.

‘You drew out the Experts’ offensive power to the fullest.’

In the usual tactic of placing Experts at the front, such an offensive might never be expected.

Because they had to clash against the sharpest brunt of the enemy’s charge, Experts suffered frequent injuries and their stamina drained quickly.

Of course, fighting that way meant the enemy’s charge could certainly be blunted, but at the same time, our strongest force was spent, and the battle dragged on.

The longer the fight went, the greater the drain on stamina, and naturally, the greater the casualties.

But once the Experts were pulled back, and the Elite warriors and ordinary soldiers held the line, everything changed.

The Experts, conserving their strength, then surged into the gaps when the enemy’s formation collapsed, carrying out a literal massacre.

With Experts severing the enemy’s lifeblood in one sweep, the battle ended astonishingly fast. Thanks to that, even the casualties among the Elite warriors and ordinary soldiers dropped drastically.

‘To fight against three hundred Deer-Oxen… and not lose a single man….’

Not even the High-grade or stronger Experts had taken the field.

It felt like witnessing a new era in anti–Demonic Beast warfare.

Kalserik turned his gaze back to the soldiers, whose morale blazed high.

Even after clashing against the formidable force of three hundred Deer-Oxen, they showed no sign of exhaustion.

Soon, his eyes shifted sideways—to the man riding, dark blue hair streaming in the wind.

Ransen.

His lord.

‘Our commander… I knew he seemed to have learned something real, but to command tactics and strategy to this extent?’

He was stunned—and finally saw true possibility.

‘At this rate… that Lightning Operation… it might really work.’

He had thought it an absurd plan, but now it seemed entirely within reach.

That supposedly impossible strategy: to subjugate the Border, on the verge of a Wave, in just one week.

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